by Arow Jones
JT puts his hands on both of my shoulders now. I’m walking backward until my back hits the door of a stall. His hands move from my shoulders to the sides of my body, caging me in. His face is so close to mine. I think he’s going to kiss me. My mouth parts slightly.
“Meaningless huh? Vulnerable, not likely. Not like you? I’m fucking obsessed with you! You’re like a light shining through every dark part of my being. I’m drawn to you. You’re a beacon for a lost ship. A last meal for a starving man. You are my last meal, my last. Do you understand me? Do these words sound meaningless to you?” He’s right. They aren’t meaningless but I’m scared. I can’t let JT give up everything because of me. What if he’s wrong? What if I’m not his last and he’s just saying this out of a sense of duty or legal obligation.
My hands reach his chest. My eyes lock onto his lips. My head and heart are frantically out of sync. Instead of letting myself drift to his lips I shove him as hard as I can. He stumbles backwards with a look of shock in his face.
“I’m not ready to talk about this JT. I need time.” His hand rakes through his hair. He nods.
“What about tomorrow.”
“I have things to do.”
“Tomorrow night then?”
“I’m going out.”
“With who?” I don’t answer. I just stare at him. “With Kenny?” He pauses. Suddenly his fist connects with the wood part of the gate. The gate rattles against me. He’s mad, really mad. “Fine, if that’s what you want I’ll back off but we are not done discussing The Lucky Five.”
“Yeah, whatever.” I turn and stalk towards the house. When I get in I check my phone seeing a text from Kenny asking me to call when I had a chance. I press the call button.
“What up?”
“Kenny, you can be such a boy sometimes. Why not ‘hello?’ or even ‘what’s up?’”
“Where’s the fun in that? Anyways, I’m glad you called. Did you leave your bike near some angry teenagers?”
“What? What do you mean?” I sit on the floor, curling up near the fire I’ve just lit.
“Well, someone did a number on your bike. You’re lucky you made it home. You really need to be careful. Whoever tampered with your bike was an amateur but it was definitely meant for you to wreck.” My heart beat quickens. Tampered? Wreck? Oh no. What if… no, he couldn’t be. Chase said if I wasn’t in the picture JT would have no choice but relinquish the land to Nick.
“Okay, thanks for taking a look. I need to take care of something.” I hang up and dial Nick. He answers on the second ring.
“Darlin’, I take it you are not dead yet.”
“Oh my god. It was you! What the hell are you thinking?” I’m shaking with anger. Instead of sitting down to a nice cozy fire I’m pacing radiating with the same heat as the fire in front of me. “You son of a bitch.”
“Now, now, darlin’ I was only trying to get your attention.”
“Well, you have it now.”
“Good. Here’s what you’re going to do. I want one million dollars and I’ll leave you alone. It’s only fair since you’ll have the land because of me.”
“What?! I don’t have that kind of money and you know it!”
“Oh, but your boyfriend has more than enough. But even I’m not stupid enough to ask for money. No. I want what’s rightfully mine. That land belongs to my family. Back off or someone else is going to get hurt. Maybe Kenny? How about your precious JT? Ha, yeah, a world without JT.” He hangs up before I can yell at him. My god. The tears spill. I throw myself onto the couch wondering what in the hell I’m going to do to fix this.
Sixteen
Somehow I knew things weren’t going to end well tonight. Even though I knew Lily would try to avoid talking to me I wasn’t about to back out on poker night. She didn’t say yes last night. She didn’t say anything, just cried. I wanted so badly to hold her and tell her everything would be okay.
Chase told me she talked to him earlier. More questions she doesn’t want to talk to me about. She may want to avoid me but I’m not going anywhere. I’m not ever gonna let her be alone again.
When she bent over to get the dip out of the fridge I had to hold myself from taking a step further towards that tight ass. My hands itched to roam her body. When she turned I had to hold her from stumbling again. Seems like I’m always there to keep her from stumbling. I’m not about to let that change.
