Page 22 of Cowboy Dreams

Sylvester

Isatatmycomputer in the parlor I’d designated as my home office and frowned at the screen. As a hotel manager and later owner, spreadsheets had been my friends. Today, though, I resented the paperwork that’d kept me from riding out with Joe. I didn’t get half as much of his time as I wanted.

Joe got one day off a week, mostly Sundays. Even if he showed up Saturday evening, he had to leave for his bunkhouse less than twenty-four hours later, preparing for an early start on Mondays. Today was a bonus, a weekday he’d taken off specially for our meeting later. I couldn’t complain about the wakeup blowjob that morning, but was I out there in the sunshine now, taking advantage of his presence? No, I fucking wasn’t. I glared at the columns of numbers and planning notes that’d kept me indoors on a gorgeous October morning.

Outside the window, Joe rode Donner up to the corral and swung off his back, all easy cowboy grace. The black gelding huffed and tossed his head, still fresh after that ride out to check on a water tank. Joe pulled the horse’s head down against him and put a hand on Donner's nose, that Stetson tipped to shade his face.

I whipped out my phone and took a picture through the window, letting the sash frame the shot. “Rustic cowboy pets horse.” I hadn’t reached the point of engaging a PR firm yet and putting materials together, but I’d started posting on social media, nudging friends and acquaintances with “What do you think?” Most of them thought I was crazy to go live in the boonies when I had a million-dollar downtown penthouse condo. Most of them also thought cowboys were hot. One or two were getting curious in a useful way.

My phone rang in my hand and I glanced down, then answered, “Hey, Mama Cass.”

Cassie’s rich laugh came across the airwaves. “Hey, kiddo.”

“I’m forty-four, you know.”

“I’m aware. How’s life in the sticks and why haven’t you called your mother in a week?”

“I’ve been busy.” Outside the window, Joe eased the saddle and blanket off Donner’s back and hefted them onto the corral rail. He bent and picked up one big black hoof, picking at something in the horse’s foot. His jeans strained across his ass, and he was wearing chaps. While I was stuck doing paperwork.Fuck my life.

“…right, Syl?”

“Um, sure.” I wondered what I’d missed.

“Good. We’ll be happy to see you.”

“What?”

“You said you’d come out to Spain for Christmas.”

“Wait, no.” The holiday might be two months away, but I had way too much on my plate. “I meant someday. Not this year,” I covered.

“Are you okay? You seem distracted.”

“I’m just…” Through the window, Joe saw me watching him. He tipped his hat, gave me a wicked smile and turned Donner loose in the corral, then headed around toward the back door.

“You’re what?”

“I’m fine. Busy. This project is a big one. Hey, is Mom there? Let me say hello.”

“I don’t know what you’re hiding, but don’t make us come back there to find out.”

“I’m fine. Really.”

“Here’s your mother.”

Mom’s voice came over the line, softer than Cassie’s. “Hey, honey, how’s the ranch shaping up?”

“Coming along. McNeil’s been mending fences and I’m beating the renovation costs for the house into submission.” I didn’t mention how I’d rather be out there with Joe, our horses side by side, talking about everything and nothing as we checked the fencelines. I was careful to call him by his last name, and mention “my ranch consultant” when I talked about him. Mom and Cassie knew I was gay and obviously had no problem with that. But I hadn’t had a serious partner since my twenties. They’d be more than curious.

Not that Joe was my partner yet, either on the ranch or off it, but a month of Sundays together and a lot of texting in between, hashing this plan out, made that possibility hover like a mirage. Not quite real, still out of reach, but cool water I yearned toward.

“That McNeil sounds like a good man.” Something in Mom’s tone made me wonder if I’d been as discreet as I thought.

“Very dependable. Lots of useful ideas. This dude ranch wouldn’t be getting off the ground without him.”

“I’m glad you have some support there. Have you been back to the city at all? Seen any of your friends?”

“Not recently. Actually, I’m selling the condo.” A choice I’d been putting off, but the combination of today’s spreadsheet and Joe’s smile made the decision easy. I wanted that equity. The Circle K was where I belonged.

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