Rustic Hearts

Braxton

 

“Brax?”

“Over here, Elle.”

I’m under the pickup, tightening the oil filter I just installed, when her face peers under the front of the truck.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.”

“Are you going to the pool hall tonight?”

Saturdays usually consist of Elle trying to convince me to go out with her, starting around noon and not letting up until I agree.

“I guess.”

Might as well make it easy on both of us.

“Yay! Sonia can’t come until later because she is babysitting Beau until Mrs. Henderson is home from her quilting class. Can I ride out with you?”

“Of course you can. We’ll head out after supper.”

“Awesome. I’m going to go and start preparing what I’m going to wear.”

She stands and starts to walk off. Then, I watch as her feet turn, and she quickly paces back.

She looks back under the truck. “Thank you, Brax.”

“You’re welcome, sis.”

Then, she runs off again.

Women. It’s just clothes. Pants. Shirt. Shoes. That’s all they need. How it can take them six hours to decide which pants, shirt, and shoes is beyond me.

I finish up with the oil change and wash the truck. Then, I take Hawkeye out for a little exercise. I have only had the pup for six weeks, and he has tripled his weight. I think Doreen sneaks out and feeds him a couple of times a day even though I told her I feed him on a schedule. The vet is going to have a fit the next time he sees him.

When we return from our walk, I notice a horse trotting up the drive and a blonde ponytail swinging in the breeze. Madeline is standing on the front steps, watching the two of them.

We walk over, and Hawk drops onto the first step and falls fast asleep.

“Is that Sophie on Huck?”

“It sure is. I helped her saddle him a few minutes ago.”

“And Huck didn’t resist?”

“Not a bit.”

“That damn horse never lets anyone ride him.”

“I think he’s become quite enamored with her.”

I watch as she gets to the gate and turns the horse. Then, she brings him to a controlled canter.

“She’s good with him,” Madeline observes.

One more pass of the drive, and Sophie leads the animal toward the pasture and takes off in a gallop.

My heart skips a beat, and I start toward the field.

Madeline reaches out and halts me. “She’s good. Let them run.”

“I never run Huck like that. I don’t know how he’ll do.”

It makes me nervous to watch as she picks up pace.

“She’s a skilled rider. She can handle him. If she didn’t think he was steady, she wouldn’t have taken off.”

The screen door opens, and Walker comes out with a beer.

“That Sophie on that horse?” he asks as he takes a seat on the step and starts to pet Hawkeye.

“Yep.”

“Look at her go. City girl is just full of surprises, isn’t she?”

I look back at her, laughing as she brings Huck back to a canter and heads toward the barn.

“Yep, all kinds of surprises.”

After supper, Elle and I head out, as promised.

Dallas picked Sophie up earlier, and the two of them were eating at her house with her dad and Beau before coming to Fast Breaks.

“How do I look?” Elle asks as we pull out of the drive.

“Pretty, as always.”

She beams at me. “Jeremy is going to be there tonight, so I have to look extra.”

“Extra?”

“Yes. That’s what Sophie called it. She helped me get ready tonight. She did my makeup.” She turns and starts batting her eyelashes at me as if that helps me see her makeup better.

“Looks nice.”

“And look, Brax!” She pulls a chain out from her blouse and shows me the necklace around her neck.

“That’s nice as well.”

“Isn’t it? Sophie made it for me.”

“She did?” I take a closer look at the delicate chain around her neck with the little silver flower.

“Yep. It’s a lily, and the center is made of mother of pearl. She made it for me, so I could have something that reminded me of Momma.” She sniffs as she reverently tucks the chain back close to her heart. “Wasn’t that sweet of her?”

It was. Elle hates that she can’t remember our mom. Not her face or her voice. She was so young when they died. I can remember everything about her in precise detail, but Elle just knows what Madeline or I tell her or what she sees in pictures.

“Very thoughtful,” I agree as we pull into the parking lot, which is already filling up.

I pull into my usual spot and groan as I see the familiar Jeep parked in the spot beside it.

“Is that Morgan’s car?” Elle asks.

“Looks like it.”

I should have known she’d show up here when I didn’t respond to any of her messages.

Elle’s eyes go round, and she opens her door. “Don’t look now, but she’s headed this way. Good luck.”

The little brat hops out of the truck and hurries inside, throwing her hand up in greeting as she goes.

I put the truck in park and roll the window down just as she makes it to my side.

“Brax.”

“Hey, Morgan.”

“You got a minute to talk?”

“About what?”

“About me moving back.”

“What happened to Texas?”

“Oh, salary disputes, failed contract negotiations, and me just finally getting fed up and homesick enough to tell them to kiss my ass. Mom could use my help around here anyway.”

“That’s too bad.”

I start to roll up the window, and she sticks her hand in and halts me.

“Come on, Braxton. We haven’t seen each other in a couple of years. I just got home, and you aren’t replying to any of my messages.”

“I’ve been busy, Morgan, and you know I’m not much of a phone person.”

She leans closer into the window. “I know. I just … I miss you.”

She sticks her lip out in a fake pout, and it does nothing for me but make me want to laugh at her antics.

“I thought we were past this, Morgan.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever be past it.”

“You should be.”

She lets out a frustrated huff. “You’re never going to forgive me, are you?”

“There’s nothing to forgive. We just had different dreams; that’s all.”

“What if my dreams have changed?”

“Then, I wish you luck at following your new ones, but I’m not a man who lives in the past.”

She starts to tear up, and I consider putting my foot on the gas and plowing through the front of the bar.

“Are we at least still friends?” she finally asks.

“Friends I can do.”

Her face falls, but she straightens up and takes a step back. “Well, come on then. Take me inside and buy your friend a shot.”

I can already tell this is going to be a long night.