"Del Mar!"

Mr. Stackible gestured curtly as Ennis looked up from his work. Putting down the nut-cutters, Ennis released the calf and straightened up. He smacked his gloved hands against his thighs, hesitation in his plodding step when he saw that his boss wasn't alone.

The stranger was high, wide and handsome, as Ennis's mama would have said, tall, solidly-built, with a thick red gold beard, a bear of a man in a suede jacket and a pearl gray Stetson. He smelled of money, even standing in a yard full of manure. What could a man like that want with Ennis Del Mar?

Apprehension like bile scalded Ennis's stomach and he tightened up another notch, but there was nothing for it. Mr. Stackible had beckoned and Ennis must go. With clenched jaw, and his shoulders up around his ears, the ranch hand stopped in front of the foreman.

"Yessir?"

"Del Mar, I'd like you to meet an educated man. This here ol' boy done got hisself a college degree in cow fuckin'."

Ennis's chin stayed tucked to his chest, but his eyes flicked up to gauge the stranger's reaction to Stackible's wit. The other man's handsome features twitched into a smile without any genuine warmth.

"Well, the professors referred to it as Animal Husbandry, but I guess I do spend a lot of time thinkin' about the love life of livestock."

Not given to clever remarks, Ennis could still recognize one when he heard it. This college fellow had sure enough taken the piss out of Stackible. Though it didn't show on his face, Ennis allowed himself to enjoy the foreman's chagrin at being outdone.

"Betcha got a bucket with your name on it," Stackible cackled too loudly.

The big stranger ignored this and held out his hand to Ennis. "Good to meetcha; I'm Randall Malone from down Texas way."

As though a door had opened somewhere in Antarctica, a chill wind blew through Ennis. Texas. Where Jack lived.

"That right?" he mumbled, shaking Malone's hand. "Brings ya here?"

"I like to keep current on methods used on other ranches," Randall said. "My big boss and your big boss are old friends, and we got the idea that I might learn somethin' on a trip up here. I asked Mr. Stackible here if he could spare you to kinda show me around."

Ennis's eyes flicked to the foreman and saw the little yellow smile wrapped around the ubiquitous toothpick. Stackible knew this would be a trial to Ennis and gloated over it. There didn't seem to be a bottom to the man's well of spite where Ennis was concerned.

"Sure enough," Ennis nodded.

Randall sized Ennis up as the other man turned and moved away without waiting to see if Randall was following him. The Texan took in the hunched posture, figured Del Mar to unfold to around six two, not an ounce of excess flesh, battered Lee Riders and pearl snap shirt with frayed cuffs, an off white hat shading his eyes. Not much to look at on first crack, but Randall could sense the power sleeping under the mild, weatherworn exterior.

So this was him. With a capital H. This was man that held Jack's heart hostage.

A chance remark of LaShawn's had set Randall's mind working. Lureen had told Randall's prattling wife how tired she was of Jack always driving so far to meet his fishing buddy.

Fishing buddy? What fishing buddy? Not once in two years had Jack mentioned going fishing with a buddy. Jack didn't even like fishing. Hell, going fishing was the excuse Randall and Jack gave their wives when they wanted to …

After several months of spying and sneaking that had sat ill with his nature, Randall had discovered Jack's well kept secret. Waiting for Jack's truck to pull away, Randall had gone into the Childress post office and sweet talked Nadean into showing him the mail Jack had just dropped off. The post card was on top.

Randall had memorized the simple address, kissed Nadean on her rouged cheek and went to buy a map of Wyoming. Now here he was, two weeks ahead of Jack, standing next to Ennis Del Mar, formerly just a name on a post card, now a living, breathing rival. Goddamn you, Jack Twist; you lie as smooth as you lay.

"What you wanna see first?" Ennis mumbled.

"Time to 'fess up," Randall said. "I don't give a good Goddamn how y'all do things around here. I come to talk to you, Ennis Del Mar."

Ennis tensed to duck or swing, but Randall made no overt moves.

"Shit, boy, you look like I just told you I was gonna repossess your pickup. I just wanna talk to you 'bout a mutual friend."

Ennis frowned at a point somewhere near Randall's left shoulder. "The hell's that mean?"

"Mutual? Somethin' in common," Randall answered. "Jack Twist."

The blood dropped to Ennis's boots and he swayed back before getting hold of himself. "What you got t' do with Jack?"

"So you know him, do you?"

Ennis realized his mistake immediately. He should have pretended ignorance. Anger at his own naiveté flooded his system with more adrenalin until he was trembling slightly under the Texan's gaze. Ennis had two great fears: that this amiable giant would abruptly denounce him as queer, or would tell him that Jack had had a terrible accident.

