Had someone told him that when he’d arrived in the valley, he would have laughed himself sick. Yet here he was, heart pounding with anticipation as he raced through the trees to the parking lot.
Galen was already there, twirling the key fob around one finger, his straw cowboy hat tipped back on his head, and he was whistling. Some nameless, nearly tuneless tune, but he seemed so happy that Bede had to stop and just listen. Absorb. Maybe this was enough, this now. Galen and him, sharing what they could.
When Galen saw him there, the smile that broke across his face made Bede feel like there were angels singing in the trees.Pure nonsense. Utter bullshit. But that didn’t stop his heart from fluttering as Galen walked over to him.
But before they could even so much as reach out and touch hands, Toby and Owen were stomping through the woods in their direction. Galen’s eyes whispered a promise before he turned to greet the housebreakers, and then there was the usual scramble as to who had shotgun.
Bede won, because he had years of practice staring down the worst drug dealers, so surely he could stare down two half-assed criminals who would rather take the second row of seats, just the same.
As Galen drove, Bede noticed a shaft of what looked like gray clouds coming toward the ground, and pointed at the distant horizon.
“Will it rain?” he asked.
“That’s virga,” said Galen. And when Bede mentally asked,What’s that?Galen explained it. “It’s moisture coming down that doesn’t quite make it to the earth. I always feel sorry for it, trying so hard and not making it. But it’s pretty, and it means you can smell rain coming.”
Galen rolled down the windows and turned off the AC, and a waft of fresh, damp air swooped around the truck’s cabin. They were all still inhaling it when they got to Farthing, and Galen pulled up and parked the truck a short block away.
“You didn’t lock it,” said Bede as they marched to the tavern’s front door.
“Don’t need to,” said Galen. “It’s Farthing.”
And if that wasn’t a painful reminder of just how far apart their worlds were, Bede didn’t know what was. Still, he shoved that aside and trailed behind the others as they went into the tavern.
At the hostess stand, a young woman in a cheery red-and-white checked apron checked for their reservations. Which, insuch a small town, Bede would consider completely unnecessary—except the tavern washopping.
People were waiting on the benches in the small foyer, standing two deep at the bar, all waiting to be seated. The four of them, thanks to Galen’s reservation, got seated right away, menus in hand, in a nice booth toward the back of the tavern.
The booth was polished pale wood with long red bench-seat cushions. On the walls were wagon wheels and braids of wheat, two rusted branding irons crossed over each other. A western motif on crack. There’d even been an old buffalo hide coat in the front of the tavern, though who would want to wear something that thick and heavy looking, Bede had no idea.
It made him smile and when he looked at Galen sitting across from him, Galen was smiling, too. It would have been nicer if Toby and Owen weren’t also there, because then it would be more like a date. But then, if it was a date, he’d be wishing it was already over so he could be alone with Galen.
A smiling waitress came up, expertly rattled off the specials of the evening, and asked them if they were ready.
“We can have beer?” asked Toby, and Owen looked like he wanted to know the answer as well.
“Yes, you may,” said Galen. “Limit two. Though maybe we could add in a shot of whiskey or something, seeing as how we’ve been working so hard in this damn heat.”
They all ordered the same thing, deluxe double cheeseburgers, along with a variety of different kinds of beers, and Galen held up four fingers. “Four shots of your finest whiskey,” he said.
“Sure thing, hon,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”
Bede settled in his seat, his whole body sighing at the thought of having whiskey again, and not toilet bowl gin. Of having a cold beer. A phone.
While they waited for their order, Leland Tate came striding up to them, and it was easy to see why Leland got such deference, such praise from everyone who worked for him. He was tall, broad shouldered. Held his head high, like he owned the place and expected everybody to mind their manners.
“How’s it going, Galen?” asked Leland, as Galen stood up to shake his hand. Leland shook all their hands, then held out the white plastic carrier bag in his other hand, as if to show he’d brought it with him.
“It’s going good, sir,” said Galen. “This is Bede, Toby, and Owen, whom you’ve already met online,” he said, pointing to each one in turn. “Guys, this is Leland. My boss’s boss.”
“Nice to meet you fellows face to face,” Leland said. “I want to say how proud I am of you all. I’ve been getting good reports of your hard work and attention to detail. I know digging up knapweed is not the most glamorous of jobs, but it’s necessary since it’s an invasive plant that sucks all the water out of the ground. The horses will appreciate it, because they can eat the grass that will grow. And next year’s guests will appreciate it because they won’t have to look at it.”
Bede didn’t want to think about the following summer, but he sure did appreciate it when the waitress came back with a round tray and handed out their shots. She even had one for Leland, who took it and held it up.
“Here’s to the valley,” he said. “And here’s to you boys who are making it happen. We couldn’t do it without you.” He drank back his shot.
In echo, Bede drank, shuddering with appreciation at the smokey taste. It’d been a long, long time since he’d had anything as civilized as that whiskey.
Leland held the bag out. “I’ll be off, but before I forget, here are your phones. Enjoy them in good health.”
