“All right, all right. I’m done.” He tossed the brush onto a nearby shelf and grabbed the reins.
Sassy walked alongside him out of the barn, rubbing the side of her head up and down on his arm. She tucked her nose under the back brim of his cowboy hat and tried to flip it off his head.
“Knock it off.” He repositioned his hat on his head and led her right into the paddock, where she noticed Patience snapping an apple off a branch.
“She might’ve left a few for you.” Boone released her, and she trotted across the circular paddock to join Patience.
He turned at the sound of tires crunching over his long gravel driveway. Eddie’s black SRT Hellcat Charger came into view, followed by Lucas and Calliope’s big gray truck with Viking and Marigold in the back seat. They were going slowly so as not to kick up too much dust.
Boone sauntered over and pointed to a wide gravel area where they could park. They pulled up next to each other and cut their engines. It became oddly quiet without the rumble of the truck’s big V8 and the throaty growl of Eddie’s Charger.
Lucas swung his long legs from beneath the steering wheel, hopped down, and gave Boone a quick guy hug.
The back door opened, and Viking slid out and held out a hand for Marigold to hop down.
Calliope circled the back of the truck, dropped the tailgate, and started to drag a cooler from the back.
Lucas hurried over to help her.
“Here, let me get that.” He slid the cooler out and looked at Boone. “Where do you want it?”
“You can set it in the shade under the pavilion.” He pointed toward the brand-new structure adjacent the paddock.
“Hey, Boone.” Marigold lifted her hand in a little wave. “Thanks for having us.”
“I’m glad you guys could make it.” The more the merrier.
“Marigold made some nice whole-grain rolls to have with dinner.” Viking stood behind her, a big hand resting on one shoulder, a basket covered with a cloth napkin in the other.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Marigold said.
“Fresh rolls?” he asked. “Heck no, I don’t mind.”
Calliope gave him a hug and set her hand across her forehead to block the sun.
“Is that new?” She surveyed the large open-air structure.
Eddie walked up to them, a plastic grocery bag hanging from each hand.
“Yep, and I couldn’t have done it without this guy’s help.” He clapped his friend on the back.
“Felt good to swing a hammer again.” Eddie had helped build his family’s modest home in southern Texas after his dad died. “Here are the things you asked me to pick up.” He held up the bags.
“That’s great. Thanks.” Boone lifted his chin toward the door at the back of the house. “You can take all of that into the kitchen. I made room in the fridge for the cold stuff.”
“Cool.” Eddie jogged across the grass and clomped up the steps to the kitchen door.
“How about I take this inside, too.” Marigold relieved Viking of the basket and followed Eddie.
The spring on the screen door screeched, and the door slapped shut behind them.
“What’s up with him lately?” Calliope tugged an old ball cap from the back pocket of her jeans and put it on. “He hasn’t been his normal man-whore self lately, and I’ve got to admit, it’s freaking me out a little.”
“No idea.” Boone shrugged. “I asked about his sudden lack of female companionship, and he just laughed and said, ‘A guy needs a break every now and then.’”
“Did you ask him what he meant by that?” Calliope adjusted her hat low on her forehead and wedged her hands in her back pockets.
“No. I figured if he wanted me to know, he would’ve told me.” Unlike women, guys didn’t need to know every little detail about each other.
