Black Horse (Breaking Black) (3 page)

“Baby, we gotta stop meeting like this…” Averi said, out of breath but entirely sated.

Colt winked at Averi and said, “But you love it…”

Averi couldn’t help but laugh.

“Jimmy Hearns, eat your heart out…”

***

Averi climbed in Colt’s truck with an amused smile on her face. She had showered up, tossed her irreparably shredded work clothes into her Coach bag and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Her long brown hair was still soaked from her shower, but she didn’t care. It felt good in the hot summer heat.

As Colt started his engine, the sound of Toby Keith’s deep twang belted from the speakers.

“Ready, girl?” asked Colton as he gave Averi a smoldering glance from under the brim of his hat.

“I’m always ready. Kick it,” replied Averi.

With that, Colt slammed on the gas, kicking up dirt and speeding off down the road towards Red Rock Plateau. The brick red rocks shot up in the distance and looked like they belonged on Mars rather than in Southwest Texas. It was their place… The place they went every Saturday night after her shift at the bar. They could be alone, just them and the stars, and the occasional howl of a coyote.

The stars were veiled and the sky blanketed the earth in the deepest shade of blue. Colt got out of the truck with a blanket in hand. He threw it in the back of his truck. Walking around to Averi’s door, he pulled it open with a groan. Pulling her from the t
ruck and into his arms, they mosied to the flatbed of the truck and they climbed inside.

Lying back, Averi leaned her head against Colt’s chest as she took in the majesty that surrounded them. It was moments like this that they could truly escape their life’s worries, strip things down to the barest level, see things for what they truly were. Under the lust, the passion, the unbridled desire… there was a love that couldn’t be broken. They started as friends when they were still in diapers, and they remain friends on the deepest level. She was his oldest friend, he was her first love. And they fought against the sins of his father to ensure that they remained one.

But here, they didn’t have to hide. Here they could be one and not worry about what anyone else had to say.

Colt squeezed Averi tight around the waist and nestled his face into the curve of her neck. He closed his eyes and he took in the scent of her skin and the sweet smell of her shampoo.

“You okay?” she asked. He looked like he had something on his mind. He did. He just didn’t want to reveal the contents of his mind. It would destroy the moment. One thing he always promised himself was that Black Horse had no business invading their private moments. He had taken enough from them already.  Colt pushed his thoughts aside.

“I’m with you. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Averi shook her head at his corny line as she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

Pulling her tight, Colt stared into the night, trying to relax with his love held tightly in his grasp.

Chapter Three

Rumors & Ruin

“Thank you for calling Dr. Herman Tasco’s office. My name is Averi Ford, how can I assist you, today?”

Averi listened intently as she wrote a note for the doctor. Jimmy Hearn’s mother Lillian spoke in a panicked tone about Jimmy needing to see Dr. Tasco ASAP regarding a potential concussion. Averi smirked as she took the note, trying to refrain from laughing. He got what he deserved. She hung up the phone and checked on the patients that were patiently sitting in the waiting room.

“Mrs. Donnelly… The doctor will see you now.”

Averi opened the door for the elderly Mrs. Donnelly and promptly returned to her desk. She sorted through patient files and sipped on her coffee as she tried to wake up. She definitely needed it today. Suddenly, her cell phone rang and Lady Antebellum crooned “Need You Now” loudly through the office. Scrambling to silence her phone, Averi blushed as the elderly patients in the waiting room chuckled to themselves.

“Sorry! So sorry!” Averi yelled, her face rivaling the color of her red high heel pumps.

The heat in her face didn’t fade when she saw who the text was from.

Colton: Good morning, beautiful…

Averi: Mornin’ love… Thanks for the coffee

Colton: NP. I figured you’d need it. Dinner tonight?

Averi: Okay. Where?

Colton: It’s a surprise. ;)

Averi: Man of mystery?

Colton: You know it. Enjoy your day, babe

Averi: You, too… I’ll see you later. Love ya.

Colton: You know I do

Averi: What?

Colton: Love you

***

Randy Ford pounded a nail into the wood frame of the Oakeley Lutheran Church with his father’s hammer. The construction company he worked for, Willard Construction and
Renovations, was renovating the old church after it had been damaged horribly by Hurricane Diana. The community of Oakeley had collected enough funds to restore the church to its former glory.

Sweat dripped off Randy’s brow and down his tattooed back and arms as the hot Texas sun scorched down upon his skin. He wore an intense scowl on his face as he worked. He wasn’t in the mood for any bullshit today. Letting his hammer hang at his side, he ran his calloused hand through his dirty blond hair. He heard someone approaching and immediately went back to the task at hand. He wasn’t in the mood to be social. His ex-girlfriend Carrie was a Grade A stalker, he could barely afford his mortgage and his kid sister was giving him an ulcer; his kid sister who wasn’t a kid anymore and had a well developed taste for the one guy in town he wanted to kill. To say that Randy Ford had a bug up his ass was an understatement of epic proportions.

“Hey Randy!” a voice called out from just a few feet away.

Ugh. Not today… Not this fucking douche bag,
thought Randy.

Jimmy Hearns approached Randy with an arrogant stride in his step. Randy turned around
and gave Jimmy an agitated look from his piercing green eyes.

For someone with a nasty shiner, Jimmy sure does look happy
… thought Randy.

“Nicer shiner, Hearns…” commented Randy with an amused smirk on his face.

Jimmy had a smug look on his face. He always looked like he was up to no good. Usually he was.

“Yeah, you should see the other guy…” Jimmy eluded.

Randy raised his eyebrow. Jimmy was all talk and he knew it. He wondered if he got into a fist fight with his sister, if he indeed won the fight. Then again, Molly Hearns had a mean left hook. Randy would know… That was another of his bitter exes. He had lots of them. Averi wanted to know if he was aiming for collector status. Tossing the thought aside, Randy tackled the issue at hand.

