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I drive back towards the ranch, but I get cut short when I get a call about a broken fence. It’s a quick fix and I’m the closest and have the tools in my truck to get it done. But it takes longer than I expected. After a good hour, I finally pull back into my own driveway, and all the lights in the house are off.
Fuck. I hope she didn’t go to bed already. I pull myself from the truck and make my way inside, flipping on the light in the kitchen. I see a note lying on the counter and go over to it.
Went to the Empty Bottle with Dolly. Left you something to eat in the microwave.
Night.
My fist crumples the letter as I think about Luciana going to the Empty Bottle. It’s a hole-in-the-wall most nights, but on the weekends the place fills up. It’s where everyone in town goes to have a drink and let loose from time to time, and I know my Luciana is going to be the center of every single man’s attention in there.
Chapter 8
Luciana
“Hey, Jimmy. We want two margaritas,” Dolly says and winks at the bartender.
“You and I both know all three of your brothers would kick my ass for serving you, Dolly. You’re underage,” Jimmy replies, shooting her a soft smile.
“They're both for me,” I say, sliding some cash across the bar. I wink at Dolly and the guy rolls his eyes, muttering something about plausible deniability.
“Thanks,” Dolly says, elbowing me before leaning up against the bar.
“Just don't tell your brothers.”
I look around the place and see people everywhere. Looks like this is the place to be on a Friday night. It's a typical Texan bar with worn wood floors and animals hanging on the walls. There’s a band playing some country music and people are line dancing on a stage. I like the feel of it. There's a buzz of excitement, and people are having a good time.
Jimmy comes back with my two drinks, and I slide one over to Dolly.
“She’s just holding it for me,” I say, but we all know what’s really happening. Small towns have rules all of their own. They make them up as they go and change them as they see fit.
“Hey, your family know anything about that missing girl?” Jimmy asks, placing both hands on the bar as he looks at Dolly.
“Not that I know of. Sheriff knocked on my door this morning asking about it,” Dolly says.
“What happened?” I say, leaning in.
“Probably nothing,” Jimmy says. “Someone found a beat-up truck washed out down one of the country roads close to the Jennings’ Farms. Checked the tags and the owner isn’t local. The sheriff said they’re looking into it, but if you ask me it's probably some woman who got her truck stuck in the mud after that big storm the other night and then hiked it out.”
Jimmy shakes his head before he heads to help someone else, and Dolly shrugs and takes a sip of her drink. “I’m sure it’s nothing. In small towns any news is big news.” I do the same and go back to enjoying my drink, loving the tangy, sweet mix.
I see couples on the dance floor laughing and having a good time together, and for a second I think about what it would be like to dance with Blake like that. Having a Friday night date night out together. Going out dancing. Knowing steps and having him lead me around, smiling so big his dimples show. I’ve never had a chance to experience something like that as I was always too busy putting everything into my family, work, and school. I knew I wanted a family of my own one day, but for some reason that need has started to pound down hard on me since I landed at Blake’s farm. I wasn’t sure it was something I thought I could ever have until now.
He’d caught me off guard with the kiss. I’d been hoping all day he’d give me one, but every time I thought he might, he’d seemed to change his mind. I wasn’t sure what to do myself. Most things in life I want, I go straight for, but I’ve always been uncertain about men. I didn’t know if I was reading him wrong. Had I built all this up in my head and read way too much into things?
Then he kissed me. It was like the world ignited around me. I wanted to grab a hold of him and pull him to me. Wrap myself around him, but he was gone so quick. I didn't even have time to process what had happened. It left me feeling mixed up and confused, questioning once again if I was reading him wrong. It was almost like he couldn’t get away from me fast enough.
I’d heard some things about him around town, but I couldn’t connect the man from those stories to the man who had kissed me. A few girls had said they’d dated him. It was partly why I always stayed clear, even though I was always looking for him when I was in town. It did seem, however, like every time he was in town some girl was trying to get his attention. So I’d always made sure I wasn’t one of them. I didn’t want to put myself out there with the odds already stacked against me. I lived so far away and every woman in town wanted a Jenningsit felt as if the universe was telling me not to pursue anything.
