by K. C. Crowne
Wyatt appeared impressed. “Sounds like you know your stuff.”
Skye smiled. “Finished my degree not too long ago. And if I do say so myself, I’ve got a little bit of a sixth sense for those kinds of things.”
Wyatt chuckled. “Got our very own horse whisperer,” he said. “Happy to meet you.” He sniffed the air and glanced toward the kitchen. “Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m hungry as hell. Might need to see if Mama G might let me pick at the food before dinner.”
I laughed. “Good luck with that.” I glanced at Skye. “Learned when I was five that you don’t sneak food unless you want a smack on the hand with a wooden spoon.” Skye’s eyebrows rose.
“Mama G doesn’t mess around when it comes to her kitchen,” Wyatt explained. “And the food more than makes it worth it.” He nodded in the opposite direction of the lounge. “Come on – why don’t you meet the lady herself?”
Skye nervously bit her lip, though she didn’t speak.
“Don’t you worry about it,” I said. “Mama G’s tough, but she’s as sweet as they come.”
“Sure.”
I grinned internally. When people heard about Mama G, they never failed to be a little nervous about finally meeting her, thinking she was some humorless taskmaster. But they always changed their tune right quick.
Me and Skye and Wyatt headed toward the kitchen. The closer we got, the thicker the smell of delicious food was in the air.
“Hmm,” I said. “I smell…fresh buttermilk biscuits.”
“Yep,” Wyatt agreed. “Gravy too.”
Skye sniffed the air. “And…fried chicken?”
“Aw, hell yeah,” I said. “Mama G only busts out the fried chicken when there’s a special occasion.”
“Or no special occasion,” Wyatt added.
“She knows you’re comin’,” I said. “So she’s pullin’ out all the stops.”
We continued to the kitchen and saw Mama G’s short, wiry form zipping here and there in the kitchen. The three of us stepped into the room, where we found a big pile of fresh, fried chicken on the counter along with a mountain of biscuits.
“Mama!” I said. “Like you to meet someone.”
Mama G turned, her sharp, intelligent eyes situated under a ponytail of gray hair. She wore her usual trousers and blouse with an apron with “Mama G” embroidered on the front. She clapped her eyes onto Skye and grinned like mad.
“Well, well!” she announced, setting down the bowl in her hand and coming on over. “There’s the girl I’ve been hearin’ so much about!”
Mama G’s accent marked her as a non-native to Texas, but she was as tough as any of the matriarchs in the state. Her gaze focused on Skye. “Skye Philips,” she said, giving Skye a quick hug. “My name’s Ginny Walker, but I’m sure you’ve heard by now that everyone just calls me Mama G. So it goes without sayin’ that I expect that from you, too.”
“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” Skye replied politely. “And the food smells delicious.”
Mama G grinned. “Girl knows exactly what to say.” Her eyes flicked from Skye to me, and I knew exactly what was on her mind. “Lemme tell you how things work around here. I make dinner every night, and all the family and whatever friends they want come. Dinner’s at six sharp, and you know it’s time to eat when I ring that bell over yonder.”
She pointed to the big, brass dinner bell near the entrance to the kitchen, the one I’d heard chiming more times than I could count.
“That right there’s the dinner bell. You hear that ring, and that means it’s time to come runnin’. And once your butt’s at the table, you only get up when you’re good and full.”
Skye chuckled. “Alright, I think I can handle that.”
“And no swearin’ at the table,” I said. “Mama G’s strict about that.”
“Only I got swearin’ rights,” she joked. “Perks of old age.” Mama G glanced at her watch, her eyes widening. “Alright, it’s about time. Nice meetin’ you, Skye. Why don’t you go get washed up and ready?”
“I’ll show you to your room,” I offered.
“Nah,” Mama G negated. “Why don’t we let Wyatt handle that? I got somethin’ I wanna talk to you about, Travis.”
“Come on,” Wyatt said with a knowing smile. “It’s just upstairs.”
