I can’t help but laugh at her energetic attitude, and hug her back just as hard. “You know, you almost hit me with the door, but it’s good to see you, too.”
She pulls back, rubbing her hands up and down my arms. “Sorry about the door, but I know that husband of mine showed you Jane and Lucy. When I saw you pull up, I called and told him to send you straight over, after you had seen Autumn first, of course.” Her head shakes, as a grin tugs at the corners of her lips. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about him. Come on,” she says, opening the door for me. “Let’s get some sweet tea and catch up.”
For a woman in her early forties, she doesn’t look a day over thirty. Her olive colored skin and shoulder length, blond hair set off her almond-shaped, sapphire-blue eyes. The only sign of gentle aging is the smile lines that showcase her high cheekbones. Her short frame doesn’t deter her from mounting a horse with ease, though. I know I’ve seen it firsthand. Dressed casually in a pair of white capri pants, a gunmetal, green T-shirt, and brown flip-flops, she looks at ease.
When I enter the kitchen, I take in the light, oak cabinets and smooth, dark brown, granite countertops. The entire kitchen’s decorated in Americana. Pulling out a chair at the kitchen table, I take a seat at the window that overlooks the horse corral. “So, what have you been up to this past year?” Sandy asks, pulling the tea pitcher out of the fridge.
“Just school, mainly. I finished my first year at UTSA. It was grueling, but I ended it all right.”
Sandy takes a seat, handing me a glass of tea. “Thanks.”
I stop to take a drink. Oh my gosh, this woman makes the best sweet tea I’ve ever had.
“Sounds like you’ve had a busy year. What are you studying again?”
“I’m still undecided, but I think I’m leaning toward nursing.”
“That’s great. At least no matter where you go, you’d always have a job,” she says. The springs on the screen door creak and moan as someone comes in the house.
When he rounds the corner, I jump out of my chair, throw my arms around my favorite ranch hand, and give him a big hug. “Brantley. How are you doin’?”
With his arms firmly wrapped around my middle, returning the gesture, he says, “I’ve been good, but now that you’re here, I’m sure it’s gonna get better. How about you?”
“She just finished her freshman year at UTSA. This one here is going places, Brantley,” Sandy answers for me.
I blush at Mrs. Adams compliments. Releasing Brantley, I look over my shoulder to Sandy and say, “Maybe. But right now I’m here with good people and can’t wait to start the summer.”
After one more squeeze, Brantley steps back and lets his eyes travel up and down my body. “Still looking good I see.”
I shake my head, ignoring his comment as I walk back to my chair. “Do you know when Autumn is supposed to have her baby?”
Rummaging through the cupboards, he looks at me, pulling a cup out of the cabinet. “Should be before the summer ends. It’s hard to say, but I know that Mr. Adams wants me to install cameras in her stall so we can monitor her.”
“Do you mind letting me know when she goes into labor? I wanna be there when she delivers.”
He sets the cup down and his hands go to his hips as he turns to me. Brantley stands at least a foot taller than me, which isn’t hard to do since I’m only five foot four. Only two years older than me, his face is fuller rather than defined, but still quite attractive. Wearing a pair of jeans, cowboy boots, and a red T-shirt, his broad shoulders stretch it, fitting perfectly, and his dark brown hair offsets his gray eyes. His eyebrow arches as he asks, “You wanna be there when Autumn has her baby?”
“Yes, I do. Is that so hard for you to believe?” I ask, matching his disbelieving look.
“Now Brantley, you know Kenleigh and Autumn have a special bond. Hell, we all saw it last summer. If it hadn’t been for this lady right here, we would have never been able to get her broken in.” Sandy comes to my defense and pats my hand.
“You’re right, Mrs. A,” he says. Still looking at me, he continues. “I’ll keep you posted and let you know what’s going on.”
“Thanks.”
Getting out of my chair, I carry my glass over to the sink, and look over at Sandy. “Well, I guess I better get my bags and head on over to the volunteer quarters.”
She waves her hand in dismissal, as if what I’ve just said is ridiculous. “Oh no, you don’t. You’re staying in here. I’ve already got a room set up for you.”
