"Speed Bump," I realized, because that was the ranch who owned that bull.
Cletus nodded slowly, then gestured to the side. I looked over just as my meal appeared. The waiter asked if we needed anything else, so I told him to put both meals on my check, and to get my friend anything else he wanted. Cletus immediately ordered another beer.
But as soon as the waiter was gone again, I leaned closer. "What are the chances that Peter - he's the one in blue, right?"
"Right," Cletus agreed.
"Why would he help us get his team replaced?"
Cletus just smiled. "Because he's not bad. He's also getting a little old to be doing this full time. Ty, he wants to be the backup guy, not the leader of the new main team. Peter knows he's slow. He's aware those other two are useless, and he feelslike shit about Casey. Hell, he's been blaming himself because he panicked. He told me that if Tanner hadn't jumped the rail, it would've been much worse."
"Yeah, it would've," I agreed.
"And Peter told Antonio Sousa he called for Tanner.That'swhy Donald Merrill didn't bring it up. It's why Tanner didn't get fired for interfering, so yeah. I think Peter might actually help."
"Got his number?" I asked.
"Maybe, but I'm not just handing it out." Cletus jerked his chin at me. "But give me yours and I'll pass it over."
"And then?" I asked.
"Then you ask him how to get the stock contractors on your side. And when you do that, Ty, you push Donald Merrill's ass into a corner and then keep pushing until he has to give in. You make this right, because Tanner doesn't deserve any of this. That boy's a good one, and I don't know where you idiots got the idea that he's gay - "
"He's not," I broke in. "I know he's not, but you know what else? It wouldn't matter if he was."
"No, it wouldn't," Cletus agreed. "I just picked this crazy-ass lifestyle over wife number three. She got the house, and I got a few more years of doing this. You riders risk your lives for it, but at least you end up making some money in the end. Those bullfighters? Know what they get?"
"Our gratitude," I said. "And it's not nearly enough. Trust me, I know."
"Don't forget it," Cletus said. "The wolf pack are the unsung heroes of this crazy thing we do."
"Which is why I'm trying to make sure everyone starts doing a little singing," I assured him. "Hopefully, we'll be able to sing their praises again soon."
Chapter 34
We spentmost of Tuesday being lumps. J.D. showed us the couch, the massive TV he'd bought his mother, and the collection of movies. At one point, the dog had hopped up to cuddle with the three of us. That evening, Isabella had claimed the chair at the side, picking on her brother until he kicked her out. Then we'd all passed out early.
But when I woke up on Wednesday, it was to birds singing on the balcony. It was also nearly noon. I crawled my way out of bed, and into some clothes. By that time, the guys were stirring too, so we headed down together. Maria met us with fresh coffees, then quickly put J.D. to work.
With nothing else to do, Tanner and I headed out back, to the little table on the porch. The weather was cooling off, but the sun was so nice. I stepped into the grass to enjoy a moment of it, and caught something off to the side.
"Hey, J.D.?" I called back to the house. "Is that pond safe?"
"Safe?" he called back.
"Snakes or the like," I clarified.
Which made him head to the back door to peek his head out so he wouldn't have to yell. "Naw, it's good. There's some chairs and a table there too. Y'all gonna go see the turtles?"
"Turtles?" Tanner asked.
J.D. just nodded. "Yep. Ain't no fish - that I know of. Frogs aren't so much fun, but we got lots of turtles down there. Mama likes to sit and think out there. You can go hang. Might be quieter." And he tipped his head back, making it clear that whatever his mother had him doing might not be so quiet.
"Waking up by the pond sounds perfect," Tanner decided, scooping an arm around my shoulders and turning me that way. "Have fun, babe. We're going to be lazy."
I glanced back to see J.D. giving us a sweet smile, then he vanished back inside. Yeah, this was nice. Everything about this slow, calm, and luxurious lifestyle was the sort of thing I could get used to. It also was the type of thing I never thought I'd be able to afford.
"You know," I told Tanner as we meandered that way, "my big dreams were about half as nice as J.D.'s reality."
