by Vi Summers
“My reasons are none of your business. Just because you know what it’s like on the inside doesn’t mean you know what’s going on in here,” I snapped angrily and pointed to my head. “And who’s Rory?”
Probably another judgmental cowboy I was yet to meet.
Jake sniggered. “Brandon’s sister.”
I rubbed at my temples. They were beginning to ache. Being here was overwhelming and too much. I hadn’t anticipated feeling so far out of my comfort zone and drowning in uncertainty. And, shit, it was only day one.
“Louisiana?” Jake’s low tone pulled my attention back to him. “If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”
“After the lecture? No thanks.”
“Hey, we had to get the formal shit out of the way, right? Same as everyone else that comes through those gates, although I’m usually a little more confrontational…” Jake sniggered, then effortlessly pushed to his feet. “C’mon, I’ll run you through your daily tasks.”
I stood and brushed off my ass. “Brandon’s already given me tasks. I’m looking after the chickens.” I shuddered at the thought.
Jake threw his head back and full-on belly laughed until tears formed in his eyes.
“Oh, girl, this ain’t no summer camp. The chickens will take you ten minutes, tops. After that, there’s the stock to check and stables to clean. And trust me, after a single day of getting hay down your bra, you’ll be shopping for collared shirts as well as the jeans and boots.”
I glowered and adjusted my tank top. “Wear a bra, do you?”
As his smile pulled wide, his pearly teeth contrasted with his dark brown skin. “Nope, but even gettin’ it down my shirt itches like shit. I can only imagine how itchy it is rubbing on your-”
“I get it,” I yelled and pressed my hands over my ears. “Enough tit talk, just show me what the hell I’m meant to do.”
Jake’s chuckling continued as we walked side-by-side back down the lane, heading for the barn.
After the rocky and hypocritical start, I was grateful to have Jake show me the ropes. From one ex-inmate to another, it was nice to know there was someone to relate to on that level. That still didn’t mean I wanted to discuss the finer details with him, but it was a comfort to not be completely ‘alone’ out here.
Checking the horses was easy. Cleaning the smelly stables was not.
Jake demonstrated cleaning out one stall, then casually leaned against the chest-high dividing wall and dished out advice while I did the labor.
Movement in the barn got Jake’s attention, and a smile broke out over his face. “Hey, boss.”
I stiffened when I realized Brandon was close, then became abnormally flustered upon hearing the smooth drawl of his voice. “How’s she doin’?”
“She’s a natural, Bran,” Jake declared. While his comment came across as patronizing, I thought I detected undertones of approval.
“Shoveling shit isn’t exactly hard,” I snapped.
Jake’s eyebrows rose. “We’ll see if you have the same opinion when you wake with a stiff back and sore arms.”
Brandon came into view and leaned his forearms against the stall door. There was an energy in his eyes that hadn’t been there when we last spoke, and his shoulders seemed a little more relaxed.
“What have you been up to?” Jake asked, looking sideways at Brandon.
He glanced around the stall while replying to Jake. “Just rode up to check the calves and let Red loose a little since it’s been a few days since I’ve ridden him. Looks good, Louisiana,” he added with a satisfied nod. “And don’t worry about the aching muscles. Nothin’ a deep bath won’t fix.”
I stared at him, trying to decipher his expression. It closed off almost immediately. All flirtatiousness was replaced with contemplative reservation as he stared back. He also appeared to be questioning himself, and it left us thickly swallowing through the beats of awkwardness.
Jake subtly cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes. The look spoke volumes; what the fuck are you two playing at?
Brandon straightened. The lines around his hazel eyes hardened as if I’d somehow tricked him.
Unexpected disappointment welled in my chest and gnawed at me. It reminded me of the insecurities and blame-laced glances I received whenever something didn’t go to plan with my ex—both before we broke up, and before he got me convicted.
Pushing those ghosts aside, I bit down on the side of my tongue and slammed the sharp end of the pitchfork onto the stable floor. Clutching the wooden handle tight, I glared at Brandon and Jake.
