Love is Thicker Than Blood (Country Romance Series)

by Ivy Alexander

  Disregarding her, Aunt Gabby hurriedly told her to get some breakfast. “Zack will be here in five minutes. Grab yourself a muffin and banana and we’ll be off.”

  “Aunt Gabby, I do not eat carbs. I told you that already.”

  The look she got from Aunt Gabby was the closest thing to a motherly look Jen had ever had. It said: If you don’t want a muffin that’s fine. But don’t whine to me when you are starving in an hour!

  A knock and hello from Zack at the front door broke their moment. “Everyone ready?” Zack’s cheerful voice rang through the house. “We’re burnin’ daylight people, let’s go!”

  Aunt Gabby grabbed an apple. “I’m comin Zacky, I’m comin,” she sang as she hurried out the door. Zack turned to Jen, “Wow, you look like a ray of sunshine.” Jen rolled her eyes. She was starting to think that wasn’t a compliment. “You might want to change your shoes,” Zack offered. He tilted his head sideways and looked at them. “I haven’t seen shoes that high in a while,” he said, suppressing a smile.

  Jen gave him a dirty look. “I know fancy shoes are a rare thing out here in the middle of nowhere, but where I come from, girls kill to have shoes like these.”

  “Really?” Zack said in mock fascination, “Who’d you kill?”

  Jen let out a frustrated breath, “I bought them smart ass.”

  Zack chuckled and held his hands up in defense, “Hey I was just curious.”

  “Let’s just go,” Jen said as she grabbed her purse.

  “Are you going to grab something to eat?” Zack asked as he pointed to the muffins.

  “I don’t eat in the mornings,” Jen said with a snobby tone she didn’t intend.

  “Alrighty, but don’t whine to me if you’re starving in an hour.”

  Jen huffed. Zack and Aunt Gabby must be on the same brain wave. They seemed to have a lot of the same thoughts. He opened the front door and waited for Jen to walk onto the front porch before he closed the door behind them.

  “How much did you pay for those shoes?” Zack asked as they walked to the truck.

  “None of your business!” Jen wasn’t going to give him more to scoff at.

  “I’m honestly curious,” he smiled at her and his dimple appeared, mocking her.

  “They’re Vera Wang; let’s just leave it at that,” Jen said with an irritated tone.

  Zack nodded and let out a slow “Hmmmm” that proved to Jen he was just pretending to be interested.

  They had reached the truck and Zack opened the passenger door. Aunt Gabby was already nestled in the middle, clearly eager to get a move on. Zack got into the driver’s seat and started the truck. It roared loudly and they were on their way.

  “So, where are we going?” Jen asked. She had forgotten to get an answer from Aunt Gabby.

  “We’re gonna go do some branding,” Zack said enthusiastically, without looking at her.

  Jen had absolutely no idea what that meant, but she wasn’t about to give Zack the satisfaction of knowing that. So she just nodded, determined to look as if it hadn’t fazed her. Aunt Gabby talked the rest of the ride. Jen stared out the window, not intentionally ignoring her but not really paying much attention. She had her own thoughts to deal with. She had a problem. She couldn’t decide if she was attracted to Zack LaFaye, or if he annoyed the ever living hell out of her. She sneaked a peak at him; he wore a navy blue T-shirt and jeans. Did this guy ever dress in anything other than a T-shirt and jeans? Of course not, this was Ohio. Farm boy town. They all dressed that way, or so she assumed. His dark hair was uncombed; it looked like he’d been wearing a hat. He still hadn’t shaved. His whiskers would become a full blown beard if he didn’t trim up soon. Maybe that’s what he was going for. Maybe he didn’t care about the way he looked. Maybe he was one of those back-woodsy type people that never showered or shaved. Jen’s eyebrows furrowed, and then she mentally scratched out that thought. He didn’t seem dirty; just… she searched mentally for the word. ‘Rugged’ was what she finally came up with.

