Chapter 9
Brett
When I wake the next morning it’s early, the sun isn’t even up yet.
But it doesn’t stop me from leaning into Bailey’s neck and taking in her sweet scent, her warm body is still pressed against me.
She’s dead to the world, rightly so, and I don’t want to wake her.
So I kiss her temple and whisper how beautiful she is, and quietly roll out of bed.
I need to be over at the Lawless Farm early to meet Jed and Zane.
I’m a little blurry eyed from my late night romp with my beautiful cowgirl, but as I dress and take her in one last time before I leave, I have no regrets whatsoever.
Bailey is not just on the forefront of my brain when the Uber arrives to take me to my rental car I left at The Perky Porch, she’s taken up the entire space. It doesn’t feel like there’s room for much else—it’s Bailey everything—and I’m perfectly happy with that.
When I’m driving up to the Lawless Farm I take in the greenery, the million trees that line the property, and mountain backdrop.
Jed has been telling me all about this place and the work he does here, but I haven’t had a chance to see it yet, or catch up with him properly other than the first day I rolled into town.
He couldn’t be there last night because he was at work late, but I can’t say I’m sorry about the way my evening took a turn.
Bailey is more than an unexpected surprise. Our connection was undeniable, the sex outstanding, and our banter—once she warmed up to me—was fantastic. I loved meeting her animals; aside from rolling around in her bed, that was the best part of the night.
That sexy cowgirl trick of hers—wearing my cowboy hat while riding me.
Hot. It’s gonna be embedded into my thoughts for the rest of time.
I welcome each and every flashback that infiltrates my senses.
And fuck, do I want to see her again. I left her a note with my number because dumbass me didn’t get her number last night, and I threw in my grandma’s mud cake recipe for kicks.
Sending her a text as soon as I park my truck would have been the first port of call, because with leaving so early this morning, I don’t want her to think I ran out on her.
Because Jed missed out on a burger last night, I grabbed some breakfast burgers for us and his boss, Zane, from The Dusty Spur Diner.
I can’t help the way it kinda reminds me of home as I drive up the dusty track of Lawless Farms. An array of different conifer trees stretches out on either side of the track as far as the eye can see.
The dirt road seems familiar, even though I’ve never driven down it before, as is the smell only the countryside can bring. It’s fresh and tingles my senses.
From what I know, this place keeps busy all year round.
It obviously thrives leading up to the Christmas holidays, but they export the trees all over America and other parts of the world.
The springtime here is just as famous for horseback riding, hiking and whitewater rafting, as well as other water sports and scenic tours.
Something about the smell of the trees and being surrounded by greenery and fresh air takes me back to my roots. I’ve been nostalgic ever since I first drove into this town and it’s a mixture of bittersweet memories.
I love Nashville. The home I have is nestled just outside of downtown on the Cumberland River.
My place is a fourteen hundred foot, two-story farmhouse, cabin-style, that my builder and I put a lot of work into, sitting on one hundred acres of pristine, beautiful land.
The house itself is a modest three bed, three bathroom home, with stone foundations and a striking cedar shake roof with copper flashing.
The implementation of bark siding around my house blends into the natural scenery beautifully.
The interior takes on a more modern spin with vaulted tongue-and-groove ceilings, exposed beams, and an open floor plan.
Not exactly a place you would ever want to escape from under normal circumstances, and while I could’ve maybe reclused in my house for a few months, I knew I needed some breathing room in a new place, at least for a while.
When I slide out of my cab seat, my boots hit the gravel with a crunch and I look up to a beautiful blue sky.
The sun is weaving its way through the clouds, cascading its light over the surrounding trees like a halo.
Oh, the irony. Because if there’s one thing I’m not, it’s an angel.
I sure as heck proved it last night when Bailey hauled me over the coals into her little abode.
That only takes my mind back there again, and I don’t need to be sporting a boner when I’m seeing Jed and meeting his boss for the first time.
Thank god I haul myself out of my reverie before that happens, because a few seconds later a familiar voice booms across the parking lot at the main office. My best friend.
