by C. J. Welles
When I look at the other girl I nearly fall off my chair. If I wasn’t sitting on the chair, I would have stumbled to the ground. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. It’s the girl from the strip club. The chick that works with Callie and quite obviously lives with Callie.
Her eyes widen when she sees me, and she halts.
Callie walks towards me with a bag in her hand. “I’ll be back sometime tomorrow,” she says to the other girl but looks at me as she says it.
It takes me a moment, but I look down at her and nod. “Yeah, I’ll drive you back up.” As we leave, I take another look at the girl and she stares back at me with a blank look.
Once in my truck, my mind is going crazy. Should I tell Callie? Do I have to tell Callie? We only just met. I didn’t even know her. Will she get pissed off?
Fucking hell. What a mess.
*
Callie
JACE IS QUIET on our way to his ranch. He’s only said three things in the last twenty minutes. I’m listening to the music when a song comes on the radio that I like. It’s the first time I’ve heard it, but it’s catchy. “What’s this song?” I ask Jace.
He turns it up a little and laughs. “It’s called Kick the Dust Up by Luke Bryan. We used to listen to this all the time when I was younger. We’d go to the dam that sits on the corner of our ranch and my friend, Ethan’s family ranch. We’d have field parties that nearly all the people from school would turn up to on a Friday night. It’s been about three years since we last had one. It was for Ethan’s younger sister’s twenty-first.”
“I’ve heard of field parties but never been. They sound fun.”
“They were. Ethan, Bryson and I would drive our trucks down to the dam. We’d have them loaded up with coolers full of beer and we’d chuck chairs and a couch or two if we could fit them on the truck bed. We would crank up the music in one of the cars. Most of the time we’d light a fire unless it was mid-summer. In the end, we built a shed near the dam that we stored everythin’ in and it was easier.”
We chat a bit more for the rest of the trip. He slows down when we come to a massive sign that says, Thompson Horse Breeding. I don’t know what makes me think of it, but suddenly, I realize. “Oh, my God,” I yell loudly and Jace hits the breaks.
“What?” he asks concerned, looking over at me then around the car.
“I’m sorry,” I manage to get out while laughing hard. “Thompson. Jace Thompson. Are you Jace Thompson, wide receiver for the Cowboys?” I totally didn’t recognize him. Not that I sit and watch much football, but I’ve seen him in sports magazines and on the news once or twice.
He begins driving again and shakes his head. “You scared the shit out of me.” He pauses briefly “Was. I was going to return this season after I recovered from my injury, but I’ve ended my career to run the ranch.”
“Is that what you meant last night about your life not being how you had planned?”
“Yeah, Angel, life rarely turns out how we want. But I wouldn't change anythin’. I want to be here for mom and I will cherish the last days I had with dad workin’ by his side.”
Yes, don’t I know? My life is nothing like I planned.
I look over at him and he looks sad. I reach out and place my hand on his thigh, letting him know I am here for him. He looks over at me and gives me a sad smile. When he moves his hand from the steering wheel and links our fingers together, I feel a zap of energy where our hands meet.
I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve never wanted to be there for a guy before. I’ve never cared about a guy, let alone anyone’s feelings before. I’ve always got my heart closed off to protect myself because I know too well, how easily someone else can hurt you.
It feels unreal to feel this close to him after only just meeting him. I can’t believe I am traveling away from the city with a guy I just met. But I feel like I can trust him enough to let him drive me miles away.
He could have been anyone but lucky he’s Jace fucking Thompson.
Hottest football player.
And I’m in his truck going to his house after I spent all night with him. I feel like pulling out a fan and fanning my face, I am totally fangirling inside.
Just up ahead a large barn comes into view, beside it is a massive long building, then behind that is a fence in a circle shape. The paddocks all around are green and look fresh.
As we drive around the right of the barn there is a large white two-story house that sits on the other side of what I’m guessing is a parking area. It has steps that lead to the front porch that wraps around the sides. Off the right side of the house is another smaller building that looks like it joins. That must be where the farmhands live. Jace said there are about nine people who permanently live here.
I love it. The whole place is relaxing and inviting. It’s old but is well looked after. It looks like a home, not a house.
Jace pulls up out front near the steps. Then hops out and walks around to my door. How embarrassing that I can’t get in and out. I’ve never hated my height as much as I do when I’m in his truck. Once he lifts me down he drops a kiss on my forehead before walking us to the house.
He stops just outside the door. “I’ll warn you, mom is most likely home. She may or may not go crazy about me bringin’ a girl home.” Oh God, I hope she doesn’t try to attack me and kick me out. “Angel, I mean good crazy not bad crazy. I mean, she might be all over you like a rash.” He looks at me seriously.
Oh, Ohhh!
He doesn’t do this often.
That makes my belly flutter.
“She’s also upset about dad at the moment.” I nod. I totally understand. I’ve never been in love, but I can guess it would be horrible to lose the love of your life.
