The Tin Star (2 page)

Chapter Two

Ethan grabbed his hat off the hook by the back door and headed out to the barn to find his foreman, Bill. After he’d gotten off the phone with Jamie, he’d changed out of his sweats into some jeans, then decided to go find something to do outside, leaving John on the couch to sleep off the whiskey. The herd records could wait. He doubted he’d get much done in the way of paperwork today anyhow. There were way too many things on his mind.

He stepped out into the sunny fall afternoon and pulled his straw hat down a little lower to block the sun from his eyes. You just had to love Texas weather; you never knew what you were gonna get from one year to the next -- or even day to day, for that matter. Last year at this time, he’d already been wearing a light jacket. This year, it was still pretty warm outside. He hadn’t even switched to his felt hat yet. In fact, it was warm enough that he was in a tee-shirt instead of a button-down.

He found Bill in the machinery barn, tinkering with the engine on one of the tractors. Bill looked up and pulled his ball cap off as Ethan walked in. He swiped his arm across his forehead and put the cap back on. “Well, looky what the cat done dragged out. You finally decided to haul your ass outta bed, boy?”

Ethan grinned at the older man. Bill had been foreman on the Tin Star since Ethan was four and had taught Ethan at least half of everything Ethan knew about being a cowboy and running a ranch.

“I’ve been out of bed since seven this morning trying to fix the herd records.”

Bill shook his head and spit on the ground. “Seven A.M. You always was a lazy thing.” The censure was ruined by the grin on the leathery old face.

Ethan chuckled. “Lazy? I’ll have you know I was up till three this morning helping Ed and Hayden pull that calf.”

Bill nodded. “Yup, you done good, boy. I got a look this mornin’. Mama and baby both seem just fine. And since you beat those cowboys outta bed, I guess I can cut you some slack.”

“That’s mighty nice of you, Bill. Listen, we got a new hand coming in. I figure he can bunk up with y’all since we’ve got that extra room in the bunkhouse.”

Bill scratched his head, then turned around and reached down into the cooler that sat by the far wall, pulling out a cola. He held it up. “You want one?”

“Nah. I’m good.”

Bill popped the top, took a swallow, then leaned his back against the wall. “Why did you hire another hand? We’re gettin’ ’long just fine with the four.”

Well, hell.
He’d known Bill would ask, of course, but he hadn’t decided yet what he’d tell him. And he knew, just as sure as sky was blue, that Bill would be even more suspicious once he found out who the new guy was. Ethan sighed and leaned his forearms on the tractor.

“It’s Jamie. He had a falling out with his daddy, and Killian threw him out.”

Bill’s eyes widened. “Now why would the old man do a damned fool thing like that? They just made that boy foreman when old Hank up and finally retired. That boy is one helluva cowboy! Hank trained him himself. Jamie’s smart as a whip and good with people and animals, too.”

Ethan nodded. “Yeah, I know. His daddy will more than likely come to his senses and take him back, but until then, I’ve offered him work and a place to stay. And if he stays on, well ... I might end up making him foreman when you retire.”

Pushing away from the tractor, Ethan went to the cooler and grabbed a cola. Hopefully, Bill would leave it at that. He really didn’t want to get into the why’s and wherefore’s of the whole thing. It was a family matter and didn’t need to be made public.
Damn it,
the kid should have kept his mouth shut. There was no reason to go telling people your private business.

“I saw John come drivin’ up like a bat outta hell a while ago ... it must have been a heck of a fight. Well, it’s to our advantage, and I’ve always liked him. The kid is a hard worker, knows his stuff. If you don’t have issue with him, then I don’t, either. I’ll make a place for him.”

“Yeah, it’ll work out. John downed two thirds of the Jack Daniels I had in the pantry, so he’s sleeping it off.” Ethan popped the top off his soda, took a long swig, then tossed the can in the trash on his way out of the barn. “Thanks, Bill.”

“You’re welcome.”

Ethan stepped out into the bright sunlight and saw his Appaloosa trotting up to meet him. No sooner had he reached the corral than his cell phone started to ring. He pulled it off his belt and flipped it open. “This is Ethan.”

“Oh, my God, Ethan! Daddy just called me. He kicked Jamie out! You’ve gotta go find him. I can’t get a hold of him or Johnny. Jamie’s gay, Ethan, and he told Daddy and Johnny, and Daddy kic--”

“Whoa! Hold on! Jules, calm down! John is here, and Jamie is on his way over.”

