Chapter Seven #2
“How about we just film a little longer on the makeup shoot, so I can turn it into a two-parter? You are the most popular one on the ranch. People can’t get enough of your perfect skin and those eyelashes.”
The comment triggered a memory of Seth telling Rueben he could hear air moving when he blinked. “They’re not that long,” he’d murmured against Seth’s chest earlier and repeated to Rory in the dining room. “But, yeah, a longer shoot is fair. When?”
They got out their phones and picked a time the following week, and Rueben entered it into his phone like he usually did.
“And while we’re discussing content, I’d like to do a long-form feature with you.
” That sounded like more commitment than Rueben was used to giving to the YouTube channel.
When he only arched a brow, Rory rushed to explain.
“I’d like to follow you through one of your magnificent art pieces.
I’m talking from conception to finish. It’s a side of you we’ve never showed to the world. ”
Rueben swallowed hard. While he loved to shape, bend, and weld iron for both practical and artistic purposes, he didn’t consider himself an artist. He viewed himself as a farrier with free time, a lot of old horseshoes, and a curious streak.
He’d loved to create art as a kid and liked to make things out of metal as an adult.
“I just make simple lamps and other decorative pieces out of repurposed horseshoes, Ro. I can’t imagine my amateur metalworks would create much interest on our channel. ”
Rory crossed his arms over his chest and notched his chin up higher. He was such a laid-back guy, but Rueben recognized someone digging in their heels when he saw it. “You have no idea just how talented you are.” He tsked and shook his head. “It only makes you more attractive.”
Ivan, the love of Rory’s life, entered the room just as the last remark left Rory’s lips.
The soft-hearted Viking stopped and looked between them.
“You two guys need a minute or something?” There was no heat in his question, and to prove he wasn’t remotely concerned, Ivan leaned over and kissed Rory’s cheek before continuing to the buffet.
“Rueben doesn’t think his ironwork is art,” Rory said. “What do you say?”
Ivan set the basket of biscuits and the honey pot filled with his beloved liquid gold down before facing Rueben.
“Dude, the fencing you made for my honeyhood is so freaking beautiful. You took something as basic and plain as metal and created intricate honeybees in mid-flight on the gates. There’s no limit to what you can accomplish, and I know you could turn your talent into a well-paying career if you put your mind to it.
Think of the chandeliers and staircase railings you could build for homes. ”
The notion floored Rueben because he’d never considered his talent good enough to lead him anywhere, let alone a prosperous career.
He’d also never let himself think about a future that didn’t include the ranch.
Redemption Ridge was the first place that felt like home since his mom and sister died.
His abuela had done her best to give him a secure life away from violence and gangs, but Colorado had never felt like home until he met Cash and, later, the crew.
He’d trained to be an EMT before his life had gone to hell and he landed in jail, but returning to that career had never appealed to him.
“I have an art piece in mind,” Rueben said softly.
“It’s something I want to make for my abuela’s birthday, so we can’t air the episodes until after I give it to her.
” She had no clue how to operate technology, so his tía set her up on a computer so she could watch his webisodes.
Abuela always had notes for him too. Stand up straighter.
Stop making smoky eyes at the camera. Rueben was pretty sure she meant smoldering, but he didn’t dare correct or contradict her.
He never attempted to seduce his audience and blamed Rory’s camera angles and editing.
The dude was a freaking genius at the PR stuff, and he knew how to put someone at ease to draw the very best from them during interviews.
He made a person forget all about the cameras.
“It’s a very personal gift, and I might get pretty emotional.
I’d like to see the finished edit before you post it. ”
Rory reached over and squeezed his arm. “Of course.”
“I’ll do it.”
The rest of the food arrived with the crew, and Nick told them not to wait for Cash because he was finishing an overseas call.
Rueben loaded his plate with two fried steaks and a heaping pile of mashed potatoes and doused it all with country gravy.
The spoonful of steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot medley looked small in comparison, but at least he was getting in some veg.
“You don’t even have room for biscuits,” Keegan said.
“I see an empty spot on your plate. Will you grab me one?”
Keegan arched a pale blond brow. “Just one?”
“Okay, two,” Rueben said. “Please.”
