Chapter 7 Reese
Back at the house, Mama offers us blueberry pie and ice cream. My thoughts circulate around Lucy, I don’t know why, but there’s something about her that makes me want to get to know her. She’s beautiful, no doubt about that but it’s the spirit I see in her eyes that pulls me in.
I wasn’t close with Levi. Not hardly. If he hurt her, I’ll dig him up and kill him again. Rage rumbles under the surface of my skin just thinking about the possibility.
I have no reason to feel this way, no right whatsoever, yet something in my gut tells me to dig a little deeper.
Lucy.
Tomorrow I’ll head back to the diner, see if I can catch her during a slow shift. Order something, see if I can get her to talk to me.
“Reese? Ice cream?” Mama’s question shakes me from my thoughts and I nod, allowing her to place a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream on the pie she just warmed.
Taking a large spoonful of the pie and ice cream I’m surprised at how delicious it is. Mama’s never been a great cook, much less a baker. But this… this is really good.
“Wow Mama,” I chuckle into my napkin, “this is really good.”
Everyone around the table laughs, like I just accidentally made a joke I wasn’t part of.
“This ain’t Mama's pie.” Jarrett snickers looking at me like I’ve grown another head.
“Oh, honey, it’s one from the diner,” she laughs, waving her hand in front of her face. “Lucy bakes them up every week, but you gotta hurry or they’re gone by mid mornin’!”
She bakes, works at the local diner, and has time to run a flower booth at the farmers market? Cataloging that information away for another time, I enjoy the rest of my pie and watch as everyone settles into their own after dinner spots.
Jarrett grabs his keys and hauls ass out into the early evening sun, kissing Mama on the cheek and murmuring where he’ll be.
Yates sits down in his recliner, clicking the television on and propping his feet up.
Mama’s hand slides over mine, “It’s okay with me by the way, not that you need my permission.”
Confusion clouds my thoughts, I’m not sure that I said anything.
She smiles, it’s small and a little sad. “Lucy’s a sweet girl.”
Ah, there it is. What she’s been dying to talk about. “I’m sure she is.”
Mama has a secret smile as she says, “I can see when my boy’s interested in somebody, don’t think you’ve been away too long now, a mother always knows,” she admonishes.
With a shake of my head, I pull my keys from my pocket and stand. “I should get back, lots to do.”
Her smile fades, but only for a minute before she’s plastering another one in its place. I know this one though, it’s the same one she always uses when she doesn’t want to cause a stir.
“I’m not far away,” I remind her, they’ve been busy with Levi and Jarrett, and I’ve been busy with the ranch.
They’ve only visited a few times. It’s my little slice of heaven, tucked away about twenty minutes from here.
Come to think of it, Goldspur Ridge is the closest town to me though I don’t spend much time here.
I usually hit the city on the other side of Goldspur Ridge to suffice my… needs.
Looks like I’ve found a new place to be.
With a hug, and a few alligator tears, Mama walks me out to my truck and says goodbye.
The drive back home is peaceful. I turn the radio up but I’m hardly listening, my thoughts drift back to Goldie.
Back on the ranch, Mason, my best friend and co-owner, meets me on the porch.
“Nice day huh, Champ?” He laughs, clapping his hand on my shoulder and offering me a beer. Mason’s been my friend since we were wee cowboys dreaming of riding bulls. He’s the first friend I made here in Tennessee.
“It was nice to see Mama, she’s doin’ good,” I tell him, knowing he’s going to ask.
“That’s good,” he throws me his signature smile, the one I’ve seen drop many a’ panty. He’s good looking, charming, and has a heart of gold. His own family’s not one he speaks to much since he started making money while on tour with me. So he adopted mine. “And the runt?”
That gets a snorted laugh out of me, damn near choking on my beer. “Jarrett’s fine.”
“Did ya turn Yates down gently?” He asks, eyes cast down. Kicking the dust off his boots.
With a sigh, I nod. “He took it well, but you and I both know we don’t have time for Jarrett, or his attitude.”
“Yates is an understandin’ man, I’m sure he’ll figure somethin’ out for the kid.
” His confidence is endearing, but he didn’t see my stepfather’s face.
I know Jarrett’s become too much for them, but with all the work I’ve got around here…
I just don’t have it in me to try and rehabilitate him into a man.
“Yeah,” I agree noncommittally.
Mason claps his hands, “Well, since you slacked on your part of the chores, I’ve got a few catch up things for you.”
His wink is mischievous, and my lips tip up in response. I’m sure he’s found some way to repay me for having to take care of the trainees while I was away.
We walk in silence, it’s nice, breathing in the country air. The smell of fresh pine and dirt fills my lungs and I eye the practice pin where Lin is working with one of our younger groups before the sun sets.
Her short green hair’s tied at the nape of her neck as she helps the younger boys work the sheep. They’re only about five and six, not yet ready to ride a calf.
She throws up her hands and hollers when one of the boys successfully rides one of the sheep for a full six seconds. He runs up to her, hat flying off behind him and jumps into her arms with a laugh.
I never wanted kids when I was a rodeo star, and hell, I’m too old for them now. But every one of them that comes to my ranch to train feels like they’re mine. For a time at least.
Mason chuckles beside me, garnering my attention. “She’s been workin’ with that one after school all week, poor fella’s been scared shitless to get on the sheep.”
“She’s good, Mason,” I agree, as close as I’ll come to admitting he was right to bring her on.
Lin showed up a while back with nothing but a backpack slung over her shoulder and an iron will to work.
“Plus, all the trainees will be here for the summer next weekend. We’ll need her work ethic around here. ”
He scoffs, taps my chest with his hand and nods us over to the horse arena. I can hear them before we get to the doors. The two knuckleheads who should be on tour already.
Kayce and Kolin Copeland could be two champions, but they can’t get past their own bullshit to qualify. They fight, worse than I’ve ever seen siblings fight. Both of them have tempers, and neither knows how to self regulate.
“It’s your turn to muck, I’ve already cleaned the shoes and washed the saddle pads,” Kolin huffs in Kayce’s face.
Before Kayce can respond Mason clears his throat and the twins turn our way. They nudge each other when they see me, neither of them willing to say anything.
“You two havin’ problems again?” I ask, narrowing my eyes on them. They’re identical, other than their eyes. Kayce’s got bright blue eyes that look like the iciest water I’ve ever seen, and Kolin’s are the lightest shade brown, golden and striking.
“No sir,” Kolin quips, head held high. “Kayce’s just about to muck the stalls before lights out.”
Kayce doesn’t say a word, but I can see the anger rising in his face. His eyes are flat, bored looking, but I know better. These boys have been working with me and Mason since they were eleven. They can’t get much past me.
“It’s day one and you two are already causin’ problems,” I start, “I thought y’all wanted to be champions? I don’t allow y’all to be here early just to listen to bickerin’.”
Kolin nods, while Kayce just blankly stares at Mason and me. With a sigh, I nod to Mason and we leave the twins to it. If they have to brawl it out, we let them. Sometimes it’s the best way for them to move on.
“They’ve got to shape up, and soon.” Mason says, stopping me just outside of the arena. “They can’t get disqualified this year if they want to make the junior circuit.”
“What else can we do? Sure they’ve got talent, but without discipline, they’ve got no chance.”
I know that sounds harsh, but sometimes the rodeo is do or die, and I refuse to have a child’s life on my conscience because I put them in a situation they weren’t ready for.
I failed Levi, and Jarrett barely tolerates me.
I won’t fail these boys.