Starlight and Sawdust
“Fine,” Caleb said shortly, loading his supplies into the truck bed. “Let’s just get out of here.”
Arlo frowned, but didn’t press, just climbed into the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt. They rode in silence for a few minutes, the tension in the cab thick enough to cut with a knife.
“So, what did Jim have to say?” Arlo asked finally, his voice carefully neutral.
Caleb glanced over at him, surprised that he’d picked up on the source of his anger so quickly. “Nothing important,” he said.
Arlo raised an eyebrow. “Right. Because you always look like you want to punch a hole through the windshield when nothing’s wrong.”
Caleb sighed, running a hand over his face. “He was just running his mouth,” he said. “Saying things he had no business saying.”
“About me?” Arlo guessed, his voice quiet.
Caleb hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah.”
Arlo was silent for a long moment, staring out the window at the passing fields. “I’m used to it,” he said finally, his voice flat. “It’s not the first time someone’s had something to say about me being queer.”
Caleb felt a fresh wave of anger wash over him, but this time it was directed at himself. He should have said something to Jim, should have defended Arlo more strongly. Instead, he’d just walked away, too much of a coward to stand up for what was right.
“It’s not right,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “What people say, the way they judge you for something that’s none of their damn business.”
Arlo looked over at him, surprise widening his eyes. “You mean that?”
“Of course I mean it,” Caleb said, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. “I don’t care who you love, Arlo. It’s not my business, and it sure as hell isn’t Jim’s.”
Arlo was quiet for a long moment, his gaze searching Caleb’s face. “Thank you,” he said finally, his voice soft. “That means a lot.”
Caleb nodded, uncomfortable with the emotion in Arlo’s voice. “Don’t mention it,” he muttered.
But the tension between them had eased again, replaced by a new kind of understanding. They finished the drive back to the ranch in a comfortable silence, the camaraderie between them stronger than ever.
As they pulled up to the house, Arlo turned to Caleb. “Hey,” he said, his voice tentative. “Would you, uh, maybe want to grab a beer with me later? After we’re both done with work?”
Caleb hesitated, taken aback by the invitation. He’d never been one for socializing, especially not with someone like Arlo. But as he looked at the other man, at the hopeful expression on his face, he found himself nodding.
“Sure,” he said, his voice gruff. “I could do that.”
The smile that spread across Arlo’s face was bright enough to light up the whole cab. “Great,” he said. “I’ll see you then.”
As Caleb watched Arlo walk away, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation curling in his gut. He had a feeling that tonight was going to be the start of something new, something that would change everything between them. And for the first time in a long time, he found himself looking forward to the unknown.
As Caleb watched Arlo walk away, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation curling in his gut. He had a feeling that tonight was going to be the start of something new, something that would change everything between them. And for the first time in a long time, he found himself looking forward to the unknown.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of activity, Caleb throwing himself into his chores with a new sense of purpose. He mucked out the stalls, repaired a section of fence that had been damaged in a recent storm, and checked on the heifer and her calf, who were both doing well. By the time he finished, the sun was setting, casting long shadows across the ranch.
He headed back to the house, his stomach growling with hunger. He was just stepping onto the porch when he caught a whiff of smoke on the air.
Frowning, he turned, scanning the horizon. At first, he didn’t see anything, but then, in the distance, he spotted a faint orange glow.
His heart leaped into his throat. Fire.
He ran into the house, grabbing his phone and dialing Hank’s number. “Hank,” he said, his voice tight with urgency. “There’s a fire. Looks like it’s coming from the west.”
Hank’s voice was grim. “I see it. I’ll start getting the animals moved to the north pasture. You call the fire department.”
Caleb nodded, already hanging up and dialing 911. As he waited for the operator to pick up, he saw Arlo come out of his room, his face creased with concern.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Fire,” Caleb said shortly. “Get your things together. We may need to evacuate.”
Arlo’s eyes widened, but he didn’t hesitate, disappearing back into his room. Caleb quickly explained the situation to the 911 operator, who promised to send help as soon as possible.
He hung up, his mind racing. The ranch was his life, his livelihood. He couldn’t lose it, not again. The memory of the last fire, the one that had taken his parents and nearly destroyed everything he held dear, rose up in his mind, threatening to choke him.
He pushed it away, focusing on the present. He had to keep his head, had to protect what was his.
He found Arlo in the living room, stuffing his laptop and a few other essentials into a backpack. “I’ve got the most critical data backed up,” he said, his voice tight. “The rest of the equipment…if the fire reaches it…”
“We’ll do what we can,” Caleb said, his voice grim. “But the animals come first.”
Arlo nodded, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “Understood. What do you need me to do?”
Caleb hesitated, but only for a moment. “Help me get the horses loaded into the trailer,” he said. “We’ll take them to the north pasture with the rest of the herd.”
They worked quickly, the smell of smoke growing stronger with each passing minute. The horses were skittish, sensing the danger, but together, Caleb and Arlo managed to get them loaded into the trailer.
As they pulled out of the driveway, Caleb could see the flames now, licking at the horizon, eating up the dry grass and scrub. The fire was moving fast, faster than he’d anticipated.
They met Hank at the north pasture, the older man’s face grim. “I’ve got the cattle moved,” he said, “but the fire’s spreading. We need to get the equipment out of here.”
Caleb nodded, his jaw clenched. “Arlo and I will take care of it. You stay with the animals.”
Hank looked like he wanted to argue, but he nodded. “Be careful.”
Caleb and Arlo raced back to the ranch, the truck bouncing over the rough terrain. The smoke was thicker now, stinging their eyes and throats. They could hear the crackle of the flames, the roar of the wind fanning the fire.
They parked as close to the equipment shed as they dared, jumping out of the truck and running inside. The heat was intense, even from a distance, and the smoke made it hard to breathe.
“Hurry!” Caleb shouted, grabbing the nearest piece of equipment and hauling it out to the truck. “We don’t have much time!”
Arlo worked beside him, his face streaked with soot, his eyes wide with fear. But he didn’t falter, didn’t hesitate, even when a shower of sparks rained down on them from the burning trees overhead.
They worked until the truck was loaded with as much as they could carry, until the heat and smoke became too much to bear. Then they jumped back into the cab, Caleb gunning the engine as they raced away from the advancing flames.
They made it back to the north pasture just as the first fire trucks arrived, the firefighters swarming over the land like ants. Caleb watched them work, his heart in his throat, praying that they could stop the fire before it consumed everything.
As the night wore on, the firefighters managed to contain the blaze, stopping it just short of the north pasture. Caleb stood at the edge of the field, his body aching with exhaustion, his eyes gritty with smoke and ash.
Arlo came to stand beside him, his shoulders slumped with weariness. “We did it,” he said, his voice hoarse. “We saved the animals. The equipment.”
Caleb nodded, his throat tight. “Yeah,” he said. “We did.”
They stood in silence for a long moment, watching as the firefighters continued to battle the blaze. Then, without a word, Caleb turned and headed back to the barn.
Arlo followed, his footsteps heavy on the packed earth. Inside, the barn was quiet, the animals settled for the night. Caleb climbed up into the hayloft, needing a moment to himself, to process everything that had happened.