“Well, I’ll be! It is you! It’s been years!” she drawled.
Shit. I looked at her again, trying to place her face, and I couldn’t. I shook my head slowly.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t…” This happened every now and then, and it was always embarrassing, every single time.
“Oh, of course you don’t remember me!” she said, the drawl of her voice so thick you could cut it with a knife. “I’m Lily! Lily Morgan.”
“Lily Morgan…” I murmured, still drawing a complete blank, shaking my head, hoping like hell she wasn’t someone I had a roll in the hay with and didn’t remember. I was pretty sure that wasn’t the case, because I didn’t usually forget a girl like this.
She was a tiny little package of curvy delights. From her hips to her pretty little lips, she was sheer perfection.
“We went to Sugar Hill High together, Lee. We weren’t friends, so you wouldn’t remember me,” she said. “Of course, everyone knew who you were. You and your brothers were legends in that town. How’s Beau?”
“Oh, high school, right,” I replied, relief flooding through me, happy she wasn’t someone I’d fucked, or fucked over. “Beau is fine. He married Georgia Hope not too long ago.”
“Are you kidding me?” she cried. “Well, ain’t that just a delight! Georgia was a good girl.”
I nodded, completely at a loss for what else to say to her. I had no recollection of her at all, but she certainly knew exactly who I was. But she was so fuckin’ pretty, all I could do was stare at her.
“So,” she continued. “You live in Houston now?”
“Uh, yeah…” I replied. That was the plan, after all. If you called sleeping in my truck within the city limits the last two nights living here.
“That’s just great! It’s so good to run into you, Lee! You live in the neighborhood?” she asked, her bright eyes shining up at me.
“Well, honestly, I just moved here, Lily. A few days ago. Still looking for a place and a job.” I could have easily lied, but there was something about the way she was looking up at me, her eyes all full of trust and innocence, that made me want to tell her the truth. How could you lie to a face like that? Even if it was a small lie?
“Oh, I see,” she replied, pausing. “Well…you know, I have an idea. I don’t know what you’re looking for, but my Daddy runs a practice pen out in Cypress. If I remember correctly, you and your brothers were involved in the Sugar Hill Rodeo, is that right?”
“That’s right, we were, Beau still rides as a matter of fact.”
“That’s perfect!” she said.
“It is? Perfect for what?” I asked. I wasn’t sure where she was going with this, but I was getting quite a kick out of watching her mouth move. My cock twitched in my pants, having obviously completely forgotten our decision to lay off the women for a while.
“Well, as you know, the Houston Rodeo and Livestock show is coming up on us real fast. Most of the big players practice at our place, so things are really busy around there right now. I know Daddy could use some help. You know, just cleaning up and taking care of the horses and bulls, mostly. I do the books for him, it’s mostly a family affair, but we do hire some seasonal help. Just so happens, the last guy Daddy hired up and quit last week. I bet I could put in a good word for you, if you’re interested, that is.”
I was interested, that was for sure. So was my cock. And the job sounded pretty good, too.
“That sounds great, Lily, I’d appreciate that.”
She smiled so big it was like her whole face lit up. My eyes trailed down to her ring finger and I was pleased to see it bare.
“I’m actually here with Daddy, oh look, there he is! Daddy!” she called, waving her hands at a large, barrel-chested man that was walking towards us.
“Daddy, this is Lee Haggard,” she said. He extended his hand and I took it. “Lee, this is my Daddy, Jimmy Morgan. Lee and I went to high school together, Daddy.”
“Nice to meet you, son,” Jimmy said, gripping my hand firmly.
“Nice to meet you, too, sir,” I replied.
“Daddy, Lee just moved to Houston from Sugar Hill. He’s looking for work and I thought maybe he could take Bobby’s old job? What do you think?”
“You know anything about working at a practice pen? Horses? Rodeo, that kind of stuff?”
“Yes, sir, my brothers and I competed for years in the Sugar Hill Rodeo. My brother Beau won the HLSR last year.”
