And the after that Leo promised. Mac supposed that he would be hard pressed to find a psychologist that would recommend sex as the incentive to grow and change, to help get past years of bullying by a parent, but Mac didn’t mind it. Along with it, he was letting parts of himself come to light that he’d kept hidden, and that was one point of therapy, to pull things out of the dark places inside and look at them to see they’re not so scary after all.
Leo was walking him through, in an easy way, which scared him at times. It shouldn’t be so easy to deal with things that were so hard, but he also figured the hard things would come. Until then, he’d enjoy himself for the first time in his life.
“Mr. Blaylock,” Vice President Weber started, and though his face was blank, professional, there was a little upturn to his lips that belayed his humor. He was tall, lanky, balding head gleaming in the light of the overhead fixtures, reflecting them brightly. He had a hawkish nose, but no lips to speak of at all. “Come with me.”
They got up and followed down the wide hall, past offices with glass walls, professional women and men behind desks, typing, talking to other patrons or on the phones. Not one of them so much as looked their way as they walked by, stopping the fears he’d had that everyone would look at him, laughing, wondering why the dumb hick was there, that he was begging for money like his gambling old man.
He didn’t see mockery or pointing, judgement from all those men and women in the nice suits. They didn’t care one way or the other about him.
Once inside the only office he’d seen with real walls, Weber closed the door and turned to him, letting his pent-up grin show. “Mac, how are you? I haven’t seen you for ages.”
“Good, Mr. Weber,” he said, taking the proffered hand by Mr. Weber, shaking it as he introduced, “This is Leo Glover. He’s helpin’ me out with the business end of all this mess.”
After he shook Leo’s hand, they all sat, Leo and Mac in front and Weber moving behind the desk. “Mess is right, McCully. Your daddy left you a helluva mess, that cantankerous old bastard.”
He laughed while he watched Leo’s jaw drop. “That he was, sir, that he was.”
“What are we gonna do ‘bout all this? We’ve held off long as we can, son. The board is breathing down our necks.”
Mac stiffened, but nodded his head to the man, agreeing, “I can’t say I blame ‘em. I didn’t know a thing ‘bout all this, sir. Daddy wouldn’t let me near a lot of it, now I know why. I have some ideas, though. I was gonna sell, but come to find out, that ain’t gonna be ‘nough.”
“Not only that, Mac, but we’d likely foreclose before you could sell. Not a lot looking for a spread that big nowadays. You’d have to parcel it up, that means surveyors, a whole lot more trouble and money.”
He could tell Leo wanted to jump in, but Mac glanced over at him, hoping to convey to him to hush for the moment. “Sir, we’ve been looking into all of it, and think we can pull out of the debt. What I need, though, is some time.”
“Time. How much time, Mac? We’ve given your daddy time, and he came short. I’m not saying that you’re your daddy, not by a long shot. There at the end, well, he mighta been round the bend some.”
For a split second, he felt the need to defend his father, but that passed fast. “We’ll never know, sir. All I know is that, the property, it’s been in my family a long time. I’d hate to see it go to strangers.”
That hit a soft spot with Weber. “I’d hate that too, son. Your family, it’s amazed most all of us ‘round here. Most of the spreads like yours, they had to sell off all or part of their places to make it through the recessions, the depression, but not your family. It was always a mystery how you all did it, but you’re well respected for it too. I’ll work with you however I can, Mac, but we need to be realistic. Right now, you’re four months behind on the mortgage, and the cost of them cows…”
“I know that, sir. I ‘preciate you not sending your lawyers after me yet.”
Weber leaned forward, voice softening a great deal. “Son, you’re in mourning, and we ain’t heartless. I couldn’t hold ‘em off forever, but you needed time. Time’s running out, though, and this money needs to be paid. I’m not gonna let ‘em sue ya, though. There’s no need for all that mess. If you say you’ll pay it, that’s good enough for me, and it’ll have to be good for the boys upstairs.”
Relaxing tremendously, Mac mimicked him, moving up to lean his arms on the desk. “I thank you, sir. I really do. Now, Mr. Glover ‘n me, we thought o’ some things that could pull me out o’ this. First things first, I’m going to pay the mortgage down within the week.”
