Chapter Sixteen
Thayne
“I need to talk to you about something.” Aca turns to me stiffly, like he isn’t sure he heard me correctly.
“Talk?”
Talking wasn’t a big thing in the Rawlins family, and Aca wasn’t one to hover, which is why our friendship was so great.
“Yeah.” I slam the hammer against the bolt in the gate that broke at three in the morning due to our bull, Blaze, charging his way through it.
He then found his way to Lynnie and stuck his head through her bedroom window. I’m pretty sure that Australia heard her screams.
Blaze’s recent antics had put my brother in the foulest of moods. A mood that was only worsening as Lynnie unleashed hell on him for what had happened earlier.
“I said I’m sorry, Lyn! What else do you want me to say?”
It seemed there were bigger things at play here that I shouldn’t stick my nose into. It was unlike Lynnie to lose her shit over something like this, but regardless, I didn’t step in. I learnt quickly to not engage with Lynnie when she was in a rage .
“I want you and that fucking bull to stay away from me!” Lynnie yells.
“I’ll gladly drive you to someplace else, if you aren’t happy here. You could always get a place of your own!”
“Fuck you!” Lynnie storms away from him and he watches her leave before turning away himself and marches into the main house, slamming the door behind him.
“Is it just me or are they more intense than usual?” I ask, glancing over at Lynnie, who’s annoyed squeals can be heard even as she disappears down the hill.
“They’ve been like it all week.” Ryker pipes up, tossing a rope over his shoulder as he shakes his head. “I’m yet to figure out why.”
Blaze huffs beside us, his horns smacking against my hand as I try to keep the gate stable.
“You’ve created problems, Blazey boy.” Though there had always been problems with Lynnie and Flint. Problems that no one really knew much about except the two of them, and they all seemed to suddenly be surfacing.
“So, what did you need to talk to me about?” Aca asks.
“The fuck do you look so nervous for, dude?” I frown.
“You’re weirding me out.”
“I just said I needed to talk to you.”
Aca looks at me stupefied. “Exactly. You never need to talk to me.”
“Stop being weird.”
“You stop being weird.”
“Uh, how about you both stop being weird,” Ryker suggests, snatching the hammer out of my hand. “Since you’re doing fuck all with this, I’ll fix the gate. You guys go… talk or whatever.”
** *
I push the empty beer bottle to the side and glance at Aca, who sits opposite me with a suspicious look of his own.
“I hate to ask this of you man, but do you happen to know someone with a rooftop infinity pool?”
What looks like relief seems to flood over his face and he leans back in the booth.
“That’s what this is about?”
“Yeah. What else would it be about?”
In the years I’d known Aca, this was one of those times where he was being more awkward than he usually was. And he was always awkward.
Aca was right, we didn’t usually talk about emotions or ourselves.
Instead, we usually spoke with our fists. A few punches either side and we’d be even, that’s how we dealt with things when we were younger. “Nothing.” He says quickly. “I don’t personally know one, but I can ask around. Why?”
“It’s a part of Emberli’s list before the baby arrives.”
“Seems cool. Nice of you to help her, man.”
“Yeah. Well, I figured I best stop giving her a hard time before Willow has my head.”
“Or maybe you’ve just realized what a dick you were to Emberli?” Aca laughs and I shrug.
“That too.”
“Have you seen her lately?” I ask.
“Who? Emberli?”
“No. My sister. When I went round to escort Blaze back to his pen, she wasn’t there. Think she slept somewhere else last night.”
“Oh yeah? You know where?’
“If I did, dispshit. I wouldn’t be asking you. I just want to know where she’s staying and who she’s staying with.”
“She’s a grown woman you know.” Aca sips on his beer and I narrow my eyes at him.
“I worry about her, just as you worry about Ryker.”
“I get that. But the more you suffocate her, the more she’s going to want to go against you.”
“Since when did you turn into Dr Phil?”
Aca cracks up at this. “Shut the fuck up.”
“Whilst we’re on topic, you don’t happen to know anyone with a helicopter, do you?”
