Chapter 6 #2
Felix’s eyes widened, and his face stretched into another smile. Joey called him his best friend, and they met only yesterday. “Thanks, Joey.” This having a friend business was incredible.
Pa Sterling cleared his throat. “Now, Joey, don’t get too excited about having someone your age around the ranch. You’ll make Felix all nervous, declaring him your best friend after only one day.”
“But Pa, you don’t know how lonely I am without Jacob here. I’m excited to have someone my age to talk to.” Joey turned. “I’m sorry, Felix. I hope I didn’t make you feel bad.”
“I never had a friend before, Joey, much less a best friend.” Felix grinned from ear to ear. “I kinda like it. Now show me the ranch, best friend.”
“You men, be careful.” Grover took a sip of coffee and swallowed. “And look out for snakes.”
“Yes, Pa.” The screen door hinges squealed as Joey pushed it open for Felix.
Felix brushed against his new best friend as he strolled out the door. Snakes?
* * *
As they walked to the barn, their boots stirred up puffs of West Texas dust. The morning breeze carried the sweet scents of the prairie wildflowers.
Felix stopped to gaze at the meadow east of the homestead.
Wild blooms and prairie grasses bowed to each other, and the elm trees in front of the house swayed, waving their limbs as if welcoming the fresh morning.
He took a deep breath. “This is magnificent, Joey. I can’t believe I dreaded coming here. ”
“You dreaded it? How come?”
“It almost seemed like my dad sold me into slavery. He sent me out into the middle of nowhere with people I had never met to do things I had never done before. Wouldn’t you be a bit nervous if that happened to you?”
Joey's face twisted with curiosity. “I guess so. I hope we didn't scare you.”
Felix followed him into the barn. “Scare me?” He strolled to Sparkle’s stall. “Your family has done everything possible to make me feel at home. I’m looking forward to spending time on the ranch.”
Joey stopped at Lightning’s stall. “I’m glad, Felix. And sorry about that best friend comment. I guess I got excited about having someone my own age around.”
The gate latch clicked as Felix flipped it open. “I’m okay with being your best friend as long as you’ll be my best friend too.”
“I like that idea, cowboy.” Joey sported a mile-wide grin.
Felix eyed Joey. “Cowboy? You said that yesterday, but I figured you didn’t mean me.”
Joey’s grin continued. “Before the end of summer, you’ll be a real cowboy. I want to get a head start and call you one up front.”
Felix studied his boots to hide his blush. His domineering father made demands, but not the Sterlings. Joey encouraged him, both by what he said and what he did. “I hope I can live up to being a cowboy.”
“Leave it to me, cowboy.” Joey beamed.
Felix gazed at Joey’s beaming face and couldn’t help but smile back. “Which saddle do I use for Sparkle?”
“C’mon.” Joey scooped the air with his hand. “I showed you the tack room yesterday. Today, you’ll learn who uses which saddle, and you can pick from the others.”
In the tack stall, eight saddles rested on their mounts.
“This one is mine,” Joey put his hand on one, and this one is Pa’s,” Joey pointed. “Ma don’t ride much, but she likes the one with the flowers on it.” Joey motioned. “You can pick from any of the others.
Felix admired the saddles and picked one with a horseshoe pattern tooled into the leather. “I like this one.”
“Take it, and a blanket from that stack." Joey pointed. "You know what to do, right?”
“Yep.” Felix grabbed a blanket, slung it over his shoulder, grasped the saddle, and carried it to Sparkle’s stall.
Joey kept an eye on Sparkle as Felix saddled him. Sparkle stayed calm and stood still. “You do have a kind of magic with horses, Felix.”
Felix tightened the cinch. “What do you mean?”
“Sparkle is always skittish with the saddle. You did the entire process, and Sparkle didn’t move.”
Felix patted Sparkle’s shoulder. “He’s a fine horse, Joey.” Sparkle turned his head and nudged Felix. “See? He likes me.”
Joey laughed. “Like I said, you’re magic, Felix. Now let’s ride the ranch.”
They rode out of the barn east toward the meadow Felix had admired earlier.
“I still can’t believe how easy you saddled Sparkle. You handled him like a pro.” Joey guided Lightning toward the meadow. “And Sparkle acted like you saddled him for years.”
Felix reached down and patted Sparkle’s neck. “Like I said, he’s a fine horse. I find it hard to believe your dad thought I couldn’t handle him.”
“We bought Sparkle a few years ago because he came from good breeding stock. We thought he’d make a fine ranch horse, but he didn’t take to Pa, Jacob, or me. Then you come along, and he’s a different horse.”
