My Texas Sweetheart (book one)

by Acheson, Pauliena

  Adam: Should be there around ten-ish.

  Jase: Make that eleven for me because I gotta churn butter.

  Adam: HAHA, I’m not even going to ask, Bro. I’ll let you keep a little bit of your manhood.

  As breakfast was being placed onto the table, Dad and Maggie come bouncing through the kitchen door. “Mmmm, it smells so good in here,” snickered Maggie, putting her arms around my neck and planting a big kiss on my lips. I can’t let her know that she’s getting to me. I gotta play along.

  “Good morning, Mags. It sure was nice of you to let your old man sleep in this morning while you took care of my chores for me. Seeing as how you’re so good to me, I decided to help Mom cook up a huge breakfast for you. Oh, I thought you’d like some fresh butter, Dad.” I grinned wickedly at my father. He opened his mouth to say something, but I gave him such a look that he retreated.

  “Oh, just like your daddy ordered…fresh butter with all the fixings. I’m glad to see that they have you trained so well.” Mags winks at me. She isn’t going to get the better of me two days in a row.

  “Wow, I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse!” Dad exclaimed. “Let’s get washed up, Maggie, and then we can dig in.”

  ****

  After breakfast, I offer to give Mags a ride home. To my surprise, she said that she rode Storm over and needed to get back to the house. She and Amy had decided that they were going to go to into the city today to do a girls’ day. “Hey, I have an idea. Maybe your mom would like to join us. I can see if my mom wants to go, too. That will give you boys some time to recover from yesterday’s fun and games,” she teased.

  Pulling her into my arms, I lean in and gently kiss her on her lips. “Mags, that sounds like a great idea. I think Mom would love a day on the town with you all. It would give her a chance to get to know your mom better. Plus, I’m sure Dad would love to have the afternoon to himself.”

  Following her out to the stables, I help her saddle up Storm. Before she mounted him, she turns and lovingly looks at me. “You know what, babe? Spring Break just started and so have the games.” She gave me one of her mischievous grins and a wink, then took off towards home. What the hell is she up to now?

  Jase: Hey, Adam, you at the river yet? Your sister just took off and something tells me that they’re up to something again.

  Adam: Already here, Bro. We’ve been wondering what’s been taking you so long.

  Jase: On my way!

  Jumping into my truck, I start down the drive. Passing the house, I notice both my parents sitting on the front porch, grinning and waving at me. Hmmm, when’s the last time they were sitting like that and waving at me? As I round the bend that leads down to the river, I notice that all the guys are there. I get out of my truck. “Hey, man,” I said to Adam, “what the hell happened this morning?”

  “I’m not sure, but you damn well won’t see me in a pink apron again,” he growls.

  “When did the girls have time to rig up that plan? After last night, I can’t believe they even had the guts to plan something else,” I say.

  I look over at Chase, and he and his buddies look like they are getting a kick out of everything. “Enough with the laughing, guys. Are you going to help us out or not?” I say.

  The tone in my voice was a bit to high-pitched, which made them all double over in laughter. “Does somebody have their panties in a knot?” Chase busted out.

  I am ready to slug him when Adam speaks up, “Listen, enough is enough. The girls wanna play? Let’s give them a good game. We have all day to work out the details. From what I hear, the ladies are going into the city for a ‘girl’s day’. That gives us plenty of time to get done what needs to be done. What do you say? Everybody in?”

  “Hell yeah,” Creed chimes in. “Let’s get this party started!” We spend the rest of the afternoon planning.

  Around suppertime, we all go back to our houses to start our chores. Just as I was pulling up to the barns, my phone vibrates:

  Maggie: Hey, old man. Missing me yet?

  Jase: Hey, baby. You ladies coming home soon?

  Maggie: No, we’re going out to supper. We should be back around seven.

  Jase: Oh…

  Maggie: You sound disappointed, babe.

  Jase: Was just hoping to spend some time with you later, that’s all.

  Maggie: How about a midnight swim? ;)

  Jase: You got yourself a deal.

  Maggie: K, I’ll text you when we get back.

  Jase: Love you, baby.

