Nate (A Texas Jacks Novel)

by Unknown

  I knew the minute I set foot on the dirt at the track that I would realize how much I’ve missed being on my bike. I haven’t spent as much time as I would have liked over the past three weeks here, and I feel like a part of me is missing. I need to come out here and touch base with the track—and myself—more often.

  Tucker and Holt should be here soon. They went to pick up Halley and Naomi. To be truthful, I’m glad Charlie was busy tonight. This is something I felt like I needed to do on my own, to free my spirit by knowing that no one is watching, judging, or distracting me. I don’t think Charlie would ever judge me, but she would definitely be watching, which would serve as a major distraction in and of its self.

  I know I need to bring Charlie out here more so she can become more comfortable with what I do. She worries a lot about me riding, as she feels this is a dangerous sport. And she's right, it can be dangerous, but I need to calm her fears by showing her that I know what I’m doing, and how awesome it feels to be here. Today just didn’t feel like the right timing for that, though.

  Today is just about me.

  I’m geared up and pushing my bike out to the track when I see that the guys are making their way over to me, with the girls in tow. You can tell the girls are extremely happy to be here, just as much as the guys are to show off for them. Personally, I think Tucker isn’t using his head, considering that he could run into Lisa at any given moment. I don’t want his drama out at the track. The last thing we need is to make a big scene.

  “Tuck, Holt. Ladies,” I greet with a two-fingered salute as I continue on my way. I don’t have time to sit around for idle chat. I’m losing precious riding time and daylight hours. Plus, I want to be home in time to talk to Charlie before sleep claims us, and the workweek overtakes our days.

  “All right, which one of you ruined it for me tonight at dinner?” I pointedly ask each of my sisters. We’re on kitchen duty, so I take this moment to have a pow-wow with them, knowing it’s safe to talk since Mom and Dad are in the living room, relaxing with the guys.

  “Hey, don’t get all huffy and puffy on us, all right? I was just excited that you finally met someone. I didn’t know that blabbermouth over here would say something to Mom!” Bethany shoots Lindsay the evil-eye glare.

  “Hey, don’t jump all over me. I didn’t tell her.” Lindsay looks at Jennifer, so we all turn our eyes her way.

  “Oh, give me a break. I have better things to do than to run my mouth off to Mom.” She fires back at us.

  “That only leaves you, Rachel,” Bethany says, looking her way.

  Rachel shakes her head. “I swear it wasn’t me. Don’t go pointing your fingers at me, now. My only guess is Anson. He might have overheard us talking about it and mentioned it to your dad, who would have passed it along to your mom. Don’t worry—I know how to make him talk. I’ll be right back,” she says as she starts walking out of the kitchen.

  We all bust up laughing at that, knowing that if it was him, he’s going down once Rachel gets a hold of him. I decide not to say anything further and start cleaning the kitchen.

  “Well? That’s it?” Jennifer asks.

  “No. I’m waiting for Rachel to come back. I have plenty more to say, believe me!”

  A few minutes later, Rachel is back with a sad-faced Anson. Who knows what she promised to hold against him.

  “Look, I’m sorry I said anything to Dad, okay? He and mom were on me about a few things and I just let it slip, to take the pressures off of me. I’m really sorry, Charlie-bear. Forgive me?” He gives me a ridiculous pout that might have worked in the past, but right now, I’m not feeling so forgiving.

  Well, not just yet, anyway.

  “Here’s the deal. I wanted what everyone else got— safe passage from the family before the subject was brought up. Lindsay got three months, if I remember right, and Bethany still has safe harbor with her two men.” I remind them, cutting Bethany a look. She seriously needs to pick one already. “Why couldn’t I be afforded the same rights? All I was asking for was at least two months. Do I not rank high enough for respect around here? Who’s to say Nathan and I will even work out?”

  “We’re sorry, sis. We know it can be rough being the youngest in this family. Sometimes, the youngest is just easy pickings. I didn’t purposefully set out to sabotage your need for space. It really just slipped out, and I’m really sorry. It was a defense mechanism — you know me.” Anson both tries to defend himself and give me an apology, all in the same messed up sentence.

