Intoxicated

by Scarlett Avery

  “Is something wrong, Hunter?” Jason asks turning his body to face me.

  “I’m not sure, buddy. I answer craning my neck a little further out the window to see if I can spot any sign of life. On early Monday afternoons, this place is a mad house—Jake just confirmed that not long ago. Are they all working at the other ranch? For a quick second I think the explanation lies in the fact that all of our workers are at the neighboring ranch we now own, but I soon dismiss that idea when I realize how foolish it is. Nah, there's way too much work on this ranch for that ever happen. “Jason, I’d appreciate it if you could drop me in front of my house. I’m going to drop my suitcases and then I’ll go out to find Jake and the crew.

  “Not a problem, Hunter.” Jason rolls up the road slowly. I look to my right and then to my left in the hopes to see someone—anyone—but nope. It’s deserted. Other than a few horses running around in a gated area, there’s no one. This makes no sense. After a few minutes, Jason stops in from my place. He pops open the trunk, gets out and circles the car to retrieve my luggage. I get out and follow him.

  Along with more modern marketing strategies, Jason has implemented an online booking system that allows you to pay and leave a generous tip in advance. It just makes things a whole lot more convenient.

  “Thanks,” I say tapping him on the shoulder.

  “Anytime. Have a great day and say hi to Jake.”

  “Have a good one and I’ll relay the message to him. Give Karen and baby Erin my best.”

  “I will for sure, bro. Congratulations again on the new girlfriend. I don’t know her yet, but Miranda is one lucky girl.”

  “I beg to differ. I’m the lucky one.” I grin.

  Jason smiles wide before turning on his heel. After waving him off, I pick up my suitcases and I climb the stairs up my porch. When I kick the door behind me, I exhale loudly. “Home, sweet home.” Although very large, my place is definitely not nearly as massive as the mansion I was renting in LA, but for me, this is paradise. When I pass the kitchen in direction of the stairs, I stop dead in my tracks when I see a glass bell dome with a massive cake sitting underneath it. I drop the suitcases and quickly enter my kitchen. I grab a note with my name inscribed on it. Before even reading it, I already know it’s not from Jake. First off, we don’t have that kind of relationship. Jake is way too much of an alpha for this kind of delicate touch. Second off, the handwriting is neat and elegant—nothing like Jake’s erratic and rushed penmanship. I unfold the note and I’m instantly touched.

  Hunter,

  OMG! I missed you so much. I’m so happy you’re back home. I can’t wait to get to know Miranda better. I’m sure we’ll get along great. I baked you a chocolate layer cake with vanilla buttercream because I know you can’t resist. I hope you like it. I’ll catch you at the end of my workday. As you know, Riley keeps cracking the whip.

  Allison

  “Sweet Allison.” I say aloud dropping the note back on the table. “Damn that’s going to go down easy later tonight.” I’m sure one slice won’t be enough. “Oh shit.” I slap my forehead with the palm of my hand. With all the excitement of our new lives together, it just hit me that there’s something Miranda doesn’t know about Jake, Allison and I. Damn it. I’m going to have to have that talk with her when she gets here. I push the thought away and head up to my bedroom. The intention was to drop my luggage and go find out why everyone is missing, but I decide to ditch the casual LA look and jump into my cowboy clothing. I live in jeans when I’m not wearing a suit, but in LA I usually sport designer ones. Now that I’m home, I can go back to wearing my beloved Wranglers. I put on a navy blue, white and black plaid shirt, I slip into my black cowboy boots, buckle on a belt in the same color, grab my hat and head back out. Since Jake said he was at the gym, I make my way to the barn we converted into a fitness area. Because the barn is a fairly spacious and elongated space, we also have a recreational room there. We’ve had the gym for a long time, but we got the rec room built not long after Allison moved in with Jake. It’s complete with a small kitchenette, a long bar, three pool tables, an area where we can play darts, old school pinball machines, a poker table and a mini bowling alley on the other side. We even have surround sound and that wasn’t an easy feat. We didn’t stop at that. We also have a sitting area with a kickass entertainment wall. We’re talking about five forty-inch TVs with a sixty-inch one set smack in the middle of the smaller ones. Sometimes you want to watch a few games at the same time. Of course, it goes without saying we also have comfy recliners. Yup, it’s our version of a pimped out man cave. When Allison first set foot here she was afraid Jake was never going to come home to her at night. As if that’s ever going to happen. We had a smaller version built in Jake’s basement—since that was where I used to live before Riley moved in with her brood—but we’ve found that sometimes, a guy needs to get away from it all. Jake still has the original one, but this is where we used to hang out the most until I left for LA. The distance between the barn and our houses is perfect.

