Page 74 of Silas's Sweetheart

“I like you already,” Wilder replied, holding out his hand. “I’m Wilder, and this is Bowie and that’s Ziggy.”

“Gods, it’s gonna get confusing around here. A Zippy and a Ziggy.”

“Zippy?” Wilder asked, frowning at Petey.

“You won’t miss him. He’s the dude with the big gob who can’t keep his thoughts to himself,” Cranny answered Wilder.

Wilder glanced over at Cranny, the furrows on his forehead deepening, then looked back at Silas as if trying to figure out what Cranny’s issue was.

“Ignore Cranny. He and Zippy have a love-hate relationship,” Ethan explained, chuckling.

“Yeah, I love to hate his gobby ass.”

“Who knew an ass could be gobby?” Jupiter drawled, causing the room to erupt in laughter.

The laughter lightened the mood and helped distract from the nervousness coiling in Silas’s belly, much like Ziggy’s snake liked to do on him. He tried not to think about what was going to happen once they returned to the cabin. All of Popi’s advice about going slowly, giving Ziggy all the romance he’d denied him, had gone pop like a damn balloon loud and spectacular—or in his case, tears.

“So, you gonna explain to me what’s going on with you and Ziggy?” Ethan whispered as he brought a fork full of steak to his lips.

Ziggy sat at the far end of the table, so Silas chanced a look. He had wedged himself in between Bowie and Wilder at the other end of the long bench table. He was looking towards Bowie andaway from Silas, only there was tension in his shoulders that suggested he wasn’t as relaxed as he appeared to be.

Had he heard the comment?

Silas’s gaze swept the table, looking for signs of interest in him. Had the others?

He promised Popi honesty, so he took a deep breath and met Ethan’s gaze, thinking he was the best, or easiest, person to start with.

“I’m interested in him, personally,” he confessed, swallowing hard enough to feel his Adam’s apple bounce. “I like him a lot.”

It was the best he had in the crowded room, but fuck it, it was a start!

Dark brows shot up and disappeared under the brim of the baseball cap Ethan wore instead of his Stetson. “Like hima lot? Holy cow man, are you feelin’ alright?” he joked, mirth shining in his eyes.

“Fuck you!” Silas shoveled a fork of food into his mouth and groaned at the flavor explosion on his tongue.

“You imaginin’ you’re eatin’ somethin’ else?”

“Did you need to go there?” Silas muttered around the mouthful of food, scowling at Ethan, who looked unrepentant as he shrugged and shoved a forkful of steak into his mouth.

“You’re as bad as Jup. Let’s change the topic shall we? Tell me what’s with the horse in the paddock? Someone want you to fix him?”

The conversation was easy and he managed to keep his gaze from straying to Ziggy. The noise in the bunkhouse made sure the topic of any one conversation was harder to follow, which was fine when it drowned out Jupiter’s bitching about the accommodation.

An hour later, Silas rose and acted like there was nothing to see as he glanced in Ziggy’s direction to catch his eye, then said,loud enough to be heard over the din, “I’d hit the hay early. It’s a five am start here.”

There were grumbles of complaint from his brothers, but the PAs said little as they took their dirty dishes to the counter. Everyone filed out and Silas followed last with Ethan.

“Wanna go up to the house for a beer?” Ethan asked.

The night sky was a riot of stars, the darkness illuminated by the full moon. The sounds of the ranch were like music to Silas and he took a deep breath, letting the place settle him before he answered. “Nah, got to set a good example.”

Ethan nudged his shoulder, his gaze following the group of men halfway down the front paddock heading towards the back field where the cabins were. “Yeah, let’s go with that.”

“Whatever man.” Silas waved Ethan off as he walked in the opposite direction, up to the main ranch house.

Silas followed the others at a slower pace. He had missed being here, he just hadn’t known how much until now. Sauntering towards the cabins, he inhaled the familiar smells of the ranch. Nothing left him feeling quite so content as being at the ranch did, or hadn’t until he met Ziggy. Ziggy offered the same vibe, making him easy to be around.

Quiet, inner calm. For Silas, it came from being accepted unconditionally by the animals and the community he’d created on the ranch. His parents and his brothers gave him something different; a love that required no justification. Hazardville had not given him that, and he had needed to create his own sanctuary. In doing so, he’d established one for others who hadn’t found acceptance, and he was proud of what the ranch represented.

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