4. Beau
Chapter 4
Beau
M y rusty pickup rumbled down the lane as I headed out toward the back side of the property in the early morning. Dad had apparently found a sizeable hole in the fence just before he drove the cattle to the new pasture. For the moment we had them penned up, but they wouldn’t like that for long. Usually I’d take Willow out for something as simple as a fence repair, but when I pulled up to the fence line, I realized why Dad had told me to take the truck and plenty of supplies.
It looked like someone had run the damn thing over with a truck. I swore under my breath as I hopped out and walked over to assess the damage. Sure enough, there were three clear sets of tracks in the dust and dirt, tearing through the fence line. The wheels were too close together to be an actual truck, but the deep tread gave them away as dune buggies. People, mostly tourists, liked to ride them through the Texas backcountry for a thrill with no regard for other’s property. And, of course, that meant that I was the one that had to pay for their ten minutes of fun. It was a good thing there were roll cages on those vehicles too because if someone on a four-wheeler or a bike had gone flying through the barbed wire fence, I’d probably have to call the coroner in as well to help me clean up afterward.
But thankfully there was no sign of bodily injury, just damage to my fence that was going to take all fucking afternoon to fix. I grumbled as I dropped the tailgate of my truck, pulling out the supplies I’d need. Dad was right, it was going to be an all-morning affair and then some.
By the time noon rolled around I was drenched with sweat and covered in dirt. I stood up straight, stretching my back after being hunched over for so long. Pulling my hat off, I wiped the sweat from my brow, smearing dirt over my skin as the Texas heat beat down on me. I was tired, filthy, and to be honest, I smelled to high heaven. But the fence was fixed, and that’s what mattered. With one last burst of energy, I threw all my tools in the back of the truck and headed toward the house once more. I needed a cool shower before I headed into town for lunch again. Dolly would be surprised to see me two days in a row, but I was too damn tired to care.
As I drove back to the house, my mind wandered to the dune buggy tracks. It wasn't the first time we'd had issues with joyriders tearing up the property, but it was getting more frequent. I made a mental note to talk to Sheriff Johnson about possibly increasing patrols in the area. Not that he’d be excited about that prospect since he had to pretty much be the entire police force by himself. But at least he’d take me seriously. We’d graduated high school together and had remained good friends ever since. Although, at the moment his hands would be full with the fair coming up. Still, might be best to drop him a note when I got the chance.
I pulled up to the house, the familiar sight of Willow grazing in the nearby field catching my eye. She lifted her head, giving me a look that seemed to say, “You should have taken me along.” I chuckled, shaking my head at my sassy mare.
“Next time, girl,” I called out to her as I climbed out of the truck. “I promise. ”
The way she chewed her hay made me think she wasn’t convinced.
The cool water of the shower was a blessing, washing away the grime and sweat of the morning's work. As I toweled off, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. My tan lines were getting more pronounced, and my time in the fields was stripping away any baby fat I had left. I was looking pretty chiseled actually, but it didn’t make me happy like I wanted it to. I was too much of a scaredy cat to act on the urges I had, so it was just going to go to waste.
My mind wandered back to the tall stranger I’d met the day before at the diner. I shook my head, trying to clear the image of those piercing green eyes and that clean cut jawline from my mind. He’d seemed a little interested in me, at the very least attentive. And he was from the city, so maybe he wasn’t so inundated with traditions and expectations. But I knew there was no use dwelling on what I couldn't have. Even if he wanted something to do with me, I wasn’t sure I could go through with it. I’d never let myself before, so why start now? Even so, as I pulled on a fresh shirt and jeans, I couldn't help but wonder if he'd be at the diner again today.
The drive into town was uneventful, the familiar landscape of Sagebrush rolling by. The prairie stretched out in all directions, dotted with patches of scrub brush and the occasional tree. As I pulled into the parking lot of Dolly's Diner, I noticed a sleek black car parked out front that I didn't recognize covered in a fresh layer of Texas dust. Was it the same one he’d been driving the day before? I hadn’t really paid much attention.
However, now my heart skipped a beat as I pushed open the door, the little bell jingling overhead. And there he was, sitting at the counter, his broad shoulders filling out a tight black t-shirt that highlighted his back and chest in all the right ways. He turned at the sound of the bell, and our eyes met, my breath hitching.
