by Kristi Rose
Meredith nudged him with her elbow and whispered, “All my stuff is in the guestroom.”
Jace grunted. “You get her coffee and keep her distracted. I'll move it all.” He dropped his arm from her shoulder and lifted them out so his sister could fling herself in them.
Chapter 18
Willow brought more energy to the house than Meredith thought humanly possible, though she’d been duly warned. After introductions, the two women made their way to the kitchen while Jace made some lame excuse to go upstairs. Once inside, Meredith pretended to not hear his frantic shuffling above them.
Willow was tall, like her brother, and had that air about her, a college student who knew everything and had the world at her fingertips. She talked incessantly about her professors and classes and how excited she was to be graduating soon.
After Jace joined them in the kitchen, looking flushed from rushed exertion, he filled Willow in on the plans for the cabin. She instantly volunteered to help get everything ready and offered to plan a housewarming party for their parents. Thankfully, Jace nixed it.
“Does Mom and Pops know you're here?” Jace probed.
“Yep, I stopped there first. Dad's ready to be done with therapy. I told them we would all try to meet them for dinner in town.”
Knowing Willow would be on the ranch for a few weeks before returning to school for her summer session made Meredith tense, her stomach knot with worry. Would she and Jace be able to pull off their ruse while she was here? Meredith tried to see it as good practice for when the entire family was home, but that did nothing to assuage the churning mess in her stomach.
Though she knew it was silly, Meredith found it impossible to not resent Willow slightly. She was living the dream Meredith had always had. A loving, supportive family, her chance away at college to figure herself out, and the world in front of her. Logically, Meredith understood her resentment should be directed at her own father and the hand life had dealt her, but the tiny tinges of envy were there. Only two years younger, Willow, who did everything with one hand as she held her phone in the other, had the full, rich life Meredith had craved. Meredith knew her time for that had passed. Even if she returned to school tomorrow, it would not be an experience like Willow’s. Being married was now part of her history, of who she was.
After a long day of making chit chat––Jace, the lucky dog, got to be out of the house all day working with the livestock and keeping an eye out for a bear––Meredith was steps from collapsing into bed. She shuffled down the hallway and came to a screeching halt outside Jace's bedroom door. He'd remained downstairs to harass his sister about school. She'd forgotten they'd moved her stuff over, hoping not to tip their hand. Meredith wondered if Willow couldn't be trusted, but as much as that girl rattled on about anything and everything, possessing the tidbit about Jace and Meredith's bargain would surely find its way out of her mouth.
Sighing wearily, Meredith pushed open Jace's door and groaned. From the look of things, Jace must have flung her stuff into his room, not caring where it would come to rest. Clothes were on the floor, over a lamp, but mainly on the bed. He had managed to put the picture of her mother on the nightstand, and her heart softened when she saw it.
Too tired to care about cleaning up and too nervous to be found awake when Jace decided to come to bed, Meredith tossed everything in the large rocking chair in the corner of the room. Once the mess was contained, Meredith saw Jace's room for the first time. It was simply decorated, heavy wood furniture surrounding the queen bed that was covered by a blue, gray, and red plaid quilt. It was all him. Smelled look him, stood quietly like he did, and made her want to take her clothes off. Of course, that might have more to do with the bed and her fatigue than anything. She found her toothbrush in his en suite bathroom and quickly completed her nightly ritual. After slipping into her pajama's, she slid between the sheets on the side of the bed closest to the bedside table with her mother's picture. Unfortunately, she found relaxing impossible as she lay stiffly on her stomach, an elbow stretch away from plank position. Her mind imagined what would happen when he came to bed. She stared at his empty side and wondered what it would be like to share a bed with Jace.
For her, this definitely put a hitch in the frequently discussed hands-off policy. Her mind was already filled with a variety of fantasies.
Meredith flopped on her back and sighed loudly. This was ridiculous. She was all jittery and jumpy, straining to hear if he was coming or not. As she saw it, she had two options. She could jump him when he came to bed, but even that wouldn't remove the awkwardness, just change it. Or she could do like she'd seen several times in the romantic comedy movies she watched. She would put a barrier between them. After she slipped from the bed, she searched for extra pillows and blankets to make the wall. Yeah, she knew the couples in the movies never stayed on their designated sides, but this wasn't any silly scripted movie. In his closet, she found another comforter that was long enough to work. Staying focused on her task at hand, she didn't even pause to smell his clothes. He'd probably walk in and catch her doing just that if she did. She rolled the comforter and placed it center of the bed, over the sheets but under the quilt. Then she climbed back into bed, resting on top of the sheet as an extra protection, and unsuccessfully attempted to force her shoulders to relax. She was tossing and turning, mumbling her frustrations, when Jace stepped into the room. She hadn't even heard him coming.
“Is this how we're doing it?” he said in a lowered voice, his attention on the center of the bed.
She gulped and looked up at him over the edge of the quilt. “Yes, we need something. Don't you think?”
He scratched behind his ear as if he was considering her words. “Need something because my animal magnetism is so strong you’ll be unable to resist?” He gave a lopsided smile.
