Page 49 of Captivated

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Page 49 of Captivated

There were times when he found it difficult to remember the Butch he’d been before Sol showed up at Salvation. Truth be told, he didn’t want to remember.

That Butch had been a tortured soul.

But the past two years felt like a dream. He was happy.

He was loved.

Butch gazed at Sol. “About that sex tape…”

Sol laughed. “That’s something to discuss at a later date. Because if you don’t haul your ass out of this bed and get over to the bunkhouse, Teague will tear you a new one.”

He chuckled. “We really gotta get him laid. Teague needs to mellow the fuck out.” Lately, the foreman had been irritable, which wasn’t like him. It had crossed Butch’s mind that given their history, he could approach Teague and ask if he wanted to talk about anything.

Then he’d decided against it.

If Teague needs help, he’ll ask for it.

He hoped.

Chapter Fifteen

July 18, 2024

“So how’s Nate doing?”Walt asked before helping himself to the last of the home fries.

Zeeb finished his mouthful of eggs, then poured himself another cup of coffee. “So far, so good.” He’d been riding around the paddock the past two days, and each session lasted a little longer. Nate wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence, but that would come.

He hoped.

“You know what I think?” Teague’s eyes sparkled. “There’s no such person. This is all a ruse. Zeeb gets an extra breakfast, an extra dinner, he spends the day sitting on the cabin porch, reading his Kindle, feet up, a cold beer in his hand…”

Zeeb knew Teague was teasing, but it still rankled.

“So you think I’m bein’ lazy? Is that it?”

Paul chuckled. “Sorry, Teague, but I’ve seen Nate. He’s as real as you or I.”

Teague folded his arms. “Prove it. Invite him to the cookout on Sunday, for Diana’s birthday. The boss won’t mind that. We’re all going.”

It was tempting to say yes, Nate would be there, but Zeeb knew better.

“Zeeb? You did say he’s doing okay, didn’t ya?” Walt filled his coffee cup.

Zeeb let out a sigh. “Guys, I… Look, he’s got some trust issues, all right? And you can’t build that in a few days.” He took a drink, then glanced at the three guests. “We get all kinds of people comin’ to Salvation. Some of ’em are like you guys, here to chill, ride, enjoy the scenery… But now and again we get people stayin’ here who bring a lot of baggage. They’re the quiet ones, the guests who seem kinda lost, even broken sometimes. And all we can do is give ’em what they need—space to breathe, time, an ear if they need one.” He met Teague’s gaze. “Nate is one of the quiet ones.Realquiet. An’ not the kind born of shyness, either.”

Nate’s was the kind that came from having too many words twisted in the past. Zeeb had seen it before.

He wears silence like a shield.

Zeeb had the feeling he’d said too much.

He pushed his chair back and stood. “Okay, time I was outta here. I gotta go pick up our guest that don’t exist so he can go for a ride.” He grinned at Teague.

“I think he’s ready for a trail,” Paul commented. “See how he feels.”

Zeeb had had the same idea. “If today goes well, then yeah, I’ll put it to him.” He gave a nod to the guests, grabbed his hat, and strolled out of the bunkhouse. He climbed behind the wheel of the truck, and backed out of the parking space, heading for the lane that led to the cabin.

What he wasn’t about to share was how useless he felt.


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