She laughed. “They’re great. I swear, I think they’re friskier with each now then when they were our age.”
Not the mental image Matt wanted, but he enjoyed hearing that they were still very much in love. “And you? What happened with that guy you were texting with.”
Her face darkened. “Turns out he jumped the gun a little when he said he was divorced.”
Oh shit. “You alright?”
“Me? Yeah, always.” Sabrina wiped some sweat off her face. “Besides, I got plenty to keep me busy here. What about you? Anyone special in your life?”
Matt scoffed and changed the subject. “How’s the ranch doing?”
“We break even,” Sabrina said. “Grandpa talks about bringing in more cows, but something always gets in the way. I think he knows he can’t help as much as he used to, and he doesn’t like the idea of hiring help.”
“There used to be workers here all the time.”
“I’m not saying it makes sense.” Sabrina looked back over at the pasture where the cows were locked up. “But calves are a lot of work and I can’t do that on my own, even with him helping.” She shrugged, giving him a small smile. “So we’ll see.” She held the wire stretcher while Matt stapled them into the wooden posts.
They repeated the process until they replaced all the broken fencing. Matt tugged the fence, testing its stability. “That oughta hold the girls in,” he murmured, pleased with his work. “There’s nothing on the other side of that fence they could want.”
“Oh, Matt.” Sabrina sighed, placing their tools back onto the trailer. “Bless your heart, it’s a good thing you’re gay, ‘cause you don’t know shit about women.”
His hot shower felt amazing that night, Matt standing under the steaming water for much longer than usual. Despite his daily exercise routine, Matt used some muscles today that weren’t often worked. He was sore, but in the best way, aching from a day of hard work. After dinner, he headed to his room to work on his paper. Two hours later, Matt turned off his computer and lay down on his bed.
He wasn’t sleepy, not yet, so he picked up his phone and opened a dating app he looked at when he was bored, or curious… or horny. Changing his location to Houston, Matt scrolled from one man to another, swiping occasionally to the right when he spotted someone attractive. But tonight, no one caught his eye, and even though a couple guys texted him back right away, that spark of excitement just wasn’t there.
Ron (27, Conroe) had enough shirtless pics on his profile that Matt wondered for a second if he owned any.
BJ (24, Sugar Land) texted immediately after Matt swiped right, asking if Matt wanted to meet. Definite turn off; at least tonight.
Mark (37, Katy) was older than Matt, but fuck… Matt was going to be thirty this year. Maybe this was his future, hooking up with older guys. Then it hit him - soon he’d be the older guy on this app. Fuck.
A couple of times his cock twitched with interest, but nobody that made him stop and take notice.
Or perhaps his thoughts were with someone else tonight.
It didn’t take Matt long to realize he’d been comparing all the men in the app to Sawyer and how he made Matt feel, so he closed the app and put the phone down next to him on the bed. Turning on the television, he flipped channels for a while but nothing held his attention so he walked out of his bedroom and headed to the kitchen. He stopped by the fridge and pulled out one of Sabrina’s hard ciders. He felt restless in his skin and didn’t know how to shake it.
Back in his room, Matt flopped onto his bed again, then sat back up. Taking a sip from the cider, Matt stared at the app one more time before sliding it closed for good, opening his messaging app. His fingers seemed to fly of their own accord.
How’s your week been?
Not too bad. 2nd grade at the elementary
school yesterday and today.
I’m just hanging out with the dog tonight.
Was thinking about going camping for a couple
days since school is out.
Not heading back to visit his family. Interesting.
Doing anything for thanksgiving?
Miss Amanda was doing a turkey for
some of the trailer folk lol.
I offered to help, but that’s Her Thing, I guess
You wanna come have thanksgiving with us?
You could camp out here on our
land if you wanted
or stay in the guest room.
There was a protracted pause before Sawyer answered, three little dots that meant he was responding. It seemed like forever before the words appeared.
You sure?
Matt wondered what Sawyer had typed and erased; there should have been more there.
Yeah, it will be fun.
You can ask my grandma about some of
her recipes, if you were interested in
some authentic Tex Mex food.