“Howdy, stranger,” Jed calls between cupped hands.
I smile because it’s kinda hard not to be happy around Jed. He’s always been the happy-go-lucky kinda guy that loves to have a joke and pull you out of a heap if you’re ever in one.
“Hey, man.” We bro handshake and he pulls me into a firm pound hug.
“How the heck are you?” he asks, even though I only saw him two days ago.
Jed grew up back in Nashville, where we were both born and raised, but he moved out here a year or two ago to work at Lawless Farms. It’s been a dream come true for him, and though I missed him when he moved, he’s as happy as a pig in shit around the farm.
“Doing just fine, bro. You?”
“Awesome.” He runs his hands through his coppery hair and thumbs behind him. “Sorry I couldn’t make it last night,” he says regretfully. “We just had a huge shipment, and it was a deadline we couldn’t miss.”
“No problem,” I reply. Little does he know how my night actually turned out.
“Come and meet Zane and I’ll show you around.”
“I’ll grab the burgers,” I say, walking around to my passenger door and pulling out the paper bags with the food. “Three rounds of breakfast burgers with hashbrowns from The Dusty Spur.”
“Sweet. Thanks, man. I haven’t had a Perky Porch in a while.”
I chuckle. “Still getting used to the names of shit around here. It’s sorta nostalgic, though, and takes me back to when we were kids.”
“Man, those were the days,” he agrees. “Then we had to grow up and have all these responsibilities. Speaking of which, how has it all been since you left?”
I blow out a breath as we walk towards the ATV parked just outside the office. We haven’t had a proper catch up yet to talk about everything. “No one knows me here so far, so it’s good,” I say. “Gives me the breathing room I need. But it’s early days.”
“I hate to say it, but people are bound to recognize you sooner or later, bud. Wyoming isn’t the back of beyond it used to be.”
I give him a look with raised eyebrows.
“Well, maybe when it comes to some things,” he amends with a chuckle.
“I don’t have a problem if people recognize me,” I say, but it’s half-hearted. “But I’m here to keep as low a profile as possible, just while the dust settles.”
Jed pops a shoulder. “The beard and the hair can only do so much, but I think you’re pretty safe, mountain man.”
I chuckle. “I can only hope so.”
He pats me on the back. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m gonna be,” I sigh. “I appreciate you suggesting this place. It’s just what I needed.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” he laughs. “You just got here.”
I know what he means, but I feel like it’s going to be good here, and not just because of last night.
Spending a night of pure bliss in bed with cowgirl Bailey was an unexpected turn of events I neither anticipated nor was even on the lookout for.
So much for keeping things low-key. At least she doesn’t recognize me, and no one else has so far. For now, that’s how I need it to stay.
We jump on the UTV and he starts it up, quickly explaining where we’re going for lunch and to show me around the property.
They don’t just sell Christmas trees here—they have lodge accommodation and some luxury cabins dotted around the grounds.
Jed also lives on site in a worker’s cottage toward the back of the property, a good distance away. He looks after things around here.
The UTV dashes down the well-worn track, while Jed gives me a quick rundown on which trees are which and a little bit about their renewable planting they’ve been implementing.
That interests me a lot since the majority of the supplies used to build my house were from eco-friendly sources, or near as dammit.
I also love to up-cycle and reuse materials where I can.
“It’s incredible,” I say to him honestly. “This place suits you, bro.”
“The Lawless family is good to me. They kinda took me in when I started working here as the leading farmhand. Sylvia and Frank will hand it over some day to Zane and his sister, Isabelle, but for now it’s all a family affair. And they treat me like I’m part of it,” he says.
“That’s awesome,” I agree, happy for him that he’s found his calling. But a touch of sadness washes over me when I think about how I had mine, or thought I did. Lately, it’s felt like all of that is slowly slipping away.
When he pulls up at an enormous shed, bigger than my two-story cabin, a black and white Border Collie comes running out with a woof and a wag of its tail, bounding straight for Jed.
No sooner have we stepped off the thing and the dog runs around to my side and starts sniffing me.
