She smiles. “I’m Kara. It’s nice to finally meet his family.” She seems really nice. I’m wondering how Gabe kept this from Mark, since they are going to the same college.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, sweetheart. This is Maggie, my only daughter; her twin, Adam; this is Creed and Jade…they are bull riders; and this is Mark. I’m not sure how you haven’t met him since he and Gabe go to the same college. My other son, Chase, is in the Navy SEALS. You’ll get to meet him one day. I’m Lily and this is my husband, Brad.”
She acknowledges us all, and I walk over to her and give her a hug. “I’m so happy one of my brothers has found somebody. Now to get the others to give up their ‘playboy’ ways,” I say with a smirk.
In unison, Jade, Creed, Mark, and Adam say, “HELL NO!” we all laugh and if looks could kill Gabe would be dead right now, every last one of my brothers are glaring daggers at him.
We spend the rest of the day getting to know Kara. She tells us where she hails from, and that she is an only child. Kara, Mom, and I decide to go get coffee and muffins. “What’s it like being the only girl in a family full of brothers?” She asks.
“Sometimes it sucks. They pick on me and are very overprotective, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I say and smile. She nods.
When we get back to the room, Adam’s standing in the hallway and I walk up to him. “Hey, did you get as many texts as I did?” I ask.
“Hell, yeah, too damn many. Everyone wants to know what happened, if Gabe is okay, how we’re holding up, yada yada,” he says.
“Yeah, same here. I’m not sure I want to return any of them yet, though. I kind of just want to enjoy time with the family right now.”
“I agree,” Adam says and we both put our phones in our pockets. We head back into the room.
Dad is telling Gabe and Mark how the ranch is doing, and that we have new people in town. “Adam and Maggie are friends with the kids, but we haven’t met their parents yet,” Dad says.
****
That night, mom and dad tell us that they’re going to stay with Gabe for a few days, but that we should head back home. Dad says that he’ll keep us updated, and they will be home in a few days. We say our goodbyes to them, and the four of us head for home.
****
The next morning, I get up and grab some clothes before I head to the shower. I put on a mini-skirt, a black dressy tank top, and black heels. I curl my hair, put on some make-up, and head downstairs for breakfast. Adam, Creed, and Jade are already eating so I go and grab some cereal. “Are you riding to school with me?” Adam asks. I nod.
As soon as Adam and I pull into the parking lot, Amy, Jake, and Pete run up to the truck. “Where were you two?! Why didn’t you answer your messages?!” Amy yells.
“Calm down, Amy. We were at the hospital. Gabe’s going to be okay. We didn’t answer your texts because we were with family and enjoying our time together,” I say.
Jase, Heather, and Jenny start heading over to us. “They didn’t answer their messages because they were enjoying being with family,” Amy snaps. I smile and shake my head at her, and Adam laughs.
“Gabe is going to be fine. He’s getting stronger every day. We also met his girlfriend. They’re really serious,” Adam says with a smile.
“Which makes me have hope for the rest of my brothers.” I smirk at Adam, who rolls his eyes.
“dream on sis… it’s never happening” I smirk at him cause I know that one day it will and he won’t know what hit him.
“Wow, that’s cool and I’m glad he’s okay,” Amy says and everyone else nods.
****
The next few months fly by. I can’t believe that it’s almost Thanksgiving. Adam tells me that he and Jase are taking some girls to the lake tonight. “What are you up to tonight, Mags?” Adam asks.
“I’m heading over to a bonfire at Jenny’s,” I tell him, heading upstairs to change into a pair of jeans and a sweater.
Coming out of my bedroom, I run into Jase. “Hey, Maggie. You heading out?” he asks. I nod at him, smiling, and head to the bathroom.
As soon as I get to the bonfire, Amy runs over to me, grabs my arm, and drags me to the fire. “What the hell, Amy?” I say. She looks back at me, then across the fire. I follow her line of vision. “Who’s that?” I ask.
“That’s Jenny’s cousin. He lives here now and will be going to school with us.” Damn, he’s really hot. I really look at him. He’s not as hot as Jase, but he’s definitely good looking. He has blonde hair and blue eyes, a sexy body, and he’s staring at me while he’s talking to Pete and Jenny. She says something to him and starts walking over to Amy and I. Amy hands me a beer.