“Today, Mac,” Leo piped in, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. “I just need to transfer the money from my account.”
Cringing, Mac watched Weber’s expected reaction. “Oh? Aren’t you working for McCully, here?”
“Yes, sir, I am. Which is why I’d like to be paid from it. I’m thinking of this as an investment in Mr. Blaylock. I’ve seen his drive and know what the ranch means to him. I truly believe I’ll not only get a nice return on my investment, but I think your bank would as well.”
Weber seemed impressed, which calmed Mac some, but he waited for the response. “You must be a trusting soul, Mr. Glover. It wasn’t his fault, not at all, but he’s in a helluva lot o’ debt. Seeing a return on your investment could take years.”
“I don’t think so, sir. If you hear Mr. Blaylock out, on what he’s planning, I think you’ll agree that not only would this be a good investment for me, for the bank, but it’ll also help out the town. I saw a lot of store windows boarded up and not a lot of people on the sidewalks. I’m guessing it’s because of that big department store on the edge of town.”
His eyes clouded with hatred. Mac could see the disdain for the place plain on his face. “That store, we tried like hell to keep it outta here for years. Fought it tooth ‘n nail, knowing what it would do to our town. Sure, cheaper stuff, but undercutting all our business right down to a garage that has been in business since cars started driving on the roads, now it’s going under.”
Mac knew that to be true, and while he didn’t get into the political talks of the town, he’d heard plenty from both sides of the debate. How the company had every right to move in, and how they had greased enough palms, finally, to get it done.
“That’s a shame,” Leo told Weber, sincerely. “I’ve seen it all over, big stores come in and undercut the local venders. What a lot of those towns have turned to is tourism. I know Texas has its touristy places, Austin living on it, but smaller towns like this could use the boost, big stores or not. If Mr. Blaylock can grow his place into a downhome, low stress resort, someplace to get out of the cities, not be stuck in other destinations that are filled with tourists already, you could boost the town’s economy by ten percent at least. Maybe more.”
“Right now, this place could use half that and be pulled out of the possibility of becoming a damn ghost town.”
McCully had known it was bad, but he’d never guessed how bad. “Are ya kiddin’, Mr. Weber?”
With his eyes piercing Mac’s. he said, “Not kidding, Mac. Two ranches went under recently, the town businesses going under, your place, the tire plant went bust three years ago, left fifty people out of work who now work at the store, who pays them half what they were making at the tire plant. Most people who are in these predicaments need at least two jobs to make ends meet, and there are no other jobs. It’s bad here, Mac. The economy may be pickin’ up other places, but this ain’t one of ‘em.”
Mac stood pacing a little as he confessed, “Damn it, I didn’t know.”
“How would you? You have been out on that ranch, takin’ care of that daddy of yours, trying to keep food on your own table. Ain’t your fault, Mac. But, if you could help out the town, while pulling yourself out of your own hole, I could maybe talk the board into helping out. Forgiving the loan for the cattle, for starters.”
He stopped, unsure he’d heard right.
When he turned, saw how serious Weber was, he went right back to his seat, slapping both hands on the desk. “I’ll do it, Mr. Weber, but you gotta know something.”
“Mac, come on,” Leo pled.
He didn’t meet Leo’s eyes, but said, “I gotta be straight up with this, Leo.”
“What’re you both talkin’ ‘bout, McCully?”
He faced Weber, knowing if it came out later, he’d have hell to pay. The only way to deal with the people of the town was to be up front and honest. “Sir, the kind of resort we’re talkin’ ‘bout…it’s for gay people. Right off, starting with an air B&B, then all the way to a dude ranch.”
Weber’s brows rose, but he asked, “Straight people welcome there? Or is it going to be some exclusive shit?”
Leo chuckled beside him and answered, “Of course, they’re welcome. We were simply going to advertise it to the lgbtq community. There’s not a lot of these for them.”
“Well, then don’t worry about it. You don’t have to tell the town it’s just for gays. They don’t need to know. If any of them have issues with it, they can turn away the money.”
