Meadowlarks (2 page)

             
Two days go by, and there's not much excitement around the farm. Long work days and long, lonely nights without sleep. Eventually, I close my eyes and drift off. Rex startles me awake by barking at the bedroom window. I sleepily rub my eyes and get out of bed. His wet nose leaves prints all over the window, and he stands rigid, with his hair is straight up on end.               There must be something out there.

             
“What is it, buddy?” I squint as I try to look out into the darkness, but I see nothing.               He's still worked up, so we both head outside—but not before I grab my gun from behind the door.

             
              Rex is sniffing the ground all around the barn door, and I walk over quietly to him. He starts barking again, fiercely, and I open the barn door. He barrels in, and I'm quick on my feet behind him, one hand holding my rifle, and the other keeping my pajama pants from falling off my hips.

             
Flipping on the lights, I see the nothing but Ivy and her calf in their stall. All the other animals are outside in the pasture. Rex has something cornered and all of a sudden, I hear an ear-piercing yelp.

             
A fox.

             
Like a blazing orange streak, it flies past me with Rex on its tail, and they're out the door.

             
“Rex! Get back here!” I hear him barking in the distant field, and I call him over and over again.               Finally he comes back, limping. He's holding his right paw up.

             
Oh, great.

             
“Ah shit, boy. What did you do?”

             
The fox could be carrying rabies, and I know I'll have to take Rex to the vet. Looking at my watch, I see it's 5:48 AM. Deciding to wait until eight o'clock when the office opens, I check Rex out for myself. He seems to be okay. I can't find any puncture wounds; maybe he just hurt himself while running after that sly little bastard. How did it get into the barn anyway? I'll have to look around when it's light.

             
Dr. Holly Jenkins is a short, older woman with jet black hair. She has lived in Sheridan her whole life too; she even went to school with my parents and was a good friend of my mother's.

             
“Blaine!” She smiles. “What has this big fella got himself into now?”

             
Dr. Jenkins has seen Rex a few times in the past, for quill removal when he got brave and chased a porcupine, and other minor things. She also saw him when he was neutered, and I won't begin to tell you the guilt I felt about that one.

             
I explain the late night encounter with the red-haired fox, and she rolls her eyes and frowns at Rex.

             
“I'll bring him in and check him out. You can stay out here and wait if you like. We will probably be twenty minutes or so.”

             
I nod and sit down with a copy of National Geographic. There’s not much of a selection on the old wooden coffee table. I smile and shake my head at the thought of Rex chasing the fox, and as fast as it ran by me in the barn, a new thought crashes through my mind.

             
Red hair...
the beauty
. The breathtaking beauty. I haven't seen her again, not since my awkwardness at Zeke's.

             
Forget it, Blaine, she didn't even see you.

             
My mind tells another part of me to let the thought go.

             
Yeah, I know, I know...but her boyfriend did all right. He caught you, holding your dog food, peeping over the shelving unit and salivating like a 12 year old hiding in the girl’s locker room.

             
I shake my head at myself and at where my thoughts are most likely headed.               It's been what? Seven months since Quinn? She was the last girl I dated. Well, if you can call only sex and nothing else “dating”. Then okay—I dated the shit out of that girl.

Quinn Masterson was the girl in high school that didn't kno
w she was beautiful, not like Gwen Wolf. She wore clothes that were too far big for her, instead of something more her size that would let you appreciate her sexy curves. She moved to Arizona for college and then came back about two years ago with a teaching degree. She’s now a chemistry teacher at Sheridan High.

             
If I had a teacher that looked like her in high school, I definitely would have flunked chemistry just to have her all over again.
Hot for teacher!

             
Quinn and I reconnected at The Wolfbarrow over a year ago and hit it off. I didn't mention how I felt about her in high school; instead I played it cool, letting her think I didn't notice her until she came back to Sheridan. We spent more time in bed than anywhere else. We didn't do the dinner thing, movies or coffee. We had sex on almost every surface in my house, and even a few times outside when we didn't make it indoors.

             
We were great physically, but emotionally? We were complete opposites.

             
Quinn started to hint around the
L word
and I, like an asshole, shut that runaway train down before it collided head on with another. I don't know why I wasn't ready for that type of relationship. My parents had been happily married, and both of my older brothers are currently and have children, too. I guess I’m at a loss for a reason as to why I am so different.

             
“Blaine?”

             
I snap back to the present, and Dr. Jenkins has returned to the waiting room with Rex.

             
“Rex is fine. He didn't contract rabies, and his leg is okay too. Just a small sprain.”

             
I smile and sigh with relief.

             
“I suggest he takes it easy for a few days, and then he will be back to good.”

             
“Thanks, Doc.”

             
I look down at Rex and purse my lips. He looks up at me, eyes lit up and happy as a clam. Heading over to the reception desk to pay for the visit, I catch something out of the corner of my eye.

             
A big malamute comes through the door and behind him…it's her. This time I see all of her—large blue eyes and that flowing auburn hair.

             
Well, hello again…s
ays the familiarity in my jeans that I felt at Zeke's the first time I saw her. I actually blush.

             
Finally her eyes meet mine, a moment that I wish had happened a few days ago, but I didn't have the guts make it occur. She’s perfect; I can't put it any other way. And this time, she seems to be without the texting friend.

             
I
hope
he's just her friend.

             
Her large dog starts sniffing Rex, but he doesn't seem to mind or even notice him.

             
“Luca! Mind your manners.” She blushes and pulls on his leash.

             
“Ugh...” I stammer. “No worries, ma'am. Rex doesn't mind.”

             
I collect myself and give her my big white smile. When I see her reaction, I start to feel like a man again. Her beautiful cheeks turn pink, and she looks down at the leash coiled in her hands.

