Right now, Wyatt was gazing at one of the photos from the orchard that Mrs. York took for them. There were the dogs -- Brownie with her head to the side like she was listening and Barney sniffing at some roots. Standing on either side of Wyatt and Sam, the boys were smiling brightly.
In the center of the photo, Wyatt and Sam were standing with the flowering boughs of the peach trees right above their heads. They were slightly inclined toward each other, but not standing nearly close enough for Wyatt's liking.
From what little he knew, Wyatt didn't expect to win him over that quickly. Inside, Sam was still that helpless, vulnerable boy at the mercy of relatives who begrudged him the bare minimum they had to provide him. He wasn't going to trust his heart to anyone easily.
But still, there was so much promise in that picture. Wyatt found it within the light in Sam's eyes, the pink blooms above their heads and in all of their smiles.
Wyatt was tempted to make that photo his screen saver, but that seemed premature, maybe even a jinx. He decided to rotate the different picture of the boys and the dogs. That made DJ and Riley ask to see his phone all the time to see the new picture.
It was a good reminder to take more pictures. He took some as they walked the dogs. It was late afternoon and the colors in the west were just starting to turn ruddy. He snapped a few pictures of the boys and the dogs against the western sky.
He was reviewing the pics on the way back, when he saw that they had visitors waiting in front of their house. It was Lara and another woman in her mid twenties, but Gloria wasn't with them.
"Hey guys, it's our neighbor lady," Wyatt called out.
The boys ran over and asked about Gloria.
"She's at her dad's. She'll be sorry she missed seeing those dogs," Lara said. As the boys and the dogs ran into the front yard, she turned to Wyatt. "I came by to introduce this one. Her name is Noreen Kurtz. She teaches at the elementary school. And that's Wyatt Hayes."
"Great to meet you," Wyatt said.
"Nice to meet you too, the famous Wyatt Hayes. My grandparents had me married off to you before we even met. Then Lara wanted to introduce me to you, and I thought, oh no, not her too, But then she told me I didn't have anything to worry about."
"No?" Wyatt said while looking between them.
"She told me you play for the other team. Or swing the other way or one of those other euphemisms," Noreen said.
"How did you know I was gay?" Wyatt asked Lara.
"I leaned over," Lara said like that explained something.
"OK?"
She shook her head and laughed. "See? You didn't even notice." She then pointed at her boobs. "These things are certified gaydar."
Noreen looked down at herself and confirmed that nothing stood in the way to block the view of her tennis shoes so she glowered at Lara.
"What if I was a leg man?" Wyatt asked.
"Maybe man legs," Lara said.
"Mmm man legs," Wyatt said.
"Now you sound like a cannibal," Noreen told him.
Then Lara jumped in with more evidence. "And if I needed confirmation, I heard that Sam, that beautiful guy from the café, came over here to cook with you."
"That doesn't mean anything. It was just a friendly gesture," Wyatt said while he wondered how she knew about that. Maybe the whole town knew that Sam stayed over too.
"He never comes over to get friendly and cook with me. How about you, Noreen? He ever been over at your place?" Lara asked.
Noreen only laughed.
"Speaking of my newfound cooking skills. You two want to come in and have dinner? I can practice my cooking on you guys." Wyatt still didn't know if Sam might be free to join them. They could make it a dinner party, but then Lara shook her head.
"I'm going to go pick up Gloria, and Noreen was on her way to make dinner at her grandparents. Their place is right outside of town," Lara told him.
"I guess I won't be attempting any cooking then. We'll walk with you guys and have dinner in town. That way I can feed these kids some decent food," Wyatt said relieved that he wouldn't have to cook. The kids would be happy to go into town too. "Hey guys, we're walking with Lara and Noreen into town."
