Chapter 10 Skipping the Steps
Skipping the steps
Oliver
RacingQueen: Do you want kids?
TheBigO: Pretty sure you’ve skipped a few steps.
RacingQueen: Like, in general.
TheBigO: Yes. More than one.
RacingQueen: Why?
TheBigO: When my mom died, I don’t think I would have survived without my brother. They might need each other some day.
Brent and I may be opposites, but we both know we’re in this together.
RacingQueen: Same. For everything. I want lots. It’s why I just want to skip all of that dating shit.
TheBigO: That’s a required step.
RacingQueen: No it’s not. It’s a way to dance around all the important questions and drag everything out. I want to pass all that and go directly to happy together with children.
I stare down at my phone. What the hell is she talking about?
Is that why she’s so enamored with the ‘soul mate’ theme in her books? It takes out the leg work?
I guess it doesn’t matter. I dated Paige and we still ended up being miserable together.
If only reality worked like fiction.
TheBigO: Except you don’t know if you’ll like someone without getting to know them first.
RacingQueen: My favorite color is green.
I work at my family’s company. If I’m having a fight, I’ll say my piece right to your face, then hide to sort out my thoughts.
But I am willing to change my mind. I like coffee more than tea, yet will drink it to have a conversation.
Books over video games. Family over friends.
I want to be the center of attention, yet love my privacy.
I watch as her facts keep dropping. I can almost imagine her sitting there thinking.
If only I could picture the person typing.
Because every line she adds is another one I like.
And that’s worrisome. She’s laying out an entire resume of attributes that would make me hire her as a wife in a heartbeat.
If it worked that way.
Yet, she’s careful to leave out specifics so if I was a creep I couldn’t identify her.
Smart girl.
Except, is this what I want?
Before I can even answer that question in my own head, I’m eagerly typing my own pros and cons like I’m on some dating app filling in the blanks.
I guess the worst that happens is she decides she doesn’t like something and she ghosts me.
As the evening continues, she reveals her hopes, dreams, and even her fears.
By the time I’m trying to sleep, I feel as if I know her better than I ever knew Paige.
With the final paperwork in my hands for the pipe job this summer, I know not only will I keep my crew busy, I’ll have enough to buy that new dozer I’ve had my eye on.
The timing couldn’t be better having the project not starting until late April. I’ll have a couple of weeks in Oregon tuning up my roping skills before the first big competition hits in February.
I’ll know pretty quickly if I’m going to qualify for Vegas.
Damn this getting old shit. There’s only a few good years left that I’ll be able to compete.
Then what will I have?
A belt buckle on an empty wall?
Or do I want one filled with photos of the family I want?
RQ has my wheel spinning with ideas that I never thought plausible.
I’m so distracted, I hardly register my phone ringing until I’m leaning to buckle my seatbelt.
“Hello, this is Oliver,” I bark into the speaker as the blue tooth connects.
“Mason McCullough, out at the Black Gulch Ranch,” his deep voice booms through the cab, drowning the diesel hum.
I know of Mason. His pain in the ass daughter tried to get in my face when all hell was breaking loose over my ex-wife.
But I’ve never had a conversation with Mason, despite the fact I used to see him helping her get set up at several rodeos in the past.
Haven’t seen him lately though.
“What can I do for you?” I keep my truck in park. If I start driving home, I’ll hit a dead spot and lose the call.
He takes a deep breath. “Well, two things. We had a fire a couple of weeks ago on the main lodge and need some work done to fix it. I also want to talk about putting in a house.”
“I’m sorry to hear about the fire.” I glance at the clock on my dash, weighing how long it will take me to drive to Pendleton like I planned. “What kind of timeline are you looking at?”
“I’d like to get started on the repairs right away,” he grunts. “The new place you won’t be able to do much on until the ground thaws.”
Fuck.
I have a few guys that would jump at the chance.
“I’m gonna be out of town, but I have a crew that could likely handle it. Can I swing by now and take a look?” I’d trust Denny and Mike to take care of everything.
“I’ll be here, thanks.” The click echoes through the speakers as the line goes quiet.
I like him already.