Ranch Manny - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,53
after having stumbled over and over.
This was his sweet spot.
His phone buzzed, and he glanced at it, snorting when he saw,
He got a heart emoji too.
He looked up, blushing as the guys’ eyes were fastened on him. “They needed to know where something was.”
One of Nate’s eyebrows went up, and Evan elbowed him. Hard.
“I think it’s nice,” Evan said. “I love when I don’t have to go into the office. I work in my pajamas.”
This guy didn’t understand at all. Neither of them did. “I’m up and dressed pretty early. I have drovers and kids and goats and chickens to feed, but there’s zero traffic.”
“Sounds like I would hate it,” Nate said. “But I see why you love it, crunchy granola boy.” His smile softened the words.
“Yes. In fact, I made crunchy granola today. The kids love it for their snacks.” So there. He damn near stuck out his tongue at Nate.
Nate hooted, toasting him with his iced tea. “You would love his granola, Evan.”
“Oh? Do you sell it?”
“Oh!” Nate’s eyes lit up. “Could you? I would totally buy some from you.”
“Uh. Sure.” He had a huge kitchen at the ranch. Surely he could make up some small batches. “I’d even ship it to you.”
“Figure out how much you want to charge and call me.”
“I can do that.” He thought. Could he? He didn’t see why not. He’d just buy the supplies.
“Cool! I love that stuff.” Evan really seemed like a nice guy.
God, he couldn’t wait to introduce these guys to his Brent. “Good deal. I’ll email next week.”
“Thanks.” Nate licked his fork. “This is some good chile gravy.”
“It is. I’ll have to bring Brent here.”
“He likes Mexican food?”
“He does. And Chinese and Thai and Czech. He was a rodeo man.” His lover loved to eat, especially when he wasn’t responsible for figuring out the meal plan.
“That should make you happy. You always hated that I wasn’t adventurous—with food.”
“The kids keep me on my toes as much as you did.” There. He could dig back a little. “Although Jakob will eat anything if you call it mac and cheese.”
“Oh God, me too.” Evan grinned. “And bacon. I’m so hipster.”
“Mmm…bacon.” His guys were all bacon fiends.
“Yeah.” Nate sighed happily. Look, one thing they could all agree on. Smoked pork belly, for the win.
His phone buzzed again.
He stared at his phone. Snake? That was what the dogs were for, right?
“If y’all will excuse me, I have to make a phone call.” He stood up, dialing Brent as he headed toward the bathrooms. “Snake?”
“Huh? Sorry, honey, we’re having a moment.” Brent hung up on him.
Excuse him?
He turned around and pulled a twenty out of his wallet. “I have to go. There’s been an emergency at home.”
“What? He can’t handle it without you?”
“Well, it involves a snake and a bunch of children.” Curly could get bit. The kids could.
“Let me get you a box,” Evan said, leaping up.
“Thanks.” He texted Brent.
“I can’t believe this. You are a housewife.”
“Back the fuck off, Nate.” He didn’t need this shit. He was worried about his family.
“Give us a call about the granola.” Evan helped get his stuff in a box. “Nate, not another word but ‘I love you, bye.’”
“Thanks. Y’all be careful going home. Good to see you.”
“Nice to meet you, Trace.”
“Love you, bye.”
He had to laugh, because Nate was following orders.
Well, that was good, at least. He would stop at the store as planned as long as no one was hurt.
God, he needed to hear everything was fine from the horse’s mouth, but he was tickled shitless that Hal had texted.
He drove to the H-E-B, taking a second in the van to breathe. Was he overreacting? Was he crazy, to be so happy here with Brent and the kids? Was he supposed to be more ambitious, stronger, more macho? He really felt ambushed by Nate. Thank God Evan had been there to be the voice of reason, or it would have been a big fight.
His phone rang, and he hit answer.
“Hey, honey. Sorry, it was a big old mess.”
“You okay? The kids? Snake?” He really didn’t care for snakes.
“Yeah. It was a big rat snake, but we didn’t know that to begin