15
Noah
Usually, there’s nothing better than lounging on the couch with Sadie curled on my feet on my day off. This weekend is different. It’s the anniversary of when everything changed sixteen years ago. Where I would normally make plans to hang out with the guys—or more recently, Jett—I plan to spend this Friday right here, hiding from the world.
I’ve actively avoided Jace for the last few days, ignored my sister’s calls and texts, and only gone around town for the necessities. That’s why it doesn’t surprise me to see Drew’s name flash across my phone screen. My head falls back onto the couch cushion as I groan; he no doubt needs farm help, and I’d bet anything Jace set it up. It’s supposed to be my day off. I worked four twelve-hour days this week and just want to stew in my misery.
Wiping my hands over my face, I answer. “Hello?”
“Hey, man,” Drew says, the sound of the tractor audible through the speaker. “We had a load of hay come in today that wasn’t supposed to arrive until next week, and the rain is coming in by lunch. Any chance you’d be willing to come sling some bales for me?”
“How many bales are we talkin’, Drew?” I dread the answer, already rubbing my knee. There’s a reason I don’t help on the ranch as much as I did in my teens and early twenties—it’s called arthritis, and my knee is full of it. But hey. It only hurts until the pain stops, right?
“Looks like at least eight bundles, so a little under one seventy.”
“You got other help?” I ask, like I’m not already slipping on my boots and hooking Sadie’s leash to her collar. Even still, if it’s just me, one hundred seventy bales is a lot of lifting and slinging.
“Heh, yeah. There’re a few guys over here, but only one has a clue what he’s doing. Appreciate you coming, man. See you soon.” The bastard hangs up before I can add anything else.
***
What Drew failed to mention on the phone is that the only guy helping him unload hay is Reece Taylor. I shouldn’t be surprised, seeing as he is Declan’s right-hand man. As Drew walks closer to me, I cue Sadie to sit. She obeys, but her entire body wiggles with the desire to reach Drew.
“You’re an ass. You do know that right?”
The bastard laughs out loud.“I knew if I admitted that he was here, I would have a harder time getting your help.” He sobers, adjusting the straps on his shoulder brace. “Declan had to take care of some things out of town. I promised him that things were covered here. Of course, that all goes to shit as soon as he hits the interstate.”
“You know I’ve got your back, man.”
“Appreciate it, bud.”
“Where do you want me?” I ask as I unhook Sadie’s leash.
“Can you start stacking it? About eight high. We already pulled the older bales forward.”
“By ‘we,’ I hope you mean Reece,” I grumble, cutting my eyes at him.
He rolls his eyes but nods.“You’d think someone as grumpy as you would care less about my wellbeing.”
My cheek twitches with what could almost be classified as a smile.“For some reason, you’ve found yourself on my give-a-shit list. Fifteen years and counting.”I motion toward his shoulder. “Hangin’ in there? I know I overstepped in calling—”
“Glad you did, man. But yeah, things are okay. Thanks for not breathing down my neck like Dec and Jace.”
Nodding, I start for the hay trailer where Reece is glaring at the bales he tosses. Probably imagining they are me. I holler back at Drew over my shoulder. “You don’t need babysitting. Neither do we. I promise not to off your brother’s favorite worker. Go worry about things elsewhere.”
Reece and I don’t speak past a well-placed grunt here or there, but we do manage to work through the bales quickly, barely getting the trailer unloaded before the downpour. Our clothes soak through quickly as the first big drops come down hard, and we sprint for the shelter of the main barn. While I want to chew this guy out for how he treats Jett, I want him to be the one to break the ice. It only takes a few minutes of being trapped under the awning for him to crack.
“I wanted you to stay away from my sister.”
I scoff. “Quite frankly, your opinion doesn’t matter. She’s a big girl who can make her own decisions.”
“I know that.” He kicks at the dirt, rain droplets still trickling from his cowboy hat.
“Do you? Because from what I’ve seen, you treat her like a child.”
Reece turns, stepping into my space much like he did at the bar during our last confrontation. His bulk probably intimidates most, but it isn’t as impressive as Jace’s. When you’ve been slung to the mat by that freight train, not much can phase you size-wise.
“You think you understand the situation so well? After knowing her less than a month? I’ve already heard it from Jace that you’re a good guy. I get that I may have let my past with your brother color how I saw you at first. For that, I apologize. But you don’t know my sister well enough to run your mouth on how I treat her.”
The grief that lives rent free in me is begging for an outlet, but I refuse to let it dictate the here and now. No matter how I feel about him, things with Jett are too fragile. I need to keep my head straight. For Jett. I repeat it over and over in my head until I’m sure I won’t explode.
“I have a little sister. I understand the need to protect, care for, and even baby her at times. But come on, man. I’ve seen enough to know you act more like an overbearing father to a rambunctious teenager.”
“You’ve spent time with her. From what I’ve heard, a good bit of time. Surely, you’ve seen how she gets when her ADHD flares up. She needs—”
“She’s perfect. What she needs is her brother’s support of her dreams.” I push off the post I’d been leaning against, forcing Reece to take a step back. “She needs to stop trying to please her brother at every turn.”
Looking out over the fields as the rain finally slows, I try to let go of the tension in my shoulders. Reece stays quiet, hopefully sifting through any recent interactions with his sister and seeing the truth in my words.
“This weekend marks sixteen years since my dad was killed. For the first time since that night, I don’t want to go home and drink myself into oblivion. I’m finding myself again because of your sister.” I wait until he makes eye contact to continue. He needs to hear me. “That girl is the brightest star on my darkest night. Every impulse, every blanket in every corner of my apartment, every three a.m. search for a random pillow or book or sweatshirt. Jett is worth all of it and more, and I’ll be damned if I let you or anyone else dim her spark.”
“You love her.” He says it matter-of-factly, as if there’s no question. It’s such a contrast from how this conversation began that I’m thrown off-kilter but still nod once. “And I was wrong. You know her better in a few weeks than any other guy she’s dated did in months.”
“She’s special.”
“I know it’s just words, but I’m sorry about your dad. Loss never really gets easier.” He holds out his hand in offering. As I grasp his, he says, “I’ll talk to Jett. She’s been avoiding me for a while now. I’m guessing whatever dream you’re talking about has something to do with it.”
“Don’t shut her down. Let her share with you and then discuss it like two adults. She deserves at least that much.”
Reece tips his hat. “I may be questioning some things right now, but I doubt my sister is making things easy on you after her asshole ex. She’s really good at pushing people away. Don’t let her.”
“She won’t get rid of me that easily.” I’m done hiding from my feelings.