“Don’t you two have something better to do than standing around watching me work?”
Surprise sprung across Brandon’s face. “Yep,” he clipped, while Jake snorted and said, “Nope.”
I sighed when neither of them moved, and Brandon had the balls to chuckle under his breath.
“So, the herd’s all sorted?” Jake asked.
My hearing honed into Brandon’s rumbling drawl.
“For the time being. A handful of new calves since this morning. Once Louisiana is comfortable on horseback, she can be shown around the top pastures.”
“Whoa, hold up!” I interrupted. “I’m not getting on a horse.”
Both Jake and Brandon laughed, and the lingering humor in Brandon’s eyes set me on edge while conjuring bodily reactions I couldn’t control.
“We’ll see, darlin’. So far, you’re doin’ great.”
With that, he slapped the top of the stable door and strode from sight, leaving me muttering from both having to clean out this god-awful stall, as well as his blasé attitude about calling me darlin’.
Jake thumbed over his shoulder. “What he said. You’re doin’ great, jailbird.”
Growling under my breath, I gripped the pitchfork again and continued to try and prove my worth here.
By the time I was done, I was a sweaty, smelly, bitchy, and itchy as all hell, mess.
Chapter 6
Brandon
Jake’s attention flicked to me as soon as I set foot in the living room. “Everything okay?”
Snorting, I lowered myself into the armchair across from him and reached for my beer.
“I think so. She’s been in there almost an hour, though. Surely the water is cold by now.”
Louisiana came in from the stable walking with her arms and legs out wide as if they were diseased, then all but pleaded for a shower. When I’d suggested a bath, the irritation on her face softened and gave way to grateful fatigue.
Jake hummed under his breath as he lifted his own brew to his lips. “It will be. But you know how good a wash is after back-country wrangling for a week. Let her have a moment in heaven.”
I let out a sigh and set one ankle on the opposite knee. “Fuck, I know this already. You’re right, you know—she’s making the simplest things seem so much more complicated than they are. Hell, I’m even questioning if I did the right thing by asking her to look after the damn chickens!”
Jake threw his head back and laughed. “Brother, you have literally zero chill. What’s the big deal, anyway? It’s basically a business transaction and all you need to do is uphold your end of the deal.”
I opened my mouth to say that the ‘business transaction’ usually wasn’t mouthwateringly hot when the woman herself breezed into the room and brought the sweet scent of whatever she had used in the bath with her.
I tilted my head to the side and widened my eyes at Jake, as if to prove a silent point. He chuckled openly, then snorted when I glared at him. Another wave of Louisiana’s fragrance wove through the air, and I had to physically bite down to stop a hum escaping.
“Thank you, I feel much better now.” Her soft tone of voice had me swallowing hard before turning to face her, and I did a double-take.
Gone was the straight hair and skimpy clothes, and replaced with… well… an unexpected vision. My eyes ran over her fresh and pink dewy skin and blonde hair piled high on her head, then followed the line of her tight tank and
baggy sweats. Her bare toes wiggling against the floorboards reminded me I was being rude, but sweet Jesus, she made the organ inside my chest forget its own name.
That reaction was bad. Real bad.
I cleared the thickness from my throat, then smiled. “That’s great to hear. Are you hungry?”
Louisiana nodded and pressed a hand to her belly. “I’m starving.”
Shaking away the last of the trance she momentarily had me under, I re-found my cool and led her into the kitchen.
“Jake cooked tonight, so you’re in for a treat. We usually take turns in the kitchen, and once you’re settled, you’ll be expected to cook twice a week. It’s been the same for all the other guys I’ve had come through-”
“You don’t need to explain. I’m happy to help but be warned, I’m no Masterchef,” Louisiana advised, as she peered into the oven.
I chuckled. “Neither am I, that’s why I look forward to Jake cooking.”
“He’s good?” she asked, sounding surprised.
“Damn good. Best stew in the county—but don’t you dare go tellin’ my ma I said that.”
