by Ivy Jordan
“I hear you’re back in town for good this time,” she breathed.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention as her breath rolled onto my skin.
“Looks like it,” I smiled politely, starting to remember the strange hold the woman had over me.
“Maybe I should check on you sometime. I can’t stand the thought of you on that big ole’ ranch all alone,” she smiled.
“I’m a big boy. I can handle it alone. No need to check on me,” I replied.
Her finger left her hair, letting the curl bounce as she waved towards the bartender. Without ordering, he brought her a shot of whiskey, and without hesitation, she drank it in one gulp. Yes, it was clear. Carrie had spent some time in this hell hole of a bar. She’d probably bagged everyone in the place that was worth enough to snag her attention. Probably pissed em’ all off as well. Trouble, always was, and always will be.
Her tongue slid across her lips, slowly as she hummed sweetly. I knew she was working me, just as she had before, plenty times before.
“I know you’re a big boy,” she giggled, her hand reaching towards my shoulder.
I turned, trying not to be obvious about my intentions for her to keep her distance, and quickly ordered another shot before the bartender got too far away. Not that he was planning on leaving his spot any time soon, the place in front of Carrie, where he leaned into the bar, taking his own peek down her low-cut shirt.
“I just came in for a drink, that’s all. I’ve got too much going on at the ranch right now for you to be distracting me,” I explained politely.
“Oh, you know I’d distract you,” she purred, leaning back towards me as she spoke.
I leaned back away, this time with no way to show the obvious dismissal of her advances.
I grabbed my shot, downed it, and then took a long swig of my beer. I turned to look towards the door, now instead of hoping for, fearful that Evelyn would walk through. I didn’t want her to find me with Carrie. I knew her claws came out when another woman was in her way, and I couldn’t imagine Evelyn involved in such cattiness.
“Are you meeting someone here?” Carrie asked, her tone cold and steady.
“No. I-I-uh, I mean, I’m not sure if they’re coming or not,” I stammered, realizing I was truly hoping she’d show.
“Well, I’m here,” Carrie smirked in my direction, her pink lips full and plump, and capable of things no other woman had proven possible. Fuck.
I chuckled nervously as I studied her eyes, so blue, so filled with intent. She was like a lion with her curly blonde mane, stalking me as prey. For a moment I was helpless, frozen, and vulnerable to her allure, but old man Jasper’s voice rattled in my head. “That one’s no good,” I heard him say when he first met Carrie.
He was right. She wasn’t.
“I’d really rather be alone right now,” I smiled, offering my most polite brush off.
Her face tightened just enough to show the cracks in her thick makeup. Suddenly, her allure was gone, the light hitting her just right so I could see one of her fake eyelashes starting to loosen from her eyelid, the streaks of different colors in her hair from extensions she’d clipped in, and an underwire pushing from her bra where it had been overworked.
I thought about Evelyn and how she looked sitting at my kitchen table that first day. Her hair was soaked, messy, and frizzy, but beautiful. Any sign of the small amount of makeup she’d worn was gone, but her skin flawless. The green boy shorts she’d worn and the shirt with the ride a cowboy phrase. I laughed, aloud, but not intentionally.
Carrie’s eyes turned dark as she pushed her tongue against the inside of her cheek. The bright blue shade was probably contacts and the blonde hair most likely from a box. Most definitely from a box as I remembered her bush as a dark brown. Fake. She was fake, and that wasn’t alluring to me anymore.
In a huff, she was gone, already moved on to her next conquest before I could finish my beer.
“Another one?” the bartender asked, his eyes towards Carrie bent over the pool table, and not on me.
I thought about Evelyn. She wouldn’t come here alone. Maybe if I brought her, but not alone. I was foolish to think someone like her would even consider my overly-zealous request.
“No. I’m leaving,” I smiled at the man who still had his eyes glued to Carrie’s backside.
I slapped money onto the bar to gain his attention, long enough to thank him and make sure he knew he was paid in full, with tip.
As I headed towards my truck, Jack Fuller, one of the men from the stockyard grabbed my arm, pulling me towards him without my consent. He was older, probably in his sixties, but he was still strong for an old coot.
“James Laurie, so it’s true, you didn’t leave,” he hooted with a grin.
I smiled down at the old man who stood no more than five foot nine.
“Man, it’s good to see you,” he continued, his eyes lingering on me in a strange way.
“It’s good to see you too,” I replied, hoping that would be the end of our encounter.
His grip continued strong on my arm, and that strange look remained on his face.
“So, the rumors aren’t true then?” he asked.
“Rumors?” I questioned.
“About the ranch,” the old man’s white bushy eyebrows pushed downward.
“I’m sorry,” I stammered, still not sure what he’d heard.
“Oh, you know how people like to talk. After Jasper passed, well, there are rumors of his kids being back in town meeting with brokers to sell the place,” he informed me.
I sighed. I wasn’t in the mood to get into the mess that was going on in my life, but Jack wasn’t going to let it go until I did just that.
