Page 41 of For the Love of the Lawyer

"It touched somethin' inside me, and when I ran away from Nashville after Momma tried to pimp me out, I went to Kentucky. I learned about horses, and I eventually ended up here, but if I could ever pick my favorite job, it would be helpin' troubled horses or rescued animals, like Josie, Ryan’s horse. She was a rescue and in bad shape, but look at her now," Mickey explained as they situated themselves on the blanket.

Jon smiled. "I remember watching that movie with my mother. She cried through the part with the horse and its injuries. At the time, I didn't understand why she was so upset but I suppose now I do. So, you'd like to be a vet?"

"A vet? Not really. I mean, that's a lot of school and science, and I ain't good at either. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I have a way with horses. I'm not lookin' to go into rodeo like Matt, but I can be a calmin' influence over animals as I've come to know. I've learned to train them, and I think that's what I'd like to do for a living.

"I'd like to train horses like Josh does, and maybe work with horses who've had problems to rehabilitate them so maybe they could be used as therapy horses for kids who have special needs, because I've been readin' up on using animal therapy for certain types of emotional, mental, and physical disabilities in kids. Josh has taught me a lot, and it's likely the only thing I'd be good at doin'.

"So, you see, Jonathon, there's not much we have in common, is there now, really?" Mickey offered the man an out.

Jon laughed. "We both want to help those in need. We have a lot in common, Michael and likely things we haven’t even discovered yet. Can I please hold you?" Jon held out his arms as the two of them settled on the hay in the loft of the barn that Matt built.

Mickey settled into his arms and placed his hand on the man's muscled torso. "How was it growin' up for you? I know you and Audrey Langley are best friends, but how about other kids at school?" Mickey hoped to learn things about Jon. He wanted to solidify the hope that the two of them could have something great, as unlikely as it might appear to the outside world.

Jon laughed. "Audrey and I met at birth, basically. Our parents are best friends, and I don't think we had a choice in being friends at all, if the truth be told.”

The two of them talked all night long, giving each other every good—and bad—story they had. Jon told Mickey about when he realized his orientation, and Mickey told him about his father's arrest and incarceration, along with his mother's attempts at pimping him out.

Jon snarled at hearing the story, and Mickey pulled him closer, kissing his cheek for the empathy the man offered.

They fell asleep just as the sun was rising, holding each other tightly. Jon dozed first, after which Mickey settled the man on top of his body, thrilled to feel Jon’s weight.

Mickey was having a hard time wrapping his head around the fact Jon Wells was interested enough to come back around.

Oh, Mickey was skeptical, but hoped he wasn’t reading more into the situation than was there. He prayed Jon was truly interested.

Chapter Sixteen

Chatter and noise woke Jon from an amazing dream where he’d held the cowboy all night. When he opened his eyes to see his arms were empty, he was stunned for a minute before he focused, seeing a thermos bottle being offered to him along with a mug.

"We didn't know how you like your coffee," a soft voice said. Jon looked up to see the tall, thin figure of Rocky Whipple standing over him with a small smile.

He sat up, feeling embarrassed. "What time is it? Do you know where Mickey is?" The boy sat next to him on the hay.

"Shhh!" The boy held a finger up to his mouth and pointed to the floor below. Jon leaned forward to look over the side of the hayloft, seeing men leading saddled horses through the hallway of the barn, tying them to hooks outside each stall.

"What's going on?" Jon appreciated that Rocky was trying to save him from embarrassment. The boy had a kind heart.

"They're bringin' horses over from Katydid to give rides to our friends. Mickey sent these for you to change into, and he said to go in through the basement door in the back of the house. It's our secret about you bein’ up here.” Rocky gave him a big grin. Jon remembered how exciting it was to share a secret with an adult when he was Rocky’s age, so he grinned and nodded in return.

Jon made a promise to himself to do anything he could to help the beautiful little boy remain where he was happy and well cared for. The guilt settled into his soul for his past behavior when it came to Rocky and roping Audrey into representing the boy after the death of his mother. He knew it was probably a dark time for the little boy, and Jon had abandoned him. The enormity of his actions weighed heavy on his heart, and he didn't like the feeling at all.

Studying the clothes, Jon saw they weren't his. "Is Mickey helping with the horses?" Jon opened the thermos to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"He's in the kitchen with Poppa Tim. They're makin' food for later. Ryan and me was helpin', but Mick asked me to sneak down here to help ya out.” The boy wore that same big grin, his grey-green eyes glowing. Obviously, the child was thriving inthis environment, and it made Jon happy to see Lyla was dead wrong about the women needing to take the boy away from Matt and Tim.

He set his coffee mug down and began sorting through the clothes the boy had brought him, seeing a pair of boxer briefs that had to be the sexy cowboy's. He was going to like wearing Mickey's clothes.

"Tell me about yourself while I change," Jon whispered. The boy caught on and turned his back to allow Jon privacy.

"I'll be ten. I'll be in second grade, and I'm learnin' to ride horses. Ryan knows a lot about horses, and he and Mick are teachin' me. I learned how to saddle Josie so Ryan and I can take turns ridin' her. He's still too short to get the saddle over her back, but I can reach up, so I do it. I don't say nothin’ ‘bout Ryan bein' short ‘cause it makes him mad.

"Grampa Josh wants me to come to the Katydid and ride Chief, his stud horse, sometime. He thinks he'd be a good horse for me to learn on. See, Josie's just about too small for me, but she's nice enough to let me ride her. And Ryan, he's good to share her with me. He just got her for Christmas last year, but he shares everything with me. We're best friends, ya know?" The boy’s voice was a whisper. It was sweet.

Jon finished his coffee and folded the blanket, stowing it where he'd seen Mickey take it from the shelf the previous night. He'd hoped maybe they'd get physical since Mickey had been adamant that they couldn't have sex in the house, but as he thought about it, talking all night long and falling asleep in each other's arms was something Jon had never done before in his life. He hoped it was a step in the right direction when it came to Michael Warren.

Jon and Rocky sat together, looking over the edge of the hayloft as the cowboys continued to tie the horses in the hallway. "Hey, y'all come up to the house.” Mickey appeared in thehallway to summon the other barn hands. “Miss Jeri made her sweet rolls, and I got plenty of coffee ready. Tim's up there with Marty and Matt. They were workin' out a schedule about the rides, so head on up and talk to ‘em.”

"Oh, you run shit ‘round here now,faggot?" someone challenged.

---