Walking inside the house, it has a warm feeling to it. There are lots of photos on the walls and there is a picture of Jace and I guess his mom and dad standing on the front porch. It doesn’t look like it was taken too long ago. I stop and look at the photos. There are lots of a much younger Jace on different horses. He looks so damned cute.
I point to a picture I’m guessing is his dad. “Is this your dad?” He nods. “You look a lot like him.”
“Yeah, mom used to tell me all the time,” he says quietly, and I feel bad for bringing up his dad.
We move further into the house and I briefly check out more photos of Jace. I never had a house like this when I was younger. My mother only had artwork and pictures that would show off our rich status. That place was a house, not a home. I mentally shake off the cold feeling I have creeping in about that house.
He leads me around the house showing me where everything is, but there’s no sign of his mom. I don’t know whether I’m relieved or not. It would be great to meet Jace’s mom, but also, I only met him yesterday. So, it’s also weird.
We head upstairs and into the second room. It’s obvious it’s Jace’s room. He’s got photos of the Cowboys on his wall and his jersey hanging up.
I go check out the photos closer. There he is, standing in the photo in the middle at the back. It feels unreal that I am here with Jace Thompson, in his house, in his bedroom.
“That was taken last year, it was our first game.”
“So, you’re seriously not going back?” I ask. Wouldn’t he miss it like crazy? He would have worked so hard to make it there and then to give it all up.
“Yeah, but my life is here now. I am happy.” He smiles at me and walks through a door. I’m guessing to a bathroom.
I walk to the bed and sit down on the end, then lay back and stare out the glass doors to the side that lead to a small balcony. It’s amazing looking outside and all you can see is green hills and trees. There’s no noisy traffic, no nosy and noisy neighbors to pester you.
Wouldn’t life be bliss out here?
Jace soon reappears and lays down next to me. I lay staring out the doors as he grabs my hand and twines our fingers. It feels peaceful just laying here. I don’t ever remember feeling relaxed like I do.
My entire teen and adult life has been filled with abuse and neglect from myself and others around me. I’ve never had the chance or wanting to be relaxed and peaceful.
After a while Jace jumps up, nearly scaring the shit out of me. I was so inside my thoughts I forgot he was there. He strides to his closet and moments later he emerges with a new top on.
“Want to go for a ride?” he asks cheerfully.
“A ride?” I ask.
Bike ride? Car? Horse.
Oh. My. God. Horse.
“Horse riding?” I squeal, and he laughs.
“Yeah, we can ride down to the dam I was talkin’ about earlier,” he says with a laugh when I jump up and clap my hands excitedly.
“Yes, I’ve always wanted to ride one. We didn’t have enough room where I lived growing up, so I never got to ride a horse when I was younger.” Not that my mother would have bought me one anyways. Actually, she would have, just so I left her alone.
He laughs again at my excitement and I feel butterflies in my belly from the sound.
*
Jace
CALLIE’S REACTION TO going horse riding is so fucking cute. I’ve never known anyone to get excited like she did.
We head to the stables and I show her all the horses. At the moment, we have six horses who can be ridden. I saddle up Brock, my horse, and Ace who is a spare horse we have. She is only 14.2 hands and is the tamest horse we have, so is good for Callie’s first time. I lead both horses out the front and tie Ace to the fence. The last thing I want is for her to take off while I’m trying to help Callie mount her. No way will she get on there, herself. She can’t even get in the truck without me.
I show Callie how to mount, then I kneel to give her a boost up. Since she is so light and apparently good at this, she makes it up on the first time. Once I’m on Brock, I head east close to the fence line. It should only take ten minutes to get there at a trot pace.
“What types of horses are these?”
“Brock is an American quarter horse and is a stallion. Ace is an American paint horse and she is a mare.”
“I know what a mare and a stallion are, but that is about all. How do you tell what breed they are?”
“Well you see, Brock here, he’s got a refined head and a strong, muscled body. He’s also got a broad chest. Ace, well it’s the coloring. She’s white and bay, which means she’s either a pinto or a paint horse. What makes her a paint horse is the breed of her sire and dam.” I continue to tell her how to tell the difference between our other horses.
She nods her head and focuses on riding Ace. I can see her taking in everything I say. I keep my eyes trained on her, she is sexy sitting up there in little shorts and a tank top, wearing one of my hats.
When we reach the dam, I jump down then help Callie down. All our horses we ride are trained well enough to not take off unless they get spooked then they bolt, so I let them graze in the grass around the dam. If they do for some reason take off, they won’t get far. We sit at the edge of the dam and I didn’t think about how hot it would be out here. Being the middle of summer, it’s fucking hot.
“It’s so peaceful out here,” Callie sighs as she leans back on her elbows and tips her head towards the sky. Callie sitting like that is a major turn on.
“It sure is. I felt cramped and boxed in when I lived in the city.”
“How long did you live there?”
“Nearly eight years.”
“That’s a long time, especially when you go from this amazing space to people living on top of each other.”
“Sure is. How long have you lived in Dallas for?”
“Three years. I Lived in Austin before that.”
“How long have you worked at Platinum Girls?”
She looks younger. If my daughter was working in a place like that, at such a young age, I’d flip. No way would I let it happen.