“Oh no, that’s quite all right. I appreciate the offer though.”
Shooting me a stern look and narrowing her eyes, she dares me to argue with her. Accepting that there’s no other way around this, I nod my head and smile at her. “Yes ma’am. Thank you for letting me stay here.”
“Now that’s more like it. Go get your things, and put ‘em away and then you can help me make lunch.”
Smiling, I hug her. “Thank you so much. And I am really happy and excited to be back.”
Walking out to my Jeep, I step up on the running board and lean over, pull my three bags out and toss them to the ground. I hear Barefoot Blue Jean Night by Jake Owen blaring in the distance. I cup my hands over my eyes, shielding them from the sun only to see a black Ford F-250 hauling ass toward the house. Deciding it’s none of my business, I pick my bags up as the truck parks next to my Jeep. “Here, let me help you with those.” A man’s voice stops me in my tracks.
“No, it’s all right, but thanks,” I say without looking back at him. I can hear his feet hitting the ground below after he slams the truck door shut.
“I insist,” he argues.
I look back over my shoulder to spout how it isn’t necessary, but I’m not prepared for what I see staring back at me. My mouth runs dry as I take in his black ribbed tank top that accentuates the corded muscles traveling down his thick, tan arms as he jogs around the back of my Jeep. Below the hem of his tan cargo shorts, the sight of his defined legs is a remarkable sight. “Please, let me help you with those,” he says again, grabbing the bags from me.
A shiver runs through me when his strong calloused fingers brush against mine retrieving my bags. “Thank you,” I say as he flashes a full-blown smile at me, displaying his delicious dimples and a set of perfectly straight teeth. My eyes travel up and down his body, finally resting on his eyes. I hope my gasp wasn’t audible because I do not want to be one of those girls. Staring back at me is a pair of the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen, almost piercing like the Caribbean Sea.
“Where to?” he asks.
“Um… there.” I point in the direction of the main house.
“All right,” he says, walking toward the house.
Snapping myself out of it, I follow him. Looking over his shoulder, he asks, “And you are?”
“Kenleigh. Kenleigh Briggs,” I answer.
Nodding his head, I see a faint smile sweep across his face as he turns back to look at the house. Climbing the stairs on the porch, he opens the screen door letting me pass in front of him. The kitchen where Sandy was is now empty. “What room are you staying in?” he asks from behind me.
Hopefully one next to you. “Um… I’m not sure. I mean I don’t know. I mean… I thought I was… You know what? Never mind.” Damn it! I can’t believe I just started stammering like a fool. I take a deep breath and collect myself before I start over. “I wasn’t told which room I’d be staying in.” Turning around, I place my hands on my hips. I know I just caught him staring at my ass. When I clear my throat, his eyes snap up to meet my ‘are you serious’ look.
A grin tugs at the corner of his lips when he nods, bypassing me into a hallway. “Well, let’s take a look and see what room you’ll be in.”
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”
“It’s Wesley, but my friends and family call me Wes,” he says, opening a door.
I slap my hand over my mouth when I realize that I was just checking out the owner’s son, n
ot even five minutes ago. “Will and Sandy are your parents?” I ask, feeling like an idiot.
“Yeah, and they must really like you to let you stay here in the house,” he replies checking another room. “Ah… here you go. Mom always leaves fresh towels and mints on the bed when we have company. She likes to think it’s a hotel sometimes,” he says, chuckling.
Nodding, I skirt past him into the room. My jaw drops as I look at the furnishings. Decorated beautifully with white wicker furniture, the large bed sits opposite the window that overlooks the horse stables. A gorgeous quilt with intricate patterns and a multitude of colors lies on the bed. Sitting in the far corner of the room next to the armoire is a wooden rocking chair with another quilt draped over its backing. “It’s nice isn’t it?” Wes asks, pulling me from my daze.
“Yeah, it sure is. Look, thanks so much for getting my bags,” I reply, reaching for them. Smiling at my outstretched hand, he chuckles and sets them on the bed.
