Saddle Up

by A. M. Arthur

  He wasn’t sure if another kiss was pushing his luck or not, so Reyes winked at Miles, then headed out. Patrice was a flurry of activity in the kitchen as she got biscuits in the oven and made sausage gravy for the guests’ breakfast buffet. She paused to spare him a hug and sympathetic smile.

  “I’ve got all the hands coming in at seven thirty for a meeting,” Reyes said. “Sorry to crowd your kitchen, but it seemed the best place to gather us all that wouldn’t make guests think something was going on.”

  “You’re fine,” Patrice replied as she stirred two pots at once. Judson frequently offered to hire her extra help, but Patrice loved the chaos of cooking for forty-odd people every day. And after doing it for decades, she had the whole thing down to a science. “And Arthur will be fine, too, you count on that.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I believe it.”

  “And don’t think the worst if it takes time to hear any news. Hospitals these days have to be sure, because folks do love to sue for anything they can.”

  Reyes snickered. That was exactly why ranch guests signed safety and release of liability forms on their first day. The last thing Arthur needed was to be sued by a guest for falling off a horse, or getting bitten by a wild animal.

  “Well, hopefully it’s nothing too serious,” Reyes said.

  “From your mouth to God’s ears, my boy.”

  Miles and Colt were the first to arrive for the meeting, and by seven thirty, everyone was assembled. Some looked anxious, others simply curious, because they rarely called meetings like this.

  “I’ll say the same thing that was said to me first off,” Reyes said. “Don’t panic. Early this morning, Judson drove Arthur to the hospital, because Arthur was having chest pains.” Several guys made alarmed sounds, but no one visibly freaked out. They were a good, mostly calm bunch, and they had to be to work around rescue horses and tourists week after week. “Mack and Wes are with them, and we are to run the ranch as usual today. Can’t think of a thing on the schedule that we’ll be shorthanded for with Judson gone, and we’ll be updated as soon as there is information.

  “The one thing I do want to ask you guys is, please, do not talk about this in front of the guests. Don’t speculate amongst yourselves. We’ll know what’s going on soon enough, so it’s business as usual. Am I clear?”

  Nods and a round of “Clear” went around the room.

  “All right, then let’s eat up and get to work.”

  Reyes hung back while the others descended on the food set aside for the staff, watching their faces for any clear signs of distress over the announcement. He could tell them not to worry all he wanted, but they were human beings with their own thoughts and feelings.

  “You sounded like you believed all that,” Colt whispered.

  “I’m in charge right now,” Reyes replied. He tilted his head at their friends and fellow employees. “I have to believe in a positive outcome for their sakes.”

  Their trio eventually retrieved and ate their own breakfasts. Halfway through, Miles received a text alert that made Reyes sit up straighter.

  “It’s from Colin James,” Miles reported. “He’s got Wes’s stand-in ready to go, and he said the cast knows not to expect him or Mack this morning. Didn’t tell them why, though.”

  It took Reyes a moment to place the name Colin James to the head actor Mack hired to run the live shows at the ghost town. While Wes participated in one of the smaller ongoing storylines, he also had an understudy in one of the extras, who could take over if Wes got an offer he couldn’t refuse that took him away for a few weeks.

  “That’s good,” Colt said. “There isn’t a crowd gossipier than actors.”

  Miles laughed. “That’s probably true. The actors at the dinner theater were crazy gossips. I overheard stories I did not need to ever know, thank you.”

  “Really? Any you want to share?”

  “Not without being very drunk first.”

  Colt grinned. “That can be arranged.”

  Reyes didn’t think before he slid his arm across Miles’s shoulders. “Back off, buddy.”

  “Oh yeah?” Colt crossed his arms and leaned back triumphantly. “I knew something was going on between you two.”

  “It’s a pretty recent thing.”

  “Oh please, you two have been eye-fucking for months. Congrats, by the way.” Colt leaned across the table, angled toward Miles. “I don’t know how you did it, but you snared the most uncatchable fish in the pond.”