“About two years.”
“Really? Do you get sick of it?”
“No, not really. It’s a job and it pays the bills,” she answers before she looks over at me with a smile. “What is this? Twenty-one questions?”
“Nope,” I answer with a shrug. “Just want to get to know you better. You heard half of my life story last night.”
“But you’re more interesting than me.” She lies back onto the grass.
“I doubt it.” I look down at her. “Do you go to college at all?” I ask. If she isn’t still in college, she must have only left in the last year or so.
She sits up and crosses her legs then shakes her head without answering. The silence stretches between us and I can see Callie’s body is tense. It’s a few minutes before she talks, and she changes the subject. Okay, so no talking about college.
A few hours later, we ride the long way back to the house and I show Callie how to canter. She laughs most of the time and the sound is like music to my ears. She’s not even scared to try anything with Ace. Some people, it takes them a day to even be comfortable sitting on a horse.
I laugh when we get back to the stables and I help Callie down. She’s standing in front of Ace, thanking her for the ride, and she is only roughly the same height as Ace. Being short just makes her more dammed cute.
∞∞∞
Chapter 7
Callie
WALKING INTO MY apartment Monday morning, I sigh. I’m so bloody tired. It’s been a full-on weekend since I started work Friday night. I’ve spent the last two nights at Jace’s ranch. The entire time I had so much fun. Such fun, that I never knew I could have. I felt free and revived when we left this morning.
Krystal’s bedroom door flies open when I reach the hallway. “Good to see you’re alive, you were meant to be back yesterday.” She’s trying to act serious, but I can see the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
“Sorry I should have called, but I got sidetracked.”
She stands there for a moment before bounding into my room and on my bed. “Details and I’ll let you off.”
I shake my head at her and laugh. “There isn’t many. We had a great time. He spent a lot of time showing me the ranch and horses. I even got to ride a horse.” Now it’s me who jumps up and down. “It was my first time and it was so fun.”
“Oh God, you look like a little girl when you’re excited like that. Did you meet the parents?”
“It’s only his mom, his dad died the week before last. I only briefly met his mom. I don’t know if I left much of an impression though. Jace was on top-”
“She walked in on you two fuckin’?” she cuts me off then laughs. “Oh, dear God girl, you poor thing.”
“No. We were just kissing.” I pause “We didn’t have sex.”
Her eyes widen, and her mouth drops wide open. “You two didn’t have sex?” I shake my head. “You’re telling me since Friday night you two have been together and you haven’t had sex yet.”
“Nope. I could tell he wanted to. And he definitely has a decent package to use for the job. Both mornings I woke up with it poking me in the back.” She gets a look on her face I can’t read, then laughs at me.
“Too much detail. Are you going to see him again?”
Shrugging, I answer, “I don’t know. He has my number and it’s up to him whether or not he calls me. He did promise to call one night soon, but I’m not getting my hopes up.”
“So, you want him to?”
I don’t even have to think about it. “Yeah, I like him. I obviously don’t love him, I’ve just met him. But there is something about him.”
She doesn’t answer, just nods. “Anyways, enough of my weekend. I’m going to sleep.”
“Thought there was no sex, you shouldn’t be tired.” She’s joking.
“We talked a lot. We didn’t get to sleep until two this morning then he had me awake at five-thirty to drive me back here.” I crawl under my blankets once she leaves and am asleep in minutes.
Hours later I wake to my cell chiming. I look over and find a message from Jace and one from
a regular guy I see.
Jace: Hey Angel, just seeing how your days going.
Okay, so yes, he most likely will contact me. I feel the butterflies in my tummy again. They have been going off like crazy all weekend.
Me: Been good, I’ve slept all day. Just woke up.
I look at the time and it’s three in the afternoon. I actually can’t believe I slept that long, but God, it was a good sleep.
Jace: You’re lucky and lazy, I’d love to be in bed. I’ve been up all day fixing problem after problem.
Me: You were the one to keep us awake all night talking.
Jace: And it was worth it, Angel.
My heart does do a little flip reading that. We message for a little while longer before he needs to get back to work.
I check my other message from the regular I met a few months ago. It turned out he owned the hotel and that’s why he wanted the same place and same room.
I don’t usually meet with clients more than once a week, but he is a decent guy and we spend time talking as well. I’ve been his date to a few business dinners as well. He knows it’s complete business.
I’m hesitant in replying. I don’t know if I want to. After meeting Jace and spending time with him, I don’t think I want to do this anymore. I reluctantly reply that I’ll see him tonight. It’s just silly. I’m not changing my life for a man I’ve just met.
Getting out of bed, I have a shower before getting dressed and going to the kitchen. I am starving. Rummaging through the fridge I find leftover chili from Krystal last night. I’ve just sat down to eat it when she walks in the door.
“This is yummy,” I say, as I shovel it in my mouth.
“Oh, my God Callie, you are eating like a pig.”
“I’m hungry I haven’t eaten since dinner last night,” I say with my mouth half full. It probably is disgusting eating and talking like this. But it’s too yummy.