Peace in My View

Peace
In My View

by C.L. Rosado

PEACE
IN MY VIEW

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright © 2015 C.L. Rosado

Editor: Kathy Vogel

Cover Artist: Kari March Designs

SELF-PUBLISHING BY C.L. ROSADO

2015 Edition

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

No part of this book can be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without the permission in writing from author. The only exception is by a reviewer who may quote short excerpts in a review.

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Dedication

To my children,

I hope that you all find a forever love, someone who completes you and takes your breath away from day one.

Love fiercely and completely without abandon because the best treasures in life are well worth the fight.

Love you,

Mom

I miss you like the moon misses the sun, destined to chase it till the end of time.

Author Unknown

Preface

W
hen I was a child we moved around a lot. I always loved moving because of the different views. My dad was in the military, and we were never in one place too long. It was hard at times leaving behind friends, but I enjoyed seeing new places because of the change of scenery. I loved being outside and would often wake up earlier to watch the sunrise. I was seven when Mom got me my first camera. She would take me to develop one roll of film a week. I had pictures from all over. It wasn't until high school that my dad retired. We settled in one place, and I was able to find lasting friendships.

I still remember the day Olivia bumped into me in the hallway at school rushing to get to class.

“Sorry, I'm so late. Mrs. Burns will have my ass!” she said as she rushed to pick up her things.

“It's ok…”.
“You're new here, huh? I haven't seen you around before.”
“Yeah, it's my…”
“Sorry, I gotta go. I will find you at lunch or something!” she yelled as she ran down the hall towards her class.

Turns out I was headed for the same class. Liv and I became fast friends and still are to this day. She has always been there for me. When my parents decided to move again once I graduated, she helped me find a way to stay. Instead of selling the little house they owned in town, my parents allowed me to pay the house payment. It was a small three bedroom in the heart of Whisper. I took over the master and Liv turned my old room into her’s, even though we usually piled in my bed when she slept over. I went to the local art school to get my bachelor’s in photography. My parents didn't mind paying for school as long as I kept a job to pay for my living expenses. Liv’s parents owned a feed store in town and hired me right away. I also did photo sessions for the townies. Being at the feed store allowed me to meet a lot of my future clients, especially the seniors.

Liv was going to school in Austin to become an elementary teacher. We didn't see each other much during the week, but she usually came home on weekends, or I would go stay the weekend with her so we could go clubbing on 6th street, enjoying the college life. There really wasn't much partying where we lived, apart from the high school field variety. The two of us finished college and started life in our small town.

Liv stayed with her parents and hopped in between their house and mine. She had decided a long time ago she wouldn’t move out until she had to. She wanted to save her money for whatever her future held. I wish I had that option. God knows I would’ve stayed with my parents for as long as possible. I didn’t want to move all over the place my entire life… My parents were modern day nomads, continuously moving from place to place. I never knew when I would get the call saying they were moving. Thankfully, right now they weren't too far, just north of Fort Worth.

My life was in Whisper. It’s where I was happiest. Liv was here, my job, and my clients. I couldn’t see leaving anytime soon.

That was before I met Gentry Sloan…

Chapter 1

Gentry

Y
ou know that feeling you get when you’re driving down a backroad with the radio up and the windows down, wind blowing your hair every which-a-way? It feels like freedom. When I first got my license, I did that to free myself from all the worries at home and school. I would race my truck down the roads and head straight for the backside of our ranch where I could just look out over vast acreage of green pastures and rolling hills, watch the sunset, wish I were grown, and could do what I wanted instead of what was expected of me.

I left Florida yesterday afternoon after packing up all my stuff . Mom had called last week saying that she had fallen ill and could really use my help with the ranch this summer. I had only returned a handful of times since my father passed away. I had attended college at FSU on a scholarship and moved in with a buddy my junior year. Even though Momma and I spoke weekly, it was hard going home when there were so many memories of him everywhere. In Florida, I could pretend like everything was fine back home and not deal. As I raced towards the ranch, I felt the weight of the past as memories assaulted me. I remember growing up on the ranch playing in the hay fields, chasing the cattle on my horse. Having almost 2,000 acres gave me plenty of open space to explore. When I was a teen, I would travel with my dad buying up cattle. We had about 100 head then, but were up to about 300 head when he passed. I’m not sure what Momma and Cal are running now. Cal was my dad’s right hand man back then. Being with my family for over twenty years, he was easily the best ranch hand in ten counties.

