Then he shared, “Wish my boy Levi’d find a woman like you. Makes him look like Slim looks when he looks at you. Makes him feel however Slim feels that makes him get close to you anytime you’re even a little near. Like any moment a lion’s gonna come roarin’ into the room and he’s gotta be close enough to come between you and it so he can keep you safe. Can die knowin’ my Laurie and Jill got men like that at home. Can die knowin’ Slim feels like that about a woman. Wish I was dyin’ knowin’ that was warmin’ Levi’s bed at night.”

His words warmed my heart, settled in my soul, and made that tight, coiled snake of poison in my belly shrink near to oblivion.

“Maybe you’re not dying,” I suggested.

“A man knows, Tess,” he replied with resignation.

“Does it hurt to fight?” I asked and he smiled small.

“Oh sweetheart, don’t you worry. I’ll go down swingin’.”

“Good.” I smiled small back.

“Just hope I got it in me to fight back at the same time make peace with my family.”

“I’m getting to know your family, Cob, and I don’t want to get your hopes up but I see good things.”

His eyes grew intense on me and he asked, “Slim?”

I tipped my head to the side, surprised he asked.

“You just ate dinner with him and his sons,” I reminded him.

“There’s him lettin’ me in the door and lettin’ his boys know their granddad while they got the chance. And there’s him just lettin’ me in. I didn’t do right by Fern, and in doin’ that, I didn’t do right by all my kids. But Slim bore the brunt of it.”

“I know,” I whispered and pain shadowed his face.

“Right,” he muttered, looking back at the fire.

“Cob,” I called and he looked back at me. Then I told him, “Life is funny. And the funny part is, sometimes out of bad comes good. I don’t like to see you conflicted and, no offense, but it’s upsetting to know things were rough for Brock and Fern and your family growing up because of the choices you made. But because of those choices, Brock is the man he is today. If he wasn’t, I honestly don’t know where I’d be.”

I leaned toward him and kept sharing but I did it quietly.