Julia’s voice became slightly less frantic, but it didn’t slow down any. If anything she gained speed. “Oh, thank the Lord! Is Johnny okay? I mean is he okay with this? Good God! Jamie! I always wondered but, well, I didn’t know. Did you? Did you know that Jamie’s gay?”

Ethan grinned as he propped a foot up on the bottom rung of the corral gate. Julia always did talk ninety to nothing around family, and she considered him family. No stranger overhearing her away from her job would ever guess she was nurse, and a damn good one. He supposed it came from the fact that she couldn’t get a word in edgewise with her daddy and two rambunctious brothers around.

“Now, Jules, if you will take a deep breath, and let me get a word in edgewise, I’ll answer your questions.”

“I’m sorry, Ethan. I’m just ... I worked a double shift, 7p to 7a last night, then Daddy called and woke me up with this. And you know how I worry about my brothers ... all three of you.”

Yes, he did. Julia was a mother hen, not just to her brothers but to him, too. Didn’t matter in the least that she was two years younger than he and John and nine years older than Jamie.

“No! You, worry? Never!”

“Ethan Whitehall! You quit teasing me and tell me what you know. I’m freaking out over here.”

“That’s kinda obvious, darlin’.” He took a deep breath and reached out to pet Spot as the horse came over looking for a treat and nuzzled him. Damned animal was so spoilt he thought Ethan was supposed to bring him something every time he came out of the house.

“Here’s what I know. John came by about an hour and half ago, cussing a blue streak. He drank almost a full bottle of whiskey before he could get out that Jamie had told him and your dad that he’s gay, then he passed out on my couch. I checked on Jamie; he didn’t seem to think he had a place to go, so I told him to come to the Tin Star.” Ethan turned and leaned against the gate, crossing an arm over his chest and waited for Jules’s next round of questions.

“Well, what did Johnny think of the whole thing? Was he upset at Daddy for throwing Jamie out?”

“Yeah, I think so. He’s kinda shook up I think.”

Julie sighed. “My poor babies.”

Spot nudged his shoulder twice, then grabbed his hat off his head and took off trotting around the corral.

Ethan spun around glaring. “You little shit! Get back here right now!”

“Huh?”

“Not you, Jules. Spot just stole my hat.”

“Oh.” She snickered. “You know, Ethan, that surprises me.”

“That Spot stole my hat?”

She groaned. “No. That horse is a pest, I’m not a bit surprised by that. I would have thought Johnny’d stand up for Jamie.”

Spot whinnied, tossing his head up and down as he pranced, Ethan’s hat clenched between his teeth.

Ethan sighed and climbed over the fence. It wasn’t an easy thing to do while trying to hold the phone to his ear, but he managed. “You don’t honestly think he’d go against your daddy, do you? John runs the Quad J and a lot of people are depending on him. He can’t just up and quit ’cause your daddy didn’t do what John thought he oughta. Besides, all cowboys are homophobic ... well, except the ones that are gay. And most of those guys are smart enough to keep quiet about it and pretend to be homophobic. That’s why I can’t figure out why Jamie didn’t keep it to himself.”

“Yeah, but Johnny usually protects Jamie. He
is
his baby brother, after all. Besides, he’s always been very supportive of you.” Ethan heard her take a deep, gulping breath, then suddenly blurt out, “Did you know Jamie is gay?”

He groaned, not sure if it was directed at Julia or Spot, who was dancing around just out of his reach. “No, I didn’t know he’s gay. As far as I’m aware, there’s no such thing as a gay registry. And it’s not like I have some extrasensory gaydar or something.” He finally got within reach of his cowboy hat and snatched it out of Spot’s mouth. “Give me that, you pain in the butt!”

“Don’t be a smart ass, Ethan! I was just asking. How is Daddy going to feel about you taking Jamie in?”

Ethan put his hat back on and started back over the fence. “I don’t know, but I couldn’t just let the kid ... Oh, hell! You, your family and my Aunt Margaret are all I got, Jules. I couldn’t let Jamie suffer on his own -- even if it’s his own fault for telling his personal business. Your daddy will come around eventually ... hopefully.”