  As I approach the barn I’m on the lookout for Jake and the workers doing repairs, but I can’t see anyone. In fact, it’s dead quiet. This is become more bizarre by the second.

  “Maybe I woke up in the middle of an episode of the Walking Dead.” I say aloud chuckling. “Jake, are you in there?” I shout knocking on the door. When no one answers, I grip the heavy black cast iron metal handle and slide open the wooden door. When I step inside a chorus of voices rise in the barn and I nearly jump of out of my skin.

  “Surprise!”

  “What the—” I’m completely taken aback. It takes me a few seconds to register that Jake, Allison, Dirk, Brett Peeters—our weekend manager— and the entire crew are the ones cheering. They’re all standing there with the biggest grins I’ve ever seen. “Holy fuck, you guys. You scared the shit out of me.” I finally say when I get over the shock.

  “Welcome back, Hunter.” Jake approaches me before grabbing me in a bro hug.

  “Being in a relationship has transformed you into this big ol’ teddy bear. I didn’t expect this much.” I mock patting his back.

  “Wash your mouth with soap. This,” he takes a step back, opens his arms wide and does a three-hundred-sixty-degree circle before facing me again. “is all her idea.” He points to his girlfriend. “She was so excited to see you again, she wouldn’t let go of the idea of us throwing you a surprise welcome home party. Since all these guys have to get back to work then run to their families at the end of the day, she declared your arrival would be the best time to celebrate. She’s thought of everything.” Jake says pointing at Allison.

  That’s when I’m able to witness all the effort Allison has put into all of this. The partition between the gym and the recreational room is open revealing a long table weighed down with munchies, sandwiches, desserts and drinks. There are balloons everywhere.

  “Allison, you’re the best. This is amazing,” I exclaim leaning down to kiss her on the cheeks.

  “I was counting the days to your return Hunter.” She says hugging me.

  “There’s really no place like home. Fort Collins is definitely it for me.” I feel like the luckiest guy in the world right now. “Are you guys going to welcome me like this every time I come back from a business trip? ’Cause I can surely get used to this,” I grin. I know I’m being cocky, but I can’t help it.

  “Not a chance.” Allison playfully punches my arm.

  “That’s my girl.” Jake cheers proudly. I return his smile.

  I’m still soaking it all in when a familiar face steps from behind the bar. We have a storage room built right behind it so that we don’t have to go back and forth. I guess it’s the perfect hiding place.

  I blink incredulously unwilling to believe my eyes. “Isa? I break my embrace with Allison and stride toward Isadora. I bend at the knees and pick her up in my arms.

  “Oh, put me down, Mr. Hunter.” She laughs pretending to fight me.

  “What are you doing here?�
�� I ask dropping her to her feet.

  “Mr. Hunter, do you think I was going to be able to sleep at night knowing that you’re back on the ranch on your own. Someone’s got to feed you until your girlfriend moves out here.” Isadora says. “You’re not a small guy, you can’t live on bananas and sandwiches alone.” She pins her arms to her waist and gives me a motherly look.

  “Riley allowed you to leave the twins behind?” I tease. “Isn’t it written in your contract that you have no other choice but to be by their sides twenty-four-seven until they graduate from college?” I mock.

  Isadora rewards me by slapping my arm. “Don’t be so harsh, they’ll grow out of it.” Sure. “I’m here because Mr. Rick has a good handle on those boys. Not to mention his size is a deterrent to Brady and Perry. They think twice now before misbehaving.” Isadora laughs. “Even little Erika walks a straight and narrow line when Rick is present. He’s good for Riley and the kids. I’m at peace enough to leave them behind and come out here and take care of you.”

