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Chapter Twenty-Three

“ S o, I got a question for you, Lulu.”

Luke hated that shit, when Matty had been gnawing on something for days and then, in the middle of a normal day, just sprang whatever it was on his ass. He knew this was no ‘why is the sky blue’ kind of question. Matt was studiously not meeting his eyes.

“Shoot, then,” Luke said. “I’ve probably got an answer.”

“Why’s McConnell buying in to the Rocking W?”

Rory had sat down with him and helped him—first with the paperwork for the bank to get a loan, then by getting Lori to start finding donors, starting with Rory himself, who funded them for the first year.

Luke raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? He’s helping me out, and it’s a tax write-off for him.”

“It’s just a lot of helping, that’s all.” Matt’s head was down, eyes focused on hay. “A whole lot for someone not family.”

That hit a little bit below the belt, but Luke breathed through it. He’d talked to Matt a lot about the Rocking W, but not a bunch about Rory, so this was partly his fault .

“Well, I know it’s taking a big chance, bro, but Rory and me…we’re a thing, I think. Like a real thing.”

That made Matt stare at him, and the look wasn’t near as surprised as he’d thought it would be. “Yeah? For him too?”

“I think so, yeah.” His cheeks heated, but Luke smiled like he always did when he thought too hard on Rory. “I mean, we have a damned good time, and he really likes me, and I think he hung the moon.” He glanced up at Matt. “Is that okay?”

“I want to talk to him, let him know that I’ll make him bleed if he hurts you.”

“Okay.” He could get that. Luke would do the same to anyone who took up with Matty.

“Okay, then.” Matt set back to work, the rhythm of ranch life eternal, unending. “You want turkey sammiches for lunch? I bought Doritos at the store.”

“Sounds great.” He chewed his lip, pondering asking Matt why he wasn’t trying to date anyone. He didn’t ask, though—he just got his ass back to work too.

He knew Matty better than anyone and, if Matt wanted to date—or fuck or whatever—Matt would. It was none of his.

Not that getting Matt on board the happy train wasn’t a good plan. It just had to be Matt’s deal, not something Luke pushed. Pushing just made Mr. Stubborn into Mr. Immovable Rock.

Luke grinned. Not that he knew anything about that. At all. No, sir.

“What are you smiling about, Lulu?”

“Stubbornness.” He handed Matt a shovel because it was too far away for Matt to reach. “We got that in the family.”

“You think? Hell, just think, not one of us is Mark. He’s fucking evil. It was watered down by us and then Johnny, well, he’s damn near easygoing.”

“He gets all his energy out during sex,” Luke drawled. “ What are we gonna do about Mark, Matty? It can’t be healthy to run away from life.”

“Nope, but then that’s what Johnny thought about you.” Matt started pulling out more hay.

“He thought I was hiding?” His voice rose with genuine surprise. “How?”

“He don’t know you like I do.” Matt wiped his face, then leaned against the stall door.

“I mean, you cain’t judge, Lulu. Folks always say some shit.

They say Johnny’s a horndog ’cause he likes making babies.

They say you’re an adrenaline junkie ’cause you are a SEAL.

They say Mark’s an asshole ’cause he don’t come home or write.

They say I’m a worthless piece of shit that never will be no one because I stayed here to take care of things and be a rancher.

Folks always got things to bitch about.”

That might have been the most words Matty had ever said at one time. Luke blinked. “Cowboy philosopher. I like it. So I guess I could try to call Mark instead of bitching, huh?”

“You ought. I talk to him about once a quarter. He’s gonna make it.”

“Do you know what happened to him?”

“Nope, and I ain’t fixin’ to ask. He wanted me to know, he’d’a told me.”

“Argh.” Luke was so much more ‘charge the beach’ than his twin. He wanted to know what happened and how he could help. He wanted to fix it.

Matt just waited for the broken to show up, then he made them fix themselves.

Luke snorted. “You’re something else, you know that?”

“I try, man. I do try.”

“You do okay.” Luke grunted, lifting a square bale into the aisle of the barn so Matt could break it up. Hard work made him feel useful .

“You want to go into town today? I have to run to the feed store. I can drop you off at McConnell’s.”

“Well, if you’re heading that way and you don’t mind.” He’d intended to stay at Matt’s, but if Matt was wanting some thinking time or something, Luke was willing to go get some nookie. “Maybe we could all go to the Mexican place.”

“Works for me. I’m not trying to get rid of you. I’m trying to be nice.”

“I like nice. Let me buy y’all supper.” He tugged out his phone to call Rory.

“’Ello?” Rory was laughing and he’d bet Lori was in there, teasing him about God knew what.

“Hey, you. Matty has to run into the feed store. Want to go to Two Senoritas with us?”

“I totally do. When?”

Luke glanced at Matt. “Five-ish? Five-thirty?” He wanted to help Matt load up at the feed store first.

“Let’s say six.” His twin, the bastion of imminent practicality.

“Six?” He was about to have a moment of overjoy, having his brother and his new man out for supper. Together. That was just too cool, and he didn’t have to drive, so he could have a margarita. Score.

He would grab a go bag too, because he needed to leave things at Rory’s house. He could get a toothbrush and deodorant at the feed store, but his undies and socks, a pair of pants and a couple of T-shirts, and some pajamas, would be really nice to have.

The stuff for hard-core melted relaxation after sex. Really wonderful sex.

Maybe he ought to stop at the CVS instead of the feed store. Get lube.

“Luke? I said sure. Six. ”

“Sorry. I was, uh, thinking of hanging out after dinner. When Matt leaves. Is that okay?”

“Well, duh.” Rory’s voice dropped. “I changed the sheets and bought more lube.”

“Oh, then I can skip the CVS.” Cool. That made things easier on Matt for sure.

“You two stop that. Right now.”

“What?” He went for innocent, and Matt just stared him down. “Sorry.”

Rory laughed on the other end of the line. “Is he jealous?”

“Absolutely.”

That laughter redoubled. “Uh-huh. I’ll see you at six, honey.”

“You bet you will.” He hung up and grinned at Matt, “Seriously. Sorry. I get kinda silly.”

“Kinda? Lord have mercy, you’re a case.”

“I totally do.” Luke shrugged. “I feel good, bro. Like things are going better.”

“Good. You deserve some of that.”

“What about you, Matty?”

“Huh?”

He tossed another bale. “Don’t you deserve some good?”

“I got you here, Preacher’s recovering from his stroke, and none of the horses have hoof rot. I got what I want.”

Luke mulled that over. What had Matt said? Don’t bitch about someone else’s choices. He had a point. So he just nodded. “Sounds good, bud.”

“Yessir. If you want to make your booze and booty call, you’d best pick it up, man. We got an hour of work to go, at least.”

“Bitch, bitch, bitch.” Luke dutifully got back to work, though. Matt was right. The ranch came first. He’d best get used to that idea now.

Especially since he had an investor.