“Lord have mercy. You ready, Boll?”
Cotton grinned at him. “Uh-huh. How the hell do you tell them apart? They look the same.”
“I just can.” Adam was Adam, balls to bones. Adam was his.
“Well, good on you. Must be a twin thing.” They headed over to the food trucks, the smell of frying onions and salty potatoes so strong.
“I been hanging out with him a lot.” And Adam’d been hanging out with Mr. Sam and Coke and the clown. Mr. Beau, too. And Jason. There was something wrong with Jason Scott, and it wasn’t the man’s head.
Landon didn’t ask again, though. He just watched and listened. Sooner or later he’d know what was what, and help if he could. If he couldn’t, he’d bring Sister to Jason. She had a line to the good Lord and healing in her touch.
Lots of folks outside Cajun country didn’t believe in the traiteur, but Landon had seen people with cancer heal under Laurel’s touch. He worried on it some, because shit, what if she took it into her and God didn’t take it, but Maw-Maw said that was madness there, and bad, and Landon wasn’t a bad man, no sir.
“Hey, where’d you go?” Cotton asked, handing him an order of fries. He’d been wool-gathering a while.
“Just thinking, is all.” He grinned, cheeks heating. “It don’t come natural to me, you know.”
“Uh-huh. Been thinking a lot lately?”
“Been trying to. Stupid brain.” He winked over. “How ’bout you?”
“Em thinks for me these days, man.” Cotton gave him this delirious grin. Silly cowboy.
“You lucky bastard. She’s smart like a…” Was smart like a snake an insult for a girl? “…whip.”
“She is. Thank God, ’cause you know this old boy ain’t so bright.”
Landon laughed, but then Adam caught his eye, crossing over the parking lot, looking like Christmas morning, he was so fine. Long and lean, comfortable in his skin, that mocking little smile always right there—the whole package made his mouth dry.
Adam noticed him and Cotton, nodding and heading over, and his heart set to thumping.
Cotton waved, smiled. “Tag! How goes it, sir?”
“Good, Cotton, good. How’s your girl?” Adam and Cotton shook hands, but Adam kept stealing glances at Landon.
“Right as rain, doing that whole bride thing.” Cotton rolled his eyes. “Crazy shit, this big wedding garbage.”
“She’d love to hear you say that, Boll.”
Cotton elbowed Landon in the ribs. “I’ve said it to her face. She laughed and bought me a beer.”
“No shit. You might oughta keep her, then. Laurel likes her a lot.”
“I know!”
Adam glanced at Cotton now. “You’ve met this one’s sister?”
“Miss Laurel? Yessir. She’s gonna stand up with my girl and all. She’s a hoot.”
“Huh.” Landon wasn’t sure what that meant, but Adam seemed…a little grumpy.
“Been to see the horses this morning. They lookin’ right as rain.” He’d like to see him some cowboy, too, make sure that body was right, as well.
“Yeah? Been meaning to ask if you think Shylock is favoring a leg.”
“I didn’t see that, but I’ll come for a peek right quick.” He grabbed one last chunk of tater and nodded to Cotton. “I’ll pull rope for you, iff’n you want.”
“I’d appreciate it, Nutbutter. See you later.” Cotton waved a cheese fry at him.
