Eric, Jody Kaye [well read books TXT] 📗

In my peripheral vision, I see Daveigh walk off with Bud Green toward the stable. Daveigh looks over her shoulder and I nod, acknowledging I’ll come check on her sooner rather than later. It’s part of a system we have all worked out.

Everyone considers her the best of the quints. And she is because she’s got the quietest soul of us all. However, my poor baby sister also has limited experience with men. She thinks Bud is cute, but she certainly isn’t ready for the kid of relationship he wants. That doesn’t mean Daveigh shouldn’t have a few moments alone with a boy to figure out when she will be.

“Hey.” Drew pops his Stetson on my head. It’s my favorite and I take it from him to wear when we’re alone. He leans too close so only I can hear his words. “I like you in my hat. It’s like seeing my ring on your finger. Come with me.”

My spine stiffens. I pull the hat off and thrust it back against his chest. Drew’s attention is unwanted right now despite the performance I put on for his benefit while he pretended not to watch me singing Fancy.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I hiss.

“You are, even if I have to lift you up and carry you back into those woods. You owe me, Brier. So either you follow me or I follow you.”

“You are ridiculous.”

Drew’s boots are toe-to-toe with my sandals. The tips of my white-blonde hair hardly reach midway up his chest. The bulge in his cargo shorts presses into my stomach. But as he hovers over me, my green eyes flash, picking up sparks from the light of the bonfire and letting him know I won’t ever back down.

“Apparently, we’re doin’ this the hard way.” Drew steps forward, forcing me to take as many steps back.

“Leave me alone,” I seethe. “We can do this later. I need to rescue Daveigh before she gets herself into trouble.”

“I’m tired of being put off.”

“Well, you’ll have to deal with it.”

“Not anymore...Hey, Adam!” Drew yells.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Oh crap, he’s calling my bluff.

“What the fuck, man, back off.” Colton storms over, shoving Drew.

“This is not between us, C. Go away.”

The least of Drew’s fears is taking a punch from Colton or even Eric. Adam is his best friend. They’ve done everything together from pee-wee football to winning the county championship three years in a row.

Adam leaves a bimbo sitting by the fire and saunters up. “What the fuck did you do to Drew this time, B?” He thinks the first letter of my name is appropriate. “Knock it off. The two of you are forever pissing at each other.”

“I didn’t do anything!”

Drew’s gaze never leaves mine when he responds to Adam. “She made me fall in love with her.”

He dips his chin, catching me by surprise and kissing me in front of everyone. Used to the comfort of his arms, it takes every ounce of willpower to hold my lips still. 

He pulls away and tears spill down my cheeks. It’s not supposed to be like this. I hate hearing he loves me. That this wasn’t a game to him anymore or a silly teenage dalliance. My heart breaks because now we’ll have to give one another up. Not because I don’t want Drew to love me, but because I’ve never wanted any reason to love him back.

In an instant, Drew’s sorrowful expression mirrors our reality. I’ve broken something inside of him. I hate myself for not standing up to Adam with him. If I wanted to defend Drew, all three of my brothers would be crying uncle.

Gone is the light in Drew’s smile the way it shines in the darkness when we travel back roads late at night. He’d taken the chance that we could be together for these last few weeks left in the summer.

Adam laughs in Drew’s face and slaps him on the back, thinking what he’s witnessed is nothing but a bad joke. “Points for making Brier cry. But going after one of my sisters, really? Why would you think Brier wouldn’t give you the blow off?” 

“Who the hell did you think she’s been with all this time in the fucking middle of the night?” Drew shakes his head, kicking the ground he’ll soon be planted in, and then stares directly at his best friend. “Your sister’s been the one blowing me since I popped her cherry when we were sixteen.” 

Adam’s now crossed arms fall to the side, his fists clench, and he stops chuckling. Drew divides his attention between my two brothers. Colton takes off like a freight train. It takes so little to give him a reason to start something and he’s hell-bent on tackling Drew for the kiss. Drew hunches over, bending at his middle, ready for the fight. Adam’s fist cracks Drew in the jaw. For all the scraps I’ve witnessed Drew in, this is the first time he hasn’t fought back, taking punches one after the other. The bruises Adam and Colton leave on the outside will match the invisible ones I’ve left on the inside. He has nothing left to lose.

My fight-or-flight response kicks in. The coward I am, I run off towards the front of the barn to the stable to find Daveigh.

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10

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“Get the fuck off of me!” I yell. My head is swimming and I’m scared.

“I think you heard the lady.” There’s a man in a well-worn baseball cap with a frayed rim standing over us.

The click of a safety being released stills the boy I’ve been fighting to get out from under. The pistol is right at his temple.

“Don’t fucking shoot. It isn’t what you think,” Bud stammers as if he’s about to crap himself.

“Whether it’s what I think or not, you’re pulling this shit on a bench outside my kid’s bedroom. That’s not okay by me. So why don’t you get your sorry ass up and go back to the party?” He directs the barrel of the gun towards the light emanating from the bonfire behind the barn. “Or better yet, find your way home. Unless you’d like me to call the cops?”

Bud scampers to his feet and takes off running towards the barn. I’m still panting when the tires on his late-model Toyota skid on the gravel, making his escape from the property. 

I stand, trying to assess the damage to my rumpled clothes. All the while, I’m aware everyone will place the blame on me because the car carrying the booze for the night is gone.

“You can come in and clean up if you’d like. I’m Cris, the new manager here.” The dark stranger introduces himself.

“Daveigh Cavanaugh.” I hold out a shaky hand, trying to be polite. “You can’t call the sheriff, my sister will be in so much—”

Not realizing the signs of shock, my legs go out from under me. Cris grabs my arms, lowering me back to the bench.

“Um, thanks?” I feel like a fool.

“How much have you had to drink?”

“Enough…enough to forget this was a really bad idea.” Candor is a downfall of mine. “Are you calling our parents?”

“I figured it was you and yours who were out there. Circumstances aside, it’s nice to meet you.” He sits down next to me. “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything if you agree to use the restroom to clean yourself up and go let your friends know the party is over.” 

“Why are you being so kind?”

“Did you ask for what he was about to do?”

“No!”

“Well, I didn’t ask for a bunch of drunk teenagers to be partying in my backyard at midnight. So if I call the cops, I’m forced to stay up later, and I won’t have the energy for the kid in there.” Cris tosses a thumb over his shoulder. “I also think you know as well as I do, if not better, how early Violette is up. Can a horse make any more noise?”

My fingertips meet my lips, stifling a childish grin. Violette is my favorite. We’re both early risers. I ride her every morning at daybreak.

“So you’re the ranch manager hired to replace me?”

Daddy’s new man arrived at the stable a few days ago. I haven’t gone out of my way to meet him for two reasons. First, Momma mentioned he’s been busy trying to find someone to watch his toddler while moving into the larger of the two apartments, which make up the triangle of outbuildings in the barnyard. Second? Even though I’m about to pursue my dream, I’m not sure how I feel about being replaced.

“Are you the daughter headed to College Station?”

“Yes.”

“Then I guess I