I wanted her to kiss me when I poured my heart out to her. Instead, she shoved me away. I misread her, big time. Her body says yes but the rest of her is keeping me at a distance. When she said she was going out with Kenny I almost lost it. My feet take me back upstairs. Behind the bar are some bar towels. I fill one with ice to put on my knuckles.
“Deal me in.” By the second game I’m still seething. No one has said anything about my hand. I’m pretty sure they heard the agreement downstairs. I shake my head and mumble something under my breath that would not be polite to repeat in the present company.
“What was that boy?” Kip likes to tease me but I gave right back.
“Nothing old man. Read ‘em and weep, old man.” I threw down my cards and reached for the pile of chips.
“Not so fast there, youngster.” Kip laid down a full flush. I laugh.
“Okay, you got me. Anyone else want a beer?”
“I’ll take one.”
“Same here.”
I hand one to Chase. He gives me a look. That look. The one that says he knows something’s up and we’ll be talking about it sooner rather than later.
“You know,” Kip starts another story before taking a sip of his fresh beer. ”When Lily was younger she used to spend a lot of time out at that swimming hole.” I shift in my seat. “I used to tell her gators swam there. She would reply, ‘oh Kip, gators don’t live in these parts.’ And I would look her right in the eye as serious as serious gets and say ‘only the naked ones.’” He and the boys start roaring in laughter. I should be humiliated that he knows all about our skinny dipping days but I’m not surprised. I laugh right along with them. “I hope you’re planning on making that girl an honest woman.”
“I’m working on it old man.”
“She’s like a wild mare in heat, just waitin’ for the right stallion to come along.”
“Jesus Kip,” Rob throw his cards down on the table.
“What? I’m just tellin’ it like it is.” Kip looks me in the eyes like he’s looking for something. “Gramps knew it. Your daddy knows it. And I know you know it. She just needs to be reined in the right direction.”
“Yeah, well I’m not so sure I’m what she wants.” I’m not the only guy in her life. “She’s going on a date tomorrow night.”
“You don’t say?”
“With the guy that’s been staying with her.”
Kip frowns. “And who might that be?”
“Some guy from college. Kenny. You know him?” Rob spits his beer out “I take it you know him.” He throws his head back in laughter. Kip chuckles.
“Sure, yeah. I’ve seen Lily around with Kenny. Lot a love between those two.” Rob is now laughing so hard he starts coughing like he’s gonna cough up a lung. Kip pats him on the back and shakes his shoulder. “Rob here keeps an eye on her though. But you ought to stake your claim sooner than later. If you don’t, someone else will snatch her right up.”
~*~
It’s after two in the morning by the time we start heading back to my house. I’m hammered and Chase isn’t any better. We’re stumbling through the dark, making our way down the path. A light is on in one of the upstairs bedrooms. It’s in one of the guest bedrooms so it can’t be Lily. Kenny.
“Ya know? I bet I could rein in Lily. Better ‘an any many, anywhere.” Chase takes a swig from a bottle of whiskey he must have grabbed on the way out. He snorts.
“Rein, steer, wrangle, rope, you got this filly.” He hands me the bottle and I take a long drink. The liquid doesn’t burn my throat anymore. My tongue feels fuzzy.
; “Not a filly, a mare, my mare. Sweeeeeet, sweeeeeeet Sugarrrrrr.”
He points to me with an empty bottle still in his hand. “You… are wasted.”
“You and me brother.” I put my arm around his shoulder. “Thank fuck for you. I love you man.”
“You… lucky… me… ha ha.” Yeah, we’re wasted. “Lily, Hmm.”
“Yeah,” My sigh smells of booze and dip.
I reach into my pocket for the keys. “Hey, hey, Chase?” We’ve made it back to the house but Chase is already snoring on the porch swing. Did I give him my keys? I check his pockets. His phone is there but not my key ring. Shit. I left the keys in the truck. I leave his phone out and notice a new text. From Lily. What the fuck? I shouldn’t look at it. They are just friends. In my drunken state I have no self-control so I pick up the phone and invade my best friend’s privacy.
Lily: Thank you, C U soon ;-)
I kick him in the leg. “Get up fucker! Why are texting my girl?” He grunts, rubbing a hand down his face.
