Page 34 of The Outlaw's Code

“Yes, those are called Emmy’s.” Cameron grinned before he sweetly kissed Levi. “Look at you! You’re learning.”

“Sorry. I wasn’t expecting to meet anybody famous,” Calder replied, belatedly shaking Cameron’s hand.

“Oh, I’m not famous around here.” Cameron smiled. “Which is exactly how I like it. No one being fake around me. No one kissing my ass just because they’ve seen me on TV.”

“Uh, why is everyone congregating over in this corner, all of a sudden?” Dylan’s voice broke through the conversation, as he came to stand beside us. His eyes immediately landed on Calder. “Hey! Calder, right?”

“That’s me.” Calder sheepishly shrugged. “The one everyone seems to already know somehow.”

“You’ve been the trending topic in the family group chats, not gonna lie,” Dylan continued. “With how mysterious Shane is about everything… this man basically talks in riddles until he gets to know you. And even then, you still need to make sure you listen pretty close.” Dylan then leaned closer to Calder, likehe was sharing a secret. “But not with you, huh? Seems like you cracked the Shane code pretty good.”

“Dylan, what’s going on—Oh. Calder.” Cole approached us now, giving us a quick nod. “Nice to finally meet you. Heard a lot about you. We should have some one-on-one time, so I can make sure you’re actually good enough for Shane.”

“I… uh…” Calder blushed a deep red before he looked over at me, like he was quickly drowning. I pulled him closer to my side and said, “Okay, I think we’ve had enough of the meet and greets. He needs to think we’re normal before you all bombard him with the reality of your… uniqueness.”

“Are you calling us weird?!” Dylan dramatically gasped, as he placed a hand across his chest. “But I’m one of the normals!”

“Baby, you know there are no normals in this family,” Cole casually reminded him. “If you were normal, you wouldn’t fit in.”

“Who wants marshmallows?!” Amber called out from across the field, waving her arms wildly. “Come get your sticks while the getting is good!”

“How’s it going?What’s your temperature?” I asked, as Calder and I sat around the fire pit, marshmallows on our sticks.

“I don’t know if I was expecting it to be so… lively,” he started, with a smile. “I don’t know. I guess I was worried everyone would be so serious, sizing me up before I had a chance to speak. Well, I mean, Cole does actually seem to be sizing me up…”

“He’s harmless,” I insisted. “He just wants to see what you’re made of, if you’ll back down when challenged. He knows the kind of work it’ll take to get my ranch off the ground and knows that I’ll need the right partner to make it all happen.”

“So, he’s just looking out for you? He doesn’t secretly hate me?”

“He doesn’t secretly hate you, I promise. And when you get to know him, he’s the most loyal person you’ll ever have in your corner.”

Calder let out a sigh of relief. “Okay. Good. That’s good to know?—”

“Calder! Do you dance?” Amber was still shouting, even though we were seated right across from her.

“Um, a little? I wouldn’t say I’m the best at it.”

“Dance with me!” Amber was already out of her seat, her hand held out towards Calder. “Come on! Let’s do it!”

Calder looked at me, and I gave a nod of approval.

“Shane! You’re coming too!” Amber demanded with a wild smile. “In fact, everybody! Get up! Let’s dance! Woo!”

I followed behind Amber and Calder, as she led him out to a makeshift dance floor. She signaled to Virgil, who seemed to be controlling the stereo for the night, while an upbeat country song blasted all around us. Amber danced with Calder in a sort of manic rhythm, but he was able to keep up with her steps, their arms cutting through the air, their hips swinging in time.

I looked around the dance floor and caught Dylan and Cole, who were in their own little world as usual, Cole’s hands around Dylan’s waist. They were dancing to the music like it was a slow song on a Sunday night, their bodies close, their touch tender. Levi and Cameron were matching the rhythm of the music, even though Cameron’s movements were completely unpredictable, still dancing to his own beat.

Even Virgil and Jolene had joined in the dance, her hips gyrating against his, moving around like they were thirty years younger at a nightclub.

I was solidly rocking back and forth to the music, a drink in my hand, enjoying the smell of sweet smoke in the air. I couldtell that Calder had received Amber’s seal of approval after the dance was over, as she pulled him into her arms for a tight hug.

“I love him! I love him,” Amber said to me, while she offered me a thumbs up. A few moments later and she was cuddled up next to her husband, Doug, on the dance floor, their movements slow and measured. When she was gone, Calder moved closer to me, matching my quieter style of dance. He reached for the drink in my hand, taking a small sip, before giving it back to me.

“You’re almost out. You want me to get you another?”

“I can get it myself. It’s no problem?—”

“I want to get it for you, Shane,” Calder cut me off, with a light smile. “Now, did you want another beer? Or one of Amber’s drinks?”

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