Cowboy Logic - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,46
Ari. He’s a stunning masseur.”
“Oh?” Was he jealous? Should he be jealous? “That makes me feel kinda unevolved.”
“I just have a lot of gym bunny friends.” Anderson stroked his knee. “You need a personal trainer? A dance teacher? Masseuse? Reiki practitioner? I’m your man.”
“I would take a massage from you. Not sure about someone else.” He’d had a neck massage at the mall once when Naomi had dared him. He was, like, nineteen.
“Oh, I would love to get my hands on you. You. Nakedness. Oil…”
Jericho stifled a moan. “God, you make me nuts.” Those images Anderson brought up…
“I have to make this happen for us. We’d both fly.”
“I want all the things.” How they would accomplish that, he had no idea. They would do what they would do, and if he was lucky, Anderson would remember him well years from now.
“Yeah. I hear you.” Anderson sighed softly. “Lord, good old 34. How I missed you.”
“Uh-huh. I know better.” Though there had to be an element of love there, the way Anderson stared intently at everything. You could take the boy out of Texas, he figured, but you couldn’t take the Texas all the way out of the boy. He’d read the books, and Texas sang in them.
“So, what looks the same?” He loved to make his kids play games like that in the car.
“The colors. That’s the big thing, isn’t it? The green. It’s not like anywhere else I’ve ever been.”
“Nope. True enough. What’s the big difference?”
“There’s more shit. We’re almost in Dallas. Hell, Greenville is literally a bedroom community now.”
“It’s kinda crazy. Better for the kids, though. More for them to do and all.”
“More than the lake and the… lake?” Anderson grinned at him.
“And more people and schools and choices.” He shrugged. “It’s still small, but it’s easier for them.”
“Of course. Monterey isn’t huge, you know. Hell, it’s about the same population as Greenville.”
“Yeah, but it’s California.” That was probably a stupid thing to say. He knew enough about the US to know California had a large rural population and almost as many rodeos as Texas. Still, the whole state seemed more progressive than Cooper.
And it was right on the water.
That was a wild thought, living somewhere on the water.
“It is. But it’s not like LA—it’s way less sunny and warm. Still, it’s home.”
“It sounds amazing. Like how you said you could see the bay. I took the kids to Galveston once. They were over the moon to see the water.”
“My place looks over the water. I understand. When I got to Pasadena, I was totally stunned. I’d never believed LA was real. I went to Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, everywhere. I was scared to death, but I had to see.”
“It is like something you only see in movies.” He turned off to go to the Starbucks. He’d have to double back, but that was okay.
“Yes. It is. And then someday it became home, you know? Suddenly, boom. I was okay.” Anderson bounced. “Starbucks! My favorite Buck! If you decide to visit me, I’ll take you to Plumes. It’s my coffee place.”
“You have a coffee place? That’s too cool.” His buddies at the ropin’ pen gave him hell for his unashamed love of fancy-ass lattes.
“Are you kidding? My barista, Rick, makes my coffee every morning. A triple shot latte with almond milk and a hint of hazelnut.” Anderson grinned at him. “I promise not to embarrass you at the counter.”
“Yum. I like the cinnamon shortbread thing right now. With extra whip.” He parked, because he needed to call Tammy and they could sit a minute.
“Extra whip. You’re my kind of guy. I’ll order for us.” Anderson grabbed his phone.
“Cool.” Jericho called Tammy, hoping she could take Ellie. He had a lot of fence still to check.
“Hey, Jericho. How’s it going, son?”
“It was a crappy morning, Mom. Fence down.” She would know what a mess that was.
“Oh shit. You need me to get Ellie? She’s got that craft thing today in Rockwall, and she has to be at Leanne’s by four.”
“I know, and there’s no way I’m gonna make it. Do you mind?”
“Not at all. I’ll head over now. What happened? Did anyone get hurt?”
“Not so far. She’s at Bailey Whitehead’s place, Mom. We’ll have coffee, and I’ll explain everything.”
“Oh, son, Bailey will tell me all, or I’ll put the thumbscrews to her.”
Oh Lord. “Okay. Well, Travis is spending the night tonight with a friend.”
“Then I’ll keep Ellie. Do you need me to do some laundry or anything?”
“No, ma’am.” Damn,