Chapter 14 #2
“Sure thing.” He nodded at AJ and Andy when they came in, then went in search of Mr. Sam.
The bloodhounds were all up and wagging, Gramps Pharris’ bassets right there in the pack. “Mr. Sam? Beau says breakfast is ready. You need help feeding?”
“I have some, but always could use it.” Sam grinned and handed him a bag of kibble.
“Good deal.” He started doling out the food, humming under his breath as he did. If they dawdled, they wouldn’t get no sausage. He did love Beau’s spicy sausage.
“You okay, kid?” Mr. Coke asked him, coming up next to him, looking him over.
“Yessir, Gramps. I got some sore and the hand’s a bitch, but that ain’t nothing.”
“Well, you flew some, so I wanted to make sure.”
Landon got the feeling that Coke wasn’t really talking about working with the bulls.
“I did, but you gotta sometimes, if it’s worth it.”
Mr. Sam smiled at him. “Was it?”
“Yessir. No matter what, I ain’t got regrets.” Even if it was over for real now. He guessed he’d see.
“Good.” Coke went to turn off the hose, and they finished up, all ambling up to the house together. Adam was in the kitchen with Beau and AJ, and his cowboy smiled for him when he came in, those broad shoulders relaxing.
“I found him, Beau, and Gramps, too.”
“Well, lookee there.” Beau bumped hips with Sam, a tiny movement that he’d bet no one else noticed.
Sam did, though, just grinning. Damn, he wanted that kind of life. Wanted someone willing to put himself out there. Landon just didn’t know if Adam ever would. Adam said so, but Landon didn’t have no proof of it.
He held back, letting all the others make themselves some plates.
“You’re gonna miss out on the sausage.” Adam hung back with him, standing close.
“I’d hate that. Beau has the best boudin.”
“He does. I bet your sister makes good stuff.”
Landon nodded. “She’s amazing with a pig. We’re having a roast up to the house soon.”
“Yeah? Beau sending you home a pig?” Adam moved even closer, and he could smell spicy smell-good lotion. Someone had washed up good.
“Uh-huh. To pay for the work I been doing.” He took a deep, deep breath, taking Adam in.
“You do a lot around here, huh?”
“When they need me. I got a good reputation for working hard, being smart ’bout supplies and stuff.”
“And he gets dirty and never bitches. Come eat, Nutbutter.” Beau gave him that look that meant Beau wasn’t playing.
“Yessir.” He gestured to let Adam go first, but Adam surprised him by putting a hand under his elbow and steering him toward the food.
That little connection tingled, buzzed inside him. He tried hard not to bounce. He got him some sausage and eggs, some bread and butter. The grits smelled fine, so he got that, too.
He poured out some coffee, then they all headed outside to eat, everyone sitting around, enjoying the morning sunshine. Adam sat right there, not annoying or nothing, but clearly sitting with him. A tiny spark of hope started blooming in his belly, just a quiet, shining thing.
Hope could be more of a burden than a blessing. It surely could. But he was gonna go for the good.
He had to, didn’t he? Landon had told Adam he lived on faith, and that was what this was about. He’d done prayed on it.
Breakfast was good. Working out in the ring with Jason was good.
Hell, the whole day went well, Adam figured, until his brothers showed up.
Then things got a touch tense. Oh, no one snarled, but there was lots of sideways glancing.
Brian did a lot of frowning. Adam was just waiting to have to kick some ass.
Landon immediately backed up, moving to load cattle behind the make-shift chutes without a word. Adam had been surprised at how easy Landon took to working safety. He’d be great in the ring, and Adam would be happy to sponsor the kid with the league.
Chrissy rode up alongside him. “How’s it going, old man?”
“Good. They did some work yesterday. I got here late, so everyone but us is stiff and sore.”
“Jason’s looking good, though. Solid.”
“He is. He took a knock yesterday and popped right back up.”
“I heard the little Cajun flew off a horse onto the bull.”
“His name is Landon.” He gave Chrissy a sideways glance.
“Uh-huh. He’s still tinier than Beau.”
So was Jase, but no one called him ‘the little Texan’. Well, Andy Baxter called Jason Mini, but they were fucking and all. Adam figured, if anyone got to pick another nickname for Landon, it ought to be him.
“Just a brotherly warning to be nice, Chris.” He put his big brother voice behind the words, showing he meant it.
One near-white eyebrow winged up. “It’s like that, is it?”
“It is.” Adam nodded firmly. No more waffling or denying.
“Huh. Good on you.” Chris’ lips quirked. “He’s still a little Cajun.”
Adam shook his head. “What’s crawled up Bri’s ass, man?” Brian had been avoiding them all, keeping his head down and working.
“I don’t know. Him and Momma, they got into a big old fight even. Momma threw a bowl of cereal at him and told him to get out. Granny’s worried.”
Well, shit. Brian was usually damned sunny in disposition. Lately he’d been like a bear with a sore paw. Maybe Adam would poke him some. If Momma and Granny were taking after him, it was definitely something going on outside of the family.
“You two finished gabbing?” Bri pulled up, glaring at them equally. “What’s up?”
“Adam’s hooked up with the little Cajun again.”
Bri opened his mouth, and Adam held up a hand. “You’d best be careful, bro.”
“What is it with you and Cajuns, man?” Brian grumped.
Chrissy snorted. “It’s bone deep with him. Landon seems to like him.”
