Chapter Thirty-Nine
Grant
“It’s our first road trip together,” I said to Emily as we pulled out her driveway.
Two weeks had passed since we’d officially made up and I decided it was time to go back and visit my father. Also, I still had a ton of stuff that I needed to bring back with me. And, above all, I wanted my father to meet Emily.
“Yeah, I’m wondering what sort of a road tripper you are?” she said.
“What does that even mean?”
“Are you quiet? Do you just focus on the road and nothing else? Do you like music? Do you like to talk and play games? There are endless options.”
I chuckled. “I’ve never thought about it that much before. When I’m alone, I actually enjoy the silence. Sometimes I don’t put any music on at all. But with you, I’m thinking we play music.”
“Good answer,” she said and fished inside her bag until she took out a CD.
“What’s that?”
“Just a little something I put together for our trip.”
“You put some road music together?” I asked. I couldn’t believe that she’d put so much effort into it.”
“Well, it was either that or you’d have to contend with my singing. And trust me, you do not want to listen to that. Musical talent does not run in my family.”
“Music it is then!” I said. “And yeah, same here. I don’t think you can get a worse singer than me. Although, my brothers are all horrible too. It definitely does not run in my family.”
“Good, we can be bad together,” she said as the music started. She immediately started singing along, and I laughed.
“Yeah, you’re not great,” I said.
“Hey!” she said and laughed.
I sang along at the top of my voice, and she burst out laughing.
“You’re awful!”
“You know, I don’t think we’re wording this right. I think we are so good at being bad.”
“So good at being bad,” she repeated. “Yeah, I like the sound of that.”
“So, how are you feeling about meeting my father?”
“I’m nervous,” she admitted. “I’ve heard such conflicting stories about him too, and I’m a little nervous that he’s not going to like me.”
“Nah, he’s a good guy. He’s just messed up a few times.”
She smiled. “Like my father.”
“Exactly. But he’s a good person, and he’s going to love you. Who wouldn’t love you?”
The road trip was fun, with both of us trying to outdo each other in the bad singing department. It was a long trip. We stopped three times just to stretch our legs and get something to eat. I considered staying over somewhere but we decided to keep going. And yet, despite the distance, when we finally arrived, I could see that she had visibly relaxed.
“Well,” I said. “We’re going to surprise him at the office.”
“How do you know he’s even there?” she asked.
“Oh trust me. He’s always there. My dad loves his job. I have no doubt in my mind that he’ll be there. Also, that’s his car over there,” I said and laughed.
“Why don’t you go in first?”
“Why? You still nervous?”
“No, I’m fine. But if you’re surprising him, then it might be nice if you go in on your own. I’ll wait here. When you’re ready, you can come and get me.”
I nodded. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. I’ll be right back,” I said and kissed her.
It was strange being back in my hometown. I wondered if it would make me want to move back, but I was glad to feel that it was having the opposite reaction on me. I liked being back, but I could feel that it wasn’t home anymore. I knew it would end up being a place that I came to visit often, but not a place I would live in again. I had a new life now. I walked straight to my father’s office and smiled when I saw the shocked reaction on his face.
“Am I dreaming?” he said.
I laughed. “Hi, Pop.”
“Grant! This is such a nice surprise. Come here and give your old man a hug.”
I walked over to hug him and then sat down opposite him, like I’d done so many times before. It was good to see him again. He looked a bit tired, and he’d lost a bit of weight, but that was to be expected from all the chemo he’d been through. But other than that, he looked the same.
“You look good, Pop. How are you feeling?”
“I’m feeling good. I’m much better. I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been thinking so much about our last conversation and how I messed things up. I don’t know what happened to me lately, but I’ve been wanting to make amends a lot more than I used to. You know what I’ve always been like—stubborn, stubborn, stubborn. I’ve never liked to apologize, and I’ve never liked to admit that I was wrong. And you and I always had such a great relationship. I’m sorry I snapped at you like that. I said some mean things.”
“It’s in our blood, I think,” I said. “Sometimes I get angry too. But I’m starting to see that there is no point to it. And you don’t have to apologize at all. You aren’t the only one in the wrong. And while I hope that you and Brady make up, I’m starting to see that it has nothing to do with me, either. It’s your business. I love you both, and that’s all that counts.”
“You’re a good man, Grant.”
“Well, so are you, Pop.”
He laughed. “Not like us to get this emotional, huh?”
“Not at all. Maybe we’re catching up for all those years where we didn’t open up.”
“Yeah, maybe. So, are you moving back?”
I shook my head. “I’m not. Actually, I’m moving to Wyoming for good.”
I waited for my father to tell me how upset he was, or how angry he was, or what a mistake I was making. But he simply sighed and nodded.
“I thought you were going to say that.”
“I’m sorry, Pop. But I’m going to visit all the time.”
