18. Verge
Verge
I’d never give her some pity party of me needing the money, though, so I’ll just let her believe I’m that hard-headed.
Judging by the looks of this ranch, they are very well off.
Considering her dad was Boone Hillard, it’s not shocking they would have money.
They aren’t flashy with it, and I respect it.
Hell, they don’t even have a live-in quarters trailer.
It’s nice for sure, but I guess if they wanted one, they could have one, but opting to stay in a motel tells me they aren’t showy people.
As we get out of the truck, we all moan and groan, stretching, and my fucking ankle screams from being stiff for so long. Thankfully, it was my left ankle and not my right, so driving wasn’t an issue, but still.
“Fuck, I’m beat,” Cross says.
“You slept the last five hours,” I say, pushing his shoulder.
“Well, I was crammed in the back, and just because my eyes were shut doesn’t mean I was actually asleep,” he defends.
“Okay, tell that to everyone else who had to listen to your snoring ass,” Cash says through a yawn.
“I know that’s right,” Beau chimes in.
I hear gravel crunching and look up to see Tyler’s rig pulling in, but Shi is the one driving.
She pulls up beside the big barn, backing up to the side, and I’m mesmerized by the skills this woman has driving a truck and trailer.
I hear the slap of a screen door and turn around to see a woman walking out of the main house.
She looks a lot like Shi, the only difference is her blue eyes. I’m assuming it’s her mother.
The house is not huge either. It's a decent size, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not what you would expect from a three-time world champion bull rider.
It’s beautiful, with a log cabin frame, wraparound porch, and a green tin roof with matching green shutters.
The porch has a swing on one end with rocking chairs.
The barn, on the other hand, is massive. There has got to be twenty stalls inside. It’s also log cabin style, and above it looks as if there is a finished loft in the top, but I wouldn’t know. The only time I’ve been over here was to meet up with Shi and Cash to head out for the weekend.
To the left is rolling pastures with horses, and to the right is a covered arena with more pasture and what looks like a herd of steers.
As I take the place in, I suddenly miss my mother and the home she made for us with our ranch.
It wasn’t anywhere near this immaculate, but it was home.
We had some horses. My mom rode more for the trails and the therapy the horses provided more than sport.
I used to trail ride with her from time to time.
Every now and then, I would team rope with my buddy, and I enjoyed it, but not enough to ask her to pay for another entry fee.
“Well, boys, anyone come home with any money?” The woman asks, and Cash walks up to her, hugging her before he says.
“Oh, you know, Shiloh and Cross came in first the first day. We all had an off day yesterday, but we all came home with some money in our pockets,” Cash tells her, and she kisses him on the cheek.
She looks around at Cross and Beau, and then her eyes land on me and her eyebrows pinch together. “I don’t believe I’ve met you.”
I go to speak, and Beau puts his hand on my shoulder and says, “Sorry, Mrs. Liz, this is my cousin Verge.”
“Well, it’s also Shiloh’s…” Before Cross can finish, Shi walks up behind Cross, backhanding him in the gut.
“Hey, Mom,” Shi says, hugging her mom’s neck, and Cross coughs, and I can’t help but chuckle before I say.
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’m.” I hold my hand out to hers, and she takes it, looking me up and down suspiciously before she looks between Shi and me.
“Nice to meet you.” She then looks over to Tyler, who is now standing beside Cross, then to the rig now parked beside the barn.
“Mom, this is Tyler. She is going to stay in her trailer. I told her she could stay here,” Shi says, again looking at her boots. She’s nervous. I then wonder if she even told her mother about Tyler coming or if she just kind of took it upon herself to invite her.
“Hi, I’m Tyler. Nice to meet you,” Tyler says, holding out her hand, and she skeptically takes it, looking at Shi.
Tyler looks between them before she says, “I swear I'll earn my keep and pay you.”
Liz nods her head, “Don’t worry, dear. Do you need a place in the house to stay too? We could make up the guest bedroom.”
“No, ma'am, I live in my trailer. I'll pay for the utilities it uses as well.” Tyler assures her nervously.
Well, this is awkward, I think to myself.