“Hey there, cowboy,” he said, a smile coming to his lips. “Back again already? ”
The way he said cowboy sent a shiver down my spine that went straight to my cock. In less than a second, I felt my dick begin to swell, the denim stretching tight. My cheeks burned as I smiled back.
“Hey there yourself,” I replied. It felt like a stupid answer, but I didn’t know what else to say. I glanced up at the bar, catching Dolly’s eye.
“You didn’t call ahead,” she said, lifting and eyebrow in my direction. “That’s not like you, darlin’.”
“It’s been a busy mornin’,” I replied, pulling my hat off as I stepped up to the counter. “Tourists in dune buggies took out a big section of the southern fence. Spent all mornin’ fixin’ it.”
“You must be starved.”
“Yeah,” I nodded.
“The usual then?”
“If it’s not too much trouble.”
She chuckled, patting my arm. “If it was too much trouble, I wouldn’t be runnin’ a diner.” She glanced over at the handsome stranger and placed a roll of silverware on the counter in the spot right next to him. “Make yourself comfortable and I’ll get your order in. Maybe you two can keep each other company.” She gestured to the diner that was mostly empty. “Lunch rush ended an hour ago and there’s no sense in y’all sitting here in silence.”
It was odd for Dolly to force me to socialize. But then again, she and everyone else in town thought I was too cooped up. I caught her giving a look to the stranger and for a moment I thought she even winked. But I had to be making that up right? What reason would she have for winking at him?
“Alright,” I nodded, taking my seat. “If you don’t mind of course.”
“Doesn’t bother me,” he said, shaking his head. “You said your name was Beau, right?”
“That’s right.” I felt my cheeks burn again. “I… uh… I’m sorry but I forgot your name.”
He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling in the cutest way. “It’s Lucas. Lucas Greene. ”
“Beau Turner,” I replied, holding out my hand.
He took it, then stopped short. “Wait… Beau Turner? Not the same one that won the barbecue championship three years running?”
I sighed, still smiling in embarrassment. “Yeah, that’s me.”
“Holy shit! You’re a legend around here!”
“You know about that, huh?”
“I mean… we did our research on the way to Sagebrush, my coworker and I. He’s from here, so he recognized your name.”
“Who’s your coworker?” I asked, desperate to talk about anyone but myself.
“Logan Baker.”
That was a blast from the past. “He was a couple years younger than me in school,” I replied with a nod. “I knew of him, but we didn’t hang out in the same circles. His family used to be some of my biggest competition at the fair though.”
Lucas cocked his head to the side like a curious puppy. “Used to be? Did they stop competing?”
I shook my head. “Nah. I did.”
Lucas's brow furrowed, his green eyes studying me intently. “Why'd you stop? From what I heard, you were unbeatable.”
I shrugged, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. “Just lost interest, I guess. Got busy with the ranch and all.”
It wasn't even close to the whole truth, but I wasn't about to spill my guts to a stranger, no matter how attractive he was. The real reason was more complicated, tied up in expectations and small-town gossip that I'd rather forget. He didn’t need to know about Amber May’s failed proposal. In fact, I wished everyone would forget it ever happened.
“That's a shame,” Lucas said, leaning in a little closer. “I was hoping to taste some of that famous barbecue while I was here.”
His proximity sent a jolt through me, and I caught a whiff of his cologne—something woodsy and masculine that made my head spin. I cleared my throat, trying to regain my composure as I felt my jeans tighten once more.
“S-Sorry to disappoint,” I said, my voice trembling.
“It’s no problem,” Lucas said, shaking his head. He seemed to sense my discomfort, so he changed the subject smoothly. “So, tell me about these dune buggy riders. Is that a common problem around here?”
I was grateful for the shift in conversation. “More common than I'd like,” I admitted. “Tourists come out here thinking it's all just empty land they can tear up and then they end up in the pastures, scaring the animals, tearing down fences, and anything else they can find. None of them ever stop to apologize or offer to fix it. These big city people don’t like to play honestly like the rest of us.”
Lucas’s gaze dropped to the counter, and I quickly backpedaled.
“Of course, not everyone is like that. You seem like an upstandin’ fella.”
There was a flash of discomfort on his face, and I knew I was the one that had put it there. I was a just about to apologize again when Dolly sat down two plates, one in front of each of us.
“Y’all gettin’ along over here?” she asked, giving us both a big smile.