“You better. It’s okay, Grant. I can see how happy that place makes you. You’ve done the right thing. I’m assuming you’re going to be leaving the club too?”
“Uh, yeah. I’m sorry. It’s just going to be too difficult from where I am. Anyway, motorcycles have always been more your thing. And Gunner’s thing. Not mine. You know that.”
“I know. I know. I wanted it to be this big family business, but I forgot that you all had your own personalities and lives. It’s okay, though. As long as you don’t sell your bike.”
“No way. I’m taking it back with me. I’ve missed riding so much.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“There’s one other thing,” I said.
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“I met someone.”
“You did? No wonder you don’t want to come back. So, when do I get to meet this girl?”
“Actually, she’s in the car right now. I really wanted her to meet you. She’s heard a lot about you.”
“Oh dear, I hope you’ve told her only good things. Come on, let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving. And I’d love to get to know her.”
I smiled. “That sounds great. Come on; I’ll take us.”
We walked out the shop and toward the car, and I could see Emily’s eyes widen at the sight of my father and I walking toward her. She quickly got out of the car and went immediately to give my father a big hug.
“Hi, you must be Pop!” she said, and we both laughed.
“That’s what everyone calls me around here. And you must Emily. Lovely to meet you,” he said.
Then, as we were getting into the car, he turned to wink at me. “Beautiful,” he whispered.
We made our way to the local café and ordered a round of toasted sandwiches and coffee. Talk between the three of us was easy, and I was grateful to have Emily there. She didn’t come across at all nervous and was happily chatting away.
“More coffee?” I said to everyone, and they both agreed.
I left the table to place the order when I saw Gunner walking outside. I quickly opened the door and beckoned for him to come in.
“Patriot?” he said in surprise.
“Hey, Gunner, good to see you. Come on, join us for coffee.”
“Us?”
I gestured to where our father was talking to Emily and Ian grinned. “You have a girlfriend?”
“I do. And, I’ve decided to stay in Buffalo.”
“Buffalo? You’re actually going to live in Wyoming? After all the insults we used to say about Brady.”
I laughed. “Yeah, now you can throw the insults at me.”
“Oh, I’m sure I can think of a good few, Farmer Grant.”
The woman at the counter took our orders and I was glad that Ian had decided to join us. We stood there for a while waiting for the coffee and catching up.
“You look happy,” he said to me. “Very different from the Patriot I’ve always known.”
“I can say the same thing about you,” I said. “You look very happy.”
“I am. I hate to say it, man, but it looks like we both just needed a woman in our lives.”
I laughed. “Yeah, growing up without any females around us really messed us up, I think. It’s good to see you. I hear the club is going well,” I said.
“It is. No thanks to you,” he said, but I could see he was joking.
“It always belonged to you and Pop.”
“Yeah, and ranches always belonged to you and Brady,” he teased. “Where’s your cowboy hat, man?”
“Don’t laugh, I do actually wear one sometimes. It gets hot out there all day. But, I’ll have you know that I’m not just working on the ranch anymore.”
“What do you mean? What else do you do?”
“I’m actually a fireman.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“I’m serious.”
“That’s cool man. I didn’t realize that. Yeah, I can see you as a fireman,” he said as he assessed me. “Congratulations. How on earth did you get into that?”
“Well, to start, Emily’s house burned down.”
He laughed. “Funny one.”
“No, I’m being serious.”
“So, you’re telling me that Emily’s house burned down, and you became a firefighter?”
“Something like that,” I chuckled. “Trust me; it’s a very long story.”
“Well, at least your life isn’t boring anymore.”
“Yeah, far from it. It’s certainly a far cry from my life as a real estate agent. Well, want to come over and meet Emily?”
“Do you I want to meet the woman that made you a much more pleasant man to be around? Hell yeah!” he said.
We took our coffees and walked over to the table. Both my father and Emily looked up in surprise that Ian was there.
I smiled. “Emily, this is my brother Gunner.”
“Gunner? Oh, you’re Ian!” she said. “Pleasure to meet you.”
“Uh oh. Sounds like my brother has been talking about me. Good to meet you too, Emily. So, what do you call him? Grant or Patriot?”
I noticed that Emily went slightly pink at the question. “Both,” she said. She squeezed my leg, and I wished for a second that we weren’t sitting with my father and brother in a crowded café.
“Yeah, it depends on the situation,” I said and smiled at Emily. “But Ian here will always be Gunner to me.”
“And I’ll always be Pop no matter how many times I’ve asked him to call me Dad,” my father said.
Emily chuckled and leaned in. “So, can I count on the two of you to tell me everything there is to know about good old Patriot here,” she said, and everyone laughed.
“Oh, she’s a keeper,” Ian said to me afterward, when we were leaving the café.
I smiled. “She certainly is.”