Meadowlarks

by Ashley Christine

  I drop the beer on the porch. “How long have you known?”

  He does more calculations. “Since...December? January? I can't remember.”

  “Man, we live together, and you didn't even tell me!” Jeremiah says like he's totally offended not knowing the secret.

  “Well, sorry, man. Hey, how did Addy take it?”

  I shake my head. “She was shocked, is shocked. But we're both happy for Riley—for the both of you.”

  Alex opens the case and takes out a bottle, using his shirt to help him twist off the cap. “Everything happens for a reason; that's what my Mom always says.” He shrugs and takes a long drink from the brown bottle.

  We sit at the picnic table, eating wings and drinking beer. As the sun sets, we build a fire and pull lawn chairs around it, feeling the warmth and talking about everything except for the baby. The fire crackles, and Alex repeatedly stokes it with a long stick, chewing on his nails between sips of beer.

  “So, I think I'm gonna ask her to marry me.”

  Jeremiah and I look at each other, then to Alex, who looks back and forth at us, expectantly. “Well?”

  “Well...” I start, inhaling deeply. “You should do whatever you think is right. You two really need to talk though.”

  “You live thousands of miles apart. You gotta find out where you're going to live, you know, all that kinda stuff.” Jeremiah tries to sound like he knows what he's talking about.

  My phone buzzes, and I pull it out of my jeans.

  “Who is it? Is it Addy?” Alex tosses a log into the flame, and it sends embers flying up into the air.

  Addison: Hi handsome. Just wanted to tell you I love you. How's Alex?

  Me: He's OK. Happy, actually. I love you.

  Addison: Good. I was worried.

  Me: Miss me?

  Addison: You have no idea. Riley went to bed, Zoe Cam and Leah are a little drunk.

  Me: And what about you?

  Addison: Well, I'm missing you. Badly ;)

  Me: A 5 min drive is about a 20 min run. If you keep teasing me I'll have to come home.

  Addison: Stay. Have fun, make sure Alex doesn't overdo it.

  Me: :(

  Addison: I'm going to bed soon. I'll think of you ;) Goodnight, my love.

  Me: K, that's it. I'm coming home.

  Addison: Blaine!

  Me: Love you

  “Welcome back!” Alex flicks a bottle cap at me when I put my phone back in my pocket and look up from my private daydream. “Well, what are they doing?”

  “They're going to bed.”

  “Oh...” He seems disappointed, maybe because there wasn't anything mentioned about Riley. “Let's get some tunes going!” He jumps up and runs into the house. Minutes later, two big windows open, and music starts thumping from the living room. We all sit around the fire, singing to the music and drinking beer like we're kids having a good time.

  I haven't been drunk since my botched bachelor party in Cody. I think I've sworn off hard liquor. I'll stick to beer, and I pull another out of the cooler, twisting off the cap.

  I have no idea what time it is when we pass out. When I wake up, the sun is just rising, and the fire is nothing but smouldering ash now. Jer is still asleep, curled in his chair like a giant baby, but Alex is nowhere to be seen.

  “Alex?” I call out, and Jer stirs but doesn't wake up. My head is pounding, and my body aches when I get up from sleeping in the chair. “Alex?” I call him again, no response. Staggering into the house, I need to use the bathroom badly. When I open the door I find Alex, passed out on the bathroom floor, one hand around the base of the toilet. I kick his shoe with mine. “Alex, wake up.” He grumbles something incoherent.

  “Buddy, wake up. I gotta use the toilet.”

  “Man...Just go.” He attempts to sit and wipes drool from his cheek.

  “No, get out. Come on; get up!” I help him stand, and he braces himself on the counter top.

  Trying to adjust his eyes, he looks at himself in the mirror. “You're such an idiot,” he says, either to himself or to me.

  “What?”

  “Nothin'. Where's Jer?”

  “Outside sleeping.” I nod at the door. “I don’t need help…”

  His good mood from last night is gone, and the little jerk that I saw at Zeke's and met in Addison's small kitchen is back. Wonderful. He leaves, and I slam the door behind him.

