James blinked at the skittish young man standing in his door and let out soft huff of a chuckle. The twang of his voice held a bit of mirth as he tried to get the man to come in again. "What are you doing lurking outside like some sort of shy Dracula? I already invited you in, come on." James wasn't going to take no for an answer on that, even if he had to just gently cluck and shoo and shove the other man in like he was some damn mother hen herding chicks around. And if he had to nip at a heel... well he could do that too.
"Now just take a seat at the table, get offa that leg that seems t'be bothering you, and drink some water before you go and cash in on me." He got the water poured and slid one of the glasses insistently towards his guest before he plopped down at the kitchen table to take a long drink of his own water with a nice refreshed sigh. "Anyway," he drawled on before kicking his slippered feet up on a vacant chair, "No payphone, bus don't come out here, not sure if a taxi would bother. I can probably help you find your phone though." Wouldn't be the first time he'd sniffed out a lost phone or set of keys that fell out of a pocket during a ride. "I can also give you a ride into town in the morning myself unless you have some sort of urgency."
Was he really just going to invite the stranger to stay the night? Obviously he already had, but the thought made James frown a little. He wasn't that lonely was he? "I mean I can take you back sooner, I was just already settled in and fixin to watch myself a show or flick of some sort and relax for the rest of the night. Either way you should probably clean up a bit before you get in my truck." He gestured at the man's mud spattered clothes. "I'm not one of them neat freaks, but I try to keep the cab clean and usually make the hands ride in the back if they're filthy, but I doubt you want to be in the bed of a truck for very long. Ah shit, pardon my manners. I'm James, James Jessup. This here's my ranch. Not used to random visitors."
"Now just take a seat at the table, get offa that leg that seems t'be bothering you, and drink some water before you go and cash in on me." He got the water poured and slid one of the glasses insistently towards his guest before he plopped down at the kitchen table to take a long drink of his own water with a nice refreshed sigh. "Anyway," he drawled on before kicking his slippered feet up on a vacant chair, "No payphone, bus don't come out here, not sure if a taxi would bother. I can probably help you find your phone though." Wouldn't be the first time he'd sniffed out a lost phone or set of keys that fell out of a pocket during a ride. "I can also give you a ride into town in the morning myself unless you have some sort of urgency."
Was he really just going to invite the stranger to stay the night? Obviously he already had, but the thought made James frown a little. He wasn't that lonely was he? "I mean I can take you back sooner, I was just already settled in and fixin to watch myself a show or flick of some sort and relax for the rest of the night. Either way you should probably clean up a bit before you get in my truck." He gestured at the man's mud spattered clothes. "I'm not one of them neat freaks, but I try to keep the cab clean and usually make the hands ride in the back if they're filthy, but I doubt you want to be in the bed of a truck for very long. Ah shit, pardon my manners. I'm James, James Jessup. This here's my ranch. Not used to random visitors."
