The blood drained from Jack's face. He was shaking Ennis Del Mar's hand. Ennis Del Mar was the man that had been sitting at the other end of the bar!

"Holy mother fuckin' shit! It's Ennis. This is Ennis. Holy shit!"

Jack realized that Ennis was looking at him funny from under the brim of his hat, and then Jack smiled and firmed his grip. He pumped Ennis' hand up and down a couple times.

"Well, nice to know ya, Ennis Del Mar."

Jack tried to keep the smile firmly planted on his face, but he found it was too hard to keep up the charade. He couldn't handle this. His brain couldn't compute what was going on. He felt a little dizzy and his vision started blurring up again. The world suddenly tilted completely on its side and Jack felt like he had to grab onto something to keep standing up straight. He needed to sit down, maybe put his head between his knees.

"Holy shit. Don't faint! Don't you dare faint like a little girl in front of Ennis Del Mar!"

He could feel bile start to rise in the back of his throat and he blinked and swallowed hard. He tried to settle himself by taking deep breaths, talk his body out of its weak feeling, but couldn't and he stumbled a little. Ennis, who'd gone back to looking out into the parking lot at nothing in particular, saw Jack stumble and turned back to him.

"Hey there, you sure yer okay? Do ya need ta sit down?"

All Jack could do was nod, and then his legs gave out from under him. He sat down hard on the curb and let the world settle back around him. He still felt completely off balance, and his head fell forward into his right hand. Ennis sat down next to him.

"Jesus! Ya look terrible. Do I need ta call an ambulance?"

Jack looked at Ennis, looked into his deep brown eyes and saw the concern that had no right being there. A part of Jack melted then. He worked his mouth up and down, trying to get the words out that he knew were in there somewhere.

"I'm fine. I jest…guess that son of a bitch got me harder than I thought."

Jack laughed a little, more to calm himself than anything else. Ennis was still looking at him, then finally turned away, took another drag of his cigarette.

"Well ya know, blows to the side a' the head can be pretty serious. Got kicked in the head by a mare once, nearly put me in a coma."

"Yeah well, I'm sure there's a pretty big difference 'tween gettin' kicked in the head by a horse and gettin' punched by a scrawny guy in a bar fight."

Ennis smirked. "True enough."

Jack finally felt like he was getting control of himself. It was just…finding out that this man was Ennis Del Mar, well that had been too much for Jack to bear. He still couldn't think about it, couldn't wrap his mind around the idea, but he was at least beyond the point of heart failure. Wasn't so sure a minute ago.

"That kind of a shock is enough to give even the healthiest man a heart attack. I'm surprised I didn't collapse right out."

He took in a few more deep breaths and closed his eyes.

"You sure ya don't want me to call an ambulance, or nothin'?"

Jack opened his eyes and noticed he was once more under Ennis' scrutiny. Jack shook his head, looking down, noticed that he must have dropped his smoke.

"Nah, honestly, I'm fine. But ya know what I do need?"

Ennis starred at him blankly. "What?"

"Well, I could use another cigarette, if'n ya don't mind."

Ennis reached back into his shirt pocket for the pack of smokes, gave one to Jack and lit it for him again. Jack inhaled deep once more.

"Sure could get use ta this. They may cause cancer, but what the hell, we all gotta die in the end, don't we?"

Jack suddenly realized that they couldn't just sit on the curb lookin' like a couple of hoodlums, especially since the police were on their way. He saw that Ennis was getting a little antsy and probably already had the same thought.

" Can't jest let it end right here! Think up somethin' to say, quick!"

Jack could always rely on his friendly demeanor and quick thinking to win in the end. He took a fast puff of his cigarette and then cautiously stood.

"Tell you what, Ennis Del Mar, I know I sure haven't had my fill a' drinkin' fer the night, and don't seem like you have neither. How 'bout I buy ya a couple a' beers?"

Ennis stood up slowly, his expression hard to read in the darkness.

"Ya don't mean back in there, right?" He gestured back at Bottom's Up with his thumb.

