Right Move (Clean Slate Ranch #6) - A.M. Arthur Page 0,47

once I was up there. I can’t wait to ride again tomorrow.” George ran his hand over the tree’s rough bark. “It really is beautiful out here, bro. And peaceful.”

“I believe you. You sound different.”

“In a good way?”

“Yeah. Stronger. Maybe we should have put you on a horse years ago.”

George laughed. “Maybe. I really think this week is going to be good for me. Levi and I have already met a couple with a little girl, and they are crazy nice. I’m talking to people, having conversations. It’s weird but also kind of amazing. I’m even looking forward to an overnight camping trip.”

“Camping? Ugh.” Orry made a weird noise. “Then again, I know what it’s like to sleep on the streets, so camping really isn’t ever going to be my thing.”

“Sorry.” George didn’t know all the details of the few months Orry had spent homeless when they were both sixteen. They simply hadn’t talked about it because Orry didn’t want to. But he’d seen enough and read enough to imagine what his twin had gone through as a homeless teenager.

“I’m not trying to guilt you,” Orry said. “I want you to have fun this week, I swear. I guess I’m a little jealous that I couldn’t get the time off to be there with you.”

“Levi’s been a great chaperone. I think he’s even having some fun of his own. Reyes asked him to do some trick riding demos for the guests.”

“Working on his vacation?” Orry blew a raspberry.

“How are you doing? It’s gotta be weird being in the apartment by yourself.”

“I’ve been working all day so I won’t know until later. I’m actually about to pick up my next fare, so I gotta go. Be safe.”

“You too.”

George hung up but remained by the tree, observing the grounds from a distance. Judson and an elderly man in overalls and a bright pink long-sleeve shirt were working around a big brick barbecue pit, and the scents of burning wood and slowly roasting meat had begun to fill the air. Several of the hands were bringing picnic tables out of the barn and arranging them near the pit. Other guests were petting the horses in the corral and feeding them treats through the fencing.

Peaceful was too small a word for how this tiny slip of the world felt to George. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this good or hopeful.

As the daylight waned and time inched closer to dinner, Reyes brought out one of those portable kerosene heat lamp things and set in in the middle of the picnic tables. The rising moon was close to full, and lights from a few oil lantern stakes kept it from being too dark. Patrice and Miles brought dish after dish out of the guesthouse kitchen and put them on a long table. George watched this practiced dance from his spot under the tree, grateful to Levi for giving him these precious moments alone before the socializing began again.

More of the ranch hands began emerging from a row of cabins behind the main house and milling with the guests. George was the only guest not currently over there. Levi was chatting with Robin and Shawn near the grill. He liked seeing how animated Levi got around Robin, and it made sense given their long history together as friends. It also made him a little jealous because George didn’t have that.

Okay, so Orry was his best friend but that didn’t count. Orry was related to him. His twin. George didn’t remember what it was like to have a best friend who wasn’t related to him. For a few years, he’d somewhat thought of Adrian as a BFF. They’d spent hours a day together training, usually seven days a week. They talked about all kinds of things. Looking back, George saw how Adrian had overshared with him, telling him private things that a fourteen-year-old didn’t need to know about their coach and mentor.

It had all been meticulously orchestrated from the beginning.

Until Adrian pushed him too far and George had snapped.

Hugo sprinted up to the guesthouse front porch and rang the same bell that had announced lunch. George stood straighter and strode across the yard to the gathering. Mack and Wes had also joined Judson and the elderly man by the grill, and all eyes seemed to turn to them. George joined Levi by one of the picnic tables and returned his friendly smile.

“Good evening, friends new and old!” the elderly man said. “My name is Arthur Garrett, and I’m