Mike nodded. “It’s possible. It’s very possible, and while I’ll tell you right now, I don’t want it and the thought scares me to death, even in the midst of fighting to do everything I can to keep my brain rolling the way it should for as long as I can, I am going to do the other thing my dad taught me. That’s make sure my family is ready.”
Blake collapsed back in his chair. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Nothing to say,” Mike returned dryly before shrugging. “Who knows. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’ll live to a hundred and beat you at crib until my dying day.”
“I look forward to that.”
“But if that’s not what happens, we’re going to be prepared. And that means you need to be ready.” Mike caught his hand. “You have been doing so much to make sure the Coleman ranches are successful. This is just a little more official. Ensuring you can make all the decisions you need to, not just for the Six Pack ranch, but when dealing with your uncles and cousins. And so you can take care of Marion and make sure she’s got everything she needs.”
Blake was floored. “You know I’ll do whatever it takes. Of course we can take care of this. Also, if you want to have nothing to do with the daily tasks, you can spend your days between the grandkids and going for rides—”
Mike laughed, a loud, hardy burst of noise. “Jesus, you really think I’m looking for a life of leisure?”
It was Blake’s turn to shrug. “Just saying. I’ve got a whole lot of stalls that need rebuilding that I planned to put your name beside, but maybe you and the uncles want to go on an extended fishing trip instead.”
His father shook his head. “Other than getting things in place legally, just in case, for the rest of it, you treat me the same as you’ve been. I like working, and I love working beside my boys. Nothing in the world gives me more joy than being with my family. As good as it is to sit still every now and then, it wouldn’t feel right to be lazing about.”
Blake nodded. “Okay, okay.”
A soft chuckle escaped his dad. “I’m not looking to stop, but I’m preparing you. Ask questions, think forward. I want you to be ready and feel you have this under control and not have to scramble in the future.”
“I can do that,” Blake assured him. “But you make sure you tell me if you want things to change.”
“Use your judgment. Chances are, at some point, you’ll have to give me made-up chores like I used to give you when you were a little tyke, tagging along at my heels and wanting so hard to help.” Mike sat quietly for a while then dipped his chin. “But we’ll deal with that day when it comes.”
Blake’s head was whirling. “I love you, Dad.”
Mike paused for a second in the middle of rising to his feet then caught Blake up in a huge hug and squeezed him tight, pounding him on the back. “I love you too.” He took a step back. “Almost forgot. There’s one more thing I’m going to turn over to you.”
He pushed over the hardcover book that had been on the table. It was neatly labelled SP Ranch Journal with the current year.
Blake’s fingers jerked to a stop unbidden. “That’s your diary.”
“Hush. Men don’t have diaries,” his father said dryly. “Or so your grandpa informed me when I caught him writing in his.”
They grinned as they met each other’s eyes. But Blake had to take a deep breath before he continued. “Why are you giving it to me?”
His dad looked thoughtful for a moment. “Okay, maybe I’m not giving it to you. I’m going to keep journaling myself, but this is a tradition that’s been in our family for a long time. It’s not just the records of what crops or how many animals or that sort of thing. I wasn’t even quite sure what the hell it was for when I started, but it’s been useful. Making notes about what I see, what I feel. What I hope for, or what’s been disappointing and needs to change.”
Blake considered. “Not something I’ve ever given much thought to—keeping a journal.”
“And maybe it won’t be something for you, but I’d appreciate if you gave it a shot.” Mike coughed as he scooped the book off the table and pressed it into Blake’s hands. “I bet you Marion’s looking for us. Probably got the teapot going and ready to catch us up on everything amazing your kids have done since we left.”
Blake was still reeling a little when he and Jaxi got home. After all the kids had been tucked into bed, he sat in his big easy chair and pulled Jaxi into his lap.
She held the journal, tracing a finger around the label. “That’s a pretty big change for Mike to make.”
“He’s seventy,” Blake reminded her. “Seventy-one this year.”
She nodded. “He just always seems so invincible. Both your parents.” Her nose wrinkled for a moment. “My mom and dad have been out of the picture for so long, I don’t have any connection with them. Marion and Mike are mine as much as they’re yours.”
Blake had never understood Jaxi’s folks. They’d moved away from Rocky shortly after he and Jaxi got married. They’d paid a couple of visits and sent a few congratulation cards when the babies had arrived, but there’d been no real connection.
He wrapped his arms around her. “Ma and Dad are your parents in all the ways that count. We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing. Loving them and appreciating them and being there for them, whatever that means.”
Jaxi put the journal on the side table, wrapped her arms around his neck, and squeezed tight. Holding on to him as if she could somehow soak up the sadness inside and take it away.
“Blake?”
“Darlin’?”
She sighed. “I love you.”
Nice try. Blake slid his fingers into her hair and tightened so he could pull her back far enough to meet her gaze. “What are you not telling me? Because the difference between that Blake and your I love you were about hundred and eighty degrees in tone.”
Her brow furrowed. “It’s bad timing.”
“It’s bad timing for you to have something you want to talk about and then not talk to me.” Blake gave her a warning look. “Let’s try again. Darlin’?”
She closed her eyes and spoke softly in a huge rush of words. “I know I kinda said before that I was done with having babies, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot, ever since the fall, and I would really like to see if we could have one more.”
Okay. That was a change of topic. Blake focused in on the main point. “You want to have another baby?”
“I don’t think I’m good to try for the six boys you always poked me about, but—” She nodded. “You want some time to think about it?”
“Yep. I need some time.”
She was in the middle of nodding when he jerked to his feet, still cradling her in his arms. Jaxi’s arms tightened around his neck as he stepped quietly down the hallway to their bedroom. He laid her on the mattress then followed an instant later, her body soft and welcoming under his.
“There. I thought about it. I would love to bring another beautiful baby into this world to fill our home with even more joy.”