Randall sensed the tension like the smell of ozone just before a lightning strike. "I don't doubt we'll come to blows before this over," he said. "But I'd like to talk to you first."

Ennis finally met Randall's eyes and all he saw there was sincerity. "Say your piece," he mumbled, pulling a pack of Marlboro's from his breast pocket.

Seeing the flame of Ennis's match waver, Randall produced a silvery Zippo and lit the other man's cigarette. Ennis nodded curtly and waited for Randall to pronounce his doom.

"This private enough?" Randall looked quickly over his shoulder.

Ennis nodded again.

Randall fetched a deep breath and committed one of the bravest acts of his life. "I'm like you," he said.

Ennis shifted his gaze at Randall, then back down. "Hell you say," he muttered.

"I like doin' it with guys," Randall made himself plainer.

Ennis's head came up fast at that. He stared at Randall like the Texan had announced his intention of barbequing a few babies for lunch and invited Ennis to partake.

"Fuck you," fell out of Ennis's mouth.

"That's what I figgered you'd say. Before you hit me, think about it for a minute. This may be the only chance you ever get to talk about this thing," Randall paused before going on. "Cause you sure as hell don't give Jack the pleasure of your conversation."

"You shut up about Jack," Ennis chopped words.

"You're gonna have to stop me, stud," Randall said. "I came a long way to look you in the face and tell you a few home truths."

Ennis's cigarette burned forgotten between his fingers as he glared at Randall, but he stayed frozen in place, as the stranger kept talking.

"You think I don't know nothin' about you, but I know you, Del Mar. I used to be you. Wanted somethin' I knew was wrong, bad, shameful, but wantin' it all the same. Courtin' women, sleepin' with 'em, lyin' to 'em, and all the time wantin' somethin' else. Well, I'm still lyin' to women, but not to myself anymore. I know that I like men more than women. I can admit that, at least to myself. My life ain't perfect, by any means, but at least I'm able to be happy every now and then. Just like you."

Ennis thought about saying 'fuck you' again, but didn't see the point.

"Here's how I got it figgered. Correct me if I'm wrong," Randall said. "You and Jack slip away to be together a couple of times a year. I've gone back over it in my head and there were times he'd come back from a so-called business trip lookin' like he swallowed the sun. If I asked about his good mood, he always told me he made a really big sale."

Randall looked Ennis up and down. "Was it a big sale, Del Mar? Are you stringin' that boy along so you can feed your cravin' and still pretend you're normal?"

"You shut up now."

"I told you; you'll have to make me, 'cause you sure enough need to hear what I'm sayin'. Not for yourself, but for Jack. You can believe what you want; your type always does, but you best believe that I care for Jack Twist, and I won't let you kill him."

Ennis let the smoke fall as his hands clenched into fists.

Randall talked faster. "I know you're wonderin' how I know all these things, but I ain't here to … expose you. Why would I do that?"

"So's ya can have Jack t' yourself."

"I hadn't thought of that," Randall raised an eyebrow. "But that wouldn't make Jack happy. I don't make Jack happy."

The note of depthless sorrow in the bear-man's voice caught at something buried deep in Ennis. It was the sound his own heart made during the grainy, blue hours of a sleepless night, wanting Jack so bad he could smell him on the pillow. It was a longing as raw and familiar as the whistle of a freight train boring a tunnel through the darkness. This Texan felt it too.

"You been with him," Ennis choked out and Randall didn't bother pretending ignorance.

"Yeah."

The single syllable hammered Ennis to his knees, eyes screwed shut, mouth agape in a silent sob. Randall stared for a moment before he reacted.

"You okay, Del Mar?"

Ennis shook his head. "Git … th' fuck away," he gasped.

"Can't do that. I've got to make you understand how bad you're fuckin' up Jack's life."

"Mister …" Ennis began, but as always, words failed to materialize.

"I know that you're gonna get up and knock my ass into next week," Randall assured him. "Right now, you're gonna listen to me. This is the hardest thing I've ever said to anyone, but I gotta say it, or I won't be able to face Saint Peter come Judgment Day. Jack Twist loves you, boy. I don't know why, but he surely does. Why else would he wreck any other chance he's got at a decent life to see you once in a blue moon?"

Ennis shook his head like a fly-plagued horse and dragged himself up by grabbing hold of a stall door. He wanted to pop this high and mighty dude right in face and stop the stream of words that stung like sleet, but a strange lethargy had taken hold of him. Moving through molasses, Ennis managed to raise his head enough to look at Malone's chest.

"I sure as hell hope you're hearin' me, Del Mar. You keep pushin' Jack away and one day, you gonna find him gone. A man can only take so much and I reckon Jack's just about had his fill of your ways."

