Chapter 28 JACOB
Chapter twenty-eight
JACOB
As I sat on Dusty’s back and watched Joe take pictures of the cattle we were driving, I couldn’t help but be proud of him.
You would never guess he’d only been riding for a few months.
The confidence he showed had to come from within.
This was the second day we were up at dawn, Joe took pictures of the chef preparing breakfast, then the guests enjoying the food as the sun welcomed us.
“I’m ready for you.” Bringing Amber next to me, he took the camera back with the lens he had requested.
We hadn’t talked much yesterday, and by the time we got into our sleeping bags, we were beyond exhausted. Today I had a better idea of how the day would go, and Joe seemed more confident as well.
Coming back over, Joe walked next to me, and Amber seemed content. I hadn’t touched Dusty’s reins the entire time we had been out, making it easier for me to help switch out cameras, lenses, filters, and memory cards.
“I think we have about twenty minutes before we stop for lunch. There are only so many ways I can take pictures of cows moving.” He chuckled. The sound warmed my heart.
“I’m impressed with your confidence. Looks like all those trail rides we took paid off.”
“Yeah.” Unless I was completely off base, he sounded wistful. “That’s when we first met.”
“It was. One of the best things to happen to me.” I hoped that he heard me and genuinely believed it.
He looked at me, his eyes looked glassy. “Have you talked to Dusty? You need to make sure you stay close to him. After your years without each other, you need to hold on tight.”
That was a weird thing to say. It wasn’t like he was wrong, but it had been the first time he blatantly pushed me toward Dusty.
We usually focus on each other. It felt like when we had Dusty over that night, everything had changed, and not for the first time this week, my heart felt like it was being torn from me.
“We keep in touch. I’m glad to be here with you.” I wanted to fix the bond between us, not think about Dusty.
“That’s good. It’s important. You two really have something special.” With those words, he turned Amber and went toward the other ranch hands, his camera clicking. I didn’t even have a chance to respond.
At the end of the day, our bodies were tired, and we didn’t say much, barely able to take off our clothes before we crashed.
I moved over to him, wanting that physical contact.
He didn’t pull away, but he didn’t relax into me.
It was nearly impossible to sleep because I was confused, but worse yet, I was scared.
When I woke up, I was graced with the vision of Joe pulling on his jeans that hugged his ass perfectly.
“Shit, you are sexy.” He looked over his shoulder and smiled at me, the first one I had seen in days.
The next few days were the same as the first, and by the time we got back to the ranch, I’d never been so glad to see a bed and a hot shower. I’d been a ranch hand since I was seventeen years old. Somehow, these five days tore me up. Joe and I walked in the door, and he fell backwards on the bed.
“Holy shit. We survived. Dibs on the shower as soon as I can find the energy to stand.”
“Okay. Yeah. I’ll lie here and die.”
He chuckled. “Can I have Dusty? I think I want my own horse.”
“Yeah. He would love being with you, and he knows how much you mean to me.”
“Jacob. Jacob. Wake up and shower.”
No idea how long I had been asleep, but Joe was wearing a towel around his hips, and water was running down his chest. I wanted to follow the trail that the drop of water had traveled. He slipped over to his bed and climbed under the covers.
After my shower, I walked into the bedroom, and Joe was clearly asleep. Going over to the side where he was sleeping, I sat next to him on the bed. I brushed the hair off his forehead and looked at the towel on the floor. Leaning over, I kissed the side of his head.
“Joe, please don’t slip away from me,” I whispered in his ear, then turned off the side table lamp.
Even though I was tempted to climb into bed with him, I chose to slip into my own.
He knew he was welcome to join me. Thankfully joined me in the middle of the night, my heart felt full as I held him.
We were asked to wait until after the guests left at noon before we got our horses and left.
We had discussed that we planned to sleep in, and having him in my arms was perfect.
When we finally got out of bed, the energy was still off.
Glad to be headed home, because I felt like I could better fix whatever was going on between us.
We got Amber back in her barn, and I took Joe to his cottage, where I helped him unload his stuff.
I knew Dusty—the horse—was tired too, which meant I couldn’t stick around long.
My best buddy needed to be put in his own stall where he could take a few days off.
Joe and I stood on the porch. When he pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me tightly, I was surprised. All the hope I had been letting go of came roaring back.
“Jacob, you are such an amazing man. You make my heart feel full, and I am so glad to know you. Don’t ever forget that, okay.”
Looking up at me, he kissed me gently, then deepened it, his tongue demanding.
“You mean so much to me, Joe. We need to talk, soon, okay?”
“Sure.” He gave me one more quick kiss and walked away.
Waking up in the bunkhouse felt great; it had been my home for a few years now, and there was a comfort in being somewhere familiar. I decided to have coffee with Dusty in his stall; maybe he could tell me what was going on with Joe.
“I am so afraid he’s going to leave me,” I told Dusty while he ate a stalk of celery.
Like always, he had been amazing. I would let him out of his stall, and he could work with me today if he wanted, but I wouldn’t ride him.
Usually, he would follow me around, though. “He can’t. I’m in love with him.”
