by ANDREA SMITH
“Bryce, it’s like this. I have friends that drive. It’s a small town. I get out. I know about Mandy’s reputation; I’m not a complete dork like you always thought. I saw her a few times over the summer and she didn’t look knocked up to me.”
I was now confused. It was now the end of October. Pregnancy takes what? Nine months? “When was the last time you saw her, Sid?” I asked. It was an important factor because shit, she looked to me like she was ready to “pop.”
“It was the middle of August. Jake and I were cruising in the park over in Gresham. She was there. She was with that Asian guy you graduated with…Sami?”
“Sami Lee?” I asked.
“Yeah, I guess. They were in the park with his bad ass car. Waxing it.”
“And you could tell she wasn’t knocked up how?” I asked.
“Man, she had on shorts and a tank top. I mean, she didn’t look pregnant to me. Well except for her tits. They were massive.”
“Dude, this is important. How are you sure it was middle of August? I mean, hell, when I was your age the summer seemed to last forever. I never paid attention to dates or shit like that.”
He grinned. “That’s the difference between you and me, Bryce. I do pay attention to crap like that. The reason I know it was mid-August was because Mom had made a dentist appointment for me for a cleaning before school started the following week. Jake was late getting me back to the house. I missed the appointment and she was royally pissed.”
He made the last statement like he was kind of proud of the fact he’d fucked up just a little. A rare occurrence for him.
“I bet she was,” I conceded, knocking my fist against his shoulder. “Thanks, Sid. Hey, can you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
“I gotta split and get back to Bristol. If you see Sami around can you make sure he gets my number and ask him to call me? I don’t have his cell number. We weren’t tight at school.”
The truth was, I thought Sami Lee was a total dickhead.
“Yeah. I guess, but you guys didn’t like each other, did you?”
Leave it to my little brother to already know that. I chuckled. “Yeah, but tell him I’ve got some interesting news for him. Tell him it’s all good. But make sure you don’t tell him anything more than that, okay?”
“Bryce,” he said, giving me an eye roll, “Do you think I’m an idiot? Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
“Thanks, Bro,” I said, grabbing him and pulling him into a hug. “You’re alright, Sid.”
I said goodbye to the folks, and hit the road. I had one stop to make before heading back to Bristol, and I was hoping it could shed some light on the whole subject of Mandy. Rob was away at college, so he wouldn’t be good for any info, not that I’d talked to him in the past five months anyway. I knew where Mandy lived. I wasn’t going to leave town without giving her old man a piece of my mind for his total disregard for her safety.
As bad as things had been between my father and me, and as much as I had yanked his chain and pushed his buttons, he’d never knocked me around while I was under his roof. And shit if I didn’t know he’d been tempted with damn good reason. He practiced restraint. And it was because he loved me. I knew that now.
Mandy’s folks lived on the edge of Decatur in an area of small brick cluster homes. All the same. All government housing. They were fairly new, but you could tell by the plain design and the type of beat up cars and trucks in the driveways it was subsidized housing.
Mandy’s home was the last on the block. It was neatly kept. The lawn was well-trimmed. A couple of ferns were hanging on the porch, blowing back and forth in the autumn breeze.
I pulled in the drive and immediately saw that her old man was outside. The hood of his truck was up and he peeked around the side of it when he heard me pull up.
The dude looked kind of young. Like maybe still in his thirties. Mandy was the oldest kid for sure. Beside him a couple of boys, her brothers I guessed, were playing in his toolbox. They looked like they were twins. About six years old maybe.
Her father wiped his hands on a rag hanging from the back pocket of his jeans and walked towards my truck as I got out.
“Mr. Reynolds?” I asked shutting the door on my truck and taking a step towards him.
“That’s me,” he replied, “What can I do for you?”
“I’m Bryce Slater,” I said, “I went to school with Mandy.”
