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“And Matt,” Daddy said. “He’ll need to know, so he can replace you if necessary.”
Tuck smiled softly. “I’m irreplaceable. Isn’t that what you and Momma always told me?”
Daddy chuckled, and Tucker missed him so, so much. “That’s right, son. You’re irreplaceable, but Matt will have to try.”
A bout of silence carried between them, until Tucker finally said, “I’m going to have to talk to Bobbie Jo about this, right?”
“You said it earlier,” Daddy said. “You’re an adult, and you can talk to her like an adult.”
“So you wouldn’t just sneak away in the night?”
“No, son, I would not.”
Tucker wouldn’t either, because he didn’t want to slam the door completely on the idea of a relationship with Bobbie Jo. Pathetic, maybe. Delusional for sure. But the truth.
“Thanks, Daddy.”
“Text or call your mother with when you’re coming. She’ll stock the house with food.”
“I love you. Tell Momma I love her too.”
“Will do. Love you, Tuck.”
The call ended, and Tuck let the phone fall to the mattress. He was late to work, but he didn’t get up. He had a lot on his mind weighing him down, and he needed a few more minutes to get things in order.
Then, he got up, showered, dressed, poured himself a cup of coffee, and stepped out onto the front porch. He could text Matt and Hunter in one go, and he did that as he stirred sugar and cream into his coffee. He took a sip, read over the text, and sent it.
Hey, guys, Tuck here. I have decided to go to Coral Canyon at the beginning of June. I’m sorry that’s not much time to find someone to replace me, but it’s a couple of weeks, at least.
Matt responded almost instantly. Is Tarr going too?
No, Tuck said. Not that I know of. I haven’t talked to him yet, so please don’t say anything to anyone. He didn’t spell out that he’d like to tell Bobbie Jo himself too, but hopefully he wouldn’t have to.
That’s great, Tuck, Hunter said. Momma and Daddy will love having you.
Tuck knew that to be true too, and he closed his eyes as a prayer streamed through his mind. Thank you, Lord, for the best parents on the planet.
His momma would love to have him. She’d feed him and care for him and talk to him as much as he wanted. She’d leave him alone if he wanted her to as well, and Tuck suddenly couldn’t wait to get to Coral Canyon and step into his mother’s hug.
Bless me to have a few crucial conversations, he added to his prayer. Help me not to make a fool of myself in front of Bobbie Jo again. Give her what she needs to be happy too, even if it’s not me.
Sadness pulled through him, but Tuck meant his mental prayer. He did want Bobbie Jo to be happy; he simply wanted to be happy too. The fact was, he wasn’t happy here, in this current situation, and something had to change.
Either the situation, or him, or where he was, and he’d decided to blow it all up. Now, he just had to tell everyone he cared about of his plans—and hope all the doors in his life stayed open.
A week later, Tarr knew of Tuck’s plans to go to Coral Canyon for the summer. Matt and Gloria knew, and they’d started interviewing for another horseman to help with the summer horseback riding lessons.
Everyone knew—except Bobbie Jo. Tuck would be shocked if she hadn’t heard it from someone yet, but she hadn’t said anything to him if she had. So, after he’d gotten up before his alarm and packed a few more boxes, he sat down at the kitchen table while Tarr scrambled eggs and made coffee, and he finally texted her.
I’d love to sit down with you for a few minutes, he said. Then he deleted it. That sounded so…corporate. He wanted to take her to dinner and lay everything out for her, but it felt like rubbing salt in a gash in his heart.
He sighed and looked over to his best friend. “I don’t know what to say to her.”
“Ask her to lunch,” Tarr said. “Or dinner. Just ask her out.”
“I’m leaving in eight days.”
“Yeah, so lunch should be easy,” he said.