Not in a million years did Mac think anyone in town would be okay with it, but the vice president of the bank? “Mr. Weber, this…it don’t bother you?”
Weber groaned a confession, “I guess it may have, before Izzy came out last year. Told me and her ma she liked girls. I, uh, I was happy about it. Means I won’t have to chase off any horny teenage boys.”
Mac felt his grin widen and he relaxed for the first time since walking into the bank. “Well, I’ll be. Little Izzy?”
“Ain’t so little. She’s sixteen.”
Mac hadn’t seen the Weber kids since they were very small. For being in a small town, he sure had lost track of everyone. Leo and him locked eyes for probably a split second, no more, and in that time, he knew Leo was right. The crazy idea could work.
“Mr. Weber, Leo and me, we’re…”
A hand was raised as Weber pled, “No more confessions, McCully, I ain’t a preacher. Do what you gotta do to get the place up and runnin’. I’ll talk to the board, tell ‘em we may have a plan for the property, but they need to be lenient. I can’t promise a damn thing, though. Just get to work and make it fast, huh?”
“Yes, sir.”
They were headed out, happier than they were when they entered the building, and as soon as they got in the truck, Mac let out a long sigh along with words he’d planned on since they left the ranch that morning. “Thank you, Leo. Either way that went, no matter if we’re together or not, thank you for helping me through this.”
Leo reached for his hand, threading their fingers together, and the sweet gesture made Mac well up with emotions that were so foreign and so welcome, he had to choke them back.
Cocking his head, staring at him, Leo whispered, “You were so good in there, Mac. You knew him, knew what to say and when.”
“You’re the one that told him about the deal.”
“No, I’m not. I expressed my confidence in you. That’s all, and it wasn’t an act, but watching you? I’m more convinced than ever that you will make it, and I’m proud to be the one you want with you while you’re doing it.”
Mac blushed as he spoke, but he looked away, so Leo wouldn’t see how red he was getting. “Uh, so the lasso?”
“Naughty cowboy, you bet.”
They got to the corner of Main and Third, and Leo pointed to one of the few stores left in town, a bakery that made the world’s best kolaches. Daisy’s Donuts and More.
“Their donuts any good?”
“Fuck the donuts, we’re getting kolaches.”
Leo turned to him, laughing, “What the hell are those?”
“You’ll see.”
He pulled into a spot right in front and they exited the truck, heading into the door and the best smell in central Texas. Mac stopped in the center of the tables, breathing it in as Leo went to the counter.
Daisy, who’d been ancient when Mac was a little kid, was still there, working the register and baking all the fresh breads and pastries. He went to the counter, smiling down on the tiny woman who worked harder than any ranch hand in the state, leaning over to peck a kiss on her cheek. “How’re you, Mrs. Keiser?”
“McCully Blaylock, honey, aren’t you handsome? How’d you get so handsome when I wasn’t lookin’? Thought you’d be big as a house, all my kolaches you ate.”
As he laughed, Leo whined, “What are kolaches, ma’am? He won’t tell me.”
She scrunched up her nose at him and glared, “Who’re you, that you don’t know what a kolache is? You ain’t from ‘round here!”
“No, ma’am, he’s not,” Mac told her. “He’s never had one.”
Her brows wrinkled, and she glared hatefully, but that was her way, bullying people into buying more than they set out to. “I’ll set you up all my best. Go sit.”
He lowered his voice once they were seated at a table by the window. “She doesn’t think much of me.”
“You’re a stranger, for one, but mostly she’s mean to everyone. She likes me ‘cause she could talk me inta spendin’ ever’ bit of my allowance here. I’m lucky I had a couple big growin’ spurts, or I’d be fat as a Sumo wrestler.”
Daisy came to the table with two plates filled with food, set them in front of them and started pointing to the different golden-brown rolls. “These are kolaches. That one is jalapeno and cheese, that one is sausage and cheese, this here is a sweet one, strawberry and cream. Try ‘em.”
She stomped off in her stark white apron and nurse’s shoes, leaving Leo to chuckle after her. “Thank you, ma’am!”
