Chapter 4 – Gemma
I went to work with my brothers, having nothing better to do with my day. Even though I was mucking out stalls, it was always better than being at work at the office. I had ran as far from the ranch as I could when I was older, but there was something so simplistic in the work that I found myself drawn to it again. I missed the fresh air and the sun beating down on me. The fact that I was there alone and it was so peaceful was just another reason to never want to go back to work.
“Gemma!”
I heard Marcus’ voice and smiled to myself. Setting the shovel to the side and leaning it up against the side of the building, I went out to see Marcus. He was always gone too much and I was sure that he would have gone to the hospital first.
“Marcus, what the hell are you doing here?”
“Well I came to see you of course.”
I ran up and gave him a big hug. He was standing next to another guy and I looked at him for a second before he picked me up and twirled me around. “Still light as a feather.”
When he set me down, he took in my dirty clothes and the muck boots. “What are you doing here instead of at the office?”
“I took the day off so I could see you. I can’t believe you are not up there with your wife.”
“I am about to go in a minute. Billy is going to be staying here for a few days until she is out of the hospital.”
I stuck my hand out and shook his. “Nice to meet you, Billy. I have heard so much about you.”
Our hands touched and I felt a little spark. He looked down at me surprised in a way. I was sure that I looked a mess, but he didn’t seem to notice and I didn’t seem to care. There was something in his dark green eyes and I could have sworn he was the man I had seen in my dreams. I know it sounds weird, but he was the man I had dreamt about the night before.
After a time, I realized that I was still holding his hand and I pulled my hand back suddenly, a bit embarrassed. “Nice to meet you, Gemma. I feel like I already know you.”
My brother had a strange look in his eyes that I didn’t quite understand, but there was something else there too. He was up to something. I could see it in his face. What was his thinking to look like that?
“Well you are more than welcome here Billy. There is always room for one more.”
“Thank you Gemma. It is nice to finally meet you after all these years.”
I nodded and started to walk back towards the house. The man was handsome, but I knew he was off limits because he was my brother’s friend. I used to crush on many of Marcus’ friends and I know how much he hated it. It wasn’t my fault that all of the guys on the rigs looked all hot and manly.
“So are you going to get your hands dirty while you are here or hit every bar before you go back?”
Marcus laughed. “God I have missed you Gemma. Will you show Billy around while I go up to the hospital?”
“Sure, no problem. You are going to love Caston. He is the cutest kid I have ever seen and I know I am bias, but just wait, you are going to fall in love at first sight.”
“I’ve never heard you talk about kids like that before Gemma. You ready for your own?”
I looked at him sideways. I can’t believe he was talking about that in front of his friend. “I don’t know about that, but it made me rethink things I guess.”
“Just wait Gemma. You will find the right man. You haven’t been talking to Danny again, have you?”
I sent him another dirty look that he didn’t seem to be getting. Why did he just keep talking? “No I haven’t seen Danny in months. I don’t mess with him anymore.”
“Good.”
I was just happy that he had finally stopped talking about my love life. It was pitiful and men like Billy didn’t need to know about it. He didn’t seem fazed at all by the conversation and it made me wonder if he had already heard about it.
“Just because you have found the one doesn’t mean the rest of us have.”
The man next to me laughed. “I tell him that all the time, but he still does the same thing to me.”
“You have bad taste in women?”
“Yes.” Marcus answered for him and it made me laugh when he gave him the same look.
“Well at least I am not the only one I suppose.”
“Nope, on me all the time.”
“Because you date bimbos and she dates losers.”
“Bye Marcus. Go see your wife.”
“Dang, sis.”
“I will come up there later and see you guys. I have to finish the stalls before mom gets back. You should come back this evening. She is making a roast.”
“I might. Be nice to him Gemma.”
I nodded, though I wondered why he said it. I wasn’t usually mean to his friends, but Billy seemed to think it was all just hilarious. When Marcus was out of the view, I turned to Billy and saw him looking at me in such a way. “You must be a right pudding pop for him to be so protective. What does he think I am going to do to you?”
He didn’t answer me, but looked at me even stranger. I just shrugged and started towards the ranch. When we got on the porch, I took the muck boots off and showed him inside. He was really quiet. “So you work with Marcus out on the rig?”
“Yeah, been with them for almost ten years.”
“You don’t look that old.”
“I am as old as Marcus.”
We walked through the house. “Have you been here before Billy?”
“Once or twice.”
“Well there is an open room upstairs and one downstairs, so take your pick.”
“Where do you stay?”
I looked back at him for a moment and saw the glint in his eyes. I smiled back at him. “I live on the other side of town. I haven’t stayed here for years. So, top or bottom?”
“Definitely top.”
There was more to the answer, the innuendo clear. I had a feeling that he had been out on the rig too long, but I didn’t say anything else. I could feel his eyes on my backside as I made it up the stairs. Opening up the door, I moved aside so that he could go in. “Well if you need anything, just holler.”
I started to walk away and he asked what I was going to do. “I am going to go finish the barn, I told Paul I would.”
“Would you like some help?”
I almost said no, but then changed my mind. “Are you sure you can handle it? It’s kind of messy.”
He shrugged. “I worked on a ranch as a kid, so I don’t think it will be a problem.”
“Sure, I can always use more help. I figured you would be hitting the first bar when you got on land. That is what Marcus used to do before Leanna.”
His cheeks turned a little red and I had to laugh a little. He didn’t answer me and I just told him to come down when he was ready. Men like him were all the same and though I was having fun with him, I told myself to be good.