by Maree, Kay
“Atticus, although he isn’t one of ours. He belongs to another owner and was brought here to mate with Beauty. Belle was the first though.”
“So, what happens with Belle now?”
“She stays with us. If Beauty had birthed a foal, then he would be going to live with Atticus and his owner.” Her brows creased in a frown.
“He doesn’t want the females?”
“No, he is a breeding stable only. It’s the same with his bull. When the stock comes in a couple of weeks, he will come and check them out to see if any of them are worthy of his bull to mate with and Zach and Jackson will probably make a deal there too.”
“You don’t mind Beauty being used like that?”
“That’s not how I see it. Beauty, she has been put through so much. To be able to carry on her lineage means I will still have a piece of her when her time comes.”
“Oh. I didn’t think of it like that. I guess you are right.” We reached the stables and went to Beauty’s stall. The girls were trying to peek over the top of the stall door. Looking in on them both, I opened the stall door. Taking her halter and lead, I put it on her.
“Why don’t we take them out and give them some more room.” I ran my hand along Beauty’s neck, making sure that she was okay. “Come on, Mama, let’s lead you and baby girl out here, whatcha say?” I stepped back and started walking. Naturally, Beauty followed me and after some shaky steps, Belle followed with the girls making sure she was okay. Leading them out into the corral, I opened the fence and once we were all in, I closed it and took Beauty’s lead off and let her just wander round. Belle was close by her but was more interested in the girls. Beauty kept a protective eye on her but eventually moved over to me and nuzzled into my neck to get me to show her some attention. Something she only did when there was a female near me. I snorted.
“Jealous old thing.”
Kris
“Be careful girls.”
“We will, Aunty Kris!” I couldn’t hold back the laugh at those words. Wyatt turned and looked at me with a raised brow. How someone could make a simple action like that look so good, I’ll never know. Shaking my head to get rid of that thought before it took on a course of its own, I crossed my arms over my chest.
“That’s gonna take some getting used to. When I left, one of them was only just learning to talk.”
“How long have you been away?” Letting out a breath, feeling the weight on my chest again I answered his question.
“I left not long after Ash was born. Avery was only four. I should have been here for Jackson when he was going through his divorce but not wanting to deal with reality after just losing Mom, I left for New York and haven’t been back since.” I watched Wyatt with his horse and couldn’t hold back a laugh when he called her a jealous old thing.
“What do you do back in New York?”
“Hairdresser and beautician for the most part. Songwriter in my spare time.”
“Oh really? That’s awesome!”
“I haven’t written anything in a while though so hopefully being here will help.”
“Have you sold any of your songs?”
“I have, some of them haven’t been released yet though. They were for upcoming albums.”
“That must be a surreal feeling?”
“It is, especially when you hear it come on the radio for the first time.”
“I can only imagine.”
“How long have you worked with my brother?”
“Only a few months. I left where I was working before and your brother took pity on me, gave me a job here and let me crash in the cottage. I was looking for a fresh start and he gave it to me.”
“Where were you before here?”
“Just out of town.”
“Have you lived around here your whole life?” I was trying to work out how I hadn’t seen him before.
“Montana yes but not around here. We were over in Craig until recently.” I nodded, knowing that was about forty-five minutes from here although sometimes, you could push the speed limit and make it go quicker. Before we could continue our conversation, Ashley came over and took my hand, pulling me to where Avery and Belle were. We were soon joined by Jackson, Zach, and Dad. I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed about having to leave my conversation with Wyatt. I was again mentally kicking myself for that. I had to remember why I was here. I needed to focus on me. There was something about Wyatt that was pulling me to him though. Was that something I could really ignore? I had to. He seemed like the settling kind and the best I could offer right now was a one-time thing. I wasn’t staying. I was here to figure out my next move before going home, getting the rest of my stuff, and moving on. All I knew is I couldn’t stay in New York any longer. It wasn’t big enough for me and Xavier. I would miss Michelle and Rob but if I stayed, I would constantly be wondering if he would turn up. Xavier wasn’t the type to give up without a fight and even then, the bastard wouldn’t back down. I knew it would only be a matter of time before I paid with my life and that was not a risk I was willing to take. Looking over my shoulder at Wyatt’s back, I bit my lip. My brothers would kill him, it really wasn’t worth it… Was it?
I went back inside to spend time with Lucy and get to know Zoey a little bit more. We fed the guys dinner when they finally came in, Wyatt joining us for that too, before Dad and I went home for the night. I had no doubt we would be back out there tomorrow so maybe I would take my laptop with me. We drove back to Dad’s in silence. When he pulled into the driveway, I looked over at him.
“Dad? Do you still have Mom’s old guitar?”
“I do, it’s yours now so I wasn’t going to get rid of it. If you had decided never to play music again, I may have done but then you would have come back to it again eventually.”
“How are you so sure of that?”
“Angel, music isn’t what you do. It’s who you are. You light up whenever you play and there is nothing in this world that can extinguish that. You use life to fuel that and make it burn brighter. If you wanted to, you could sell out stadiums with your voice.” Dropping my head, I looked at my hands.