Liz shifts her gaze to me again before she asks, “What event do you do, Verge?” She gives me a knowing look, but I tell her anyway.
“I bull ride, ma’am,” I reply, and she nods her head, looking again at Shi, then back to Tyler.
“And you, dear?” She asks.
“I barrel race and break away,” Tyler replies.
“Okay, enough with the awkward introductions. Let’s get some damn sleep,” Cross whines.
Liz looks between us all before she speaks. “Well, the loft is made up. If anyone wants to catch some shut-eye before heading home, I know you all only have a couple days before you head to Colorado, but as always, everyone is welcome here for practice or whatever.”
“I’ll take you up on that, Mrs. Liz,” Beau says, then looks to me. “I’ll take the guest room if you wanna take the loft, Verge.”
I nod, and Cross swings his arm around Tyler, looking at Liz. “We will crash in Tyler's trailer.”
“Dinner will be at 5:30, gang,” Liz says.
“Sounds good,” Cash says.
They all disperse, going to the back end of the trailer to get their horses out, and I’m left with Liz. I then rock back in my heels, pursuing my lips together when she speaks. “So, Verge, what brings you to Wyoming?”
My stomach sinks because I am honestly so over telling people I’m basically homeless and Beau and his family took me in, but here he goes.
“Beau’s mother was my mom’s sister, and when she passed, they were nice enough to let me come move in with them,” I tell her, hoping she doesn’t ask any more questions. I'm too tired to get into it right now.
“Oh, I’m so sorry about your mother,” she says with sincerity in her eyes.
“Thank you, ma’am,” I say, looking over my shoulder, and I’m relieved when I see Shiloh walking my way.
“Verge, I'll show you the loft if you want,” she says.
“Okay,” I say, looking back to Liz. “Thank you for offering for us to crash for a while.”
“Oh, of course. I remember those long nights on the road,” she says, looking at Shiloh. “Hey, Shiloh, a word?”
Shi’s face stiffens, but she doesn’t argue. She walks up to me, grabbing my arm, and points to the barn. “Stairs are first on the right past the tack room. I'll be up there soon.”
“Sounds good,” I say, kissing her head, then looking back to Liz, tipping my hat. “Ma’am.”
Turning on my heel, grabbing my bag from the truck, I walk into the barn, and horses pop their heads out of the stalls, studying me.
Walking past the tack room, I find the stairs to the right, just as she said.
I walk up and open the door, holding my bag over my shoulder.
It’s pretty much an in-law suite up here.
There is a living area to the left with a big cowhide.
The couch is a on top of it with a coffee table and TV.
To the right is a full kitchen. There is a small hallway with one door at the end.
It's skinnier and has a poster of John Lennon on it pointing up, I pinch my brows together and walk to the door, my curiosity getting the better of me.
I open it up to find towels and sheets inside. A linen closet.
I chuckle, “Clever.” I say to myself.
Keeping my bag in my hand, I walk to the doors, opening the one on the right, and I sigh in relief when I see a full bathroom. “Thank you, sweet baby Jesus,” I whisper to myself. I want a shower more than I want anything right now.
I step in the bathroom, stripping off my shirt and pulling out my phone to put on the counter.
I then can’t remember where we are up next weekend.
I know her mom just said something about it, but I was hardly listening, given the awkwardness of it all.
I pull up my calendar on my phone to see next weekend's rodeo is the PRCA Mountain States Circuit Finals in Loveland, Colorado, which also happens to be my hometown. My stomach sinks, and I suddenly feel lightheaded. I strip off the remainder of my clothes, turning on the shower and getting in before the water runs hot, hoping the chill will set my mind straight. I have only been gone for three weeks. Three weeks I have been biding my time, acting as if the grief hasn’t been consuming me at every turn.
Once the water starts to get hot, I lean on the wall, letting the water hit my back.
All I know is going back is just going to be another thing to fuck with my head, and that is not something I need right now.
“Fuck,” I mutter.
After washing off, I grab a towel, dry off, put my clothes on, and head out of the bathroom. I look around the loft, and all I hear is the sound of horses below me and no sign of Shi yet. I then decide to plop down on the bed, and as soon as my eyes close, I pass out.