  I wash my hands, and when I start to dry them, I hear the music start to thump again. The bass rattles some frames on the wall; they're dusty old shadowboxes with dried flowers. I'm sure they're from Jer's mom’s gardens. She would turn in her grave if she saw how he let them get overgrown. The flowers eventually died, and Jer didn’t seem to care; after all, his parents were dead, too.

  The house isn't falling apart, but it is dusty and hasn't changed much in years. I really should take some time and help him around here instead of my house all the time, especially after everything he's done for me. In this moment, I feel like an ass for never thinking of it until now.

  “Bro!” Alex, or Dr. Jekyll, as I'm close to calling him with all his mood changes, calls from the kitchen. “Breakfast of champions!”

  The toaster pops up, and he drops two waffles on a plate and slides it down the counter to me. I shrug, grab syrup from the fridge, douse them with sweet maple goodness and devour everything on my plate in about five forkfuls.

  “Thanks,” I manage to say with a mouthful of waffle.

  “No problemo.” He slides two more frozen waffles into the toaster and pushes the lever down. “Well, good morning, sweetheart!” he says to Jer, who has just joined us.

  “Mornin'.” Jer looks about as good as we do, and walks even worse. “I hurt. Everywhere.”

  I laugh, and he sits down at the kitchen table, holding his head in his hands. “Getting' too old for this shit, huh?” I joke and scoop coffee grounds into the coffee maker on the counter.

  Alex grabs the remote for the stereo off the counter and turns down the music. The toaster pops, and he puts a plate on the counter, piling two waffles on.

  “Here ya go, old man.” He slides it toward Jeremiah who grumbles and stands up to get his breakfast. “So, what's the plan for today guys?”

  “Can we wake up first?” Jer groans.

  The coffee is percolating, and it smells amazing, exactly what I need to get it together. Jer covers his waffles with even more syrup than I did and eats them like a sandwich. Syrup’s running down his fingers, but he doesn't even bother to stop it, just lets it pour down on his plate.

  “Jer! You're making a mess.” Alex scolds him, and I can't help but laugh at how domesticated they've become with each other. Definitely the odd couple.

  The coffee finishes dripping, and I pour a steaming cup of “I have a hangover and I need to wake the hell up” and walk outside to sit on the porch. The sun is up and blazing already; it looks like it's going to be a good day. The clock on my phone says it is eight forty-three, so I call Addison, hoping she's awake.

  “Good morning,” she answers, and I hear the smile in her voice.

  “Hi, baby.”

  “Mmm, you sound groggy. Have a late night, did we?”

  “Little bit.” I clear my throat. “What are you up to?”

  “Well, the girls want to go out for breakfast so we're going to Lake’s. Wanna meet us there?”

  I take a big sip of black gold. “Umm, yeah. Okay.”

  “And bring those two—let's get this over with.” She's clearly talking about the pregnancy bombshell.

  “Kay, see you soon. Love you.”

  “I love you. And I missed you, very, very much last night.”

  This girl is going to be the demise of me. I feel myself start to get anxious with just her words. “Baby, you're gonna get yourself in trouble. Lake’s has big bathroom stalls, you know.”

  “I know.” She laughs. “Bye!”

  “Bye.”

  Hands slap my shoulders, and Alex almost jumps from behi
nd me. How does he go from sleeping on the bathroom floor to perky and upbeat in five minutes? Must be his age; I guess I used to be like that too. And that thought makes me feel old. I finish my coffee and take the mug back in the house.

  “Get cleaned up; we're going to Lake’s for breakfast.”

  Jeremiah looks anything but enthused.

  “With the girls.” I add. And he smiles, gets up and heads into the bathroom. The shower starts, and he's in and out in minutes, ready to go.

  The efficient staff at Lake's pushes two tables together to accommodate all of us. The girls are already there by the time we arrive, scanning the massive breakfast menu.

  “Hey, boys!” Riley waves to us when we walk in, like we wouldn't notice them all sitting there. Alex lights up and goes to sit between her and Addison. When he does, Riley gives him a kiss on the cheek, and he whispers something in her ear.

  Since the only two seats are either between Zoe and Leah or at the end of the table, I don't get a chance to pick as Jeremiah swiftly sits beside the two girls and puts his arms on their shoulders.