"He tell you that?" Ennis forced himself to ask.

"He ain't got no idea I'm here," Randall said. "I followed him around like a jealous husband 'til I found out enough to make the trip up here. I hope he don't never find out I was here. Now I expect one of two things will happen. You'll come to your senses and realize what you got in Jack Twist, or you won't and I'll get him. I'm hopin' you're as dumb as you look."

Ennis's eyes met Randall's and neither looked away for a long moment. Ennis still wanted to take this man apart with his bare hands, but couldn't muster the righteous anger any longer. Randall spoke the truth. Ennis kept Jack on short rations; small wonder if Jack took handouts, especially from a fella like this Malone. The idea that Jack might actually quit him became concrete for Ennis and nearly broke him down again.

"Why?"

Randall shrugged. "Why'd I come here? I told you. To force you to get off the fuckin' fence and put Jack outta his misery. Main reason is I love Jack Twist and I can't watch him suffer no more. Not if I can do somethin' about it."

And Ennis realized that Randall didn't just want Jack, Randall loved Jack just as he claimed. The thought seized him up like forty thousand volts. Maybe the best thing to do was to let Malone walk away believing Ennis was using Jack. If he really was Jack's friend, shouldn't he want what was best for Jack?

"If you love Jack half as much as I do, you're prob'ly thinkin' you should leave him be, never see him again, but much as it peels my skin back to say it, that won't make him happy. You're the only thing can do that."

"I … cain't. You got t' understand, if I was t' give Jack what he wants, I surely would kill 'im."

"You that much of a tiger?" Randall half-smiled.

Ennis frowned, and the foreman sobered again.

"I know what you're sayin. You think I ain't scared half outta my mind every time I sneak off to meet him? Thing is, I know he's worth it. If we were to get caught, and some ol' boys decided to teach us a lesson, it'd still be worth it. Livin' in fear … Well, that just ain't no way for a man to go through life. At best, what you got is half a life."

"Then that's what I got. Cain't see no way it could be different."

"That's cause you're you. If you'll listen to me, really listen, I'll tell you what to do. But I doubt that's gonna happen. You're just too God damned hard-headed."

"I'm lissenin'."

"That right? Well, reckon we'll see. Thing is, Texas ain't the only place that's got oil wells. They got 'em way up in Alaska. My wife's cousin is a roughneck up there. It's a hard life, but no harder'n what you got here. A little colder maybe, but you can stand that, right?"

"Alaska." Ennis rolled the word around his mouth as though it were a flavor he'd never tasted before.

"From what Delroy tells me, you'd fit right in up there, Del Mar. Those boys are a tough, close-lipped bunch of cusses. Point is, there aren't many of 'em and the ones there are mind their own damn business. Delroy says it ain't at all unusual for a couple of guys to homestead together; nobody goes it alone up there. Too dangerous, I reckon."

"I got responsibilities. I got child support."

"You'll make ten times what you make here, Del Mar. There. I've laid it out for you. If you don't jump at it, then I'll know you'd rather go on hurtin' Jack, and I'll go home and do my best to make him forget you. But first, I'll kick your sorry ass."

Ennis bristled automatically, but his fear of losing Jack was finally stronger than all the others. "You go on home, but if I find out ya put your hands on Jack after we done had this little talk, I'll find ya and when I'm done with ya, what's left won't be purty."

"I hear ya," Randall said. "Does that mean Jack won't be coming back from his next fishing trip?"

"That ain't none a your business," Ennis said.

"I've made it my business," Randall said, steel coming back into his voice. "I heard your word on the matter; now here's mine. You treat Jack right, or I'll find you, and I won't be so polite as I am right now."

For a moment freighted with imminent violence the two men stood eye-to-eye and toe-to-toe. It would've taken no more than a wink to set them at each other, but the moment passed, and both backed down. A third, unseen presence that meant more to them than all the rest of the world stood between them.

By unspoken agreement, neither said another word. Randall turned and walked away, squaring his shoulders as though heading into a storm. Ennis watched him go, mind and heart in turmoil. One thing was sure; no matter what else he did, he couldn't stay here.

Ennis had a sudden flash of what it would be like to live in a log cabin that he and Jack had built themselves. Somewhere off in the big pines by a lake with a jagged white capped wall nailing the horizon to the sky. Hard work every day; Jack to lie next to every night.

It wouldn't be easy, and it would never be safe, but it would be better than what he had. If they got beat up, or even killed for being together, at least they'd be together.

And damned if he'd let that big, smooth-talking, egg-headed bastard have what was his.

Read the sequel Taken to Heart