  “You really flew out here just for me?” I still can’t believe it.

  “Yup.” She winks at me. “I’ve already started to prepare your favorites. I’ve taken residency at Riley’s place. That’s where all the magic will be happening while you’re out in the field working.”

  “How long are you out here for?” I ask.

  “I’m here for the next three days. Your fridge and freezer are going to be packed by the time I leave.”

  “You’re amazing, Isa. Thank you. I was going to camp at Jake’s door until Allison takes pity on me and feeds me.” I mock.

  “Keep dreaming, buddy.” Jake quips.

  We all laugh.

  “Wow. This is a big production.” I marvel looking around the room. “Wait a minute. How did you know I was back on the property?” I ask suddenly realizing how well orchestrated all this is. “I don’t recall texting you, Jake.”

  “Jason was our decoy. He fired off a quick text message the second he got off Interstate 25—of course he waited to hit a red light. That gave us enough time to hide.”

  “Where are the guys’ trucks and pick-ups?” I ask.

  “Next door.” Jake laughs. “It was Ali’s idea. She figured it would stump you.”

  “It did.” I shake my head. “Man, you guys went through all this trouble just to welcome me home.”

  “Tsk, tsk, tsk. We didn’t go to any kind of trouble, boss.” Since I got here this is the first time our long time manager speaks. He moves away from the crowd and takes a few steps forward. “We were looking forward to your return. Miss Allison’s idea was too good not to act on.” Dirk says. The other guys nod in agreement.

  “Well, I’m touched.” I simply say.

  Allison approaches me. “There’s one more surprise for you.” She announces joyfully. “This one is Jake’s idea.” She adds.

  I look up at my best friend. “Should I be worried?” I lift an eyebrow to emphasis my question.

  “Now why would you say something like that?” Jake teases.

  “Because I’ve known you for far too long. You don’t do surprises, Jake. So yeah, I’m kind of scared.”

  Jake closes the gap between us. He holds my gaze for a few short seconds before flashing me a ridiculously wide smile. What the hell does he have up his sleeve? “It’s a surprise you’ll love. That much I’m sure of.”

  “Pfff. Right.” I let out rolling my eyes. “Do you have a tap dancing clown hiding somewhere?” I mock. Instead of answering, Jake shifts his eyes back to the bar forcing me to do the same. When I see a hot little mama step out of the storage room, my jaw drops. “Miranda?” I’m dumbfounded. I look at Jake, but he just grins at me. “No way.” Am I seeing a mirage because I miss her so much?

  “Well, hello, sexy cowboy.” Her sassiness is rewarded with whistles, claps and hoots from the crew. She knows how much I love it when she calls me that. As she approaches me, I realize she’s wearing the outfit I bought for the Vegas rodeo. The only difference is she opted for the denim skirt instead of the hip hugging jeans.

  “Sweetie, is it really you?” I ask as if her standing there looking all sexy isn’t proof enough.

  “Baby.” My girl runs at me, slamming into me and throwing her arms in the air. I have a feeling she’s aiming for my neck, but with the height difference and without her cock-hardening sky-high heels on, she reaches my upper arms. I pick her up and turn around in circles while covering her face with kisses. It’s your classic reunion scene from all those sappy romantic movies Nana Rose loved to watch. Only this time, it’s my own beautiful reunion with the women that makes my heart beat.

  * * *

  The festivities stretched out for a few hours after my arrival. It was really great catching up with everyone and introducing the guys to my girl. After giving Miranda the grand tour of the ranch, my house, Jake’s and Riley’s, I take her on a horseback ride. It’s the only way to truly appreciate all the acres of land we own and the best way to admire Fort Collins’ incomparable beauty. I mount Ginger for the occasion. She’s one of our latest acquisitions. Jake bought her a few days after he got back from LA. When he texted me her photo he said she’d be perfect for Miranda. He was right. The minute I saw her photo, I knew her name was Ginger. This is my first time riding her, but she has the perfect combination of sweetness and fieriness that not only resembles my girlfriend, but that’s also ideal for a new rider like Miranda. Of course, I’m keeping this close to my chest and not sharing with her as of yet. It’s all part of a bigger surprise for when she moves out here. Miranda was a little apprehensive at first. Okay, it’s more like she was pretty freaked out. It’s understandable since it’s her first time on a horse. Just like when she tried to get on my bike, she struggled a bit. But Miranda is a real trooper, she wouldn’t give up.

