by Tyler, Jules
"Awe, they're so cute!" Stella whisper screamed, causing the biggest buck in the herd to jerk his head up and study them.
After a few moments, he must have deemed them not a threat because he went back to eating. Brady jerked his head back towards the road, signaling to Stella it was time to leave them be.
"That was so cool!" Stella quietly exclaimed as she climbed back into the Razr. "How did you know they were going to be there?"
Brady hadn't considered the fact that he'd have to explain that portion of the experience to her.
"Oh, uh, they always graze there this time of year. It was just a hunch," he stammered before turning the key and revving the Razr's engine to take off again.
"Well, that was an awesome experience, Mr. Eastern. Thank you for that," Stella smiled, tears of happiness welling up in her eyes.
"Hey now, don't you go cryin' on me," Brady teased her.
Stella dashed the tears away from her eyes quickly before giggling at her silliness, "Sorry, it's just been a long time since someone took the time to do something so thoughtful for me. Clearly, I made the right decision coming here."
Brady frowned at her, "You're telling me no one has bothered to stop and show you some simple deer on the side of the road before?"
"No, I mean that no one has bothered to do small, sentimental things for me. They've always tried to buy my love, and I'm just not a girl that can be bought. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind gifts or free food. What girl doesn't? I really only stayed in the dating game as long as I did because I was hoping I might have a genuine connection with someone someday," Stella explained as they passed a sign that read Garden Valley 10 miles.
"Well, that's just stupid. Any moron with half a brain knows that a true lady deserves to be courted the right way. Hell, even the girls I've hooked up with in town at least get some flowers or something the next day. Sentiment matters. Psh, idiots, all of them," Brady shook his head at the ignorance of some people.
Stella shrugged, "I guess it doesn't bother me as much as it should. Can't miss something you've never had."
Brady slammed on the brakes and turned to face Stella, his expression obviously a frustrated one.
"I'm going to make you want those things for yourself Stella. Why? Because you deserve those things. Flowers, chocolate, whatever your heart desires, you're going to get it. Why am I going to be the one to give it to you? You're my longest friend, that's why! Those other guys? They weren't men. I'm a real man. I'm going to make sure you know it. When you look back on these days, I want you to remember that I showed you what true men do to treat a woman like yourself right. Got it?" He growled out at her.
Stella struggled to breathe around the heavy air filling the cab before finally giving up and nodding her agreement.
"Good, I'm glad that's settled, then," Brady nodded to himself before continuing on down the road like the entire exchange hadn't taken place.
Chapter Seven
Stella walked alongside Brady, keeping track of how much money she was spending on the groceries they were purchasing to make sure she didn't overspend her budget. With the amount she had saved, if she rationed it out, she could live up at the cabin for four more months. That meant she couldn't spend more than about seventy-five dollars are groceries every two weeks. In theory that shouldn't be too hard, but it was definitely a struggle when it came down to which snack foods to prioritize for her current run with Brady.
"Hmmm," she murmured, chewing on her pen as she thought out loud. "The real question is do I want Nacho Cheese Doritos or Peanut Butter Oreos? Damn, why does this decision have to be so hard?"
"Why not just get both?" Brady asked earnestly as he pushed the cart down the canned food aisle.
Too prideful to admit the real reason out loud, Stella decided to play it off as no big deal, "Because I'm trying to watch my girlish figure, can't you tell?"
"Your girlish figure looks just fine to me. Besides, I know you're lying. It's okay, Stella, I know you obviously aren't working. It'd be impossible for you to have the cabin booked for the foreseeable future if you were. Just get both and toss in a thing of Dr. Pepper while you're at it. My treat," Brady grinned at her.
"What? Brady, no! I can't let you do that," Stella argued, placing herself in front of the cans of Dr. Pepper to keep Brady from picking up a twelve pack when they stopped next to them.
Brady rolled his eyes and shoved her over gently with one hand, "Best not fight it, Stell. There's no resisting me. Once I've made my mind up about something, I do it. Whether you're in the store, or sitting out in the truck, I'm buying you your snacks."
Stella folded her arms and glared at him as hard as she could, "I said no."
Obviously calling her bluff, Brady laughed, "Awe, look at how cute you are when you laugh. C'mon, Stell, we're losing daylight."
Heaving an overly dramatic sigh to show her displeasure, Stella finally relented, "Okay, fine, have it your way. I'll only agree if you promise to let me cook for you again tonight though."
"That's fine. What's on the menu?" Brady asked as he absent-mindedly rounded the corner into the snack aisle and added Stella's required provisions into the cart.
"Haven't quite decided yet. But I'm sure you won't complain either way," Stella smarted off. She'd never known him to be picky when they were kids, so she was certain he wasn't picky now.
"Okey dokey, whatever you say. How about when we're done here, I take you around the corner for a cup of hot chocolate and a homemade cinnamon roll? Three Bears Diner makes the best," Brady shrugged at her, pushing the cart towards the only check out register that the general store offered.
