his stare, he backed away and headed for the back door. “What Garth said. A miscommunication.” The screen door slammed shut behind him, and then he was gone.
Neil, along with the rest of the kitchen who’d seen what had happened, watched the door where Jesse had disappeared. They studied it as though it made no sense. A few moments later, Neil headed back for his seat. Passing Garth, he said, “That’s not to happen in my house again, young man. You got it?” Neil waited for Garth to nod his acknowledgement. “I don’t care who starts it or what it’s about, I will not tolerate fighting on my ranch.”
Done with that, Neil dropped back down in his chair and dove into his eggs. Everyone else did the same.
I just stood there, trying to figure out what had just happened. Jesse had almost gone full-on Hulk in front of me. He’d become a person I didn’t recognize. He’d looked ready to strangle another person for two dozen witnesses to see.
It was a series of messed up things. But the most messed up thing I couldn’t get out of my head were those two words from Garth’s mouth: Jesse’s girlfriend.
Jesse had a girlfriend. He’d just asked me out on a date. The phrase What the hell? came to mind.
“Hey,” Lily nudged up beside you. “You okay?”
The answer was a firm, resounding no, so I went with a half-hearted shrug.
“What was that about? The last time I saw Jesse angry was when I took a black Sharpie to his cowboy hat when I was in preschool.”
So his surge of anger was as out-of-character as I suspected. Whatever bad blood flowed between him and Garth ran deep.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “Testosterone overload? Those tight jeans were cutting the blood off to their brains? Men as a whole are reverting back to their monkey origins?” I could go on, but right then, I wanted to forget the whole thing and get through the rest of breakfast. “I don’t know, but I do know one thing—it’s a waste of time trying to figure out the male brain since most of them are lacking one.”
Lily laughed softly. “I’ve had my suspicions the whole time.”
“That’s because you’re a smart girl.” I retrieved the empty coffee pot and headed to refill it. Almost all of the cups I’d filled less than five minutes ago were empty. Cowboys drank more coffee than beings of a mortal quality should be able to handle.
A couple minutes later, everyone had settled back into their breakfasts, and I made sure to stay busy. I was like a squirrel in fall, bustling about the kitchen, moving from one task to the next seamlessly. Against all odds, I managed not to spill, break, or drop anything else. I started to wonder if my body had been invaded by some alien being, and then my gaze landed on Garth. He sat at the table, ignoring his meal, ignoring everyone else . . . except me. His eyes followed me with the kind of intensity that made it hard to determine if I was the predator or the prey.
As soon as my eyes met his, that dark smile of his moved into place. I tripped over my own feet. Thankfully I wasn’t carrying anything or it would have been a goner.
After that, I didn’t look at Garth again, but I still felt his eyes on me. Every move I made, I was aware of him watching me.
By the end of breakfast, I was certain of what I was to him: the prey.
It excited me as much as it alarmed me.
For all the prep and work that went into it, the actual consumption of breakfast was a quick deal. In addition to be champion coffee chuggers, cowboys could pound down some serious grub. We’re talking a half dozen pancakes, a slab of ham, and a plate-sized portion of scrambled eggs each. What would have taken me a year to get through had just been consumed there that morning.
Once we’d all eaten, the table was cleared, the dishes washed, and everything laid out for lunch, Rose set us free. Well, kind of free. The girls had school work to get to. I gave them a sympathetic smile as they headed into the living room
Neil, along with the rest of the kitchen who’d seen what had happened, watched the door where Jesse had disappeared. They studied it as though it made no sense. A few moments later, Neil headed back for his seat. Passing Garth, he said, “That’s not to happen in my house again, young man. You got it?” Neil waited for Garth to nod his acknowledgement. “I don’t care who starts it or what it’s about, I will not tolerate fighting on my ranch.”
Done with that, Neil dropped back down in his chair and dove into his eggs. Everyone else did the same.
I just stood there, trying to figure out what had just happened. Jesse had almost gone full-on Hulk in front of me. He’d become a person I didn’t recognize. He’d looked ready to strangle another person for two dozen witnesses to see.
It was a series of messed up things. But the most messed up thing I couldn’t get out of my head were those two words from Garth’s mouth: Jesse’s girlfriend.
Jesse had a girlfriend. He’d just asked me out on a date. The phrase What the hell? came to mind.
“Hey,” Lily nudged up beside you. “You okay?”
The answer was a firm, resounding no, so I went with a half-hearted shrug.
“What was that about? The last time I saw Jesse angry was when I took a black Sharpie to his cowboy hat when I was in preschool.”
So his surge of anger was as out-of-character as I suspected. Whatever bad blood flowed between him and Garth ran deep.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “Testosterone overload? Those tight jeans were cutting the blood off to their brains? Men as a whole are reverting back to their monkey origins?” I could go on, but right then, I wanted to forget the whole thing and get through the rest of breakfast. “I don’t know, but I do know one thing—it’s a waste of time trying to figure out the male brain since most of them are lacking one.”
Lily laughed softly. “I’ve had my suspicions the whole time.”
“That’s because you’re a smart girl.” I retrieved the empty coffee pot and headed to refill it. Almost all of the cups I’d filled less than five minutes ago were empty. Cowboys drank more coffee than beings of a mortal quality should be able to handle.
A couple minutes later, everyone had settled back into their breakfasts, and I made sure to stay busy. I was like a squirrel in fall, bustling about the kitchen, moving from one task to the next seamlessly. Against all odds, I managed not to spill, break, or drop anything else. I started to wonder if my body had been invaded by some alien being, and then my gaze landed on Garth. He sat at the table, ignoring his meal, ignoring everyone else . . . except me. His eyes followed me with the kind of intensity that made it hard to determine if I was the predator or the prey.
As soon as my eyes met his, that dark smile of his moved into place. I tripped over my own feet. Thankfully I wasn’t carrying anything or it would have been a goner.
After that, I didn’t look at Garth again, but I still felt his eyes on me. Every move I made, I was aware of him watching me.
By the end of breakfast, I was certain of what I was to him: the prey.
It excited me as much as it alarmed me.
For all the prep and work that went into it, the actual consumption of breakfast was a quick deal. In addition to be champion coffee chuggers, cowboys could pound down some serious grub. We’re talking a half dozen pancakes, a slab of ham, and a plate-sized portion of scrambled eggs each. What would have taken me a year to get through had just been consumed there that morning.
Once we’d all eaten, the table was cleared, the dishes washed, and everything laid out for lunch, Rose set us free. Well, kind of free. The girls had school work to get to. I gave them a sympathetic smile as they headed into the living room
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