“I remember that,” he drawled, his tobacco stained voice matching his yellow fingertips. “Beau Haggard, that’s right. He doing all right?”
“Yes, sir, he’s fine. Just got married,” I said.
“Good for him,” he said. Slowly, he looked me up and down, sizing me up. “Well, alright, I’ll give you a try then. Be at the pen tomorrow at six in the morning.” He nodded and shook my hand again, his hands so rough they scratched my palm.
“I appreciate that, sir. I’ll be there at six sharp.” I smiled and then turned back to Lily. Once again, her beaming smile seemed to pierce right through me and I felt something inside me stir that I hadn’t felt in a real long time.
Hope.
CHAPTER TEN
LILY
When one door closes, another one opens.
I laid alone in my bed that night, a handsome face from my past dancing though my thoughts. I couldn’t sleep. My body had been buzzing with adrenaline all day.
Seeing Lee Haggard standing in that grocery aisle brought back so many memories. I’d spent the better part of my freshman year completely obsessed with him and his brothers.
Of course, Lee was known as the bad boy of Sugar Hill, and all the stories I’d heard over the years only served to cement that reputation. It also made me that much more intrigued. He’d never looked my way, though. He was much more interested in the rebellious girls. The ones whose reputations matched his.
I was the good girl. The one that didn’t make waves, the straight A student that never spoke out of turn, the only girl in my class that didn’t kiss a boy until I was almost seventeen. The one who wouldn’t even have had sex until marriage if Brock hadn’t worn me down six months after we started dating.
But things were different now. We weren’t in high school anymore, and by the looks of the way he filled out that shirt he was wearing, we’d both grown up. A lot.
My goodness, when he turned those sexy blue eyes my way, my stomach filled up with butterflies, and that hadn’t happened in well…a very long time.
I pushed away the pangs of guilt I felt for being attracted to another man, reminded myself that I was now single and I could do whatever the hell I pleased, and relished in the fantasy that was Lee Haggard for just a few moments.
It would be nice to have a fresh face around the practice pen. Maybe he’d stick around a while and we’d get a chance to get to know each other. Maybe he could help me forget the asshole that still haunted my heart, even though he didn’t deserve an ounce of my energy.
Maybe, just maybe, things were looking up.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
LEE
It was ten to six when I turned my truck onto the gravel road that led to Jimmy Morgan’s practice arena. I’d slept in the truck again last night, passing out after drinking myself to sleep. I woke up at five, used a gas-station bathroom to clean up, changed into a new t-shirt and a clean pair of jeans. After guzzling a cup of black coffee, I was as alert as I could be.
It took all my willpower not to take a slug off last night’s bottle, but I left it laying on the floor and jumped out of the truck. I stood there a moment, taking in my surroundings. It was barely six a.m. and the place was already jumping.
Horses were being led out to pasture, wheelbarrows full of manure were being wheeled out to the back of a huge red barn, and the air was filled with the shrill chirping of two big, black crows sitting in the top of a huge pine tree that swayed overhead. The sun was just rising in the horizon, throwing faint rays of orange and red light across
the property. The soft, familiar sounds of horses neighing filled my ears, and just like it always did, my heart slowed, my anxiety lifted, and I inhaled deeply.
“You’re early, I like that,” Jimmy Morgan’s voice was a loud boom that shot through the peaceful morning sunrise.
“Yes, sir,” I replied. “Ready to work.” I tipped my hat at him and shook his hand. There was something comforting about him. He was solid. His green eyes peered into mine for a moment as he nodded at me. I was determined to approach this job like a man. I wasn’t afraid of doing hard work. I’d always taken the easy way out but that was in the past. It was time to prove to myself, and everyone else, that I could take care of myself. I didn’t need any one.
“Good thing, son, because I’ve got a lot of work for you,” he said, turning away. I followed along, paying close attention. “There’s a lot of extra traffic around here. Lots of press. Riders from out of town needing a place to practice, in addition to the full house we normally have. With the rodeo coming up this weekend, it’s going to be a crazy week leading up to it.”
