Part 16 (1/2)

”Thanks, but I'll be fine.” She left him in the office.

He heard her walk up the stairs and heard the bedroom door shut behind her. Still, he stood where he was, trying to figure out what had happened. She seemed to have come to some sort of decision, and he wasn't sure he understood what it was.

”Jeb?” Marshall stuck his head in the door.

”Yeah?”

”Is everything okay now?”

”I'm not sure, Marshall. I think so.”

”That doesn't sound good.”

The next morning, Drew woke before the men and slipped out of the bed to dress in the bathroom so as not to wake them. She slipped downstairs and found Robert already up and sipping on coffee.

”Hey, why are you up so early?” she asked.

”Thinking.”

”Yeah, me, too.”

”Have some coffee. It's fresh.”

Drew poured a cup and sat down across from Robert and propped her head on one hand.

”Drew, have you thought about settling down with a man?”

”Yeah, but no one around here would have me, so it's a moot point.”

”Well, there is Brett.”

”Bite your tongue.” She took another sip of coffee.

”What about Jeb and Marshall? Would you settle down with them if they asked you?

Drew c.o.c.ked her head and studied him closely. ”Why are you asking me that?”

”Kenny has been on me again about moving out here with him.”

”I think it's a great idea. I wish you would build a house out here. I'd love to have you for neighbors. I'd give Kenny the land as part of his wages.”

Robert nodded and then looked away. ”So I'm supposed to give up everything I know and move out here to be a kept man?”

”Good Lord, no. Why can't you keep doing what you've been doing, only have your shop here? You can still make house calls as well.” Drew wasn't sure where they were going with the conversation.

”If Kenny and I move in together, the town will boot us out. No one will use me for their horses.”

”I think you're wrong. I think plenty of people will use you. Sure, there will be a few who will drag their horses over to Cullum but not many. Why do you care what other people think?”

”I don't like it when they treat Kenny different. They sneer at him behind his back, and I'm sure they do the same thing behind mine, but it doesn't bother me like it does Kenny.”

”I think Kenny would be much happier with you than without you and still having people treat him badly.” Drew sighed. ”Robert, if I had a chance at happiness like you do, I'd grab it with both hands.”

”Seems to me like you do. I don't see you grabbing onto those two men of yours.”

”It's a little different, Robert. They are the ones who don't plan to stick around. I want them to, but they want their own spread of land. I can't fault them for wanting it, either. I love my ranch.”

”What if they settled down around here? Would you still see them?” Robert asked.

”If they still wanted to see me, yes, in a heartbeat.”

”Maybe I'll think about moving in with Kenny. I'll have to figure out what it would take to build a house and a barn for my tools.”

Drew smiled. Maybe things were looking up. If they settled close to her, she wouldn't be as lonely when the men left. Just thinking about them being gone was enough to bring tears to her eyes and a knot in her throat.

”I'm going to sit outside while the wind isn't blowing. I won't go off the porch.” She stood up and carried her cup to the sink.

When she turned around, Robert was pulling on a coat.

”What are you doing?”

”Getting my coat on. I'm not leaving you outside by yourself. Someone is trying to hurt you, Drew.”

She sighed and slowly pulled on her coat and scarf. She pulled her gloves out of her coat pocket and pulled them on. She nodded at Robert, who opened the back door. She went first and brushed off a chair to sit on. The crisp cold air burned her lungs with the first deep breath she took. After that, she managed to take smaller ones.

”Beautiful out here right now,” Robert said in a near whisper.

”It is, and it's quiet as well. I can't wait for the clouds to move on so I can look up at the stars with snow under my feet.”

”I just want to have a nice little house where Kenny and I can be a family. Somewhere that doesn't care if we're gay or not. I'm fine if people really don't think it's right, as long as they leave us alone.”

”I think you should give it a chance here, Robert. I honestly believe that fewer people than you think will throw up a ruckus about it.”

Drew leaned back in the chair and thought about what Robert had asked her. If the men did settle down around here somewhere, would she be their sometimes lover? Yeah, she would. She loved them, so there wasn't any reason to lie to herself and say she didn't. She'd take them any way she could get them.

”Come on, Drew. It's cold out here. Let's go back inside like normal people.” Robert stood up and held out his hand.

Drew smiled and let him pull her to her feet. They walked back in the house and pulled off their gear. Robert poured them both a fresh cup of coffee and handed one to her.

”Is this the lull between storms, or is it going to clear up now?” Robert asked.

”I'm thinking we lucked out on this storm. I think the worst pa.s.sed just south of us. Let's go try the TV and see if we can get anything on the satellite now that it has quit snowing.”

They settled on the couch to watch the weather after Robert added wood to the fire. The weather station confirmed what she'd decided had happened. The worst of the storm had crossed just south of them. They could expect another three to five inches of snow during the day and then clear skies afterward.

”There you are,” Marshall said, clomping down the stairs. ”You left me and Jeb in the bed together. He tried to hug me,” Marshall complained.