  Maggie:??

  Jase: What?

  Maggie: It’s just that’s the first time you ever texted it. Caught me off-guard.

  Jase: I just miss you so much, and I do love you.

  Maggie: Aww, I will never erase that message. I love you, too, baby!

  Jase: Text as soon as you get home. Make sure you wear that bikini I love. I need to see you in it tonight.

  Maggie: I thought you might like to see the new one I got today.

  Jase: NEW ONE???

  Maggie: I’ll let your imagination run with that one for now. I gotta go.

  Jase: Adam’s texting. Gotta run, babe.

  Adam: Hey, man. Ladies won’t be home so Dad wants me to invite you and your pops over for a bar-b-que. You interested?

  Jase: Damn straight. We’ll be over after chores.

  Adam: Cool. Bring some beers with you. Tonight’s going to be a long one.

  Jase: K, see you soon.

  ****

  After chores, Dad and I clean up and head over to Adam’s. By the time we arrive, the meals on the table so we all sit down to get our fill. Luckily, Adam’s dad broke out the “fine china”—PAPER PLATES! No dishes tonight!

  After things have been cleared from the table, the guys and I head out to the stables to finalize our plans. We really didn’t want our dad’s knowing what we were up to so they stayed out on the porch, smoking their pipes and sharing a few laughs. Just as we finish setting up how things are going to roll out for the evening, my phone buzzes:

  Maggie: Hey, good looking. Guess what? I’m standing next to this tall and handsome man, and he’s telling me that you are having engine issues?

  Jase: What do you mean, babe?

  “What the hell, guys. Mags just texted me and said that she’s standing next to some tall, handsome dude and he’s telling her we’re having engine issues…?”

  The guys all go bolting from the stables, everyone running for their trucks. Just as I jump into mine with keys in hand, my cell goes off:

  Maggie: I think I can, I think I can…oh, wait. Think again. NO, YOU CAN’T!

  I put the keys into the ignition and try turning her over. It tries starting, but doesn’t connect. What the hell? I hear all the other guys swearing because their trucks won’t start, either. I step out and slam my truck door. I yell, “Fuck! How the hell did they do this, Adam?!”

  “Beats the shit out of me, Bro.” My cell phone buzzes again:

  Maggie: Hey, sexy. Maybe you should go up to the house and get your daddy to help you!

  Chase: What did you go to my truck, baby girl?

  Maggie: Who? Me? Nothing!

  “Adam, can you run back up to the house and grab our dads? They’re good at fixing things.”

  Adam races for the house, only to reappear moments later with wires in his hands. “Well, boys, looks like the girls’ aren’t in this alone tonight. Both of our dads are MIA, but look what I found on the front porch,” he growls.

  I look, but can’t make out what he’s holding. “What is it?”

  “Well, seems to me that someone has removed all of our sparkplugs, and didn’t take the time to mark whose is whose.”

  As we all work together to wire our vehicles back up, we go over the plan again. Once we’re done, I say, “Okay, boys. The game is on. Remember, no one answers any texts received from the girls until we’re all in position. Everyone has their two-way radios on so let’s go show them how the game is played. Don’t forget that th
ey’ve got others helping them now.”

  Like a pack of hungry wolves, we all let out a yelp and squeal down the driveway, spraying gravel as we go. We each took off in different directions, knowing exactly where to go. Chase is riding with me. I can see the light on Chase’s cell phone go off. He looks down. “It’s April. Wonder what she wants.” Not sure if he should even look, he looks over at me. “Do you think I should look at it?”

  “Yeah, she has nothing to do with this. I don’t want her to worry.”

  April: Hi, Chase. I’m looking for Jase, but he’s not answering his phone. I’m stuck over at Nana’s with a flat tire. Was hoping that he might be with you because I can really use some help.

  Chase read it to me. “Shit, this is going to slow us down. You better let the other guys know that we have to stop by Nana’s first,” I moaned.

  As he tells all the other guys, we make our way to Nana’s. Everyone’s pulling in at the same time. This is going to be a breeze with this much muscle around. We pull up to the diner, but can’t see April’s car anywhere. “Where the hell is she parked?” I mutter.