“Yeah,” Lucas nodded. “Thanks.”
His tone didn’t convince her any more than it did me.
“Well, if this guy is botherin’ you, you just let me know.” She reached out, flicking me in the nose with one of her bright red acrylic nails. “And I’ll kick his ass.”
Lucas smiled at that, giving her a nod as he glanced back at me. “I’ll remember that.”
“And you,” she said, turning on me. “Behave. Just because you don’t like to be social doesn’t mean you gotta scare my customers away.”
“Yes ma’am.”
I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment as Dolly walked away. I hadn't meant to offend Lucas, but I'd clearly put my foot in my mouth. This was a perfect example of why I should never try to date men. Clearly, I had no idea how to act or behave. I glanced over at him, watching as he picked up his fork and started to eat.
“I'm sorry,” I said softly. “I didn't mean to imply anything about you. I just get frustrated sometimes with the way tourists treat our land. There’s a lot of family history here that they don’t seem to care about.”
Lucas looked up at me, his green eyes softening. “It's alright. I understand. I'm sure it's not easy dealing with that kind of disrespect.”
I nodded, relieved that he didn't seem too upset. “Thanks for understanding. I really didn't mean to offend you.”
“No offense taken,” Lucas replied with a small smile. “How about we start over?”
“I'd like that,” I said, feeling a flutter in my chest.
We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, the only sounds were the clinking of utensils and the soft country music playing in the background. I couldn't help but steal glances at Lucas as we ate. The way his strong jaw moved as he chewed, the flex of his forearms as he cut into his steak—it was mesmerizing and surprisingly hot. It seemed odd to get all hot and bothered watching another man eat, but at the same time, I clearly was more than a little hard up.
“So,” Lucas said, breaking the silence. “What else is there to do around here besides fixing fences and scaring tourists?”
I laughed, caught off guard by his playful tone. “Well, there's the fair comin’ up soon and that’ll occupy everyone’s attention for quite a while. But once that’s over, this town goes back to being pretty small and sleepy. The only other people we get out here is trail riders and wannabe cowboys.”
Lucas chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Wannabe cowboys, huh? And how do you spot those?”
I grinned, feeling more at ease. “Oh, it's easy. They're the ones with the fancy boots that have never seen a day of work, hats that are too clean, and they can't even sit on a horse to save their lives, much less ride.”
“Sounds like you've had some experience with that,” Lucas said, leaning in closer.
I nodded, my heart rate picking up at his proximity. The way he stared at me with those green eyes of his was intoxicating. “More than I'd like. Every summer, we get a few city slickers who think they can handle ranch life. Most of 'em don't last a week.”
“And what about me?” Lucas asked, his voice low and teasing. “Do I look like a wannabe cowboy to you?”
I swallowed hard, my eyes roaming over his ropey muscles and tight clothes that left little to the imagination. “You’ve got the build for it,” I said, trying not to seem too obvious that I was enjoying my inspection of him. “But your clothes are pretty nice for ranch work.” I glanced up at him, meeting his gaze. “How are you on a horse?”
“Not sure,” he smiled, leaning even closer. “I’ve never tried it.” He leaned his elbow on the counter, propping himself up. Thankfully the diner was empty because I had a feeling his closeness would’ve gotten people talking. “Maybe I just need a real cowboy to show me how it’s done.”
I swallowed hard, unable to break his gaze. “Uh… y-y-yeah,” I stammered. “Maybe.” I turned back to my food, my left hand pulling at my collar that suddenly seemed too tight, the heat rolling off my skin making me sweat instantly. “I’m sure you’d make a good rider.”
Lucas chuckled at that, and I realized the double entendre I’d made my accident. “I’m sure I could be,” he replied, his tone leaving no doubt in my mind that he was quite experienced at riding, just not horses.
Suddenly I couldn’t eat anymore. Between my cock trying to drill a hole through my pants, my embarrassment, and how flustered I was, my appetite was gone. I reached back, pulling my wallet out and slapping a twenty down on the counter.
“Well, gotta run Dolly!” I called out, waving in her direction. Then with a quick glance back while hiding my very obvious excitement, I said, “Good to see you again, Lucas.”
“You too, cowboy,” he smiled.
My cheeks burned and I rushed out of that diner as fast as I could, hoping I could maintain my composure long enough to get in my truck and get the hell out of town.