“Anytime,” Wes replies, walking toward the door. Placing his hand on the doorframe, he looks back at me. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other around here.”
All I can do is nod since my nerves have rendered me speechless. I turn away from him and look out the window. My eyes focus on the stables as I answer quietly, “I’m sure we will.”
I can hear the tapping of his hand on the frame as he says, “All right then. I guess I’ll see you later.”
Taking a deep breath, I turn back around to see he has left the room. After closing the door, I fall back in a heap onto the bed breathing a sigh of relief. Boy, am I in for it this summer.
After putting my clothes away in the dresser and hanging what I needed to in the armoire, I make my way to the kitchen to help Sandy with lunch. Bounding down the stairs, I stop to look at the pictures of the Adams family that line the walls on either side of the staircase. Pictures of family vacations, Wes playing football and baseball throughout the years, and previous Christmas’ line one side. On the other side of the staircase are pictures of Wes’ high school graduation, his first truck, Will and Wes fishing on a boat, but one picture in particular catches my attention. In a silver frame is a picture of a large tree next to a creek. A younger Mrs. Adams sits on a swing looking over her shoulder at a much younger Mr. Adams standing beside her. A wide smile encompasses her face as she stares at her husband with nothing less than total devotion, adoration, and never-ending love. The look on Will’s face says it all. It’s a look that says he knows he’s lucky to have her. It’s a look that I know well since that’s how my parents looked at each other every day, a look I hope to share with someone someday.
I’m pulled out of my reminiscing when I hear someone say, “I like that picture, too.”
I smile at Wes from over my shoulder before taking a deep breath. “How long ago was this picture taken?”
“I’m not sure, but I know it was before I was born. Why?”
“I was just wondering. They look so in love,” I reply, sighing.
“Yeah, I guess.” He shrugs his broad shoulders. “So, what are you doing right now?” he asks with a smile.
“I’m about to help your mom with lunch. Why?”
“My dad told me last week that he bought two new mares that need breaking in, so I was wonderin’ if you wanted to go check ‘em out,” Wes answers while rubbing the back of his neck and looking at me nervously.
I smile at the gesture. When we met thirty minutes ago, he seemed so confident, but now, he seems a little shy. “Um… sure. Let me help with lunch first and then we can go after, if that’s okay?”
“Sounds good,” he answers as his eyes find mine.
As we stand there staring at each other, I feel like he can see through me. I’ve come a long way since the death of my parents. I don’t hold back from life anymore. I take it head on. My parents were too young when they died; they still had so much to look forward to. I’ve come to realize that life is too short to not enjoy it, to not seize every happy opportunity that you can. I catch a smile tug at the corners of his lips when he sweeps his hand out in front of me, motioning for me to take the lead. I snap out of it, rushing down the stairs, and away from him.
As I enter the kitchen, I walk over to Sandy, who is standing in front of the sink peeling potatoes and singing quietly to herself. “Is there anything I can help you with?” I ask, coming to stand next to her.
She points the potato peeler towards the fridge. “Sure. Can you get the lunch meat and all the fixins’ for sandwiches out for me?”
Pulling open the fridge I answer, “Yes ma’am.”
“Hey, Mom,” Wes says from somewhere behind me.
“Hey, Honey. How was your trip in from Dallas?”
“It was good. I’m happy to be home though.” I turn around and search for a knife to start prepping the sandwiches while he envelops her in a big hug. Sandy’s blue eyes sparkle with love for her son.
Patting her on the back, he releases her. “I’m glad to have you home. Have you met Kenleigh yet?”
“Sure have,” he answers, grinning in my direction. “Sorry, I would have been in here sooner to say hi, but after I helped Kenleigh with her bags, and went back out to get mine, Dad found me. He started talking about how he bought two new mares and how he wanted me to see them. You know how he gets.” He turns to look at me with a grin.
I feel a blush coming on when I see a look wash over Sandy’s face. I’m not sure what it is, but it definitely looks like she is conjuring up something. Quickly busying myself, I wash the produce and start slicing them for our sandwiches. “Well, go on. Sit down while we get lunch made up for y’all,” she says.
