Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
We go over to a picnic table and have a seat, setting our beers down and taking in the heat of the night, and the smell of the burning branches on the bonfire. We’ve walked so far around that we’re not far from my truck when we sit down. “My, my, what a fancy new truck you have there,” she says.
I laugh. “Business’s been really good. I was using a hand-me-down from my brother, but I figure I’m my own man now. I deserve my own truck, to go along with my own place and my own life.”
“Aren’t you Mister Moneybags? Here I was, thinking Red Rough would be a bit more into roughing it.”
“Oh, I’m plenty rough in the right places, Annie. I can be as rough as you want me to be.”
She shoots me a sinful grin. “Are you, though? Maybe I’m a bit rougher than you are, Red. I’m a country girl, I’m used to not having all the amenities of the big city.”
“Big city? In what world is Home a big city?”
“It’s way bigger than Burly. Burly doesn’t even have a diner. Why do you think I’m working in Home?”
“Because Paula has an eye for talent and snatches up the most beautiful girls in the world to be her waitresses?”
She turns red, sipping her beer.
“Ooh, Annie Rowdy, is that you?” A dark-haired girl of about Annie’s age walks up to us. She’s dressed in much the same way as her, but my eyes are kinda locked on one girl at the moment.
Annie looks up. “Beth Parker? I haven’t seen you in a year!”
“It’s a long story. I want to tell you all about it.” She looks weary.
“Alright, have a seat. My ears are always open for you, Beth.”
“Can...” She looks at me with concern. “Can I talk to you alone?”
Annie sighs and nods. “I’ll be back in a few, Red. I need to hear her out.”
I nod. “Do what you gotta do, I ain’t going anywhere without you, babe.”
She smiles before getting up and walking away with Beth.
I sip my beer, now all alone. I figured it’d be like this, a bit here and there. These bonfires are about more than just pursuing potential partners. They are about catching up with old friends, and sometimes those old friends don’t feel comfortable talking to strange men they don’t know.
My solitude doesn’t last as long as I hoped it would, interrupted by someone I don’t really want to deal with despite his close relationship with the woman I’m pursuing.
Angus. I rise from my seat to meet him.
“Hello, Red,” he says, his disdain for me quite strong.
“Angus Rowdy, ain’t you a strange sight to see. How's college life been treating you?” My smarm can’t be contained. Not with someone I currently have such a low opinion of. Even before the whole college affair, Angus and I were old high school football rivals. Same class, and the Townies and Cowboys football rivalry was legendary.
Well, legendary to those in Burly and Home, but legendary nonetheless.
Anyway, we gave it our all in the field. Things got hot between us back in the day. I’m mostly cool with letting those things stay in the past, both of us presumably older and wiser, no matter if Angus thinks the wisdom I got from living life in the real world is worth less than the wisdom he got sticking his face in books at college.
“I ain’t here to talk about me. I’m here to give you a warning. I’m watching you, so don’t you dare do anything to hurt my little sister.”
That’s rich, knowing what I know and the things Annie has told me. “Since when do you give a shit about family?”
“Why would you think I didn’t? You don’t know me.” He’s quick to snap back at me, very fierce in his objection.
I shove back. “You fuck off after your mother dies, and leave Annie to go and deal with everything by herself. Not exactly the act of a family man.”
“I repeat, you know nothing about me.”
“I know plenty about you. You doomed your family’s ranch.”
His fists curl, my words are getting under his skin, and I can’t decide if that’s a good or bad thing.
Bad thing, I realize. Annie doesn’t hate her brother, and it’ll do me no favors to start throwing fists with Angus. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to get confrontational over nonsense. Just my own frustrations. Look, man, I like your sister. Like, a whole lot.”
He takes a deep breath. He doesn’t want this to turn into a brawl either. We’re not in high school anymore. We’re supposed to be grown men, and grown men don’t get into fights over any stupid thing.
“Angus! Red!” Annie shouts, running up to us, pale in the face.
“What’s the matter?” Angus says to his little sister.
“Dolly was talking up some boys from out of town, just playing, and... uh... they don’t like being played with, I guess. They’re trying to get her into their van and...”