Wow that would be amazing.
Are you really sure?
Yeah.
Bring the dog, stay for a couple days.
We’re eating around one but you can get
here as early as you want.
I’ll let you know when I leave.
Thanks again, M.
He sent Sawyer directions to the ranch. Still not sure what had just happened, Matt lay down and stared at the ceiling. They were friends, he was being nice to a friend.
That was all, he told himself, smiling as he fell asleep.
Matt padded barefoot into the kitchen the next morning, unsurprised to see his grandparents already up and running around. “Morning,” he said, yawning as Elena slid over his University of Texas mug filled with coffee, made the way he liked it. Matt spotted his grandfather sliding a large box of peanut oil from the pantry. “Let me help you with that, okay? ”
“Finish your coffee first,” Hector answered. “But it needs to go outside on the porch, por favor.”
“Will do.” Matt paused a moment, then continued. “Hey, um, I was hoping it would be okay if I invited a colleague over for lunch today. He’s from out of state and doesn’t have any family here.”
A quick glance passed between them, and Elena smiled. “Of course, Mijo, that’s fine. The more the merrier.”
“You know your grandma always makes too much food anyway,” Hector teased.
“Says the man who’s frying two turkeys for four people.” She looked over at Matt, curious. “Is he staying the night?”
Matt nodded. “Um, I told him we had room here if he wanted too. He also mentioned that he felt like camping, so we might go out and camp by the riverfront if it doesn’t rain.” Matt paused. “We don’t have any hunters this weekend, do we?”
“Not for the holiday weekend,” Hector said. “I think the weather’s going to hold. It’ll be a pleasant night for being outside,” he added, gathering the rest of his tools before heading outside.
Later that morning, Matt was helping his grandfather set up the fryer out on the back patio when he spotted a dark blue truck driving up the road, the dogs running toward the fence line, barking as the truck approached. “Your friend is here,” Hector told him, and Matt tried to push those butterflies in his stomach down.
He crossed the yard and opened the backyard gate and walked over to the spots in front of the house where they parked their cars. Matt saw Sawyer pull up next to his truck. “You found it.”
“I did.” Sawyer grinned, stepping out of the driver’s side of his truck. He walked over to the passenger side, opened the door, and grabbed his backpack. “I wasn’t sure how serious you were about the camping, but I brought a tent and my camp stove,” he added, pointing to the backseat of his truck. “Oh, and this-” Sawyer reached in and pulled out a clear plastic pie carrier. “I made some dessert.” He glanced over Matt’s shoulder. “No nut allergies, I hope. I should’ve asked.”
Matt turned his head and spotted his grandfather approaching. “No nut allergies.” Matt turned to look at his grandfather. “Grandpa, this is my
friend Sawyer Evans. Sawyer, this is my grandfather, Hector Navarro.”
“Pleased to meet you, sir,” Sawyer said, extending his hand. “Thank you for letting me impose on your family this holiday.”
“Any friend of Mateo’s is familia to us. We’re glad you can join us.” Hector shook his hand, and his eyes lingered a few minutes over Sawyer’s truck. “Ram 3500?” he asked. “2014?”
“2013,” Sawyer answered. “I travel a lot and pull an Airstream, so it’s got the tow package.”
Hector whistled low and patted the front hood several times, admiration in his eyes. “This is what you need, Mateo. Come on, boys, let’s head inside.”
Sawyer reached into his truck and pulled out a small crate. Matt saw Biscuit’s sad face peering out. “Matt said the dogs are friendly?”
“All bark and no bite. They’re terrible watch dogs, everyone’s their friend,” Hector assured him as they walked into the backyard, closing the gate behind them. Sawyer set the crate down and opened it up. It took a moment, but soon Biscuit stepped outside, sniffed the other dogs, and then ran for the far end of the yard, the other two dogs following her, tails wagging playfully.
Matt and Sawyer followed Hector, making their way through the backyard, past the garden and inside the back door into the kitchen. “Elena, we’ve got company.”