  Her thoughts were broken when Zack turned and caught her looking at him. She didn’t move. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was intimidated. Their eyes locked for a few seconds. He didn’t smile. Jen finally looked away; three seconds, maybe? She felt a flutter in the pit of her stomach and immediately pushed it away. She looked back at him one more time. He caught her again and this time he winked. She turned away quickly in defiance. Annoying. He definitely annoyed her. He was annoying. It was official.

  Chapter 5

  Jen got out of the truck and stood there dumbstruck. Cows. As far as the eye could see, nothing but big, mooing, black and brown, cows. Jen had never actually touched a cow, and she didn’t want to. They were dirty and smelly and HUGE! Aunt Gabby ran, literally ran, to the fence and began cooing at the beasts closest to her. Jen marveled once again at how much energy she had, especially for a woman that was dying of cancer.

  Zack walked around the front of the truck, “You gonna stay here by the truck?” he asked as he put a black cowboy hat on his head.

  Jen surveyed her surroundings; besides the cows, the next thing she noticed was the mud. It was everywhere and it was deep! Dark brown, watery mud lined the fence that held in the cows and they themselves were sinking and swaying in the thickness as they moved along. She wasn’t staying here, no way! She turned to get back into the truck when she heard her name. She turned to see Annie waving as she walked toward her. Jen waved and thought about meeting her half way but noticing the dirt and mud surrounding her, thought it best to stay where she was.

  “Hey!” Annie said cheerfully when she got close enough. “I never imagined I’d see you here!” Her southern accent seemed stronger today.

  “I was tricked into coming,” Jen said loud enough for Zack to hear who was now in the back of the truck pulling things out of the bed.

  “Oh.” Annie looked at her brother; he stopped for a moment and looked at them but didn’t comment.

  “Well,” Annie said, returning to her cheerful disposition, “I’m glad you’re here. Have you ever done branding before?”

  Jen knew that Annie knew the answer to that question but decided to oblige her, “Actually, I’ve never even touched a cow and I honestly have no idea what branding is.”

  Annie’s face clearly displayed surprise. “You’ve never touched a cow?” she asked, not believing.

  “Not once.”

  “Well, I’m happy that I get to be the person to introduce you!” she giggled. “This is gonna be so much fun!”

  Jen nodded but didn’t feel her enthusiasm.

  Annie’s laugh died as she looked over Jen’s outfit. “I don’t think you should’ve worn those shoes,” she said shaking her head.

  Jen noticed Annie was wearing jeans and a blue plaid shirt. Her short brown hair was pulled into two pigtails and she wore a brown cowboy hat speckled with a few jewels around the rim. She couldn’t have looked more country if she tried. Ironically, even though Jen herself would never dress that way, she thought Annie looked quite cute, if you overlooked the spots of mud on her knees.

  Zack walked by just then, “I told her those shoes weren’t a good choice.” He gave Jen an ‘I told you so’ look. She glared at him.

  Annie didn’t seem to notice. “That’s alright, I can’t imagine you’ll be doing any branding today seeings as it’s your first time. I’ll send some clothes over before next Saturday for you to use. You’re a little thinner than I am but I think I have some things that’ll do,” she smiled.

  “What’s next Saturday?” Jen asked

  “Oh we’re gonna finish branding and tagging the cattle. There are so many it usually takes us two Saturdays to do it all.”

  “Who owns all these cows?” Jen asked. There had to be at least a thousand of them.

  “Mr. Hansen does,” Annie said, pointing to a man sitting on a horse a few yards away. He seemed to be in his mid-forties. He sported blue jeans, a plaid shirt, boots and a hat. Surprise, surprise. Jen thoug
ht.

  “Well, come on with me,” Annie motioned and started toward the fence, “it’s time you touched a cow!”

  Jen swallowed; she looked at her shoes, then at the mud, and then back at her shoes. She wasn’t from a small town but she did know that expensive yellow shoes and mud do not mix. Annie plopped on through the wetness like she was walking down the sidewalk. It didn’t even faze her. She turned back to look at Jen, “Ya comin? It’s not too bad if ya stay on the dryer spots.”