“We hadn’t seen you in a while, so I leaned towards believing them, thinking you hauled off and left town. I’ve saw the daughter, just the other day actually, sitting in that diner with a man in a suit,” he pointed across the street.
“There’s a lot of work to do at the ranch. I’ve been trying to keep things going,” I smiled through my irritation.
“That rumor is really gonna drive the prices of your cattle down, James. You need to grab hold of this rumor and head it off before it gets outta hand and you get lowballed at the next sale,” Jack warned.
I nodded.
“The ranch isn’t going anywhere. I’ve got my own lawyer, a will, and plenty of proof that the land and everything on it belongs to me,” I scowled.
Jack smiled, giving me a quick nod before releasing his grip on my arm.
He slapped me on the back, smiled, and then walked towards the door. From the strong odor of whiskey already on him, I’d expected him to be leaving, not coming.
He was right. I was going to have to make sure this was handled, and quickly. I couldn’t afford to lose money at next week’s sale.
Chapter Six
Evelyn
I’d sent a reminder about our appointment to James through e-mail, but all I got back was a simple, see ya then. I wasn’t sure if he was short in his response because I hadn’t shown up to the bar, or if he was just busy.
I tried to shrug off the feeling that loomed over me, sadness at the thought I’d disappointed him, or hurt him in some way, as I drove up his lane.
I still wore my boots, even though the ground had dried up, and there were no more threats from deep mud pockets that wanted to suck me into them.
James Laurie was a soldier, a SEAL, a cowboy. I was a silly city girl trying to make her way in the country. He must’ve thought I was amusing, and he somehow enjoyed toying with me, that’s all. The attraction was there. I could feel it, but it was nothing, just in good fun.
A soft giggle tickled past my lips as I parked my car next to his big red truck. We were nothing alike. His invitation was just to be nice; it had to be. Even still, seeing him sitting on the front porch as I walked towards him, my knees weakened. Pull it together, Evelyn.
He reached for a bottle of Coke that sat on the table b
eside him as I took the first step. His hand twisted around the cap, pulling it with ease from its once snug spot around the rim of the bottle.
“I know you can’t live without this,” he smirked, his eyes soured instead of bright and cheerful like before.
My heart sank into my chest as I reached for the bottle he pushed towards me. I took a seat in the chair beside him, not saying a word while I tried to calm my nerves. Have I upset him?
I took a sip of the Coke, leaned back in my chair and stared out towards the barn. The sun was going down, a bright yellowish orange color filling the sky, and I instantly felt the calmness surrounding my body. This was why I came here, this feeling. I wished I could somehow bottle the feeling, send it to my parents, and make them understand why I chose this life, this place.
“You got some papers for me to sign?” James asked, his tone not cold, but somewhat empty.
“I do,” I answered quickly.
I sat my Coke down on the table where James had it before I’d arrived, and pulled my briefcase into my lap. I shuffled through papers until finding the ones I’d forgotten last time.
“I just need you to sign these documents. One gives me permission to analyze financials of Mr. Jasper, and-uh, of yourself. The other is just a basic form I need to stand on your behalf in the courtroom,” I explained.
James took the papers, placed them on the hard folder I handed him, and signed each one where I’d marked.
“Why my financials?” he questioned.
“It’s to show whether or not you were dependent on Mr. Jasper,” I explained.
“I sent him money while I was gone to take care of Queen, and to help out during the cold months,” James sighed.
It was obvious something was bothering him, and I no longer believed it had anything to do with me. There was something on his mind, something heavier than being stood up at the bar, if he’d even gone.
“Okay. Well, that shows you weren’t desperate for the inheritance, that you would somehow need to persuade his decisions in any way,” I smiled.
James nodded, a smile appeared, but only faint, and not for long.
“Is there something I can help you with, James?” I asked cautiously.
His eyes moved to mine, so blue, so heavenly. The tanned skin on his face softened as he looked in my direction as my heart started to beat hard and fast.
“It’s just the whole thing,” he sighed.
I wanted to reach forward, to wrap my arms around him and offer comfort, but I didn’t think it was appropriate. Sitting in my chair, watching the pain in his eyes, made my heart ache.
“I ran into one of the old stockyard auctioneers,” James continued, his voice soft and raspy.
I listened as he told me the story, how the old man caught him leaving the bar. I drifted off for a moment, thinking about him sitting there, probably alone, and waiting for me. I was sick with guilt for not going, at least to have one drink, let him down easy. He wouldn’t be interested in more than a fling, and I’d never had a fling in my life, and no desire for one.
I snapped back to his story, about how the old man said a rumor was floating around about the sale of the ranch.
“I’m sure the kids’ lawyers have told them to show their face, make their claim, and even encouraged starting the rumors,” I reached across the table and placed my hand over his. It was warm but slightly shaky as I added some pressure for comfort.
James smiled, this time it appeared more genuine. I looked down at my hand in his. It was so small in comparison, yet powerful enough to bring a smile onto the face of gloom.
“You’re probably right,” he sighed.
“I know I’m right,” I smirked.