“Hey, Mags. Glad you made it. Where’s Adam?” Jenny says.
“Hey, girl. He and Jase are out with their one-night stands.” She and Amy both roll their eyes. I really wish Jase wasn’t that way, but he is so there will never be anything between us.
We take our drinks and go find a blanket near the fire to sit down on. Jeff comes over and sits right beside me. “Hey, Bestie. How’s your night going?” I ask him.
He smiles and winks at me. “Awesome! That piece of man candy over there can’t take his off of you, baby girl,” he says. I look over and see Jenny’s cousin staring at me.
Jenny looks between us, and giggles. “Wow, I’ve never seen Christian that interested in anyone before,” Jenny says. I don’t care if he is or not. I don’t want to get involved with him. There’s only one guy that I want, but it will never happen. Maybe Christian can be someone to keep my mind off of Jase.
Jeff and I go grab some more beers. “Are you interested in Christian at all?” Jeff asks.
I look at him, thinking about what to say, when I see Adam and Jase arrive with their “dates”. I want to go slap the chick with Jase but, instead, I turn to Jeff. “Yeah, why not? He’s hot,” I say and Jeff looks at me funny.
Adam comes over and sees my face. “Hey, sis. What’s with the mood?” Adam asks. I look back and see the girls hanging all over them. Oh, my god. Disgusting!
“No reason at all,” I grumble. I hear Adam sigh, but I choose to ignore him.
Jeff and I head back over to the fire. Jenny’s cousin is there, talking to her. “Christian, this is Maggie, Amy, and Jeff,” she says. I wonder if he is a player, too, but I smile at him. I look over at Jeff to see that he is staring at me. I just shake my head.
“Jeff, want to take a walk?”
He’s still looking at me. “Sure,” he says, raising an eyebrow.
After we walk for a while, we came across my brother and Jase, which just seems to piss me off more. Jeff pulls me off to the side. “Alright, that’s enough. What’s wrong with you?” he demands.
“I’m just tired of seeing that shit. Why can’t those girls have more respect for themselves…and Heather won’t talk to me,” I say and his eyebrows raise.
“Adam,” he says and I nod. I tell him that I’m just going to head home and we hug.
As soon as I’m home, I head upstairs to brush my teeth and grab some gum so Mom and Dad won’t smell the beer. I head back down to make some hot chocolate. Jades in the kitchen, on the phone. I wave the package in front of him and he nods. I start making the cocoa and can hear him hang up. “Alright, baby girl. Why are you home already?” Oh, goody. Someone else wants to know what’s wrong.
I look at him. “Do you ever get tired of just having one-night stands? Why don’t you want to find someone?” I ask. He looks taken aback. I finish making our hot chocolates and sit down at the table, waiting for him to answer.
He sits across from me. “Yeah, I do, Maggie, but most of the girls I meet up with are only looking for that right now. I find that the ones that want more aren’t worth it. What brought this up?”
“I don’t know. Every time I see Adam and Jase with a new ‘conquest’, it makes me want to slap them. Heather isn’t talking to me so I’m pretty sure that something happened between her and Adam,” I grumble.
/> Just then, Mom and Dad walk into the kitchen. “I’m sorry, baby girl,” he whispers. Mom and dad look between us, confused. We tell them it’s nothing.
Jade walks over and gives me a hug before he goes to grab cards so that we can play rummy. I hear my phone beep, letting me know that I have a text message. Looking down, I see that it’s Adam. Great, just what I need:
Adam: Where did you go?
Me: Home.
Adam: Why didn’t you tell me? I was worried.
Me: Yeah, right. I doubt you even noticed until Amy asked you where I was.
Adam: Alright, what’s wrong?
Me: It doesn’t matter. Just go back to your girl.
Adam: She isn’t my girl…just an easy lay.
Me: Maybe that’s the problem, Adam. Did you ever think of that? Maybe I’m getting tired of seeing you with all those ‘easy lays’.
I turn off my phone. I just can’t talk to him right now. Maybe playing rummy will take my mind off of things. After a while, I tell them I’m heading to bed and give them all a kiss. After putting on my shorts and t-shirt, I crawl into bed.
