But Cal didn’t leave him for very long.
After Zeke ate his lasagna and gave up on brushing his teeth, he crawled into bed with the bottle of muscle relaxants and the half-drunk bottle of water close at hand. Reached at the last to pull the chain on the light and then realized the tent was unzipped.
Fine. Let it be. He listened to the sound of the rain on the roof of the tent, and dozed on the pillow. He was about to sink into sleep when he heard someone come in.
It was Cal. Of course it was. He came into the darkness, and zipped the tent closed as quietly as he could. Then he got undressed and crawled into bed with Zeke, wrapping his arms around Zeke, using him for a pillow.
“This okay?” asked Cal, low.
“Yes,” said Zeke. He curled his fingers in the crook of Cal’s arm and sighed, and felt as if he’d not been able to relax until that very moment. “Always.”
If this was his life now, he was very, very happy.
Chapter 29
Cal
In the morning, Cal and Zeke had a small talk as they lingered in bed, the sun warming the green canvas.
“What do you want?” asked Cal. “I’ll tell you what I want. I want you. For you and me to be together.”
Zeke, his dark head on the white pillow, his green eyes serious, said, “I want that, too. But can we go slow?” He smiled and kissed Cal on the nose. “I’m newly gay and have no idea what I’m doing.”
With a laugh, Cal kissed Zeke full on the mouth and half-sprawled across him, being careful of Zeke’s leg while he soaked in Zeke’s warmth until it was really time to get up.
After they got dressed and went to breakfast, Cal wanted Zeke to rest, to give his leg a chance to heal. Zeke, of course, being Zeke, wanted nothing to do with being idle.
“I got enough rest,” Zeke said, limping a bit as they headed toward the paddock.
The sky was blue now, as if the rain had never happened, and they splashed through thin puddles along the path as they went.
“You’d makemerest,” Cal said, unable to hide the fondness in his voice. “You did, and you know it.”
Zeke paused, tugging on Cal’s sleeve, bringing them both to a halt. Beneath the brim of his cowboy hat, his expression was earnest, eyes bright.
“I feel better if I keep moving,” he said. He reached to brush his thumb along Cal’s cheek. “Though I reckon I ought to start up those PT sessions again.”
“You’ll be less likely to mess up your leg again if you do,” said Cal, then he laughed and quickly kissed Zeke beneath the shade of a large, sweeping pine tree. Beyond the shadows of the woods, the bright blue glitter of Half Moon Lake could be seen.
“You fuss,” said Zeke, but his slow smile took away any sting in the words. He kissed Cal back, their lips sweeping together, becoming a caress that lingered. “But I don’t find I mind it.”
Behind them on the path came Galen and his team, stomping through puddles and splashing mud up as if none of them would be responsible for their own laundry or cleaning their own boots come sundown.
“Hey,” said Galen, coming to a halt. Now there was a crowd of them on the path, and the peacefulness of the moment vanished like mist. “That guy from the other day?” asked Galen. “Didn’t you tell him visiting day was Sunday?”
“I did,” said Cal, his eyes going wide.
“Well, he’s here again. In the parking lot. And he seems really steamed.” Galen jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “I could call Sheriff Lamont,” he said, his eyes wide and earnest to do the right thing.
“I’ll deal with it.”
Cal gave Zeke’s hand a squeeze and sped toward the parking lot, his heart racing, jumping up in his throat even as he heard Zeke call for him to wait up.
Zeke couldn’t catch up because of his leg, but Cal wanted Preston dealt with before Zeke could even arrive at the parking lot.
He could wait for the sheriff, but by that time, Preston would have poisoned the whole valley with his hateful lies. Zeke and Preston had met each other for only a moment or two, but that was already way too long. Zeke didn’t deserve to go through any of that again, and it was up to Cal to make Preston go away for good.
Zeke was the best thing to ever happen to Cal, and was worth fighting for. Worth facing Preston for.