With Ty being off the market, a lot of the women were thinking maybe the other brothers would settle down, too. Well, that’s what the town gossip had been, and most were looking at Blake because Trace never talked to anyone or came to town. Seeing him in town was so rare I’d yet to spot him. That left Blake. The times I had seen him, been close to him when he was in town, I’d never thought he was with someone. At least he didn’t behave with them like he’s been behaving with me the past few days, with all the small touches and such. He was always polite and nice with others, but with me I could feel something more. Possession.
I was starting to think all those stories about him dating were bullshit because of how Blake spoke about the future. He talked about having a family of his own. How he’d take care of his woman. I was starting to think he was talking about me, but his departure after the kiss had left me confused.
How is it I’ve come to care for someone who is, on paper, a complete stranger to me? Sure, we talk nonstop when we're together and I know everything about him. He’s told me about his family, his hopes for a family of his own, and his dream of raising kids on his land. But it’s only been days. You can't fall for someone that fast. Can you? I don’t even know why I’m questioning it, because I already know the answer. It can, because it’s happened to me.
“Oh shit,” Dolly says, looking past me.
I turn and see a man with a woman with bleached blonde hair at the end of the bar and then look back at Dolly. Her cheeks are red and she's gritting her teeth. She scrunches her nose a little, and the always happy smile she has on her face is long gone.
“You okay?” I ask.
Her eyes come to mine and she seems to get control of herself. Her southern manners come back in a flash. “Yeah. Just some whore talking to my soon to be baby daddy. If you'll excuse me.” She downs the rest of her drink in one big gulp and slides off the stool.
I watch her walk over there and instantly the guy is standing up and going to her, getting between her and the bleached blonde. He looks surprised to see her as a half-smile pulls at his lips.
As I’m about to go over there with her, the blonde walks away and Dolly comes back to me. The guy takes a seat in his bar stool and watches her every step. He doesn’t take his eyes off of her, even as she comes back and steals my drink, taking a sip.
“I guess you handled that,” I say, a little in awe of her sass. She keeps reminding me more and more of my own sister.
“Nobody fucks with what’s mine,” she says, and I want to laugh at her face because she looks so much like Blake. She’s totally ignoring the guy now, even though he can't take his eyes off of her. I can tell he wants to say something to her but is holding back.
I take the glass from her and then two more margaritas are brought over to us. Jimmy might not like breaking the law, but he’s quick about it. He just shakes his head each time he gives us another one. He says something to the guy sitting next to Dolly. I can’t hear what he says over the music, but I know it’s something about him watching us.
We knock back our drinks and are on third and then fourth round when I finally feel brave e
nough—or maybe drunk enough—to try to talk to Dolly about her brother.
“So, I like your brother. Is that crazy? I just met him,” I say, laying the top half of my body on the bar because it’s cold and feels nice.
“Nah. When you know you know. You know?” Dolly hiccups and then laughs. “My parents knew each other a hot second before they got married. I'm the same way. I’m really starting to think it runs in the Jennings bloodline.”
“But you’re not married,” I say, giggling, then a half snort comes out, making me laugh even harder.
“I would be if baby daddy wasn't tripping.” She does a dramatic eye-roll. The soon to be baby daddy moves in a little closer to her. He’s been doing it slowly for some time now, and I’m not sure he’s aware he’s doing it, but he’s almost caging her in. He’s giving a very clear sign that no other man can talk to her. Yet he doesn't seem to be making a move himself. He just doesn't want anyone else to, either.
She blows her hair out of her face, and I can't hold back my laugh. At this rate my stomach is really going to hurt in the morning. Both from the drinks and laughing.
“I think Blake is amazing. And I want to throw a saddle on him.”