Meredith rolled her eyes and sat up. “You tell yourself whatever it is you want. I still stand by us not complicating things further with...um...you know.” Her legs were crossed under the covers, and she wondered if that made her little white lie exempt?
“Sex,” he said.
“Shush,” she followed immediately with urgency. Though he hadn't said it loudly at all.
Working quickly on the buttons of his shirt, he had it off in record time. Meredith tugged the quilt up to her chin. Sitting in the rocker, he slid off his boots, letting them fall with a thunk to the floor, then he stood again and reached behind his head to pull off his T-shirt.
Jumping Aunt Hannah, he was a sight to behold. Meredith's knees began to tremble, and try as she might, she couldn't avert her eyes from the ripple of muscles running across his stomach.
When Jace undid his pants, Meredith slammed her eyes closed. His low chuckle was all she needed to force them open. He stood before her in dark boxers.
Well, that answered that question, and knowing it made her feel closer to him, like they were a couple who had layers of intimacy.
“Don't get all worried. Willow is in the next room, and the walls separating ours from hers is thinner than I'd like. If we're going to have some fun, I want to do it when we can let our hair down.” He went to the bathroom door and stopped before entering. “You are a noisy woman, and I'm willing the bed can get pretty loud. Why would I not want that?” He wagged his brows before entering into the bathroom then closing the door.
Meredith's body went hot. Frustrated, she tossed onto her side, her back to where he'd sleep. When he came out, she didn't try to engage him further, not wanting any more imagery to add to her already rampant imagination.
She could tell by his movements he was standing on his side of the bed, and following a soft swoosh of clothing, he climbed in next to her. He'd taken off his boxers and was in bed. Next to her. Naked.
To make matters worse, he was asleep and snoring within ten minutes while she lay there watching the time click away on the clock on the bedside table.
Chapter 19
If Willow was suspicious of Jace and Meredith, she never sho
wed it. Meredith liked that about her and appreciated being treated like everyone else. Meredith found Willow's joie de vivre admirable––in the mornings––but by late afternoons, the abundance of energy would wear on Meredith and a headache threatened to push through. Not getting a full-night’s rest didn't help either.
Yet, Meredith couldn't complain. Something lovely was happening in those dark hours where she and Jace would lie next to each other with a rolled blanket between them. They were talking. Every night the conversation would start out about the progress of the construction in the cabin but always lead to the livestock, the expectations of the ranch for the season, and often times they laughed about the bear messing with the herd, joking how the animal seemed to know the ranch’s schedule and always seemed a day ahead of them when striking the herd. It was through these quiet shared moments that Meredith knew––regardless of the outcome––she'd done the right thing leaving home. Her life had purpose, and living each day with that knowledge filled her cup.
Until about midafternoon when Willow's yammering depleted her energy. By that point, Meredith would escape to the garden or the barn to find a chore and quiet haven.
At the top of the second week, the construction crew was a day from finishing the cabin, the kitchen was clean from breakfast, Jace and Tuck were out in the field, and looking forward to alone time, Meredith took her freshly topped-off coffee out into the garden to water and weed and get lost in the activity.
She stopped short when she saw Willow had infiltrated the garden, elbows deep in pruning and weeding.
“Oh,” Meredith said, searching for something more articulate to say. She’d yet to be alone with Jace’s sister and feared a round of twenty questions was inevitable. Willow would see right through their story. Shoot, maybe everyone else already did, too, and were just being nice, but Meredith knew Willow wouldn’t be the type to politely ignore the obvious. She was frank, outspoken, comfortable in her skin, a well-loved young woman who liked to call peoples’ bluffs.
“Sorry, I like to keep busy,” Willow said with a smile before returning her attention to the plants.
“Yes, me, too. I thought you were studying or something.”
Willow snorted. “That’s my whole life. Books and more books. Notes and lectures. Don't get me wrong, I like school, and I try to keep it positive for my family, but I’ll be glad when it’s over. It's nice to do things like this.” She swept her hand over the dirt around her.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it then.” Meredith turned on her heel.
“Or you could stay and help. We could get to know one another better.”
Which was precisely what Meredith was afraid of—the probing and high probability that Willow would see through her, find her lacking, and tell her family Meredith didn’t belong. It was silly, Meredith knew that on some basic level, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t happen. It was easy to feel like an imposter in a group of people when you felt like one inside your own body.
“You can take that side.” Willow pointed to the end rows. “I haven’t done that yet.”
Meredith set her cup on the table, took in a deep nerve-steadying breath, and joined Willow in the garden.
They worked in silence for a bit, Meredith wondering what the best course of action would be—keep her distracted with idle chatter, something she wasn’t very good at, or let it play out. She went with the latter.
“You and my brother are cute together,” Willow said.
And so it begins.
“Thanks.”
“It’s nice to see him happy.”
The statement reminded Meredith of the list she’d seen on her first night at the ranch. Be happy. Meredith looked at Willow and found she had her full attention.
“I hope he’s happy. I know I am.” Meredith hadn’t really given it much thought but realized her words were true. She loved living on the ranch, using her hands, and being part of something bigger that was good. The air suited her, the work was rewarding, and the family…well, a person couldn’t be more thankful for a bunch of people who’d been strangers a few weeks back.
