by Emerson Rose
“Nothing to be sorry about baby, you’re ranting is adorable.”
“Shut up. My family essentially disowned me in there, I’m not trying to be adorable, I’m pissed.”
“You may not be trying to be but you are. Listen, they’ll come around, they have to, they love you and believe me when I say, you’re irresistible. We knew this wasn’t going to be easy. I never expected them to walk out of the airport today smiling and slapping me on the back, welcoming me to the family. Give them time.”
She turns and presses her forehead against my chest with her arms around my waist. “This feud thing is so stupid.”
“I know, come on, let’s go home. I have a couple of surprises waiting for you there.” Her head tips back so she can see me.
“What kind of surprises Beau? You’ve done enough for me already.”
“Sinful tempting surprises,” I say wiggling my eyebrows.
She swats my chest. “Stop.”
“Your mom’s something else.”
Her eyes roll to the sky, “I know. What were you guys talking about before I got there? The bible stuff.”
“Your mom kept spewing stuff about Deardons and Hills hating each other and I thought maybe a few bible verses about forgiveness might bring her around. I was wrong.”
“You quoted the bible to my mom?” she asks laughing.
“Yeah, what’s so funny?”
“I would have liked to been there for that is all. Did you know what you were talking about?”
I jerk my head back insulted, “Yes I did.”
“Sorry, you just don’t seem like the type to memorize bible verses.”
“I’m not, but my grandma was and she wanted to make sure she did everything she could do to save my soul before she died.”
“Yeah? I don’t know if any amount of bible verses can save your soul Beau Hill.”
“I’m not that bad, and now that I have you I think I’m pretty much guaranteed a ticket into heaven.”
“Because of me?”
“Yep. I never believed in love before you. Grandma said you have to have love in your heart to save your soul and walk through the pearly gates of heaven.” I take her hand from my waist and hold it over my heart. “You put love in my heart, Charlotte.”
Her eyes are wet and she has that swoony star struck look that she gets when I say something unexpected and sweet.
“You’re amazing. How can my family not see how amazing you are?”
“They got their blinders on baby, we’ll get em off soon enough. Things will work out, don’t worry. Now let’s go home.”
“I think I’d like that.”
“Yeah? Well, come on then, it’s time for me to do some sinful tempting. You like?”
“I love.”
25
Coming home
Charlotte
We pull into the driveway of Beau’s house and park behind a beautiful white Nissan Titan pickup truck. “Who’s here?”
“Nobody.”
“You get a new truck?”
“Nope, you did. Welcome home baby.”
She looks at me and gasps, “No. You did not. That’s too much Beau, this watch was bad enough I can’t accept a gift like that.”
“Yes, I did and yes, you will. Come on, I have something else for you inside.”
“Beau! I mean it you can’t keep doing this. I don’t need a car right now, I can walk to the barn and catch a ride with you to the grocery store.”
“Hush, it’s yours, end of conversation.”
“But…” his fingers come up and cover my lips. “But nothin, come on.”
He hops out of the truck and rounds the front to open my door and help me out.
“Beau,”
“Charlotte, you’re not one to argue with me now stop. The truck is yours. You need it. I want to give it to you, so I am. Period. Now bring your sweet ass into the house so I can keep spoiling my princess.”
I groan and follow him inside because what choice do I have? None.
I glance at the truck as we walk by and admire the pearly white paint and chrome trim. It’s gorgeous, and expensive, and too much.
When he opens the door to the kitchen I know instantly what my surprise is. I can feel the energy in the air, smell the presence of an animal, I can almost hear it trying to communicate with me.
“Beau!” I bounce up and down on my toes and clasp my hands together in front of my chest. “You didn’t.”
“I did. I don’t want you out here all alone when I’m not here. Cub is going to be your new security system.” He leads me into the living room where inside an octagon shaped corrugated gate is a tiny border collie puppy. He’s wagging his tail so hard it’s as if he’s wagging his whole body and his tiny tongue is hanging out flopping all over the place. “Oh my god, Beau, he’s precious,” I say dropping my purse on the floor and rush to pluck him out of his pen. Cub licks my face like it’s the best tasting thing on earth and fidgets so much I almost drop him, twice.
“I think he likes you.”
“How did you know?” I’ve always wanted a dog. When I was growing up all the dogs on the ranch were outdoor dogs and they weren’t considered pets. They worked in the plains and slept in the barn or outside or wherever they wanted.
My dad said dogs were animals and animals belonged outdoors.
“Lucky guess, and you have Pinterest boards full of Boarder Collies, baby.”
“You checked out my Pinterest boards?”
“I’m always checking you out.”
Cub is climbing up my neck trying to get my attention focused back on him. “Okay, okay buddy, I’m looking what are you trying to tell me?” I hold him out in front of me and look into his eyes. “You’re lonely? And you have to pee? Okay. We’re going outside,” I tell Beau and plant an excited kiss on his lips on my way outside.
“I don’t know if I like this,” he says.
I twirl around cuddling Cub close to my chest as we move through the kitchen. “Like what?”