Sparkle nickered, as if he understood he was the topic of conversation. “I’m glad he likes me, Joey.” Felix took in the ranch. “How far does your ranch go?”
“You see that mesa?” Joey pointed to a tall flat-top ridge about three-quarters of a mile to the north. “Our ranch takes in about a quarter mile of that mesa. Jacob and I used to go up top to get away.”
“It doesn’t look accessible, Joey. Such steep sides.”
“The trail up is winding and steep, but the horses can make it. I haven’t been up since Jacob left. We’ll go up someday. You can view the entire ranch from there, and it’s my favorite place to get away and think.”
“I’d like that, Joey.”
“Let’s ride over to the spring.” Joey pointed with his left arm. “Then we’ll circle to the grazing herd before returning to the house for lunch.” Joey moved his arm in an arc to the left, indicating where the herd grazed.
“I didn’t realize the ranch had a spring. That’s for the cattle, right?” Felix wanted to learn about ranching, hoping his question didn’t make Joey laugh.
“That…and it’s a fantastic place to swim when it’s hot.” Joey grinned at Felix with a gleam in his eye.
Felix caught Joey’s gleam and turned away.
“I never did much swimming. I never learned how.” He found Joey magnetic but tensed at the thought of swimming with him.
Felix never took his clothes off in front of other men.
He figured Joey meant swimming in the buff.
And that thought made his man parts tingle.
His brow furrowed as his father's stern face popped into his head.
“The water is only about three feet at its deepest point, so it's not deep enough to swim, Felix. Perfect for sitting on the bottom and enjoying the cool water, though.”
“I suppose I can sit in the water. Can we try later this summer?” Felix tensed at the prospect of being almost naked with Joey.
He remembered seeing Joey nearly naked last night when he came to his door and how the sight aroused him.
He shook his head to dispel the thought and the tingle in his man parts.
“We’ll do that, Felix. Jacob and I used to splash around a lot, having a great time. I’ll show you how to have fun in the water.”
Joey had that smile and glimmer again. Felix gazed ahead at the grove of trees, his mind wandering to having a best friend.
Did other men like looking at their best friend’s smiling face as much as he did?
Did other men feel a tingle between their legs when they saw their best friend almost naked?
He had a lot to learn about having a best friend.
Joey pointed to the trees. “Those silver-leaf oak trees surround the spring. We’ll stop and let the horses drink.”
Felix guided Sparkle behind Joey and Lightning down a slight incline.
They dismounted and led the horses to the spring for a drink.
The sound of water bubbling out of the ground and into a crystal-clear pool below created a peaceful atmosphere.
The pool looked inviting, and Felix’s imagination turned to Joey in his boxer shorts, splashing in the water.
His arousal stirred again, and he turned his thoughts to Emmaline Crabtree and his father’s insistence that he court her.
The bulge in his trousers shrank as a shudder floated through his shoulders.
“I see why you like this place, Joey. It’s peaceful. ”
“We’ll be driving cattle in a few weeks, moving them from the north pasture to this area. We’ll be plenty dirty, and can come here to wash off the dust.”
A pleasing sensation flooded Felix at the thought of undressing in front of Joey. Whether it meant anticipation or dread, he couldn’t be sure. Having a best friend confused him. “I never went on a cattle drive. Don’t they kinda go where they want?”
“Yes, but sometimes we want them to go to a particular area, and they don’t want to leave where they are. You’ll see.”
They mounted up and rode north from the spring. Felix glanced over, and Joey was smiling at him.
“So, I bet you had lots of girls chasing you in high school.” Joey steered Lightning toward the cattle herd. “You’re a nice guy, and handsome like Jacob.”
Felix paused, unsure how to respond. No one, much less another man, ever called him handsome.
But coming from Joey, he preened a bit. “I never hung out with other students much. Father wanted me to focus on my studies and do well in high school, so I had no friends or sweethearts.” He hoped to satisfy Joey’s curiosity.
“Well, I had no sweethearts either, Felix. In my rural school, there weren’t many girls my age, and the few that were didn’t suit me. I hung around with the other boys, joking about the gals and getting into mischief.”
“I think it’s great you had friends. I never had close friends. It surprised me this morning when you said I was your best friend. It made me feel part of this ranch.” Felix didn’t know why, but it did.
“Hey…like I said. We’ll be around each other all summer. Might as well make the best of it.”
Felix liked everything about Joey. His appearance, mannerisms, voice, and friendly nature. He wanted to spend as much time with Joey as possible, learning to be a best friend. He hoped Joey felt the same way.