  “I know this is a big deal. It’s a big deal for me, too. But we’re taking it slow. We’re exclusive, but we haven’t defined our relationship yet. He isn’t used to having a serious girlfriend. I’m not even sure when the last time that was for him. So, let’s not set the family up for false hope, in case it all goes down the toilet before it can even takeoff. I really like him, so I don’t want to push and freak him out. I’m pretty sure I will send him packing if I invite him to dinner here. I haven’t even met his family yet. We’ve only known each other for a total of four weeks. With three of those weeks spent dating, so it’s still new and fresh. Just promise me that I won’t be blindsided like that again, okay?” I ask all of my siblings and my sister-in-law.

  “We can respect that.” Lindsay says as she wraps her arms around me in a tight, squeezing hug.

  “Careful there, Buff Armstrong. Save your strength to squeeze the life out of your man. Some of us here are fragile, you know.” I smile with a wink at Lindsay before she lets me go, allowing the others in for a turn.

  “All right, it’s time to do what you women do best,” Anson says.

  Oh boy. Rachel is looking like she’s ready to chase him with a fire poker from the fireplace.

  “And what’s that, babe?” Rachel leaves that line hanging, clearly waiting for Anson to make the right response.

  We all know he won’t, though.

  “Cleaning,” he deadpans. It takes him a second to remember that he’s outnumbered before he slowly backs his way up to the entryway. However, for him, it’s too late. Rachel starts making her way towards Anson, causing him to start running with her hot on his heels.

  “When will he ever learn?” Bethany chuckles.

  “This is Anson we are talking about, so my guess is never.” Jennifer says, making us all laugh a little more.

  “Once Rachel gets her hands on him, he’s toast,” Lindsay chimes in.

  We’re all laughing while turning back to our chores in the kitchen when we hear, “Mom! Rachel’s being mean to me!”

  “I’m sure you deserve every bit of it, too.” Mom yells back, causing us to lose it again.

  “Boys,” I say through a big smile as I shake my head.

  “Hey, hot stuff. How was your evening with your family?” I ask Charlie the second she answers my call.

  “It went pretty well. What about you, cowboy? How was your time at the track? No injuries, I presume?” she asks with a hint of worry in her tone.

  “No injuries to report, sweetheart. You can stop worrying yourself sick over there. You know the boys would have called if something happened. Anyway, it’s exactly what I needed. I hadn’t realized how much I was missing the track. I need to take you out there again, soon. I’m thinking next weekend seems good. What do you say to that?”

  “Yeah that works for me. I’d like to see you in action again, looking all hot on that bike.” She giggles into my ear through the phone.

  “Charlie, maybe I shouldn’t take you out there. I’m thinking you’re going to be one big distraction.”

  She starts laughing again, causing me to laugh as well. “I promise to be good. I swear.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, little one.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  “So, what really happened at dinner?”

  “Oh, the usual — Mom wanting to know what’s going on in our lives, Dad trying to get us to play a game with him, and the siblings being troublemakers.” She chuckles, descr
ibing her evening like it’s one of many fond memories.

  I wish I had that to offer her, but it will never be that way in our house again.

  It’s time for a subject change.

  “I’m glad to hear you had a nice time. So, what’s on your agenda tomorrow? Do you think you have time for dinner in your busy life?” I tease her, knowing her life consists of work, our friends, and now, mainly me. Every free moment we have is usually shared with each other.

  “For you — any time, hon.” She replies, shocking me into silence for a moment. Charlie has never used a term of endearment before, unless you count ‘cowboy.’ I can barely get her to call me Nate, like everyone else does.

  “Well, if that’s all I had to do to get you to call me something other than Nathan or cowboy, I would have taken you out to dinner every night for the past three weeks.” I tease her, making her laugh.

  “Oh, hush. Don’t make a big deal out of it, or you’ll embarrass me more. Anyway, just text me the details tomorrow, and I’ll be ready and waiting for your hotness to show up,” she giggles.