By the time I get back to the ranch after my chat with Aca and calling into Lacey’s on the way home, it’s five thirty. Emberli’s shift at the bar starts in an hour and it felt weird not seeing her all day.
I’d been out of the cabin ever since Flint called me early hours this morning and, when I got back, Emberli was standing outside on the porch excitedly.
Now this, I can get used to.
The wind whistles past us, hitting the chimes above the porch door and Emberli combs her hair back behind her ears as she waits, jumping up and down until she can’t help herself, running down to meet me and closing the distance between us, shoving her notebook in my hands.
“What’s this?” I know what it is. I’ve been eager to get my hands on it ever since I first saw it.
The notebook, of course.
“Six songs.” She grins widely.
“Yeah?” The look of happiness on her face is contagious and brings a smile to my own.
“Six songs, Thayne!”
“That’s amazing, trouble.” I shake my head in disbelief. “This what you’ve been doing all day?”
“It’s the only thing I’ve been doing all day. What’s this?” Her attention turns to the jar of decaf coffee I’m holding before her eyes widen, holding mine for a longer period of seconds than usual. And I don’t find myself hating it.
“I got this for you.”
“Thank you.” Her voice is laced with surprise. “How much was it? I’ll send you the money. ”
“I don’t want your money.”
“But…”
“Nope. Have you eaten today?” I ask as I brush past her.
“I ate the entire punnet of tomatoes that Sally gave me and about three omelets.”
“New craving?”
“No. Just hungry. However, I have been really into the idea of avocado on toast.”
Huh. Sounds nice.
“With melted chocolate.”
Never mind.
“That does not sound like it would go well.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it.”
“Have you?”
“No. I was waiting for you.”
When I reach the kitchen, there’s a tray of bread, avocado and chocolate with a toaster next to it. Emberli grins next to me, happily.
“Colton went and got this for me. It’s amazing what people will do for a pregnant woman.”
I bet. Especially my brother.
I’m not exactly thrilled at the idea of leaving Emberli around him no matter how much I love Colt. He’s unpredictable and only cares about himself. I don’t try to change that as much as it infuriates me, because it’s just who he is and I’ve learnt to accept that.
Besides, he’s my brother. So I’m kind of obliged to love the little shit.
“Do you want to try it with me?” I grunt in response and she claps her hands.
“We have to be quick because I have to work in an hour,” she explains.
I admire the way she moves around the kitchen like it’s her own, like she belongs there.
She hums what I only imagine to be the tune of one of her songs before she places down a plate of avocado on toast in front of me and a bowl of melted chocolate between us.
The idea of it is repulsive, but I don’t want to upset her and so I hesitantly pour the melted chocolate over the food. Her eyes look at me all hopeful, eagerly waiting for my response as I take a mouthful.
Yep. Just as I figured. Repulsive.
“Mmm.” I nod. “It’s… it’s nice. It’s something.”
It’s definitely something.
She looks at me suspiciously. “Your face says otherwise.”
“I’m just… taking in the flavours.”
She grabs a piece of toast before adding avocado and chocolate to it and, taking a few bites, her mouthfuls begin to get slower and her face paints a sour look.
“That’s disgusting,” is what she settles on.
“Yeah. I was trying to sugar coat it.”
“I don’t think this can be sugar coated.” A look of realization crosses her face just as the color seems to drain from it.
She’s out of her seat as soon as I blink and I hear a door slam open before I hear the sound of her hurling up her most recent meal.
I’m following her now, pushing any form of self-control away as I open the bathroom door.
“Don’t come in here!” She coughs but I ignore her.
“I said don’t come in here!”
“If you think I’m going to stand by whilst you’re struggling, then you’re wrong.” It was about time she let me take care of her.
“I’m not struggling. I’m perfectly fine.” I roll my eyes. The independent tough girl act could only go so far and I was shutting it down.
I grab a handful of her hair in my hands as she clutches the toilet seat with a groan. “This is so embarrassing.”
“Don’t be embarrassed. It’s natural. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I’ve done this for Willow countless times.”
Once she’s finished, her hand lazily reaches the chain and she flushes the toilet, leaning back against the bathroom wall.
