to show Moby the attention he’d obviously never experienced.
“As hard as I am, I wouldn’t risk your safety for anything,” Sean admitted. “It’s become pretty damn important to me that you’re still around tomorrow.”
“Oh, no worries there. I plan on sticking around until you’re tired of me.”
Sean bit his tongue. His immediate reaction was to assure Moby that wouldn’t happen, but it was still too early to show his hand. With his luck, he’d scare Moby away if he started talking about the future. Jumping into a new relationship with gusto had always been a problem. It didn’t take a psychologist to tell Sean why. Affection of any kind had been a rarity in his youth. Although he’d never been mistreated by his father, he’d been kept at arm’s length.
Moby cleared his throat. “You still there?”
Shit. Play it cool. “I think I’m gonna go ahead and close up for the night. I’ve got some bookkeeping to do anyway.”
“All right. You sure everything’s okay?” Moby asked.
“Yeah.” Sean wondered how honest he could be. “I tend to attach myself pretty early on in a relationship. So far my track record with that way of doing things is shit. Guess I just want this one to be different.”
“So, what’re you trying to say? You want to cool things between us?”
“No,” Sean was quick to answer. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I just want this one to work. I wanna do it right.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve been thinking about asking Smitty if he wants to work a couple nights a week for me. I’d really like a chance to spend quality time with you.” Sean hadn’t realised he’d made a final decision until the words were out of his mouth.
“I’d love that. My mom asked about you earlier. I think she might even be ready to have you over for dinner one evening.”
Spending time with Moby’s mother scared him to death, but he’d learned his lesson with Ryan’s mom. It was important to make nice. Like a lovesick teenager, he’d already committed Moby’s schedule to memory. “Sunday? I can call Smitty in the morning and ask if he’s available. I know you work a half-shift, but you should be out of here by four.”
“Sunday would be perfect.”
“Great,” Sean agreed, trying to sound positive. “Hopefully the crap outside will stop, and they’ll get the roads cleared by tomorrow evening.”
Moby chuckled. “Maybe you can spend the rest of the evening looking into that snowcat idea.”
“Right after I pay all the bills. I’m sure I’ll have plenty left over for a snowcat .”
Moby laughed harder. “A man can dream.”
* * * *
Moby hung up the phone and stared out of the kitchen window to the yard beyond. God, I miss the desert. It wouldn’t be as bad if he lived in
Cattle
Valley
. Not solely because of Sean either. The best thing about working in an all-male revue was being surrounded by quite a few like-minded men.
He heard his mom come out of the bathroom and sighed. She was trying, Moby had to give her credit, but would she ever be self-sufficient enough to live on her own?
“Did I hear the phone?”
Virginia
asked.
Moby glanced over his shoulder to find his mom dressed for bed in her nightgown and robe. “Sean called.” He didn’t want to tell his mom about his conversation. Sean had opened up to him, and Moby took that trust to heart. “Evidently the snow in
Cattle
Valley
is as bad as it is here.”
“Well of course it is.”
Virginia
filled the glass she kept beside the sink with water and took her pills.
“Would you mind if Sean came to dinner on Sunday?” He held his breath, hoping for a positive response.
“I guess I could make my fried chicken you like so much. Your friend does eat meat, doesn’t he?” she asked, one greying eyebrow raised.
“Yes, Mom, Sean’s a meat eater.” Moby walked over and kissed her cheek. “Thanks. I’m sure he’d love your fried chicken.”
Virginia
stepped away from him, but Moby could tell
“As hard as I am, I wouldn’t risk your safety for anything,” Sean admitted. “It’s become pretty damn important to me that you’re still around tomorrow.”
“Oh, no worries there. I plan on sticking around until you’re tired of me.”
Sean bit his tongue. His immediate reaction was to assure Moby that wouldn’t happen, but it was still too early to show his hand. With his luck, he’d scare Moby away if he started talking about the future. Jumping into a new relationship with gusto had always been a problem. It didn’t take a psychologist to tell Sean why. Affection of any kind had been a rarity in his youth. Although he’d never been mistreated by his father, he’d been kept at arm’s length.
Moby cleared his throat. “You still there?”
Shit. Play it cool. “I think I’m gonna go ahead and close up for the night. I’ve got some bookkeeping to do anyway.”
“All right. You sure everything’s okay?” Moby asked.
“Yeah.” Sean wondered how honest he could be. “I tend to attach myself pretty early on in a relationship. So far my track record with that way of doing things is shit. Guess I just want this one to be different.”
“So, what’re you trying to say? You want to cool things between us?”
“No,” Sean was quick to answer. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I just want this one to work. I wanna do it right.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve been thinking about asking Smitty if he wants to work a couple nights a week for me. I’d really like a chance to spend quality time with you.” Sean hadn’t realised he’d made a final decision until the words were out of his mouth.
“I’d love that. My mom asked about you earlier. I think she might even be ready to have you over for dinner one evening.”
Spending time with Moby’s mother scared him to death, but he’d learned his lesson with Ryan’s mom. It was important to make nice. Like a lovesick teenager, he’d already committed Moby’s schedule to memory. “Sunday? I can call Smitty in the morning and ask if he’s available. I know you work a half-shift, but you should be out of here by four.”
“Sunday would be perfect.”
“Great,” Sean agreed, trying to sound positive. “Hopefully the crap outside will stop, and they’ll get the roads cleared by tomorrow evening.”
Moby chuckled. “Maybe you can spend the rest of the evening looking into that snowcat idea.”
“Right after I pay all the bills. I’m sure I’ll have plenty left over for a snowcat .”
Moby laughed harder. “A man can dream.”
* * * *
Moby hung up the phone and stared out of the kitchen window to the yard beyond. God, I miss the desert. It wouldn’t be as bad if he lived in
Cattle
Valley
. Not solely because of Sean either. The best thing about working in an all-male revue was being surrounded by quite a few like-minded men.
He heard his mom come out of the bathroom and sighed. She was trying, Moby had to give her credit, but would she ever be self-sufficient enough to live on her own?
“Did I hear the phone?”
Virginia
asked.
Moby glanced over his shoulder to find his mom dressed for bed in her nightgown and robe. “Sean called.” He didn’t want to tell his mom about his conversation. Sean had opened up to him, and Moby took that trust to heart. “Evidently the snow in
Cattle
Valley
is as bad as it is here.”
“Well of course it is.”
Virginia
filled the glass she kept beside the sink with water and took her pills.
“Would you mind if Sean came to dinner on Sunday?” He held his breath, hoping for a positive response.
“I guess I could make my fried chicken you like so much. Your friend does eat meat, doesn’t he?” she asked, one greying eyebrow raised.
“Yes, Mom, Sean’s a meat eater.” Moby walked over and kissed her cheek. “Thanks. I’m sure he’d love your fried chicken.”
Virginia
stepped away from him, but Moby could tell
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