Skye gave me a glance of mild confusion as Wyatt led her out of the room. I wondered what on earth Mama G wanted to talk to me about. Once she was gone, Mama G’s eyes lit up.
“Now, that’s an old-fashioned cutie pie right there.”
I sighed. “Mama, I know what you’re thinkin’, and…”
“What?” she asked with a shrug of her skinny shoulders before heading back over to the food. “She’s a cute girl, and you’re so single it makes me wanna scream.”
She didn’t know the whole story between me and Skye. Well, me, Skye, and Adam, to be more specific. But she was shrewd enough to know something was likely going on between us.
“Mama, I appreciate you chimin’ in.” I wandered closer to the plate of buttermilk biscuits and reached for one. “But it’s not gonna happen.”
The second my fingertips got close to the biscuits, Mama G’s hand reached out and gave them a quick smack. “Not until the bell rings,” she said. “Shouldn’t have to explain to you the rules.”
“I know, I know.”
“And what’s so crazy about you and her? She got a boyfriend or somethin’?”
“No, nothin’ like that.” I didn’t need to get into the Adam part of it all.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Well, for one she’s over ten years younger than me.”
“Don’t see no issue there. Your daddy was almost that much older than me when we met. Perfectly normal for older men to date younger women.”
“Even aside from that, she’s my employee. Not exactly appropriate for that kinda relationship.”
She waved her hand through the air dismissively.
“What’s that all about?”
Mama G locked her eyes with mine, a mischievous smile on her lips. It was a smile I’d seen time and time again – it meant she knew what I was thinking, that she could see right through the BS coming out of my mouth. And I knew what words were coming next.
“How long have I known you, son?”
I grinned. We’d had this conversation many times before. I knew the right answer. “Why, you’ve known me for thirty-five years.”
The amount of years changed depending on how old I was, of course. But the message was the same.
“That’s right. All thirty-five years of your life, ever since I pushed that big ol’ head of yours out of me. And in all those years, don’t you think I know when you’re spinnin’ a tale?”
“I’m not lyin’, Ma,” I said with a shrug. “I’m her boss and she’s my employee. Nothin’ can happen between us.”
“We’re not talkin’ about what’s proper here, Travis,” she scoffed. “We’re talkin’ about what you want. And I can tell what you want just by lookin’ into your eyes when you’re talkin’ about the woman.” She grinned. “I’m thinkin’ you might be a little crazy about her.”
“I don’t know if I’d go that far, Ma,” I retorted, shaking my head. “We’ve only known each other for a couple of days.”
“Couple of days is all it takes to know if you’re crazy about someone,” she snickered. “Took less than that for me to know how much I liked your daddy.”
“I mean, she’s pretty and all. And I like spendin’ time with her…”
“She’s more that pretty,” she said. “She’s a real beauty. You’d be crazy to pass a woman like her up.” Mama G flashed her sly smile, her eye almost twinkling. Knowing her, she was thinking about wedding bells and grandkids.
But before the conversation could continue, Skye returned. “Didn’t miss the bell, did I?”
Mama G checked the clock on the wall. “You sure didn’t.”
“Believe me,” I said. “You
won’t be able to miss it.”
“And it’s about time,” Mama announced. “You two, help me finish settin’ the table, would ya?”
We went to it, my conversation with Mama about Skye fresh in my mind. When the time rolled around, Mama hit the dinner bell, the ringing loud and heard throughout the ranch. I heard the stampede that always came before a meal, and seconds later the rest of the family poured into the kitchen and took their places at the large farmer’s table.
Dinner was on. We went right into eating and talking and all the stuff that came with a good meal. And Skye fit right in, joking around with Chance, talking shop about horses with Wyatt, gabbing with Emily, and getting along just fine with everyone. It was almost like she was already a member of the family.
And throughout it all, I couldn’t stop staring.
Maybe Mama was right. And maybe that scared the hell out of me.
Adam
I wasn’t sure what the hell I was thinking when I’d fired off the text to Travis letting him know I was stopping by Rainbow Canyons. My hand sort of just…moved on its own. He responded quickly, telling me they’d just finished dinner and if I hurried, I’d be there in time for dessert – Mama G’s famous blackberry pie. Dinner for me had been some nachos from the Mexican place down the way, and something home-cooked sounded good.
