Chapter 7
Colton
“Meemaw,” I say for the fifteenth time, “You have to angle the phone downward, all I’m seeing is your forehead.” Wyatt must be studying in his room because he hasn’t assumed his regular role of tech support.
She cackles as she repositions the phone, again, holding it at arm’s length and squinting her eyes to get a better look at the screen.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she adjusts her glasses, “Are they all being nice to you over there? They better be.” She lifts a balled fist and shakes it for emphasis.
I resist the urge to remind her that I’m twenty-seven years old, and I’m hoping I won’t be in need of her ass-kicking services. I’ve been wrestling cows and wrangling horses since I could walk, but I do have to say—a spanking from my Meemaw smarts more than almost anything I’ve experienced before.
“They’re all real nice Meemaw, really.” I can’t help but think of the blond-haired beauty from this afternoon, how she looked like she’d rather skin me alive than have a conversation with me. It brings a smile to my face as I say, “I met a real pretty lady today.” My smile grows as her eyes go wide. She moves the camera closer to her face, her forehead taking center stage again.
“A lady?” She asks loudly. I muffle my laugh as she continues, “Well I’m going to need more information than that, my boy. What’s her name?”
“Well, I don’t know, but I’m hoping to find out.”
The estate isn’t that big... alright, it’s bigger than some towns I’ve been to. She could be a stable hand, maybe she works on the grounds somewhere. I haven’t had the chance to ask Rory for any information on the mystery woman, he was busy for most of the afternoon—and asking him over text seemed a little weird—so after I’d spent some time with Sweetie and the smaller ponies, I came back to my room and unpacked.
Meemaw had called me as soon as I sent photos of my room to the group chat, she wanted to make sure I wasn’t accidentally staying in the wrong place. Fit for a King she’d said as I gave her a tour via FaceTime. She’d made some disapproving tuts when I’d accidentally showed her the mounted TV, but I’d assured her that I would likely be too busy to use it over the coming months.
I hear a low voice call my Meemaw’s name through the phone speaker.
“Oh, the ranch boys are asking for seconds, I’ve got to get going, son. You make sure you take your medication, y’hear?” Her forehead is almost pressed against the phone camera at this point.
“I will Meemaw, I’ll speak to you later this week. I might be a little busy over the next couple of days, with the new job and all, but I love you. ”
She makes more kissing noises before we both hang up.
I shoot a text off to Wyatt as I wander into the bathroom.
Colton: Can you make sure the ranch boys don’t eat us out of house and home?
He begins to type almost as soon as the message is sent.
Wyatt: I’m not getting in the middle of that, Meemaw will beat me with the rolling pin.
Wyatt: Again.
I laugh as I slide open the glass shower door, turning the golden handle before ducking away from the spray.
Colton: Either that or the wooden spoon.
Wyatt: Don’t remind me. Hey, unrelated, but I don’t suppose you’re secretly a trigonometry buff?
Colton: I hate to disappoint but I’m not even sure how to pronounce that. Having trouble with your homework?
Wyatt: A little. It’s no big deal but I’m struggling a bit with the advanced class I’m taking.
Colton: Call up that tutor, Mrs. Barnes or something, right? I’ll send the money your way. Just let me know how much you need.
Wyatt: Will do, thanks.
I open the linen closet on the far side of the bathroom and grab myself what has got to be the fluffiest white towel I have ever had the pleasure of using. Just as I go to set my phone down and ready myself for the shower, my phone vibrates again.
Wyatt: Love you Colt .
My heart feels like it’s imploding, and I have to steady myself with a hand on cool marble bathroom countertop. I’ve missed people before, my parents mostly, but this is a different feeling entirely. I’m not grieving for my brother; I’m grieving the distance between us. And it’s more painful than I ever could have imagined.
Colton: Love you, always.
I set my phone down on the countertop, bowing my head as I brace my hands on either side of the sink.
When I raise my head, I hold my own stare in the mirror as I say, “It’s just for a couple of months. You’ve faced harder battles than this.” I force a tight-lipped smile and reach for one of the orange bottles on the counter. The pills rattle around inside as I shimmy two of them out into my palm. I knock them back, washing them down with a palmful of water before turning towards the shower.
My clothes feel like a second skin as I peel them from my body. I was eager to busy myself earlier when Rory had shown me to my room for the first time, so I’ve been wearing the same outfit since I left Texas over half a day ago. I grimace apologetically at the fancy-looking laundry basket before dumping the clothes inside.
I spend what feels like an hour in the shower, there are a few different settings and steamer heads that make it hard to see my hand in front of my face. There are all kinds of sweet-smelling soaps and shampoos, I find myself using a concoction of several—like a kid making a potion, I can’t help myself.
Once I’m done scrubbing every inch of my body, I turn the shower off and emerge into my room with the fluffy towel around my waist. I can see the sky turning a dark purple from my window, even the sunsets look different here. I watch it for a moment as I sit down on the enormous four poster bed, the plush comforter molds around me as I lay back and stretch out my arms.
I didn’t plan on falling asleep, but I’m woken by a few light knocks on my bedroom door. I sit up, a little groggy from my unplanned nap, and see that the sun has now completely vanished from the skyline. I run a hand through my still-damp hair as I plod towards the door.
