Easton [Belt Buckle Ranch 4] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (2 page)

“What about you? I need to take care of you,” he said.

“No, you don’t.” She shook her head a smile on her lips. “Go to Colorado, meet Mr. Rickett, and see what the future holds for you. It’s time that you did something for yourself.”

Easton placed the envelope on the table. He’d kept it hidden on his lap, planning to open it when he reached his room. Now, it didn’t seem to matter. He flicked open the metal tabs and pulled out the paperwork. His birth certificate was on top, following a thick wad of cash, a plane ticket, and some legal documents. He picked up the cash and handed it to his grandmother. She shook her head.

“Take the cash and pay bills while I’m gone. I’ll drive to the airport and fly to Colorado. As soon as I get there, I’ll call you and give you the number. If you need anything, you’ll know where to reach me. I won’t be gone long,” Easton told her as she took the cash.

“I spoke with a realtor after the investigator drove off. Easton.” She sat down next to him, touching his arm. “You need a life.” She said seriously and he choked, but started laughing.

His eyes filled with moisture. She was giving him a way out and he needed to take it.

“I’m going to be all right. I’ve been worried about you though. Don’t you want to meet someone? Fall in love? Get married? You are more important than this farm.” Falling out of his chair, Easton shuffled closer and wrapped his arms around her. “I love you. You’ve been such a blessing, but now, it’s time for you to leave home.”

“I love you, too. Thank you.” He rubbed his face against her shoulder, wiping the tears away. “I’ll go meet my father and then, you and I can figure out what we’re going to do.”

“I’m going to take care of everything. I’m going to sell this farm and move closer to the city. There are some cute apartments in town. Besides, most of my friends live out in the retirement community already. It will be nice to spend time with them,” she told him, and Easton was glad she was so incredibly positive.

“I can help you get settled,” he told her. He could go to Colorado when she was taken care of.

She shook her head, “No, you are going to finish dinner, take a shower, and pack. I don’t want to hear another word, young man. I’m kicking you out.”

Easton pulled back and she winked. He kissed her cheek and sat in his seat. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Picking up his fork, Easton finished his dinner with a huge smile on his face.

* * * *

Easton grabbed his bags and stepped off the private plane. He walked toward the small terminal located in Telluride, Colorado. He was excited and nervous. Here he was a grown man and he’d never left the small farm in Oklahoma. He didn’t even know who was picking him up. The envelope hadn’t given him that information. He stepped into the terminal and looked around, feeling more lost and alone than he could ever remember.

This was supposed to be a new adventure, but part of him wanted to get back on the plane and head home. His grandmother was at the forefront of his mind. Was she really going to be all right without him?

“Hi,” A man around his own age approached him. He didn’t look as if he belonged on a ranch. His clothes were all wrong. “I’m Jackson Murphy, your half-brother.”

“It’s nice to meet you. I guess you know that I’m Easton Baker.” He put one of his bags down and held out his hand.

“It’s good to meet you. I wanted to let you know that William Rickett passed away,” Jackson told him, and Easton was shocked. He’d come all this way to find out that his father had died. “I found out when I got here as well. I’m sorry. I was hoping to meet him.”

“Well…uh.” Easton cleared his throat. “I guess I should try to catch a flight back home.”

“No, you should come out to the Belt Buckle Ranch and meet everyone.” Jackson grabbed his bag. It didn’t seem like he was going to let Easton leave. “Robbie, he’s one of your half-brothers. He arrived last night. And Jared and Oliver should be arriving over the next couple of days. Once we’re all here, Wyatt—he’s the foreman at the ranch—said the executor of William’s estate will be reading his Last Will and Testament. Why not come out and relax?”

Easton wasn’t sure what he should do. He’d left his home and everything he’d ever known behind in Oklahoma with his grandmother.