“Who beat your ass
this
time?” Randy asked.

“Black Horse. Wanna take care of that for me?” asked Jimmy as he looked up at Randy who had a good foot on him.

Randy’s scowl returned.

“No thanks. I try to avoid scum like him.”

“Scared?” asked Jimmy with a rodent like smirk on his face.

“Fuck off, Hearns. I ain’t the one running around with a screwed up face.”

Jimmy shrugged his shoulders. He knew it was true. He got his ass kicked on the regular. Usually from trying to mess with another guy’s girl. He had his nose broken four times alone. Twice by the same guy. Colt McClain, himself.

“I got information that you might be interested in,” said Jimmy slyly.

“On what?” asked Randy.

“Your sister, Averi.”

Randy eyed Jimmy warily.

“What about her…” Randy asked, unsure if he wanted to know.

“How do you think I got this black eye? Protecting your sister from Black Horse. The dude is an animal!”

“You…” Randy said as he started to laugh, “Protected Averi... You’re kidding me, right?”

“What the hell’s so funny?”

“Dude, the last time I checked, Averi could handle herself.”

“I’m just tellin’ ya what I know…”

Randy’s hard look softened as he took in Jimmy’s words.

“What the hell happened?”

“I was at the bar last night, and Black Horse kept asking her out trying to get into her pants. Rubbing up on her, grabbing her, and she kept saying no. Gripped her up in front of everyone. I stepped in and stopped him,” Jimmy said, lying through his crooked teeth.

Randy knew Jimmy had a thing for Averi since he was in junior high, but he never thought he’d go against Colt McClain to defend her honor. Randy was actually impressed. Randy was an idiot.

“Thanks for the heads up, man. He’ll be dealt with. Trust that.”

“Knew I could count on you…” said Jimmy as he slapped hands with Randy.

***

It was lunch time and Averi was starving. She grabbed her purse from her desk and walked down Monument Avenue towards her favorite lunch spot, Summer’s Bar and Grill. It was situated just down the street from the doctor’s office and just a few doors away from Colton’s auto body shop. Averi met Shelly inside and ordered a platter of fish tacos and a tall glass of cola, while Shelly opted for a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a milkshake. She had clearly fallen off of her latest health craze. Shelly didn’t event wait for Averi to sit down before she began to dish.

“Girl… Have I got dirt to tell you…” said Shelly just waiting for Averi to take the bait.

“Dirt?” asked Averi as she took a sip of her soda. “On who?”

“You, girlfriend. Brace yourself.”

Averi rolled her eyes.

“Oh, for the love of God! Don’t people have anything better to do than gossip? Women gossip too damn much!”

“True. But this time it wasn’t a woman. Jimmy Hearns…” Shelly began but she was cut off by Averi.

“Same difference!
Gossiping like an old woman! What’s he sayin’?”

“He’s going around telling the guys at the construction site that Colton attacked you and Jimmy came to your rescue.”

“My rescue. What a joke! I’m gonna kill that little weasel!”

“But wait… There’s more…”

“Please. Just shoot me.”

“No! Then who would I have to laugh at my jokes and buy me lunch?! So anyway, he approached Randy directly.”

“No. No, no no no no no no no…! This is not happening! Just when things were starting to calm down between them!” Averi yelled into her palm.

Averi shook her head as a migraine kicked in. It was about to get a whole lot worse. The screech of tires alerted her to look out of the diner window. Her eyes widened at the sight of Randy’s black Trailblazer speeding down the street. It came to a screeching halt outside of Colton’s garage. As Averi tried to jump out of her seat, Shelly stopped her.

“Girl, you gotta relax. How many times have I told you? Don’t get involved in men’s drama. They say women are dramatic. Men are
so
much worse!” said Shelly as she examined her nails.

“I can’t relax! They want to kill each other! Everyone I love hates each other! What if Randy does something?!”

“Uhh… May I remind you that Colton is not some little boy scout? He is six feet four inches of premium grade man. You saw the way he sent Jimmy flying over the bar. Those muscles! Those abs! Sigh….”

“Can you stop having wet dreams about my future husband?!”

“Sorry, but damn girl… You struck gold.”

Averi and Shelly suddenly broke out into laughter. Averi knew her friend was insane and she loved her for it. She always knew how to make her laugh. The moment was
short-lived, though. The sound of a gun shot shocked the peaceful afternoon ambiance and it came from the direction of Colt’s auto shop. Both Averi and Shelly turned as pale as a ghost. There was no holding her back this time. Averi bolted for the door, praying that no one was dead. She couldn’t live without Colt, and if her brother was dead she would be inconsolable. She couldn’t bare to lose anymore people that she loved. She had already lost too many…

***

The sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd filled the expanse of Colt’s Auto Repair as Colton repaired the muffler on a beat up Chevrolet. Lying on his back under the car on a dolly, Colton could hear a pair of boots making their way towards him. He continued singing along to the song, not giving a damn.

“Yo, Black Horse!” Randy yelled as he kicked Colton’s foot.

Colton ignored him. The name Black Horse was an insult of the highest degree to him.

“Hey, Black Horse! You deaf?!”

Colton sped out on his dolly from under the vehicle with a venomous look on his face. He wiped grease across his white wife beater and he stood toe to toe with his former best friend.

In a voice that was nothing more than a whisper but laced with arsenic, Colton replied, “Call me Black Horse one more fuckin’ time… The name is Colt. I believe we’ve met before.”

Randy pulled his hand gun out of his waist band and pointed it between Colton’s eyes, allowing the cool metal of the gun to touch his skin.