When we hung up, I stayed where I was, staring at nothing, until the coffee was gone and the cup had cooled in my hand.
I checked my phone without meaning to.
Dalton had texted while I was driving.
Dalton: Hey, ranch boy? How are you doing, pardner?
I snorted despite myself.
Lucas: Okay. Tragically bad coffee might take me out.
Dalton: I’ll plan a tasteful memorial.
Lucas: Make sure it’s short.
A pause.
Dalton: You okay though?
I stared at the question longer than necessary.
Lucas: Yeah.
It was a lie. It wasn’t a dramatic one, just small and practical, like most of the lies I told.
Dalton: That was not convincing.
Lucas: I’m fine. Just… figuring stuff out with Jesse. He really doesn’t want me here and is refusing to discuss selling and all the benefits that come with that.
Dalton: Tell me what he looks like
Lucas: Tall, dark hair, brown eyes, irritable most of the time, stubble, hat, jeans, a horse, what else do you want to know?
Dalton: What aren’t you telling me? Is he hot?
I considered the question. Yes, Jesse was hot, and all cowboy, and grumpy gruff along with it. But Dalton was asking if I found him hot, not whether he wasactuallyhot. Also, Rebecca’s worries about funding were front and center.
Lucas: He’s in my way
There, that was a safe answer. It wasn’t a lie. It just wasn’t the whole truth.
Dalton: Yeah, but is he hot? Because I’m lacking hot men right now, and I once watched this cowboy porn where they did it in the barn, and I’m telling you, it did it for me.
Lucas: Some might say he’s hot
Me. I’m saying that.
Dalton: You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?
Lucas: I’m thinking about selling the ranch.
Dalton: That’s not what I asked.
Dalton: Anyway, I’m hoping to get the time to head out to you to see for myself, but work is killing me.
Lucas: Keep me posted.
He sent back a thumbs-up and a coffee emoji, which somehow felt like concern.