“I understand, sir,” I replied.
“I need someone that can roll with the punches, see something that needs to be taken care of and deal with it without needing any direction,” he turned and looked me in the eye. “You good on your own?”
“Yes, sir,” I replied. Hell, I’d been on my own all my life. This sounded like the perfect job for me so far.
“Good to hear it,” Jimmy said, turning and walking again.
“Alrighty, well the horses and bulls have just been let out, so it’s time to get to mucking the stalls and the barns. We’ve got three barns here and two different practice arenas. We mainly run bulls in one and horses in the other. Can you work till seven tonight? It’s going to be a helluva long day.”
“Sure can, that’s no problem, sir. I’ll stay as long as you need me.”
“Good, good, that’s what I like to hear,” he said. “A loyal worker is hard to find these days.”
“I’ve heard that,” I agreed, even though I knew I was the kind of worker he was complaining about. I was determined not to fuck this one up, though. I needed this job. I needed this new start.
I was so tired of being the man I used to be. I wanted to be someone I could be proud of, that my family could be proud of.
I cringed at the thought of my family, of what a mess everything was right now. I had no idea how to handle things, so I was continuing to ignore them. At least if I swept all the shit under the rug, I would be able to pretend it wasn’t there for a little while.
I knew this job, although ball-busting labor, was just the distraction I needed right now.
I worked all day, barely stopping to join the other workers for the lunch that Lily’s dad laid out for us. There was barely time to come up for air and there were a lot of people streaming in and out of the barns and practice pens at any given moment. The hustle and bustle made time move quickly and before I knew it the sun was beginning to set in the distance.
I was out in the pasture, shoveling shit. I stopped for a moment, throwing the pitchfork to the side and wiping my brow as I looked out at the horizon. The sky had turned a dusty pink, casting a faint pink glow on the rolling hills in the distance.
The beauty of it was breathtaking and my eyes welled up with tears suddenly. I was glad I was all alone and I wiped the tears before they could fall down my cheeks. Overwhelmed with emotion, instead of pushing it away, I let the sadness wash over me.
My dad was dying. My dad wasn’t even my dad.
How was I supposed to process this? I’d spent the last few days burying those two facts deep in the recesses of my mind and under as much booze as I could consume.
Now, here they were again, slapping me in the face once more, reminding me that they were indeed facts that I needed to face, no matter how much I loathed doing so. Reminding me that they weren’t going away, no matter how many nights passed, no matter how many bottles of liquor I hid under.
So I had to face them. But how? What was I supposed to do first? I certainly couldn’t save my dad from his brain tumor.
Six to eight weeks was nothing, I thought. He’d be dead soon, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
How could I ever let him go?
I shook the thoughts away, willing the tears to dry up. I was a man, I reminded myself. I’d deal with this shit the way any man would. With courage. And integrity. And strength.
I just had to figure out where those things lay inside of me, so I could access them somehow.
“Time to wrap up for the night,” I heard Jimmy walk up behind me and I turned around, wiping my eyes one last time so he wouldn’t see a grown-ass man crying like a baby in his pasture.
“Sounds good, sir. I’m almost done here,” I said, picking up the pitchfork and starting work again.
“Gorgeous night,” he muttered, looking out at the pink horizon.
“Sure is,” I muttered.
“Where are you staying, Lee? You find a place in town yet?”
“No, sir, not yet. Been crashing in my truck the last few days. Figure I’ll start looking for a place to live real soon.”
“I reckon you can stay in the barn, if you wanna. There’s a bed in the tack room, got a heater and a bathroom in there. It’s yours if you want it.”
“That’s mighty good of you, Mr. Morgan. Thank you, I really appreciate it,” I said, tipping my hat at him. Sleeping in a warm bed sounded really nice. My truck could get a little cold, not to mention cramped with my long ass legs.