I could tell he was chewing a wad of tobacco. As soon as I mentioned my name, he spit a stream of tobacco juice through his teeth that landed inches from my boots. “I know who you are. The question is why the hell are you here now? Mandy doesn’t live here. Haven’t seen her in months.”
“What?” I asked, now totally confused. “You mean you didn’t kick her out for being pregnant and blacken her eye a couple of weeks back?”
“Hold on, I think you got some bad info there, Jump Street. Mandy left here the day after graduation. She was eighteen. Hated being here and, quite frankly, was a royal pain in the ass to her mother and me. She calls occasionally from a burner phone. We don’t know how to contact her. Last we heard, she was living with some older guy in another town. No mention of a pregnancy. That’s all I know.”
“What about Sami Lee? Was she still seeing him at that time?”
“Ah hell, who knows? I didn’t know any of their names because she didn’t bring any of them around here. She knew we didn’t approve of her lifestyle. She wasn’t raised to be the way she was, I can tell you that.”
“Mr. Reynolds, Mandy Jo is in Bristol, Virginia. She showed up a couple of weeks back. Pregnant. Saying I’m responsible.”
I saw a tick in his jaw. I recognized that flavor of fatherly pissed.
“Are you?” he asked.
“It’s possible. But I won’t know for sure until a paternity test is done. I just want you to know that she’s safe, and that I will do the responsible thing when the time comes. So you don’t have to worry.”
He scoffed and turned his back to me, walking back to his truck. “She’s your problem, Slater. Just let her know we won’t welcome her and her brat here. We’ve got the boys to raise. We don’t need more mouths to feed.”
I was dismissed apparently, so I just shook my head as I climbed back into my truck. After having spent three minutes with Mandy’s father, it was clear to see why she was so fucked up.
Chapter 23
Avery
It was Monday. I knew Bryce was back. My dilemma was whether or not I should intervene with what I’d overheard outside his cottage when Mandy was on the phone with somebody named “Sami.”
I didn’t have to fret over it long. As I walked out of the manor to go to my truck, Bryce was standing there. Waiting for me.
I swallowed hard. My stomach lurched because he still did that to me, no matter what I had promised myself and declared after my three glasses of wine over a week ago.
“Bryce,” I acknowledged, pressing the power locks to my truck.
“Hey, Avery,” he said softly, “Got a minute?”
“Maybe just that. What is it?”
“Mandy mentioned you offered her a cottage. I think it’s a great idea. If you need me to pay the utilities or anything, I’d be glad to do it.”
I wasn’t quite prepared for this. “You mean you don’t want her with you?” I asked.
“Come on, Princess. Nothing’s changed about the way I feel about you. You should know that, babe. I’m just trying to do the right thing here for as long as I know I’m responsible. The truth is, she’s a slob. She’s on my nerves. And I appreciate the offer.”
I had to relax and breathe a sigh of relief. Thank God he’d said those words to me, because I needed to hear them and know that for sure. “Bryce, get with Carter. He’s been updating some of the cottages. See which ones are available and let him know that Mandy will be taking one.”
“I’ll do that. And babe, what about us? When can we t
alk?”
“I don’t know,” I said briskly. “Sometime. Just not now. I’m not ready and I’m late for class.”
“Avery–“ he started, “There’s something…”
“Not now, Bryce,” I snapped. “I can’t deal with anything now but focusing on school. Later.”
I jumped in my truck, fired it up, and left the parking lot, looking in my rearview mirror as he watched my departure. My heart hurt with the pain I was feeling, but this was clearly something I wasn’t sure how I would ever be able to deal with.
But then again, I wasn’t about to write Bryce Slater off. There was definitely reason to suspect Mandy of some sort of deception. Things just didn’t click for me with her attitude and behavior.
I would definitely talk to Becky to see if there was something she could do in the office. Becky had a sixth sense where humans were concerned. It would be more likely Mandy would open up to her versus anyone else here on the ranch. It definitely would be money well spent in giving her some “gopher” responsibilities in order to figure out her game.