Jack frowned and then realized that he was playing with him.

"Shit no, boy! What, do ya think I'm really that crazy?"

Ennis chuckled softly. "Jest checkin'."

Another silence fell over them. Jack wasn't sure what else needed to be said. Surprisingly, Ennis spoke up first.

"There's another little joint a short ways from here on Freemont Avenue, called the Cedar Bar. We can head over there, if ya want."

Boy did he ever want that. He wanted more than that too, but all he could do was nod his head. They both headed to their own trucks, neither of them wanting to stand around outside Bottom's Up any longer. Jack agreed to follow Ennis, and watched the man climb into a fairly beat up Chevrolet. He savored the way his legs looked climbing into the tall cab. Jack shook himself, cut short his ogling, and climbed into his own F-150. He turned the ignition and the engine rumbled, resisted and then grudgingly started. Jack was becoming increasingly worried about his truck, was beginning to think that there was more wrong with it than Karl had thought.

"Burned out light bulb, my ass. Jest hope it doesn't cause me too much trouble till I get the chance to have it checked out again."

He put his pick-up in reverse and pulled in behind the Chevrolet that was waiting for him near the exit of the parking lot. As they pulled out onto the road, a cop car came racing out of the distance, siren blaring. Looked like they'd left just in time.

Jack rolled his head from side to side, massaging his neck. His muscles were sore from driving all day and he could feel a deep exhaustion waiting below the surface to take hold of him. At the moment though, he wasn't sleepy at all. He was wide-awake, felt like he was hopped up on caffeine, almost. He just couldn't believe that Ennis was this guy! It spooked the hell out of him. He'd gone all the way to Wyoming to seek him out, and it turned out that Ennis had found him, sort of.

"He saved me from gettin' one hell of a beatin'. He helped me out, made sure I was okay, was concerned about me, and he doesn't even know who I am."

Jack thought about his dark brown eyes and lean body, then immediately his thoughts wandered to the story's 'tent scene'. He blinked hard, as though he were trying to ward off the images of him and that man in the tent. He thought on Ennis' stern jaw and deep voice, and could easily imagine him turning Jack over and grabbing at his hips and…

"Shit boy. This ain't the time or the place fer this kind of stuff. Just stop it."

His face was flushed and his dick was tingling. He so badly wanted to pull over and jerk off, but knew that was a ridiculous thought. Of course, what he really wanted to do was get Ennis to pull over with him and feel his hands on him. That's what he really wanted.

"What yer experiencing right now, this thing that's got hold a' ya, it's jest infatuation. You've let yerself obsess over this story cause ya were bored with yer life and most of all yer sex life, and then ya found somethin' strange and captivating and ya let yerself get swept away. That's all it is. After thinkin' on the story and 'Ennis' fer nearly three weeks, of course yer gonna get a little crazy when ya finally meet him."

Jack was trying his hardest to convince himself that this was all just a phase, another whim to entertain him. But it was hard to do. Heck, he hadn't written the story, someone else had done that, and the fact that it was about him just…didn't seem possible. He would've had to been stone dead in the ground not to obsess over something that miraculous. And to top it all off, Jack had been looking at and appreciating the sight of Ennis before he knew it was him! He couldn't over look that.

"So he's a good lookin' guy. I'm sure I'm not the first man to appreciate a handsome man."

But try as he may, he just didn't have a very strong case.

"Straight men might acknowledge a good lookin' man, but they sure as hell don't check 'em out when they're in a bar and they definitely don't get a hard on thinkin' on it."

Fuck it. Fuck it all to hell. That's what Jack thought about the whole situation.

"Just have a drink with him and that'll be all, go on home and forget it."

Forget those eyes? Forget the concern that had been in them? Jack's stomach fluttered at the thought.

He was so distracted with his thoughts that he kept driving when Ennis made a right into the parking lot of the Cedar Bar. Jack hit hard on his brakes and made a U-turn, then pulled into the parking space next to Ennis' older Chevrolet. When the engine was off, he steeled himself and got out of the truck, excited, yet apprehensive about having a few more drinks with this man.