  “Ladies, how are we today?” He's got his game face on. “You're all looking lovely this morning.”

  They giggle.

  “Jeremiah, behave yourself.” Addison narrows her eyes playfully. “You be nice to my girls.”

  “That's exactly what I am doing, thank you!” He's on a roll today, and we haven't even ordered yet.

  I haven't seen Addison since last night when I left the house. She's got her hair down, my favourite way. It's falling over her shoulders in long perfect curls, and she's wearing a sexy blue dress with a low neckline which lets me see her...Oh, Lord...chest.

  Come to think of it, I think it's the same one she was wearing the first time I saw her at Zeke's. As everyone makes conversation around the connected tables, I watch her while she peruses the menu, her eyes trailing along the words, and her long lashes batting gently. She catches my gaze and smiles at me.

  “Love you,” she quietly mouths the words to me.

  “I love you,” I whisper back.

  Sadee is our server again, and she lights up when she sees us. “Hi, everyone! So good to see you!”

  “Hey, Sadee, how's it going?” I smile and introduce the faces she doesn't recognize, the four women at the table looking very out of place.

  “It’s great! Has everyone had the chance to look at the menu?” She eagerly looks at us, pen and spiral notebook ready.

  “I think so!” Addison smiles, looking around, and everyone nods.

  I order a hearty omelette filled with red peppers and onions, shredded cheese, spinach and ham. I add on thick toast and diced potatoes on the side—and, of course, black coffee. When Sadee places it on the table in front of me, I nearly salivate, the steam from the eggs wafting into the air and right into my nostrils. This beats frozen waffles hands down any day.

  All the girls order pancakes. I guess I didn't pay attention when they ordered because what comes out on the plates don't look like any pancake I've ever seen. They're stacked and oozing strawberry sauce, covered with a mound of whipped cream and blueberries sprinkled around the base of the pile.

  I've finished my omelette in record time, and when I take a piece of toast to slather jam on, I feel someone watching me. Her blue eyes are blazing, and she's got a devilish grin on her pretty face.

  What is she up to now?

  A finger slowly dips into the whipped cream on her plate, and she closes her eyes and puts it into her mouth, tormenting me while she sucks the sweetness from her fingertip. When she opens her eyes, she smirks, and I narrow my stare. She knows how to get me going.

  I guess a stall in the bathroom will have to do because I don't think I can let her out of here without being inside of her first. We are completely oblivious to everything and everyone around us; it's like a blur of noise and colors just whipping by, and we're in our own private moment.

  “Addison?” No one is paying attention but her. “Can I talk to you outside for a sec?”

  She smirks and wipes her mouth with a napkin. “Of course.”

  “Where are you going?” Riley calls after her.

  “I'll be right back!” She smiles and follows me out the door, and the little bell dings when we leave. “Everything okay?” she asks once we're in the parking lot.

  I take her hand and lead her to the side of my truck, facing away from the building, with nothing but trees around the back. “No, it's not okay,” I say sternly, trying to not to smile and to shield my face from her as we walk.

  “Babe? What's wrong?”

  I push her up against the side of my truck, putting a hand on the glass window on each side of her head. “Listen here, little miss.” I narrow my eyes. “You can't just tease a man like that in a room full of people and not expect him to—”

  She cuts me off by throwing her arms around me and pulling me into a deep kiss. I move my whole body closer to hers and press the hard ridge in my jeans against her. She moans quietly, and I tongue her deeper. I'm not sure how long we're standing there, devouring one another completely. I lift her leg so it's resting on my hip and I push against her, desperate to be inside.

  “Baby,” she breathes.

  “I told you this was gonna happen.” I kiss her neck and shoulder, only stopping long enough to let each word out. Her skin is soft and sweet; I pull down the strap of her dress and gently bite her shoulder.

  “I can't stand it anymore. Please, baby.”

  I apologize to myself and the rage that's building in my pants, and I pull away from her slowly. Her eyes are closed, and she's breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Composing myself, I pull her strap back up with my finger and smooth her hair over her shoulders. “You aren't the only one who can tease around here.” I growl, and she drops her jaw.

