“You get a refurb phone with six months’ worth of data,” Zeke was saying as he led them both away from the paddock and into the dense shade of the trees. “So let’s get ready. We’ve got reservations at John Henton’s Tavern.”
They got ready together, at least as far as using separate showers went.
Though a few others also showed up to take showers, Cal closed his eyes and imagined that it was just him and Zeke, side by side in adjoining shower stalls. Which was foolish. Zeke was straight and pretty much Cal’s boss, and if he was nice to Cal, he was nice to everybody.
As he dried off and got dressed, taking special care to pat down his damp bear scare, it was hard to remember this wasn’t a date.
It was even harder when he showed up to the gravel parking lot and Zeke was there, freshly shaved, boots polished, blue jeans tight and faded. That handsome face was serious and then, when he saw Cal, bright with a smile.
“You ready, Cal?”
“Yeah.”
Cal liked being called Cal, and appreciated that Zeke always remembered, but this was one of those times when it would have been so heartrendingly sweet to hear Zeke say Cal’s full name.Callihan. Lingering over each bit of it as though it were precious to him.
But that was foolish. Besides, he had this time now, just the two of them as Zeke drove the truck up the switchbacks through the gloriously pine-scented shadows and up to the top of the hill, where the sun was starting to set, streaking low across the grasses that danced in the wind.
When they arrived in town, Cal knew Farthing was small, but after two weeks in the woods and fields, the small town felt like a bright and bustling metropolis. They parked on the street. There were no parking meters to put coins into, and Zeke even left the keys in the truck.
At Cal’s astonished look as they walked to the front door of the tavern, he said, “It’s Farthing.”
Once inside, they were quickly greeted and taken to a boot. Once Cal sat down across from Zeke, he could take in the western motif, complete with wagon wheels, red-and-white gingham curtains, and glass display boxes filled with various old-timey stuff.
“Can I have a beer?” asked Cal as he picked up the menu and began scanning it.
“Sure,” said Zeke, a little absently as he looked over the drinks menu. “You’re old enough, right?”
“Yeah,” but that hadn’t been the reason he’d asked.
Going out with Preston meant making sure what the theme of the evening was, whether they were going to pretend to be sophisticated New Yorkers and only order martinis and appetizers, or whether they were going to chow down on onion rings and get drunk on beer and shots. Preston always got to decide.
It was an old habit he didn’t need anymore, so shoving that thought away, Cal picked out what he wanted, an act that felt novel enough to be exciting, and ordered from the waitress when she came by.
“I’ll have a cheeseburger,” he said. “With extra mayo, and can I get that with cheese fries?”
“Sure thing, hon,” said the waitress. She didn’t write any of this down, which was a sign of what a pro she was. “And you, sir?”
Zeke flashed her a smile, perhaps because she called him sir, and said, “I’ll have the same. And which pilsner do you recommend?”
She gave him several suggestions, and Zeke ordered one and then Cal did, and as she left, they exchanged smiles.
“Food twins,” said Cal, which Preston always hated when he said it. Typically, Preston would call the waitress back and change his order, but Zeke merely leaned back in his seat, his shoulders relaxing.
“I like coming here,” said Zeke. “But I always forget that I do until I get here.”
In the sparkle of excitement that seemed to be all around him, Cal had to remind himself that it wasn’t a date.
Zeke was his boss. If there’d been more members on their team, there’d be a circle of parolees joining them. But it was just the two of them, so it was kind of like a date.
The food looked and smelled amazing when it arrived, and for a few moments, they ate in silence. Then, because he couldn’t help himself, Cal asked, “Do you miss bronc riding?”
Zeke stiffened a little bit, making Cal regret all of his life choices up to that minute, including asking stupid questions that weren’t welcome.
“No.” Zeke took a long swallow of his beer, his throat working over each swallow. “I thought I would.” He put the glass down and looked at Cal as though studying him. “And maybe I did at first, but I stepped away from that world so fast after the accident, so maybe it was time.”
“Time?” asked Cal.
“Watching the video, you know, of the accident, made me change my mind about it.” Zeke shook his head and chomped into an onion ring as though gathering his thoughts. “That horse looked as scared as I felt, and I realized it was just cruelty.”