Louisiana’s laugh made me smile, and curiosity grew in her eyes. “Who taught Jake how to cook?”
Jake strolled in at that precise moment and pushed his empty bottle into the trash. “I was assigned to the prison kitchen. Turns out, I have a natural talent for flavors.” A lazy smirk snaked onto his mouth.
I frowned hard at Jake’s hideously poor choice of words, despite Louisiana remaining unfazed.
She briefly raised one hand. “Laundry duties.”
Feeling a little left out, I lifted the ladle off the bench and chipped in. “Cow wrangler.”
Being scrutinized by two sets of raised eyebrows, I laughed away the heat on my face and waved them off. “Sorry to gatecrash the moment y’all were having. Ignore me.”
Jake’s snigger filled the kitchen. “It’s not like you to be awkward, boss. I blame you.” He pointed a finger at Louisiana.
Despite scoffing, her pretty blue eyes flicked my way, then dipped to the floor. In that brief moment of her avoiding my gaze, I clenched my jaw at Jake. The arrogant tilt of his lips reminded me of the man he was when he first arrived; the one who had no qualms with spouting bullshit without tact or dilution of language.
“Louisiana,” I said softly. Her eyes lifted to meet mine. “Cutlery is in this drawer. Can you set the table for me, please?”
With a small nod, she busied herself with the task. I waited until she left the room before rounding on Jake.
“What the fuck, Jake?”
“Sorry, Bran. I’m in an odd mood; you’re different with her here.”
The challenge in his eyes didn’t back down, neither did his stance.
“You think I don’t know that? But shit, man, ease off,” I hissed.
He pursed his lips, then nodded slowly. Over the years, I’d noticed Jake’s macho attitude would rise whenever a new parolee arrived at the ranch, as if he was pissing on his territory. I’d expected him to be a little out of sorts today, but I wouldn’t stand for him intimidating Louisiana—intentional or otherwise.
Tonight, Jake conceded quickly, and I largely put that down to Louisiana’s presence in the adjacent dining room.
“Guess I’ll plate up,” he stated.
Mumbling, “Thanks,” I went in search of Louisiana, worried that she’d overheard our conversation. Instead, I found her cradling one of my cats in her arms while he rubbed his furry little head all over her chin. I paused in the doorway and soaked in the electric smile on Louisiana’s face. That single sign of happiness tugged my heart in an unknown direction. It left me breathless. She left me breathless. The only explanation for it was that it felt as if Louisiana was meant to be here.
I coughed quietly and entered the dining room, carefully intruding on her quiet moment. Louisiana startled and looked up like I’d caught her stealing.
“Sorry, I got sidetracked and-”
“It’s fine, darlin’. Tom has always been an attention seeker. Seems he’s found someone new to wrap around his little paw.”
“He’s so soft,” she cooed and hugged him closer. “Where’s the other one? You said you had two cats?”
I scoffed. “The other is called Chevy, and he’s an asshole. He’ll be outside hunting... He’s more of an asset than a pet.”
“Chevy!” Louisiana snorted, and I thought I caught a glimpse of her real self.
Running a hand over my smile, I stepped closer, hoping she would show me another snapshot.
“Yeah, my sister named him. If you’re really that curious, you can ask her when she takes you into town tomorrow to get some appropriate attire for out here.”
Louisiana’s pretty blue eyes turned glacial. “I don’t need to go shopping. Besides, I don’t have any money.”
“I get a grant, darlin’, and that allows you to get all the gear you need.”
Where my tone was soft and understanding, hers hardened. “I don’t need handouts.”
“It’s not a handout when it’s for essential items,” I countered with rising frustration.
Louisiana remained silent despite her jaw ticking, and she used Tom as a distraction. Her fingers wove into my cat’s long fur and gently rubbed back and forth. I followed each soothing motion and began wondering what her fingers would feel like dragging through my own hair. It hit me like a bolt of lightning to an iron roof, leaving nothing but heat and lust behind.
