20
H eather followed Aaron through the door at the building in front of where he’d had her park her borrowed trailer.
“This is the restroom, and the showers,” he motioned off to one side as they came in. “They’re communal showers, so we’ve got a schedule right now for men and women’s shower time. If you’re still around after the Tucson bunch leaves, we’ll work something out if you want to use these instead of the shower in the trailer. You’re welcome to do either.” He continued through the building. “The kitchen, when we don’t have a big group, lunches are available in here, breakfast and dinner are served at the big house. Through there,” he motioned toward a doorway at the far end of the large room, “are the bunks. And we’ve got the TV in here, it’s got streaming TV and a PS5. There’s usually a couple of guys playing in the evenings, but you’ll probably have open access during the day while most of us are busy.”
Heather looked around and took in the space. It was cleaner than she’d expected for a space lived in and maintained by a bunch of men. It made her wonder if maybe more than just Aaron was previously military? She wanted to ask if she could see the bunk rooms, but thought maybe that was going too far. Maybe later if things worked out.
“And out here is where we’re all gathering.” He led her through the doorway and out into what looked like a large driveway that had been converted into a gathering area with several picnic tables on one side, a large firepit near the center surrounded with more chairs than she cared to count at the moment, and what looked like an outdoor kitchen set up on the side opposite the tables. “Meals, for now are served over there. There are also coolers with drinks of all kind under the tables. Help yourself. You’re welcome at all meals, now and after our visitors leave, or no one will hold it against you if you want to cook for yourself or go into town. I would appreciate it if you let me know if you’re going to leave the ranch. It’s not that I want to limit your movements, or restrict you in anyway, but until we know what’s up with Mitch and the assholes that he’s running with, I just want to make sure you’re safe.”
She scanned the area, taking in all the faces, some familiar, some she didn’t recall having seen, and only paying a little attention to what Aaron was saying. She nodded as he stopped speaking, barely registering what he was saying as she thought about meeting all these people, what would they think of her and how would she keep everyone’s names straight?
“Hi!” A woman’s voice beside her drew Heather back to what was going on. She blinked and turned to find the woman beside her smiling and looking friendly. “I’m Robyn. We met the other day, but you may not remember me. There were a lot of people, and I know I don’t remember half the people I met.”
“I do remember you; we didn’t talk much but I remember you were with Ghost, right?”
“I am, how did you remember that with all the new names and faces?”
“Ghost was one of those that hit something in my memory, and I couldn’t forget it. It reminded me of an old movie I saw when I was a teenager. And it just clicked.”
“Ohh. What was the movie? I might have to see it. He reminded you of it, you say?”
“Well, it wasn’t that he reminded me, it was more that his name did. The name of the movie is The Ghost and The Darkness. It was about hunting men killing lions in Africa. I heard it was based on a true story, but I’m not sure if that’s true or not.”
“Now that you tell me a little about it, I think I have heard of it, though I don’t think I’ve seen it. Why don’t you come over here and we can get to know each other a little better?” Robyn tilted her head toward a group of women sitting in a bunch of chairs clustered in the shade. They looked happy and friendly. Heather wanted to join them, but she wasn’t ready to leave Aaron.
“Aaron was just showing me around and making sure I know everyone. How about I join you when we’re done making the rounds?”
“That would be great. Let him introduce you to the guys, then we’ll take care of the women and all the details you need to know to hang around a group like this.”
“Sounds great. I’m sure I’ll join you soon.”
Robyn waved, turned toward the kitchen area, dug something out of one of the coolers, then went back to where the other women sat. There looked like there was six to eight there and Heather wasn’t sure, but it seemed there were some missing.
“Ready?” Aaron’s voice brought her attention back to him.
She turned and looked up at him with a smile. “Sure. Let’s go.”
They spent the next forty-five minutes meeting and talking to different men. She still wasn’t sure how she would remember who everyone was, much less their names. Though for some reason she thought their nicknames would stick with her better than real names would have, similar to how she had an easier time remembering pets’ names than people’s. Things like Malice and Savage seemed to stand out in her mind.
“Why do they call you Jake?”
“It’s a nickname, just like Ghost, Lurch, and the others.”
“I know that, but why? There’s always a reason behind a nickname and I want to know yours.” She watched his reaction and noticed how his face turned pink.
“It’s dumb. You don’t need to know.”
“Need to? No. But I want to and the more you resist telling me, the more I want to know. The more I’m going to pester you about it. You and I both know you might as well just tell me. Cause I won’t let up until I find out… or I could just go ask someone else.” She twisted around to look toward the group of men they’d just walked away from. “Sadist seems like the kind who would tell me just to get a rise out of you.”
Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus. Why are you like this?”
Heather shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just me. That’s all I can be.”
“And honestly, I wouldn’t want you any other way.” He hooked an arm around her waist and tugged her close as he took a deep breath and heaved out a sigh. “I’ll tell you, but it’s embarrassing.”
She wanted to stop and look at him, to watch his face as he told her but knew that would only make him more self-conscious.
“When I was in my first duty assignment after basic there was another guy with the same last name. There was some discussion as to how to tell us apart, when some smart ass pipped up and told them they should call me Jake because I looked like the guy from those stupid insurance commercials. It stuck.”
Heather started by giggling. She remembered those commercials. Not the newer versions, but the original. And now that she thought about it, he did look a little like the actor when he’d been younger. Not so much now that he’d lost some of the baby fat and put on some muscle. “He wasn’t wrong.” She glanced up at Aaron and found the scowl on his face even funnier than the reason behind his nickname. The giggles became full blown laughter. Not at his nickname or how he came by it, but at his reaction to her.
He put his hands on his hips and watched as she laughed, and Heather found that even funnier. She gasped for air, knowing this wasn’t as funny as she thought it was. Maybe it was more than the story he’d told her? She liked the way he made her feel safe, cared for but free at the same time.
She wiped tears from the corners of her eyes as she gasped for air, the laughter finally subsiding. “Thanks, I needed that.”
“Glad I could help, even if it was only by being the butt of the joke.”
“It wasn’t that. Not the way you think. It was your reaction, the look on your face. That was what was so funny.”
He shook his head at her, a smile slowly creeping onto his face. “You know, it’s a good thing I like you.”
“I guess I kind of like you too.”
He held a hand out toward her, and without thinking about it she took it in hers, weaving her fingers in with his as she let him pull her along to the next person he wanted her to meet.