Which was how he found himself at the diner, not at all surprised to find it was crowded. Didn’t seem to matter the day or the time, Coyote Ridge’s one and only sit-down restaurant was a popular place. Even on a Monday night.
When he stepped inside, he was greeted by the cheerful din of conversation as well as the radiant smile of the hostess/waitress, who happened to be strolling toward him. Rachel Talbott, the daughter of the restaurant’s owners, Charles and Myrna, precariously balanced a tray with four glasses and three salad bowls, making it look easy.
“Hey, handsome. How many?”
“Just one.”
“Again?”
Reese grinned. “I like the company.”
“Keep this up, people’ll start talkin’,” she teased, motioning in the opposite direction. “Right this way.”
Rachel showed him to an empty booth, then promised to bring his sweet tea on her way back through.
Pulling his phone from his pocket, Reese took a seat, keeping his back to a couple of guys chatting in the booth next to his. It didn’t take long before Rachel hurried back over, passing over a glass of tea and taking his order for a chef’s salad with ranch dressing on the side. She gifted him with another smile, then went about her business, leaving Reese to have dinner alone as he did most nights.
It was actually how he preferred his meals. Trying to hold up his end of a conversation at this point in the day was tedious. Hence the reason he stopped in here, grabbed a table for himself, and kept his attention from straying by scrolling through his social media accounts on his phone.
Only this time, while he was scrolling, minding his own business, he was distracted by the conversation taking place behind him. He’d caught sight of Brantley Walker, one of Travis’s many cousins whom he’d met only recently, but he hadn’t recognized the guy sitting across from him.
“You seen Cyrus since you’ve been back?” the other guy asked.
“Yep. He stopped by last night, in fact.”
“You two seein’ each other?”
Well, that clarified one thing for Reese. Brantley Walker was gay.
Not that he was the least bit concerned about anyone’s sexual orientation. To each his own.
No, he’d been more curious as to Brantley’s relationship with Jessie James, the gorgeous woman Brantley had introduced to the group at IHOP the other night. While Reese thought he’d caught the guy looking his way a time or two, he’d been more interested in finding out if JJ and he were an item. Looked like the answer was a definite no.
“I wouldn’t put it that way, no,” Brantley said from behind him.
“Ah.” A laugh followed. “Late-night encounter, huh?”
“Somethin’ like that.”
“Always keepin’ your options open, Brantley.”
“What about you?”
“I … uh … no. I’m not seein’ anyone at the moment. I know it might sound strange, but I’ve been on a hiatus for a while.”
“How long’s a while?”
“Sixteen months.”
An amused whistle sounded. “Painful.”
Reese did his best to ignore the exchange, knowing he had no business listening in on their private conversation. Probably would’ve helped if he’d brought headphones, because Brantley’s deep, guttural tone wasn’t easy to ignore. In fact, the man was hard to miss on all fronts. Between his buzz cut, the dark scruff on his jaw, and his nearly perfect features, Reese had found himself looking longer than was appropriate. Especially for a straight guy. Yet there was something about Brantley Walker that drew his attention.
Last night, when he’d been at Curtis and Lorrie’s, he’d listened to the stories being told, the questions Travis and his brothers had pelted at Brantley, inquiring about his time in the Navy. A couple of times, Travis had attempted to engage Reese in those discussions, but as was the case anytime he was asked about his time in the Air Force, he did his best to evade. As far as he was concerned, those days were behind him and he had no desire to sit around and stir up memories better left alone.
From what he’d gathered, Brantley had felt the same despite the fact he’d politely responded to each and every one. That was how Reese had learned the man hadn’t left the Teams willingly, but rather had been forced out due to an op that had gone sideways, resulting in his medical retirement.
Reese’s attention shifted when he heard movement behind him. A second later, he watched as the man who’d been sitting across from Brantley headed for the doors.
“Care to join me?”
The voice came from behind him, causing Reese to turn, resting his arm over the back of the booth. “Who me?”
“Yep. No reason to eat alone.”
He considered it for a moment, but rather than tell Brantley he preferred to eat solo, Reese found himself getting up, taking his tea glass with him as he switched seats, occupying the one Brantley’s dinner companion had vacated.
Based on what was left on his plate, Brantley had finished off most of his meal, only half a burger and a handful of French fries remaining.
