3. Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Brynn
I t is too fucking early to be dealing with this. "What do you mean my luggage didn't make my flight?" I ask the airport clerk as nicely as I can without losing my shit.
"I am sorry, ma'am. It looks as though your luggage is still in New York."
I try so hard to keep my composure. I really do. But this is the cherry on top of my shit sundae. "Okay, so what the fuck are you going to do about that?"
The young clerk's eyes widen, probably in fear, as she starts to type on her keyboard rapidly. "Can I get an address where the luggage can be sent?"
I rattle off the address to the main house. "When should I expect it to arrive?"
"It should be in transit by tomorrow, so hopefully within a week. I apologize for the inconvenience."
"Not your fault, sorry. It hasn't been the best day. "
She gives me a small smile. "Hope your day gets better, ma'am."
"I don't see that happening." I put my ID away in my wallet and search from my cell phone. "Where is the car rental kiosk?"
"Right down that corridor and to the left, past the coffee shop."
"Thank you." I head toward the direction of the coffee shop.
I walk into the coffee shop and take in the aroma of my favorite mood booster. "Good morning honey, what can I getcha?"
"I'll have a cold brew with salted caramel cold foam."
"Anything else, honey?" The barista asks as she rings up my order.
"Can I also get a spinach and feta egg white wrap?"
"Sure thing, honey."
I pay the barista and wait for her to finish preparing my order. I thank her as she hands me my coffee and breakfast wrap.
I start to make my way to the car rental kiosk and hope I have better luck. As I pass the restrooms, a man comes running down the corridor. His rolling suitcase plows into my leg so hard it jostles my entire body. My coffee spills all over my shirt, and my breakfast wrap tumbles to the floor. "Motherfucker!"
The man instantly freezes and stares at my chest. My white t-shirt is now completely see-through, showing off my lacy bralette. The coldness of the iced coffee makes my nipples pucker as I try to pull the sticky, drenched shirt away from my skin.
"I am so sorry, totally was my fault." The man is still staring at my tits.
"No shit, it was all your fault," I seethe as I snap my fingers in his face. "Eyes up here, asshole." I am getting ready to give this man an all-out berating when he looks up at me.
"Brynn?" Steven looks surprised as hell to see me. Can't say that I blame him. My expression is probably a mix of surprise, horror, and anger. "I am so sorry, Brynn. I honestly was just trying to catch my flight." He looks at his watch. "Fuck," he mumbles.
"Serves you right. I hope you miss your flight," I snap. "Watch where you are going next time."
"Wait? Are you going home for a visit?"
"My home is in New York."
Steven's eyes roam over my body and I feel like kerosene has been flushed in my veins and lit on fire, and not in a good way. "I suggest you keep your eyes on my face unless you would like me to permanently remove them from their sockets," I hiss.
Steven clears his throat. "Maybe if you are still in town when I get back from my conference, we can catch up. "
"I hope you catch syphilis." I turn and walk toward the car rental kiosk. Every man, and even some women, check out my chest as I walk down the aisle of the busy airport.
Just fucking great. I don't have any luggage to change my shirt, so I will have to drive the hour and a half to Cedar Creek in my coffee stained one.
"Please tell me you have a rental left," I say to the young guy behind the counter.
His mouth drops open when he sees my chest. I feel basically naked at this point. I clear my throat and cross my arms. "Dude. I'll let you stare as long as you want after you give me a car."
"All we have left are trucks. Actually, looks like the last one is an F-150 Lariat. The price of the rental is steep. Do you have your driver's license?"
"I will pay whatever. I just need a vehicle to get me to Cedar Creek." I hand over my credit card and license.
"Yes, ma'am." The kid starts typing away on the computer and eventually turns to the glass case of keys behind him. He types in a code on the electronic keypad and the door opens. He picks up a keyring with a Ford emblem on it and sets it on the counter in front of me. "Just sign here, and here." He points to the paper on the clipboard in front of me .
I sign the papers and take the keys he placed on the counter. "Thank you." Since he has been so helpful, I stretch my arms above my head, yawn and push out my chest.
The kid looks like he is about to pass out. Probably from the rush of blood flowing straight to his crotch. Being five foot ten inches, I am tall for a woman. I casually lean forward and lo-and-behold, the guy is hard.
"Have a nice day," I say with a wink.
He stammers out, "Tha, than, thank you."
I've still fucking got it .
I follow the signs to find the truck in the car rental parking lot. I click the remote and the sleek black truck rumbles to life. Welp, if I am gonna show up to a ranch for the first time in almost fifteen years, might as well arrive in style.
I place my purse and laptop bag in the passenger seat and get situated in the driver's. I make sure all the mirrors are set to my liking and turn on the cooled seat. Now that my chest is dry, I am starting to feel the summer heat in full force. Fuck, I forget how hot it can be here.
I plug in my phone to charge and find the playlist I made specifically for this drive. I have to keep my nerves in check, and the best way to do that is to rock out to my favorite jams on the drive. My nerves are already shot from running into Steven.
I decide I have earned a fast-food milkshake and fries after about an hour into the drive. I am almost to Cedar Creek, and the food options will be limited. There are diners, but nothing with a drive-thru close enough that your food will still be warm when you get back to the ranch.
I order my milkshake and fries and decide to eat as I drive. The salty fries mixed with the delicious chocolate milkshake is my go-to cheat meal. The combination just hits the spot every time.
I spot the sign up ahead, welcoming me to Cedar Creek. The sign looks new, which is surprising. I slow down as I turn onto Main Street. Might as well see if anything has changed in the years I've been gone. I doubt much has, but ya never know.
