Crowe’s Nest

 

July rolled into August. The days, though still hot, were noticeably shorter. Griff sat at a familiar spot with his back against a granite boulder looking out over his ranch and the high plains beyond. He closed his eyes and soaked up sunshine like a thirsty new sponge.

He heard a horse walk up the trail behind him and snort. He called out, “Hey, Ben, what’s going on?”

When he got no answer, Griff put a grip on his P226 in its holster and leaned to peer around the boulder.

“Hey, Griff,” Maura said from atop Hannibal. “Want some company?”

Griff nodded slowly. “Yeah…yeah, come on down.”

She dismounted with ease and tied off the quarter horse next to Winston. “Ben said you were probably here and brung me to the trailhead. I found my own way up.”

“Huh. I’d have figured you for a rice-burning dirt bike ride, not an oat eater.”

“Papa Johnny has a horse farm south of town. Raised thoroughbreds for racing until Nana died and he sold them all off.” Maura walked over to Griff. “I love that place.”

“Have a seat.” He slid over.

“Thanks.” She sat against the boulder and took in Griff’s special view of Wyoming. “This is awesome. What’s this place called?”

“Crowe’s Nest.”

She nudged Griff with her shoulder. “I get it. That’s cute.”

“I wasn’t going for cute, actually.”

“Oh. Well, it’s still awesome.”

“So, what brings you out west?”

“Lance’s jet. He dropped me off on his way to some meetings in Los Angeles.”

Griff shook his head. “I mean—don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see you—but why are you here? Is Johnny okay?”

“Ornery as ever.” Maura smiled, then looked down into her lap.

“So…”

“Papa actually sold me the farm for a dollar on the condition he could live there rent free. He had made it mine in his will anyways. I hope to get back to raising horses again.” Maura took a deep breath and exhaled. “So, I put my house in Birdtown on the market. It sold quicker than I thought, which is good. But now I don’t have a place to live until classes start.”

“Classes?”

“Yeah. I signed J-Bonds over to Dewey for a dollar.”

“So, that’s how you could afford to buy Johnny’s farm.” Griff nudged Maura back.

She smiled. “Anyway, I talked to Johnny and Lance and decided to go back full time and finish up law school. U of K, just like Papa.”

“Going into the family business, then.”

“Lance even promised he’d hire me, but I’d rather stay close to home in Kentucky.”

“And work for Johnny?”

“He said he’d make me a full partner when I graduate.”

“Sounds like you’ve got it all going your way.”

“Yeah…I guess.”

“Except…”

She turned to look Griff in the eye. “I was thinking that I’d like to spend the last of my summer vacation ‘til fall semester starts here.”

“Here?”

“With you.”

Griff held her stare.

“Well…what do you think?” Maura took a deep breath and held it.

Griff smiled. “I think I’d like that.”

Maura exhaled loudly, leaned back against the boulder and smiled. “Good, then.”

Griff dug in his rucksack. “You want half a sandwich?”

“What kind?”

“Bologna.”

“Yes, please.”

 

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