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Tell started shoveling in the side of ies

Casper said, “You knoouldn’t kill ya to say thanks to the Lord for all you’ve got before you eat like you’ve never seen food”

And Tell kept chewing

“You are stubborn” Then Casper addressed her “You wanna hear stubborn? When Tell was about fourteen, we had this old, worthless fishing boat He thought he could get it runnin’, despite the fact he’s hopeless when it comes to mechanical stuff I told him he astin’ his time He spent every wakin’ hour workin’ on it when he wasn’t doin’ stuff around the ranch Somehow he convinced Luke to help hirunted “That sucker sank like a rock, with the bow sticking straight up So e’re in the ht, that end sticks out ’cause the water table is so low Since Tell fastened so on it, everyone knows it’s his Everyone sees his mistake Stubborn kid shoulda listened to er “I’d appreciate you leavin’ now, Dad I am on a date You’re the third wheel that nobody wants”

Georgia’s face warmed from Tell’s harsh words

But it didn’t faze Casper He slid out of the booth “Fine, I can take a hint Be seein’ you” And he was gone

She focused on her pasta When she glanced over at Tell, he’d stirred his food but hadn’t eaten much Poor baby She wanted to wrap her arms around him, but he’d see it as pity, not co But he didn’t lift his head “Sorry about that”

“Like you had any control over where he showed up for supper”

“Yeah Well Can we just forget it?”

Tell only ate half his steak and the waitress boxed up the reia sensed his iet out of the restaurant

In the truck, he didn’t pat the seat for her to scoot over He didn’t snatch her hand Tell just hunched over the steering wheel and drove in silence

Halfway home, she peered around the invisible elephant in the truck cab “Is it always like that with your father?”

“No Someti Can’t we just drop it?”

“No You’re upset and hurting and I want to help you” Georgia picked up his hand and kissed his palm “Please You’ve been there for me and you have no idea how much I appreciated that You need to talk about this, Tell And I’ ot worse after Luke died, but that nasty attitude is just who he is, whether he’s drinking or sober with the light of God shining down on him No one in our family can stand to be around him You can see why

“I don’t knoas she did She finally chose a different life and I’ with Dad without her as a buffer”

Georgia knew exactly how that felt, but this was about Tell Not her