Chapter 14 Lucy
Iwas angry about Colt and Jarrett getting into a fight, especially since Briar’s name was involved. Colt agreed to head to the sheriffs station to tell them what he told me. These boys won’t ever learn if they don’t take accountability for their actions and follow through with the consequences.
Briar cried when I reminded Colt he’s a legal adult and if Jarrett decides to press charges he could go to jail. I don’t foresee that happening, but it could. That’s the point.
The station’s alive with bodies today. Brent’s nowhere to be seen and I feel bad for being relieved.
Sheriff Folley greets us as we step up to the desk. “Hey Miss Lucy, what brings you in today?”
Nodding to Colt, he steps forward, “I need to talk to you about Jarrett Walker.”
The sheriff hangs his head and walks around to the door that separates the lobby and the rest of the officers. Opening the door he directs us to his office and we all sit. The whole time Colt speaks, Briar is pacing and biting her nails.
“He said some unkind things about Briar, and even though I told him to stop multiple times, he kept on runnin’ his fuckin’ mouth.”
The sheriff clears his throat and Colt has the decent sense to blush and correct himself.
“So. I hit him. We exchanged blows after that, but I saw red, and before I knew it he was under me, and two of my buddies were pullin’ me off.
His face was bloodied, but he was still runnin’ his mouth.
I’m sorry, Sheriff. I swear I didn’t mean to keep on, I just…
” he looks back at Briar and a softness changes his face. “I shouldn’t have done it.”
Briar’s hand lands on his shoulder and he immediately grabs on, but I see the fear in his eyes.
“Now, I believe Colt is telling you the truth when he says he hasn’t seen him since,” I speak up, hoping the sheriff won’t be too hard on him.
He nods, steeples his fingers together and lays them on his desk. “Zachariah, you’ve never been in trouble before have you? I’ve known you since you were a youngin’.”
The use of his government name makes him squirm in his seat, but the sheriffs right, he’s known all these kids since they were in diapers.
“I’ll keep what you’ve said here in the back of my mind, but there will be consequences to your actions, and Jarrett’s,” he reprimands. “Once we find Jarrett and get his side of the story, I’ll be in touch.”
I guess that’s the best we can hope for considering.
The three of us leave after Folley shakes Colt’s hand and offers a smile to Briar and me. Colt slips his hand into Briar’s and the way she looks at him gnaws at something deep in my gut.
Colt’s a good boy, and I know he’d never hurt her on purpose, but he’s graduating next weekend and with the world laid out at his feet, he may leave Goldspur Ridge.
Small town living doesn’t appeal to most of the youth now-a-days. They don’t want a slow and easy life dependent on rodeo and tourist season.
I don’t blame them, hell I was one of them when I graduated. I left, went to Knoxville and had no plans of coming back. Until my parents died, and then Spencer lost his wife and had to raise Briar all alone.
My choices didn’t really feel like a choice at all.
“Loo, can you take us back to the diner to pick up Colt’s truck?” Briar asks, slipping into the seat on the passenger side to be sandwiched between Colt and me.
“Mhmm,” I nod, still lost in my thoughts.
I’m not paying attention to anything they say, too lost in my own daydreams of a life I never got to have. I’m not upset about how my life turned out, although I could have done without the whole Levi thing.
I love Briar, my brother’s one of the best people I know, and Mawmaw’s been my rock for as long as I can remember. Plus, my best friend Indy’s back now too. Everyone I value most is here, and I like not having many bills to pay.
The city life was fun, but the budget was tight. Now, depending on how well the ranch and diner are doing, I get to spoil myself and my loved ones with things I think they’ll like.
Plus, Briar’s my shopping buddy. If I need fashion advice, she’s my go to girl. Indy doesn’t care for ‘frilly’ dresses, she prefers her holy t-shirts, muddied jeans, and work boots.
“Thank you, Loo,” Briar says when we arrive at the diner, placing a kiss on my cheek and sliding out of the truck.
I need a long soak and a good book. That’ll fix me right up. Even though I really want to head to The Rowdy Raven and have a drink instead, I don’t trust myself not to fall back into habits I’d formed after Levi’s death. So instead of heading to The Raven, I pull out onto Main Street and head home.
The Ranch always brings me a feeling of peace and tranquillity. Don’t get me wrong, there are days that are anything but, however, most days are filled with flowers, people I love, and homemade meals.
The drive’s nice this time of year, the hay’s grown up high, and is swaying in the gentle late spring breeze that tells us to get ready for one hell of a summer.
We’ll have to start baling hay sooner this year than I thought.
The fence looks brand new with the fresh coat of stain Heath’s putting on this week.
It takes a lot of work to keep this place nice, and if it weren’t for Heath, Spencer and I would be busting our asses to get it all done between our regular jobs.
Speaking of, Heath’s out near the barn with a slew of tools steadied against it.
He throws his hand up in a wave as I park and get out of the truck.
I should thank him for all the stuff he’s been doing, but I’m so in my own head at the moment, I can’t, so I throw my hand up and wave back before heading into the house I share with Mawmaw.
A bubble bath and a good book are calling my name.