Page 6 of Wrangled

“The new guests are coming in today.”

“I know.” I left the day-to-day running of the ranch to Teague, but that didn’t mean I didn’t know what was happening on it.

“Teague is waiting for you at the big house. Says he wants to go over the new bookings for the rest of the summer. There have been a few cancellations.” Zeeb glanced at the cabin, and his face contorted. “Aw, boss… why do you do this to yourself?”

What the everlovin’fuck?“Excuse me?”

Zeeb blinked. “You think we didn’t know? A dude would have to be blind not to know.”

And there it was, confirmation of my suspicions.

They all know. Because if Zeeb does…

And yet they’d stayed. Not one wrangler had marched off in a torrent of religious fervor. No one had denounced me as perverted, deviant…

Why would they? We’re a family.

We were surely that. The ranch hands had different ages, different backgrounds, yet they’d all ended up at Salvation, drawn there, seeking sanctuary, escaping their pasts, ready to leave all that behind them.

And now I thought about it, how likely was it thatanyof them would take exception to my sexuality, given the mix of men who worked on the ranch? There were probably only two straight guys among them—and I wasn’t even sure about them.

An awful thought crept into my mind.A dude would have to be blind not to knowwhat, exactly?That their boss was gay? I could cope with that—maybe.

But as for the rest?

“You telling me you were all okay with… with what was going on?” I needed to hear the words.

“Sure we were. It was your business, not ours.”

“And is that why no one said a goddamn word?”

Zeeb’s gaze held more compassion than I’d ever seen there. “No, we kept quiet about it out of respect.”

I stared at the cabin. “I don’t know why I keep coming back here.”

“I do. Well, I know why you’re here today of all days.” I turned to peer at him, and Zeeb swallowed. “None of us can forget that day. And maybe another part of it is you’re looking for something you haven’t found yet.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Oh yeah? And what’s that?”

His gaze didn’t waver. “Closure.”

My chest grew tight. “When did you know? About me and Kevin, I mean.” My voice sounded husky to my way of thinking. When Zeeb didn’t respond, I rolled my eyes. “Oh, for Pete’s sake. You’ve said this much. Don’t get bashful on me now.”

He cleared his throat. “I’ve worked on this ranch for ten years.” He paused. “I think I’d been here about two days when I cottoned on.”

Were we that obvious?

Zeeb coughed. “Not that it was difficult to spot you two in the barn late one night. You’re not quiet when you’re getting fucked, are you?” I stared at him, and Zeeb stared right back. “Hey, you were the one who told me not to get bashful. Just doin’ what I’m told.”

I wanted to tell him he had a goddamnnerve, talking to me like that, and then I decided against it. If Zeeb felt comfortable enough around me to speak his mind like that, without pulling any punches, to my mind that was no bad thing.

“Family is where you should always tell the truth,”Dad used to say.

“So… you were okay with it? Me and Kevin, I mean?” I wasn’t about to ask the burning question.Howmuchdid you know about us?

Zeeb smiled. “You just asked me that, remember? Love is love, right? Ain’t that what they say? And who you love is no one’s business but yours.”

And Ihadloved him.

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