I had a bit of envy for Travis and his family. They were all close as hell, living on the same property and eating all their meals together. Sometimes it made me a touch envious. But I put all that out of my head as I grabbed my keys and headed out.
The drive was only about twenty minutes, and before too long I was pulling onto the property. I drove to the ranch and parked. I still wasn’t sure what I’d come to do. Had I been in the mood for some socializing? Or was it Skye?
I had a standing invitation at Rainbow Canyons, so I didn’t bother knocking before opening the door and heading in. The smell of freshly baked pie was thick in the air, and my stomach grumbled. Knowing Mama G, there’d be homemade ice cream to go along with the pie.
The woman herself appeared in the entry hall, carrying a tray with pie and ice cream in a bowl. “Adam!” she exclaimed happily. “Heard your truck pull up and went ahead and made you some dessert. Hopin’ that wasn’t too presumptuous of me.” She grinned as she handed me the bowl.
“You know I’d run here on foot if there was pie waitin’ for me,” I joked.
She reached up and pinched my cheek. “What a charmer – always knows what to say. Anyway, the rest of the clan’s helpin’ me clean up. I’ll send Travis in to meet you if you wanna sit a spell in the lounge.”
“Sounds good,” I said. “And, uh, if you wouldn’t mind havin’ Skye come with us.”
Mama G narrowed her eyes in curiosity. “I sure will. Gimme a sec, cutie.”
She was off and I mentally kicked myself. Mama G wasn’t stupid. Far from it, actually. And she’d known me long enough to be able to read me as well as she could her own kids. All it’d taken was a few words and she likely knew what I was thinking about Skye.
I plopped down in one of the big, comfy chairs in the lounge. The night had brought a chill with it, so the crackling fire in the fireplace was more than inviting. I dipped my spoon into the ice cream and scooped a little pie along with it. Da
“Damn,” I groaned aloud. Delicious as Heaven. Almost good enough to take my mind off all the bullshit going on. Almost. I heard footsteps, and looked up to see Skye and Travis stepping in.
“There’s the man,” said Travis, slapping my shoulder on his way to the couch.
“Howdy,” I said, not sure what else to say.
“Hi, Travis,” Skye greeted with a warm smile.
It was good to see her, but the sight of her with Travis was enough to send a burst of jealousy through my body. Even worse knowing she would be staying close with him on the property. God only knew what they might get up to. I didn’t even want to think about it.
They both sat down, the crackle of the fire filling the silence until Travis spoke. “So, I talked to Skye about stayin’ here. She’s cool with it.”
I took another bite of my pie, the rich ice cream blending perfectly with the fresh tartness of the blackberries and the flaky, crisp crust. Then I set my bowl down, ready to get on with it. “Good call,” I said, glancing at her. “You’ll be safer here.”
Skye nodded. “I know. It’s gonna be weird not be stayin’ at my place. But…I know it’s for the best.”
“You’re right about that,” Travis agreed. “No safer place to be than here.”
“There’s the little matter of all your things,” I commented. “Guessin’ you didn’t pack your life up when you came to work today.”
“Right,” she said with a nod. “I need to go back to my house and grab some stuff.”
“I’ll take you.” Travis and I spoke at the same time, our words perfectly overlapping. We regarded each other with the same surprised expression.
Skye laughed. “Got a couple eager guys here.”
“I’ll do it,” I said quickly. “My evening’s free. Nothin’ else goin’ on.”
“But,” Travis countered, “I’m gonna be back here anyway. No sense in you goin’ to her place, then here, then back to yours.”
“It’s fine,” Skye interrupted. “Adam can take me.”
She’d obviously picked up on a potential spat and wanted to squash it before it turned into anything else. Travis nodded, apparently getting the same vibe I was.