****
My alarm goes off at seven. I’ve decided no more letting what Adam and Jase do bother me. If they want to be dumb with their lives, that’s up to them. I get up and grab my yellow dress, underwear, and a bra, and head to the shower. After I’m clean, I pull my hair into a ponytail and put on make-up, then head down for breakfast. Yum, Mom made eggs and ham. She smiles at me. “Glad to see you’re in a better mood, baby girl.” I smile.
I pull up at school and see Jeff and Amy waiting for me. “Oh, my god. You got to school before me?” I laugh.
Amy sticks her tongue out. “HAHA, smart ass. You feeling better this morning?” she asks and I nod.
We all head over to Jenny and Heather, and I notice Josh coming my way. Damn it, why him? “Good morning, girls,” Josh says and keeps walking.
Um, okay, what just happened here? Everyone is laughing at my confusion. “That’s a first,” I say.
Adam walks over and grabs my arm. “What was last night about?” He demands.
I look at him. “Just what it sounded like, Adam. I’m done caring about what you do. Have fun with your ‘easy lays’,” I say and walk away. I hear Adam grumble something, but choose to ignore it.
Jeff, Amy, and I head to our class. I walk in and see Jase sitting there, but I ignore him. By the time school is over, I’m pretty sure they are both pissed at me.
I meet up with Jenny and Christian after school, and we talk for a while. He is a pretty cool guy. I see Adam and Jase walking out of the school, giving Christian a dirty look. Oh get over it boys, neither one of you have a say. I don’t know why I’m so pissed, it never bothered me before. I guess if I look close enough I can come up with an answer, I want Jase. How in the hell can I be falling for a guy like him? I hate man-whores. It bugs me that they can sleep with any girl and not care…. I’m just gonna have to get over it, I know there is no way Jase would ever change for me. So I can never be with him besides he probably wouldn’t want to if he known I was a virgin! Yeah that’s right I’m still a virgin at 18 years old. You would be too… if you had six brothers. Most of the guys in our small town are scared of them so not one would touch me anyways. Jenny leans over and snaps her fingers in front of my face
“Were you even listening?” she asks, well shit I didn’t hear a thing she said…. oops! I say I’m sorry and try listening to her but find it hard, my mind keeps going to a blue eyed hottie…..
Chapter 6 (Jase)
Adam and I have become good friends in the last few months, but it seems like Maggie and Heather don’t want much to do with us. We walk out of school and see the new guy with Maggie and Jenny. I really want to go over there and knock him out for talking to her. After all, she’s the girl I want and can’t have. God, she looks even more beautiful today. I know how Adam’s and my lifestyle disgusts her. The guy touches Maggie’s arm and I’m just about to go over there. Adam clears his throat. “Don’t do it, man, unless you plan on giving up your lifestyle. Maggie deserves to be happy and if he’s the guy, so be it.” What. The. Hell happened to the overprotective brother?
I know he’s right, but it doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it. “I know she does, but it doesn’t change the fact that I still want to kick his ass,” I say. Adam laughs and nods.
“Let’s get outta here before you do something” Adam tells me.
****
Over the next few weeks, we start seeing more of Christian with Maggie. It really pissing me off. My family and the Summers’ spent Thanksgiving together. It was pretty cool, and our families get along great. It was nice not having to see Christian all over Maggie. I wish she could see how much of a dick he is. Maybe she does and she’s just putting up with it. I know Maggie wants something with me… I can see it in her eyes when she looks at me. I also know she will never say anything.
Adam, Pete, Jake, and I are headed to Dallas this weekend to party with Adam’s two brothers. “Dudes, are you ready to party with college girls?!” Adam smirks.
“HELL, YEAH!!” We all say.
Maggie, Amy, and Jeff are going to New York to a Blake Shelton concert. I’m glad they are going. It gets Maggie away from Christian for the time I am gone. Then I won’t have to worry about her being near him. I know Adam and the other guys worry about it, too. They see the same things in him that I do, but what shocks me is that Adam isn’t doing anything about it! Fuck I wish he would or one of them would.
We head out to the truck, throwing our bags in. The girls come out with their bags. “‘Bye, boys. Have fun, but not too much,” Amy sings.
