SWNOVELS Downpour: Chapter 6
Today wasn’t going to be a good day. It was going to be a great day. Mr. Wilson didn’t throw oatmeal at me today, so my company polo was still pristine. I left his house at noon on the dot and had time to spare for a coffee stop before I drove out to the ranch.
The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the barista gave me an extra drink that someone didn’t like, and I had a day off tomorrow.
Life was an amazing thing.
The bells of the coffee shop door jingled as I stepped into the summer sun.
I took a slurp from the straw and headed down the sidewalk to my car. The aroma of nail polish and remover wafted out from the open salon door. It had been a while since I got my nails done. But with the extra pay from not getting fired in my first week with Ray, maybe I could splurge.
My pantry was stocked, my gas tank was full, my phone bill was paid, and I had already squirreled away my portion of the rent money for the month.
I had my shit together, and it felt so good.
“Yo, Stacey!”
I whirled around and spotted Nick heading down the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets. “Oh my god!” I mumbled through the mouthful of espresso and ice cream. “Hey!”
The chain hanging from his wallet jingled as he strolled up to me. “What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be working?”
“Oh, I am!” I said as I wiggled the plastic cup that was quickly being covered in teardrops of condensation. “I just stopped for a little pick-me-up before I head out to the ranch.”
He ran his thumb over his emaciated pencil mustache. “The ranch?”
“The Griffith Brothers Ranch.”
“Right…” He studied the coffees in my hand. “Look, I think you shorted me on utilities last month.”
My heart sank. I had been so careful… I paid in cash and counted every dollar. “Really?”
Nick crossed his arms and tipped his head back. “Look, if you can’t pay your share, we’ll give your room to someone else.” He shrugged. “Your choice. Pay up or lose your spot.”
“I swear, I gave you the right amount. I just—“
“Is there a problem here, sweetheart?” A giant shadow engulfed me.
I turned and found Christian Griffith standing behind me. “Hi, Mr. Griffith!”
He didn’t look at me. Instead, his gaze was trained on Nick. “This fella’ bothering you, Brooke?”
“Who?” I tipped my head toward Nick. “Him? Oh, no. This is my roommate. Well, one of them at least.” I laughed. “Six of us share the house.”
Mr. Griffith let out a low hum that sounded more like a growl. He crossed one thick arm over the other, resting them on top of his belly. “You headin’ out our way?”
“Yes, sir,” I said.
Nick started to back away. It was like Mr. Griffith had scared him away with one stern look from under that cowboy hat. “I’ll see you back at the house, Stacey.”
“It’s Brooke,” I called after him.
Christian circled around to stand in front of me. “That your boyfriend or something?”
I giggled. “That’s funny.”
But he didn’t smile. “Does he speak to you like that all the time?”
I shrugged it off. “It’s not a big deal. Nick is just… Nick.”
Christian looked around. “Do you need a ride out to the ranch?”
“Oh, no. Thanks, though. I’m just getting a little pick-me-up before I go deal with the human storm cloud.”
That made him laugh. “You’re doing great, sweetheart.” He squeezed my arm in a way that made me miss my dad. “I know Ray’s being difficult about having help, but you’ve stuck around longer than any of the others.”
I worked my lip between my teeth. “I think Ray’s fine having help. I mean, who wouldn’t want help? Most of my clients want help. It’s the families who forget that they’re capable of asking for it.”
He stared at me for a moment, then nodded. “I’m glad I ran into you. I’ve gotta finish up in town, but I’ll see you back at the ranch.”
“See ya,” I said as I waved and headed off to my car.
I ignored the rattling in my engine by blasting the radio as loud as it would go while I made the drive to the ranch. The check engine light glowed like sunshine from behind the smiley face sticker.
The ranch was a welcomed sight. I passed two trucks emblazoned with construction company logos. I didn’t know much about the building projects that were going on, but it was fascinating to watch.
I waved to Claire and Silas, Ray’s parents, as I passed their house. Nate and Becks’s house was dark, but it was because they were out of the country. I slowed and waved as I passed Bree and Gracie, Ray’s nieces, as they ran down the dirt path.
I loved it here. Everyone was so friendly.
With the developed part of the ranch in the distance, Ray’s grove of trees came into view. The leaves swallowed my car as I pulled down the drive. Suddenly, it was like I was in my own little world.
The ranch didn’t exist outside of the tree line. Ray’s house was completely closed off. Part of me wondered if that was on purpose.
I hopped out and carted my things inside, but Ray was nowhere to be found. Did I get the schedule wrong? Did I run into Mr. Griffith in town because he had to take Ray to an appointment? Where was he?
“Ray?”
His bedroom door was closed. I pressed my ear to it, listening for proof of life.
I knocked again. “Ray, it’s me. Just letting you know I’m here.”
Still nothing.
“Ray?”
My stomach churned. What if something was wrong? Where was he? Who did I call? Should I call someone, or should I just go hunt someone down on the ranch?
Wait.
The sliding door that led to the deck was open.
I poked my head outside and let out a sigh of relief. Ray was down by the pond, tying knots. I grabbed the coffees and the bag I brought in and headed down the deck ramp.
The grass was soft under my flip-flops as I strode across the yard to meet him. “Hey, you!”
Ray didn’t look up from the knots he was tying. They were different today. He wasn’t just keeping his hands busy with a mindless task; he was creating a pattern. His left hand looked a little stronger as he looped and tugged the smooth rope.
“How’s your day?” I asked as I got closer. “Need anything from the house before I settle into leaving you alone?”