Ennis was already waiting near the tailgate of his pick up. He smiled slightly as Jack approached.

"Thought you was gonna drive on by, back there. Thought maybe ya didn't wanna spend the money on drinks after all."

"Hell no. Satan himself couldn't keep me from a beer right now."

They walked into the bar together, the whole way keeping a friendly distance. The Cedar Bar was bigger than Bottom's Up and more colorful. There were several neon signs on the inside that cast a multicolored glare and lightened up the darkness. There were more people here, more women Jack noticed, and a small dance floor where some were line dancing to music from the large stereo system.

They made their way over to a booth and sat down. As soon as they were seated a young girl with a big smile on her face and a tray in her hands came over.

"Welcome, fellas. What can I get ya?"

Jack nodded for Ennis to order first, a bud, and then he ordered himself the same. The waitress left and Jack looked down at his wringing hands. He wasn't sure what to say. After a moment of silence he finally decided that Ennis wasn't planning on being the first to speak, so Jack asked the first thing that came to his mind.

"What's it ya do, Ennis Del Mar?"

Ennis didn't answer because the waitress had returned with their two beers. She set them down on the table and then sashayed off to another table. Ennis took a swig of beer.

"I'm a ranch hand. Work with horses and cows mostly. Move around a lot, but I've been working with a foreman name a' Stoutamire fer a time now."

Stoutamire. Jack knew the name. Had read it in Brokeback Mountain. He tried to keep natural and not act like the world around him was falling to pieces.

Ennis took another sip of his beer. "What 'bout you?"

"Well, I co-own a farming equipment comp'ny back in Texas, but I'm practically retired now. I only go inta the office 'bout two times a week."

Ennis nodded. "Yeah, my daughter Junior's been tryin' ta get me ta retire now fer five years. Says I'm gettin' too old ta keep up with such rough labor." He shrugged. "I keep tellin' her that it keeps me healthy."

They talked about work some more and ordered more beers when they finished what they had. Eventually there conversation turned to marriage.

"So are ya married?" Ennis asked.

Jack laughed and undid the first few buttons of his shirt. The boos were starting to take effect.

"Yeah. Thirty-four years next month. Don't know how the hell I've survived all these years."

"You n' yer wife not get along then?"

Jack smiled and shook his head, thinking about his relationship with Lureen.

"Ya see, the thing with Lureen is, the only one she gets along jest fine with is herself. She's a hard headed ol' woman, and she can be a right bitch at times."

He started in on his fourth beer of the evening.

"Me n' Lureen, we get along okay as long as we don't have to see each other that much. Figure that's why our marriage has lasted this long. I should write a book, 'Jack Twist's Secret to the Perfect Marriage: Pretending Your Spouse Doesn't Exist'. Couples all over the world would thank me."

Ennis chuckled and ordered another round of drinks.

"Me n' ma ex-wife Alma never got along too well, neither."

Jack nearly choked on his mouthful of beer. "Yer divorced then?"

Ennis nodded. "Yep. Been divorced since November a' 75. Best thing fer the both of us, but I did miss seein' my girls all the time."

"Did ya ever get remarried?"

He shook his head. "Never felt the need to. Figured I jest wasn't the marryin' kind. Don't need any other women asides my two girls anyway."

Jack took a quick look at that man sitting across from him and then his eyes dropped down. The hours were going by fine, Jack was having a great time, he'd forgotten about his inner conflict and the bizarre circumstances that had taken place. He was too busy shooting the breeze with Ennis. Conversation came naturally between them, and though Ennis was a little more reserved, and mainly listened to Jack blabber, he was nothing if not friendly. In fact, he was down right pleasant. One of the sincerest guys Jack had ever met, even though he was quiet. Most of the people Jack had to have dealings with where business people and they had a tendency to be full of shit. Jack liked the fact that even though Ennis talked little, what he did say was direct and rang with truth. Jack also found as the evening continued, and the beers bottles continued to collect at their booth, that Ennis Del Mar was becoming increasingly attractive. He'd had time now to study his face and though it was the face of an older man, as his own was, he was still immensely handsome. Jack's eyes twinkled when Ennis would open his mouth to speak, and found he liked watching his lips move, found himself wondering what it would be like to have those lips make a trail down his neck and chest.

