AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I set him on this path, remember? I told him so much lay ahead for him to discover.
Butch was about to set sail on a new adventure, and Sol wouldn’t be there to see what he discovered.
“That was the kiss I can’t give you before we go to sleep tonight.”
Butch gave a slow nod. “Yeah, I got that.” He took a step back. “You’d better grab a shower before supper. I’ll see you when you’re done, all right?” And with that, he walked out of the barn.
Sol told himself he should be happy for Butch, that the man who’d just left him was nothing like the man who’d ignored him six days ago.
And I did that.
He’d helped to set Butch free, to be the man he was born to be. That had to be a good thing, right?
Then why don’t I feel happy about it?
Sol put his coffee cup down and wiped his lips with his napkin. “My first morning here, I went for a ride, and I saw a cabin near a creek.” He’d also seen their horses tethered to the hitching post.
“What about it?” Robert poured himself another cup.
“Do you have plans for it?”
He frowned. “Not really. We go there now and again. It’s a quiet little spot, with some happy memories.”
Sol pondered how best to present his idea. “That sounds wonderful, but it’s not as if you two need a cabin to be alone, right?” He gestured to their surroundings. “You have this place.”
Toby’s brow furrowed. “Where are you going with this?”
Sol leaned forward, his hands clasped on the white tablecloth. “Your ranch hands could get a lot more use out of it.”
Robert blinked. “How?”
Sol pointed toward the kitchen. “Let’s take your housekeeper Matt as a for instance.”
“What about him?” Toby got up and poured bourbon into two glasses. “You want one?”
Sol managed a grin. “Thanks, but no. I’ve had enough bourbon this week.”
Toby coughed, and Sol guessed he hadn’t told Robert yet.
“Did you know that when he hooks up with a guy, they rent a cheap hotel room for the night?”
“How do you know this?” Toby inquired.
“Butch told me. Anyway, the point is Matt can’t exactly bring his hookups here, even though it’s his home. I suppose the same applies to all the others.”
“I don’t follow you.” Robert’s frown was still in place.
Toby expelled a breath. “But I thinkIdo.” He stared at Sol. “You’re suggesting Robert should make the cabin available for the hands if they want to bring someone back to Salvation.”
“As long as it’s their day—or night—off, why not?” He relaxed into his chair. “Right now, it’s as if they’re living with their two dads. Let’s be blunt here. They go elsewhere to fuck because they can’t do otherwise when they share a bunkhouse with guests. Surely they should enjoy the same freedom you two do.”
Robert’s face tightened. “You know, I never thought about it like that. I always tell the hands Salvation is their home, but at times I forget.”
“So what do you think?”
He smiled. “I like it.”
“You could make it a rule that anyone using the cabin leaves it in a fit state for the next… occupants.”
