Whatever It Takes

Alex

“Nah, don’t be. I’ve had a good life. I’ve had true love. I lived hard and played hard.”

I laughed. “Are you telling me you were a wild child?” I teased.

“I was. I was going down a road that was going to lead me straight to hell, probably at a young age. It was Vera who turned me around. I met her and fell in love almost immediately. She wouldn’t have me. She wanted nothing to do with me—not until I cleaned up my act. She got me on the straight and narrow, and if I dared dip one little tippy-toe over that line, she whipped me right back into shape.”

I burst into laughter. “I bet you kept her on her toes.”

“I sure did, and she loved every minute of it,” he said with a laugh.

“Have you thought about selling the place?” I asked, knowing it was probably a little insensitive, but it was practical.

“I’ve thought about it, but I can’t do it. I think about my granddaddy working himself into an early grave and I can’t do it. It feels like a betrayal.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“I planned