“What? Huh?”
“I said, why the fuck are texting with Lily?” The asshole smirks.
“I’m pretty sure you said ‘my girl’ and she isn’t that. Not yet, anyways.”
“What-the-fuck-ever!”
“You’re a mean… jealous drunk.” He turns over and starts snoring.
I sit on the other porch swing and let my mind wander. He’s right. She’s not mine. Not yet. I lay my head back and close my eyes.
When the sun comes up, I’m alone. My head is pounding. The sun light is blaring. I check the front door and discover it’s unlocked. Either I left it unlocked or Chase unlocked it and let himself while I was still snoring the morning away.
“Chase? Chase?” I hear him before I see him. He’s on the phone in the office. He hold one finger indicating he’ll be a minute, so I wait.
“Yeah. Mmm hmm. You should have asked me. Yes, I’ve seen her. No, I’m not interested in reconciling. Anyway, she’s moved on. There is nothing to discuss. No mother. Hmm. No. I said NO!” He hangs up without saying goodbye. Talks with his mother never go well. The relationship with his parents is strained. I asked to be sent to boarding school. Chase did not.
“How is your mother?”
“Same as always. She wants me to attend to some matters back in Boulder. I may be gone for a few weeks.”
“Hmm. There’s a rodeo out there next weekend. I’m thinking of taking Lily so she can drum up some business. I don’t want her loosening her reins on The Lucky Five. It’s still hers. She should treat it as such.”
“Be careful. You’re like ice cream for the lactose intolerant.”
“Yeah, how’s that?”
“You’re tempting, you taste good but in the end you’ll only hurt her. But she’ll keep coming back to you until she can tolerate you.” He smirks.
“Huh, I’m not sure if I should be offended or high five you for the thoughts that are now running through my mind.” Lily. If I was an ice cream cone I would want her tongue on me, licking up every last drop. Those sweet lips. I have to adjust my jeans. “I’m gonna get my truck.”
“You do that. Don’t melt on the way. On second thought—“
I pick up a book and throw it at him. “Shut up, man.” He just laughs.
Lily really is like a wild mare. She’s skittish. I’ve got to be careful with her if I want to earn her trust.
Seventeen
Coffee welcomes me. I never remember to set the coffee the night before. If it wasn’t for Kenny I’d be a zombie in the morning. Ever since Kenny took over morning duty I’ve been sleeping in a little. This morning I take my coffee and a blanket out to the front porch. A mist has settled over the fields where the horses have been turned out. Watching the horses eating their breakfast I contemplate my dilemma.
I hear a nicker. Looking in the path of the horses gaze I see JT walking towards me. He’s in the same clothes as last night. I guess he didn’t sleep well either. He takes his time making his way over. His t-shirt and worn jeans emphasize his broad shoulders and narrow waist. I can’t help but remember the way my body molded to him. The stubble of his unshaven face is so sexy. I wonder what it feel like, tickling my neck as his lips press against my pulse. My hands want to pull off his faded ball cap and run my fingers though his dark waves. His eyes are green like the morning grass. When they lock onto mine I can feel my face flush.
“Mornin’” God, that voice. I almost forget how angry I am with him. Almost.
“What are you doing here?” I’m being snarky, I know. He stops at the start of the stairs. With a nod towards the barn he points out his truck.
“Left my truck last night.” He must have drank too much. At least he’s being safe. I heave a sigh.
“Well, you’re already here. Do you want some coffee? Black, right?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“You might as well take a seat. I’ll bring it out.” My body is saying hell yeah! My heart is sitting on the fence. While I’m in the kitchen my phone chirps.
Skye: Hey girlie!
Lily: Hey! Still coming tonight!
Skye: Absolutely! How’s everything?
Lily: So much to tell
Skye: ?
Lily: Tonight, shots
Skye: It’s like that huh?
Lily: yeah
Skye: No worries, I’m game
Lily: K, 7ish?
Skye: CU then!
I go out to the porch and hand JT his coffee. We sit and drink in silence. It’s a heavy silence with so much to say but neither of us is talking right now. When he is finished he nods and walks over to his truck.
