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I stopped, my stomach tightening up at the sound of my own name, but I didn’t have much choice except to walk on over. Dale had known me my whole life, had taught me how to rope a calf before I was even tall enough to see over the fence rail. There wasn’t any good way to avoid a man like that without looking like I had something to hide.

“Mornin’, Dale,” I said, trying to keep my voice easy.

“Mornin’ yourself.” He folded the receipt up and tucked it into his shirt pocket, looking me over with that same steady, weathered gaze he’d always had, like he was checking a horse’s gait for a limp. “Heard about what happened at the diner last night.”

“Figured you might’ve.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “News travels fast around here.”

“Faster than a brush fire in August.” He shook his head, leaning back against the porch post. “Your daddy came stompin’ into the bunkhouse this mornin’ hollerin’ about losin’ two more hands. Bobby Ray and Boomer both quit on him. Apparently they grew a conscience, said they didn’t want to work for a man who’d turn out his own son like he did. Left him shorthanded right in the middle of roundup season.”

That stirred a strange combination of guilt and satisfaction in my stomach. “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said, and I meant it, even if it wasn’t my daddy I felt sorry for.

“Don’t be sorry on my account. Man’s actin’ like a damn fool, and fools gotta learn their lessons somehow.” Dale spit off to the side, shaking his head again. “I been tellin’ him for years he don’t pay enough to keep good hands around, and now he’s gonna find out the hard way.”

I didn’t say anything to that, just nodded, waiting to see where this was headed.

“Listen,” Dale said, his voice dropping to a gentler tone. “I always had my suspicions about Rhett. Boy never looked twice at a girl his whole life, and I ain’t blind. But you...” He trailed off, studying me a second longer, like he was working something out in his head. “I’ll be honest, West, I never once figured you was that way too. Guess that goes to show you can know a person your whole life and still not really know ‘em.”

My face went hot, and I had to force myself not to look away from him. “Does that change anythin’ for you, Dale?”

“Nah.” He said it so plain and easy that it took me a second to really hear it. “Don’t change nothin’ far as I’m concerned. You’re still the same boy who used to follow me around askin’ a hundred questions as fast as he could. Still the same boy who never once complained about mucking horse stalls even when the other hands were too lazy to do their share.” He reached out and clapped a hand on my shoulder, solid and warm. “I’m proud of you, West. Takes a kind of courage most men never have to stand up and be who you are, especially in a town like this, and with a daddy like yours.”

My throat went tight, and I had to blink a few times before I trusted myself to speak. “Thank you, Dale. That means more than you know.”

“I mean it too.” He gave my shoulder a squeeze before letting go. “You and Rhett, I wish y’all nothin’ but the best. Lord knows this town could use a little more happiness in it, ‘stead of all these mean old bastards.”

I thought about Rhett then, about where he might be, about that root cellar full of things that weren’t his, and the words caught sideways in my chest like a hook. “Yeah,” I managed. “I hope so too.”

Dale must’ve caught something in my voice, because his brow furrowed up with concern. “Your daddy might come around, you know?” he said softly. “It ain’t no excuse, but he hasn’t been right since your momma ran off. Maybe he’ll figure out the truth and stop actin’ stupid.” He paused a moment longer, looking me over. “You gonna be alright, son?”

“Yeah,” I said, forcing a smile that probably didn’t convince him one bit. “Just been a long night. Lots to think about.”

“Well, if you need anythin’, you know where to find me.” He tipped his hat back and glanced toward his truck. “I best get this feed loaded before your daddy has my hide too. But you take care of yourself, West. And tell Rhett I said hello, and that I don’t think no less of him neither. He’s a good man even if he don’t believe it sometimes.”

“Dale?”

“Yeah?”

“Do… Do you really think Rhett is a good guy?” It felt childish to ask it that way and I immediately felt stupid as Dale’s eyebrow raised. “I just mean that… well, he struggles sometimes. And I have a hard time understandin’ because I don’t see life the same way he does.” I paused a moment, trying to figure out a way to put it into words without giving everything away. “It feels like we can look at the same sky sometimes and both see a different color.”

Dale nodded slowly. “I reckon that’s just because he’s been through a lot. No boy should lose his parents that young. And then havin’ to deal with a new home, a new situation, and probably the realization that he wasn’t like the other boys…” He just shook his head. “That’s a lot to handle.” He paused a moment, letting that sink in. “But you know what? There’s one thing he’s always had. One constant in his life. And that’s been you, Westley. And he’s been there for you.” Dale let out a short laugh. “It’s no wonder y’all ended up together. You two have been circlin’ each other since you was kids. I’ve never seen anythin’ like it. It’s like you were meant to be together in one way or another.”

I felt the tears gathering at the corners of my eyes. “You really mean that?”

“Course I do,” he grinned. “And listen, I’m not gonna pry. But whatever trouble you two are havin’, I promise you, bein’ together is the answer. That seemed to fix everythin’ for you two. As long as you had each other, you were happy.”

A tear rolled down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away. “Thanks, Dale. I… I appreciate that.”

He clapped me on the shoulder, giving me a soft smile. “Anytime, West. You take care of him, you hear?”

“Yes, sir,” I nodded. “I will.”

Dale headed off toward his truck, and I stood there on the sidewalk a minute longer, watching him go. A slow but resolute sense of determination washed over me. I had to find Rhett, and I had to make sure we stayed together. That’s what I wanted, more than anything in the entire world. I just needed someone to get the wool out of my eyes.

I loved Rhett Levi more than the air in my lungs. And I needed to let him know that right now. To hell with the consequences.

Chapter 29

Westley