Keegan snagged biscuits for both of them, and they headed to the table, where everyone but Cash already sat with their food. Nick shoveled food into his mouth like it was an Olympic sport, so the crew joined him instead of waiting. A few forkfuls in, Cash slid into the dining room on socked feet.
“Smells like my favorite dinner.” He scanned the heaping plates at the table and scowled. “Did you save me some?”
Harry swallowed her bite of food and pointed her fork at Nick. “He told us not to wait.”
“Didn’t take long for him to lose that loving feeling,” Cash muttered as he grabbed a plate off the buffet.
He took his seat at the head of the table and smiled at everyone.
Cash usually asked how their day went, but he skipped the small talk and speared a forkful of mashed potatoes and gravy.
Cash made an appreciative hum that caught his husband’s attention and made several people chuckle.
Everyone was so intent on eating that Rueben thought he’d escaped the great inquisition about where he’d been that afternoon.
He should’ve known they were only appeasing their appetites before satisfying their curiosity.
“Must’ve been some dentist appointment.” Kieran pointed his empty fork in Rueben’s direction and circled the air.
Rueben played dumb and shrugged. “No cavities.”
Kieran’s impish smirk said he wasn’t done poking and prodding. He’d have to work hard because Rue wouldn’t volunteer a damn thing. “You’re hours late, your hair is flat, and your shirt is inside out.”
“And you have a love bite peeking out of your shirt collar,” Finley said, waggling his brows.
Rueben wasn’t aware of the sensitive spot until Finley said something.
He instinctively slapped a hand at the bottom of his neck, recalling the moment Seth marked him.
Rueben’s reaction drew the attention of everyone at the table, especially Cash.
He pulled his collar up higher and resumed eating without comment.
“We have the same dentist, Rue,” Dylan said. “He’s a little long in the tooth, isn’t he?”
Harry set her fork down and glared at her boyfriend. “You suddenly have something wrong with dating older people?” Bless her heart for taking the heat off him. Everyone turned their attention to see how Dylan dug himself out of trouble.
Except Cash. Those intelligent blue eyes pinned Rueben to his seat, and he had to fight the urge to wiggle like a worm on a fishing hook.
“Honey, there’s only a few years between us.
” Dylan’s voice was honey sweet, but Harry didn’t look moved so much as a millimeter.
“Doc Johnson is decades older than Rueben. At least three and a half of them. Then you factor in the stud our friend is really pining for, and it makes it that much harder to believe Doc Johnson caused Rueben’s swollen lips and hickey.
” All eyes turned in his direction again.
“Unless it’s a reaction to a dental treatment,” Dylan hastily added.
Rueben bristled but didn’t react to the curiosity aimed his way.
He didn’t owe them an accounting of his time.
He didn’t require it of them, and he didn’t want to be treated any differently.
When they failed to get a rise or answers out of Rueben, everyone tucked back into their food.
It was the most awkward meal they’d ever shared, and that included Kieran’s borderline hostility when he arrived at the ranch from Arrowhead.
When he finished his food, Rueben pushed back from the table to take his dishes to the kitchen.
One look at Cash’s stern expression stopped him in his tracks.
“I’d like to talk to you in my office.” Cash stood up with his dishes in hand.
“Okay, I have kitchen duty, though.”
“Nick can step in for you,” Cash said. He gestured to the doorway with his head, and Rueben followed him out of the dining room.
They rinsed their dishes and stacked them in the dishwasher.
Cash snagged another biscuit from the leftovers and headed toward his office with his border collie, Patsy, on his heels.
Rueben took up the rear and followed at a slower pace, trying to figure out what he’d say.
He recommitted to not giving bullshit excuses or lying to the man he respected more than any other.
Cash was the father figure he’d never had in his life.
His tío had tried, but Rueben had been too heartbroken and angry to accept the man’s affection, or at least meet him halfway.
Cash deserved Rueben’s respect, and he’d give it.
Cash closed his door and headed over to the seating area next to the stone fireplace. The setting felt less formal than his enormous desk, but the gesture didn’t put Rueben at ease. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Rue.” There wasn’t an ounce of anger or censure in Cash’s voice, only concern.