“Still going out with Kenny tonight?”
“Yup.” With that, he gets in his truck and leaves. I still don’t know what to make of his behavior. I know he’s not racist or prejudice but he’s making such a big deal out of Kenny staying with me. Kenny’s has had to deal with narrow minded racists in the past. The mix of Caucasian and Filipino is exotic. The dark hair and almond shaped eyes, gleaming with green and brown tones throw people off. JT is nothing like those people but he still reacted badly at Kenny staying here. I won’t budge. What’s he going to do, kick me out?
I laugh at myself. I’ve become a crazy person.
Later in the morning, after several more cups of coffee and a cry session over paperwork. I run into Kenny.
“Hey Kenny. I heard from Skye earlier. We’re on for tonight. Is seven pm okay? Kenny, what are you wearing?” I stopped dead in my tracks. I had to blink a few times to make sure what I was seeing was real.
“Is it too much? I thought I’d try it on before tonight.” The black outfit outlines assets a person can only dream of having.
“You look hot! If you were my type I’d lick you like an ice cream cone.” Kenny’s face is a mix of happy and dread. “Wow, we haven’t dressed up in a while. Guess I’ll have to go find an equally hot outfit.” I’m really missing my girl time right now. “I’m really looking forward to tonight.”
“Yeah, too bad Skye isn’t here…” We both turn when we hear the front door screen open and close shut. The unmistakable sound of heels tap through the entry.
“Did I hear my name?” Like a flaming goddess Skye is standing before us dressed in mile high heels, signature stockings with a line up the back and a to-die-for short Grecian style dress. One shoulder is bare and a gold leaf clip is holding the one strap together. It’s like she just stepped off the runway. If she wasn’t one of my best friends in this crazy effed up world. I would totally hurl insults at her out of pure spiteful jealousy. She’s gorgeous. Why any man would want me, let alone JT sigh or Nick bleh, I don’t know. Oh, that’s right. The land. I try to hide my sorrow behind my elation. I’m so glad Skye is here. She’s the life of the party. If anyone else saw her like this they might think she was a stuck up spoiled princess but we know the truth. She’s a down to earth kind of girl who happens to like fashion and beauty. Just as her photography expresses and ethereal beauty, so doe
s her image. She oozes sexy and I’m hoping she’ll rub off on my tonight. I may not like the way my body responds to JT but that doesn’t mean I can’t show him what he could have.
“Skye!” We throw our arms around one another.
“Awe, miss me much?” Skye pets my hair. It’s motherly. No, I can’t think about her, or any of my family, right now. I lock up the fleeting thoughts of my mother in a large box, locking it away, safe, for now. “Sweetie, are you okay?”
I bat her hand away and wipe off a stray tear. “Geez Skye, I’m not a puppy!” Instead of getting offended she merely clucks her tongue at me.
“Someone needs a makeover and tequila! Beauty and booze ladies. Let’s get it done!” We head upstairs to my bedroom. Skye hones in on my docked iPod, turning on some tunes. I can see her scowling at my current playlist. It’s the one that I always play when I’m sad. Not just sad. Incredibly, pathetically, depressed. She turns it to the playlist she made for me to uplift my spirits whenever I’m feeling self-conscious about myself. Which is mainly during my attempts to dress up, or rather, beauty and booze nights.
The music is pumping. We dance while we get ready. “Drink up ladies! Cheers!” We drink a customary shot of tequila before putting on my makeup and getting dressed. We want to be relaxed but not intoxicated. Since I don’t drink that often my body is already warming up. I can feel some of the tension releasing.
“I’m here all weekend, at your disposal. We are going to party party tonight. Dance like maniacs. I want to hear all the deets on what I’ve missed. And don’t you dare leave anything out.” Skye points to me. “Kenny told me all about you spending so much time with your secret love obsession.” Giggling, I keep my mouth shut. She knows she’ll get me to spill once I’ve had too many drinks. I won’t be able to control my tongue. It’s like that song about the girl that can’t keep her clothes on because of tequila only mine is the words in my mouth.
