The Crown Jewels (28 page)

Dad built the first barn right after our family bought the property. Years later, he built a brand new one for the horses. We used the old one for storage, mostly, so that’s where all the new, expensive tools were. We had tillers, riding mowers, and everything else under the sun that made running this farm just a little easier.

“You headin’ out for a ride?” Crit asked as I passed by, taking his hat off and wiping the sweat from his brow with a red bandana. I almost felt guilty, but I had finished everything that needed to be done and all the other horses were grazing in the pasture and would be for hours.

“Yep, unless you need me to do something else?” I replied.

“You already asked me that three times, sis,” Crit said, grinning at me. “You go on. Be careful, though. You going over to old man LaCroix’s property?”

“Yep, I won’t be gone long,” I replied. “Hey, we should have a family dinner tonight or something. It’d be good to get us all around a table, catch up and all.”

“That sounds good, I’ll tell Seth and Jesse. Six o’clock?”

“Sounds good. I’ll make meatloaf.” Meatloaf was our favorite thing that our mom made and I needed a little comfort food. I was sure the boys did, too.

Crit smiled and nodded, and turned back to his work as I rode away. It was a hot day, and Cherokee’s gait was slower than usual as we meandered through the field that led to the creek. I couldn’t help but sneak a look over at the Haggard’s place. Beau’s truck was there, parked in front of his little cabin in the back, and I felt a little jolt of excitement in my gut when I realized I was hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

The look he had given me last night hadn’t gone unnoticed, but I was too stunned by the fire to react. After he and Hank had left, Jesse and I had made our way back in the house and left Seth and Crit to deal with the chief. It was almost dawn by then, so I made us breakfast and left plates out for Seth and Crit for when they came back in. I knew they’d be starving, and it was the least I could do.

I kept wondering what my mother would have done in a situation like that, and that’s exactly what she would have done. Keep the stress down, and energy up - with food. As I stood in her kitchen, using her favorite pans and the utensils that her hands had held just weeks ago, tears streamed down my face as I realized just how much I missed her. The fact that I would never learn another thing from her, never eat something she had prepared with love again, never hear her laughter again, or hear her say my name again…sometimes, when I thought about it all, it was just too much to bear.

I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep my chin up and not completely lose it. I caught a glimpse of Crit out the window, and took a deep breath. The last thing my brother needed was me breaking down.

I thought of Cherokee and all the other horses, waiting for me to bring them breakfast out in the barn, and I closed my eyes for just a second, and then dried my eyes.

I had no choice but to go on.

Anything else simply wouldn’t do.

So I had gone on and finished my chores, because that’s the only thing I could do.

I reached down and stroked Cherokee’s mane as we reached the creek, and as always he crossed it effortlessly and carried me up to the gate that led into LaCroix’s property.

It was open, which was unusual. I was sure I had closed it last time I was here, and as far as I knew, no one else came onto this property. I kept my eyes peeled for others as I rode through the trees, but I didn’t see anyone.

After a few minutes, I broke through the trees and into the clearing that held LaCroix’s old farmhouse. I came up along the back of it, and as we rounded the corner to reach the front, I felt Cherokee tense up slightly.

“What’s up, boy?” I whispered, looking around. At first I didn’t see him because his horse was grazing on the other side of the house, but when I spotted Beau sitting on the old porch swing, I sighed a sigh of relief.

“Oh, it’s you!” I exclaimed.

“Hey, Georgie. Wasn’t expecting to see you here,” he said.

“Just out for a ride,” I replied.
Damn, he looks good
, I thought. He was wearing his usual tight jeans and boots, but just a black t-shirt, which showed off his biceps so well that I almost couldn’t look at him.

“Wanna join me for a bit?” he asked, gesturing to the empty spot on the swing next to him. “I got a few beers up here. Thought it was a nice day for a ride myself, and Buck agreed. We ended up here.”

“I come here all the time,” I said, hopping off Cherokee, and leading him over to the field where Buck was grazing. I joined Beau on the porch and as soon as I sat down, I realized my palms were sweating and my heart was racing.

Why was I having this reaction around Beau Haggard, of all people, all of a sudden?

He handed me a beer and I popped it open, taking a big gulp, and putting the can to my forehead.

“It’s so hot today,” I said.

“Yep.”

We sat silently, the silence growing more awkward with each second until we both began to speak at once.

“So did —,” he began

“Have you —,” I interrupted.

We both stopped and laughed, our eyes crashing into each other for the first time, as I somehow found the strength to look at him. Our laughter faded away and we were left again with awkward silence, only this time, neither of us could look away.

I swallowed hard, the waves of shyness, uncertainty, and lust washing over me all at once. Visions of tearing Beau’s clothes off flashed through my mind, and I was certain I blushed as I tried to blink away the delicious images.

What was wrong with me? Beau Haggard was just being nice. He could have any woman in town he wanted, he certainly wasn’t interested in me.

Of course that was it. He pitied me - it was something I had seen in every person’s eyes who looked my way since my parents died. That was why he was being nice to me.

“So,” he began again, “did the Chief say anything else about the fire?” His eyes were still peering into mine, and it took all my strength to form words.

“No, just that they’re going to start an investigation,” I murmured.

He nodded.

“That sucks that happened,” he said.

“Yeah. Luckily, there wasn’t anything valuable in there.” I tore my eyes away and took another drink of beer.

“I remember when you and Ruby used to sneak drinks of everyone’s beer, and look at you now,” he said. “Guzzling like a pro.”

“Guzzling?” I said, feigning shock. “I do not guzzle. I’m a lady. Ladies sip.”

