Kyros stretched out his legs as he continued to puff on his new pipe. “I really like this pipe. It draws perfectly. I see some stars overhead. Guess it’s going to be a nice day tomorrow. What will we do?”

Pappy made a sound that was supposed to be a laugh. “I guess you’re going to clean up the kitchen. Me, I’m going to burn my files. I have to pay off the staff and make sure they understand what’s going on. I’ll be busy, too.”

“Do you miss Alpha?” Kyros asked.

“What the hell kind of question is that, Pop? Of course I miss him. But I had to give her something.”

Kyros blew smoke. “The first thing you have to do is start being honest with yourself and stop lying. You did not give the dog to Samantha. The dog chose to go with her. That dog’s love was not yours to give. He may not have loved you, but you and he were partners. You understood each other perfectly. That’s what is confusing me. I guess he loved Samantha,” he said slyly, hoping to get a rise out of his son.

Pappy fired up a fresh cigarette. He squinted when the smoke made his eyes water. “You know, Pop, I used to watch her. I was always there on the periphery with my notebook and scorecard. Inwardly, I cheered her on. Sometimes I think she knew I was there, but she never let on. In the beginning I wanted her to be the best, better than all the others. I guess I thought I could turn her into another Adrian. I know now it was all mixed up in my mind. The thing was, Pop, I think she was better than Adrian ever was. Maybe I’m not being fair to Adrian, but she lost her edge long before I did. This is a business for the young. Then, because you kept reminding me of what a fool I am, I realized I didn’t want her to be like Adrian. I didn’t want her to do this for a living, looking over her shoulder, not having a life, married to the job. I wanted her to have a life, friends, a home.”

“Why didn’t you tell her that?”

“I couldn’t. She thought she needed to do this to prove something to herself. She did, and I blew her off the mountain. You were right about something else, too. It was her decision to make, not mine. She qualified. I fell in love with her, Pop. I think Alpha sensed it and, dammit, he was okay with it. I think that dog thought of us as one.”

Kyros emptied his pipe. “I think you’re right. You can still correct the situation, son.”