Starlight and Sawdust

Arlo turned to him, his eyes wide. “Are you crazy?” he demanded. “We’ll never make it.”

“We have to try,” Caleb said. “It’s either that or sit here and wait for the fire to take us.”

Arlo stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. “Okay,” he said, his voice shaking. “Okay, let’s do it.”

They climbed out of the truck, the heat hitting them like a physical blow. The air was thick with smoke, the sound of the fire deafening. Caleb reached for Arlo’s hand, twining their fingers together.

“Stay close,” he said, his voice rough.

Arlo nodded, his hand tightening in Caleb’s.

And then they ran, heading for the only gap in the flames, a narrow strip of road that was still clear. The fire roared around them, the heat searing their skin, the smoke choking their lungs. Caleb could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his legs burning with the effort of running.

Just as they reached the gap, the flames surged forward, cutting them off. Caleb skidded to a halt, pulling Arlo back against him.

“No!” Arlo shouted, struggling against his hold. “We were so close!”

“I know,” Caleb said, his voice hoarse. “I know.”

They stood there, frozen, watching as the flames closed in. Caleb tightened his arms around Arlo, burying his face in his hair.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

Arlo turned in his arms, his face streaked with soot and tears. “Don’t,” he said, his voice fierce. “Don’t you dare apologize.”

He surged up, kissing Caleb hard, his arms wrapping around Caleb’s neck. Caleb kissed him back, pouring all of his fear, his regret, his longing into the kiss.

They kissed like that for what felt like an eternity, the world narrowing down to just the two of them, to the press of their bodies together, to the taste of smoke and salt on their tongues.

And then, just when Caleb thought it was all over, when he thought they were going to die here, in each other’s arms, he heard it—the sound of engines, the shout of voices.

He pulled back, his heart leaping as he saw the firefighters breaking through the flames, their hoses trained on the fire, pushing it back.

“They’re here,” he breathed, his voice thick with relief.

Arlo laughed, the sound a little hysterical. “They’re here,” he echoed. “We’re saved.”

They clung to each other as the firefighters worked to contain the flames, as the danger passed them by. And even as the adrenaline faded, as the reality of what they’d been through began to sink in, Caleb found himself reluctant to let Arlo go.

He knew they’d have to talk, eventually. That they’d have to face what had happened between them, what it meant for their future.

But for now, in this moment, he was just grateful to be alive, to have Arlo safe in his arms.

“Come on,” he said, reluctantly pulling back. “Let’s go home.”

Arlo nodded, his face still pale, but his eyes clear. “Yeah,” he said. “Let’s go home.”

They made their way back to the ranch in silence, the truck bouncing over the rough terrain. Caleb kept his eyes on the road, his hands tight on the steering wheel. He could feel Arlo’s gaze on him, but every time he glanced over, Arlo looked away.

The ranch was a mess when they got back. The firefighters had managed to save the house and the barn, but the rest of the outbuildings were gone, reduced to charred rubble and ash. The air was thick with the smell of smoke, the ground blackened and scorched.

Caleb climbed out of the truck, his shoulders slumping as he took in the damage. He’d known it would be bad, but seeing it in person was like a punch to the gut.

Arlo came to stand beside him, his expression grim. “I’m sorry, Caleb,” he said, his voice soft. “I’m so sorry.”

Caleb shook his head, his jaw clenched. “Not your fault,” he said, his voice gruff. “Nothing you could have done.”

He turned, heading for the barn. “We should check on the horses,” he said. “Make sure they’re okay.”

Arlo nodded, falling into step beside him. “Right.”

They worked in silence, checking on the animals, assessing the damage. The barn had come through mostly unscathed, a few scorch marks on the outside the only sign of how close they’d come to losing it. The horses were spooked, but unhurt, and Caleb felt a surge of relief at the sight of them.

He set Arlo to work cleaning out the stalls, while he checked on the feed and water. They worked side by side, the only sound the rustle of hay and the occasional nicker of a horse.

Caleb could feel the tension between them, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. He knew he should say something, should acknowledge what had happened between them, but every time he opened his mouth, the words stuck in his throat.

It was Arlo who finally broke the silence. “Caleb,” he said, his voice tentative. “About last night…”

Caleb froze, his heart leaping into his throat. “Don’t,” he said, his voice rough. “Please. Not now.”

Arlo hesitated, then nodded. “Okay,” he said. “But we can’t ignore it forever.”

Caleb knew he was right, but he wasn’t ready to face it, not yet. He turned back to his work, his shoulders hunched.

They finished up in the barn in silence, then moved on to the house. The inside was a mess, the windows covered in soot, the furniture coated in a fine layer of ash. They worked together to clean it up, opening windows to air the place out, wiping down surfaces, sweeping the floors.

As they worked, Caleb found himself watching Arlo out of the corner of his eye. He looked tired, his face pale and drawn, but he worked without complaint, his movements efficient and sure.

Caleb’s gaze lingered on the curve of his back, the line of his neck, the way his shirt stretched across his shoulders. He remembered the feel of that body against his, the taste of Arlo’s skin on his tongue, and a wave of longing washed over him so intense it took his breath away.

He shook his head, forcing himself to look away. This wasn’t the time for those kinds of thoughts. They had work to do, a ranch to rebuild. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by whatever this was between them.

And yet, he couldn’t seem to help himself. Every time Arlo brushed against him, every time their fingers touched as they passed cleaning supplies back and forth, Caleb felt a jolt of awareness shoot through him.

He found himself making excuses to be close to him, to touch him. A hand on his arm as he reached for the same rag, their shoulders bumping as they wiped down the kitchen counters. Arlo didn’t pull away, but he didn’t acknowledge the touches either, and Caleb wasn’t sure what to make of that.

As the day wore on, the tension between them seemed to ease, replaced by a kind of careful camaraderie. They worked well together, falling into an easy rhythm, anticipating each other’s movements.

It was late afternoon when they finally finished. The house was clean, the barn was secure, and the animals were settled. Caleb wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, surveying their work with a tired kind of satisfaction.

“Not bad,” he said, his voice rough.

Arlo nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Not bad at all.”

They stood there for a moment, awkwardness settling over them once again. Caleb cleared his throat. “I’m going to go check on the herd,” he said. “Make sure they’re settling in okay.”

“I’ll come with you,” Arlo said.

Caleb hesitated, then nodded. “Alright.”

They rode out to the north pasture on horseback, the sun setting behind them in a blaze of orange and red. The air was still hazy with smoke, but the fire was out, the danger passed.

They found the herd grazing peacefully, seemingly unaffected by their ordeal. Caleb dismounted, leaving his horse to crop at the grass while he walked among the cattle, checking for any signs of injury or distress.

Arlo followed behind him, his hands tucked into his pockets. “They look good,” he said, his voice soft.

Caleb nodded. “They’re resilient,” he said. “They’ve been through worse.”

Arlo was quiet for a moment, then, “So have you.”

Caleb glanced at him, surprised by the observation. He nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “I guess I have.”

They stood there in silence, watching the herd. The sun dipped below the horizon, the sky fading to purple and gray. Caleb felt a sense of peace settle over him, a feeling of rightness that he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Caleb,” Arlo said, his voice tentative.

Caleb turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah?”