  Jen looked over at Aunt Gabby, who was talking to Mr. Hansen who had climbed off his horse. Zack was standing a few feet from them. She noticed he was watching her. She lifted her head, and stood a little straighter. She could do this, she could do anything, she wasn’t afraid. She took one step, then two. She walked strategically through the mud, trying to find the driest places to step. She got half way to where Annie was standing when suddenly her foot sank. She looked down and gasped; her ankle was surrounded by dark sludge. Reflexively, she pulled her foot up. It came up, but her shoe stayed where it was. She cried out dramatically as she stooped over to try to pull her shoe from the mud. It was completely engulfed. Bent over, pulling on her shoe she heard something behind her. She looked to see Zack, laughing hysterically. She shot him a look that made him pull his hat over his eyes, but he continued to giggle. Her blood began to boil beneath her skin. She tugged on the shoe, one, two, three times. The fourth hard tug brought the shoe out of the mud. Unbalanced in her one six-inch heel, she lost her balance and fell straight on her butt. Blackish-brown, muddy water oozed around her and she screamed furiously.

  Zack and Annie were suddenly beside her. Annie looked horrified. “Oh Jen! I’m so sorry! I don’t know why I asked you to come over here in this mud. I’m so sorry!” Her apologies continued as Jen sat there in the mud, so shocked she didn’t know what to do. Zack moved in, took one of her hands and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her up. Jen felt the strength in his arms but chose to focus on other things.

  “Were those shoes expensive?” the worry in Annie’s voice was evident. “Oh my goodness is there something we can do. Your dress, Jen! I’m so sorry! Maybe we can clean them off...”

  Once again standing upright, with Zack’s help, Jen shook her shoe; little droplets of mud flung everywhere.

  “Don’t worry Annie,” Zack said, a laughing tone in his voice, “these shoes are Vera Wang,” he emphasized the name, “Miss Berkley probably has them insured.”

  Jen felt a flash of anger, and then she snapped. “You are such a jerk!” she shouted. “You are arrogant and inconsiderate and you don’t know anything about me!”

  “You’re right about that,” Zack retorted, “I don’t know you, which is why it is such a complete mystery to me why you would bring six inch heels to a place full of dirt and manure. Maybe if I knew you better I’d understand that decision more fully.”

  His statement was dripping with sarcasm and Jen’s fuse burst even more, “You arrogant, conceited, snub-nosed, son of a B…!”

  By then Aunt Gabby had made her way to their circle. She had seen what happened.

  “Jennifer!” she said sharply, cutting her off, “Get in the truck. I’m taking you home.” Her tone was authoritative. She held out her hand to Zack who without question gave her the keys. Taking them, she slid her arm around Jen and led her to the truck. Jen had both shoes in her hands now. Barefooted, she waddled through the mud. It wasn’t until she was in the passenger seat that she fully assessed the damage to her apparel. Her shoes, one completely covered in mud and the other half way so, sat on her lap. Her feet were muddy up past her ankles. Her dress was muddy from her butt clear up her left side. She was a mess. Suddenly, she felt burning behind her eyes, and tears formed. She wasn’t used to being publicly humiliated. She held it together until they had driven up the road a ways before she broke down.

  Aunt Gabby said very little on the way home. Jen just sobbed pathetically. She felt ridiculous, but she couldn’t stop the tears from coming. Her clothes were ruined and her pride had been bruised. When they reached the house, she went straight to her room and stripped. She threw her shoes in the sink and began soaking them, hoping against hope that she would be able to get the dark color out. Using some spot remover and fierce determination, she worked to get the mud stains out of her dress and jacket. After two hours of scrubbing and soaking, she sat down on her bed and acknowledged her defeat. The white dress was now half brown, her bright yellow jacket was speckled with dark spots, and her shoes were toast.

  Red nosed and puffy eyed, she lay down on her bed. She hated Ohio. Hated mud. Hated cows. Hated trucks. Hated the smell of manure. But most of all, more than anything, she hated Zack LaFaye.