With effort, I tore my eyes away and downcast my gaze. Mistake. Fuck, she even made sweatpants look sexy.
“Dinner’s ready!” Jake called, and not a goddamn moment too soon.
Louisiana lowered Tom to the floor, then stood and innocently brushed his fur from her top. My pulse jumped. Abruptly turning away and finding another focus, my enthusiasm to help Jake plate up didn’t go unnoticed. He gave me the side-eye while I ignored his snigger.
“Can I help?” came the sweet voice from behind us.
I swallowed hard as Jake answered. “Nope. But you can dig in, jailbird. There’s plenty, so don’t scrimp.”
Jake bustled around the kitchen, and I handed Louisiana a plate and gestured for her to help herself to as much as she wanted. A pang ran through my chest while watching her hesitantly hovering the serving spoon above the mashed potato.
With agonizingly slow movements, she dished herself a meager helping of mash and hot pot. While I didn’t dare criticize her portion, Jake leaned over her shoulder and frowned. “The fuck is that?” he barked.
Louisiana startled violently and stuttered a little. “You told me to get my food…”
The pang in my chest made me rub at it. In a matter of beats, Louisiana had gone from seemingly relaxed, to insecure, to anxious, with Jake looming over her.
“Jake,” I cautioned.
Realizing his mistake, he immediately moved to her side with a softened smile, then took it upon himself to load more food onto her plate. “I meant, you’ll need more than that after the work you did today, jailbird.”
“Oh. Thank you,” she murmured and kept her head dipped as she stepped back to give us space.
I gently touched her shoulder. “Go sit at the table. We’ll join you in a moment.”
Checking that she was out of earshot, I gave Jake a bewildered look. “Christ, this is tougher than I thought it would be.”
He shrugged while plating his dinner. “Broads complicate things. I do have one question though.”
“And what’s that?”
“Thought blondes weren’t your type?”
I snorted. “They’re not.”
“Until now, eh?” He smirked and slapped me on the shoulder.
My glare escorted him to the door, and it was only once I was alone in the kitchen that I made a whispered confession.
“Until now.”
Chapter 7
Louisiana
I excused myself from the dinner table as soon as my plate was empty, grateful that Jake had dou
bled the amount of food I’d dished for myself. I’d been starving, and now I was exhausted.
Brandon briefly rose to his feet as I pushed away from the table, but after assuring him I was fine to make my own way to my room, I cleared away my dishes and silently went upstairs.
Alone in the dim light and comforting silence, my soul felt set free, yet laden with fear of the unknown.
Twilight blanketed the evening and pulled the shadows into darkening silhouettes along the barn. The sky illuminated various hues of blue and orange as the sun embarked on its final descent, and I watched birds flying to roost from the tall, boxed window that overlooked the yard. The waning light represented the closure of my first day here, and as the last light of the day faded, an overwhelming rush of emotion burst through me. For the first time in eight months, I could finally breathe.
Burning in my lungs rose into my throat, and despite my best efforts, an unchecked sob bubbled from my down-turned lips. Tears streamed down my face, and I gripped the window frame hard as I tipped my head back and cried the tears as they came. I’d been too scared to release them in jail, and now that I let them freely fall, the outpouring was relentless and painful.
The edges of my sanity shredded and frayed as everything that had been bottled inside finally surged to the surface.
I broke without making a sound. Expelled as much pain as I could, while withholding the screams I so desperately wanted to release. Unable to control the barrage of devastation, I fell into a senseless trance, purging the last eight months from my soul.
One minute became indistinguishable from the next, and when my mind finally re-entered my body, I found myself kneeling in the boxed window, still clutching the frame with numbed fingers.
The light emanating from the half-moon hanging above the barn was enough to illuminate my room with an eerie glow. Swiveling to sit sideways, I relaxed against the cool, wooden window frame, and gazed up at the stars. Many a-time I’d wished to go back in time, to rewrite my story starting from where I was happy. Before Tyler. But that also meant before Ollie. The thought of never having him brought a renewed surge of tears to my eyes.