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it?”
Gertie nodded. “Small town, ya know. Everybody knows everything. Wouldn’t be surprised if people start dropping in here just to see a celebrity. But I haven’t told anybody other than John.”
“I kept it quiet too. Figured the last thing you need is more gawkers.”
“I appreciate that.”
Gertie put down her silverware. “We’ll see if the quiet lasts. How long ya in town for?”
“Hadn’t planned to stay at all—was just going to pop in and out. But Odis said give him a couple of days, so I’ll hang around a few, I guess.”
“Well, we don’t have people standing in line for rooms, so I’ll set you up with one, like I promised.”
“I’m not a freeloader. I’ll pay the normal rates.”
“But—”
“No buts. Like you said, there’s not exactly a line, so I’m paying my share.”
“All right, then.” Gertie didn’t argue more. “There’s a clothing store down the road to the south, mostly western stuff, but if you didn’t bring any luggage, ya may want to pop over. They’re open ’til eight.”
“Appreciate it.” Bobby stood and grinned at Gertie. “And thank you for the excellent meal.”
“No trouble.”
John loaded up another helping. “See ya later.”
Bobby made his way back to the car and headed for the clothing store. He turned up the radio but couldn’t stop thinking about Odis. The man Bobby had spent the day with and the man Gertie and John had described at dinner just seemed like two totally different people. Maybe Gertie just didn’t know her brother as well as she thought she did.
Yet there had been that hesitancy. Bobby had assumed it was from being with another man, but maybe it was actually from Odis just being intimate, period. It left Bobby with much to ponder.
He found the tiny clothing store, and as Gertie described, it was mostly western wear. Bobby got another pair of jeans, some socks and underwear, and picked out three of the plainer-looking shirts.
With the radio loud, Bobby drove back to the B and B.
He walked upstairs to the small but cozy room Gertie had assigned him. He put the purchases away in the dresser before taking out his phone. He should call Sharon before it got too late.
“Hey,” Sharon answered. “You on your way back?”
“Not yet, got a room for the night. Things turned out a bit more….” Bobby paused, unsure how much to tell his friend. Should he bring up what happened with Odis? “A bit more complicated than I expected.”
“Oh?”
“The work wasn’t done yet, so I’m waiting for the artist to finish.”
“What’s going on, Bob? I know you’re not telling me everything. You didn’t want to make the trip in the first place. I practically had to shove you onto the plane. Now you’re staying the night?”
“I don’t know, Shar. It’s complicated. Can we just leave it at that for now?”
Sharon sighed into the phone. “Just watch your back. Don’t let any of those Texan gunslingers sneak up on you,” she said with a laugh.
Bobby laughed along. “You watch too many of those cheesy westerns. I’m gonna get some sleep and call ya later.”
“All right, then, and I expect details next time. G’night.”
“Good night.”
A
FTER hanging up, Bobby lay on the bed in his room, flipping absently through channels on the TV. This seemed like so many other wasted nights in his life. He couldn’t count how many evenings he’d spent in hotel rooms, waiting for the next day’s game.
But this night was so different from those. Instead of feeling the pregame excitement and chatting on the phone with Nate, he was feeling a bit of guilt and stewing over Odis. Mentally, he knew the cheating guilt was ridiculous, yet he couldn’t seem to completely shake it off. Even though Nate was gone, Bobby had been unswervingly faithful to the man for over twenty years, and convincing his heart not to feel any adulterous blame was a challenge.
Odis. He sighed again at the thought of the little man.
Odis took him by surprise. So soon after