  I have to admit, I sure do love this playful side of her that’s coming out more and more. I already can’t wait to see her tomorrow.

  “All right, sweetheart, it’s getting late, so I’ll let you go. Make sure you check in with Halley and Naomi tomorrow and ask about their dirt-coated adventures,” I chuckle. “Goodnight, Charlie. Sweet dreams.”

  “Goodnight, cowboy. Dream of me.” I hear her say before hanging up the phone.

  I don’t think tomorrow can come soon enough for this cowboy.

  I MEET UP WITH HALLEY and Naomi the following day during my lunch break from work. Of course, it can't be a girls’ lunch since Holt and Tucker are with them. These two are clearly head over heels for my two best friends. Holt still seems to be in denial over this fact, but I know one day —it will dawn on him, and he’ll wise up. Until then, there's no leading that horse to water unless he completely wants it.

  “Guys,” I address the group as a whole, as I flop down into a seat at the end of the table. “No Nathan?” I ask the two Stooges.

  “Not today. He had to go out to his dad’s house. Something’s up with his sister, and he went to see what he could do to help out.”

  “Oh,” I say, feeling dejected by this news. Why doesn’t he ever say much to me about his family? Forming a smile, one that I don’t genuinely feel, I look at my friends. “Well, his loss, right?” Everyone silently watches me, but wisely chooses to move on, so that they don’t have to see the sad girl get into an emotional fit on their watch. They either know what’s up, or they don’t have to worry because it doesn’t affect them directly. Clearly, it’s time to move on.

  “How was the track the other day? Nathan mentioned something about you girls getting into a dirt-coated adventure?” I eye Halley and Naomi. “What’s that all about? And please, tell me it’s something good!”

  “Do we have to get into this again?” Tucker complains from his end of the table, as he pulls Naomi into his side a little more securely. “I’m really over this chick. She’s making my life miserable at the track, and she’s definitely ruining it for Naomi as well.”

  I laugh at his expense—which seems mean, but I can’t help it. I’m definitely in a bad mood, now. This is so unlike me, at least when I’m around my friends. My emotions are not in check at the moment, all thanks to Nathan and his lack of trust in opening up to me about his family— and essentially, his life. “Lisa is still bothering you? Doesn’t she know you have a girlfriend?”

  “She doesn’t care what I want, or think, obviously. I’ve been the object of her obsession since high school, and I had no idea until I went out with her, how unstable she would turn out to be. I know she’s not clueless. She was the smartest girl all throughout high school. For some reason, she doesn’t seem smart in the guy department, though. Or at least not bright enough to take a hint. I can’t believe I ever got mixed up with her,” he groans.

  “Hey, I’m pretty sure we tried to warn you.” Holt puts his two cents in. Which isn’t helpful. I give him the ‘shut-up’ face, but he studiously ignores me and keeps flapping his big trap. “And since when are you and Miss July over there,” he nods to Naomi, as he uses an earlier nickname Tucker gave her when we first met them, “classifying your relationship? That’s news to me.” I know he’s not trying to be a jerk, but he really could have used a little more tact.

  “Well, Curly,” Naomi enters the conversation, “am I dating you?”

  “Touché. Still, are you guys straight up dating, now?”

  “Why are we even talking about this? How did it go from Lisa, to my relationship with Naomi?” Tucker asks Holt. “For now, we aren’t classifying anything, but we aren’t seeing other people, either. It’s just me and Miss July. Right, babe?” Tucker smiles fondly at Naomi.

  “Right.” She softly replies. He kisses her gently on the lips.

  I still think they’re in denial about their relationship, but since I’m in a foul mood, I’m not going to bring them down with me. Holt’s doing a fine job of that for the both of us.

  “So, Halley, is Kyle still bothering you? You really haven’t mentioned him in a while.” Halley’s eyes bug out as her head tips towards Holt, before turning her laser beams back on me, trying to incinerate me on the spot.

  “Who’s Kyle?” Holt tries to ask nonchalantly, without being overly interested but making it sound as if he’s only curious. Which I know is a big lie, but whatever.