“Please,” Jackson whispered. “I know this situation isn’t ideal, but we’re related and I’d really like the chance to get to know you. I don’t know about you, but I’m an only child. I always wanted siblings. You won’t regret it. The Belt Buckle Ranch is amazing and the folks there are great.”

His half-brother was incredibly convincing. This was his chance to meet his brothers and Easton knew he wouldn’t let this opportunity pass him by. He nodded and Jackson looked relieved.

The Belt Buckle Ranch was a beautiful place.

Easton couldn’t believe how amazing the property was. The green, lush land called to him, making him smile. This was where he belonged. He felt it deep in his soul. The decision to stay at the Belt Buckle was an easy one to make, especially since he had his grandma’s blessing. Easton knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t be at the ranch without her gentle nudge. She seemed to be thriving now that she was surrounded by her friends and living in a retirement community.

Today, they were all heading over to Trent Weston’s place, Twin Acres Ranch, for a barbeque. The man was their neighbor and the executor to Easton’s father’s will. In order for the Belt Buckle Ranch to belong to Easton and his brothers, the five of them had to live and work at the ranch for one full year. It wasn’t a hardship for him. He was used to waking up with the sun and working hard all day long. At least here, he wasn’t waking up alone.

“Why are you dressed up?” Oliver asked him when they were both settled in the back seat of Wyatt’s extended cab truck.

“I’m not dressed up,” Easton insisted.

It was the same conversation he’d had with Jared and Gabe before getting into Wyatt’s truck. Yes, he was trying to look nice. He wanted to impress Trent, but he didn’t want his brothers to know. It was embarrassing enough that they all considered him to be a naïve little country boy. He didn’t want them to know he had his sights set on Trent.

His first and only interaction with Trent had been inside his father’s office when the older man read William Rickett’s last will and testament. He’d felt a connection each time Trent’s green eyes flashed up from the documents. He’d wanted to say something before Trent left the ranch, but refrained. He didn’t feel it would be appropriate.

Now, a couple months later, he figured enough time had passed that he could ask Trent out on a date. Sitting up straight inside the cab, he smoothed out the front of his long-sleeve button-up shirt.

“You ironed your shirt, Easton. As far as I’m concerned, that’s dressed up,” Oliver told him, but the man didn’t push for an answer.

Wyatt drove down the long dirt and gravel driveway. The truck dipped and bounced, seeming to hit each rut in the road as they left the ranch behind. When they finally hit concrete, Wyatt turned the truck down another path. The truck passed under a huge metal sign that read
Twin Acres
, and Easton’s heart skipped a beat. The closer they got, the more nervous he became.

Keeping his hands folded in his lap, Easton took a few deep breathes. He kept quiet as the others chatted around him.

Although he didn’t have much experience with men, he wasn’t a virgin. In the small town where he grew up, most folks didn’t talk openly about homosexuality, so Easton kept his thoughts and feelings under lock and key. He could only truly be himself once a month when he took the work truck into one of the larger cities to gather supplies. On those days, he’d stay the night in a cheap motel and visit a small hole-in-the-wall bar. He only stayed long enough to find company for the night. Then, first thing in the morning, he’d head back home with a smile on his face and memories to last him until his next visit.

“What does that little smile mean?” Oliver asked, breaking him from his thoughts, and Easton shook his head. “Come on, stud, let’s get some grub.”

Oliver opened the door and climbed out of the truck and Easton followed his lead. When his boot-covered feet touched the ground, Easton straightened. He wasn’t going to chicken out. Today, he was going to ask Trent out on a date and if the older man rejected him, it would be okay. Giving himself a little pep talk, Easton shut the door and trailed behind Wyatt, Jackson, and Oliver toward the front door.

“Hey, guys.” Jared opened the screen door. It seemed he’d beaten them all to the house by driving straight through the property instead of driving around like Wyatt. “They’re out back.”