  “You. Are…So mean!” She pouts and runs her hands through her hair, turning around to look in the reflection of the dark windows, checking to make sure it doesn't look like she's just been ravaged—well, almost ravaged, anyway.

  I chuckle, very proud of myself for getting her worked up, and not giving in and tearing off her panties to make love to her right here in the parking lot of Lake’s. And for not having an orgasm myself just from grinding against her beautiful body. I kiss her softly. “Can you walk back in there now, or should I carry you?”

  “I can walk, thank you very much. You know, you're gonna get it later!”

  “Mmm, I hope so.” I inhale sharply, anticipating later. Maybe she'll wear my hat again...

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  It's in the early afternoon when we get back to the ranch. The girls talked about going riding, and Addison asked me if that was okay with me. I told her of course I didn't mind, what's mine is hers and besides, I think it would be fun to go out and see these city girls in a saddle.

  Riley and Alex stay behind. He grabs a blanket from the house and lays it on the ground for her to sit on. We all know they need time to talk, so we're gone for what feels like a few good hours. Addison and Leah are gracefully riding Cylas and Roman. Leah actually rode with her in Maine, and she was quite enthused about showing off her skills. Zoe and Camille are each riding a horse for the first time today.

  Jeremiah pulled out all the stops to play the best cowboy he could for the girls, wearing his hat and boots, even chaps. I laughed to myself when he walked out of the barn with them on. The girls all but fanned themselves at the sight of him, and he's now beaming while he's explaining all about Wyoming. I'm sure he's made some of it up, but they are eating it up like candy.

  “Well, looks like you had fun,” Riley shouts over to us once we reach the gate, shielding the sun from her eyes with her hands. She's sitting on the blanket with her legs stretched out, wearing a long strapless dress. She looks beautiful, and Alex is laying down with his head on her lap. The sight of them makes me smile. I look over at Addison who looks like she's about to cry; she smiles and waves at them.

  “Riley, Alex! Yo
u guys missed all the fun!” Leah says melodically as she pulls the saddle off Roman and slings it over her arm like a pro.

  “Oh, yeah? I'm sorry I missed out on walking bow-legged for the rest of the day!” Riley laughs and points to Camille and Zoe who are walking slowly like they've ridden on a barrel for hours.

  “Oh, shut up, Riley!” Zoe laughs and bends down to wipe the horse hair off the back of her jeans. “It was worth it.” She grins at Jeremiah, who is Cheshire Cat-smiling right back at her.

  Addison's birthday is in four days, and tonight the girls are taking her out for a birthday/bachelorette celebration. I overheard a few random words like reservations, booze, singles, and chaps. Which only tells me two things: dinner and strippers. It will be a typical bachelorette party, I'm sure; the girls have been very secretive otherwise.

  Jer and I bathe the horses and feed all the animals after our long ride. Alex is in the house with everyone else. He's been almost attached to Riley since she showed up, doting on her left, right and center. They actually look very happy together, and I hope everything works out for them.

  “Alex took me aside earlier and asked me if Riley could stay with us until the baby is born,” Jer says while he fills a water bucket with the garden hose.

  I had no idea she wanted to stay in Wyoming. “Really? Wow...”

  “Yeah. I said it was okay. I guess he'll be able to save some money to get a place of his own this way.”

  “Jer, you sure? I mean, she's not due until when? June?” I try and remember the date she told us. June the fourth, I think it is.

  He shrugs. “It's a big house, needs life in it again.”

  “What's she gonna do about her son?”

  “He said since her parents are flying in for the wedding, they'll bring him then and he'll stay.” He fills another bucket with the hose.

  Addison is in our bedroom getting dressed. When I walk in and close the door behind me, I have to lean against it because my knees almost buckle. She's standing in front of the mirror that's on top of the long wooden dresser, smoothing her hair with her hands. Her long red curls are flowing down her back, one side pinned back by a small silver comb with pearls on it. She's wearing a white cotton dress that ends mid-thigh, and it's completely strapless. A thin leather belt deliciously sits around her waist, and she's got the brown Dan Post cowboy boots I bought for her on.