Their conversation continued on, switching from one topic to the other, Ennis told Jack about castrating cows, Jack told Ennis about traveling to farm machinery expos, until Jack happened to bring up his granddaughter, Eliza. He fished out her school picture from his wallet and showed it to Ennis.

"Ain't she jest the prettiest thing ya ever did see?"

"She sure is a might pretty. Big ol' blue eyes."

Jack smiled. "Yeah, that's a Twist family trait."

They looked at each other for a minute in silence. Ennis nodded his head in agreement and looked down at his hands. Jack looked away to observe the people sitting at the bar. He finally brought his attention back to the man sitting across from him.

"Do ya have any grandchildren?"

Ennis looked at his hands and didn't answer for a while. His jaw tensed a little and he took another swig of beer. Jack sat uncomfortable waiting for an answer. He thought he might've struck a nerve, but wasn't sure why.

Finally Ennis looked back up at Jack, his jaw relaxed, his expression open, only partly because of all the beers.

"I do. I have a grandson. Brandon. He lives with his mama, my youngest daughter Francine in California. They don't visit much, so I hardly ever see him. He'll be thirteen in December."

Ennis was quiet again. Jack waited patiently for him to continue.

"My oldest daughter, Alma Junior, well, she can't have no children. She's tried and tried, cuz she wants ta be a mother somethin' bad, and God knows she'd make a great one, but, bless her heart, she jest can't."

Jack was silent. He had no idea that he'd opened such a huge can of worms. He felt terrible about bringing it up, would never want to cause Ennis any sort of added pain, but told himself that he couldn't have known. He knew a lot of other things about Ennis Del Mar from what he'd read (which so far had all turned out to be true) but this was something that the book didn't tell, couldn't tell because the story ended in 1983. It was a sharp reminder that the man in front of him was not fictional, not at all. He was real and had a life, and could get hurt like anyone else. He wanted to reach out and touch him then, be he didn't.

"Hasn't she thought about adopting?"

Ennis sat back against the booth and took in a deep breath.

"Sure has. She's been on the waiting list ta be approved by the adoption agency fer sev'ral years now. Their hesitant ta give the go ahead cuz Junior and her husband don't make too much money."

Jack nodded. "Shit. I fuckin' hate red tape. Wish those bureaucratic assholes would jest see that a loving home is a thousand times better than no home."

Ennis sat blinking at Jack. He examined him a little longer, then shrugged.

"Yeah, well, whatever will be will be."

"…Exactly."

Jack'd had those exact thoughts when he was still in the car driving to Riverton. He shook his head and leaned forward in the booth, repositioning himself because his right foot was starting to go to sleep.

"Do ya see yer older daughter often?"

Ennis nodded his head, also repositioning himself a little. "Yep. She lives here in Riverton, not too far from my place. She's the one who convinced me ta move closer ta her a little while after she got married. Used ta live in a little shack on the outskirts a' town, wasn't too good, bein' out there by myself all the time. Told me it wasn't healthy and somehow got me ta sell my horses and fork over the dough fer a down payment." He smiled to himself. "She certainly is the bright spot in my life. Always was."

Jack knew how that went, which made him think back on his little girl Eliza, wondered if she missed him much.

The night wore on. The drinks continued to flow, and finally a drunker, looser Ennis looked at his watch.

"Shee-it. S'already one in the mornin'. I gotta get up at five."

Jacks eyes widened. "What n' the hell ya gotta get up at five fer?"

"Gotta go ta work."

"On a Saturday?"

Ennis chuckled. "Yeah. Ranchin's a full time job, Twist. May seem strange to a nine ta five businessman, but I've been workin' on Saturdays since I been a boy."

