When Jack and Ennis talked to Joe that evening, they weren't able to get the next day off. After they got their chores down they were allowed to go tomorrow evening. Which meant that they would get back home late. Then they would have to get up early the following day for more chores around the ranch. Hopefully they would be able to get enough sleep.
As Jack climbed into bed, he was tempted to ask Ennis to stay the night again. But, he didn't have the balls to do it, so he slept alone that night. When he got up the next morning, Ennis had made breakfast. They sat at the table eating in silence. It should have felt awkward, but it wasn't. Things were starting to feel more comfortable around Ennis.
And all because he slept in your bed last night? Jack thought to himself. He finished off his coffee and looked over at Ennis, who was standing at the sink washing dishes. Jack grabbed his plate and cup and walked over to the sink, testing how close he could get to Ennis without either of them saying anything.
Bodies nearly touching, Jack reached past Ennis and placed his plate and cup in the sink. Ennis gave him a look. "Wash your own dishes," he said then stepped aside while he rinsed and dried his own.
Jack washed his plate and cup, noticing with a slight smirk on his face that Ennis never strayed more than two steps away from him. He rinsed and dried his dishes then put them away, having to move close and reach past Ennis once again in order to do so. And this time it was face to face. Jack had Ennis backed up into the counter as he closed the cabinet.
"Are you gonna rinse out the sink?" Ennis asked. His eyes only met Jack's for a moment before he looked away to occupy his eyes with something else.
Jack opened his mouth to respond, but stopped when they both heard the door open. Jack turned just as Ron bounded into the kitchen. Quickly stepping away from Ennis, Jack moved over to the sink and pulled the plug, letting the water drain. He could feel Ron's accusing eyes on his back the whole time. This was awkward.
"Dad wants y'all in the barn," Ron said. "One of the heifers is calving."
Jack cleaned out the sink. "We're comin'," he said without turning to face Ron. As if things between them weren't bad enough. He needed to make sure he wasn't alone with Ron ever again.
"All right, then," Ron said a bit awkwardly. Was there hurt in his tone also? Or was that insane jealousy? Either way, it was just like Ron to feel that way and he'd do his best to make Jack feel guilty about it. Dammit.
Jack didn't move for a while even after Ron had left. He stared down into the sink, feeling the silence engulfing him. He looked over at Ennis, who was just staring at the floor. "You're not gonna say anything?" he asked.
Ennis shrugged as he looked at Jack. "What am I supposed to say?"
"Assure me that you're not jealous of Ron."
"We better get to the barn," Ennis said, deflecting the conversation. He pushed away from the counter and headed out the door. Jack wanted so badly to stop him and talk this through, but figured that he wasn't going to get much out of Ennis.
He's jealous, I know it. Jack turned away from the sink and headed out after Ennis.
They walked over to the barn and Jack was a bit surprised to see Carrie there. Joe and Ron were kneeling behind the cow. Jack stood frozen in place, not knowing how to handle something like this. Ennis, on the other hand, went directly over to lend a helping hand.
Joe rattled off a few orders that Jack wasn't really paying attention to. Ron and Carrie ran off to do as they were told. Joe let Ennis take over and Jack felt nauseous as he watched Ennis reach inside the cow. He felt like he could faint at any moment. Ron and Carrie were back in a flash.
"And get him outta here," Joe told Ron. Jack realized that that 'him' he was talking about was him. He couldn't take his eyes off Ennis as Ron grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the barn.
"Always goin' through new experiences here, huh?" Ron asked once they were outside of the barn. Jack felt better breathing in the fresh, cool air.
"I'd rather avoid some experiences," Jack said. He walked over to a wooden crate and sat down, taking deep breaths. "How often do you go through something like that?"
Ron shrugged. "Whenever a cow gets pregnant," he said. "You get used to it after a while."
Jack shook his head in protest. "Not me."
Ron walked over and knelt down beside him. "Ennis seems to have no problem with it," he said.
"Ennis used to live on a ranch."
"And how will that work out?"
"What?"
"If Ennis wants to live on a ranch," Ron said. "How will you-"
"Ennis is gonna go to college," Jack said, knowing where this conversation was going to lead to. "No one said I was gonna go anywhere."
"You said you weren't stayin' here."
"How 'bout you stop with the bullshit and tell me to my face that you have a problem with Ennis," Jack said, pissed. If he let this go on, Ron would just talk in circles without really getting to the point.
"I don't have a problem with Ennis," Ron said. "It's you and Ennis." He placed his hand on Jack's leg. "I still think we have a chance."
"After what you told Ennis?" Jack asked then shook his head. "Hell, no."
"What do you mean?"
"Ennis told me you told him that I was with you all night the other night," Jack said. "He knew you were lyin' because all night, he had me in his arms." He stood up and walked past Ron, heading away from the barn.
Ron followed after him. "You slept with Ennis?!"
"Not what you think, Ron."