“Sharing you.”
“Aw, jealous?” I wink.
“I think maybe I am.”
‘You’ll get over it, come with us.” I open the kitchen door and skip into the grass so Cub can do his business. Lightning lights up the sky and the distant sound of thunder makes Cub look up at me with concern. “It’s okay little buddy, it’s just rain comin’. You hurry up and do your business and we will go back inside.”
I feel warm strong arms circle my waist and Beau’s chin on my shoulder. “You seem to communicate with him well.”
“Yeah, horse whisperer, remember?”
He clears his throat and I feel him smile against my cheek. “Uh, Miss. Professional veterinarian, that there is a dog not a horse.”
“Thank you for pointing that out Mr. Professional rancher, I am aware. I have a knack for communicating with all animals. Horses are just my specialty. Dogs are way easier. They wear their feelings on their sleeve for all to see. Horses can be stubborn but I’ve never met one I couldn’t cure or tame.”
“How about you come inside and try to tame me?” he growls against my neck with a kiss behind my ear that makes me shiver.
“I don’t think it’s possible to tame you, but I’m willing to give it a try. What do we do with the baby?”
“I dunno, what do other new parents to with their baby when they want to get down to business?”
“Take them to a babysitter, put them to sleep.”
“I’m not thinking either of those options are going to work. I just felt a drop of rain on the back of my neck, storm’s coming.”
“Okay, we take him to bed with us.”
“Uh, no. I don’t want him watching us have sex, or seeing you naked.”
I giggle and push my ass against his front. Beau Hill is jealous of a tiny puppy, imagine that. “He’s a dog, he won’t know what we’re doing.”
“How do you know?”
“I’m a vet, remember?”
“Yes an
d as a vet you should know that there is a certain position we frequently find ourselves in, mostly because I love looking at your sexy as fuck round ass when I’m pounding in and out of you, that’s called doggie style. I think his animal instincts might kick in, he’s gonna know what we’re doing.”
Innocent little Cub is frolicking around in the long grass tumbling over his own feet chasing his tail. I consider Beau’s excuse and decide on a compromise.
“Does he have a kennel?”
“Yes.”
“Then we take it in the bedroom, face it away from us and put him in it while I work on taming you.”
He’s quiet while he considers this. “Okay, works for me.”
When I squat down and call Cub’s name he stops right away and looks around. “Over here buddy, come on we have to go inside before it rains.” He bounds across the yard I scoop him up and look up at Beau who is surveying the dark sky.
“I don’t like the feel of this.”
“The feel of it or the look of it?”
“The feel. Feels like the night of the tornado.”
Oh no, I wasn’t here when the tornado went through. I’ve never experienced a storm of that magnitude before and I don’t want to start tonight.
“You’re scaring me.”
He looks down at Cub and me. “Tornados are scary baby.”
“Let’s go inside.” Cub senses my anxiety and cuddles deep into my armpit.
“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.”
Inside we unplug electronics that could be blown by a power surge during the storm and head into Beau’s bedroom. Beau had all of my things shipped here two days ago and he has put everything away neatly in the closet and bathroom. My pictures are set out in the dresser and the built in book shelves that take up one wall are lined with my books. Having my things all around me makes Beau’s house feel like home.
He’s standing in the door watching me take it all in when I turn to thank him.
“You did all this?”
“I did. You like?”
“I love.”
Cub whines from his kennel that Beau has strategically placed facing the bathroom away from the bed.
“He doesn’t like it in there.”
“He tell you that?”
“Yep.”
“Well you can tell him too bad, that’s where he sleeps. You’re mine at night.”
“I thought you lived at your parents.”
“Technically I do but Constance is doing well with Mom. I think they can spare me a few nights.”
The wind has picked up outside. At times it sounds like someone is tossing buckets of rain on the windows. The room lights up with lightning, followed almost right away by the rumble of thunder. I don’t want Beau to think I’m a baby but this shit is really making me nervous.
“Come here.” He holds out his arms and gestures toward himself. He wants to comfort me and I could use some comfort. I waste no time closing the distance between us. When I’m within arm’s reach he slides his hand behind my neck and guides me the rest of the way in.
“You might want to call your parents, there’s no basement or cellar in that house. They might be freaked after what happened to them before.”
“You want me to invite my family over here?”
“Well, yeah, they’re nuts but I don’t want them to die.”
I pull away and look up at him, “You think it’s that serious?”
“I dunno baby, it’s pretty bad out there. I wouldn’t want to be without a shelter.”
“Do your parents have a basement?”
“Yeah, it’s not very big but they have a safe place to go.”
I unwrap one arm from Beau’s waist and slip my phone from my back pocket. “I can’t believe I’m doing this after the way they acted today.”
“I know baby but it’s the right thing to do. They already lost everything once, they don’t need to go through that again.”
Beau’s heart grows a little bigger every day I know him. Today I think it doubled.
The line rings twice and mom picks up. “Mom, are you guys okay?”
“Why do you care?”