“Alright,” he said. “Suppose I can take care of a few things in the office. But don’t dawdle – bring her back quick as you can.” His eyes flashed, as if he realized what he’d said might border on possessive. “I mean, for her safety and all. God knows who’s out there looking for her.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Right about that.” I ate a couple more bites of pie and ice cream, finishing my dessert. I couldn’t leave even a dollop in the bowl. “God this is good.”
Skye laughed. “My tummy is so full!”
“Mama G takes good care of us,” Travis acknowledged. “I’ll take your bowl for you.”
“Thanks, man. Let’s head out sooner than later,” I said to Skye. “Before it gets too dark.”
“Sounds right by me.”
“Y’all head out,” Travis, reaching for my bowl.
Skye and I headed out, and I caught a glimpse of Travis’s face as we left. Maybe I was wrong, but he was looking all kinds of jealous. The situation was ridiculous, and I made a mental note to not make it any worse.
“See you in a bit, Travis,” Skye called.
She flashed him a smile, one that sent another surge of jealousy through me. I hated that I was acting that way, like I was trying to find coded signals or some such in the way they communicated. I felt like some immature kid rather than the grown man I was.
We hurried to my truck and drove off the property. There was silence at first, and I knew it needed to be broken.
“So, you met the whole clan,” I stated, glancing at her.
“I sure did,” she said with a smile.
“And how was it? Not easy gettin’ thrown into the middle of a Walker family meal. I remember my first time, felt like an outsider at first, until…”
“Until you didn’t.”
I grinned. “That’s right. Feels like you’re outnumbered at first. But before too long, you start to think of yourself as one of the family.”
“Exactly. I mean, I was a little stressed about going, I have to admit,” she confessed. “But they’re all so warm and inviting. Think I’m gonna like my time there.”
“And you’re sure about that, right? Staying on the ranch?” I realized as soon as I’d said the words that I was gunning for a certain response, maybe that she’d instead choose to stay with me.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” she assured me. “Big place – my room’s bigger than my damn house. And knowin’ the whole gang’s gonna be looking out for me takes a load off my mind.”
“You’re
right. Best possible thing to do, I’m thinkin’.”
Still, part of me wished she’d change her mind, that she’d want to stay with me. But Rainbow Canyons really was the best place for her. Not a chance Bryce would try anything with her there.
Skye’s phone buzzed in her bag. She took it out and regarded the screen with a confused expression before answering. “Hello?... Yes, this is Skye Philips…Police?”
I frowned at her, though I didn’t ask any questions.
“No, no other incidents…anything about the car? ...not a thing?...really, you can’t find out a damn thing about it? It was wrecked! Surely, there’s somethin’ you can— Now, you don’t need to take that kind of tone with me…”
I wasn’t sure of the exact words being spoken, but I didn’t like them one bit. “Lemme see that,” I said, reaching over with my eyes still on the road. Skye was flustered and put the phone into my hand. “Hello? Who am I speakin’ with?”
“This is Officer Mayer with the Patterson Police Department. And who are you?”
“Name’s Adam Carter. I’m a friend of Skye’s. I was there when the officers took the report for the wrecked car,” I informed him. I wanna know what you’ve found out, if you’ve gotten any closer to knowin’ who did it.”
“Haven’t found out anything. Probably won’t.” His tone was short, annoyed even. I didn’t like it.
“Listen, this woman’s life is in danger, and I wanna know what you’re doin’ to find out who’s threatenin’ her.”
“I get that, but there’s nothin’ we can do about it.”
“Nothin’ you can do? How’s that possible?”
“Lookin’ like an act of petty vandalism. No cameras means no suspects. And that’s all there is to it.”
“So…what, you’re just givin’ up?” There was a silence on the other end. I clenched my jaw as I waited impatiently for his answer.
“Alright, you want my advice?”
“What’s that?”
“There’s no evidence, no nothin’. Can’t say if anyone’s lookin’ for the girl, but if she wants to be smart about it, she’ll keep her head low, not go out of her way to make herself a victim.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Are you serious? You’re the damn cops! And you’re tellin’ her to, what, stay out of trouble or some shit?”