Hawk's Way by Joan Johnston

Author:Joan Johnston [Johnston, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488024863
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 1992-08-29T04:00:00+00:00

SIX

Jesse found Jack in the barn brushing General. He stuck a boot on the bottom rail of the stall door and leaned his forearms on the top rail.

“You and that bull seem to be good friends,” Jesse said.

The boy ignored him and continued brushing the bull’s curly red coat.

Jesse tipped his hat back off his brow. “When I was a kid about your age my dad gave me a bull of my very own to raise.”

“I was eight when Dad bought General,” Jack said. “He wasn’t much to look at then, but Dad thought he was something pretty special. He was right. General’s always been a winner.” Jack seemed embarrassed at having said so much and began brushing a little harder and faster.

“Sounds like your dad was something pretty special, too,” Jesse said.

“You’re nothing like him, that’s for sure!”

“No, I expect not,” Jesse agreed. “I do have one thing in common with your father.”

Jesse waited for the boy’s curiosity to force him to continue the conversation.

“What’s that?” Jack asked.

“Feelings for your mother.”

Jack glared at him. “Why can’t you just leave her alone?”

How could he explain what he felt for Honey in words the boy would understand? Jesse wondered. What did one say to a thirteen-year-old boy to describe the relationship between a man and a woman? It would be easier if he could tell the boy he was committed in some way to Honey. But Jesse had never spoken of “forever” with Honey, and he wasn’t free to do so until his business here was done.

“I wish I had an easy answer for your question,” Jesse said quietly. “But I don’t. Will it help if I say I’ll try my damnedest never to do anything that’ll hurt your mom?”

Abruptly Jack stopped brushing the bull. “She’s never gonna love you like she loved Dad. You’re crazy if you think she will. There’s no sense in you hanging around. Now that school’s out, I can handle things. Why don’t you just leave?”

“I can’t,” Jesse said simply.

“Why not?”

“Your mother needs my help.” And I still have to steal this bull.

Jack’s body sagged like a balloon losing air. “I wish Dad was still alive,” he said in a quiet, solemn voice.

Jesse retrieved a piece of hay from the feed trough and began to shred it. “My father died when I was twenty,” he said. “Bronc threw him and broke his neck. I didn’t think anything could hurt so much as the grief I felt losing him. I missed him so much, I left home and started wandering. It took a few years before I realized he was still with me.”

The boy’s brow furrowed, revealing the confusion caused by Jesse’s last statement.

Jesse reached out to scratch behind the huge bull’s ears. “What I mean is, I’d catch myself doing something and remember how my dad had been the one to teach it to me. My father left me with the best part of himself—the memories I have of everything he said and did.”

Jack swallowed hard. His teeth gritted to stop the tremor in his chin.

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