Page 52 of On the Land, We Shoot Straight

“W

ell?” Cole asked.

Grady looked up at him sitting there, drumming his fingers on the table, looking expectant and impatient. The afternoon sunlight came through the kitchen window and glowed like a halo around his head, the shiny black strands of his hair appearing almost auburn in the light.

“Well,” Grady replied. He dropped his pen and sat back.

Cole waved his hand around in the “get on with it” motion.

“Well, I reckon we’ll probably break even with that there harvest.” Grady picked up his pen again and tapped the wool column. “And the wool prices being good.”

Cole blew out a relieved breath. “Good.” He nodded. “That’s good.”

He craned his head into Grady’s space and studied the columns and figures, and Grady knew the moment he landed on the deduction.

“What’s this?”

Grady sat forward to grab his beer, coming right up against Cole in order to do it. He kissed the top of his head as he came back because he could and he always felt like doing it.

“That there’s a redraw.”

“What for?” Cole craned his head up and pinned Grady with narrowed eyes.

Grady sipped his beer and said the lie as easy as breathing. “Reckon I’m gonna expand the harvest next year, try and make up on these losses.”

And that set Cole off: he stood, slamming his chair back. He started pacing as he let Grady have it.

“That there is dumb-ass fuckin’ thinking.

I ain’t never understood why they go on and givin’ the farms to the eldest when you’re all so stupid.

” He spun back and pointed at Grady. “You don’t try and make it back, that’s how you get in the hole!

Just be workin’ what you got! Breakin’ even is good, it’s good! ”

Grady sipped his beer and smiled.

“Don’t go on smiling about it!”

“How ’bout I take it under advisement,” Grady said and sprawled back in his chair.

Cole groaned and looked to the ceiling as if asking God for patience. He returned his black eyes to Grady, and gave him a look like he was fucking stupid. “Don’t be takin’ it under advisement, be damn well doin’ it.”

Grady adjusted himself and saw Cole clock the movement. Cole flushed and shook his head helplessly at him. Grady smirked.

“You ain’t cute. I ever tell ya that?”

“Oh yeah.” Grady’s smile widened.

Cole shook his head again, but he came over and straddled Grady’s waist. Grady brought his hands up to tug him close, kiss him soft and slow, and he reckoned this was a better way to spend the afternoon than arguing anyway.