“Nah,” he grunted.
“How’d you get your wheelchair down the grass?” I asked, setting the coffees on the ground and rummaging around in my bag.
He let out a weighted breath. “Pretty much the only workout I get.”
“Is that why you don’t use a power chair?”
“Yeah,” he muttered.
“Someone’s chatty today,” I noted. “I like it.”
He rolled his eyes as he went to work untying all the knots.
“I like the pond,” I said, pulling the cup holder out and attaching it to the arm of his wheelchair. “Is it natural or did you have it put in?”
He eyed me warily. “Natural. What are you doing?”
I dropped the extra coffee into the cup holder. “I found this cup holder for suitcases and figured it might work for you. Now you can have coffee with me and not have to hold it. There’s nothing worse than lukewarm iced coffee. It’s worse than room-temperature hot coffee. It’s like drinking a dry heave.”
He arched an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“Iced latte with caramel. They gave it to me for free.”
Ray took a sip, then grimaced.
“Not a fan?”
“Nope.”
I switched our cups. “Try mine.”
He glared at me.
“What? Do you think I’m trying to poison you or something? I’m trying to read your coffee aura.”
A caustic laugh slipped. “My what?”
“Your coffee aura. You know, it’s like your star sign, but way more important. The kind of coffee someone likes says a lot about them as a person.”
Ray stared at my blended whipped cream concoction topped with chocolate drizzle, then at me, then back at the coffee.
“Please?” I begged. “Do it for your friendly neighborhood Sagittarius.”
Ray took a sip. His face was completely void of any kind of reaction. “Try again.”
“Okay, but are we getting warmer? Colder? Tell me where we’re at. I need to know if I’m getting close.”
Ray went back to tying knots. “Like drinking a dry heave.”
I laughed as I wiggled my flip flops off and stretched out in the grass. “I think I’m getting close. You just don’t want to admit it. Give me another week and I’ll have you figured out.”
“Awfully bold of you to assume I won’t fire you before then.”
“You like me,” I said, closing my eyes and soaking in the sun.
Ray just grunted.
We spent an hour in companionable silence. Ray tied pattern after pattern, and I studied the cloud shapes high in the sky.
“So has it worked?” I asked when the sun came out from behind the clouds and blinded me.
“Has what worked?”
I pawed around in my bag for my sunglasses, but ended up pulling out my bag of Sweet Tarts. “Me being here. Has your family left you alone?”
“Mostly,” he said with a hint of frustration. His hands must have been getting tired because he was having trouble tying the knot.
“Why do you tie knots all the time?”
“Why do you ask so many questions?”
“Because I like you.”
His dark brows knitted together. “You shouldn’t.”
“I do. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
He eyed my candies.
“Want one?” I wiggled the bag around. “It’s mostly green and yellow ones now.”
“Why?”
“Why what? Why am I offering you one?”
“No. Why are the green and yellow ones left?”
“Oh. Because I don’t like those,” I said as I spotted a coveted blue candy. The blue ones were the best.
Ray reached out and slowly uncurled his fingers. “Green.”
I dropped three in his palm. He tossed them back like pills and crunched on the candies.
“So, what’s with the rope?”
“I didn’t say we were talking.”
“I’m just curious,” I said as I found a pink one.
“Do you want me to fire you?”
“I thought asking questions in the workplace was encouraged.”
“It’s not.”
“Come on. Tell me something,” I begged. “I’ve been so good.”
Ray lifted an eyebrow.
I pressed my palms together. “Please.”
He huffed. “My fine motor skills are shit.”
“They look pretty good to me.”
“Don’t patronize me, Sunnyside. I thought you were better than that.”
“Aww! You think about me?” I giggled. “I’m touched.”
“Don’t let your head get big. I think about firing you at least three times a day.”
“See? I knew you were funny behind all that growling. So. Rope tying. Was that something you did with bull riding?”
Ray stared at me, then laughed. “No. Some rodeos have roping competitions. I didn’t do that.”
“Oh. That’s cool. I just figured it was something you liked doing. You know, since it’s all you do.”
“It’s supposed to help my dexterity. I still have trouble with my hands.”
“Can I ask what happened?”
“You already know.”
“I can make some assumptions considering you said you were a bull rider, and now you’re just a grumpy hermit. But I’d like to hear it from you.”
“Google it.”
My heart sank. I thought we were making progress. I really thought I could wear him down into trusting me, even just a little bit.
He huffed and put his hand out. “Give me the bag.”
I relented and offered the bag of candy. Ray put the bag in his lap and fished around. Slowly, he pinched a yellow one. One by one, he pulled out only yellow and green candies and dropped them in his palm.
He handed the bag back and tossed a yellow one into his mouth.
“Accident during the championship eighteen months ago. I got thrown off the bull. Landed on my head. Broke my spine. Had a punctured lung. Bunch of broken ribs. Internal bleeding. The works.”
“Oh my god,” I whispered. “That’s so scary.”
He shrugged. “I was knocked out. Didn’t know how bad it was until I woke up three weeks later.”
“So, you’ve been working on getting your mobility back?”
He let out a wry laugh. “I allowed myself to be used as a lab rat for a human trial. It worked out well for the rats, and I had nothing left to lose. It helped me regain some mobility. That, and physical therapy. I hate that shit.”
I rested my arm on top of my knees and propped my chin in my palm. “That’s incredible. You’ve come so far in a year and a half.”
He finished the last of the candies and picked up the rope. “Alright. That’s enough talking for today.”