“You okay? ”
She nods and rubs her bump in circular motions. “I think we can all agree that avocado and toast with chocolate is disgusting.”
I chuckle. “I think so.”
It was something about the way she referred to the three of us as all that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
“Thayne?”
I’m broken out of my thoughts and take a seat next to Emberli. “Yeah?”
“Do you think something is wrong with the baby? I don’t know if I should still be sick at this point.”
My hand reaches out to push back a strand of her hair that falls loosely in front of her eyes. “I think you and the baby just didn’t like the chocolate with avocado.”
Her shoulders loosen and she chuckles. “Yeah. You’re right. That was disgusting.”
“But if you’re worried about it, I’ll take you to the doctors.” I didn’t want to overstep.
The last thing I found myself wanting to do lately was making Emberli uncomfortable, however I wanted her to know that I was there to support her.
“Hard pass. My midwife was highly judgemental last time.”
The protective side of me switches on at her words as she chuckles at them, something I’ve noticed she does when she’s trying not to make a big deal out of something that she actually feels strong about.
“Who was it? Was it Stacey?” Stacey was one of our most qualified here at Shadow Peaks and whilst she was known for such talent, she was also known for running her mouth all around the town.
It breached numerous clients’ confidentiality, but of course, she didn’t care and no one else seemed to, not until now. I’d get her fired if Emberli clicked her fingers and told me to handle it. But I know she wouldn’t. She never asked for help, and even when given it, she was reluctant to accept. I wanted to show her that I could handle all of these things for her, that she didn’t have to worry.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me. What happened?”
“Just… is Stacey the only midwife you guys have here?”
“Did she say something to you? What did she say?” I ask, but Emberli seems to find my interest funny, and she laughs.
“It’s okay, Superman.”
I blink at her nickname as I watch her reach for the side, gripping the edge of the sink to help her stand before she turns on the tap and puts her hands under it. She brushes off our conversation as if she hopes I’ll do the same.
“Superman?”
“You’re definitely Superman, you’re always trying to save the day.”
“I’d rather be Iron Man.”
“Iron Man is a lot more rebellious than you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I follow her out, eager to hear her response as she makes her way into her bedroom, turning to me in the doorway.
Fucking hell.
The room even smells just like her.
A sweet scent of vanilla that fights with my own scent around the cabin. Usually I’d be annoyed at the sudden take over. But I’m not.
Not one bit.
I like having Emberli here with me, in my cabin. It felt like she belonged here, like she was the missing piece to a puzzle I couldn’t find all these years.
I lean my hand against the top of the doorframe.
“It means, Colton is definitely Iron Man.”
I never thought I’d be jealous of my younger brother in front of a woman, until this very moment.
Fucking Colt .
“Why does Colt get to be Iron Man?”
“He’s more… I don’t know! Why are you asking me this? I need to get ready for work,” she cries, waving her hands at me frantically before opening her wardrobe, flicking through the hangers.
I invite myself in and plonk down on her bed, earning a glare from her.
“Why does he get to be Iron Man and I don’t?”
“I cannot believe I’m having this conversation.” She mumbles. “He’s more… defiant! Unruly. Superman sticks to the rules and helps those in need.”
I’m taken back to the many times I eavesdropped on Willow and Lynnie’s conversations when we were younger. Multiple times they’d claimed that they, and I quote, dig a bad boy.
Did Emberli like that too? Did she like my brother?
I sure as fuck hope not.
“Now out, please. I need to get changed for work.”
“Who do you like more, Iron Man or Superman?”
Emberli raises an eyebrow at me before pointing at the door. “Out. ”
THAYNE: Do you guys prefer Superman or Iron Man?
LYNNIE: Iron Man all the way.
FLINT: Superman.
MACK: What Iron Man are we talking about?
ACA: There’s only one Iron Man you simpleton.
MACK: What. The. Fuck.
WILLOW: Definitely Iron Man.
COLTON: Iron Man.
THAYNE: I’m disowning you all except Flint.
FLINT: Oh, I am so honored.
MACK: Was that sarcasm? I can’t tell over text.
WILLOW: You’re so stupid.