“That’s not the first time I have heard that.”
“People know quality when they hear it.” He stopped the car next to my rental and turned off the ignition. Pulling the keys out, he got out and moved around to open my door. Sliding down, I made my way up to the front door with him following beside me. After he unlocked the door and put his keys on the table, he went into his room. He returned a minute or so later with the guitar case that had once been my mom’s. Taking it from him, I looked down at it. I hadn’t seen it in years, she started to play less and less as we got older.
“Why did she stop playing?”
“I don’t know, Angel and I really wish I had asked her because she loved it, much like you do.” I went to sit down on the couch and sat the case down beside me. Opening it up, I took the guitar out of its case and pulled it closer to me. My fingers brushed over the initials on the handle. She had given me those same initials in my name. Almost like she knew one day this would be mine. I looked over into the case and saw a small brown box in the shape of the bottom of the guitar with my name on it. Lifting up the latch, I saw three guitar picks. One had my initials, one had love always and the third had a music note. I looked up at Dad who had come to sit down in his chair.
“I completely forgot about that. She had that made for you when you were ten.” I looked back down speechless, not wanting to show him the tears in my eyes. This was something I had completely missed sharing with her. I was so full of regret right now. Closing the box again, I sat it back in the guitar case and took out one of her plastic ones. I began tuning the guitar before playing the first song I ever remember her playing for me; Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. Squeezing my eyes shut, every memory I had of her came flooding back. Her laughing as Dad spun her around the kitchen as us three kids sat at the counter, doing our homework. Every scrape
she cleaned up when we fell. My first heartbreak over a boy when I was sixteen. Her telling my brothers that they couldn’t beat him up. Her telling my dad that he couldn’t shoot him or string him up outside in a tree. Every memory came flooding back until I could no longer hold back the tears. I heard movement as Dad got up and moved over to me. He wrapped his arms tight around me after I sat the guitar down.
“She would be so ashamed of me, Dad.” My voice was almost a whisper as I hid my face in his shoulder.
“She would never! She was always your biggest supporter.”
“Not this time she wouldn’t have been.”
“Kris, Angel, what’s happened? I know I said I would leave it be but with you talking like that, I can’t. Are you in trouble?”
“I don’t know.” I swallowed and pulled back. Wiping my eyes on the back of my hand. “Only if he finds me.”
Wyatt
Starting my day at the stables to check on Beauty and Belle, I moved on to the cattle yards. We would have to move them to another field in a day or so. By the time I was done with them, Ashley came down from the house, so I went to do a few bits and pieces that she could join me for. After spending the morning with her, watching her name most of the animals, making sure I kept her away from the ones we were taking to sell in a couple of days. Our last stop was to see the chickens to collect any eggs the hens may have laid overnight, so she could take them and make a cake with Lucy. I was joined not long after that by Jackson and Zach. I gave them a heads-up about Ashley getting attached to animals and naming them and warned them to keep the piglets away unless we wanted to keep them as pets. Once she saw those, there would be no stopping her.
By lunchtime, we were joined by Keith who had brought Kris back out to spend time with the girls. Unlike the day before though, she stayed in the house. I couldn’t help but feel relieved about that. Meant that Zach and Jackson wouldn’t kill me for checking out their little sister. It wasn’t like she wasn’t legal or anything, you just don’t shit where you eat. It was more than that though, there was something about Kris that drew you in and left you wanting to know more. Choosing to ignore whatever this pull toward her was, helped by reminding myself that she wasn’t sticking around. She would be leaving to go home soon enough. Lucy asked Zach to invite me to dinner, but I decided the safer option was to go and visit Toby who was home with Lily.
“Are you sure we can’t tempt you to stay?”
“Thank you but I have a date with a little miss that is long overdue. It’s been a couple of days,” I chuckled. I said goodbye to them as they headed back to the house and went to my cabin. Getting my truck keys and my wallet, I took my phone from my pocket and called Toby. Once I got in my truck and started it up, it switched to Bluetooth when he answered.
“Brother mine. To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?”
“Calling to see if you had eaten lunch yet.”
“No, I was about to get Lily’s sorted then worry about mine. Why’s that?”
“I am headed over to see my niece, so I thought I would bring lunch over.”
“You know I won’t ever say no to that. Don’t you have to work though?”
“We have an extra set of hands, so Zach told me to take a few hours and come back this afternoon.”
“Okay well come on over then, bring whatever you feel like eating. I’m easy.”
“Does your wife know that?”
“She does and she loves it.” I shook my head as I drove off the property and headed into town to grab food.
“I walked right into that one.”
“Yeah, fool, you did. Now I am gonna go feed ya niece before she starts yellin’ this place down.”
“She would never!”
“Want me to test that?”
“Uh, no, go feed her. I will see ya in a bit.”
“In a bit.” Ending the call using my steering wheel, I went to the diner just inside town. They had the best burgers in town if you didn’t count the homemade ones that Kelsea made. I don’t know what it was about them, but they were so good. If she knew I was coming over, she would make them for me.