Pulling into the drive, I let out a breath. I could do this. Momma needed me. I was all she had. I’m sure she would be feeling better in no time. I shut off my truck and hopped out, taking a look around. I breathed in the smell of woods,
fresh cut hay, and horses. As much as I loved the smell of the salty air of the ocean, this smell was home. I went to the back of the truck, grabbed my stuff, and headed up the porch steps to the front door. The old ranch style home was just the same as I remembered it from the front, beginning with its wrap around porch and green shutters that framed the three windows atop the roof with one of those being my childhood bedroom, which I’m certain hasn't changed much. The porch swing was blowing in the light breeze. It was the beginning of May and just starting to be consistently warm in Texas.

Reaching for the handle on the screen, I yelled out for my mom, “Momma, I’m home. Your boy is here.” Silence. “Mom?” Still nothing. I sat my bags by the stairs and went to look for her, looking in the living room where the same leather couches and western decor filled the room. The kitchen had recently been remodeled with new countertops and painted cabinets. It was nothing like I remembered but definitely much nicer. Still I was coming up empty handed. “Momma, where you at?” I checked the other rooms downstairs and still no sign of her. I decided I would check out back before heading upstairs.

As I walked out the back door, I called out to her again. “Momma, come out, come out where ever you are.” “Where is that woman?” I questioned. As I turned to go inside, I noticed her lying on the chaise lounge. She had fallen asleep reading and enjoying the fresh air. It was what she did in the late afternoon after all the rounds were made. “Momma, wake up. It’s Gentry. I’m here!” I spoke softly so not to scare her.

“Gentry? You’re here! I guess I slept longer than I intended,” her sleepy voice rasps. “I’m so glad you’re home. I have missed you so much. How was your drive?”

“It was good, Momma. How are you feeling?”

“Good, I’m just a little tired.”

I helped her to her feet, and we made our way inside. We spent the rest of the evening catching up.

The following morning, Momma made breakfast. Man, do I love her cooking. This I definitely missed. “Momma, this is delicious. Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Gentry I’m just so happy to have you home. After you’re finished, we can walk around the ranch. I’ll show you what all needs doing,” she said with a wave of her hand.

“Sounds good, Momma.”

After finishing breakfast and cleaning up, we headed outside. She showed me the things around the ranch that needed repair. I’ve been gone so long. She has been dealing with all this on her own. I’m a crappy son. I’ve been hiding away in another state while my mom deals with all this. When my dad was alive, he kept this ranch running smoothly. Mom’s doing a great job, but you can tell she is unable to keep up. Mom heads in, and I get started on the list of stuff I wrote down as we walked the ranch.

I’d been working for hours. I had fixed the barn door and the back fence. I called the paper and put in a help wanted ad. The sun was low in the sky. As I trudge back towards the house, I hear my startled mother.

“Gentry! Gentry!” Mom is almost yelling, pulling me out of my thoughts of all that still needs doing.

“What is it, Mom?” I ask coming around the house. I follow her line of vision to the person wandering around the big hill on the South side of the property.

“I think it’s a hunter or something,” she whispers almost to herself.

“I doubt that. It’s not even hunting season, Momma. Go on inside. I will go check it out.”

I hop in my truck and speed up that way, slowing down just before coming to a complete stop atop the hill. What I find is some chick lying down on her stomach, camera in hand.
What the?
I get out, slamming my door shut. Nothing. She doesn’t respond in anyway. As I get closer, I take all of her in. I am mesmerized by her dusty boots, her blue-jean covered legs, and finally—
damn that’s a perfectly round ass.
I shake my head to erase the images from my mind. I remind myself s
he is trespassing
.

“Excuse me, Ma’am.”

Chapter 2

Ariana

T
here is this magical thing that happens when I’m looking through my view finder: it’s as if the world melts away. It’s almost like I’m in another world, and I’m kinda stepping into someone else’s life. I feel a part of something great in that moment, but when I’m shooting nature, it’s a peace like no other. Right now, I’m in that place, and there is no where else I wanna be.

“Excuse me, Ma’am?”and just like that, with three words, my peace is gone. Ugh.

