After Brantley had finished showing off, Reese had taken him back home, intending to drop him off. Only, he had accepted Brantley’s invite for lunch, which they’d had over conversation in Brantley’s kitchen since the guy didn’t have a dining room table. Or a couch, for that matter.
“All right,” Reese said, grinning as he scanned the space. “What’s up with the lack of furniture?”
“There’s furniture where it’s necessary.”
“Such as?”
That cocky grin made an appearance. “The bedroom.”
Pretending not to notice the innuendo, Reese replied with, “So you furnished the bedroom, why not the rest of the place?”
“It was my intention, until Travis started harpin’ on me about gettin’ a couch. Figured it would serve him right.”
Reese laughed. “Because he’s affected by you not havin’ a couch.”
“Touché.”
“And the dining room table?”
“No need for one.” Brantley nodded to the barstool that Reese had vacated. “Got more than enough seating.”
Okay, he’d give the guy that much.
“No TV.”
“Oh, I’ve got one.” Brantley’s grin was one he’d come to expect. It was ripe with flirtation. “In the bedroom. Wanna check it out?”
“No, thanks. I’ll pass.”
“Thought so.” A dimple flashed. “Offer’s open anytime.”
Reese shook his head. “Don’t give up, do you?”
“Not when I want somethin’, no.”
Pretending not to understand, Reese moved to the back door, peered through the glass. “You plannin’ to do anything with the land?”
“You mean like grow corn? No. Just like the space. Can’t hear my neighbor and he can’t hear me.”
“Makes sense. What’s in the barn?”
“My cache of dead bodies,” he said deadpan.
He grinned because he was quickly learning Brantley’s easy quips, expecting them, even. “Do you keep the heads on or off?”
“I’ll show you.”
Surprised but not disappointed, Reese waited for Brantley to open the sliding glass door, then followed him out onto the porch. They strolled across the calf-high grass, moving along what appeared to be a path being worn into the ground by frequent use.
As they neared the big red barn, Reese’s attention was drawn to the eaves, where he spotted two security cameras mounted. Before he could ask why they were there, he noticed Brantley keying in a code on a keypad, then using his palm to unlock the door.
“All that for—” He cut off his own words when Brantley slid the barn door aside to reveal two solid steel doors.
Definitely not your average barn.
The not-averageness extended to the inside. Reese stepped into the air-conditioned interior to see it was most definitely not a barn. There were no stalls, no feed, no animals, and certainly no dead bodies. The floor was smooth concrete, the walls insulated and sound-proofed. The ceiling was composed of the HVAC system as well as well-placed lighting.
“This your bat cave?” he teased.
“Like I said, I haven’t figured out what to do with the rest of my life. In the meantime, I’ve been tryin’ to fill the endless hours. This is what was born of that.”
Like the house, there wasn’t much furniture in the space. In fact, there was nothing aside from the long table that held three flat-panel monitors that were propped up at an angle. Not even a chair. Well, there was the wooden ladder that led to what Reese figured was originally a hayloft. Only there wasn’t any hay, or anything else, for that matter, at the top of the ladder. Just a lot of empty space.
“Well, if your goal was to look the part of a high-tech guru, you nailed it.” Reese turned his attention to Brantley. “You know how to use this stuff?”
“I can hold my own.”
Interesting.
Reese got the feeling if he ever thought he’d peeled back all the layers of Brantley Walker, he would soon learn there were a million more.
“What?” Brantley asked.
It was then Reese realized he’d been staring at the man. Shaking his head, he quickly looked away. “It’s cool. I’ll give you that.”
“Like I said, I’ve got nothin’ to do with my time. Originally thought about convertin’ it to livin’ space. Started up there before I changed my mind. Figured maybe this would turn into somethin’ later on down the road.”
“I hope it does. Truly.” Because Reese knew all about the need to find a place in the world. He’d spent the last few years attempting to do the same. And while he appreciated Travis Walker’s generosity in giving him a job, he knew it wouldn’t hold his interest forever. Then again, it wasn’t like he’d been pursuing anything else. Somewhere along the way, Reese had gotten comfortable in this half-ass existence he’d built.
Something chimed, drawing Reese’s attention. He looked over to see Brantley pulling his phone out, checking the screen.
“Looks like I’ve got company,” he said, his tone telling Reese he hadn’t been expecting whoever it was.
Rather than wait for Brantley to lead the way, Reese headed for the door, smiling when he realized they’d been locked in.