"That sounds…," Stella hesitated a moment before continuing. "That sounds delicious. I think I'll take you up on that offer."
"Good deal. Now let's hurry up and check out so we can book it over there," Brady beamed at her as they raced each other to the end of the line and laughed at their ridiculousness.
Laughing this much was making Stella's wounds ache, but it was a welcome pain. She hadn't laughed like this in ages and she sure as hell wasn't about to let the pain ruin it for her.
Once the groceries were paid for and loaded into the Razr, Brady took Stella by the hand, and they walked down the little wooden boardwalk that lined their side of the street. Normally she would yank her hand away but she trusted Brady. Plus his hand was warm compared to hers, so she couldn't complain much.
Coming to a stop in front of a sign that read Three Bears Diner, Brady opened the door so Stella could shuffle inside. She took in the old-style barn wood walls and cute cartoon pictures of bears and smiled up at Brady. This place was perfect. The tables and chairs appeared to be handcrafted from logs and also had little bears carved into the woodwork.
"Oh my God, Brady. This place is adorable," Stella exclaimed before walking over to the little wood stove in the corner of the restaurant and hanging her mittens and coat up to let them get nice and toasty warm from the fire burning inside.
"Brady! Is that you, son?" A grey-haired woman who appeared to be well into her seventies came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel as she looked at Brady with a smile a mile wide.
"Sure is, Ms. McCanless. I brought an old friend with me this time. Can we get two orders of the usual?" Brady asked as he stooped to hug the woman.
"For you, my dear? Anything you want, as always. But first introduce me to your friend," Ms. McCanless said, gesturing over at Stella.
Taking the hint, Stella strode away from the stove and stuck out a hand to introduce herself, "My name is Stella. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."
Ms. McCanless gave Stella's arm a tug and pulled her into a hug, "We don't shake hands around here, sweetheart. That's for city-slickers. Don't be calling me ma'am again either, ya hear?"
Stella smiled down at the little old woman as she released her from their embrace, "Yes, Ms. McCanless."
"Good. Now go have a seat while I go find you a few cinnamon rolls. Brady, am I packing o
ne up for your mama too?" Ms. McCanless called over her shoulder as she headed back to the kitchen.
"Always, Ms. McCanless," Brady chuckled as he guided Stella to a booth close by the fire.
"Well, she seemed… Friendly," Stella giggled, smoothing down her messy hair.
"Ha yeah, she has a way with people, doesn't she?" Brady asked, running a hand through his hair as well.
"I'll say. She'd be a force to be reckoned with behind the bar top, that's for sure," Stella shook her head at the image that her head was creating of Ms. McCanless flipping bottles or pouring waterfalls of shots.
"That would definitely be a sight," Brady said as he grinned in agreement.
There was a comfortable lull in the conversation as Ms. McCanless bustled back out of the kitchen with two heaping cinnamon rolls that looked as though they were as big as Stella's face and two steaming cups of cocoa piled high with whipped cream. That whipped cream made Stella happier than Ms. McCanless realized. She loved a lot of whipped cream on top of her hot cocoa. Taking a deep breath, the mixed fragrance of cream cheese, vanilla, and cinnamon filled Stella's nostrils. She could feel her mouth begin to water as she watched the cream cheese frosting drip down the side of the enormous pastry.
"Oh, wow! This looks fantastic, Ms. McCanless. Thank you!" Stella exclaimed before licking her lips in excitement.
"No problem, sugar. You two let me know if there's anything else you need. Brady, I'll bring out your mama's box when I bring the check," Ms. McCanless winked as she set down the food and strode back to the kitchen again.
"How am I supposed to eat all of this?" Stella whispered to Brady.
He smiled at her teasingly before saying, "I don't know. I think you might have to grow an extra stomach or something."
"Excuse me, but my curves are already ample enough as it is. I don't think I'll be needing an extra stomach. I'll just borrow yours," Stella said sarcastically. She was comfortable with who she was and her curves, so there was definitely no reason for her to be concerned about what Brady, or anyone else, might think of her size.
"I'm just saying, if you want to eat it all, you might need an extra stomach. If you want to borrow mine though, I won't complain. I have all the extra room in the world for Ms. McCanless' delicious cinnamon rolls," Brady said around a mouthful before swallowing.
"If you say so, but watch out. I might get greedy and decide to take the leftovers home with me instead," Stella winked at him playfully before scooping a bite of the fluffy goodness into her own maw. It was no surprise to Stella that the way the cinnamon roll tasted was just as good as the way it smelled. Ms. McCanless certainly had outdone herself with these. Everything blended so well together that Stella wished she had never tasted it so she could experience it all over again.
Chapter Eight
It had taken Stella a full thirty minutes, but she had managed to pack away the entire pastry and two cups of cocoa. Brady was definitely proud of her. As they bumped down the road back towards camp, Brady cast a sideway glance at Stella. She had fallen asleep as soon as they started their drive back up the mountain, and Brady couldn't say her blamed her. A full belly like that would require some extra sleep to burn it all off again.
