Chapter2
Chance’s words from yesterday keep rolling around in my head. Thinking about how he reminded me that Mark works for me, and how Mark”s words really bothered me. So, since I know Vicki is upstairs napping, and my brother is alone in the kitchen, I’m going to bring it up to him.
”Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?” I ask, getting his attention.
”Yeah, what”s up?” he asks as he sits at the dining room table.
”After you went upstairs yesterday, Chance stuck around and helped me clean up. While I was on the porch collecting trash, Mark walked up from the barn and was pretty belligerent. He said to me: ”It must be nice getting to hang out with all my friends while the rest of us pick up her slack.” Then he walked off, looking satisfied he’d said his piece. Just the way that he thought he could talk to me like that really bothers me.” Though at my words, there”s no change of expression on his face.
”He is the head ranch hand, and you were gone when he started,” he said, as if justifying the way I was treated.
”Listen, I”m not some greenhorn who is just learning how to run this ranch. I grew up here just like you did, and I”ve already paid my dues.” I put an end to that line of thought right away.
”I know that, and so does he,” Alex says.
”Does he? Because that makes the way that he talks to me even worse.” I say, raising my voice because I”m getting really irritated.
”Okay, I”ll talk to him when I get back from picking up Vicki”s medicine in town. But you need to remember we”re all under a bunch of stress right now, so maybe cut him some slack,” Alex says.
All I can do is sit there with my mouth open. How can he be blowing this off like it’s nothing? I know more than anyone we”re all under a bunch of stress because I”m the one doing all the extra work. Something inside of me snaps, and for the first time since I”ve been home, I grow a backbone.
”No, I”m going into town. I”ll grab her medicine. I need a break from this place after working my ass off for three weeks straight and not being able to leave. So I”m going to be the one that’s going into town. After I pick up the stuff that”s on the list, I”ll be back.” Without even giving him an option, I grab the truck keys, the list off the counter, and walk out the door.
Running on pure adrenaline, I start the truck and head down the driveway, not giving my brother a chance to come after me. Only once the ranch has disappeared from the rearview mirror do I stop, pull over on the side of the road, take a deep breath, and process the conversation that we just had.
At this point, the only conclusion I can reach is that my brother is so stressed out that he”s burying his head in the sand. Maybe I don”t have a choice but to take Chance on his offer to come help out. Alex can”t deny that we could use an extra hand, even if it’s for only a few days, just to try to get ahead.
Right now, the ranch is barely breaking even and we can”t afford to hire anyone else. Otherwise, I would have already done it with or without my brother”s permission.
Pointing the truck towards town, I crank up the stereo and drive slightly below the speed limit, while enjoying my freedom of being out of the house. Once in town, the first thing I do is go right to the diner. It’ll be nice to see some friendly faces and I could use a strong cup of Jo”s coffee.
From the moment I park and step out of the truck, I can feel someone”s eyes on me. But I don”t see anything out of place on Main Street, so I shake it off. This is a small town. It”s nothing for people to be paying attention to you just so they can be on top of the newest gossip.
”Jessa!” Jo greets me with a big hug before ushering me to a bar stool at the countertop. ”Sit down and let me pour you a strong cup of coffee on the house.”
Normally, I”d argue and insist on paying for it, but there”s no trying to change her mind when Jo decides something. Everyone in town knows how stubborn she can be.
”Bless you. That is exactly what I came in here for,” I say as she rounds the counter. Suddenly she stops to look at me and frowns.
”Is everything okay? We haven”t seen you or your brother in town much. Ford says everything”s all right, but I”d rather hear it from you,” she says, her Southern drawl really shining through.
Ford is our cousin who has his own ranch to run, but he or his wife, Savannah, tries to make it out once a week with some homemade casseroles and check on us.
”It”s going. I”m not going to lie, it”s been stressful. I wish I could say I”m looking for the baby to be here so that I can get more sleep, but I know that little bundle of joy means I”m going to have even less sleep. Though, I can”t wait to meet my little niece or nephew,” I say, with a big grin on my face.
