BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

Ronnie looked over at his son. Horace’s dark hair was thinning. He had a big, strong frame but he had put on too much weight. All the junk food he ate while he was driving. Wrappers were scattered all over the floor. If only he’d get his life together. “Horace, I worry when you talk like that,” he said. “Your problem has always been you like a fight. What’s going to become of you when your mother and I aren’t around? Huh? You ever think of that?”

“I live day by day.”

“I’ll say. You never got around to moving out.”

“Mom didn’t want me to.”

“She changed her mind twenty years ago.”

They rode in silence. “I’m sorry,” Ronnie said. “But now that I’m going to retire, I worry. Your mom wants to move to Florida. Are you planning to come with us and try to snag fares at the Florida airports? It won’t be easy. There won’t be any long lines of people standing in the cold, tired of waiting for a legitimate taxi.”

“You think I want to live in a retirement village in Florida?”

“Then what are you gonna do?”

“Stay here. I’ll get a room somewhere. I’ll figure it out.”

Ronnie shook his head. “I should have been a better father.”

“You’re right.” Horace put on his blinker and started steering his dark, beat-up sedan toward the exit.

“This is where we get off?” Ronnie asked.

“Yes.”

“Then what?”

“I know the way,” Horace said, quickly adding, “I got directions on my BlackBerry when I read about the sale.”

27

Connie, are you all right?” Dirk asked anxiously, as he got up off the ground. He winced at the pain in his ankle as he hurried toward her.

Cleo was staring straight up at the sky. “I feel a little dazed but I’m okay.” She started to sit up. “This hasn’t been my day.”

“It’s my fault again,” Dirk said. “Take it easy, Connie. Are you seeing stars or anything?”

“I’m just a little foggy. No big deal.”

“Relax for a few minutes, Connie.” Dirk rubbed his ankle.

“Did you get hurt?” Cleo asked.

“I’ll be fine. I might have a sprain. I’ll go back and put some ice on it.”

“Can you walk all the way back to the office?”

“My cabin is just a short ways up a path in the woods,” he said. “When you’re ready, I’ll escort you back to the trail. Then if you don’t mind, can you go the rest of the way by yourself?”

“I don’t mind. And I’m okay now,” Cleo said. “Let’s go.” Dirk took her hand and together they stood. But when they started to walk, he had trouble. It was painful to put weight on his foot.

“Lean on me,” Cleo offered.

“Are you sure?”