RAW Deception (Round 2 in the RAW Instinct Series)

Chapter 7

Listen to the Music: Fire to the Rain by Adele.

Saturday.

Canton's Cottage.

Drakensberg.

Gregory lugged armloads of logs and placed them in a heap in the middle of the fire-pit. Joshua and Edward followed and added to the heap until it was high enough to burn the entire night without adding more logs. They finished as the light turned into twilight, leaving the red sky with streaks of golden brightness.

"Has anyone seen Shane today?" Gregory asked, looking around the fire pit.

Edward placed the last of the logs carefully. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him since you got back from your talk with him this morning."

"I hope he's okay. I tried to convince him that I'm not angry. I don't know if it worked."

"I'll check on him. Hey, dad, are you going to play a few songs tonight?"

"Do you want me to?"

Angie came down from the patio and overheard the question. She sidled up to Edward and said, "Of-course, darling. Music in the mountains. So romantic."

"Then I'll bring my guitar and maybe we can all sing along."

"That'll be awesome," Edward smiled.

Gregory felt a warm glow come over him when Shane arrived. Edward called Shane over and gave him a glass of wine, and while they spoke, Gregory noticed Shane staring at him from across the way. Shane wore a red, chequered, short-sleeved cotton shirt and a pair of shorts down to his knees. He walked like a Texas cowboy with buckled knees and a slight swagger. During their conversation Edward nodded in Gregory's direction, Shane turned and headed to him on the far side of the fire-pit.

"Hi," Shane said, smiling.

Gregory jerked his head around and smiled. "Hey." His entire being went into adrenaline overload.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

"Sure."

"It's an amazing evening."

"I think it just got better," Gregory mumbled, shifting to face Shane. "Last time I saw you was this morning."

"I needed to catch up on my sleep. I was exhausted. Lots of emotions. Still can't believe what a dickhead I was last night."

"It's over. Glad you finally crawled out of bed."

Gregory started shaking his knee and rubbing his thighs. "Tell me about your man," he said.

"His name is Joseph. We've known each other two years now. Last year he proposed."

"He must be quite something. Why didn't he come with you?"

"He's a business analyst. He's in Bloemfontein on business. He goes wherever his job takes him."

Shane's cell phone rang. He reached for it in his top pocket and smiled, "Talk about the devil. It's Joe. Excuse me while I take this."

"Sure, no problem."

Shane walked away and answered the call. "Hey! What you up to?"

Angie's voice shouted from the other side of the pit. "Gregory, sing us a song. Lots of songs. We need to hear your music."

"That's my cue," Gregory said, lifting his guitar and hugging it to his chest.

Raw seconded. "Hear, hear! Come on Gregory."