”I can only imagine how hard it was for everyone when I was on bed rest. It was not easy, and my poor husband was waiting on me hand and foot and just as stressed out as I was.” Riley interjects from a table behind me.
She ended up on bed rest with her first. Luckily, her husband has a big family who all were able to pitch in. Now that our parents have retired to Florida, it”s just me and my brother. I don”t think Alex or I have let on how tense and frazzled we are. Mainly, because we want them to enjoy their retirement. However, it has crossed my mind more than once to call and beg them for help, even if only for a week.
If I contacted them, I know the backlash I”ll get from my brother because my dad will start to wonder if he made a mistake handing the ranch over to Alex. That”s the last thing I want because while I love the land, I do not want to take it over either.
”My brother has been great and at Vicki”s side taking care of her. I”m so grateful that I could come down and help them out. Though I think maybe I”m just a little stir-crazy because it”s been over three weeks since I was last off the ranch. It’s made me realize that I need to make it a point to do more of these town runs more often.” Even though I try to make it sound like I”m joking, I definitely am not.If Jo picks up on the fact that I”m not joking, she thankfully doesn”t comment on it.
”Well, if you need anything, don”t be afraid to ask. You know that this town will band together to help you guys out,” she says.
I know they will, but I also know that if I ask, I will never hear the end of it from my dad and brother. I think it”s a pride thing because they”ve run the ranch on their own all these years, and they have never asked for help. My brother would just see it as me saying he couldn”t do it, and I don”t want to have that argument. So, I just smile and thank Jo for the coffee before leaving the diner.
The moment I am back outside, I feel eyes on me again, but looking around, I don”t see anything out of the ordinary. I go next door to the feed shop, put in our order, and then grab a few things that are on my brother”s list. When I walk back outside, I have the same feeling again as I walk across the street to the pharmacy to pick up Vicki”s prescription.
We’re hoping that this anti-nausea medicine will work and my sister-in-law will finally be able to keep some food down. Looking around, I spot a set of earplugs and put them in my cart. I’m hoping they will allow me to get a little better sleep. But I don”t stick around too long because every time I pass another aisle, someone says hi and asks how Vicki is doing.
By the time I finish all the errands, I’m back in the truck, and am exhausted. It was great to get out of the house and have just a little time off the ranch, but seeing everybody and answering the same question over and over again was a different kind of tiring.
The entire time I was in town, I felt those eyes on me. It”s not a scary or threatening feeling, but more of how I felt every time I turned around and Chance had his eyes on me. It was like someone was watching me, making sure I was okay and protected, but not creepy.
When I start thinking more about Chance and seeing him yesterday, I decide to send him a quick text.
Me:It was great seeing you yesterday. You should come around more often. I know Alex would enjoy it.
I add the last part because I know I sure as hell can”t say I would enjoy it. Not only is he my brother”s best friend, but he’s more than twelve years older than me. I”m sure the last thing he wants is someone that he used to see as a little girl who he watched chasing after him on the ranch.
But I always loved being around him, and when he was home on leave during my graduation, those feelings changed. Now he is the one who stars in all of my late-night dreams.
He doesn”t text back. Of course, he doesn”t.
Taking my time, not wanting to give up my freedom just yet, I drive back to the ranch. Even once I get to the ranch and park the truck, I sit there for a few minutes, enjoying the last bit of quiet.
When I see Chance”s truck pulling up the driveway, I”m completely shocked.
Getting out of my truck, I walk over to him. ”Hey, what are you doing here?” I ask once he parks.
”I”m here to help out. It was a good thing you sent that text because I was already on my way,” he says. Then he reaches into the truck and grabs the bags I placed there. How he knew they were there, I”m not sure, but I gratefully accept his help.
There’s no way I’m going to admit how relieved I am that he”s here. Not just because I want more time with him, but also because we really do need the help.