Page 35 of On the Land, We Shoot Straight
“Look—” he started.
“Look, what?”
Grady kept the smile in and reminded himself this had to stop.
“I know you hatin’ on town.”
“I ain’t hatin’ on town.”
“Yeah? Wanna come to Harvest Fest?”
Cole went from mad to looking sick so fast Grady almost regretted saying it.
“That’s what I thought.”
Cole picked up his knife and fork and repeated, “I ain’t hatin’ on town.” He clenched his jaw and kept his eyes on his food but didn’t start eating.
Grady ignored that and pushed on. “If I don’t go to town, we ain’t got nothin’ to eat.”
“Go to town!”
Cole sat back and exhaled loud and rough like he was surprised at his outburst.
“Sorry.”
Grady didn’t really know what to say or do with that, so he started in on his steak and decided to drop it. The clink of his knife and fork on the plate filled the kitchen, Cole’s starting up tentatively when Grady was halfway done. He tried to focus on reading the paper spread out next to his plate but was distracted by the cautious silence, the feel of Cole straining to be normal beside him.
“Sorry,” Cole repeated, breaking the silence. “I ain’t hatin’ on town, I just—” He stopped. His voice was real quiet.
“You just what.”
Grady pushed his plate away, sat back and drank his coffee. Cole mirrored him and kept his eyes down.
“I just don’t like what you’re gettin’ there is all. It’s none of my business, though. And I’m sorry.”
Cole stood and went to go out, but Grady grabbed his forearm and Cole stopped.
“You always eat it.”
Cole groaned and shook his head but stayed where he was.
“You know what I mean.”
Grady frowned. Cole looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in this conversation. Then Grady got it. He let Cole go and crossed his arms over his chest.
“You reckon I need someone else to help me out when we gettin’ at it every day?”
Cole shrugged.
Grady snorted a laugh.
“I ain’t.”
Cole flicked his eyes to Grady’s and searched him out, eyes flicking back and forth.
“It ain’t none of my business,” he repeated and then sat back down and finished his dinner.
Grady drank his coffee, regarded the little smile playing on Cole’s lips as he looked down at his plate. He shook his head and finished his coffee.