I am surprised to see there are new shop names on some of the old signs. Maybe this town has changed a little. I doubt the people have. Still as judgmental and nosey as always.
I pull up to the entrance of Rutherford Ranch and take in its beauty. If I hadn't had to of dealt with all the bullshit of a small town, I would've loved this place for its rolling hills, green pastures, and periwinkle skies. I drive the truck forward to the main house. Dad is supposed to get to come home from the hospital tomorrow. Blake should be at the house waiting on me to arrive.
At least he better be. If I have to go hunt him down on this ranch, it might be with dad's shotgun. I see a couple of vehicles parked in front, but I have no clue who they could belong to .
It is just past lunchtime, so there shouldn't be many people at the main house this time of day. I jump out of the truck and look around. Damn, not much has changed. The sprawling ranch-style house is painted white. Chips of paint can be seen all around. Every spindle on the wrap-around porch is either broken or rotting. The cobblestone pathway from the gravel driveway leads to the rickety front steps. The roof has seen better days, but I know Blake has been trying to keep up with repairs. I take a deep breath in and immediately regret it. I am so not used to the fresh air, hay and cow stench. My lungs don't know how to act with actual fresh air.
"You gonna stand by the truck all day or are you going to come say hey to your favorite brother?"
"Don't have a favorite brother, unless you count Brutus." I snap back, as the old ass dog raises his head from where he is sleeping on the porch.
I walk closer to the front door and see that there are three men standing on the front porch. "Holy shit. What happened to you?" Brooks asks, as he takes in my appearance. Luckily, my shirt is no longer see-through. Just has a big tan stain all over the front.
"First, my luggage is still in New York and won't be arriving for almost a week. Second, ran into limp-dick Steven at the airport. Well technically he ran into me and made me spill my coffee all down the front of my shirt. Then, the only rental they had left was this big ass truck that cost me an arm and a leg. And now I am standing here looking at you motherfuckers."
Blake whistles and comes down the steps quickly and wraps me in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you are here. Even if you look like shit." He sniffs, "Kinda might smell like it too."
"I'm pretty sure that's you , asshole." I mumble into my brother's huge chest. "You are so big." I say as I squeeze his biceps. "Bet the ladies love you down at Bessie's," I say referring to the only bar in town.
Bessie's is where you go for everything. Want to grab a beer and eat greasy food? Bessie's. Want to practice your line-dancing? Bessie's. Want to play Bingo on a Tuesday night? Bessie's. Want to hang out and shoot pool with your buddies while watching the women shake their ass on the dance floor? Bessie's.
"Nah, you know that is not my scene. Too much shit going on."
"Can I get some love, B?" Brooks steps up and wraps his arms around me. "I've missed you. I'm so glad you are here."
"That makes one of us." He pulls back and peers down at me. "Sorry, I just. You know how I feel about this place."
"I know," he says as he nods. "Now that you are here, we might not let you leave," Brooks winks. "I know someone who is very excited you are here."
"Where is my pain in the ass BFF, anyway? "
"Correction, she is my best friend." Brooks looks at the time on his watch. "She should be here around dinner."
"B, let me introduce you to Colt. He is our new foreman," Blake says as he motions for me to follow him. I climb the steps to the front porch and take in the man sitting in one of the rocking chairs. He is the epitome of a cowboy. "Colt, this is our baby sister, Brynn."
"I'm in my thirties. I don't think I need to be referred to as a baby," I say, rolling my eyes at my brother. Colt stands and I take him in. Long legs wrapped in tight jeans, extra snug around his thighs. Worn out cotton shirt loose around his trim waist, but stretched to the max across his chest, shoulders and arms. Sinewy forearms that show how hard he works. Deep whiskey-colored eyes under the brim of his dusty cowboy hat. Boots that look like they've seen better days.
"Don't they pay you enough to go buy some decent boots?" I ask as I peer down at his Ariat knockoffs.
"Yes ma'am. I just choose to spend my earnings on other things."
"I bet you do, Cowboy, " I say with a snarl. Something about this man instantly annoys me. I walk past him and into the house. The lingering scent of brisket and fresh bread hits my nose. I take in the main house. Not much has changed.
Still the same scuffed floors, marred by years of boots. There is a newish leather recliner and a matching sofa in the living room. The old coffee table in the middle is littered with water rings and boot marks. Walking into the kitchen, the oak cabinets shine like they were recently polished. The large blue countertop is clean and organized with grab and go snacks for the ranch hands. The sink is empty, and there is a fresh pot of coffee.
I make a beeline for the coffee maker when the front screen door snaps shut. "You could be a little nicer," Blake scolds.
"I am always nice." I take a mug out of the cabinet and fill it to the brim with coffee.
"Then what is with the disdain you showed Colt back there?"
"I don't have time to meet every damn ranch hand in this place," I quip.
"He is not just some ranch hand. He is the goddamn foreman and the reason that I am able to be here with you now. The reason that I will be able to help you with dad."
I peer at my oldest brother over the lip of my mug as I take a sip of the hot delicious coffee. "Like I said, I don't have time to meet anyone. I want to get Dad home and get him settled so I can get back home."
"This is your home," Blake says quietly.
"Nope. This is your home. I've never belonged here. Trust me, people made that all too clear growing up."
"You have got to get over that. "
"You better watch your fucking mouth. You maybe be huge, but what's that saying? The bigger they are, the harder they fall?" I narrow my eyes. "Watch yourself. I am here as a favor. This is temporary."
Blake stares at me for a beat, then turns around and leaves the house with a slam of the door.
Welp. That could have gone better .