Cole Diamond dragged bales of hay out of the back of his pickup truck. When he spotted a patrol car making its way down the long dusty drive, he wiped his forehead with his arm, tipping his cowboy hat back as he did. Cole glanced at the ranch house as his brothers, Leo and Rocky brought the fresh hay into the barn. His hands on his hips, Cole walked away from his truck to meet the police car, wondering why it had come. The dust settling as the car stopped, Cole watched Sky Hayden step out of his car, putting his hat on his head and making his way towards him wearing that beige uniform shirt and brown pants, and cowboy boots, along with his .357 SIG Saur gun in his holster. They hadn’t kept in touch much since high-school and now that Hayden was part of the town’s small sheriff’s department, Cole didn’t know how to feel about his old chum. Sky didn’t smile and stood nose to nose with Cole. “Well…Sheriff Hayden. To what do we owe the honor?” “I need to speak to you privately.” Sky glanced behind Cole. Cole spotted his brothers approaching, curiosity written on their faces. “I got it. Go feed the horses.” Cole waved them off. Both his brothers gave Sky a suspicious glare and grabbed the last bale of hay, heading to the barn in the midday heat. Cole brushed off his shirt and blue jeans, which were covered in hay and dirt. He took off his gloves and tried to see Sky’s eyes behind the reflective sunglasses. He knew they were hazel, green with a golden ring around the irises. “I’d invite you in for lemonade, but you know my dad isn’t too fond of anyone in a uniform.” “Look, Cole…” Sky seemed oddly serious, which made Cole nervous. “We found something at the edge of your property. Over by the creek.” “Something.” Cole adjusted his hat to block the hot sun’s glare. “Like what? Gold? Oil?” “No.” Sky looked down at his boots and Cole got a quick memory flash of them jerking each other off in the high-school locker room…sixteen years old, and sexually pent up. “Ya gonna tell me, Hayden? Or is this some kind of stupid police guessing game?” “It’s a body.” Cole reacted and crossed his arms. “A body of what?” “A human. A corpse. I got Buddy on the way to take a look.” “You found a body on the edge of my ranch?” “Yeah.” Sky looked around, as if he was checking out the barn or house. “Who is it?” Cole asked. “Don’t know. It’s too far gone to even guess male or female. Once Buddy has it, he’ll figure it out.” “So…why are you coming here?” “One of your hack riders found it and called us. She was on your horse.” “So? I still don’t know why you need to come here.” Sky took off his sunglasses and gave Cole an annoyed glare. “What’s with the attitude?” “You tell me. I have no idea why you’d come here to my family’s ranch if you found a dead corpse. We have nothing to do with it.” “Did I say you did?” “Hayden…” Cole smiled. “You pulled into my driveway and just announced you found a dead body. What do you want from me?” “Did you or your brothers hear or see anything?” “If they did, don’t you think I’d know? Or I’d call you?” Sky looked frustrated and rested his hand on the butt of his gun in the holster. Cole gestured to the barn. “Go on. Look around. Maybe you’ll find a clue.” “Don’t get cute.” “No? I thought you liked…cute.” Sky put his sunglasses on. “Now I remember why I never come by here. You’re an ass.” Before Sky turned to walk away, Cole grabbed him by his shirt and almost got a violent reaction from Sky. He said, “You used to be after my ass, Hayden.” Sky shoved Cole’s hand off his uniform and put his sunglasses back on. Cole gazed at Sky’s tight backside in his masculine uniform as he walked away and sat in his patrol car. He waited as the car backed up, turned around, and left the property. Cole walked into the barn and could see his brothers feeding the horses the fresh hay. Leo called out, “What the hell did he want?” Cole walked closer to Leo. “One of our trail riders found something in the field.” Cole looked for Rocky. “What? Found what? Who did?” “A body.” Cole cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, “Rocky!” “What?” his brother yelled from a stall. “You know anything about a rider finding a dead body out on the trail today?” “She said somethin’. I told her to call 911. I don’t know what the hell it has to do with us.” Leo and Cole exchanged looks. Cole called to Rocky, “Ya could’ve told someone!” When Rocky didn’t answer, Leo blew out a breath and shook his head. Cole held up his hand and said, “Don’t even think it.” Leo lowered his voice and said, “He fucking gets drunk up at the tavern. I swear, Cole, he—” Cole snarled. “Shut up, Leo. Don’t even bring that shit onto this family. We’ve been screwed enough.” “Cole.” Cole turned on his heels and left the barn, pausing to look at the long winding drive that led to the main street. He thought about how hot Sky looked in that fucking uniform. He’d craved that fucker for ten years. Maybe he thought once they had grown up… But Sky never did come around. He also never married.