Elena came out from around the corner, a bright smile on her face as she wiped her hands on her oversized apron. “Hello,” she said, arms extended as she gave Sawyer a hug. “Welcome to the rancho.”
“Thank you. I know I’ve only seen the yard and the kitchen, but this is gorgeous. The drive out here was so peaceful.”
Elena beamed with pride. “It’s our little piece of heaven.” Elena noticed Matt was carrying a pie container. “Mateo, what’s that?”
Sawyer grinned. “I made a chocolate pecan pie. I hope that’s okay.” He glanced over as Matt set it down on the wide island and lifted the cover. “I like to cook.”
Elena’s face broke into a wide smile. “That’s better than okay, that’s marvelous,” she said, reaching over and slapping Hector’s hand as he broke off a piece of the crust. “Deja de hacer eso,” she muttered at him, shaking her head. “Mateo, go show Sawyer where the guest room is while I get after your grandpa.”
“Yes ma’am.” Matt nudged Sawyer to follow him, and led him through the living room and down the hall, pointing out the bathroom, the laundry room, and the guest room along the way. “My sister Sabrina ran into town. That’s her room.” Matt pointed at the end of the hallway. “And I’m across the hall.”
Sawyer dropped his bag on the bed, looking around. “My grandma uses this for her projects. Sewing, her computer, stuff like that.” Matt pointed to a quilt thrown over a computer. “Does Biscuit want to sleep inside with you or out on the porch with the others?”
Sawyer laughed. “I guess we’ll see. She doesn’t have much opportunity for company.” Pulling a curtain aside, Matt saw the three dogs all chasing each other around the large yard, stopping every few minutes to smell something new on the ground before starting up again. “She’ll be tired tonight, that’s for certain.”
“Definitely,” Matt agreed. “Okay, you get settled. I’m going to go help my grandpa set up the turkey fryer. We only use it once a year and we have to remember how to put it together each year. You’re welcome to join us-”
“Yeah, of course.” Sawyer answered at once. “Sounds like fun. Let’s go.” Tossing his bag on the bed, he followed Matt out of the room. But as they traveled through the kitchen, they spotted Elena in front of the sink, washing her hands. “Can I help you with anything?” Sawyer asked.
“No, you’re our guest,” Elena told him. “Mateo said you worked with him at his school. I know you all need to rest and relax during these breaks.”
“I substitute at Matt’s school, yes, but I wasn’t kidding when I said I liked to cook. Back in Portland, where I’m from, I, um, co-owned a restaurant.” Elena looked over at Matt for confirmation. “I worked in the kitchen with them all the time.”
“Don’t let him fool you.” Matt looked over at Sawyer before turning back to his grandmother. “He was the executive chef for a very successful restaurant.” Sawyer looked up and caught Matt’s eyes, the two of them staring at each other for a long moment.
Elena watched them, smiling before she spoke. “You want to chop some onions?” She set Sawyer up on the kitchen island at his own prep station, watching as he began quickly mincing onions into neat little piles. Matt gave him a brief salute and headed outside to join his grandfather.
Sawyer opened up a little more over Thanksgiving lunch. “The restaurant was called Scordatura. It’s a music term. My partner was a music nerd.” He paused, lost in a memory for a moment. “It’s still there, at least it was last time I checked. I loved it, the cooking part at least. Overseeing menus, working in the kitchens with the brigade. But my business partner wanted out, so we sold.”
“You ever thought about opening another restaurant?” Sabrina asked, digging into her turkey and mashed potatoes. “Estella is in dire need of a fine dining establishment or two.”
Sawyer took a bite of his turkey and dressing, chewing thoughtfully before he answered. “It’s hard, a lot of work, and most restaurants fail. I’m not sure I’m up for that again, and I couldn’t do it alone. I like the cooking part, but the business stuff, that’s where I’m weak. So right now, I’m enjoying the travel, picking up new ideas and recipes, and making my videos.”
“You should write a cookbook.” Elena looked over at Sawyer and Matt. “Mateo said that you make videos, but there are some of us who still buy cookbooks.”
“That’s an idea,” Sawyer answered. “I know there’s so many cooking techniques to learn here in Texas, so I imagine I’ll be here a while picking up the culture and the cuisine.”