“Mom, stop acting like this. I’m calling to check on you because of the storm. Beau has a basement and he thought it might be a good idea for all of you to come over here in case it gets worse.”
“Beau thinks it would be a good idea does he?”
“Yeah, mom, we both do. I’m worried about you, there’s no place for you to go if a tornado hits.”
“We will be fine, it’s just a little rain.”
The wind chooses this moment to toss something against the house making me jump in Beau’s arms.
“Mom, it’s more than a little rain.”
“Thank you for the invitation Charlotte but we will be fine right here.”
I sigh. Are they so stubborn that they would rather be sucked up into a tornado than come to Beau’s house for shelter?
“Goodbye Charlotte,” she says and the line goes dead.
I guess so.
“No go?” he asks.
“Nope, she says they will be just fine there,” I say changing my tone to sound like my hoity toity mother.
“We can go get them.”
“They won’t come.”
“We could hog tie em and toss em in the back of my truck.”
I smile a weak smile. “I think that’s considered kidnapping and I’m sure it wouldn’t help convince them that the Hill family are good people.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“Would it be okay if we just snuggle until the storm passes?”
“Sure baby, whatever you want. Go change and I’ll make sure things are locked up.” He turns me by my shoulders and gives me a nudge and a swat on my ass.
“Be right back.”
“Okay.” I smile all the way to the bathroom where I find my face wash, toothbrush and toothpaste next to the sink. He seriously thought of everything.
When I’m done with my nightly routine and changed into a short spaghetti strapped t-shirt night gown I slip between Beau’s sheets. I sit with my knees up and my arms wrapped around them and wait. And wait. Cub is whining in his kennel now that I am out of his line of sight, and I can’t stand it.
I toss off the comforter and go to the kennel. I’m about to open the door when Beau walks into the room holding his phone. At first I think he’s angry that I’m giving into Cubs whining, but the tense way he moves and the stone look on his face says something else is wrong.
“What’s the matter?”
He walks right past me into the closet and grabs a raincoat.
“Mom’s missing.”
“What?”
“Mom’s missing and the National Weather Service just issued a tornado warning, not a watch, a warning. My mom is wandering around out there in this shit.”
“Oh my god. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going out there to look for her that’s what. I’m going over there, we’re going to start at the house and work our way out. Some of the ranch hands are searching the barns and buildings closest to the house.” He shoves his arms into the raincoat and pulls on his boots while he talks.
“I’m going with you.”
He freezes with his foot half way into his boot. “No. I have enough to worry about trying to find my mom, I can’t be worrying about you too.”
“I’ll stay with you, two sets of eyes has to be better than one.”
“I said no. I want you in the basement with Cub right now. Do not argue with me about this Charlotte.”
“But,”
“I said don’t argue.”
He stops next to me and bends over taking my head in his hands. He places a kiss on the top of my head and he’s gone. His tone was firm and not to be argued with, but his kiss said I’m doing this because I love you.
I take Cub out of his kennel and grab a pair of sweat pants a hoodie and a pair of tennis shoes to take with me into the basement.
It’s chilly down there and if something happens, god I hope nothing happens, I won’t be running around half naked clutching a puppy.
On my way downstairs I stop in the kitchen and kneel on the window seat to look out the bay window for Beau but he’s already gone. My pretty new truck that I haven’t even had a chance to look at is sitting out there getting pummeled by sticks and rocks and who knows what else blowing around out there.
I should pull it into one of the garage stalls but I don’t know where the keys are and I don’t think Cub would like going out in the storm.
The thought of Beau’s mom out there, wandering around alone and confused and scared makes me sick to my stomach. Maybe she just wandered away in the house somewhere safe and warm and dry. I hope they check inside well before they go wandering around in this storm. It’s so easy to get turned around in the rain, getting lost on the Montana plains isn’t just dangerous, it can be deadly.
I head downstairs with my little shivering security system burrowing his head under my arm. I flick on the lights and take a seat on the end of a big grey sectional and try to put Cub down so I can get dressed.
He’s not having it so I work around him switching arms and pulling on my pants with one hand. I pull a throw off the back of the couch and snuggle in thinking about Beau’s mom. God I hope she’s safe.
Cub’s ears perk up and he nearly leaps from my arms when the doorbell upstairs rings. Who on earth could that be right now? Angel? Oh no, could she have wondered all the way here?
Flinging off the throw I hop up and race upstairs with Cub barking in my arms. The lights in the kitchen flicker and go out when I hit the top of the stairs so I take out my phone and use the flashlight to guide me through the room.
When I reach the door I have to point the light at the floor because of the glare on the glass door. When I do the last person I ever expect to see is staring back at me.
It’s my mom and dad is right behind her with Jack Jr. and Stella and holy shit, Ashton Pride.
Mom’s eyes are wide with fear when she raps hard on the glass yanking me from my shocked state.
I quickly unlock the door and I don’t have to open it when a strong gust of wind pushes it wide open. Everyone falls in and Jack Jr. and Ash work together to push the door shut again.