Page 5 of Heart of Stone

Luke nodded in agreement. “A place this big always has somethin’ that needs doin’. You won’t never be bored, that’s for sure.”

That earned him a snort. “I can imagine. Hard work don’t worry me. I’d rather be busy, anyways.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Luke replied dryly. “No matter how much you pass off to me, you’ll have a full plate any time of year.” He paused, hoping he didn’t sound like he was trying to take over. “And don’t worry, I ain’t tryin’ to tell you what to do or take your place. You’re the boss, and I’m the foreman, and I ain’t got no mind to switch places. But I don’t mind helpin’ as much as you want me to.”

Stone was quiet for a moment, and then he looked at Luke again. “I appreciate that. Like I said, I don’t know much about bein’ a boss. Always been content to only worry about myself and my horse.” He paused and looked down at the back of Raider’s neck. “Guess that needs to change. I won’t have folks sayin’ I don’t try my best, even if I mess up.”

“You’re goin’ to have a lot of people lookin’ to you now.” Luke hoped he wasn’t making the situation sound too dire. “But as long as you’re fair and carry your weight, ain’t no one goin’ to complain.” He smiled, deciding it was time to lighten the mood a bit. “Ownin’ a big, prosperous spread like this ain’t all bad, and it ain’t all work all the time. You’re goin’ to have a lot of the local gals real interested in you now, that’s for sure. You could have your pick.”

Suddenly Stone reined his horse to a stop, and he looked at Luke with a frown of consternation. “Gals? You mean the ones you don’t seem to think are very interestin’?”

Luke stopped as well, uncharacteristically flustered as he tried to figure out how to answer the question without revealing the truth. This ranch was his home now, and he didn’t want to be kicked out and lose his job and his home all at once because his new boss wasn’t happy about having a foreman who fancied men instead of women.

“Well, just because they don’t interest me none don’t mean one of them might not strike your fancy,” he said at last.

Stone’s expression didn’t change, but Luke noticed that a flush had risen under his tan. “Doubt it. Don’t have time for it, anyways, if I’m goin’ to learn how to run this place.”

“Well, one day, you’ll have it all figured out, and then you might want to cast your eye around,” Luke pointed out, hoping he wasn’t inadvertently squelching Stone’s social life with all his talk about how busy the ranch would keep them. “I won’t even ask you to take your courtin’ to one of the out buildings,” he added with a mischievous grin.

For some reason, Stone only turned redder. “You ain’t goin’ to have to worry about that,” he growled, and then he tapped Raider with his heels, spurring the horse into a fast walk.

Luke watched him pull ahead, puzzled by his reaction. He wondered if Stone was shy around women or if there was something else going on. A man as handsome as Stone ought to be plenty experienced, not blushing at the mere mention of courting. Unless...

He signaled Mist to speed up as well and caught up to Stone, studying him in silence. Was it possible that Stone didn’t fancy women either? He wasn’t sure, and he couldn’t ask outright unless he wanted to risk being punched in the face on top of being fired, but maybe he could find out somehow.

“I guess that means it’ll be real quiet around the big house.” He kept his tone casual. “Just a couple of bachelors sittin’ around together every night.”

Stone gave him a sideways glance. “Sounds fine to me. I’m not much for bein’ social. Don’t need dancin’ and drinkin’ like some cowboys who don’t have no sense.”

“You don’t have to drink and dance to be social,” Luke pointed out. “You can take a lady out for a fancy dinner, a buggy ride, or a picnic.” He was fishing, but hopefully not too obviously.

That earned him a flat out scowl, and he saw Stone clench his jaw. “Maybe I could. If I ever wanted to.” His eyes narrowed. “You ain’t got a sister you’re thinkin’ about throwin’ at me, do you? I don’t hold with fightin’, but I just might have to punch you if you try somethin’ like that.”

Luke’s eyebrows climbed almost to his hairline at that, and his suspicions grew even stronger at Stone’s unusually forceful objections to the idea of courting a woman. This had to be more than mere shyness or lack of experience with women!

“Nothin’ like that,” he replied easily, deciding it was time to be a little more direct. “I ain’t got no family that wants to claim me, if you want the truth. See, they found out I ain’t exactly fond of courtin’ the ladies either.” He fixed Stone with a steady, direct look. “My momma caught me behind the barn with my pants around my ankles, and it weren’t no young lady I was with at the time, if you take my meanin’.”

“What?” Stone stopped Raider in his tracks again, and the horse gave a whinny of protest at the sudden pull of reins. He stared at Luke, dark eyes widened in a way that would have been funny if the subject hadn’t been so serious. He had apparently forgotten how to speak, too, since his mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. A few moments later, Stone shook himself like a man who’d just felt something walk over his grave and cleared his throat.

“I sure hope you was with another man,” he said finally, his tone as dry as desert sand. “Because if it was a cow or a horse or some other critter I think we might have us a problem.”

Luke laughed as he guided Mist to stop parallel to Raider, although if he was honest, part of his laughter was born out of sheer relief that he wasn’t about to be punched, fired, or shot. “No critters.” He grinned at Stone. “Just another boy lookin’ for a helpin’ hand that I was willin’ to give.”

“Hmmm.” The sound Stone made could have meant anything, but there was no condemnation in his eyes. In fact, Luke thought there might even be the tiniest hint of speculation or maybe curiosity. Yet Stone didn’t make an admission of his own; instead he simply started forward again, gaze returning to the mountains, and when he finally spoke, his tone was casual, as though he were talking about the weather. “I reckon the rest of the hands don’t know, do they?”

“It ain’t something I care to have spread around,” Luke replied, glancing sidelong at him. “I don’t mix business and pleasure, either. I do my job and leave the hands alone. Anything else is askin’ for trouble.” He paused, debating on whether he ought to admit the full truth or not, but then, he supposed Stone would hear the rumors for himself the minute he stepped foot into town because all the local gossiping tongues would be happy to have a new ear to wag to. “Truth is, everybody thought me and Priss were sweet on each other, and we let ’em. I did love her, but like a sister, that’s all.”

“She knew?” Stone looked surprised again, though not as thunderstruck as he had at Luke’s original admission. “And she let people think that the two of you had goings on?” The red started creeping back up Stone’s neck. “But she must have been twenty years older’n you!”

“Well, it helped her, too,” Luke drawled, deciding he might as well spill everything and get it over with. “Actually, it helped her and Sarah both to let folks think what they wanted to about us.”

“Sarah?” Stone looked perplexed. “The housekeeper? What’s she got to do with anything?”

Luke stared at Stone, surprised he hadn’t picked up on the implications, and then he chuckled and shook his head, realizing that Stone must be more naïve and inexperienced than he’d thought.

“Everything,” he replied. “Priss and Sarah loved each other for over twenty years. That’s why Sarah couldn’t stay when Priss died. It was too painful for her. Too many memories. When I came along, and we realized none of us had the kind of preferences most people would say we ought to have, we agreed to cover for each other. There had been whispers about Priss and Sarah, you see, but those got hushed up right quick when I moved in the big house.”

“But my aunt was married!” Stone objected. “What about her husband?”

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