“All the damn time,” Sky shot back, perfectly willing to play verbal tennis.
“Jesus, it’s a Yankee versus Texan vocabulary test. Just drink your margarita, Adam.”
Trish started giggling and shaking her head.
“My old man isn’t fixin’ to let us play, sir.” Sky winked at Adam. “Cheers.”
“Cheers!” Adam sipped his drink. “Oh. Lovely. Very nice.”
“Come sit, Trish.” Beck patted a chair for her.
“Thank you.” She sat, but her eyes were still on Sky. “It’s so good to finally meet you, Skyler. Beckett has been quiet about you, but he’s opened up a lot this summer. He says you’ve had quite a time with recovery, but it looks like you’re doing well.”
“I’m doing my dead-level best, ma’am. Things are starting to feel like they belong to me, even if they’re steel.” Sky could charm the panties off a nun with that voice and that smile.
“And plastic. Did you know the hip sockets are made of this super durable plastic? So weird.” He grinned at Sky when his cowboy stuck his tongue out.
“So tell me about what you used to do. Can you go back to it at all?” Adam leaned against the railing that wrapped around that end of the deck.
Sky’s eyebrow rose, but he answered with a smile. “I rode bulls, and I’m always going to be a former champion, so there will always be times I get paid to show up and smile, but I’m announcing my retirement after the finals. It’s a young man’s game.”
Adam nodded. “Skiing tends to be a younger competitor’s gig too. I hear you. I knew you rode bulls, but I don’t know anything about the sport at all, I’m afraid. We don’t get much of it up here. I’m sorry it’s over for you. I love Beck’s stories about watching you ride.”
“I’ve never skied. I’m fixin’ to learn, I bet.” Sky shrugged. “And the sport is simple—keep your free arm up, spur, and don’t let go.”
“The idea is simple, the sport is brutal.” Beckett couldn’t let Sky make it sound like anyone could do it. Even the guys who rode knew it was hard.
“Evidently. So, how do you like Vermont?”
“It’s beautiful, and it’s where Beck is.”
The words were simple, straightforward, and they went right to Beck’s soul.
“Oh, I like that answer.” Trish smiled at him.
He winked back at her. “I do too.”
“Where’s home for you? I mean, other than Vermont? Do you have folks?” Adam asked a lot of questions; he did this to everybody. It wasn’t meant to be rude; he was genuinely interested in people, and he remembered the answers. And Beck knew Adam had a particular interest in Sky.
“I lived in Lubbock when I was a kid. All wind and dust, all the time. Have y’all ever been?” Sky deftly turned the conversation, and Beck wasn’t surprised. Sky didn’t mention Stormy in mixed company. At all.
“I haven’t, no. But Trish—"
“Well, I’ve been to Austin. That’s not Lubbock.” Trish winked at Sky.
“No. Austin is infinitely more fun.” Sky nodded. “Austin is a great city.”
“I had a great time. It was a girls’ long weekend. We had great food, and saw things, and listened to music. Great weekend.”
“I’m not a big traveler. I’d just as soon sit right here and watch the sunset.” Adam sipped his drink.
That was true enough. He let Trish go do whatever she wanted to, and he held down the fort while she was away. But then his life had been the law firm for so long, Beckett wasn’t sure he knew much else.
“He’ll travel more when he retires.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. I might garden more.” Adam gave Trish a fond smile.
“Are you going to take Beckett around when you travel?” Trish asked, and he waited to hear the answer.