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“Same thing, that mother fucker. The other day, out o’ the blue, Eli was jumpy as all hell and I asked him why. He told me Harvey was trying to call him from jail. That’s when he started wanting me to just go out to the barn and brand him. He’s set on thinkin’ Harvey won’t want ‘im if he is branded.”
“Why did he accept the call, that’s question one, and two, what did he say?”
Noah scowled as he explained, “Oh, he’s sorry, he was just ate up with jealousy, and all that crap. It’s bullshit, if ever I heard it. Still, it got Eli thinkin’ and you know how his mind works. Once he starts, everything spins right outa control.”
“What did the shrink say?”
“He’s off the pain again. Period. He asked me for it right off too. Maybe that’s part of why he wants the branding.”
“Maybe we should have just killed him after all. Noah, I thought you both wanted this as legal as we could.”
Noah set his beer on the porch as he leaned in, like we might be overheard. “I got that money put away for Eli. It’s in the barn, stashed away, in case anythin’ happens to me, and he needs it.”
“Noah…”
“Now, it can happen. I’m not young and besides that, I work a ranch. Things happen. That’s why I’m tellin’ you. You’re his best friend on earth, more like his brother. You and Damon and Joel, you’re his family. You take care of him if I can’t. Promise me.”
“Noah, you know we will. We all love him. You guys, you’re family to us too. Joel, he’s…he doesn’t have a lot of friends, so he really treasures those he has.”
“It’s his mouth,” Noah explained. “Now, older folks, like me, you, we like a man that is honest, but kids, well, they’re not so nice about honesty. Joel never hid what he was, and the kids weren’t nice to him ‘bout it. Joel’s a sweet kid, but his heavy accent then being gay on top? They made him a good target. Not that he can’t fight. He holds his own fine. Eli and him, they’re a lot alike. Been bumped around by life, but it made them better instead of worse. That’s not so common these days.”
“No, it’s not,” I whispered. “Noah, maybe the branding, after the doctor okays the pain again, would be good. I mean, maybe it would put his mind at rest a little.”
“I planned on it, but not like this, when he’s just scared. That’s not why I want it, and if he was being sensible ‘bout it, he wouldn’t either.”
I hadn’t thought of that. It shouldn’t be used to fend off the advances of another man. It was like a ring or collar, a symbol of trust and love, commitment.
When Noah and Eli first told me that Noah wanted to brand him, it amazed me. I never thought I’d see my friend so committed to a man as to so much as think of having a brand on his body.
But after seeing them together a few times, I knew it was the lasting kind of relationship. The love between them was obvious, and it grew each time I saw them together. “I will talk to him when you guys get back. For now, go with him, get away and have fun. Enjoy your time together.”
“Plan on it. Not lettin’ him get jumpy if I can help it.”
The three started back our way and Noah waved to them as he said to me in a low voice, “Look at that man. I’m the luckiest fucker on earth.”
“I think I’m right up there with you,” I added as I looked at my two men. “So lucky, it’s insane.”
Chapter Sixteen
We three took care of our animals and Noah’s that weekend. Joel offered to go over himself to Noah’s place and do it, but Damon jumped at getting to handle a real ranch. He was passively hinting that we needed more animals at our place.
I gave in, like I knew I would, and told the two of them to start looking around for goats and a couple more horses.
Millie came to live with us too, and she was a sweet dog, always had her tail wagging. She was a border collie, black and white, smallish, and she adored Joel, it was obvious. She went with him to Noah’s to help tend, though Damon did confess to me she was scared of the cattle.
We made a bed for her in the living room, set up her food and water in the kitchen and she made herself right at home. That seemed to cement it for Joel. If the dog liked it there, then he’d make it home too.
That weekend was also when we met Pam Barnes. Meeting Joel’s mother for the first time, that was rough. She came to bring the rest of his things, then made Joel “take a hike” while she interrogated us, starting right in with, “What you two want with my boy?”
Damon was struck speechless, and that was rare enough, but I could barely speak either. She was a tiny woman, thin, looked a lot like Joel with her emerald eyes and perfect skin. She was also tough like him.
I finally got out, “I know our relationship isn’t conventional, but we love him, Ms. Barnes.”
“ Mrs. Barnes. I’m divorced from the piece of shit, but I share a name with my son, and I don’t want folks thinkin’ I had him out o’ wedlock. Missus is just fine.”
She was staring at Damon hard, like she expected him to speak next, and he did, squeaking, “We love him a lot, ma’am.”
“You all gettin’ up to funny business with him? Usin’ him?”