Sabrina chuckled. “The man wants cuisine, and we fry him a turkey.”
Everyone joined in the joke, but Sawyer shook his head. “But for real, this turkey is incredible. Never had a fried turkey before.”
“The secret is the brining,” Hector told them. “And the peanut oil.”
After lunch Matt sliced the pie, sliding thick wedges onto small plates and passing them out. Elena sighed, digging into her piece. “This is so good. You’re going to share the recipe with me, yes?”
“Perhaps we can work out some mutual recipe sharing,” Sawyer said with a grin. “Do you make your own enchilada sauce?”
“Of course.” Elena leaned over and soon they began discussing the finer points of chili powder. Matt grinned as he observed them.
“He’s nice,” Sabrina said in a hushed voice.
Matt nodded. “Yeah. I’m glad he’s not alone for the holiday.” When Sabrina didn’t answer, Matt glanced over at her, disconcerted by the way she stared at him. “What?”
“Nothing, Brother,” she answered. “Just glad to know that you’ve got… friends.”
Sabrina set herself in charge of clean-up. Hector went to take a nap, and Elena sat on the sofa and watched some television while Matt and Sawyer took apart the turkey fryer. “Thanks again for inviting me,” Sawyer said. “That meal was incredible. Your grandparents are wonderful people. I can understand why you come out here so often.”
Matt looked around, seeing the ranch with fresh eyes. “It was a great place to grow up.” He paused, then added, “I’m glad you came.”
Sawyer’s smile was blinding. “Me too.”
Later that afternoon, Matt found Sawyer outside in the backyard, playing with the dogs. “Did you want to go camping tonight? We can stay out for a day or two, or just overnight, depending on how much time you’ve got.” He stopped, realizing that Sawyer hadn’t invited him to camp with him, not in so many words. “I mean,” he began, “I’m up for it if you want some company. If you want to be alone, I’d get that. I like to go out there sometimes on my own and just be by myself, listening to the river and the animals. You won’t hurt my feelin
gs if you’d rather be by yourself.”
“No.” Sawyer shook his head. “I’m not looking for solitude.” That bright smile lit up Sawyer’s face, their gaze holding for a second too long. “Come with me.”
“Yeah,” Matt answered without thinking. “That’s good. Sounds like a plan. We can get some food and other stuff to take out there.”
Sawyer grinned. “I’ll get my things.”
Thirty minutes later, they were packed and ready. Matt loaded some leftovers and a few bottles of beer into a cooler and placed it into the back of Sawyer’s truck, along with a couple folding camp chairs and a stack of firewood.
Sawyer sat on the porch, petting his dog. “You be a good girl, okay? You hear me? I don’t want a bad report from Miss Elena.”
Sabrina laughed, calling the dog over to her lap, scratching her behind the ears. “She’ll be fine. You guys have fun,” she called out as they got into the truck.
Sawyer started the engine. “How far are we going?” he asked, backing the truck up and heading down a well worn dirt path behind the barn.
“Close to a mile,” Matt said. “Not that far, but this way we don’t have to lug everything, and we can get back if we need to use the bathroom or something.”
Sawyer laughed. “So, we’re really roughing it.”
“I don’t know about you, but I had a big lunch,” Matt said. “But I’ve got a roll of toilet paper and a shovel in case shitting in the woods feels more authentic to you.”
Sawyer groaned. “I’ll see how I feel when the time comes.” They drove passed the barn and onto a less traveled but still visible path. “So how much of this does your family own?”
“It’s a little under three hundred acres.” Matt pointed in the direction where he wanted Sawyer to head as the path ended. “Used to be more, but my grandpa sold some when they built the house and started cutting back on the ranch work. Their retirement fund, I guess. It’s a strange shape, more like a fat letter L than a square or rectangle. We’ve got over half a mile of the riverfront. There, that’s a good spot.” Matt indicated a flat area underneath a large oak tree close to the river. “I’ve camped out here before. It’s a good spot.”
Life, Love, and Other Inequalities Page 7