“Eh,” she grumbled, waving her hand behind her.
“She’s fun.”
“Oh, hush and try ‘em.”
He picked up the sausage and cheese, sniffing at it, squeezing it, and finally, he bit into the kolache and Mac got to witness the man having a food orgasm right in front of him. “Good?”
“Shh, let me savor.”
Enjoying Leo’s enjoyment, he bit into his own, then took another bite to chase it with. He’d stopped eating them so often after he’d stopped growing taller, worried he’d gain all that weight he’d been so afraid of.
By the time he was finished with his first, Leo was starting on the strawberry and cream cheese, moaning loudly as he bit into it like he’d moaned throughout the other two. Daisy kept casting smiles in his direction, and stranger or not, he’d just made a friend.
When he was finished, he threw the napkin he hadn’t bothered to use onto the plate. “That was the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
“Told ya.”
Daisy came across the room with a huge brown bag, setting it on the table once she arrived. “Here’s some to go. On the house. Tell your city friends about me. That damned big store is making these too. They taste like cardboard, but it’s more convenient.”
Leo got up and kissed her on the cheek, promising, “Hold on for a little while longer, ma’am. You’ll have plenty of patrons.”
Mac watched, amazed, as she blushed like a teenage girl, her short lashes fluttering. “McCully has nice friends.”
When they were leaving, with Leo clutching the bag like it was precious cargo that someone would try to steal, Hank Garrison came around the corner, nearly running into them. He was Mac’s size and shape, but grey haired with a long grey beard. He owned the local pawn shop, making money off people’s misfortune. He wasn’t Mac’s favorite man in town. “Mac! Mac Blaylock!”
They shook hands furiously, and Mac told him, “Hello, Mr. Garrison.”
“I was real sorry ‘bout your daddy. Good man, and sure made me a ton o’ money over the years.”
Leo came back from the truck to stand by Mac, who introduced them quickly before asking, “What you talkin’ ‘bout, Mr. Garrison? Was he pawnin’ stuff?”
“Sellin’. He used to bring me gold nuggets. I have a guy who comes once a month, buys up my gold, my silver, has someone make �
�em inta bars. Says it’s smarter than stuffin’ his cash inta banks. I happen to agree.”
Mac was confused. He’d never seen his father with any gold. “Where’d he git it, Mr. Garrison?”
He shrugged hard, confiding, “He was real cagey ‘bout it, but every few months he’d bring it in. Last couple years, though, nothin’, but I heard tell he wasn’t feelin’ up to headin’ ta town.”
Leo broke in, asking, “You said nuggets?”
“Pretty as you can imagine. Sometimes dust, but that wasn’t often. I figured he won ‘em or somethin’.”
After bidding him goodbye, they got into the truck, Mac fuming. “He won gold? How long has he been gamblin’?”
“Sounds like years before he was housebound. I’m sorry, baby.”
The drive was silent as Mac thought about his father’s betrayal. His father’s failures as well a his own. When they got back to the ranch, he begged off the fun with Leo, citing he needed to take care of the horses.
He mucked the stalls after taking the horses out to the pasture to run, added new hay and then went out back to chop wood. Nothing could chase the thoughts of how his father hadn’t trusted him, even toward the end, when he knew all of it would fall on Mac.
Like he was laughing from the grave.
Chapter Eleven
Leo watched him chopping wood, taking his shirt off about three logs in, the sweat glistening off his beautiful body. He knew he should leave him be, let him work out the anger, but his own wood called, making him want to take Mac away from those thoughts in a different way.
After another minute of watching, his mouth filling with saliva, he strode over to him, taking the ax from his hand. “Come with me, Mac.”
“I tol’ ya, I’m not in the mood.”
“I didn’t ask if you were or weren’t. I am,” he said, pointing to his crotch.
Mac’s eyes moved there, widening as he saw Leo’s erection through his pants. “Well, that’s somethin’.”
He took Mac’s hand and led him into the stables, not his first thought of places to play, but being they were right there, and Mac was still sweating so beautifully…
Remember the Alamo (Legacy Book 1) Page 10