  “He’s some guy who works with Halley. He seems to think she really wants to go out with him.” I crack up, but I’m the only one, because Halley is really getting agitated, and the other two wisely stay in their own kissy-faced bubble.

  “Really.” Holt continues to carefully watch Halley, looking as if he’s trying to decide something. “Woman, why didn’t you say anything? I’m more than happy to help a lady in distress.” He wags his brows at her. She rolls her eyes, and then turns her face back to me.

  “Thanks a lot for that. The situation is under control, for the time being. Besides, he’s too loaded down with work to have any interest in pestering me.” She turns back to Holt. “And for the record, Curly, I can handle my own business, thank you very much.”

  “Halley, I’m serious. You ever need anything, you call me. You have my number. Please, use it day or night.” He’s definitely being serious, for once, and really sincere. “I don’t want one of my good friends to end up hurt.”

  Halley’s face softens at his sentiment. “Thanks, Holt. That really means a lot to me. Trust me, if he becomes more of an issue, you’ll be my first call for a rescue maneuver.” He gives her a real, genuine smile that I can see knocks her off guard for a moment before she recovers. “So, where’s our waitress already? I’m starved!”

  I’m sorry, I mouth to Halley, and she waves me off. I know she won’t forget, and we’ll certainly be visiting this subject later, without prying eyes and ears.

  “Wait, no one ever did tell me what happened with Lisa!” I decide to re-open that topic, causing the whole table to groan. I give them all a sheepish smile, but forge ahead because I really want to know.

  “She was trying to stake her claim on Tucker at the track the other day. Naomi and I are getting pretty sick of the show. It’s no longer entertaining. It’s really just pathetic. Naomi was snuggled up to Tuck, as she is now, and Lisa ‘accidentally’ bumped into her, causing her to fall out of the stands and into the dirt. She’s a little banged up, but otherwise fine. However, Lisa and I had it out. No way was I letting her get away with that. I know she meant it maliciously,” Halley explains to the table.

  “You should have seen her, too!” Holt whistles. “She was a beauty, rolling around in the dirt, after mouthing off to Lisa.” He gives her a sexy grin of his own. “Anyway, Lisa decided to trip Halley and caused her to fall, too. It wasn’t a good situation, and it took me, Nathan, and Tuck to get the girls apart. I’ve never seen Halley so irate before.
Remind me to never get on her bad side!”

  “Well, I’m glad no one was seriously hurt. I feel bad that happened because Lisa has it out for me. I’m not letting her run me off the track, or dig her nails into Tucker. Karma always has a way of getting even with people. Sooner or later, hers will come knocking.” Naomi calmly states.

  “Dang. I’m missing all of the good stuff by not coming out to the track. I really need to get back out there, though I really hate it when Nathan gets on his bike. It’s so nerve wracking! And apparently, I’m a distraction, according to him. So, maybe coming out there isn’t a good thing.” I realize I’m starting to become a Debbie Downer again right when the waitress finally shows up. We place our orders and find our way back to a better topic, and leave the weight of the world behind us, along with my bad attitude.

  It’s been a few weeks since our lunch with the guys, and by the way, Halley did ream me out over my introduction of the Kyle topic. He’s only bothered her a few times recently. But otherwise, all seems kosher on the home front, for now.

  Tucker has been spending less time on his bike and more time cozying up with Naomi. I suppose this is a good thing. At least they won’t have to run into Lisa as much. As for Nathan, we’re spending a lot of time together still, but he has yet to open up about his family, so I’m still in the dark about the troubles of his sister —and he has never come up to my folks’ place for Sunday dinners. But we’re only seven weeks into our relationship, so I’m really not going to try and rock the boat. When the timing is right, I hope he feels comfortable opening up more. Though, I’m a bit hurt he hasn’t mentioned his sister’s problems to me. And since he’s never brought it up, I didn’t feel right about prying. I was actually hoping I wouldn’t have to pry and he would volunteer it on his own, but he never did. He's been pretty busy and distracted lately.