“You gonna help me with this barn, or what?” It was a bold question. He and Holden really didn’t know each other very well, but it felt like they did.
“Why do you think I’m out here? Hell, I’ve been waiting for you.”
“I’ll supply the food and beer or whatever drinks you want.”
“Sounds like a deal to me.”
Holden helped him open the barn doors. Zeus found his way back to them and followed inside. “Whoever owned the place before me had horses. I’m thinking about getting some. Wyatt likes to ride. I always have too, just wasn’t sure if I wanted the responsibility here when I can just go to my family’s farm.”
“I hear ya. Never had any as a kid, but I damn sure wanted some.” Holden walked toward the stables. “It’s seen better days.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m embarrassed I’ve let it go this long. I’d like to tear down a lot of the shit in here and start from scratch. The bones of the barn are good, though she could clearly use some paint. I might hire someone to put in some built-in shelving and shit like that. I just don’t have the time.”
“I got the time and the ability,” Holden replied.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I did a lot of carpentry work when I was younger—got some on-the-job training and I caught on fast. It comes automatically to me. Haven’t done much of it in years, but I could do it. I need the tools, though.”
“I can get you the tools. We’ll steal them from my daddy,” Roe replied.
“Not often I hear that moniker about a real father.”
Roe felt his cheeks heat. “Point taken. But you know how it is in places like this.” He went to a box, grabbed some old gloves out, tossed a pair to Holden, and kept some for himself. “Should we start by tearing shit up?” Roe waggled his eyebrows playfully.
“Is there a better way?” Holden grinned.
He had a couple of sledgehammers in there, so he got them and passed one over. “Let’s do this.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice.”
They goggled up and started swinging.
They worked through most of the morning, only stopping for some water or a piss break. Marilee came out at one point and brought them lemonade. She was off that day, and she and Sean were going to have some mother-son time.
Roe enjoyed working side by side with Holden. They kept busy, sometimes chatting, others just concentrating on what they were doing.
Around one, Roe said, “I don’t know about you, but if I don’t eat, I’m not sure I’ll survive.”
Holden laughed, pulling off his goggles and gloves. “I could definitely handle some food.”
“Wanna come over to the house with me?”
“You don’t really have to feed me. We have stuff in the cabin.”
“I want to,” Roe replied.
“Okay.”
They walked out of the barn. Roe tugged his T-shirt over his head and wiped the sweat off his face. When he glanced over at Holden, he noticed the other man watching him. Holden quickly turned away before doing the same thing with his own T-shirt. Roe would be lying if he said he didn’t appreciate the view. Just because Holden had a boyfriend didn’t mean Roe couldn’t think he was sexy.
“We can do sandwiches if that works for you. And I have leftover potato salad from Mama’s.”
Holden chuckled as Roe led him through the back door, which was off the kitchen.
“What’s so funny?”
“I’m afraid if I say, it’ll offend you, when I don’t mean to.”
“I have tough skin. It takes a lot to get to me.” Roe went to the sink and began washing his hands.
“I was just thinking that your family and this town remind me of one of those movies on TV. Just seems like everything is perfect.”
Roe scooted over so Holden could wash up too. “Nah, everything’s not perfect.”
“I was gonna say that,” Holden added. “In my experience, it never really is.”
Roe was curious what that meant but didn’t want to be pushy by asking. “Roast beef, ham, or turkey?”
“Roast beef. I’ll help.”
Roe got the supplies out, and they made their lunch together, then scooped massive helpings of potato salad on their paper plates.
“Sweet tea, water, or beer?” Roe asked as Holden set his plate on the kitchen table, then browsed around. The living room, dining room, and kitchen were all open concept.
“Sweet tea.”
“You are a Southern boy, I see.”
Holden didn’t answer, just walked over to the photos on the wall in the living room. “You really are close to Wyatt’s mom.” It was a photo of Roe, Lindsey, and their son, taken outside, at his family’s farm.
“I am. Known her since I was…hell, six or seven. She was the first person I told I’m gay.”
When Roe set the drinks down, Holden made his way back over. “She take it well from the start?”