Chapter 24
Bryce
Once I was back in Bristol, it was harder than hell to keep my mouth shut around Mandy. I sure as hell wasn’t going to clue her in on my visit with her old man. I was going to be watchful and discreet.
“Bryce,” she said, sitting on my sofa, devouring a bag of tortilla chips, “You’re okay with me taking my own cottage here? I talked to what’s-his-name today, and there’s actually a cottage he just finished updating that has a walk-in shower. That would really be safer for me given my current condition, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, Mandy,” I replied, trying not to hide my obvious delight that her lazy ass would be moving out of here, “I am totally fine with that. Which cottage is it?”
“It’s Number Six, next to his. I guess he’s working his way down the line. Hope he gets to this one while you’re still here. It’s a bitch trying to shower in that old claw tub with nothing but the hose attached. Don’t know how you’ve done it for so long.”
“When are you moving in there?”
“Tomorrow if that’s okay with you.”
“No problem,” I replied. “Do you need help?”
“Naw. All I have are my clothes. But truthfully, I do need some money. I’ve got to think about getting some clothes that fit, you know? And I’ll need to stock some groceries in my cottage as well. I hate to ask. The truth is, I’m hoping that Avery will come through for me with some part time work I can do around here. I don’t want to be a charity case or anything,” she finished.
“How much do you need?” I asked.
“Whatever you can spare.”
I went to the bedroom and pulled out the metal box where I kept my savings which I’d put on the shelf in the closet, under some extra blankets. I counted out five hundred dollars, put the box back and presented her with the cash in the living room. “Is this enough?”
Her eyes widened a bit. “Yeah, this will do for now, Bryce. Thank you. I really, really appreciate it.”
“Uh… Mandy, have you called a local doctor yet to… you know, check out your pregnancy?”
“I’ll get on that first thing this week, Bryce. I promise. But to be honest, they’ll probably need a down payment until I get my medical card switched to this network.”
“No problem. I have money saved. Just let me know.”
“Will do. And hey, when you see your boss again, could you possibly put in a good word for me on some temporary work here? I really meant what I said about not wanting to be a charity case for you. Especially since you want the paternity test before you actually assume responsibility.”
My jaw tightened. She was really milking this shit about verification. Well the fact was she didn’t know what I knew at this point, and her ground was much shakier than she thought. “I’ll see what I can do,” I replied walking out of the room. “Have a good night, Mandy.”
The following morning I was at the barn cleaning Tula and Baron’s stall. The colt was nearly four months old, but I noticed he wasn’t gaining weight the way he was supposed to be according to the vet’s guide I’d been provided. Tula was being pulled down according to Tristan when he’d been by a week ago. I was checking the feed when Avery came into the barn.
“How’s Baron doing, Bryce?” she asked, a frown creasing her forehead.
I turned to glance over at her and damn if she didn’t look tempting. Her hair was down, she wore it that way when she went to classes I’d noticed. “I changed Tula’s feed two weeks ago,” I replied. “The vet recommended a mixture of Bermuda pasture and free choice alfalfa hay. She’s taking well to it, but I’m not seeing improvement in the colt.”
“Yeah,” she said with a sigh. “I think we might need to think about starting to wean him now. It’s earlier than I’d like, but Tula’s milk just may not have enough protein for him. Thanks for being on top of it, Bryce. With school I’ve not had the time I’d like to devote to the mare and her colt. It’s comforting that you’ve taken the time to research and are handling the communication with the vet.”
“That’s my job,” I replied with a grin. “I kind of like it, too. That colt is beautiful. Are you keeping him?”
“No, not that I wouldn’t love to though. He’s being sold for studding. His lineage is impeccable. We’ll list him next month. Uncle Tristan thinks we’ll get at least twenty grand for him.”
“Damn. I guess horse flesh is nothing to sneeze at, right?”
