“Ow. Sunscreen is a thing you know. We miss you too.” Jesus, so much. But he didn’t want to be a downer. “You missed the school play. I know it’s your favorite thing.” He poured the sarcasm on thick.
“Did you tape it? Can you email it to me?” Oh, Early sounded worried.
“There’s a YouTube link, honey. I’ll send it to you. You didn’t miss much, I promise. Jayden wasn’t even in it, and Jaxson had like one line.”
“I am the man from down the road,” Early intoned. “And I have no eggs.”
“Give that man an Oscar!” He chuckled. “Stunning.”
“I know, right? It’s like I practiced that line for three months.”
“Just like. Astounding. Anyway, he was brilliant of course.” It was the worst play ever, but Connor was absurdly proud anyway. “I’ll send the link when I get to work. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it sooner.”
“No worries. You’ve been busy as hell, I know. How are the boys doing? Okay?”
“They’re good. School is fine. Jayden keeps losing his shoes every morning just as the bus is arriving, and I forgot to make lunches last night so I sent them with money.” Wow. That got away from him. “They miss you.”
“Put his shoes in his backpack. He pulls that one a lot. Jaxson will start hiding his underwear between the mattress and box springs next.”
“Really?” Should he have known that? How did he not know that? “Why do they do that?”
“He believes, wrongly, that I won’t make him go to school commando.” Early’s voice was smug. “I did slip a clean pair in his bag, just in case the seams on his jeans started to chafe.”
He grinned. “You’re so mean. I don’t know if I can be that mean.” He could be pretty ornery with opposing counsel, but he was usually kind to his clients. And his kids. “But I’ll take it under advisement.”
“Just be aware. The last thing you want is him rubbing his privates through his jeans all damn day. The teachers hate that.”
“Good lord.” He snorted. “I am now aware. You’re an incredible dad, you know that?”
“I’m trying. I miss y’all. There’s so much to show you. Hmm? No. No, I’ll just take a sausage biscuit. Thanks.”
“Is that Mommama? Tell her hello for me.” He’d like someone to make him breakfast. He was going to hit the drive-thru.
“He’s one of my new hires. Ian. He’s dealing with landscaping things, house stuff, handyman-type things.”
“And breakfast. Handy. I’ve got two closings today, so I’ve got Mrs. Nolan on standby in case I run late, she even offered to make dinner.” He knew he was going to run late. Not hours late, but too late to meet the bus.
“Oh, that rocks. I’ll send her a text to say thank you. I wish I could make you supper.”
“I do too. I miss our routine. I miss you.”I’m worried you’re having fun on the ranch without me.
“I miss you too. Nights are damn lonely out here.”
He hadn’t slept well since he’d gotten home. “The middle of the night is the worst.”
“Yeah. I’ve been sleeping in the living room. Saving our room for us.”
“Oh, honey. You can’t sleep on the couch for a month. Save that amazing new mattress you’re buying for us and go sleep where you’re comfortable. I don’t want you to wear yourself out.” The couch? He understood though, sleeping in their bed was hard without Early in it, but he needed to be close to the kids.
“I just want to see you. It’s been a long couple weeks.”
Part of him was glad to hear that. “Should I drive the kids down this weekend? Or do you think that will just make the last couple of weeks of school harder?” He wasn’t sure.
“I don’t know. Do they have to go? What would they learn anyway?”
Surely Early was joking.
“Ha. Funny. It’s school, Early. Of course they have to go.” He had to work too; did Early think he was going to play hooky?