Chapter 18 Maya
Maya
The smoke alarm beeps annoyingly loud as I try to open the window and air the room out. Shit. I had one job to do, and I just had to go and screw it up.
The phone rings, of course it’s the alarm company calling for the code because I forgot to turn off the home security alarm in Mrs. Ryker’s quarters before I opened the window.
Holding the phone up to one ear with one hand, I grab the chicken nuggets out of the oven with the other. They’re just now cooked all the way, but smoke is billowing from the oven
“Hello? Green willow.” The phone crackles. “Hello? Can you hear me? The password is green willow! I didn’t mean to set the alarm off.” All I hear is static in the background.
Even though it’s a landline, there’s a category 1 hurricane blowing outside causing all kinds of service and power disruptions. That’s how I ended up here. Elizabeth had to help Larry, the barn hand, and Ethan make sure the animals were secure.
Jessa was running late due to the weather but arrived just in time to see my whole debacle unfolding. “What happened?” Her eyes scan the room.
“Mrs. Ryker wanted chicken nuggets, and I was trying to fix them, but the oven started smoking.” I fan the smoke towards the window.
“Yeah, it does that. Elizabeth should’ve warned you.” Jessa starts laughing, humiliating me even more.
“I tried to put the code in the alarm after it happened, but I think they still tried to call. I gave them the password but I’m not sure if they could hear me.” I don’t ask what would happen if they didn’t get the password.
“It should be fine as long as you entered the code. I’m going to check on her now, how’s she doing?”
“She’s having a good day, I think.” Jessa opens the door to do her assessment on Mrs. Ryker just as there’s a knock on the outside of the main door to her quarters.
“I’ll get it!” I shout.
As soon as the door swings open, I stop dead in my tracks. “Uhh…” is all I am able to get out as I take in the sight of the police officer standing in the doorway, inching closer to the entryway to keep out of the weather—so close I can smell his aftershave blowing in the breeze.
Hot damn. I don’t know what it is about a man in uniform, but my heart starts racing, and I break out into a sweat.
He looks at me with a devilish grin. “The perimeter alarm was set off, is everything ok in here?” He steps even closer, peering around my shoulder, scanning the room.
“Yes, everything is fine.” I nervously try to wipe the chicken-grease lip gloss from my face as I stand there like a brainless idiot holding a half-eaten nugget.
He looks to the nugget, then to my lips, more than likely thinking I’m just some stupid girl who just about burns the place down every time she cooks. Can’t say that I blame him, because that’s definitely what almost happened.
“Who’s at the door, honey?” Mrs. Ryker’s sweet little shaky voice drifts through my ears into my half-melted brain.
I can’t tell her that her oven from the pits of hell led to the summoning of the Adonis of the County Mounty. She might really think she died if he came waltzing into her room.
Like sir, you are in law enforcement. Isn’t it illegal to look like that in uniform? If I tell him I broke in, maybe he would rough me up a little. Intriguing thought.
“It’s just an officer making sure everything is ok.” My cheeks heat with embarrassment as I chance a look into his golden-brown eyes.
“Don’t hesitate giving me a call back if you need anything,” he looks at my lips again, “I don’t mind checking things out…” then looks me up and down, “for you.” I nearly drop dead when he gives me a wink before walking away.
He was flirting with me. Holy shit. That actually happened. I fan the hypothetical smoke from myself to keep from combusting as I imagine how it would feel for him perform a full body search on me.
“What’s the matter, Rivers? Cop got your tongue?” Ethan’s humorous voice rudely interrupts my fantasy. Where’d he come from?
“What are you talking about?” I look at him questioningly.
“I just asked you where your phone is. Nick is trying to get ahold of you.” Of course, Mr. Control Freak is calling. I roll my eyes.
For someone who isn’t here, there’s no shortage of his micromanagement.
When we talk in the evenings, he wants to argue back and forth about what I should be doing or wearing.
Apparently shorts, a tank top, and boots aren’t appropriate barn attire because “it’s too distracting to the other staff.
” It’s over a hundred degrees most days so I haven’t given in to his ridiculous demands.
