Gray nodded. “That’d be great. Where’s Bill?”
“He’s in the kitchen bothering me while I’m trying to cook. Come on back. He’ll be pleased as punch to see you.”
Gray took Evelyn’s hand and led her down the hall. Yeah, still the same yellow and blue striped wallpaper, still the same dark hardwood floors throughout the house, the same white tile in the kitchen. And everything polished and clean and smelling like lemon oil. It reminded him of home, way more than the ranch ever had.
Ginger looked the same, maybe a little older and a little heftier than the last time he’d seen her. But still sharp and filled with energy.
When they walked into the kitchen, though, his heart sank.
Bill, on the other hand, had changed. He’d lost a considerable amount of weight, his hair was thinner, his skin sallow.
“Well, look who decided to drop by. I thought you forgot our address.” With a wide grin, Bill stood, though not without some effort.
Gray went over and put his arms around him, trying not to tear up at the sight of the man who’d been more of a father to him than his own father. He fought back the tears and forced a smile as the two of them parted.
“Yeah, I know. I’ve been bad about coming to visit, but I’m here now, aren’t I?”
Bill offered up a smile. “Yeah, I guess you are.”
Gray introduced Bill to Evelyn.
“Isn’t she just the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen—aside from my Ginger, of course,”
Bill said, then turned to Gray. “Prettier than most of those floozies I’ve seen you with on TV. This one has class, Gray. You should marry her.”
Evelyn coughed and Gray’s lips curved into a smile. “She’s definitely pretty, and classy.”
“Sit and rest,” Ginger said, putting out two glasses of tea.
“Thank you, Miss Ginger,” Evelyn said.
“And she’s polite, too,” Ginger said.
“So tell me what you’re doing coming all the way out here,” Bill said.
“I had some extra time, and I know it’s been a while since I’ve been back. Besides, I wanted to show Evelyn the campus.”
“Ohhh,” Bill said, winking at Evelyn. “Trying to impress you, is he?”
“Apparently.” Evelyn smiled at Gray. She knew he was making it up as he went along, and he appreciated her follow-through. “Though I am very impressed. This is a beautiful school.”
“Where did you go to school, Evelyn?” Ginger asked.
“Georgetown.”
“Also a lovely place. Bill and I had occasion to take a trip to Washington, D.C., a few years back. Toured a few of the colleges there. Georgetown is quite the place.”
“Thank you. I enjoyed attending school there.”
There was another knock on the door. “Lordy, but this is a busy place today,”
Ginger said. “Come on in,” she hollered.
“I smell roasted chicken. Is it lunchtime yet?”
“Oh, good heavens. Is that Trevor?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Trevor said. “And I dragged Drew with me.”
Bill blinked, then frowned and looked at Gray. “Did you know they were coming?”
Gray smiled. “We talked about it yesterday. They were at the ranch with me. We got all nostalgic about times at the dorms, and talking about you and Miss Ginger. They said they might come by today.”
“I can’t believe it.” He got up, moved around the table—slowly, Gray noticed—and made his way down the hall. He was enveloped by both Trevor and Drew.
“Man, you’re gettin’ old,” Trevor said. “I might be taller than you now, or you’re shrinkin’.”
Bill laughed. “I can still whup your butt, young ’un.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Trevor said. “I was always just a little bit afraid of you.”
“That was my master plan to keep you all in line.”
After the guys hugged Ginger, she set more tea at the massive table. “Sit, boys,” she said.
“Yeah, well, you had to be intimidating to handle all of us, didn’t you, Bill?” Gray asked.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Ginger said. “You were all such good boys.”
Bill snorted. “That’s just what I told her. She didn’t know the real you. All a pain in my butt, sneaking out past curfew, smoking in the dorm rooms—”
“Who smoked in the dorm rooms?” Evelyn asked.
“That was Garrett,” Drew said.
“No it wasn’t. It was you,” Trevor said. “You got drunk one night and decided to smoke an entire pack of cigarettes. And that was after all that Jack Daniel’s.”
“Oh. I remember that,” Gray said with a snicker.
“So do I,” Bill said, giving the evil eye to Drew. “Who do you think sat up with your sick ass all night long while you puked your guts up.”
“Funny,” Drew said. “I don’t have much recollection of that night.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it wasn’t the last time you did it, either,” Bill said.
Gray listened as they reminisced, his heart aching as he looked over at Bill. It was obvious Bill wasn’t in good shape, but he wouldn’t let on that he wasn’t feeling well.