             
There you go, Blackstock. Welcome back.

             
“Hi, I'm Addison. I called earlier about my dog, Luca.” She peeks around me and speaks to the young girl behind the desk.

             
“Hi, Miss Cole. Dr. Jenkins will see you and Luca in a few minutes. If you'd like to take a seat, she will be right out!” The all-too cheery girl motions for the seating area and chews noisily on her gum.

             
Addison smiles at me and walks Luca over to a row of empty seats and tells him to sit, which he does promptly.

             
I decide that I need to talk to her now, or I probably never will. I tap my leg and tell Rex to come. He hobbles behind me, and I slowly walk over to the chairs.

             
“Miss Cole?” I stand a few feet away and put my hands on my belt buckle. She looks at my hands, then at my face, smiles, but doesn't say anything.

             
“May I?” I motion to the seat beside her.

             
She nods and slowly blinks her beautiful long lashes at me.

             
“I'm Blaine.” I extend my hand to her and she shakes it. Tingles shoot up my fingers and down my forearm.

             
Oh, damn...

             
“Addison.” She smiles, her blue eyes alight and sparkling. “Are you from around here?”

             
I reach out and pet the top of Luca's head.               “Yep, I am. Born and raised. I live on a ranch on Porter Road. What about you?”

             
“Just moved into town. I'm from the east coast, actually.”

             
Her smile leaves me breathless, and when the receptionist tells her it's her turn, I figure it's now or never. “Would you like to get coffee sometime?”

             
Maybe it is the adrenaline from our early morning fox chase, or maybe I just haven't seen such a beauty before and I can't let her get away. I need to chase my own fox, so to speak.

             
“I would love to, Blaine,” she says completely taking me by surprise. “How about after Luca has his shots?”

             
She reaches to scratch her dog's head. He’s panting.

             
I feel ya, buddy…

             
My cell phone rings, but I completely ignore it.               “That sounds great. I can meet you down the street at Bean There in about half an hour?”

             
Bean There, a comical name for a coffee shop, is locally owned by a friendly couple from New York who had enough of the city life and wanted to lay some country roots.

             
“Okay. I’ll see you then.”

             
She is gorgeous when she smiles. Her perfect teeth, the small dimples in her cheeks, and the way her hair falls around her face when she looks down to blush.

             
I almost trip over the coffee table when Rex and I make our way to the exit. I shrug my shoulders, and she giggles, a sound that makes me smile even wider.

             
I have to take Rex back home. He needs to rest that leg, and I need to look in a mirror to give myself a pep talk to grow the nerve to actually see this girl for a third time.

             
Addison Cole...wow.

             
I open the rear door of my Ford and lift Rex in. He winces.

             
“Sorry, boy.” I pat his head and close the door.

             
Looking back into the window of the vet's office, I see her sitting in the same chair, Luca at her feet, and she's watching me.

             
Okay, Blackstock, show her the goods.

             
I open my door, give her a smile, and extend my arm to hoist myself up into my truck, ensuring the muscles in my biceps are at their best.

             
See you soon, gorgeous.

*
              *              *

             
Rex is sleeping comfortably on his oversized dog pillow. I quickly check myself in the bathroom mirror, run a bit of water over my hands and rake my fingers through my hair. It's unruly, but when isn't it? I smell my armpits. Not bad. I spritz on a little body spray anyway.

I'm wearing my usual well-worn jeans with
a few rips in the knees, my boots, and white t-shirt. Unlike Quinn Masterson's wardrobe in high school, this does compliment my body very well.               I feel a buzz from my pocket, signalling me that I have a voice mail. Must be the call I ignored while engaged to the lovely Miss Cole.

             
It's Jeremiah.               “Where are you? You will not believe what time I woke up this morning. We didn't even drink that much!”

             
He sounds groggy; he doesn't do hangovers well. I decide to call him back, and he picks up in two rings.

             
“Jer, buddy—you really can't handle a few beers anymore?” I laugh, and he groans. “Are you still coming over today?”

             
He tells me he is going to shower and be over within an hour.

             
“I have to go out for a bit, but I'll be back later.” I don't want to tell him who I'm going to meet. Not just yet.

             
“Okay, bro. See ya.”

             
We hang up and shoving my phone back in my pocket, I head out the door.

             
Addison met me at the entrance of Bean There, and we walked in together. It's actually pretty cool on the inside. An odd Mediterranean theme for a coffee shop, but the warm peaches and cool blues tie in well with the brown tables and chairs. The young brunette behind the counter blushes when we approach her to order.

             
“Welcome to Bean There! What can I get for you today?”

             
I look at Addison, who smiles and orders a black coffee.

             
“I'll have the same, please.” I hand the brunette, whose name tag says Kelly, a ten dollar bill. Addison and I look at one another and smile, her fingers twirling a small strand of hair.

             
“Thank you, Blaine.” She picks up her coffee. “Where would you like to sit?”

             
I suggest a round table by the window, one with only two chairs close enough together that I'm hoping our knees will touch underneath the wooden tabletop. I hold out her chair for her to sit, and she smiles and thanks me. Sitting down across from her, I can't believe that I'm having coffee with the same girl I was staring at a few days ago at the feed store.

             
“So, tell me about yourself, Blaine,” she says, and then takes a small sip of coffee.

             
“Well...” I reply, tapping my index finger on my chin, thinking of what people would usually say when asked this question.

             
“I'm twenty-nine. I have two older brothers, Nick and Owen. I'm a rancher. You know, horses, cows, chickens, you name it. I've lived there my whole life.” That pretty much sums it up; I don't know what else to say. I've never met anyone in my adult life that I've had to tell myself about to. Everyone I've dated I went to school with at some point in time, and that makes me realize how small of a bubble I live in.