He’s my boss, but I haven’t officially started my training for whatever he wants me to do undercover. I work with the horses every day and have therapy twice a week. I wish he would just cut me some slack.
On the days that I’m not completely exhausted, I visit with Elizabeth. She makes the best sweet tea. I look forward to sitting on the porch with her and staring into the sunsets.
She’s not pushy and didn’t ask any more about my past when I told her I’d rather not bring those things up outside of therapy, that I worry it will hinder my progress.
Truthfully, I am tired of letting those parts of my life bring me down and I’m ready to move on with my future. The more I discuss those things, the more I feel like I’m being dragged back to the past.
“The past is the past. You don’t live there anymore. Let’s get these emotions out and work on not letting them control you anymore, so you can move on with your future” is what my therapist says when I start getting depressed during our sessions.
I am getting stronger every day, mentally and physically. I’m slowly learning to cope with the loss of Mama in healthy ways instead of wanting to join her six feet under. I’ll never be ok with her loss, but I do my best every day to make her proud of me.
Nick stays up my ass so much, I’m not going to fall on it anytime soon.
He’s like my own personal hemorrhoid. There are four missed calls when I look at my phone that’s been on silent—all from Nick.
Speak of the devil and he shows up. If I don’t call him back, he’s just going to call Ethan and make him hand me the phone.
“Too busy flirting with the officer to answer your phone?” Nick’s irritated voice snaps on the other line.
“Why do you care? You didn’t seem to mind sending one to the barn when it was convenient for you.” I put the nuggets on the plate and pass them into Mrs. Rykers’s room to Jessa who gives me a sympathetic smile. She knows his temper.
“That’s because you and Ethan were jackassing around when you were supposed to be working. That was two months ago, let’s move on from that, shall we?” He bites back.
We were working and having fun but there’s no point in arguing with him. Honestly I think he enjoys it. Lawyer, I remind myself.
“Were you watching me on camera again? You know they make medication for people who have such over-the-top control issues. My therapist might be willing to see you, too.” I don’t even try to hide my sarcasm from him anymore. If he was going to retaliate against me, he would’ve done it by now.
“The alarm company notifies me any time there’s a security breech. Yes, I checked the cameras. You were too busy eye-fucking the police officer to answer your phone, so I had to send Ethan to see what happened.” He must’ve been looking very closely at me to have caught that.
Heat flushes in my face thinking about the time he caught me staring at him and leaned in close to my face and asked me if I was trying to have a staring contest. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t touched myself several times thinking about that, or the time he said he would personally undress me if I didn’t give the clothes back when I was trying to run away.
“First of all, it’s none of your concern who I eye-fuck. Second, everything is fine, just relax.”
“Do you really want to push me on this? Because I will find the ugliest police officer I can to escort you right back to the beach house in handcuffs, then you will have me to deal with when you get here.”
A thrill shoots through me. I am anxious to get back and see him in person again. Occasionally he calls on FaceTime, but it’s not the same.
“Then what? Are you going to spank me for not bowing down to you when I get there? Ugh, I love it when you talk dirty to me.” I roll my eyes.
“Roll your eyes at me again and see what happens.” It sounds like he’s speaking through his teeth.
I give the camera the middle finger, knowing he’s watching.
“Feeling like a spicy little cupcake, aren’t you? Pack your bags. The storm will have moved out in an hour. You and Ethan are coming back today.”
“No police escort?” I stick out a pouty lip in front of the camera.
“No, you might like it, even if he was ugly. You’re riding with Ethan.” He hangs up. Dick.
I’ve enjoyed the last two months here. It’s October now and I was looking forward to doing fall things on the farm. Elizabeth said she makes homemade apple cider and donuts on Saturday mornings for everyone.
A pang of sadness hits my heart when I get to my room. I’ve enjoyed working with the horses more than I ever thought possible, especially Jester. I’ve bonded the most with him.
I’ve learned trust, respect, and patience are vital and must be reciprocated when handling young horses that can go astray when they encounter new, ‘spooky’ things.
They need someone who is calm and steady to show them everything is going to be ok.
I’ve had to learn to control my emotions so I could be their calm and steady.
I’ve learned that communication between the horse and handler is spoken from the heart.
My fear and frustration led to negative responses from them.