He laughed, his laughter echoing through the trees deliciously. I looked over at him again.

I shuddered as his eyes trailed over my body, before he slowly nodded and looked into my eyes again. Shocks of pleasure tore through my brain.

“Yep, you’re a lady,” he said softly, a sly grin spreading across his face.

I blushed again, thankful for the sweltering heat that hid my embarrassment.

“You’ve definitely grown up, Georgia,” he said even softer, so softly I almost didn’t hear him.

“I guess so,” I replied. “We all did.”

“We sure did,” he nodded.

“I guess we had no choice, huh?” I asked.

“I think some people choose not to,” he said, and I knew he was thinking of Lee, but I didn’t say anything. Thoughts of Lee were the last thing I wanted. This feeling of just sitting with Beau was intoxicating, and I wanted nothing to ruin it, even if I knew it would never amount to anything else.

“I guess so,” I replied. “How’s practice going? You ready?” I asked, trying to change the subject away from Lee.

“I guess so. It’s hard, you know? Competing against your brother.”

“Well, you hold your own, Beau,” I replied.

“That’s not what I meant. I mean…” his voice trailed off and he looked away.

“Oh. You mean because they died?” I asked softly, suddenly understanding.

“Yeah, it feels wrong, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it. But you know what? If you didn’t compete, then it would feel wrong to Crit. He wouldn’t want anyone giving him any advantages out of pity.”

“It’s not pity.”

“Well, isn’t it?”

“No, Georgie. It’s respect.”

“Respect. Right,” I replied, trying to wrap my head around it.

“Well, I know Crit real well, and I’d bet that the last thing he would want is for you to pull out on his account.”

“I know. I was just telling you how I feel,” he said, laying a hand on my knee.

“I see,” I replied, staring down at his hand. It was such a casual gesture, and yet my body was responding so strongly to it, that I almost couldn’t breathe.

“Georgie,” he whispered. I couldn’t look back at him. I felt his eyes on me, and I felt like if I looked at him one more time I would surely melt.

“Yeah?” I asked, without looking up at him. He wasn’t about to let me off the hook.

“Georgie.” His voice was more demanding now, which only served to shot even more shocks of pleasure right to my gut.

I gave in, raised my head, and when I met his eyes, I thought I would die at the look in them. Beau’s blue eyes were always soft and gentle, but this time there was something else there - desire. I couldn’t deny it, and why would I? Because I was terrified? That was a good enough reason, wasn’t it?

I didn’t know what to say. Or, how to respond. I sat silently, looking at him, and when he slowly began to inch towards me, I froze. When his lips met mine, they were soft, yielding, warm. His touch was heartbreakingly gentle and delicate.

And then it was over. As fast as it had begun.

He pulled away and I looked up at him again.

“I don’t know what’s happened, Georgia, but I can’t stop thinking about you,” he whispered, his gentle eyes peering into mine questioningly.

“Oh,” was the only word that escaped from the hurricane of feelings that were storming inside of me.

“I reckon the last thing you need is another Haggard brother giving you grief,” he drawled, as my stomach dropped. “I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut.”

“You Haggard boys have trouble keeping secrets, don’t you?” I said, a grin spreading over my face. Was I flirting? Had he really just kissed me?

“I reckon we do,” he said, laughing as he sat back on the porch and took a drink of his beer. I was grateful for the respite from his intense energy and I looked around for the horses, who had wandered off to the back of the property and out of sight.

“We’d better get the horses,” I said.

“Sure, sure,” Beau said, standing up and downing his beer before walking down the porch steps.

I hesitated, enjoying the view his tight Wrangler’s provided. What was it about Wrangler’s that turned the sight of a man’s ass into an instant fantasy?

My hands flew to my lips as I followed him.

Did Beau Haggard really just kiss me?

Beau

“Finn, we gotta talk.”

“Aw, fuck,” my little brother replied. He was shoveling shit out of Moses’s stall when I walked up. He loved that horse more than almost anything. “This doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s not,” I replied, leaning against the wall of the barn. Finn threw the pitchfork on top of the pile of manure in the wheelbarrow and began wheeling it out of the barn. I followed him, second guessing myself the whole way.

Maybe I was wrong. Surely, I was wrong. Hell, I’d better be wrong, or Lee was going to be in some serious shit this time.

I was half-afraid that putting it into words would make it real, and so I had finally come to the conclusion that I would talk to Finn, and Finn alone. Nobody else knew Lee better than the two of us.

“Well, spit it out, don’t just stand there like a mule with his tail caught in the door.”

“What?” I shook my head, grinning at my little brother. He was growing up into a good man, and I was real proud of him. He walked a pretty straight line, and was always the first to help our folks out when they needed it. And he was filling out too, I noticed. His biceps bulged under his shirt as he easily emptied the heavy load onto the pile.

“Why don’t you have a girlfriend yet?” I asked.

“There aren’t too many girls in this town, Beau,” he replied.

“Are you kidding? There’s lots of them.”

“Let me put it another way, Beau. There’s not too many girls in this town that you or Lee haven’t already torn through.”

“Oh. Right.” He had a good point.

“Yeah,” he replied warily. “So what do you want to talk to me about?”

“Alright, yeah,” I continued. “It’s about Lee.”

“Of course it is. It’s always about Lee. Everything’s about Lee.”

“Listen, I’m gonna tell you somethin’, and you gotta promise to keep your mouth shut. Can you do that?”

“Of course I can!”

“Finn…” I warned. “It’s serious. You gotta promise.”

“Yeah, yeah, what the fuck man?”