Every time he looked at her, he felt like he had to memorize every detail about her all over again, as though he had missed an important detail or something had changed since the last time he looked at her. She wasn't wrong when she said that her curves were ample, but Brady only saw them as sexy as hell with the way that they filled out her figure. Her breasts were definitely more than a handful and they matched her ass. Her short hair framed her face and ears just so, making her ear full of piercings more noticeable. Brady wanted to nibble on those and then kiss her pert little nose with the little diamond stud in it. She was so beautiful, and he had a feeling she didn't realize it.
Sure, some might say that was awful girly of him, but he was a romantic. Growing up the only child of a single mother taught you how to look at women in a totally different way. It also taught you how to treat them right. If he ever mistreated a woman, there would be hell to pay with Mama, and boy did he know it.
Pulling up next to Stella's cabin, Brady cut the engine and got out. Walking around to Stella's side of the Razr, he opened the door and stooped over to scoop her up into his arms, careful not to jostle her head. He strode up the stairs and gently used the master key on his keyring to unlock the cabin. Slipping inside, he strode over to her bedroom door and nudged it open before setting her down gingerly on the bed. Stepping away from the bed, he looked down at her and smiled to himself. She looked so much more relaxed when she was asleep, like nothing bad could affect her. Deep down, Brady knew there was more to why Stella had come back to Silver Creek, but he wouldn't pressure her. She would tell him when she was ready.
Chapter Nine
"No, Alaric, I'm done with this. I'm done with you. Whatever weird shit you're wrapped up in? I want no part in it. Get your shit and get out of my place," Stella yelled, shoving him away from her.
Alaric's eyes flashed silver as he stalked her across the room, "Too bad, Stella. You're mine. You're just as good as a bought and paid for whore and you know it. You'll never be anyone else's. I told you, I always get what I want."
Stella tried to dive around him before his fist connected with her face, knocking her to the floor. She tried to scoot backwards on her hands and knees as she watched Alaric's face slowly morph into something far more terrifying that the man she had known. Fur filled his face, his nose and mouth elongated, and his teeth and nails grew sharp.
"Wake up, Stella. This is just a bad dream. Wake up, wake up, wake up," she begged herself, tears streaming down her face.
A terrifying, animalistic laugh filled the room as Alaric continued to change into a monster, "No, Stella, this isn't a dream. I told you, you're mine. I'm going to make you remember this moment for the rest of your life. Make you remember the night you tried to tell me no."
Stella cried out as she flung herself out of bed and up against the wall. Casting her eyes around in a panic as she tried to remember her surroundings, she gasped for air. Heavy footsteps coming towards the bedroom brought her attention to the doorway.
"Stella? Stella, are you okay?" Brady's voice asked from the other side of the closed door.
Heaving a sigh, Stella felt everything begin to drift back to her. She was at Silver Creek, Brady was here, and everything was going to be okay. She must've fallen asleep in the Razr on their way home from Garden Valley.
"Y-yeah, I'm okay, Brady. You can come in," Stella said before sitting down on the bed as she tried to finish gathering her bearings.
The door opened, and Brady paced the room, scanning it for any potential threats, "You're sure everything is okay?"
"I'm sure. I just had a bad dream is all," Stella said, rubbing her temples to relieve the stress from the dream.
"Do you want… Would you… Can I hold you? Would that be okay?" Brady hesitated as he sat down next to her on the bed.
Stella chewed her lip. That did sound nice. There couldn't be any harm in that, right? They were friends, and that's what friends did, didn't they? She nodded at him before laying down on one side of the bed and scooting over so that there would be enough room for Brady too. She felt her middle warm with relief and safety as Brady pulled her back close to his chest.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Brady whispered into her hair.
Stella closed her eyes and felt the tears drip down her face as she shook her head in protest. Someday she would tell him, but today wasn't going to be the day.
"That's okay, I understand. Mama says talking about your dreams can make them too real for some folks, and that's scary too. I say if you keep them tucked away inside of you that those bad dreams? They become toxic, churning inside of you like someone made you drink poison and it tried to kill you from the inside out. Talking about it is the only cure for it. I'll never, never pressure you to tell me anything, Stella, I promise. Just
know that I'm here when you're ready, okay?" Brady said as he stroked her arm gently.
Stella nodded before whispering, "Thank you."
"Anytime, sunshine. Why don't you go grab your swimsuit? I think a dip in the hot springs could do you and your soul some good."
Stella chewed her lip and considered it. It could be good for her, but it also meant that Brady might see her scars. That meant more questions. Maybe she could pull it off if she wore a pair of comfy shorts and a tank top over the top of her swimsuit instead? Yeah, that could work.
"Okay, yeah. Let's go for a dip," she said as she slid out of Brady's arms. Part of her hesitated. She wasn't finished feeling the safety that his arms had promised.
C'mon Stella, get a grip. He's just a friend and you're trying to get better. Besides, Grandpa Buck always said don't shit where you eat. Sleeping with a friend? That was all sorts of shitting where you're eating.