Jack shook his head in amazement. He laughed.

"Couldn't imagine gettin' up at five on a Saturday mornin' these days. Seems wrong."

They both laughed and Jack got the tab. It was a little pricey, but Jack was able to convince Ennis to let him pay for it.

"S'posed ta be a thank ya fer savin' my ass."

Ennis stood up from the booth. "Oh yeah. Fergot 'bout that. Them boys was goin' ta wipe the floor with ya."

Jack stood, woozily, leaving the cash on the table. "Hey now! I coulda held 'em back, if'n I had to!"

"So what, ya were jest pretendin' ta be hurt and fell ta the ground fer the hell of it?"

Jack punched Ennis hard on the arm as they stumbled their way out of the bar.

"Shut up, asshole."

Ennis chuckled again and then they were outside. The moon was completely out now, bright as could be, and the air had gotten considerable cooler.

Jack shivered despite his leather jacket. "Jesus! Sure did get cold! Isn't it June?"

"It's the mountain air comin' down from the north." He looked out in the distance towards the mountains. "Might even snow tonight up there, even though it's early."

Jack shook his head and wrapped his arms across his chest. "Well I guess I jest got used ta Texas weather. Summer's summer, down there."

They continued to their trucks and Jack's good humor suddenly disappeared when he realized that this was it. They were about to part ways. When they got to the tailgates of their trucks they both stopped and turned towards each other.

Jack looked long at Ennis. Finally he stuck out his hand.

"Well, Ennis, it's been nice talkin' with ya. Had a good time."

Ennis shook his hand. "Same here."

Their handshake lingered for a while. It was firm, but not as firm as it had been earlier because now the men were tired and quite drunk. Jack let go first and got hurriedly into his truck. He didn't know what else to say. He couldn't say anything else. He hadn't even said a word of goodbye. It was too much to part ways with the man that had fast become his friend. He didn't want to leave, but he knew he had too.

He put his key in the ignition and tried to clear his head. He knew it wasn't a good idea to be driving off drunk, but what else could he do? He turned the key. Nothing. Not even a moan or a shutter, just nothing. Jack rubbed roughly at his face and once again tried to focus his thoughts. He turned the key again, harder this time. The truck was dead. Completely dead.

"Shit." He muttered under his breath.

There was a tap at his window. Jack looked up and saw Ennis standing there with a sleepy expression on his face. Jack sighed and motioned for Ennis to back up so he could open his door and get out.

"Car trouble?" Ennis asked as Jack slammed the door of his truck.

"Yeah. Fuck. I can't believe it. It's brand new. I had some trouble with it earlier today on the road, but had it checked out and was told that everythin' was okay."

"I can take a look at yer engine if ya want."

Jack nodded and opened the driver side door again so he could pop the hood. Ennis stepped in front of the pick up and lifted it up. He messed around inside the engine for a couple minutes and then shut it. He came back around to Jack.

"I'm gonna be honest with ya, I can't see shit. But, the whole thing jest looks like a big jumbled mess ta me right now, it bein' so late n' me bein' so drunk."

Jack kicked at the ground. "Shit."

"Sorry, bud."

Jack bit at his lip, thinking. "Should I call a tow truck?"

"Too late now, Riverton's a small town and there aren't any 24 hour tow services."

"Don't have a phone ta call no how."

Jack rubbed at his neck. Ennis looked at his boots.

"Well I can drive ya ta wherever yer stayin'. I don't mind."

Jack's head snapped up at that comment. "Damnit! Forgot all about that! I don't got nowhere to stay! Great fuckin' job, Twist. Way ta thinks things through."

Jack looked around the parking lot sheepishly.

"Well thanks fer the offer, but I…uh…don't have no where ta stay right now. It kinda slipped my mind. I…uh…jest meant ta be passin' through."

Ennis was silent. Jack couldn't see his face because his head was turned down and his hat was once more pulled low over his eyes. Finally he looked back up at Jack.