  Chapter 6

  Jen spent the next two weeks at home. She wasn’t in the mood to go anywhere. When she was asked if she wanted to try branding again the week following her muddy disaster, she emphatically declined. Jen was there to spend time with her aunt, so that’s what she was going to do.

  The two of them spent many afternoons enjoying iced tea, great conversation, and homemade vanilla ice cream topped with the many different berries that grew in Aunt Gabby’s garden. June was in full swing and Ohio was getting hot. Aunt Gabby’s little house had a swamp cooler but it was hardly sufficient for the entire house. On certain days Jen felt she would die of heat stroke.

  On the second Saturday after the “mud incident”, as Jen came to call it, Aunt Gabby woke her early. “Get up Jenny.” It wasn’t a suggestion.

  Jen rolled onto her side refusing to acknowledge her aunt’s existence at that particular time. Maybe if she ignored her she’d go away and let Jen sleep. It was a vain hope.

  “Jennifer, I said get up.”

  Jen suddenly felt like she was in high school again with one of her stepmothers trying to get her up for school. Luckily, she loved Aunt Gabby far more than any of her father’s flings. “What time is it?” Jen asked.

  “Quarter to,” Aunt Gabby responded.

  “Quarter to what, Aunt Gab?” Jen was trying to not sound annoyed.

  “Six,” was the reply.

  Jen cringed and buried her face into her pillow.

  Aunt Gabby sat on the side of the bed. “You need to get up honey, you can’t hide here forever. I won’t let you make my home your little escape from the world. It’s time to get back in the saddle.”

  Jen looked up at Aunt Gabby; her wrinkly old face didn’t match her bright, fierce blue eyes. “And what saddle might that be?” Jen asked. “I’m not going branding again if that’s what you’re saying.”

  “Nope not branding, the next best thing,” Aunt Gabby said excitedly. She stood up and opened the closet. “Annie will be here at 6:30 to pick you up so you’d better get dressed,” she said while she threw a couple shirts on the bed. “Don’t you have any jeans?”

  “No.” Jen still wanted to sleep.

  “Are you kidding me?” Aunt Gabby looked incredulous. “My goodness child, what do you work in?”

  “Skirts and slacks.” Jen refused to open her eyes. She burrowed deeper into her blankets and focused on the dream she’d been having before she was so rudely awoken on a Saturday morning.

  “Well, I know that, but what do you do real work in?”

  Jen rolled her eyes and looked at her Aunt, “Real work?”

  Aunt Gabby just nodded slowly, her hands on her hips waiting for Jen’s reply. They looked at each other for a moment and Jen decided she wasn’t going to step into Aunt Gabby’s trap and make an argument about it. She knew that’s what she wanted her to do so she’d wake up. Instead, she rolled over and covered her head with her blanket.

  “I’ll call Annie and tell her to bring you a pair of jeans and some boots,” Aunt Gabby said as she walked out of the room.

  “For what?” Jen called after her.

  “I told you darling, you have to get back into the saddle.” And with that she headed downstairs.

  Jen grumbled under her blanket, “Damn, stupid,
saddle, dirt and mud.”

  “Coffee’s done!” Aunt Gabby yelled up the stairs.

  Jen heaved a sigh of defeat, threw her covers off and made her way downstairs, not even bothering to get dressed. Annie was there twenty minutes early.

  “Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning!” she sang as she walked in the house. Jen held her head, and mentally thanked God that Annie had never been around when she had a hangover.

  “Hey, I brought you some clothes!” Annie began as she sat down next to Jen at the kitchen table. “Aunt Gabby said you don’t own a pair of jeans. I can’t believe that! I didn’t think there was a person in the world that didn’t own a pair of jeans.” She giggled to herself as she pulled the jeans out of the bag she was carrying. “Well, maybe not the whole world,” she went on, “I mean, I really have no idea what people wear in other countries but if they haven’t tried jeans they sure should!”