Easton was the last one through the door. Looking around, his eyes widened. The place was incredible, more so than anything his imagination could’ve dreamed up. The first thing that caught his attention was the huge vaulted ceilings and the exposed wooden beams that created an unusual artistic design. Throughout the wood beams were iron rod ties and Easton wondered if they served a specific function or if they were there for decoration. The ceiling was painted a light green, but it didn’t take away from the wood work, if anything, it enhanced the space.

Walking further into the living room, he closed the door, and moved closer to the floor-to-ceiling windows along the back wall. The view was spectacular, looking out onto Trent’s property—green trees and beautiful mountains as far as the eye could see. Taking a deep breath, he turned around and surveyed the rest of the room—a giant rock fireplace, two leather couches, and polished antique furniture.

There were a few frames sitting on top of the shiny coffee table and his curiosity grew. Shuffling his feet across the huge throw rug, Easton stared down at the intricately designed pattern. He shook his head and carefully stepped close to the coffee table. He didn’t want to disturb the space. It was obvious Trent took great care in keeping his home perfectly clean and organized.

Lifting the silver frame from its perch, he studied the smiling faces. Easton knew right away that the two smiling faces belonged to Trent and his twin brother. They were identical in every way except one man was wearing a police officer’s uniform.

“That’s Trent and his brother, Todd,” a voice said from behind him and Easton yelped, the frame slipping from his hand. He caught it before it had a chance to hit the ground and he sighed in relief. “I’m sorry,” Jacob Monroe said. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

His heart pounding rapidly, Easton placed the frame carefully onto the table. “Was Trent a police officer?” Easton asked, as he stared at the picture.

“Yeah.” Jacob dropped carelessly onto one of the couches. “We were partners in Boston before Todd…”
Died
went unsaid, but Easton knew that Trent’s brother had passed away. Wyatt had shared that bit of information about Trent without revealing anything else. “Trent left the department and came back here when he got the news. He took charge of Twin Acres and made it what it is today. He’s been here about eight years or so.”

“Why did you move here?” Easton asked, finally looking up from the picture. He walked around the coffee table and sat down on the opposite end of the couch.

“I came here to visit Trent. I was worried about him. When I got here, I really liked the area and decided it was time for a change.” Jacob shrugged. “I opened my bar, Marilyn’s, and the rest is history. I’ve been here ever since and I really love the place.” Easton nodded his understanding before Jared asked, “How do you like living at the ranch?”

“I like it here.” He smiled, thinking about the Belt Buckle ranch and his brothers. Everyone at the ranch made him feel welcome. “It’s nothing like Oklahoma.”

“I can imagine.” Jacob chuckled lightly. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you for leaving me Jared’s number when you helped clean up the bar.”

Easton rubbed the back of his neck. Jared hadn’t thanked him for leaving his number behind that day. His brother had been upset. Luckily the man got over it fairly quickly and made up with Jacob. The two men were now together and Jacob had pretty much moved into Jared’s bedroom.

“I’m just glad everything worked out.”

“Anyway…” Jacob stood up. “Jared sent me in here to find you.”

“I got a little sidetracked.” Easton stood up and looked around once more. He wanted to ask more questions about Trent, but refrained.

“The view is pretty amazing, but you’ll have to see it from outside on the porch.” Jacob tilted his head toward the back yard. “The food is almost ready. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out, especially when Trent’s cooking. He’s a grill master.”

“I can’t wait.” Easton followed Jared through the kitchen.

The whole house seemed more like a museum than a home. It didn’t feel lived in. A pang of grief touched his heart, thinking about Trent and how lonely he must be. Making their way to the back door, voices and laughter filtered in through the screen door.

They stepped out onto the back patio and Easton surveyed the group sitting around a couple of large tables. Trent was standing in front of the grill, talking with Wyatt. He stared longingly at the man, wishing he was in Wyatt’s place, receiving all of Trent’s attention. Ignoring his wayward thoughts, Easton went toward the table where Oliver, Jared, Robbie, and Jackson were seated.