  We’ve been riding for a while now. I wanted to show her as much of her new home as possible.

  "Is everything okay back there?" I turn my head to the side and shoot my question.

  "I haven't fallen off this horse yet, so I guess it's a good sign." She giggles.

  "It’s definitely a good thing." I chuckle. "The alternate wouldn’t be pretty."

  “No it wouldn't. It was embarrassing enough trying to get on the horse, I don't need any more drama and your crew surely doesn't need another reasons to laugh at me. Thank you very much."

  "They were laughing with you." I correct her.

  "If you remember correctly, I was the red with frustration. I distinctively remember that my teeth weren’t showing. And if they were, it was from excruciating effort and not because I found the exercise of getting on a big animal amusing."

  "Don't take it personally. We all had a good laugh at Allison's expense for weeks when she first moved out here."

  "Is that supposed to make me feel any better?" Her tone is almost indignant.

  "Relax. Enjoy the ride, sweetie. And for the record, the reason I didn't take you in my arms and drop you on the horse is because you need to learn. It did take a little time and a few tries, but in the end, you succeeded. I was willing to stand there until you did."

  "And that’s another thing I love so much about you. You’re so incredibly supportive."

  "That's because I'm so much in love."

  "Oh." I love how she becomes so shy when I tell her how I feel about her. We continue to ride for a few long minutes before she speaks again. “Is there anything you don't master?" Miranda asks.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You ride a motorcycle like a pro, you’re the best driver I know—LA traffic ain’t got nothing on you, you’re a king in the business world, you’re a sought after rancher for the impeccable quality of your meat and now I find out that you can ride a horse like a rodeo cowboy.”

  I crack up. "I didn't see that one coming."

  "Don’t be coy with me, Mister." She scolds.

  “You already know I'm a terrible cook, I’m no Channing Tatum on the dance floor, don't ever ask me to bake anythi
ng other than scones, I'm challenged when it comes to sophisticated Italian coffee machines and truthfully I doubt I have the skills to learn more than English." I laugh.

  "Oh, puh-lease. Those are fake shortcomings."

  "You’re sweet, and to answer your question, I focus on a few things and I do them well. When it comes to riding, I had no choice. When we bought the ranch, the former owner was upfront with us. He told us point blank that given the size of this massive property, we wouldn’t be able to rely solely on our SUVs or pickup trucks. It was imperative for us to learn how to ride. We didn't even argue on that one. We hired the best coach and invested the hours. The same goes for learning how to shoot a gun. When it comes down to saving your cattle facing a wild and starving coyote, you need to know these things or else the predator wins."

  "Everything you do, you do so well."

  "Thanks for the compliment. I hope you know that when you move out here you also have to learn how to ride."

  "Are you kidding me?" I didn't expect we’d have this conversation like this, but I guess this is as good of a time as any.

  "Nope. This one is non-negotiable, sweetie, but I'll let you decide if and when you want to learn how to shoot a gun. Everyone who lives and works on the property must learn how to ride a horse. Isadora is an old pro. Don't let her age fool you. That woman can tame a horse as well as she contains Riley's terror twins. To this day, Riley on a horse is the most hilarious thing you'll ever see, but still, she learned how to ride. Jake wouldn't have it any other way. Her boys are also very comfortable on a horse. Little Erica is a little too young and since she’s been spending a lot more time in LA, she hasn't started yet. Allison was frightened of horses at first. You should see her today. Fast forward a year later and she rides with so much confidence, it's hard to believe she's the same person who could barely get on a horse—let alone ride one for hours on her own.”