  Miles simply smiled. Reyes removed his arm, and not because a few of the guys were staring. He had to finish eating, and he needed two hands to cut his ham slice. He’d much rather keep Miles tucked under his arm all day, but they both had to get to work soon.

  They’d get through today, like they got through any other day, and then they’d come home to each other. Today, and every day thereafter, as long as Miles still wanted him.

  Please want me always. Because that’s how long I want you.

  Chapter Eleven

  As much as Miles wanted to go back to their cabin and spend the rest of the day cuddling with Reyes, they both had jobs to do. Miles normally took an ATV to Mack’s cabin, and then rode up with them in the pickup, but with Mack and Wes at the hospital, he drove the ATV directly to the site instead. Going up alone felt strange, but he couldn’t complain considering the reason for it.

  He also hated leaving Reyes behind with Arthur’s prognosis so uncertain. The naked fear in Reyes’s eyes that morning when Judson called still haunted Miles. Reyes had hidden it quickly, but it had been intense. Arthur was Reyes’s family, and Miles sent wish after wish to the universe for Arthur to be okay.

  Shawn had beaten him to work, and he already had pie crusts ready to be filled for today’s batch of Mock Apple and Vinegar pies, plus his sourdough rising.

  “Show-off,” Miles said with a wink, and then headed for the cooler to start his own prep.

  Cornmeal mush, fritters, and the Hangtown Fry ingredients were his starting point, since they were more likely to be ordered before eleven. Since the pinto beans and ham hock simmered overnight, he transferred those to the hot serve station, then shoved a pan of baked beans into the oven. Mindless work he knew by heart after doing it for nearly three months.

  Annabelle came in at ten on the dot, in costume, and a funny look on her face. “Did you hear Mack and Wes are both out for the morning?” she asked without even a hello. “Wonder what’s up with that?”

  “I hadn’t heard,” Shawn replied. “Miles, you know what’s going on?”

  “Family business,” Miles replied without looking up from the tomatoes he was slicing for burger toppings. Sure, the toppings weren’t period-specific, but what was a juicy burger without cold lettuce, tomato, and onions? Boring, that’s what.

  “So you do know something.” Annabelle circled him. “Are they having personal problems? They are a couple, right?”

  Miles picked his words carefully. “Yes, Mack and Wes are a couple, and no, they are not having relationship problems. I’m also not spreading their private business all over Bentley, so please don’t keep asking.”

  “Ugh, you’re so boring.” She flounced through the dining room doors to open up the saloon.

  The sight of those swinging double doors sent a flash of panic through Miles’s gut. Somehow he’d completely forgotten about yesterday’s close call with Dallas. What if he showed up again today? Mack and Wes weren’t around to look out for him in the crowd. But Mack said Dallas hadn’t rented a room overnight, so unless the guy was crazy enough to drive elsewhere to a motel, and then come back, Miles should be safe.

  I can’t put anything past Dallas anymore.

  Miles also didn’t want to cower in the kitchen, and he couldn’t get out of his part in the holdup without Mack’s official word. No way was he bothering Mack about this today. Miles could handle his p
ersonal shit and do his damned job like the adult he was.

  Orders started coming in, so Miles put his head in the game. Reyes called a little after eleven, and Miles walked away from the line for a minute to answer it.

  “Arthur had a mild heart attack,” Reyes said.

  “Oh fuck, how is he?” Miles replied, trying to keep his voice down so Shawn didn’t eavesdrop.

  “Annoyed, mostly. They’re keeping him to do a coronary angioplasty on two blocked arteries.”

  “That sounds scary.”

  “The way Mack described it, it’s just a tube that goes into the artery with a balloon that expands to allow blood flow.” Reyes made a sound not quite like laughter. “Worst part is they have to go into the artery through the groin.”

  Miles winched. “Ugh. Poor Arthur. But he’ll be okay, otherwise?”

  “Should be. Doc’s going to prescribe blood thinners and less red meat, less fatty diet.”

  “Good luck with that. Arthur’s middle name is barbecued ribs.”

  Reyes laughed again. “Yeah, Mack and Judson are gonna have their hands full when they get him home.”

