“Duty calls. You keep a sharp eye on Tootch. And tell him we’ll need his social security and information for payroll,” Nate said then turned and walked into the mansion. I called it a mansion, and Landon called it a log home with a view. Yeah, of ten thousand acres and the Tetons.
“Perry, don’t let Will push you into vouching for someone who’s not suitable. Do you really think that Tootch will be a good hand?” Kyle asked. I nodded. He studied me for a moment. “Okay, I’m going to sign off on this but if he fucks up, it will come back on you and my brother.”
“Right, I got it.”
“Good man. And do us all a favor and cool it with the whole Jessica Fletcher thing, okay? Let the law handle the thefts.” He clapped my shoulder then sauntered inside, closing the door behind him. I glanced from the brass knocker to the window but there was no sign of anyone there now. Maybe it hadn’t been Mona at all. Perhaps it had been Montrell or the new cook that had just started today. I knew little of her other than she was an older Native woman who’d recently moved to Copper Falls.
I ambled to my truck. Will and Tootch were waiting and deep into a conversation about an anime show they both watched. When I climbed in, Will leaned over to kiss me.
“Okay, so you two are a thing. Got it.” Tootch poked at his forehead as if he could jam the idea into his skull. “Do you have to be gay to work here? I mean, I do get tingly in my trousers when I look at Chris Hemsworth.”
“Everyone does,” Will tossed out. “No one has to be anything here, that’s what’s so cool about this ranch. We just all live our own lives and love who we love.” Will gave my thigh a squeeze. He loved me? Had he just said that he loved me? Did we hear that right?!
My heart began to thud inside my chest like a bird trapped in netting. I fumbled with the key, unable to find the ignition. Will and Tootch didn’t notice thank God. They’d lapsed back into anime talk and I was happy to let them jabber. After I finally got the key inserted and found the correct gear, we were off, my thoughts scattered like dandelion blows.
When we got to the bunkhouse, it was an easy thing to get Tootch settled in. He had a rather likable, affable personality and the few other hands took to him warmly. I went to my room, grateful to be able to decompress for a few minutes, as I changed into old denim and soft cotton. I pulled a worn Jellystone Park T-shirt on, then paused, shirt around my neck, to reflect on that comment from Will. To love who we love. Did he really mean that as a declaration or was it just an off-the-cuff remark about how accepting people here at Prairie Smoke were? The only way I would know would be to ask the man, and I just could not see that happening. What if he laughed at me? The big, dumb virginal jerk who thought the first man he’d been with would fall right in love with him. What was this? A romance novel or something? There was no happy ever after for poor, gay Indian boys who loved poor, pan ex-con White boys.
I needed space. And horses. So I eased out of the bunkhouse while the small group was gathered in the food prep area. Will glanced up as I left, his expression curious. I left him standing in the kitchen and beelined it for the stables. Within an hour, I’d gotten the remaining chores completed, had fussed over my horses, and had taken Gemini to the small paddock behind the stables. Back here we’d be alone to read and think. He stood beside me, his nose in the hay bag, serene and content. Which was the opposite of what I was feeling. My head was all over the place and I was having trouble focusing enough to read. I’d start a sentence then drift off into some gauzy fantasy of me and Will where we did have that fairy tale ending. Two princes falling in love, getting married, and having at least two horses. Maybe a kid. Someday.
Gemini nudged my thigh. I looked down at the horse, shocked and thrilled to have him reaching out to me for affection. That small rub surely meant he trusted me. I placed my left hand on my book and rubbed between his ears. His big brown eyes closed.
“Sorry, buddy. Where was I?” I said while looking down at the old print copy on my thighs. “Right, so the basic question that Socrates asked, which was what is knowledge, was answered by Theaetetus by giving examples of knowledge like astronomy, arithmetic, and harmonics. Socrates then kind of calls him on that reply. And so Theaetetus says that knowledge is perception. And while Socrates is okay with that reply, sort of, he then whips out Protagoras’ homo mensura doctrine. You know that one.” I peeked at the horse. He shook his head. “Oh, well, he said that ‘Of all things the measure is man, of the things that are, how they are, and of things that are not, that they are not.’”
“Did I hear you talking about homos?” Will asked as he slipped up beside me unheard until he spoke to me. Gemini had surely smelled him but had never nickered or showed any signs of unease.
“Homo mensura,the man measure.” My pulse tripled as he climbed up to sit beside me. Gemini nudged him as well and got another nose scratch.
“More dead Greeks?” He looked my way with those soft blue eyes. God but I could swim forever in his eyes.
“Yeah. One of the most famous Sophists who taught men how to live with virtue in their daily lives.”
“Sounds just like someone you’d be telling a horse about.” I wasn’t sure what he meant by that. A blowfly buzzed past, drawn by the fresh horse droppings. “I knew you’d be here. Are you mad about something?”
“No, not mad. Just needed some space.”
“Okay cool. I’ll leave you to your philosophy lesson.”
He slid down and walked off. I watched him go from under the brim of my hat, longing to chase after him and beg him to tell me if he really did love me. In other words, make a fool of myself. Refusing to do that as a man had to have some pride. I read to Gemini until it grew too dark to read without a light. He was happy to get back to his stable, and I was pleased to get to my room after a quick shower. The bunkhouse was empty. Most of the hands, Tootch included, had gone to the gathering. There were bands there tonight as well as some games and rides that opened after dark.
Wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, I dropped down to the edge of my bed, weary and bound up in my feelings, eager to fall asleep. A soft rap at my door brought my head up from my phone alarm.
“Yeah?” I called and Will slid through the door, pushing it shut with his foot. Everything that was stewing away inside me began to bubble as he filled the room, smothering my senses just by being in the same small space. I stood up. “Oh. Hey.” He was damp from his own shower, water droplets clinging to his freckled shoulders, his dark hair slick to his head.
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Oh sure, yeah, I’m good. Just needed to get some air. It was a crazy day.”
“Yeah, it was.” He padded closer, his blue tank top sticking to his frame, his sleep shorts loosely riding low on one side, gripping a hip bone to expose a thin line of hair that dipped into the waist of his shorts. Flip-flops adorned his big feet. “We should keep an eye on those twins anyway. I mean, they’re obviously shady as fuck. Right?”
“I don’t know.” I felt exposed and vulnerable with no shirt on. Which was stupid because we’d seen each other naked before. Hell, I’d had his sweet cock in my mouth. “There’s no proof and your brother told us to quit playing Jessica Fletcher.”
“Who the hell is that?”
“Some old lady on TV. Kenruh watched it all the time. She solved murder mysteries.”
“Shame I missed that.” His gaze fell to my chest. My nipples grew tight. The effect this guy had on me was terrifying. And electric.
“Not really. Anyway, it’s kind of out of our hands now. I’m not pissing off Loren. We have enough work here to keep our minds occupied.”