“Now, Ethan, not everyone sees things like you do. There is no reason he can’t let his family know he’s gay. Heck, he was probably getting tired of me and John shoving girls in front of him all the time.” She sighed again. “You and Johnny have been friends forever, and I don’t want this to cause problems between you and Daddy. He could stir up all sorts of trouble for you; he might even use his seat on the town council to rile everyone up. And aren’t you guys partners in some new steakhouse thing?”

There was a brief pause, then, “He might blame Johnny, too, ’cause you’re Johnny’s best friend. I’m telling you, Ethan, he’s going to be an ass over this ... I just know it. I’ll take my baby brother in for however long it takes -- you don’t have to be in the line of fire. Tell him to call me when he gets there. He can come to San Antonio and stay with me.”

Ethan walked up the yard a little way, out of Spot’s reach and away from his antics. “And do what, Julia? He’s a cowboy. He’ll go crazy in town. Darlin’, you live in a high-rise apartment; you don’t even have a cat. Last time I was at your place, your ivy was dying. Jamie’d go stark raving mad within a week. Besides, I can handle your daddy. Don’t worry about me.”

“I know you’re right, but I hate that you’re caught up in the middle of this. At least tell Jamie to call me so I can tell him I love him, and I don’t give a damn who he sleeps with.”

Ethan nodded, then realized that she couldn’t see him. “What are friends for, Jules? I’ll tell him to call.” Ethan looked up to see Jamie’s volcanic-red 2005 Dodge pull onto the dirt drive.

“Thanks, Ethan. I’m going back to sleep. Get him settled, deal with John and tell Jamie to call me ... after five.”

“Get some rest, Jules.” Ethan flipped his phone shut and hooked it back onto his belt. Jamie’s truck came to a stop and he walked over to greet him.

What a fucked up day!
Aunt Margaret might be the only family he had left, but he was beginning to think that that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, after all.

Jamie pulled the keys out of the ignition and looked up. He dreaded running into his older brother. While his dad had let him have it this morning, John had just sat there with his mouth hanging open. What would he do now?

He groaned. He was being ridiculous. There was no sense lollygagging. Either John would see him and lay into him or he wouldn’t. He’d made the choice to accept Ethan’s offer and come, knowing that John was here. He’d made his bed and he’d lie in it, just the way his mama had always been fond of saying.

Jamie grabbed his gray felt cowboy hat off the seat and opened the door. Putting his hat on, he shut the door and started around the front of the truck.

Ethan was walking toward him. He had a straw hat on over his short black hair that shaded the upper part of his face and his eyes, but Jamie knew those eyes were a deep, milk-chocolate brown.
Damn, the man is fine.
Where he and the Killian men were lean and sinewy, Ethan was a big man, tall and broad shouldered, heavily muscled, lean-hipped and intimidating as hell. Jamie was five foot eleven; Ethan had at least four inches on him.

Ethan wore a black tee-shirt, faded jeans and black boots. From under his sleeve, the bottom of his tattoo, which he’d gotten as a teen with John, showed. Ethan and John hadn’t even been of age, but somehow they’d managed to get it done. Both had had their ranch brands inked on their left biceps. John’s comprised four “J’s” held together by a bar at the top, and Ethan’s was a star with the number ten in the center. Mama and Daddy had yelled for days when John had come home with his. He was pretty sure Ethan had caught hell over it from his daddy, too.

Jamie once had heard that Ethan’s mama was half Mexican. It showed; Ethan had a dark tan year round and very little body hair. There was just a smattering on his chest and he didn’t think Ethan could grow a full beard if he tried. Thank goodness -- it would be a shame to cover up the sheer perfection of that strong jaw line. The man was a walking ad for sex and he had absolutely no clue. Women had practically thrown themselves at his feet for as long as Jamie could remember, and it always seemed to shock Ethan, like he just couldn’t believe that women could act like that because of him. Jamie would love to see the look on Ethan’s face if he ever realized that he had the same effect on men, because damned if Jamie didn’t want to throw himself at Ethan’s feet and beg, too.

Jamie shook his head to clear it as he walked toward Ethan. He’d come here for a job, and even if it was given out of pity, it was a damned fine job and one he intended on doing his best to justify Ethan’s trust. Ethan might be his brother’s best friend, but he was also owner of a hell of a profitable ranch. The Tin Star had been around for four generations and was well known for their longhorns.

Jamie stepped in front of Ethan and was again reminded of his size.
Damn, he’s big and, oh, God ... he smells so nice!