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He felt lighter.
Chapter 20
Sol sat down to supper in the best of moods. Despite spending his day emptying boxes, putting equipment into cabinets, and assembling furniture, he felt wide-awake, warmth radiating through him that had nothing to do with the outside temperature.
Butch had shocked the hell out of him.
His honesty had been unexpected. More than that, he’d made himself vulnerable, and considering his initial reaction to Sol’s presence, that was truly humbling.
Right then, Butch was eating his beef casserole, adding comments here and there to the conversations going on around the table. A much more subdued Butch.
No, that wasn’t the right word—more pensive.
It took real courage to come out with all that.
Along with honesty, courage was a trait Sol found attractive in a man, but the ability to admit they’d been wrong and show a willingness to make things right? That was even more attractive.
Yeah, Sol was liking this new Butch more and more.
“Where were you all day?” That came from Frank, the oldest of the guests.
Sol pushed his plate away from him. “Working. I’m here as a kind of consultant. But after tomorrow, I’ll have time to relax a little and do some riding.”
Phil smiled. “I hear that. I really needed this break. I haven’t been on a horse in years.”
Sol hadn’t interacted much with the four other guests. Frank was probably close to his own age, and the others were in their thirties and forties, from the look of them. Phil seemed pleasant enough, and Frank was an open book. Max was a quiet one, but when he did speak, his comments were thoughtful. Eric was a southern boy who’d wanted to ride for a while but had never gotten the chance. From what Sol had picked up, he worked in a high-pressure environment, and Sol figured this was a way for him to de-stress.
“Best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse,” Zeeb declared.
“How was the first day on horseback?” Butch asked Frank. He grinned. “There’s a packet of Epsom salt in the bathroom cabinet if you need it.”
“You know what? I don’t feel so bad.”
Paul chuckled. “Wait till tomorrow. You’ll have aches where you’ve never had them before. And I’mstillgoing to put you back on a horse.”
“This sure is a beautiful place,” Max commented. “You’re so lucky to live and work here.”
Walt beamed. “You said it. I love it here.” His eyes twinkled. “The only downside is having to work with these guys.”
Butch snorted. “Funny. I was thinkin’ the same thing about you, junior.”
Walt gave him the finger.
Sol liked the banter and good humor. What he liked even better was Butch looking and sounding a whole lot more relaxed.
“We had another talk today with the guy who owns the place. Robert, is that his name?” Max smiled. “Seems like a nice guy.”
Teague nodded. “He’s a good boss. His granddaddy built Salvation.”
“He was with his partner again. Toby, is that his name? So they run the ranch together?” Eric inquired.
Teague leaned back in his chair. “Kind of. Toby hasn’t been here all that long.”
Phil chuckled. “He’s a fast mover, then.” When Teague gave him an inquiring glance, Phil flushed. “You know when they stopped by yesterday after we arrived, to welcome us? I saw them a while later. Unless my eyes were playing tricks on me, they were kissing.”
Teague smiled. “That’s because Toby’s more than a business partner. He’s the boss’s actual ‘partner.’” He hooked his fingers in the air.
Eric frowned. “They’re… gay?”