“So, Kenleigh, what do you do?” Wes asks, taking a seat at the dining table.
Just as I look at him to answer, the screen door swings open, banging against the wall behind it. Walking in, Brantley yells, “Wes! My man!”
“Hey Brantley.” Wes stands to greet him, and they exchange some kind of fist bump.
“So, how was it? Did you ride Demon?” Brantley asks excitedly as he pulls out a chair across from Wes.
Demon? Intrigued, I try to pay attention to their conversation without looking like I’m eavesdropping. I look back at Sandy and quickly ask, “How many am I making?”
“I think ten should do it. Most of the volunteers won’t be here for another week, so it’s just us and Brantley for now,” she answers.
I look at her completely dumbfounded because I can’t seem to think of why we need ten sandwiches when there are only five of us. Noting my confused look, she chuckles. “You haven’t seen my boy eat. And Brantley can put away his fair share too.”
“What do they like on their sandwiches?” I ask.
“I know Wes will want mustard and all the fixins’, but I’m not sure about Brantley. He changes his mind so often that I can never keep up. One week he wants mayonnaise, and the next he wants mustard,” she answers, releasing and exasperated breath. “Hey, Brantley, what do you want on your sandwich?”
“Mayonnaise, please,” he answers looking at her over his shoulder. “Hey Kenleigh.” He waves, acknowledging my presence for the first time since he came back into the house.
“Do you want everything on your sandwich too?” I ask, looking between him and Wes.
“Yeah. Thanks.” Brantley turns back around to face Wes, and tries to pick up where they left off, but only gets a bunch of uh-huhs and yeahs from Wes.
I really want to hear about this Demon, but figure it’s best if I don’t. I don’t know Wes, and don’t want to feel like an intruder in his home. I can tell by everyone’s receptions to him that this is the first time he’s been home in a while. The last thing I want to do is feel like I’m stepping on anyone’s toes.
Putting the finishing touches on Wes’ sandwich, I feel like a hole is being burned through me. Slowly, I lift my head to see a set of clear, blue eyes trained on me. For a second, I stare back before quickly dropping my gaze from his. As I finish his sandwich, I turn
away from the counter to look for a bag of chips. Opening and shutting just about every cabinet I can find, looking for the damn things, I’m startled when I’m tapped on the shoulder. “Here, I found them for you,” Wes says quietly over my shoulder, holding up a bag of potato chips. The heat from his body close to mine, and the smell of his cologne invades all of my senses in a good way.
“Did I really look that lost?” I ask with a nervous chuckle.
“Just a little. I figured these were what you were looking for.”
“Thanks.” I take the bag from him, but he doesn’t move away from me.
“Um… Can I get by?” I ask with a look of bewilderment.
“Jasmine,” he says with a faint smile.
“What?” I don’t know what he’s talking about, but it’s kind of creeping me out. Trying to look past him to see if anyone else notices what is going on, I see Sandy lost in her own world slicing potatoes and Brantley on his phone doing something.
“Jasmine. You smell like jasmine.”
Oh! I pick up a piece of my hair to sniff the scent of the shampoo left behind on my long chestnut locks. “Do I stink?” I ask cautiously because I like the way my shampoo and conditioner smells, and I do not intend to change it.
“No. I like it.” And just like that, he saunters back over to the table, taking his seat as if nothing just happened.
That was weird. Choosing not to read anything into it, I take it as a compliment, and shut the cabinet behind me.
After I’ve fixed everyone’s plates, I set about making sure everyone has a glass of sweet tea. “Hey y’all, it’s ready,” I call over to Wesley and Brantley.
“What? You’re not going to serve me?” Brantley asks with a smirk and a twinkle in his grey eyes.
I know he’s joking with me, so I decide what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. “Well, see, I would, but the last time I checked, I don’t have a ring on my finger. I also happen to know that your legs work just fine, so if you’d like, you can come and get your own food, or I’m sure Wes or Mr. Will can eat what you don’t.”
Serenity Falls Page 2