  Chase jumps out of the truck and runs in to ask Nana where she is. Moments later, he comes back out and he didn’t look too happy. “Nana said that she has no idea what I’m talking about. She said that she hasn’t seen April all day.”

  Oh, for fucks sake, not April, too. That means if she is in on this, so is Heather. Who else do they have working with them? Something tells me we might be outnumbered, but we still have the advantage because they don’t know that we know it is more than just the two of them. “Okay, text her back and tell her that we’ll swing by tomorrow and fix it. Tell her to just stay the night at Nana’s and keep her company.”

  Chase: April, I just got in touch with Jase. He’ll be out tomorrow to fix it. He wants you to stay with Nana for the night.

  April: Oh, really? Is that why you’re standing in front of the diner right now?

  “Holy shit, Jase. They’re watching us right now!” Chase exclaims

  “What the fuck do you mean ‘watching us’?” I ask, looking around but seeing no one. My cell goes off:

  April: Oh, just thought you might like to thank Jake for tipping us off about tonight.

  Jumping out of my truck, I stalk over to where he and Adam were parked. Grabbing him by his shirt, I put my face in his and bark, “Did you tell the girls what we had planned for tonight?”

  “What the hell are you talking about?! I didn’t say anything to anybody!” he spat back, pushing me away.

  “C’mon, guys. You do realize that if the girls are watching us, they’re getting a kick out of you two, right?” Laughed Chase. “You two are giving them exactly what they want. Let’s all get back in our trucks and continue on with the plan. Now, shake hands.” Jake and I laugh, and high five. “Good. Now remember, none of us go in the same direction. Hopefully, this will make them wonder and give us the time we need to set up.”

  When Chase and I take off, he says, “Oh, by the way, Nana told me to tell you that she wants us to drop by later for a slice of pumpkin pie.”

  “That will be a great reward after our victory,” I say and smile.

  Once we arrive down at the river, I pull out my two-way radio and checked in on all the other guys to make sure everyone is in position. Tonight, the ladies can’t hide because we are positioned at every place they went to last night. First, I checked in with Adam, who was to be positioned by the school. “Hey, Adam, Any good games out there tonight,” I say.

  “No, man. It’s all quiet out here.”

  My cell buzzes:

  Maggie: Is Adam enjoying himself at the football field?

  What the hell? How can she know where Adam is if she was just at Nana’s? I look over and tell Chase about the text that Mag’s just sent to me. He can’t figure out how she knows where Adam is, either. “Okay, before you check in with the rest of the guys, I think that we should split up, but on foot. Leave the truck here. The school’s close so I’ll go and check on Adam. Why don’t you head up the hill over there and see if you can spot anything,” Chase says, as he quietly shuts the door to the truck. ”By the way, don’t go leaving your keys in the ignition this time because I have a feeling the girls are close.”

  Moments later, I slide out of the driver’s seat, taking the keys with me, and head up the incline to see if I can see anything.

  About a half-hour later, Chase came back and said that I should check in with the other guys. Picking up the two-way, I say, “Hey, Creed. How’s your spot looking?”

  “Nothing so far, man. All is quiet.”

  My phone buzzed again, but it’s my dad this time:

  Dad: The cows are in the corn!! HAHAHA.

  “What the fuck?!” I mutter.

  “What’s wrong now?” Questions Chase.

  “That was my dad. He just told me that the ‘cows are in the corn’.”

  “He said what???”

  “You heard me!!

  “Okay, if you ask me, this shit is getting weird. So your dad’s in on this, too, I guess.”

  Then my phone buzzes again:

  Dad: Don’t MOOOOve. The ears might hear you. HAHAHA.

  “Holy shit! My dad is as bad as Mags. I think he’s having a little too much fun,” I say, as I show Chase the text.

  “Maybe it’s time we check in with Jade,” Chase says.

  Back on the two-way I go. “Hey, Jade. How’s your night going?”

  At first, there was no response. This can’t be a good sign. Just as I am about to resend my message, Jade comes across the air. “Sorry, man. Nature was calling. It’s all clear and quiet here.”

