Page 22 of On the Land, We Shoot Straight
Cole sat up, craned his head over his shoulder, and looked at Grady with those serious eyes.
“What’re you askin’?” Grady said.
“What’re you goin’ into town for?”
“Whaddya mean?”
Cole turned back to his book and shrugged. “Nothin’. I dunno.”
Grady huffed, came over to the table and sat down. Cole glanced up at him, scrutinizing, that little mind working. Grady drank his coffee and waited him out.
“You goin’ into town every week but never buyin’ much is all. I’m just wonderin’. None of my business, though.”
Grady smiled slyly at him. “I’m socializing.”
Cole scoffed.
“What?” Grady’s smile widened.
“You don’t seem like the socializing type.”
Cole focused on his book again, and Grady watched a blush heating up his white skin. Grady wondered what on earth the kid was thinking.
“Gotta keep up appearances.”
“Do you?” Cole flicked his eyes up.
“Do I what?”
“Keep up appearances?”
Grady twisted his lips up into a mocking smile, and Cole laughed.
“Nah.”
Cole nodded like that’s what he thought.
“I’m just goin’ in for coffee, somethin’ to eat,” Grady said after a while.
“Got coffee here,” Cole said, and his blush deepened. He looked down again.
But Grady just nodded and said, “Yeah, guess we do.”
“Sorry,” Cole said into his book.
“Ain’t nothin’ to be sorry for.” Grady finished his mug and stood. “I’m gonna turn in early. Gotta start the cattle tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” Cole said, his voice distant.
“You might wanna think about turnin’ in,” Grady told him as he headed out.
“Yeah, in a sec,” Cole replied, his head still in the book. Grady didn’t reckon he was reading it, though.
He paused on the threshold and watched Cole rub the back of his neck. Grady shook his head and went out. He went up the stairs and into the bathroom. He stripped down, turned the water on and got in the shower.
Grady was coming out with just the towel secured around his waist when he walked right into Cole coming in.
“Sorry, sorry.” Cole startled, his hands planting on Grady’s wet chest. Grady’s arms came up to Cole’s biceps to stop him from falling as he stumbled back.