  “Thanks for the update. Are you doing better?”

  “Loads, thanks for asking. It really helped hearing from Mack. We’re spreading the word now. How’s gossip up there?”

  “Not too awful. Annabelle tried to get me to talk, but I refused. It’s not their business why Mack and Wes aren’t here.”

  “Well, if anyone else gets on your case, tell them they’ll both be back by one, and they can ask their boss personally why he took a morning off.”

  Miles grinned at the dishwasher. “I’ll do that.” A little bit of Miles wanted to sign off with “I love you,” but he wasn’t quite ready to say it yet. “I’ll see you at home.”

  “Yeah. Bye.”

  Thrilled to know Arthur was doing well and was expected to be fine, Miles threw himself back into his orders. At the noon holdup, he went into the dining room with Shawn, his stomach squirrelly, but as he acted scared, he scanned the room. No Dallas, thank fuck. That lifted another weight of worry off his shoulders, and the next few hours flew by.

  Around two thirty, Mack and Wes came into the kitchen through the back door, both in costume and in good spirits. Miles still hugged them both, especially Wes, who clung a little. Wes didn’t have any living grandparents of his own, and Arthur had practically adopted him once he moved in with Mack.

  They were all family now.

  “Arthur should be good to come home tomorrow,” Mack said. “Can’t say he’s excited about the dietary changes, but Judson guilted him about staying around for the horses, so he promised to try.”

  Miles snickered. “I’m glad for Arthur, but how are you two doing?”

  “Taking it a minute at a time. Heart attacks are no joke, but this could have been a lot worse with those other arteries as clogged as they were.”

  “Yeah. Wes?”

  Wes shrugged, but he was pale. “I hate to admit that being in the ER again gave me a flashback to last year when Colt was shot. It was not fun.”

  “I bet. You sure you want to be here?”

  “Oh yes, pretending to be someone else for a few hours? Exactly what I need right now. And maybe a burger, I’m starving.”

  “Me, too, actually.”

  Miles fired three buffalo burgers between filling a few orders, because he’d forgotten to eat lunch. This was their slower period, but they never really stopped feeding people. Annabelle was really good at talking folks who’d just stopped in for a drink into getting a slice of pie or order of corn fritters.

  After getting the burgers to a perfect medium-rare—and adding extra secret sauce to Wes’s, because he loved that sauce—Miles told Shawn he was taking a quick break, and then went outside to sit on the steps with Mack and Wes. They ate in companionable silence with the sounds of the ghost town all around them. Kids laughing, people talking, the occasional horse whinny. The clang from the blacksmith shop. Familiar sounds Miles truly loved.

  I love this job and this town. Even if Dallas does find me, so what? I won’t let him run me off. He doesn’t get to take anything else from me.

  Miles told his friends as much, including his fear about Dallas today and not seeing him. Wes squeezed his wrist, pride shining in his big blue eyes, and Miles felt some of that pride inside himself. He was a work in progress, but he was slowly getting better. Taking control of his life, falling for an amazing man, and creating family and a future.

  Nothing was going to take that away from him.

  * * *

  Reyes absolutely hated calling Miles at six fifteen to say he wouldn’t be home when Miles got back to the ranch. “A few of us are driving out to see Arthur,” he explained, with a rock in his gut. He really wanted to see Miles again, but he also needed to visit Arthur. The man had had a heart attack, for fuck’s sake. “Do you want to come?”

  Miles didn’t answer right away. “No, you go. I don’t know Arthur well enough, and you need to be around your brothers.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive. Besides, I had a good day. Dallas didn’t show up, we didn’t have any fuck-ups with the food, and we all got tipped well. Go see Arthur, and I’ll wait up for you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yes. I don’t think I could possibly go to sleep tonight without at least one good-night kiss.”

  That made him feel a bit better about not seeing Miles for a few hours. “Good. I’ll be sure you get at least one.”

  “I’ll hold you to that.” Miles said something to Shawn. “Anyway, I need to finish cleaning up and getting tomorrow’s beans ready. See you soon.”