Parking my truck in the diner parking lot, I got out and went inside. Placing the order, I waited for it. I felt the eyes on me but didn’t look up. Women in town like to gossip about me since Ava had left. Truth was, we were toxic together. The last fight we had ended up with the cops being called. So, when she left and I moved from the house and out to the ranch, I didn’t have to listen to the talk. I didn’t go to the bar, so the pity looks weren’t thrown my way.
I don’t know why but that made me think of Kris. Did she leave someone behind? Is that why she had decided to surprise her family with a visit? Shaking my head, remembering it was none of my business, I looked up when my order was called. Thanking old Mrs Thompson, I went back out to my truck and took a deep breath. That would get easier wouldn’t it? Starting my truck back up, I reversed out of my spot and headed for Toby’s place.
Pulling into his driveway about ten minutes later, I turned off the truck, grabbed the food and headed inside. Opening the door, I kicked off my boots and headed for the kitchen.
“Just one more little bit and you are done.” I could hear Lily fussing so he was clearly giving her something she didn’t like, and that girl wasn’t afraid to tell you. “Hey, don’t give me that look. Blame your mama, kid.” She blew a raspberry at him and I couldn’t hold in the laugh. They both turned to look at me.
“What are you trying to feed the poor girl?”
“I don’t know, it was something Kels left for her. She wasn’t having it though.” He looked down at his shirt and I saw a lot of green. Shaking my head, I tried to hold back more laughter. He scooped Lily up and handed her to me. “Here, you take her while I go get cleaned up.”
“Gladly!” I sat lunch down and took her from him. Taking the bib off that wore more food than I am sure she did, I wiped her face with a clean part of it. “What’s Mama trying to feed you? Doesn’t she know that green foods aren’t good?” Lily clapped her hands and babbled away, I pretended to know what she was talking about despite having no idea. Toby came back into the kitchen after changing his shirt and went to the fridge. Getting her sippy cup out, he handed it to me before getting drinks for us. I took a seat at the counter and sat Lily in my lap.
“How’s work?”
“Quiet. Not much can happen in a small country town.”
“True! Well not anymore anyway.” He shot me a look. “Don’t worry, I have moved on.”
“Oh, I’m sure.”
“Scouts honor.” Toby snorted.
“You were never a scout, Wyatt. That doesn’t hold up.” I made a face and laughed.
“Really, though, I’m good. Jackson and his family got to the ranch a day or so ago and he seems pretty cool, so I was worrying over nothing.”
“Well I could have told you that. Zach still treatin’ ya right?”
“He and Lucy are good. Asks me my opinion and actually listens to it. Both him and Jackson do. Lucy is making sure I am fed too. Between her and Kels I am set.”
“I’m sure Kels will be happy to hear that.” I ate some fries while they were still hot. Toby swallowed his mouthful of food and sat his burger down.
“What else is new?” I shook my head and ate more fries to keep my mouth shut. There was nothing new. He would read into something if I brought Kris up, so I just kept my mouth shut. “What is it?”
“Do you think people will ever stop talking about what happened?” He let out a sigh.
“I’m sure they will, when there is some new scandal to make people forget about that.” I looked down at Lily who looked back at me with a grin around her sippy cup.
“Zach said you should bring Lily by some time.”
“Well, next night off, why don’t we do something? We’ll bring the beers and you can all arrange the meat. I am sure Kels will help there. Welcome Jackson and his family to town.�
�� I thought about Kris and wondered if she would be there for that.
“Okay, Wyatt, what gives. That is the second time that look has crossed your face.”
“What look?”
“The one that says you are thinking about something but aren’t saying anything.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Clearly it isn’t. What’s up?” I took a deep breath.
“Zach and Jackson have a sister. She came back to town yesterday.” I looked at Toby who, of course, was waiting for more of an explanation. “I dunno, I just can’t explain it. I feel a pull toward her, but she has complicated written all over her and I am not going near anything like that again. Once was enough for me to learn my lesson.”
“Bud, most girls have that. You just need to find the one worth ignoring that.”
“Yes, but my boss’s younger sister is not going to be that one, I can assure you that.”
“Maybe so but what’s a little fun between two consenting adults. You have done no strings attached before.” I went to open my mouth to say something back, but no words came out. What if he was right?
Kris
After finally calming down once we got home from the ranch, I went to bed. Seeing missed calls and messages from Xavier, I cleared them all and turned my phone off. I sent Michelle a message before I did, giving her dad’s house number if she needed to contact me until I got a new number. I was tired of him holding a dark cloud over me, it was time to come up with a new plan.
The next day, I went back out with Dad, but opted to stay in the house with Lucy and Zoey. Ash was coming and going but Avery preferred to curl up and read. Unlike Ash, she could sit still for longer than five minutes without getting bored and wanting to go and play with the animals. When the guys came in, I half expected to see Wyatt with them, but he didn’t come in. I overhead Zach tell Lucy that he was going to see his brother for a couple of hours. I didn’t expect to feel a little disappointed that I wasn’t going to see him. When the guys had gone back to work, Ash having convinced Zoey to go out with her, it left me alone with Lucy.
