Chapter 6
Avery
I was just finishing up in the tack room when my Uncle Tristan came into the barn, a big smile on his face. He was my dad’s older brother, but aside from the color of his eyes, and a bit more graying at the temples, bore an unmistakable resemblance to him. It gave me a flash of homesickness at times, but at other times, it was kind of comforting. I knew he’d promised Daddy once I moved away from home to live here, that he’d keep his eye on me, and he wasn’t subtle about it at all.
“How’s my favorite equestrian niece?” he teased, giving a playful tug on my ponytail as he came up beside me.
“Hey Uncle T,” I greeted, returning his smile, “We both know you’re safe in saying that since Preston hasn’t been on a horse in what? Three years?”
He chuckled and helped me hang the rest of the tack. “Aw, you know you’ve always had a special place in my heart. Just wanted to come by and see how your new help is getting along. Heard something about him getting off on the wrong foot with the boss lady,” he finished giving me a wink.
I shook my head. “Hannah the Horrible,” I replied giggling, “She couldn’t wait to tell you, could she?”
Hannah was a year younger than me. She and Sarah were identical twins, and Uncle Tristan and Aunt Gina’s youngest children. They had an older brother, Reese who was a year younger than my older sister, Preston. Yeah, we were all cousins. Related on my dad’s side of the family. And Hannah worked over at the Belle with me teaching dressage to the beginners.
“She might’ve mentioned something about your having to drag his ass out this morning. How’d it go from there?”
“He’s definitely got an attitude and a half, but from what I heard, once he got his butt into gear, he apparently is a pretty hard worker. We’ll see,” I finished with a sigh. “I don’t fully understand the connection you and Daddy have with this guy’s family,” I admitted, going over to the sink to wash my hands.
“We’re not blood related if that’s what concerns you,” he answered snickering.
I felt my cheeks redden. I knew he was teasing, but jeez, I was sure Hannah filled her daddy in on just how hot Bryce Slater was; she’d practically creamed her panties when she saw him walking over to the paddock this afternoon.
“Holy shit,” she had gushed. “Who is he?”
I’d looked up from where I’d been picking a stone lodged in one of Derringer’s hooves, and saw Slater headed over towards the track. He had his sexy strut going, and my eyes lingered on his ass, the picture of his morning erection flashed back in my mind. I shook it off.
“He,” I said succinctly, “is a royal, freaking pain. Bryce Slater is his name, and please, don’t get me started on him.”
Of course, that had only piqued Hannah’s interest and curiosity that much more. So, I ended up telling her as much as I knew about him.
“He is seriously drop dead gorgeous,” she gushed. “I bet you won’t stay pissed at him for long. Maybe he’ll be the one to get your mind off that asshat, Trent.”
“Hannah will be glad to know that,” I replied to Tristan, coming back to the present. “She was slobbering when she saw him this afternoon.”
Tristan’s smile immediately faded like I knew it would. Served my uncle right for teasing me that way. He was more protective over Hannah and Sarah than Daddy was with Preston and me, which was pretty bad if you knew my father.
“His brother-in-law is Trace Matthews,” Tristan explained, “Back in Napa, the Matthews family operated a winery near our family’s business. Long time neighbors from way back then. Bryce’s father and Trace are related by marriage, and good buddies. It seems the guy got into a little trouble back home. The family needed some help, so we obliged. But I’m telling you, Avery, if he gives you any problems, you bring it to me, okay?” His tone was serious.
“Sure, Uncle T,” I replied, “But I think I can handle Bryce Slater.”
“Just be gentle,” he teased. “Hey, I’ll let your dad know that you’ve got everything under control here. He says he hasn’t heard from you all week.”
I rolled my eyes as I dried off my hands. “You and he are both so protective. Is that a family trait or what?”
He grinned as he followed me out the door, switching off the lights behind us. “We’re dads with daughters. It ain’t easy, trust me, darlin’.”
“I’ll call Daddy tomorrow, I promise. And when does Sarah get back from her camping trip? We miss her at the Belle.”
“Saturday,” he replied, “Wanna come over to the house Sunday for a barbecue?”
“Sure,” I replied, “See you then, Uncle T.”
When I got back to the main house, my grandparents’ man servant, Thatcher, was right there to assist me as soon as I stepped foot inside the door.
“Miss Avery,” he greeted, “Martha left your dinner warming in the oven, shall I set a place at the table for you?”
Always so formal, Thatcher had been with my grandparents forever it seemed. As Grandma put it, Thatcher had his own brand of stubbornness when it came to pomp and circumstance.
“Thanks, Thatcher,” I replied, “I’ll eat in the kitchen, no reason for you to fuss with setting the table. Sorry I’m late. I’m gonna eat and go on upstairs, no worries.”
“As you wish, Miss Avery,” he replied. “Let me know if there’s anything you need. I’m at your disposal.”
I ate my dinner quickly, and then went upstairs to my suite. I used the same one that had been my father’s when he lived at home, and I liked the fact that some of his memorabilia remained.
I went into the large en suite bathroom, and poured some bath salts into the Jacuzzi tub that I adored. I released a long sigh as I sunk down into the bubbling water, resting my head back on a rolled up towel I’d placed near the edge.
I closed my eyes, letting my mind go completely blank as I relaxed in the tub. I savored the feel of the warm jets of water as they soothed my tired muscles. And then my mind wandered to a place I wasn’t comfortable going. Dark, raven hair; ice blue eyes, a chiseled jawline with a bit of scruff that was pure sexy. And his back. Perfectly sculpted, well-muscled, and a professionally done Celtic knot over his left shoulder blade.
I opened my eyes quickly, as if that would chase the visions from my mind. I grabbed my bath sponge and liquid soap, and started to scrub my body, as if to cleanse the indelible images of Bryce Slater that seemed intent on taking up residence in my mind this evening. What was up with that?
I’d barely gotten over the disaster that had been my first serious relationship with Trent Madison, from back home in Georgia. We’d gone together since I was fifteen, even though I hadn’t officially been allowed to date him until I turned sixteen.
He’d been my first. My only. It should have been thoughts, images, and memories of Trent that flittered through my mind right now. Our breakup was still relatively fresh, although not particularly as devastating as one might think. But then, I’d been the one to break up with him, so maybe that was why I hadn’t come out of it nearly as shattered as I thought I would. We’d simply outgrown one another at eighteen. We had different goals and dreams.
But Bryce Slater? He wasn’t even close to the type of guy that would or should spark my interest.
And yet he had.
I slid down fully beneath the water to wet my hair for washing. And as I lathered it up with shampoo, I gave myself a mental lecture on the risks and pitfalls of ever letting my guard down around someone as reckless as Bryce Slater appeared to be.
Uncle Tristan might not have wanted to fill in the specifics on Slater when we’d talked in the barn earlier this evening, but Daddy had no such reluctance when he phoned me a week ago to let me know he was coming.
A little trouble. Right. Drinking, smoking pot, and apparently getting busted for both, along with being charged for public lewdness at the same party. I’d say Slater needed a major attitude adjustment going forward if he expected his juvenile record to vanish.
Daddy said his family had hopes for him to clean up his act so that he’d be prepared to go into the military in a year. I, personally, didn’t see that happening, but then again, I didn’t want to judge him too prematurely. I didn’t know his side of the story.
At any rate, I decided to withhold my judgment until I had more one-on-one interaction with Bryce Slater. I didn’t want to be too judgy too fast. I knew I'd been overly tough and well, quite frankly, bitchy to him. I also knew why. Bryce Slater, despite his attitude and past brushes with the law, totally and undeniably fascinated me. And that scared the crap out of me for some reason.