“Sounds intense.”
“TV makes it way sexier and more dramatic than it really is. Most days, it’s just walking around and helping everyday folk fix everyday problems. Especially in Stratton.”
“So what do you do, George?” Rey asked.
George carefully chewed and swallowed his bite of broccoli salad. “I create closed-captions for video content for various websites. It’s freelance work so I make my own hours.”
“That’s cool. I’ve never met anyone with that job, but I guess someone has to do it, right?”
“Yeah.” He took a big bite of his sandwich in case Rey decided to pry into which websites. The conversation had him squirrely but not anxious. The two men were kind and polite, and Faith was adorable and sweet. This was...sort of fun.
As if sensing George’s discomfort—how did he always do that?—Levi asked, “So how did you two meet?”
George vaguely listened to a story about a diner, a broken mirror, and a head injury while he finished his lunch, while also observing the room. Everyone seemed to be in their own clusters. The family of four. The quartet of friends. The gays.
Except Levi wasn’t technically gay if he identified as bisexual. Either way, this thing George had with Levi was just friendship. It couldn’t be more.
Faith finished eating first and got up to explore the wide bookshelf full of various board games. Not exactly authentic to the Old West but people needed ways to entertain themselves in the evenings, because George didn’t see a television anywhere. Levi and Samuel volunteered to take everyone’s plates and utensils to the bus bin in the dining room, and George found himself sort of alone with Rey. He was older than George, probably a bit closer to Levi’s age.
“Your daughter looks like you,” George blurted out.
Rey grinned. “Biologically, she’s mine, but Sam is her father in every other way that counts. And we have a great group of friends. My family is everything to me.”
“That’s good. Sometimes family is too complicated.”
“Like yours?”
“Understatement. But I have my brother and he’s my best friend.”
“You have a brother? Older or younger?”
“Older by about four minutes. We’re identical twins.” Off Rey’s surprised look, George found a photo of them on his phone.
“Holy crap, I can’t tell which one is you,” Rey said.
George wasn’t sure if Rey was telling the truth or if he really couldn’t see the differences in how much thinner George’s face was. How less haunted Orry’s eyes were. Then it didn’t matter, because Levi and Samuel returned, and Rey showed Samuel the photo.
“I’ve never met identical twins before,” Samuel said. “Why didn’t your brother want to come this week?”
“He couldn’t get off work. This was very last minute for me and Levi. Thanks for a favor I did for him.”
“Must have been some favor in exchange for a week’s vacation.”
George deferred that to Levi, who told the Thanksgiving story and about Ginger’s recovery at George and Orry’s apartment. And he showed off pictures of all three cats. Faith cooed over them for a while, so Levi brought up a video of them tussling in the grass for her to watch.
“Wait, George and Orry,” Rey said. “Why do I know those names?”
“North and South, babe,” Samuel replied. “The one with Patrick Swayze?”
“Oh, right. I guess your parents were fans.”
“My mother was obsessed with it before we were born,” George replied. The food he’d eaten sat heavily in his stomach with the mention of his parents.
Rey seemed to understand right away. “What are you guys most excited to do this week? To be honest, I’m most looking forward to having someone else cook for me, three meals a day, for a whole week.”
Levi laughed. “Patrice is a great cook. I’ve had her food on more than one occasion. And tonight’s welcome barbecue is a real treat. Best barbecue in Northern California, even if Arthur Garrett says so himself. He can’t eat it anymore for health reasons, but he’s still down here every Sunday cooking for his guests.”
“He’s the owner, right?”
“Yeah, he’s a great man. There’s a reason people come here to work and don’t want to leave.”
“Hey, if you find a place that makes you happy, why leave?” Rey leaned more heavily against Samuel’s shoulder. “And we got completely off track. What do you guys want to do this week?”
“Well, I’d say I’m looking forward to riding horses,” Levi said in a perfectly deadpan manner, “but that’s sort of my day job, and that job is way more exciting than trail rides. However, I am a fan of