It’s friendly and barks a loud woof by way of greeting.
“Hey there,” I chuckle as the beauty nudges its nose into my hand. I love dogs. Unfortunately, I was never home for long enough to take care of one. I scruff it around the face and ears as he or she jumps up excitedly.
“Meet Maisie,” Jed offers with a wave of his hand. “She’s the Lawless family mascot.”
I bend down to give her some more attention and doesn’t she just lap it up.
Mid-pat, I hear a high-whistle. Maisie stops in her tracks from licking my face, turning to look at the big guy who just walked out of the shed. From Jed’s description of him: tall, burly and brooding, this has to be Zane.
“Maisie, you don’t need to give it all up front,” he gruffs out as he walks toward us.
Jed laughs as Maisie bypasses him and runs up to Zane like it’s the first time she’s seen him, and once he’s close enough, Jed introduces us.
I reach out a hand and Zane takes it.
“It’s nice to meet you, Brett,” Zane says as he grips a strong hand in mine.
“Likewise.” I nod. “Jed has told me a lot about you guys, and this place.”
“It had all better be good.” Zane side eyes him, but his tone is more on the playful side.
“Always.” Jed holds his hands up.
“Jed says you’re here for a while, for a change of pace?”
If he knows anything about me or where I’ve come from, he doesn’t show it. And I know Jed hasn’t told anyone about me.
“Yeah, nothing like getting out of town for a while. Escaping what you know and all of that.”
“Can be good sometimes, for sure,” Zane agrees.
“How about we have lunch and we can show Brett around,” Jed offers. “He brought burgers from the diner.”
“Nice.” Zane nods and thumbs towards the big shed, “You’re gonna fit in great around here bringing food.”
We all walk to the shed, Maisie trotting happily in front, leading the way.
It’s a well-organized machine from the look of it with shelving adorning the walls and segmented areas for different things.
Large machinery sits over to the far side, and a makeshift seating area opposite that.
We walk over and take a seat and dive into the food.
“Appreciate this,” Zane says, taking a bite that is so big, half the burger disappears.
“No problem. I ate there last night, it was great,” I say. Then Bailey flashes in front of my face for the millionth time, and I chuckle under my breath at the thought of her sliding on that lemon wedge and using me to break the fall.
Jed’s eyebrows knot together as he looks at me. “What’s that smile for?”
“Nothin’” I shake my head.
“The burgers there aren’t that comical,” he says as he lobs a bit of his burger bun towards an eagerly awaiting Maisie. “Spill, dude.”
Now I’m thinking about Bailey. I can’t wipe the jackass smile off my face.
For fuck’s sake. I need to move off this subject. It’s a small place, there’s a high possibility they both know her, but my lips are moving before I can stop them.
“I think I fell in love last night, and not just with the bison burgers,” I say.
“Holy shit,” Zane gruffs between his next bite.
“In love already?” Jed muses, chomping on a hashbrown. “You’ve only been in town a couple of days.”
Yes, well, maybe that’s all it takes around here.
“This girl is something else,” I keep on rambling because clearly, I suddenly have no filter.
“She’s pretty. Smart. Has a whip-lash tongue, and she loves animals.
I don’t think a woman has captivated me like she has before.
” I sound like a lovesick schmuck, but whatever.
“Who is it?” Jed asks, like I didn’t see that coming.
I think for a moment, pursing my lips. “Can you guys keep a secret?”
“My lips are definitely sealed.” Jed even does the zip action across his mouth.
Zane doesn’t look too phased either way. “You know Jed should have warned you about some of the women around here first,” he says. “It can be dangerous waters.”
I chuckle under my breath. “That sounds ominous.”
“Let the man speak first,” Jed goes on, clearly curious. “Who’s this woman you’ve fallen in love with at The Perky Porch in forty-eight hours?”
I don’t think I’ll ever find the name of their grill not hilarious. “Her name is Bailey,” I blurt. “All I know is she loves horses, has eyes I could spend an eternity gazing into, and she’s fuckin’ amazing.”