Without looking up, I growl, “You’re excused.”

“Haha! You’re hilarious, but since you are currently trespassing on my property, you might wanna hop up and chat with me.”

Oh crap! Putting my camera down, I spin around to sit up and catch sight of the most amazing view of a man I have ever seen. I almost pick my camera back up and start clicking. “Uh, sorry. I kinda zone out when I’m shooting stills. I didn’t even hear you pull up. You must be Liv’s cousin Gentry?” Liv had been telling me for months about her aunt’s ranch, and how it had the best views. I hadn’t been able to check it out before now because, if the weather was good I was busy. I had told Liv about a client that wanted to purchase landscape images from me. I was getting close to the deadline, which lead me to the ranch this evening.

“Yes Ma’am, and who might you be?” he inquires, in a husky voice.

“Oh yes, sorry. I’m Ariana. I’m friends with Liv. She said it was okay if I took some sunset shots out here. I assumed she would’ve let you know. She said that no one is ever out here, but that you were moving back, and it was possible I may run into you.” There, that wasn’t so bad considering I felt like I couldn’t breathe because he is literally taking my breath away. Liv had said I may
run into him
but she didn’t warn me, he was the
hottest thing since fried Oreos
.
Dad-gum.

“Oh, no kidding! Well, that’s good. Now I don’t have to call the police or anything, but no, Olivia didn’t tell me you would be out here.”

Oh Lordy, I could listen to him speak all night. With the temperature in the high eighties, he has a light sheen of sweat on his brow. I watch a sweat bead run down to his defined jawline, past his perfectly tanned neck, down into his white t-shirt that’s dirty like he has been working in the field all day.

“Ariana?”

Huh? Oh, God! “Sorry what did you say?”

“Are you okay?”

“Uh yeah, I totally just zoned out a minute.”

Laughing a full-on belly laugh, he says,“You weren’t zoned out on me were you?”

“What?No. Definitely not.” Totally, I’m so busted.

“OK,” he says with a quiet chuckle. “I will let you get back to your sunset. It’s about gone now, but you’re welcome to come back anytime. Just give me a call and let me know so I don’t drop what I’m doing to drive up here because my mom thinks there are poachers on the hill.” he pulls a business card from his wallet and says, “Here is my number. Call me anytime you wanna take some pictures.”

Oh, I wanna take some pictures now if that’s the case, of your full landscape (swoon).

“OK. Awesome. Thanks.” We say our goodbyes and I watch as he walks back to his truck. He’s rockin’ tight blue jeans, I pay extra attention to
that
awesome rear end. (gulp).

“Bye, Ariana,” he says over his shoulder with a wink. Oh my. I think I might pass out. He totally heard my gulp and knows I was checking his butt out.

After packing up my things, I head into town to grab something for dinner before heading home. As I ease into a parking space at Andy’s Bar and Grill, I feel my phone buzzing in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see it’s Liv calling. “Hey Chica, what’s up?”

“Hey Sweet Cheeks! Whatcha doin?”

“Just grabbing a bite to eat at Andy’s. Wanna join me?” I ask her.

“Uh yeah, duh, be right there. I have something to tell you. Ciao,” she says before hanging up.

I grab us a table in the back and checkout my Facebook while I wait for her.

I click on the message icon noting I have a new message from a client and friend request from none other than Gentry Sloan himself.
“Well, heck yes, I wanna be your Facebook friend,”
I think to myself with a giggle.

“What’s got you giggling, huh?” Liv asks as she slips into the seat across from me.

“Oh nothing. Just stupid Facebook stuff.”

The waitress arrives with menus and takes our drink orders, and as she leaves, Liv starts bouncing in her seat and clapping her hands.

“Geez, what’s wrong with you?” I ask.

“So you met Gentry tonight apparently, and he called to tell me all about your little run in.”

Trying to be all uninterested, I say “Oh yeah? What did he have to say?”
There. Not that interested at all.

“Oh just that he gave you his number…, that you’re welcome out there anytime, and he hopes you didn’t get what you needed tonight so that you’d come back sooner rather than later.” She lets out a high pitch squeal and starts clapping again.

“Really? What a jerk.” I say to throw her off.

“What?” Liv screeches, “You can’t be serious. He is my cousin, but come on Ari, he is freakin hot!”

