AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay, then. We’ll take things from here.”
Rafe stood and saw the sheriff to the door.
“What’s going to happen to him?” Russell asked.
“He’ll be arrested and then go before a judge. The prosecutor will charge him, and then from there, things will progress according to his actions.” The sheriff then said good night and left the house.
Rafe closed and bolted the door. As he did, his knees gave out, and he slid down the back of the door as the reality of what had just happened slammed into him. Russell was there immediately. “Hey, you okay? Do I need to get them back here to help?” Fear rang in his voice.
“No,” Rafe answered quietly. “I’m okay.” He managed to get his legs to work and made his way over to the sofa. “Grant was really going to kill me.” While it was happening, it felt like it was happening to someone else. But now…. Fuck, he could get on thousand-pound bulls, but….
Russell held him tightly. “It’s over now.”
“I know.” He felt like he could catch his breath. “You came to the rescue.”
Russell smiled as he drew closer. “Of course I did.” He stilled, and Rafe felt a shiver run through Russell. He held his gaze and waited. “You blow me away sometimes.”
Rafe grinned. “I could make a dirty joke right about now.”
Russell lifted his gaze to the ceiling for a few seconds before lowering it again. “If you can make bad jokes, then I know you’re okay.”
“I’m going to be fine.” He really was. Grant had been off his nut, but Russell had been there for him. Rafe had always thought he could go it alone. He’d had to. But it was nice that he didn’t have to do that anymore. “Can I ask you something?”
“Now?” Russell asked.
“Yeah.” He drew closer. “I know a lot has happened between us… but I want to come out and say that I don’t want a repeat of what happened to Mack and Dale. I don’t want to be apart and yet together.”
“Where would you get that idea?”
“Well, you have your home with your father and the big house. I’m just figuring out a home here, and….” Rafe wasn’t sure what Russell wanted or how things might look. Maybe it was just the aftermath of the shit with Grant, but he needed some things settled, though he was probably doing a crappy job of explaining it.
“How about we figure it out as we move forward?” Russell stroked his cheek. “We’ve only known each other a few months. I don’t have an exact picture of how things will work for us, but I do know that when I look forward, you’re with me, right there. I never thought I’d be able to see that sort of thing again.”
“Me neither.” Rafe leaned in and kissed him. “As long as we can figure it out.”
“We definitely will. I’m not going to let you go. And when we settle down, it won’t be in your home or mine, but ours.” The dogs all ambled into the room and took their places around them. “And, of course, the cavalry’s.”
Epilogue
“WE SHOULDgo,” Russell told Rafe as Rafe left their bedroom and walked down the hall that now held all of Mack’s pictures. Instead of putting them away, Rafe and Russell had covered the walls with them, including photos of Mack’s horses and even an enlargement of the picture of Mack and Dale. The rest of the house, they had filled with their own things. While Mack’s presence hadn’t been eradicated, the house now reflected Rafe and Russell’s life together, including a painting over the fireplace of a lone cowboy and horse that was probably worth as much as the house. It had been a gift from Elliott for their home. Another addition, probably the most important, was the cabinet in the corner, the light always on, shining on his and Uncle Mack’s rodeo buckles. One, embossed with the outline of Texas, sat front and center on the top shelf.
“I know. I’m coming.” He sat in one of the leather chairs that now filled the room. Mack’s chair was still there, but it had been re-covered. Rafe pulled on one of his boots, then took a second to think.
“Sweetheart,” Russell said gently, his hands working Rafe’s shoulders. “Everything is going to be great. The hard part is done. Now it’s time for the victory lap.” They shared a smile and a warm glance before Rafe pulled on his other boot and stood.
“I want to take the dogs,” he said.
Russell sighed. “I figured as much after you gave them baths last night. I already have them in the truck, so you need to move that tight cowboy butt of yours.”
Rafe followed Russell outside, locked the doors, and headed for the truck.
“Everything under control?” he asked Clyde as they passed in the yard. He and Dustin had come over with Elliott’s blessing. Dustin was now Rafe’s foreman and doing an amazing job. He waved as he headed out, and Rafe got in the truck, the three dogs in the back seat all looking out the windows. Russell started the engine, put the truck in gear, and headed for town, music on the radio and windows down. He was happy… just happy.
May had always been Rafe’s favorite time of year, and this particular day was stunning. It couldn’t have been any better if he had placed an order with the weather gods personally. The sun shone, there was a slight breeze, the trees in the park had fully leafed out, and the grass had just been mowed, so the air smelled fresh and clean. Rafe sat next to Russell on one of the park benches, closed his eyes, and listened to the laughter of children as they played. “Is this what you wanted?” Russell asked.
“It’s perfect,” Rafe said. Flowers filled the gardens around the pool building in one corner of the park, and new planters occupied the formerly open spaces, adding color to the surroundings. He held the leashes for the dogs, who sat, tongues out, wanting more than anything to be let loose to play with the kids. “We should go.”
They both stood and headed over to the main park entrance, where a sign was draped in white fabric. “Hey, Luther,” Russell said as they approached. They exchanged hugs with both him and Stacey. “We’re glad you could come.”
