Page 51 of Rust and Stardust

“W-What?” Beau asked, furrowing his brows. “What do you mean?”

“Well, we had a bet ya see,” Jack explained. “Mabel said you’d end up with Amber May. But I… well, I figured you’d end up with a fella. Not sure who of course, but a fella nonetheless.” His grin widened. “And I just got done collecting my dues.”

Beau’s jaw fell open. “You… You what?”

Jack ignored him and turned his attention to me. “And no matterwhat that heifer Amber May says, you didn’t turn Beau. He’s just how he is. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.”

“Do… Do you mean that, Pa?”

Jack turned back to Beau, still smiling. “Of course I do. You’re my son. I don’t care who you love, just as long as you’re happy. Besides, your mother was the most perfect woman in the entire world, so I know she didn’t make any mistakes makin’ you.” Jack’s smile faded slightly as tears formed at the corners of his eyes. “I know, if she were still here, she’d say the same thing. She wanted so bad to watch you grow up and become a man. And now that you have, I know she’d be more proud of you than anyone else in the entire world.”

Beau didn’t hesitate as he pulled his father into a tight hug. I watched the pair of them holding one another, bonding in this moment that seemed far too special and intimate for me to be present for. But when they finally pulled apart, Jack wiped his eyes and laughed, glancing back at me.

“Sorry about that,” he said. “I get a bit emotional sometimes.”

“I don’t mind,” I replied, feeling a bit jealous if I was being honest. “I wish my father was more like you.”

He nodded knowingly. “Well, I suspect I’ve got enough room for two sons in my life if you wanna stick around.” He patted my shoulder. “But for now, I think it’s time for supper. Mabel’s already put down a plate for you both.”

As Jack led us back toward the house, Beau reached out and took my hand, squeezing it gently. He peeked out from under the brim of his hat, smiling at me like a man set free at last. I was so happy for him and grateful that he had such a wonderful family.

And yet, I felt worse than I ever had in my life. For the first time in years, I was surrounded by goodness and love… and I was going to betray them all.

Chapter 21

Beau

The sun was hardly up in the big Texas sky and already the air was filled to the brim with the scents of roasting meat, barbecue, and all the hopes and dreams of the competitors for this year’s cash grand prize. Of course, it was the notoriety that had all the real value. Anyone that won the competition could start up a restaurant and be guaranteed success. Folks would come from miles around just to have good barbecue in these parts. When diners were a dime a dozen, the title of grand champion went a long ways to make the place stand out.

But I didn’t have a lot of interest in running a diner or a restaurant. Dolly’s was the best place in town anyway and I’d never dream of stepping on her toes. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to lose the competition on purpose. Not when everyone expected me to give it my all.

So, as I stood there keeping a close eye on my meat thermometer, I couldn’t help but feel a churning in the pit of my stomach. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the competition, the fact that I was in love with a man, or the fact that my entire family knew about him. Ofcourse, Amber May knew as well, so there was a possibility that she’d tell folks. But that didn’t sound like her. As angry as she was with me, she’d never been the type to retaliate or spread rumors. With her daddy being a big banker for the ranches around Sagebrush, it wouldn’t reflect well on their family for her to go causing trouble. No, I figured I was safe for the moment, but that didn’t stop me from being nervous, anyway.

I wiped the sweat from my brow, the heat from the smoker adding to the already sweltering Texas morning. The aroma of my secret-recipe dry rub mingled with the smoke, making my mouth water despite my nerves. I glanced around, catching sight of familiar faces bustling about their own stations.

Then, as if he knew I was looking for him, Lucas popped out from around one of the nearby stalls. He had a pair of plates balanced in his hands, a funnel cake on each with a heaping pile of powdered sugar and syrup on top. I couldn’t help but smile as he walked my way, looking absolutely gorgeous in the morning light.

“I figured you might be hungry,” he said, handing a plate over the moment he was in front of me. “This was the closest thing I could find to breakfast food.”

“Seems awfully rich,” I smiled. “But thank you.” I paused, wanting to reach out and touch him but not comfortable doing it in front of everyone just yet. “You look beautiful by the way,” I whispered.

Lucas’s cheeks turned bright red as he glanced down at the ground. “You don’t have to say stuff like that…”

“Why not? It’s true.”

I chuckled softly, my heart swelling at Lucas's bashful reaction. Despite the fact that the city he lived in was probably crawling with debauchery, there was something endearingly innocent about him. “Well, I'm gonna keep sayin' it, so you better get used to it,” I teased, taking a bite of the funnel cake.

The sweetness exploded on my tongue, a welcome distractionfrom the savory scents surrounding us. Lucas leaned against the side of my booth, his green eyes sparkling as he watched me eat.

“So, how's it going?” he asked, gesturing towards my smoker. “Think you've got a shot at winning this thing?”

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “Hard to say. There's some stiff competition out here today.” I lowered my voice, glancing around before continuing. “To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about winning this time. Maybe it’s time for someone else to take the trophy, you know? It’s not like I’m gonna do anythin’ with it anyway.”

“Why not?” Lucas asked, taking a bite of his own funnel cake.

“I’m a rancher.”

“And? Do you even like ranching?”

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