"Well its late, so…ya can stay with me fer the night if ya wanna. Get yer truck towed to a body shop in the mornin'. I got a perfectly good sofa that ya can use."

Jack was still. He was starring over Ennis' shoulder at some more people coming out of the bar. He was looking at them, but not really seeing them because his mind was full of heavy thoughts. As heavy as a drunk man can handle. He was eager to say yes, but was trying to imagine what it would be like to be inside that man's house, sleeping on the couch while he slept only a few feet away. He shivered again and closed his leather jacket tighter around him.

"All right. Awful nice a' you ta offer."

Jack got his bag out of his truck and then they both hopped into Ennis' Chevrolet. Ennis started the car and turned the heat up. Jack gave him an appreciative nod. Ennis drove slowly, being real careful not to do anything reckless. Jack watched the night sky from the passenger window. It was all he could do. The ride to Ennis' house was silent.

Ennis unlocked the front door and let Jack go inside in front of him. He locked the door behind him when he was inside too. Jack looked around, squinting because it was dark, but there was enough moonlight streaming in through the windows that he could see he was standing in a small, tidy living room. Of course there wasn't much to be messy.

Ennis walked past him and put his keys on a table next to a recliner.

"Well I gotta get ta bed. Like I said, gotta be up in a couple hours. The couch is right there, and the bathroom's down the hall on the left."

He pointed to a short hallway that connected to the kitchen.

"Feel free ta eat somethin' from the kitchen in the mornin'. I don't got much, but I'm sure ya can find somethin' in there ta tempt ya."

Jack just nodded and stood in the small living room looking like a lost little boy.

Ennis waited there a minute longer.

"Well make yerself at home. I'll see ya tomorrow, I guess."

Jack watched Ennis turn to walk into the kitchen. He called him back.

"Hey Ennis?"

Ennis turned. "What?"

Jack sighed. "Thanks. Fer everythin'. You been a real friend."

Ennis smiled. "Yeah well…yer welcome."

They stood there for a moment just looking at each other and then Ennis turned to go to bed.

Jack watched him go and then ambled over to the couch and sat down. He sat there in a daze, starring at the duffle bag at his feet. Well, here he was. He had met Ennis Del Mar, had gone out drinking with him, and now was sitting just a few feet from where he was sleeping. It was unbelievable. Completely fucking unbelievable.

He yawned and stretched his arms up above his head. His mind was still foggy, would probably wake up with a hell of a hangover in the morning. He took his boots off and stretched out on Ennis Del Mar's couch, crossed his feet and the ankle and put one hand beneath his head. He listened to his own breathing and stared at the ceiling, watching the lights dance as a car passed the small white house.

He thought on everything they had talked about that night. Thought on the way Ennis had looked at him after he'd mentioned that blue eyes were a Twist family trait. Seemed like Ennis had looked as deep into Jack's big blue eyes as Jack'd looked into Ennis' chocolate brown. He thought about how Ennis had punched the guy that had slugged Jack, and thought about how he'd lifted him gently back to his feet and asked him if he was all right. Most of all though, he thought on the concern he'd seen in Ennis' eyes when Jack had sat down on the curb. He had just been being friendly to Jack, making sure he was okay. Anyone would have done the same thing if they'd seen him fall down on the street, but…there was something more. At least that was how it'd seemed. And then there was the feeling Jack had gotten. It had felt like something tight in his chest had suddenly unfurled, it had felt like…well he wasn't sure, but he knew he wanted to have that feeling again.

He yawned again and turned his head so all he could see was the material of the gray couch. He closed his eyes. He was too tired and too drunk to really argue with himself much. All he could do was acknowledge the night's events as truths.

Jack's mind drifted over to the fact that Ennis was sleeping just a little ways from him. He had to wonder what he'd look like asleep. Figured his face relaxed all the way, and he'd no longer look guarded. Jack wished he could see his face sleeping, wished he knew what it looked like, wished he knew everything about the man. As the minutes wore on and Jack drifted closer and closer to the brink of sleep, he found he wished many things that couldn't be.