Page 51 of My Cowboy Freedom
“I don’t know if Elena is ready for the hands to know I’m courting her.” His grizzled scruff of beard sort of glowed when backlit by a blush like that.
Oh... that’s why he wants to talk?“I won’t mention it.”
“She’s embarrassed”—he glanced away—“because of the age difference.”
Aw, man. He was a good-looking guy. They made a good pair. I didn’t suppose my opinion mattered but I gave it anyway.
“It’s nobody’s business but yours. You’re both consenting adults.”
“Right. About that.” He still didn’t look at me. “I suppose you say that because me and Elena are older folks and we’ve been to the rodeo a time or two.”
“You’re notthatold.”
“Right. I’m not that old. And she’s not too old for me. And you don’t think it’s weird, right?”
“I don’t think it’s weird at all.” I don’t know why anyone else’s opinion mattered to him, but I agreed. “I don’t think loving anybody is weird, no matter what.”
“It isn’t. Unless there’s a real good reason. Right?” He met my gaze and that was when I realized the conversation wasn’t going to be about him and Elena after all. “Do you know Rock’s story? He was hit by lightning, and since then, he’s had a seizure disorder. Also, he has sudden angry outbursts, and when he’s overstimulated he’ll—”
“Whoa. Why are you telling me all this?”
Would Rock even want me to know this stuff?
“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t tell you.” He pulled his horse into a walk beside him. I followed. “But Rock seems a little fixated on you.”
“N-no he’s not. He’s just a lonely kid, is all. He’s kind of isolated out here.”
“I know, but last night out on the porch you didn’t have a shirt on—”
“Wait. It was hot, and I didn’t realize that wasn’t... I already told Julio I’d—”
“It’s not just the shirt. Shit. I don’t know.” He sighed. “This is just between us, right?”
I agreed. “Sure.”
“Rock was always a real decent kid. Great grades, sports, music. He was gifted as hell. It’s just such a damn shame.”
“Yeah.” I agreed, although from what little I could see, he was still plenty gifted.
“’Lena says after the accident, Rock wasn’t the same. He acted out, started drinking. Then they caught him with a neighbor boy.”
“No shit?”
“I know, right? You’re supposed to get struck by lightningafteryou go gay.”
He said it like a joke and I had no choice but to take it like one.
“No shit.” That’s the thing with gay jokes. When you have no choice in the matter you go along.
“Rock’s folks wanted to send him to one of those gay-conversion places, and somehow he ended up here instead. They’re happy because he’s working and he’s got Elena to look after him. But if he were to screw this up in some way... his parents are prepared to make good on their threat.”
“They can’t do that, can they?” I asked. “He’s an adult.”
“Technically.” He nodded.
“Not technically.” I argued. “Boss said Rock’s twenty-three. How can theymake himdo anything?”
“It’s because of his medical condition. He might be better off in some sort of group home with other people like him and doctors on staff. They have a point—things can become life-threatening quickly.”