Maggie walks over to Adam and hugs him. “Tell Mark and Gabe that I love them. Have a good time…and I love you, too.” She smiles up at him.
Adam smirks. “Don’t worry. I will.” She rolls her eyes.
“Gross Adam I don’t need to know anything about your soon-to-be conquests”
She then walks over to me and throws her arms around me. I don’t know what to do so I put my arms around her, holding on for longer than necessary. As soon as she pulls back, I feel cold without her there. “‘Bye, Maggie. Be good in New York,” I say, lamely. She smiles and waves before they jump into her Dad’s truck.
I turn around to see Adam, Jake, and Pete staring at me, smirking. “Why are you staring at me like that?” I ask. They just shake their heads. We jump into the truck and take off for Dallas.
****
Partying with Adam’s older brother was pretty cool; the college girls were an added bonus. We also met Gabe’s girlfriend, Kara. She didn’t come to Thanksgiving so I didn’t get to meet her before this. She told us how she agrees with Maggie about our playboy lifestyle. She also thinks that Maggie deserves the world because she’s just the sweetest girl ever, as well as beautiful. I could not agree more. Maggie does deserve everything. I wish she would see that and get away from Christian.
“I wouldn’t say how many girls you hooked up with this weekend,” Adam says.
I look over at him, wondering why the hell he said that. “Where is this coming from?” I asked, confused.
He looks at me like I’m a dumb ass. “You know what I’m talking about. Any warming up Maggie has done with you will be ruined if she finds out.”
Oh, fuck, he’s right about that, but how am I going to keep this from her? She’ll find out eventually. “Shit, she’s going to end up hating me,” I say, hanging my head. Adam nods. Gee, thanks. What a friend.
****
Over the next few weeks, we get ready for Christmas. Heather and I do some shopping in Dallas. I ask Heather what she thinks I should get for Maggie, but she was no help at all. Maggie and I have become a lot closer since we got back from Dallas and New York. It’s been nice hanging around with her and joking … until Christian shows up. Adam and Maggie were talking to us about Chase one night as we all sat in the field at school. “I really want Chase to come home for Christmas. I miss h
im. It’s been far too long since he’s been home,” Maggie says, sadly. They tell us that he joined the Navy when he was 18 and has been in for ten years. He’s only seen his family off and on that whole time.
“When’s the last time you two saw him?” Heather asks. Adam and Maggie share a look. “Two years. After that, he reenlisted for another four years,” Adam says with a sad look. You can see how heartbroken both of them are. The last call they got from him was a six months ago.
Their phones both go off with a text. From the look on their faces, I can only imagine what it’s about. Maggie looks like she’s close to tears and Amy hugs her. “That was from Creed. Chase isn’t coming home,” Adam says. Fuck, no wonder they look sad. Half hour later we all say our goodbyes.
I drive Adam and Maggie home. As soon as we get there, Maggie walks towards the barn. “Where’s she going?” I ask.
He looked out at the barn, then back at me. “This is what she always does when Chase doesn’t come home, or when he goes back after a visit. It’s her way of trying to deal with it.”
Damn, I want to help her get through this, but I understand the need to be alone. I look back at Adam, who’s still looking at the barn. “It pisses me the hell off when Chase does shit like this! He can get time away, but he doesn’t want to. I’m the one left picking up the pieces when Maggie falls apart! I wish she would stop getting her hopes up when it comes to Chase because he’ll always disappoint her! He’s her hero! Did you know that?!” Adam yells. Wow, I have never seen him this mad before. I don’t know what to say, but I know I can’t make this better for either of them. I think Chase is also Adams hero, and he misses him just as much.
“Yeah, she told me that once,” I say, kicking some pebbles.
Adam starts walking towards the river, and I follow. “You know, I used to want to be a SEAL, too, but then I see how it’s keeping Chase away. I know that there’s stuff that haunts him, but he never talks about it to any of us… not anymore, anyway. Once when Maggie and I were eight or nine, we got lost at the town fair. We were both crying and scared, and Chase was the one that found us. He said that he would always be there for us, no matter what. I believed him then…not now, though. But Maggie still believes that he’ll be there. That’s why he’s her hero.” I don’t say anything. I figure he needs to talk about it.
My Texas Sweetheart (book one) Page 4