A deep chuckle rolled from James’s lips, causing a strange vibration in my breasts. His free hand reached to mine, covering it as I covered his. Thoughts filled my mind of his body, what it must look like beneath his clothes, and how it would feel pressed against mine.
“What would I do without you?” he laughed.
“You’d lose,” I teased with a smile.
“You got that right,” he released my hand and stood.
He carried the papers with him as he headed towards the door.
“Come on inside; I’ll make copies,” James instructed.
I followed him inside, keeping my boots on this time. I worked on ridding my mind of the delicious images of him, but as he stood before me, strong, tall, it was nearly impossible.
“I’ll make the copies in my office,” he stated, his demeanor slow and somewhat awkward.
Something about how he lingered, how he looked at me, made me think he wanted to say something more, to do something more. When he turned and walked towards the office, I was relieved. I knew if he had tried to kiss me, if he would’ve asked, I wouldn’t have been able to turn him down.
I busied myself with organizing my briefcase while he was gone, not that I was actually doing anything other than shuffling papers around. It helped to ease my mind, take it from the place where I had no control. I had to be careful around James. He most certainly did something to me.
“I found this,” James boasted as he entered back into the main room.
I quickly shoved everything back into my briefcase and moved towards the living room where he stood. He was holding a large album with a wide grin on his face.
“What is this?” I questioned, unsure what the purpose of showing me could possibly be.
“You’d asked about things that proved a long relationship between me and ole man Jasper, something that would show we were like family,” he pushed the album towards me.
It was heavy in my hands and dusty as well. The brown leather casing was starting to tatter, and as I opened it, the pages were loose, some completely, while others just partially.
“Is this you?” I asked, pointing to a young boy standing next to the barn just outside the home I stood in now.
“Yeah, I was just a kid,” he chuckled.
“This is Mr. Jasper?” I queried.
James nodded.
I walked to the couch, sitting while I browsed the album. James sat beside me, close enough I could smell his cologne. I wondered if he put that on just for me. I couldn’t imagine a rancher needing to add cologne to tend to the grounds.
It was nice to see James smile, to watch his eyes light up when he’d tell me a story about one of the pictures.
“This is perfect,” I sighed.
“He followed me all through my military career, even made the long drive to my graduation,” James explained as he pointed to a photo of him in uniform.
I grazed the pages, admiring the fact that Mr. Jasper took the time to save any mention of James from the papers, or even of his squad.
“Hey. That’s Axel,” I exclaimed, pointing to a photo of several men around James.
“Yup,” he grinned proudly.
I listened as he told me about the other men in the photo, his brothers he referred to them as, Luke, Liam, Aiden, Xander, and Isaac. A few other names he skimmed over, causing me to assume they’d had something horrible happen to them before making it home. The others he rambled on about forever, giving me background history, as well as their current updates.
“I know Luke and Candace,” I announced and quickly explained how.
It felt good to be connected to James, to feel as though we weren’t so distant after all.
“You’re a good looking group of men,” I noted as James took the album from my hands.
“Of course, but I’m the best one, right?” he grinned.
I laughed, stood from my seat and pretended to study the picture again to answer his question.
“Hmmm, who is that again?” I teased, pointing at Liam in the photo.
James shut the album, offered up a mock scowl, and placed it on my briefcase, which sat on the kitchen table.
He was playing hurt so well that I was beginning to believe his ego really was damaged. I walked towards him as I struggled to control my giggli
ng. My hand moved to his as it rested on the table next to my briefcase. It was the second time today that I’d reached out to touch him.
“I’m only teasing. Of course, you’re the best,” I said softly.
James smiled, turning his face towards mine. With him bent over the table, our faces were close, too close.
“I mean, you’re the one who keeps me stocked with Coke after all,” I added with a giggle.
His grinned widened, his eyes narrowed, and his head shook as he backed from the table, from my hand.
“I see. I’m just your Coke supplier,” he scowled playfully.
“That doesn’t sound very good,” I snorted, unable to stop my laughter.
“Come to the Saturday auction with me,” he said quickly, stopping my laughter nearly immediately.
I composed myself as I thought about his offer.
“Like a date?” I asked.
“Could be,” he smirked.
I scooped up my briefcase and the album from the table. My cheeks were burning with laughter and excitement as I turned to walk towards the door, away from where he could see me blush.
He didn’t come after me, but let me open the door on my own. I still hadn’t given him an answer, but he didn’t push.
“It might help to show you’ve not given up the fight for the ranch,” I said under my breath with my hand on the doorknob.
“That sounds like a yes to me,” James boasted.
I nodded without turning around and quickly made my way out the door before he saw the grin I couldn’t contain.
Chapter Seven
James
Was this a date or not? Hell, I didn’t know if I was comin’ or goin’ since Evelyn showed up in my life. My hands pushed past each shirt in my closet, sliding them one by one along the rack, inspecting each one, considering it, refusing it, coming back to it. What the fuck was wrong with me?
I never once gave thought as to what I’d wear to the auction, but with Evelyn tagging along, it was suddenly all I could think about.
