Page 65 of Captivated

Zeeb had constructed a circle of small stones collected from the creek, then gone foraging for branches and dried grass. A little time later, a fire burned there, and Nate and Zeeb sat on blankets, drinking beer as the sky darkened, eating up the remains of the day. All around them, the insect world was alive, filling the air with noise.

Zeeb inclined his head to the right. “Y’hear that?”

Nate frowned. “What am I listening for?” All he could hear were insects.

“Something that sounds like a saw goin’? My granddaddy used to say that came from carpenter bugs.”

He smiled. “Is there such a thing?”

Zeeb held his hands up. “Hey, I’m jus’ repeating what he told me. He said carpenter bugs were out there makin’ furniture for all the other insects.”

It was an adorable image.

“Is he still alive? Your granddaddy, I mean.”

“I doubt it.”

Nate took a drink from his bottle. “Have you ever tried to find out anything about your family since you left home?”

Zeeb stared into the flames. The fire crackled, crickets started up in the brush, and somewhere far off, an owl called once, twice.

“Nope. An’ to be honest, I don’t think of ’em as my family anymore.” He jerked his thumb in the direction of the ranch. “Those guys back there are my family.” He finished his beer. “I’ll bring you breakfast in the morning. If you like, we can go to the lake an’ you can work on your painting. The cookout won’t be until at least two.”

“What’s Diana like?”

Zeeb smiled. “She’s awesome. You’ll like her. And it’s about time you met the boss.”

“Will I like him too?”

Zeeb chuckled. “Yeah, he’s a good guy.” He glanced at Nate. “Another guy who went through shit an’ came out of it to find happiness.”

Nate focused on the fire. “You think that’s true for everyone who goes through… difficult times? That there’s something good waiting for them at the end of it?”

“Don’t the Bible talk about God puttin’ people into fire, to test them? To refine ’em, make ’em stronger? If he puts ’em through that kinda torture, surely there has to be some kind of reward?” Zeeb let out a wry chuckle. “An’ seein’ as our fire is almost out, I’d better think about turnin’ in.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

Neither moved.

Zeeb flicked a gaze in Nate’s direction, his eyes lingering just a beat too long. “You okay?” His voice was a little raw.

“Yeah,” Nate said. On impulse, he blurted, “I liked today.”

Zeeb’s mouth tugged into a small smile. “Me too.” He hauled himself to his feet. “Night, Nate.”

“Night, Zeeb.”

And still, even as Zeeb disappeared around the corner of the cabin and the night swallowed him up, Nate sat there, skin prickling with something he couldn’t name.

Something that lay between fear and wanting.

Nothing really happened.

Except that wasn’t strictly true. Something had shifted between them.

And once it shifted, it couldn’t go back.

If he was honest with himself, Nate didn’t think he wanted it to.

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