Ron hurried forward and grabbed Jack's arm, stopping him and turning him around. "Then enlighten me," he said. "Because it sure as hell sounds like you two already have your relationship under control."
"I was drunk and asked him to stay the night," Jack said. "Nothing happened." Why did he suddenly want Ron to understand that nothing had happened?
Because of that kiss. A kiss he hadn't stopped until after he realized how much he wanted that contact. Did he not care about who? Ever since he had grown comfortable with himself, he hadn't found anyone until now. Maybe he was just lonely and grabbed at whoever showed him interest first.
"But you want something to happen," Ron said. "Otherwise I wouldn't have caught you two standing nose to nose earlier."
"That was nothing."
"Bull."
"I can't make anyone happy!" Jack said then turned and started walking again. He stopped at his truck, staring at the barn in one of the side mirrors. But all he could picture was Ennis' arms inside a cow.
Ron stepped in front of him and pushed him back against the truck. "I'm sure if you gave in," he said, opening the truck door. "You can make someone happy."
How did this happen? Jack didn't put much thought into it. He just pressed his lips against Ron's as Ron pulled him into the truck.
Ennis walked around to the back of the barn to clean up at the well. Joe was taking care of the cow and newborn calf. Carrie had headed back into the house and no one but Ennis was wondering what Jack and Ron were doing right now. He got the feeling that they were probably arguing since Ron never seemed to get the picture that Jack didn't want a relationship with him.
But who did he want a relationship with? Last night, Ennis had convinced himself that Jack just wanted to be his friend. But, after what Jack said earlier today...
Was he jealous of Ron?
Ennis shook his head, pushing Ron and Jack out of his head. He had to focus on chores right now and think about everything else once he and Jack went to town later this evening. Because he knew a talk was coming. They'd be alone and far away from the ranch. It would be the perfect opportunity to say something. And figure things out.
As Ennis set the bucket of water on the ground and started cleaning up, movement caught his attention. He looked forward to see Jack and Ron inside Jack's truck. The door was open so he had a perfect view of the two entangled together. Kissing and grabbing at each other. Jack wasn't trying to push Ron away.
Ennis finished cleaning up and dried his hands and arms then turned and headed back to the barn at a fast pace. He sat down on a workbench, hearing Joe working elsewhere nearby. Ennis sank into his own little world, tuning out everything around him.
Assure me that you're not jealous of Ron. Hard to assure anything when Jack told him one thing just to go off and pull something like this. Ennis knew that Jack was interested in Ron, but never would have imagined that it would come to this. And Jack couldn't use the excuse that he had been drunk again.
"Lemonade?"
Ennis pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked up to see Carrie standing there, holding out a glass. He straightened up and took the glass, scooting over as she sat down beside him.
"You okay?" Carrie asked, holding her glass with both hands as she looked over at him with a bit of concern.
"I just..." Ennis trailed off. He knew he could talk to her about it, but he was afraid that Joe would overhear. Then they would all get into trouble.
"Is it Jack and Ron?"
"How'd you know?" Ennis asked, looking down at his glass.
"They did leave the barn together."
"They're out there in the truck right now."
"Really?"
Ennis nodded his head. "See for yourself and then try to make me feel better."
Carrie hesitated a moment then got to her feet and headed to the back of the barn. Ennis drank his lemonade and said nothing when Carrie returned to her seat.
"Someone should say something."
"If Jack wants Ron-"
"Maybe it's you."
Ennis looked at her. "That doesn't make me feel better at all."
"Ron's able to get away with this because you haven't made a move."
"I don't know how."
"You have tonight to figure that out now, don't ya?"
"If he doesn't decide to go with Ron instead."
Carrie placed her hand on his arm. "I'm sure this is just a phase," she said. "Once you two grow closer, he'll forget all about Ron."
"I wish you're right."
Carrie patted his arm then gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I know I'm right."
Breaking for air, Jack squirmed out from under Ron and got out of the truck. Ron didn't protest. He just sat there with that silly grin on his face that pissed Jack off.
"We've got chores to do," Jack said, looking around and hoping that no one had seen them. But, since they were all in the barn birthing a calf...
Jack stopped that thought when he felt nauseous once again.
Ron leaned out of the truck and grinned at Jack. "Meet up later?"
"I'm goin' to town with Ennis later."
Ron hopped out of the truck. "Then when you get back."
Jack rolled his eyes, grumbling a curse under his breath. "Sure," he said, not really all that serious about it. He shouldn't have even let this happen. All it did was make him crave that contact again.
Except he was craving Ennis' arms around him instead.
Ennis felt warm. Ron just jumped into things and there was no warmth or intimacy in the way Ron's arms felt. It seemed as if Ron was just trying to compete with Ennis now instead of winning Jack over.
Great. Now I'm just a prize.
Jack and Ron headed off to get to work. Jack spotted Ennis hanging out with Carrie in the barn and wondered if he should go over there. But, what would he talk about? He put it out of his mind and just got to work.
TBC