“Looks aren’t everything Liv,” but honestly the boy is smokin HOTT!

“Uh… no, they definitely aren’t, but Gentry could have any girl on the planet, and he wants to see you again, my best friend. What if you got married,and we were family? That would be totally freakin awesome!”

Is she for real —marriage? “Slow down, Killer. I only met him once for like two-seconds, Liv.” The waitress finally returns with our drinks.

“What can I get you ladies to eat?”

“I will have the bacon cheeseburger with fried pickles,” I answer.

“I will have the same except with onion rings,” says Liv.

The waitress leaves us, and we start talking about other random stuff. When someone clears his throat, both of us look up in unison. My jaw hits the table. There he is in all his glorious perfection with his dark smoldering eyes peeking out from under the bill of his ball cap. I scan his chiseled jaw moving over to those full lips that look good enough to eat. A moan escapes my throat, and his lips part showing off a stellar set of perfectly straight pearly whites.

“Like what you’re seeing?” he asked with a wink.

“Huh, uh what?”

Liv burst out laughing. “Busted,” she mouths to me.

“You girls mind if I join y’all?” Gentry drawls, sliding into the seat next to me. Oh Lordy, I can’t breathe. The smell of him is like something dreams are made of. His cologne almost beckons to me with its citrus and spicy aromas. I literally want to jump into his lap and put my nose in his neck. I mentally slap myself to get control.

“So Gentry, how’s everything coming along out at your Mom’s?” Liv’s questions, giving me a minute to regroup.

“Well, she’s a mess. There is so much work to be done. I put an ad in the paper this morning for help to get the place back in order.”

The waitress walks up with our food with a big smile on her face. “Gentry Sloan, I didn’t know you were in town. Are you here for a visit?” she purrs.

“Hey Bea. Um, no. I’m back for the time being. Just got back into town yesterday afternoon,” he states.

“Great. Maybe we can catch up sometime. You want your usual?” she beams.

“Uh, sure. Why not?” he nods. I watch confused as she saunters away.

"Your usual?" Liv questions.

"Yeah, I have no idea. Guess we will all know soon enough,” He says with a shrug of his shoulders. He is so handsome. Every move he makes causes a tirade of butterflies which is strange. I have never been like this with anyone. I don’t do the instant love/lust thing ever.

The waitress, Bea, brings us our burgers, and Gentry’s usual, which is apparently chicken fried steak with all the fixin’s. Gentry rolls his eyes. When she walks away, Gentry says, “Well, that’s generic, huh?” Liv and I just laugh.

We eat with easy conversation, me mostly listening to them catch up. Gentry is easy on the eyes —and ears. I love listening to him talk. His deep voice draws me in. I want to know him more. Olivia and I have been friends for years. I moved here in high school, but I had never met Gentry because he was older than us and moved away right after high school.

“So Gentry, why did you go to college so far away from home?” I question.

“Well, I guess I wanted to explore a bit and get away for a while.” He throws Liv a sideways glance. She picks up where she left off in their conversation. I feel like there is so much not being said. I intend on talking to Liv about it later.

“But, you haven’t really been back, right?” I question.

“It’s a story for another time, Ari,” Liv scolds. Geez, she is infuriating. They continue on with their conversation, me only chiming in here and there, until we are all through eating. I’m clearly the third wheel here.
Thanks for joining me y’all.

I stood up to go. “Well y’all, it was great of you both to join me for dinner; I’m gonna head out. I’ve got tons of editing to do.” Reaching for the ticket, Gentry covers my hand with his. I shiver from the contact.

“I got it,” he claims.

“That’s okay. I can pay for my own food.”

“I know you can, but I would like to get everyone’s dinner if that’s cool”

“Oh, well thanks. It was great seeing you again, Gentry. You know, not trespassing. I will see you tomorrow, Liv.” They say their goodbyes to me, as well, and I head out.

As I leave Andy’s, my mind is spinning with questions to ask Olivia because I have to know Gentry Sloan. That’s all there is to it. Something in his eyes draws me to him. There is adventure there and longing, but also pain.

“Hey Ariana. Wait up.” I hear my name and spin around to see him in all his toned and tanned glory headed straight for me and almost running into me. He almost seems panicked. Maybe I left something.