When someone cleared their throat, I turned around. “This was left for you. I had to wait until this morning before I handed it off.” Martin said as he gave it to me.
“Oh, thank you.” It was a nondescript envelope with my name on the outside. I recognized the handwriting.
Before I could open it, Martin kept talking. “Have you seen the eagles since you’ve been back? It’s just something how the three of them have made a family. I guess love works in mysterious ways.” He then walked away.
Nothing good could come from a hand-delivered letter from someone you knew, through someone else. My hands were shaking. Dusty pushed me with his nose.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” I told him, while I gave him more celery.
Once the envelope was opened, I found a letter written in Joe’s perfect script.
My Dearest Jacob
I feel I should start with the words I was too afraid to say.
I am in love with you, but I am also in love with Dusty.
This whole thing is unfair to all of us, and I realize that means one of us has to step aside.
When I see you and Dusty together, I recognize that I am the interloper.
You two belong together. There is so much between you that asking either of you to let it go would be selfish.
Jacob, you need to love Dusty enough for both of us, hold him at night, and remind him that he is perfect.
Tell him our time meant everything. Find your happily ever after, and be best friends.
I’ll only be gone for a few days, then I will need to return to work.
We won’t cross paths very often, but know you will always have my heart.
Yours always,
Joe
The only thing I felt was anguish as I sank to my knees. He was letting me and Dusty find our way as a couple, but I didn’t want that. I wanted them both. I didn’t want to choose.
“Jacob! Jacob!” I recognized the voice instantly.
“He’s in there, son.” I heard Martin say. It was Dusty. He must have gotten a similar note.
One of my best friends dropped to his knees in front of me, and we held each other, unable to stop the tears.
“Why did he do this? He’s leaving us. He can’t leave us.”
“Boys?” Martin stood in the stall door. “Have you seen the eagle family? The three of them seem to have worked things out.”
“Martin, this isn’t the time to talk about the fucking eagles.” Immediately, I felt guilty for my outburst. This man was like a father. “I’m sorry.”
“I spoke with Joe this morning when he dropped off that note. He explained to me that he cares too much about you both not to push you together.” Sounded like Joe, thinking of others first, sacrificing his own heart.
“But you see,” he pointed out the back of the stall.
“Those birds are doing something that’s not typical, but they make it work. The three of them made a family.”
“The three of them made a family,” I repeated. Oh. OH! “Dusty? Would you want the three of us to be a family?”
“Yes.” He said instantly.
“Like the eagles. Unconventional but togehter.” I asked again.
“Yes.” He said again without delay.
“We need to find Joe.” I looked at Martin Wilson.
“Took you boys long enough.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You could have said it more clearly, waxing poetic about eagles.”
“I would be nicer to me because it appears I am the only one who can help you locate Joe. Unless you want to go beg his brother for the information, then explain that you want to live as a triad.”
I groaned. That wasn’t something I was ready to deal with just yet. “Have I ever told you how you are a father figure to me, Mr. Wilson?” I said with all honesty.
“Have I mentioned that Montgomery is an amazing man, and I am sure it was how you raised him,” Dusty added.
“Better. Now let me see what I can do to find them and get the DRACO private jet.” I blinked. It appeared Mr. Wilson was all in on our love life. “Let’s head up to the house. Mrs. Wilson has everything you need for your trip, and she has snacks.”
“How?” I asked.
“You are like a son to me, Gentry. I knew you’d figure it out. I didn’t expect you would have to chase him down, but as soon as I saw that he ran we went to plan B. Which was getting you to him.” I smiled. Well, he wasn’t wrong.
At the house, there were go bags for us with a couple of Circle W shirts and a bunch of toiletries. Mrs Wilson handed us each an envelope containing five hundred dollars. “Anything we didn’t pack like undies, buy when you get there.” Something about Ma Wilson talking about my undies made me squirm.
“Okay, guys, you are heading to San Diego. Apparently, your man is having a little vacation in a five-star resort. You two have a room booked for the length of his stay. If Mont asks, you are looking at some livestock out there, and Dusty is going for fun.”
It was a lame excuse, but it got us the jet and let us talk to Joe. I was curious, “How did you find out where he was staying?”
He snorted. “Told my son I needed some pictures from him of my mini-highlands for the website.”
“All those calves are sold.”
“Mont doesn’t know that.” I laughed. Martin was something else. “Now get going. And text me updates. Ma, and I are rooting for all of you.”
They both hugged us, and an Uber pulled up in front of their house. Dusty and I got in and waved goodbye.
Dusty took my hand. “I can’t lose him, Jacob. He said he loves us, but he never asked how we felt about him. He has to hear us.”
Lacing our fingers together, I kissed him. “He’ll listen. But I think the thing we need to worry about more is getting him to agree. This is a lot for a guy who was closeted and repressed by his parents until a few years ago.”
“Shit.” He said to himself.
Nine hours later, we were pulling up in front of the Marina Diego Resort. The private jet certainly helped speed things along, but we were still anxious to check in because we had to make a plan on how to win our man, then take him home.
As we rode up the elevator, I held Dusty’s hand.
“I really hope this works,” I said out loud.
“It has to.” That was all he said.