  “See you soon, mi alma.”

  Reyes put his phone on his desk and glared at the paperwork he didn’t feel like signing. Mostly boring stuff that could wait, so he headed up to the kitchen for dinner. Thursday was pot roast for the guests and hands, and Patrice made the best he’d ever tasted.

  Robin agreed to drive, since he had a car that sat four, so Reyes, Ernie, and Quentin piled in. Mack and Wes were driving up separately, but they’d all agreed to meet around seven. Visiting hours ended at nine. Quentin had cut some wildflowers just so Arthur could complain about them bringing him flowers, and it did the trick.

  Grumpiness from Arthur was normal, as was him hating being sick at all. “First time in the hospital in fifty damned years,” Arthur said with a scowl.

  Reyes observed the pale shadow of the strong cowboy who’d first hired him, attached to all kinds of wires and leads, heart monitor a steady beep in the room. Arthur was trying, but he was obviously exhausted, and the attention wasn’t helping, despite the others doing most of the talking.

  When Mack stepped out of the room, Reyes followed him. He hadn’t managed to speak with his best friend all day, other than over the phone, and Mack was stretched thin. “What can I do?” Reyes asked.

  Mack leaned against a wall between two rooms, his broad frame sagging. “I don’t know. I’ve never done this before.”

  “Done what?”

  “Watch someone fight his own body. When Geoff died, it was instant. When Colt was shot, I was scared but somehow I knew he’d be okay. Arthur’s almost eighty years old, but I’m not ready to lose him.”

  “I know you aren’t.”

  Mack’s face crumpled, but he didn’t cry. “I’ve only had him six years. Six out of thirty-six isn’t enough.”

  Reyes slid an arm across his oldest friend’s shoulders. “Arthur isn’t dying today, or next week. You have time with him. This is a small setback.” He wasn’t surprised when Mack twisted around and turned the simple embrace into a full-on hug.

  He couldn’t pretend to understand exactly what Mack was going through, but he had a close idea. Mack hadn’t known he had a grandfather until his late twenties, and they hadn’t enjoye
d a close, personal relationship until Mack moved here after Geoff’s death six years ago. But the two were close now, and Reyes didn’t know what would happen if Mack lost Arthur. All he did know was he could support and love his friend.

  “I’m okay,” Mack said. He clapped Reyes on the back once, then straightened. “Thanks.”

  “Anytime. You think we should get the guys out of there? Arthur was looking pretty tired.”

  “Yeah, it’s probably time to empty the room a bit. I can tell he’s staying awake for their sake.”

  They returned to Arthur’s room, where Arthur was already dozing off. Reyes collected his group and they said their goodbyes. He’d spent too much time in hospitals after getting burned, and Reyes was glad to leave earlier than planned. Plus, coming home to Miles was a wonderful bonus. When they got to the ranch, Robin invited him over for a poker game, but Reyes turned him down.

  Miles was reading on his bed when Reyes opened the door, and his head snapped up. Surprise melted into a tender smile. “You’re early.”

  “Arthur was falling asleep,” Reyes replied.

  “I imagine he was. He’s had a hard day.” Miles stood and met Reyes in the living area. “How are you doing?”

  Reyes pulled Miles into his arms, loving how perfectly the slimmer man fit against his chest. “Better now.”

  “Happy to help.” Miles draped his arms around Reyes’s waist, and they stood like that for a while, simply existing in the warmth of each other’s body.

  By some silent, mutual decision, they ended up stretched out on Reyes’s bed, shoes off, with Reyes half on top of Miles. It put Miles in a very kissable position, but Reyes didn’t act on the impulse. He studied the details of Miles’s face, instead. The fine lines of his cheekbones; the very faint smattering of freckles on his nose; a tiny scar on his cheek near his left ear.

  Miles blushed. “What?”

  “Just looking at you. Amazed someone so beautiful chose me.”

  “You’re pretty gorgeous, yourself. I love your tattoos.”

  Reyes blinked. “You’ve seen them all?”

  “Um.” The blush deepened. “I might have pretended to be asleep once when you were shirtless.”