“Unless you’re allergic,” she said with a giggle.
“By the way,” I said, “Mandy is taking that cottage you offered. I want to thank you for that. She also told me she asked you about a job?”
“Yeah, she did. I’ll speak to Becky over at the office before class. If Becky needs help, she’ll let Mandy know,” she finished with a shrug.
I moved closer to her, my hand captured a lock of her hair from her shoulder, my fingers rubbing the silky strands. “That’s really nice of you, Avery,” I whispered. “I miss you.”
She cleared her throat, stepping back from me, forcing me to release the lock of hair. “This is difficult for everyone concerned. But it’s not for you or Mandy that I’m doing this, Bryce. If Mandy can’t be of help to Becky, she’ll be bounced out of that office lickity split, just so you know.”
She turned from me and left the barn. Despite her statement, I couldn’t help but think that Avery in some small way was making this gesture in support of me. At least that was what I wanted to believe.
Chapter 25
Three weeks later
November 14th
The thing you need to know about Becky Johnson was that she trusted nobody. At sixty-three, Becky had worked at the office of Sinclair Stables, LLC for the past thirty years. She’d seen all types of characters come and go from the facility. From workers to visitors; trainers and entertainers; suppliers and service providers, Becky had dealt with all aspects of humanity in the job she had as office manager of the ranch and the Belle.
She paid the bills, processed payroll, hired office help, planned events and answered to the Sinclairs. They had always been fair people, good to the help, which was why she’d stayed on so long. But at this point, Becky was looking forward to retiring after the first of the year. The winter staff was slim. In the spring she hired seasonal office help, but the last of them had left the first of October.
So when Avery Sinclair had approached her to see if there was anything in the office she might need help with, she hadn’t hesitated to accept the offer. What she hadn’t counted on was the fact that it wasn’t Avery that was to be her part-time help; but rather, the pregnant girl who’d landed on Bryce Slater’s doorstep.
Now why would Avery want to help this Mandy girl? Becky knew she and Bryce had a thing going on, and quite honestly, she thought they made a great couple.
From Becky’s perspective, Bryce had finally pulled his head out of his
ass and become a productive and valued employee. Avery had loosened up and appeared to be enjoying life as a nineteen year old in love should. And then Mandy had shown up throwing a wrench into their relationship.
“I don’t get it,” Becky had said to Avery, “Does the girl have any office experience?”
“Well, no,” Avery had admitted, “But isn’t there something she could take off your hands that won’t require a lot of training? She said she’s a whiz on computers.”
Becky had thought for a moment. She was trying to prepare for the independent audit coming up at the end of the year. The auditor, Dawn Childers, had already met with her at the end of third quarter outlining what she’d need do in preparation for it. The business was audited every three years, and it was brutal. But this Childers woman was pickier than those who’d audited in the past. She wanted records from five years back.
“Yeah, okay,” Becky had said. “She can do the Christmas card mailing, and the invitations for the New Year’s Eve gala. I’m backed up on filing and data entry. I can keep her busy for a few weeks no problem.”
“Thank you, Becky,” Avery had said. “And let me know if there’s a problem with her. I don’t want her to be a distraction for you with the audit coming up.”
“So Mandy,” Becky said coming into the cubicle she’d given her on the second floor of the main building over at the Belle. She’d set her up with a spare laptop and printer. “How are you doing with the invitations for the New Year’s Eve party?”
“Just about finished, Mrs. Johnson,” she replied in that overly polite tone she used which Becky found fake. “And you want the envelopes addressed by hand, is that right?”
“Correct. Neatly handwritten,” Becky reminded her.
“I’ll have them done this afternoon, I promise. And then tomorrow I’ll get on the filing you have on my list, will that work?”
“Fine. You’re making good progress.”
Becky couldn’t deny the girl seemed to have a good work ethic. She’d been working in the office for over two weeks, and seemed to stay on task.