“You’re a suck-up, baby brother.”
“Hell, no. But I don’t see anything wrong with Adam being happy.” Chrissy jutted his chin right out. Oh, they were fixing to snarl. Adam could smell it like rain coming in the desert.
Coke came up. “I think Jase is done. He’s starting to make stupid mistakes.”
Bri nodded curtly and reined off, leaving Adam and Chris and Coke staring. “What’s with him?” Coke asked.
Adam shrugged with Chris, one movement, two sets of shoulders. “Not sure.”
“Sucks. Maybe he’s got a burr under his saddle.” Coke winked at them.
“Something’s going on with him. We’ll figure it.” He and Chris climbed out of their saddles, walking out the horses.
Landon came up, quiet, damn near still. “Y’all need any help ’fore I get to work?”
“You want to take Maisey around, honey?” Adam handed over his mare. “She seems to be favoring a foreleg.”
Landon frowned and took her, straight-away. “Oh, now. You got a hitch in your get-along? Come now, ma cher needs you solid beneath him, like a stone.”
They watched Landon lead Maisey toward Beau’s barn, and Adam had to smile. She nibbled Landon’s hand, tail swishing. Happy girl.
“Bubba. You don’t really think he can talk to them…”
“I do.” Beau stood right there, face serious. “And y’all all have seen it.”
Adam snorted. “I see it all the time. I’m beginning to believe in magic, Chris.”
“Oh, good Lord. Bubba, did you hit your head?” Chris looked at Beau, pulled a face. “I swear to God, you Cajuns. Did you feed him something off?”
Beau’s face set in lines Adam recognized all too well. A hurricane was fixin’ to blow. “Just because you can’t explain it, Christopher Taggart, don’t mean it ain’t so. Your granny would be ashamed of you.”
Chrissy blinked, then barked a laugh. “Well, well. I’m guessing the Cajun approves of the other Cajun.”
“I do. Me and Sammy both, and Coke, all.”
“Fair enough.” Maybe Chrissy was becoming the easy-going one, after all. He just grinned and whistled a tune as he walked out his gelding.
Beau stood there next to him. “Good job, Tag.”
“Thanks. Though I have to say it’s a little embarrassing for you to congratulate me on being a decent human being.” Had he been that much of an ass lately?
“Well, you know, I know you.” Beau poked him. “Like biblically.”
“Ow.” In love with Landon or not, he could spend a fond moment remembering the kind of knowledge they had between them. Him and Beau, they had gone at it hammer and tongs back in the day. “But, yeah, you know me too well.”
“I do. He loves you, better than I did.” Beau glanced over the pasture toward Sam, which would have made Adam angry once. Then sad. Now it made him grin.
“And you got yours. It’s all good, Bo-Bo.”
“I did.” Beau’s face cracked a huge smile. “And if I talk to you much longer, he’s going to ride my ass into the ground.”
“Hey, you might like that.” Adam nudged Beau with his elbow. “I’m gonna go check on Maisey.”
“Good idea. Remind Nutbutter that Grandmère wants to see his hand again.”
“Will do.” He headed off to check on both Landon and the horse. He wanted to make sure Landon knew he’d talked to both brothers.
Landon had Maisey over by the barn, sitting on a stool, wrapping a wet rag around her leg.
He put a hand on Landon’s shoulder. “How’s she doing?”
“Good. Good, she got herself a little bruise, is all.”
“I wondered. We had that one close call. Thank you for looking at her.”
“Anytime.” Look at those dark, pretty eyes. So serious. Landon was a good man, one who really cared about the mare’s welfare.
He found himself oddly tongue-tied, standing there staring like a newborn foal. Wobbly legs and all. There was just something bizarre about admitting to his family that he loved someone.
“You good, cher?” Landon glanced up, one hand landing on his thigh.
“I am. I just got sidetracked.” He moved near, patting Maisey, smiling down at Landon.
“She’s gon’ be fine. I swear.”
“I believe you.” He stroked Landon’s hair, tickled just to be close, to have a second chance when he wasn’t sure he deserved it.
Landon’s eyes crossed, head tilting. “Mmm.”
“Hey. Jason is leaving day after tomorrow. We should go see your sister.”
“I’d like that. Sister would too. Everybody can come, if they want, but nobody has to. It ain’t a la-dee-da type of place.”
Jesus, Landon gave enough that it shamed him. Generous spirit. Adam needed to live up to that more. “Well, Beau says he’s got a pig.”
“Yep, and Sister says the whole Parish is coming to dance and play.”
“The whole of them, huh?” That was…nerve-wracking? Hell, he was a social kind of guy. And God knew how many of Landon’s friends knew how bad he’d fucked up. He could do this. He could.
“In fits and starts, yeah.” Landon shrugged some. “Lots of rodeo folks, too, I know. Local ones. Maybe Cotton. “
“Well, I’ll have to get my time in tonight, then, because you’ll be busy. And if I can help, just say.” He’d turn the spit or chop veggies or whatever. He wasn’t as proud as some folks thought.
“I’m just tickled to show you around.”
“Thanks, honey.” He tugged Landon into his arms. “She should be good to go.”
Landon’s body slid all up against him, making him grin, and giving him the urge to just take his Cajun back to the barn and fuck. He resisted, though. He didn’t want anyone to think he was ashamed of Landon, unwilling to show him off.
Of course, then Landon hugged on him, murmuring, “Want to go back to the barn with me?”