I’m half expecting to see Rory when the door swings open, but instead I’m met with two dainty, smiling women—both of them unfamiliar. I rub one of my eyes with the palm of my hand, partially to wake myself up but also to make sure I’m not seeing double.
The two women at my door seem to move in unison, their eyes trail my body from head to toe before they drag them back up to my eyes.
“Hi,” I croak, voice still heavy with sleep, “Nice to, uh, meet you. Who are—”
“We’re the welcoming committee,” One of them says with a sickly-sweet smile as they inch closer, I move backwards to match their advance.
I haven’t heard anything about a welcoming committee and Rory hadn’t said anything about one, but it seems like a nice touch.
“Ah, the welcoming committee .” I echo with a nod of my head, trying to seem a little less clueless than I look. I go to put my hands in the pocket of my jeans when I’m met with the fluffy material of the towel that’s still around my waist.
“I’m... sorry, ladies,” I say as I look down to confirm that I am still in fact half naked from my shower. “I wasn’t expecting company, let alone a welcoming committee, let me go get some clothes on.”
“Oh, nonsense,” One of the women croons as she links a slender arm through mine. She walks me towards the leather sofa and sits me next to who I can only assume is her sister, while she takes up the spot on my other side.
“My name is Charlotte, Lottie for short.” The one on my left says.
“And I’m Philippa,” the one on my right says, leaning in slightly as she whispers, “but you can call me Pippa.”
I place my hands on my knees, uncomfortably aware of just how naked I am as they seem to inch closer at my sides.
“Well, Lottie, Pippa,” I say, turning and nodding my head towards each of them, “My, uh, my name is Colton, Colton Brooks. It’s a real pleasure to meet you both.” Their smiles grow and they exchange a couple of looks with each other, but they don’t open their mouths to say anything more, so I find myself grappling for words to fill the silence. “So, twins or just really similar looking cousins?”
“Twins,” they say in unison before Lottie—or Pippa, I really can’t find a single difference between them—turns her body towards me and lifts her mouth up to my ear. “Twins who do everything together.” She hovers there for a moment as my skin prickles, “And I mean everything.” Her hand begins to travel up my leg and her twin presses her body flush against my side.
“Oh,” I say as the pieces finally fall into place, “Oh, no—I mean, that’s awfully kind of you ladies, but I’m not really int—”
A louder knock sounds at the door, followed quickly by a creak as it swings open. The last twin to enter my room didn’t shut it completely, apparently, and now somebody else is being subjected to this incredibly awkward situation.
My head whips around at the creak and I’m more than a little surprised to find the furious blond woman from earlier standing just inside the doorway. She’s looking a little less furious with her eyebrows raised and eyes wide, and she’d holding my lasso with both hands.
“Oh, no—” The words sound like they come out reflexively as she angles her body back towards the door, as if she might walk right back out .
I practically jump off the couch, both twins recoiling slightly at the movement.
“Hi,” I say a little too enthusiastically, moving to put my hands in my pockets for the second time before realizing—again—that I’m only wearing a towel. She’s just blinking at me, eyebrows still high on her forehead so I decide to open my big mouth again, “Are you part of the welcoming committee?” Her eyes narrow and she shoots a look at the twins that makes my blood chill. I hear them rise from the couch, one of them strokes a hand gently across my hip as they move past me towards the door.
“Coach called a meeting in the common room.” The blond woman says through gritted teeth as they pass her. She’s a whole head taller than them both and doesn’t dip her eyes to look at either of them as they approach.
“Spoilsport.” One of them hisses before the pair reach the doorway and disappear down the hall.
“There’s no welcoming committee, is there?” I say as I run a hand through my hair.
She presses her lips into a tight line before shaking her head. “No, but Lottie and Pippa can be extremely welcoming ... or so I’ve heard.”
She jolts a little and glances down to the lasso in her hands, as if she’d forgotten she was holding it.
“I, uh,” She takes a tentative step closer, “I wanted to return this but I—um, seem to have interrupted your plans and, well, you appear to be missing a shirt so I will be going—” She places my bundled lasso on the console table underneath the mounted TV.
“I’m happy to put on a shirt if you’ll stay a little longer,” I reach blindly for the chest of drawers behind me.
Her eyebrows shoot up her forehead before coming down into a scowl, cheeks growing redder with every passing second, “I don’t know what the twins promised, but I didn’t come here for that, I’m not going to—”
“Oh no, that’s not what I meant at all, I swear.” I hold my palms out, giving up on the chest of drawers behind me. “What I mean to say is, I just got here today, and I don’t really know anyone all that well. I guess it’d be nice to just make a friend.” I smile as she blinks at me. “I’ll put some clothes on, I swear.” I watch as her eyes rove over my torso before they snap back to my face.
Her cheeks are still rosy, but there’s a blank expression on her face—as if I’ve caught her off guard. She blinks, “I—”
“Eleanor!” The shriek comes from the hallway outside my door, and I watch as her spine goes ramrod straight.
“I’ve got to go.” The words are barely out before she’s reaching for the door.
“Eleanor? That’s your name?” I ask, chancing a step towards her as she turns her head towards me .
“Ellie, my friends call me Ellie.” There’s a ghost of a smile on her face, but it’s marred by the uneasiness in her eyes. With that she’s gone, the door clicks shut behind her and the sound seems to echo through the now-empty room.