“No problem, Lee. You did good today. See you in the morning, son,” he replied, leaving me alone in the pasture again. I watched him walk away and smiled.
Lily had a good dad. No wonder she was so sweet.
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out, looking at the caller ID. It was my brother, Beau.
I hit the reject button, shoved the phone in my pocket and picked up the handles of the wheelbarrow, hoping I could get through one more night alone without losing my mind about my family. I dumped the load of manure on the huge pile behind the barn to be sold later. I hung up the pitchfork, feeling really fucking good that I’d finished off a long, hard day of work.
I smiled to myself when I remembered I had a full bottle of whiskey waiting for me in my truck.
CHAPTER TWELVE
LILY
“Darlin, why don’t you take a plate out to Lee? I told him he could sleep in the tack room, till he found a place to live,” Daddy said.
“That sure is nice of you, Jimmy,” my mom replied, before taking a sip of her sweet tea.
“I like him. He worked his ass off all day, barely stopping to piss. He’s polite, respectful, comes from a good family. The world needs more men like that.”
My parents were finishing up their dinner and I let my gaze wander out the window. Lee was out there. I’d wondered why his truck was still here, but I just figured my dad was making him work late or something. He could be a bit of a hard ass when it came to his workers. But, as indicated by offering the tack room to Lee, he was also a nice guy.
“I’d be happy to take him a plate. Thanks for giving him a chance, Daddy.”
“Sure thing, Lily. I like him a lot better than that kiss ass you’re dating.”
I groaned to myself when he mentioned him again. This would probably be a good time to tell them I’d broken up with him, but I knew they’d have a million questions that I didn’t feel like answering, so I kept my mouth shut.
Besides, I thought, Lee is probably starving out there. Why waste all this time talking to my parents about a jerk when I could be out there talking to Lee?
I finished my dinner quickly and then fixed a heaping plate for Lee. Grabbing a few beers from the fridge, I headed outside into the darkness.
I always loved the farm the most when it was surrounded by the peacefulness of the evening. Most everyone had left and the horses were safely back in their stalls, happily munching
on hay and grains, their soft sounds echoing through the quiet barn.
Lee was sitting on the bed in the tack room, piles of bridles sitting around him as he cleaned them. The smell of leather was thick in the air. I always loved coming in this room, inhaling the rich scent, awed by all the amazing craftsmanship that went into all the leather and iron work.
“I brought you a plate,” I said, lightly knocking on the open door. “And a beer.”
He looked up and a smile beamed across his handsome face, a lock of dark hair falling across his forehead. His usual Stetson was hanging on a hook behind him, and I drank in the sight of his dark, luscious hair. His long, soft waves were such a contrast to my unruly curls that I was almost jealous.
“Lily! Aren’t you a site for sore eyes! Thank you so much,” he drawled, standing and taking the plate from my hands. He towered over me, his tall, lanky frame causing me to tilt my head back to look up at him.
At least the view was worth the neck strain I’ll have later, I thought.
“You’re welcome. What are you doing?” I asked.
“Cleaning tack. Thought I’d make good use of my time in here. Nothing better to do to pass the hours.”
“You don’t have to work when you aren’t on the clock,” I replied, secretly impressed with his work ethic.
“Ain’t nothin’,” he shrugged, moving a pile of saddle blankets off the bed and motioning for me to sit down. He sat next to me and began cutting into the steak. I watched his long fingers expertly slice through the meat with the knife, noticing how huge his hands were. My eyes trailed over his long limbs, sliding over his sinewy muscles and his muscular, jean-clad thighs.
“This is delicious,” he said, between bites. Yes it is, I thought, my insides melting as I watched him with a smile, shamelessly staring at him as he ate.
“Glad you like it,” I said, admiring the way his jaw flexed as he chewed. “Compliments of my Daddy.”
“You got a good one,” he nodded.
“I sure do. I’m one of the lucky ones.”
“What are you still doing here? Or do you live here?”
THE HOPE BROTHERS: The Bad Boys of Sugar Hill Page 30