Page 63 of Wrangled

I snorted. “I wouldloveto keep some secrets.” Except I did have one secret left, didn’t I? Butch had been around the longest, and I didn’t think even he knew about Clay. If he did, he hadn’t said a word to a soul. I stroked my beard. “So if therewereone of those invisible signs, what do you suppose it would say?”

Teague grinned. “Queers Welcome Here.”

I laughed.

“But I guess it says something else too.”

I frowned. “Like what?”

“Think about it. Is thereanyoneworking on this ranch who has any issue with guys not being straight?”

He had a point. I smiled. “Then maybe the sign also says, ‘If you’re gonna hate, well, there’s the gate.’”

Teague laughed. “My boss—the poet.”

“Anyhow, back to this app. There was a familiar face on it.” I coughed. “Except that’s a lie. There was everythingbuthis face.” I stared at Teague. “Didyouknow Toby was gay?” I waited for the confirmation I felt sure was coming.

Teague let out a wry chuckle. “Hell,everyoneknew that the day he arrived. Walt pretty much spread the word.”

“But how didheknow? What did Toby do—offer him a blow job in the bunkhouse bathroom?”

Teague guffawed. “Nowthere’san image. Dear Lord, he could have a line forming, if he’s any good at it. But no. Walt found those pics you just mentioned.”

“I see.” I shook my head. “Whoever invented that app is probably a millionaire several times over.”

Teague studied me for a moment. “And you do like him, don’t you?”

I played dumb. “Sure, I like Walt just fine.”

That got me an eye-roll. “You knowexactlywho I’m talking about.”

I cocked my head to one side. “You see that movie,Fight Club?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay then.” I gestured to the porch. “As far as you’re concerned, this is Fight Club.”

Teague gave me a knowing glance. “And rule number one is, no talking about Fight Club.”

“Got it in one. Whatever we say here—”

“Goes no further, I get it.”

I nodded, then took a swig of my tea. “Okay then. Yeah, I like him.” I took in the cocky tilt of Teague’s head. “And you don’t have to be so smug about it.”

“I knew you would.”

I stared at the sinking sun. “You know what I think? If he’d arrived here a month ago, I’d have looked at him and thought, ‘Now there’s a good-looking dude.’ But now? Something’s changed.”

He frowned. “What?”

And now that I was finally there, I wasn’t sure how to proceed.

“Robert…” Teague’s voice softened. “You don’t have to tell me, okay?”

Hell, I’d gotten this far.

I coughed. “Well you did say if I ever needed to talk…” I finished my tea and set the bottle on the table. “It’s as if… The best way I can explain it is… A whole lot of things happened at once, likebam bam bam.Zeeb confronting me about my holding onto the past. Diana doing pretty much the same thing. Finding Toby at the cabin, and thinking just for a second that—”

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