  Chuckling at his response, I reply, “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do!”

  This time, Chase’s phone buzzes with a text. “It’s from my mom,” he says puzzled.

  Mom: Tell your boys if they get hungry, there’s some homemade bread in the pantry, and the honey is on the counter.

  “I think it’s time to send a mass text to the guys. This shit is just getting too weird. It’s like they know exactly what’s happening before we do anything. How the hell are they doing that?” I say.

  Chase mass text to boys: Hey, guys. Something weird is happening. Have any of you received strange texts? If you have, forward them to Jase’s phone.

  My phone starts buzzing:

  Adam’s cell message from Amy: Anybody up for a ball game?!

  Creed’s cell message from Carol: Children of the corn, time to come out and play!

  Jade’s cell message from Brad: Don’t forget to turn on the porch light!

  They guys start pulling up beside us as I finish reading the text messages to Chase. As we’re all getting out of our trucks to regroup, we get a mass text from Heather:

  Heather: You boys should all take a jump in the river to cool off. It looks like your motors are overheating.

  “What the fuck is going on?!” Adam shouts, sounding pissed.

  “Not sure, but it looks like we’re losing the game again,” retorts Jade.

  “You just wait until I get my hands on them!” exclaims Adam.

  “Aww, c’mon, guys. We have to admit that they’re good, and they got us again,” Chase chuckled. “But I’m too hungry to keep going like this. Who wants to join me at Nana’s for a slice of pumpkin pie?!” We all pile back into our trucks and head towards the diner.

  Nana beams when she sees us. “Did you boys have a good night?” she questions. Something seems different about her tonight. There is a twinkle in her eye and a slight grin on her lips.

  “Let’s just say that it’s been an interesting one, Nana,” I say, as I wrap my arms around her and kiss her on the forehead. “Now, where is that famous pumpkin pie of yours?”

  “Why don’t you boys find a table? I’ll go fetch you each a slice.” She disappears into the kitchen.

  As we are just sitting down, the kitchen doors fly open and out comes each and every one of them…the girls, our parents, and
Nana, each of them carrying two pieces of pie. “Girls rule, boys drool.” Maggie batted her cute little eyelashes at me.

  “We just let you think that, baby,” I say, smiling.

  She smiles and, with that, they all threw the pies in our faces! “Oh, you think so, do you?” She giggled. “Now you can have your pie and eat it, too.” Bursts of laughter come from everyone, but little did Mags know that I had another sort of surprise in store for her, one that only she and I are going to share.

  “Oh, damn. You are all gonna pay for that!” Adam yells and we all run to the kitchen.

  “Food fight!” yells Nate.

  We hear the front door shutting. “Son of a bitch! They ran off!” Jade laughs.

  Just then, I get a text coming in:

  Maggie: Hey, hot stuff. Meet me at the swimming hole.

  Jase: Baby, just wait and I’ll drive us there. I don’t want you there alone.

  Maggie: Amy is staying until you get here, babe.

  Jase: Alright, baby. See you in ten minutes.

  Heading back to the kitchen, I put the pie I am holding down and make my way to the restrooms so I can clean up before going to meet Mag’s. “Hey, bro, where you headed?” Adam asks.

  “Meeting up with Maggie,” I say and he nods.

  Chapter 26 (Maggie)

  Amy and I are sitting at the swimming hole, waiting for Jase to show up. “I loved the look on the boys’ faces when we came out of the kitchen at Nana’s. It was priceless,” Amy laughed.

  I laugh. “Yeah, that was awesome. We need to do that again. It was so much more fun with the parents.”

  “The text Quinn sent them was funny as hell.” I had to agree with her. Quinn really enjoyed toying with the boys. My father and he loved removing their sparkplugs.

  “I would have loved seeing them trying to figure out how the hell we knew where they were, and watch their faces every time a text came in after they checked in with each other.” I laughed.

  Just then, we heard a truck pulling up behind us. Both of us turned to see Jase. “Lover boy is here.” Amy grinned.

  “Let’s just hope that he isn’t too pissed.” I grin warily at her.

  “He would never be mad at you…for long, anyway.”