Willow smiled wide and sat back on her heels. “I’m not going to grill you about how you met or anything. Mom said Sabrina and you are friends, and I can do the math. Not that I’ve ever been told what Sabrina does for a living, but I figured it out. Anyway.” She waved her hand dismissively and shook her head, her smile even bigger. “Outside this family, Sabrina knows Jace better than anyone. If she paired the two of you together then, for me, that’s as good as God sending a cupid down and shooting you both in the butts with a connected arrow.”
Meredith blinked. What did one say to that? She had no idea, so she smiled instead. “You have an amazing family.”
Willow’s smile wavered; she blinked rapidly and nodded her head. “They are great.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you.” The headaches that she’d thought she lost until recently poked at her edges, trying to break through.
“It’s not that.” She shook her head again. “It’s seeing Pops. It’s hard. Don’t tell mom, but I didn't sign up for summer A session.” She shrugged and looked away, wiping the corner of her eye. “I wanted to be home. I’m afraid I’m going to miss something. Everyone wants to keep on going like everything is all right, but it’s not all right. I can’t sit in class knowing my dad….”
Large tears rolled down her face, falling into the dirt.
Meredith swallowed the lump in her throat. “Did Jace tell you my mother passed away when I was sixteen?”
Willow shook her head. “He just said you didn’t have family.”
A small, bitter laugh escaped Meredith. “It’s kinda true. My father is still alive, but he’s…well, anyway. One day my mom was there, and the next she wasn’t. I’d give anything for more time. I’d give anything to sit with her and just enjoy the space she’s in.” Meredith let go of the tears she’d been holding back and, magically, the headache evaporated.
Willow nodded. “Yes, that’s all I want.”
“I get it. You let me know how I can help.” She reached across the space with her palm up. Willow placed her hand in Meredith’s, and they squeezed.
“Look at us, crying in the garden,” Willow said, gripping tightly.
Meredith laughed. “No one has to know.” Mercy, she felt like a heel for being so petty and resenting of Willow before.
A low rumble echoed through the garden and vibrated the earth. Puzzled, Meredith looked up at the clear blue sky.
“It’s the herd. They’re coming in. Doesn’t sound like all of them, though. Come on, let’s go watch.” Willow jumped up, wiped her eyes, and then dusted the dirt from her pants. Meredith followed suit. Out by the barn was a large corral-like, pie-shaped contraption.
Meredith pointed. “What's that?”
“It’s a sweep tub. It helps keep the cows from getting anxious. When that happens, all kinda of things can go wrong. ”
Meredith nodded like she understood, but made a note to ask Jace later.
“Jace is probably bringing in this batch to check their tags.” Willow pulled on her ear. Meredith saw some of the cows had a yellow clip in their ear.
“I’ll go open the gate.” Willow started forward, but Meredith grabbed her arm.
“Can I do it?”
“Sure, just open it and get out of the way.”
Meredith nodded then jogged out to the apparatus. The herd was close, coming in wide, their pace steady, and Meredith laughed. She now understood the term “louder than a herd of buffalo.” The sound was deafening. Unlatching the gate was easy enough, but her critical mistake was standing still and shoving it open instead of guiding it to rest against the metal sweeping tub. Her initial thought had been to avoid going toward the herd which she would have done had she taken the gate all the way open. Only now they seemed to be coming from everywhere, and thrusting the gate left Meredith exposed and in the direct line of the herd. Had she guided the gate open, she’d be by the sweep
tub and could sit on the fence.
She faced the incoming cows and thought about all those videos she’d seen of people running from the bulls in Pamplona.
She turned on her heel and bolted, picking the path to run with the least amount of animals.
Willow was yelling something and pointing, but when Meredith looked in that direction, all she could see were cows. When one passed her, she braced herself to be trampled, surprised when nothing came.
Meredith ran faster, her legs burning from the exertion. If she died, at least it was at a time when she was happy. The ground shook with the pounding of stampeding cows, their hooves kicking up dirt.
Frightened, she unleashed the scream building inside her. Why hadn’t those stupid cows gone into the tub? Her gaze darted around as she looked for a solution, and she realized the herd was coming in from both sides of the prairie, Tuck driving another bunch in from the direction in which she was running.
Cows were everywhere!
Like that childhood game she was the Monkey in the Middle, and wished someone would throw her a lifeline. Out of options and heaving from exhaustion, she continued scanning for options. Something, anything, like a building or fence that she could use as cover. A whistle broke through the chaotic sound, and she jerked her attention in the direction from which it came.
Jace was on a horse barreling up from behind, leaning in the saddle toward her, arm extended as if to scoop her up. She pivoted on a dime, changing her direction toward him, and hoped they could pull it off.
Only in the movies.
Thankfully, she knew about horses, and when he was close enough she reached for the back of the saddle with one hand while linking arms with him with the other. She leapt into the air when they connected and used the saddle to help pull herself around. Once seated, she wrapped both arms around his waist and buried her head into the center of his back, trying to cease her shaking and calm her frantically beating heart.
