River's End (River's End Series, #1)(5)

She gulped audibly, never imagining her brother would be living really nice, but this? No, she wasn’t prepared at all for this. He was so dirty. It wasn’t just the trailer, which, in comparison, wasn’t so bad. It was the gross state her brother left it in. Noticing small black bits on the counter, she shivered in revulsion; they were mice droppings.

“He doesn’t exactly clean the place.” Joey looking around with a frown. She turned and smiled to cover up her growing disgust.

“Oh no. It’s fine.”

Joey’s eyes twitched, and he found it gross. “Oh. Okay. Then I guess I’ll leave this here.”

Erin turned and stepped outside. She had to get out of there. She couldn’t stand the rancid smell. Inhaling a deep breath of fresh, cold air, she sighed at the clean scents of dirt and pines. When she lifted her eyes and looked past the trailer, she could see behind it was a sloping meadow that trailed off towards the river. The water flashed and sparkled under the stark sun. Further beyond laid an orchard that rose above the river and disappeared into the brown mountains beyond. God, it was like nothing she’d ever seen before.

Goose bumps had long ago broken out over her skin. Her feet were so cold, it hurt to wiggle her toes. Stepping off the metal stair that led with little fanfare into the trailer, she dropped onto the packed dirt below it. Her small heel sunk into it and she pulled it loose before moving towards the grass nearby. Not five feet from her brother’s trailer was the next trailer, which blocked the view towards the driveway. It would be like living in a parking lot.

Only the views that surrounded her reminded her that she was far from anything familiar.

The faint rumbling of an engine was approaching. She walked along the trailer until she could peek around it towards the rest of the ranch. Beyond the house, a road led towards a group of barns, shops, and outbuildings that were lined up along the road in neat parallel rows, like a parking lot of buildings instead of cars. Jack was driving a tractor, going down the dirt road with its front end held up high, and full of something brown. He disappeared around the furthest barn.

Jack Rydell. He didn’t like her. From one glance, he knew she wasn’t whatever she said she was. There was no bullshitting Jack. She saw that in his single glance. The thing she didn’t get was why he let her stay. Or why Chance was there. It was so unlike the kind of place she pictured Chance living in. She didn’t know what to do. Who cared if she lied to the kinds of people Chance regularly associated with? They were usually creepier and more dishonest than Chance. But the Rydells? They weren’t.

Jack could intimidate the shit out of anyone. Even Chance. He was lean and tall. His body, shoulders, and demeanor suggested that he was in complete control at all times. And that he had all the answers. All the power. And no one bullshitted him.

He wasn’t hot like Joey was. Joey looked like he was the star in a western film that was being shot today. Jack looked like a real honest-to-God, old-time cowboy: rough, tough, and worn. He was much older than Joey. She simply had to avoid Jack at all costs and maximize her attention on Joey. That was her only chance for remaining there.

Joey came up beside her, his gaze following hers as the tractor came back into sight.

“Jack’s going to ream my ass. I’d best get back to work.”

“Sure. Of course. I shouldn’t have shown up like this and disturbed you. I didn’t think it out. To be honest, I’ve never been on a ranch before.”

“No? Where you from?”

“Where did Chance say we were from?”

Joey thought, then frowned. “Don’t know that he ever said. I got the impression he was from lots of places.”

She nodded. Sure he was. Chance had a warrant for his arrest in Seattle after skipping out on his bail for a series of shoplifting charges. He’d been in eastern Washington ever since. Yakima. Ellensburg. Spokane. Now at River’s End. He deliberately made a huge detour from all the small towns and was now out in the middle of nowhere.

“We’re from Seattle. I haven’t seen Chance in over a year or so.”

She hoped she could get Chance alone before everyone figured out he had no idea she was coming, and would never have asked her to visit him. The tractor rumbled to a stop near the side of the biggest barn. Jack stood up, then turned and jumped down with the grace of a cougar. He stared across at them, his eyes glittering cold as a smirk hovered over his lips. Finally, he walked towards them.

Her breath hitched. Shit. He was like a cop catching her stealing. He seemed to know she was everything but what she claimed to be.

“Chance will be up in a minute.”

She twitched in surprise. Jack found Chance for her? Why? And what was Chance’s reaction? Jack’s dour face gave no indication. Was he setting her up? Did he figure out by Chance’s lack of reception towards her that she wasn’t all she claimed to be?

“Did he… did he say anything?”

Eyes as blue as the sky behind Jack stared at her. “Say anything? Like what?”

“I don’t know. Just asking.”

Jack nodded his head to the trailer. “You’re staying here.” It wasn’t a question.

Joey stepped forward. “I said it was okay. We don’t own Chance. Or whoever wants to visit him.”

Jack’s gaze landed on Joey and his lips twisted into an ironic smirk. “Of course, you gave her permission.”