Hattie Mae
Two days later I pull up to a security gate with a guard shack. The iron gate has a horse design cut out in the middle.
A hand painted sign to the left reads Wild Horse Acres.
This must be the place.
A heavyset man wearing a security uniform armed with a clipboard approaches my window. “Miss, can I help you?”
“Um, I hope so. I’m here to um to oversee my father’s affairs. Mr. Hatfield.”
“We’ve been expecting you. You must be Hattie Mae. Your old man talked about you all the time.”
I balk at his lie. He must not have known my father well. He couldn’t have had anything to say about me. The man never knew me.
“Just need to see your identification. If you plan on staying a bit, I can give you the passcode for the gate.”
“That’d be great. I’m not sure how long I’ll be here for.”
“Well, we’re a real close-knit community. If you need anything. Bethel or Kiesha will point ya in the right direction. Bethel manages Wild Horse Acres and Kiesha makes it her business to know everyone. You’ll be looking for trailer number 24, white with blue shutters.”
“Great…”
He gives me a nod and the gate opens.
The trailer park is not what I was expecting. It’s nice. All the trailers have their own small yards. They are situated close together but far enough apart that they don’t look stacked on top of one another.
The most surprising thing though is that there is a lake and the park seems to be located around it.
I stop at the office to let Bethel know that I am here and find out if my father owes any lot rent. I need to know what I am inheriting if anything, even if it is his debts. Right now, anything would be better than crawling back to Justin for a place to live or worse my mother.
I knock on the door and I hear a hoarse voice call out, “Its open.”
I push the door with the office sign hanging on it open and find an older woman with curlers in her hair, watching a talk show, with a cigarette hanging from her bottom lip.
“Can I help you?”
“Bethel?”
“The one and only.” She snuffs her cigarette out in the nearby ashtray and lets out a groan from her pink tinted lips as she stands from her recliner. “Who the hell are you?”
I can’t stop the smile from spreading over my lips as she looks me up and down. Her living room is cluttered with knickknacks and photographs and she is in her pajamas. Hot pink with lace eyelet trim.
“I’m Hattie.”
She steps closer to where I stand in the doorway and reaches up and turns my face side to side.
“Huh, well I suppose you are. Ya got your daddy’s eyes. That same sneaky grin. Guess you’re here to take over his estate.”
I shrug, crossing my arms over my chest, hugging myself. “I’m not sure what my plans are yet.”
“Well, lot rent is paid up for two more years, only bills for now would be your utilities. If you decide you want to sell the trailer let me know. I’ve got a list of folks who are in the market.”
“Thanks. I will. I just wanted to let you know that I’m here. I’m not sure for how long.”
“The lake is open to our residents, so you make yourself at home. Sunday is family day, and everyone gets together and holds a cookout. We sit around the fire and eat hot dogs. You’re free to join us.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“If you want to follow me, I’ll show you his place. I suppose you’ll be needing his key anyhow.”
“That’d be great, Bethel.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s my job.” She slips her feet into a pair of pink bunny house slippers and grabs two sets of keys, tucking one into the pocket of her fuzzy green robe.
She hops in a golf cart and waves for me to follow her.
As I drive on through the trailer park, I see this gorgeous, tall, hunk of a man standing by his pickup truck. The hood is up, and his shirt is off. My God, those abs. I have only ever seen abs like those airbrushed on romance novel covers. He is well built with defined muscles and one hell of a sun-kissed tan. Piercing blue eyes meet mine. He catches me staring and smirks. His lips curve upward and something tells me that this man is used to the attention. His head is shaven, nothing like Justin’s faux hawk. I avert my eyes back to the road ahead. That man is gorgeous, and I can’t wait to explore him. Shit, what? I mean… This place is gorgeous, and I can’t wait to explore it.
The trailer is located on the opposite side of the lake from the hunk. That is a good thing. A man like that can only mean one thing…trouble. And I have had plenty of that lately. I had better stay far away from him, but then again, a little trouble might be exactly what I need.
As I continue to drive behind Bethel, I get this odd sensation like everyone is staring at me as I pass by their trailers.
Pulling up to my new place, I feel so excited. I feel as though anything is possible. I can start over here. No one knows me and best of all Justin can’t find me here.
The trailer is small but inviting. It actually isn’t decorated half bad and it is already furnished, which is a major plus for me, considering I don’t have much other than clothes and a few keepsakes.
Bethel gives me a quick tour of the place. It’s a two bedroom. One appears to be an office. There’s an ancient computer on the desk and a few trophies on a shelf. I wonder what those were awarded for? Bethel doesn’t give me a chance to investigate as she moves to the second bedroom.
It needs some TLC and a good cleaning out of the closet. I can work with it though. New bedding, pillows, and a fresh coat of paint will do wonders for the brown paneling.
“I don’t know what your plans are but if you want to toss the clothes, I know a family who could use them.”
“Sure. I’ll bag them up and drop them by the office once I get settled.”
“That’d be fine. Now things run a certain way around here. You’re responsible for the upkeep of the yard and such. Mrs. Lavizo has a son who everyone pays about twenty bucks a month to cut the grass and she does hair. If you need your hedges trimmed well she does run a wax special.” She winks and my face flames in embarrassment. “We do have a handyman should you need one. His fee is covered in your dues. Everyone pays it. How you pay is up to you. We do offer a discount if you pay annually, but you don’t need to worry about that until you decide what you are gonna do. Joe recently paid his three-month dues about a week before he passed.”
“How did he…”?
“Cancer. It was his liver. That man liked to drink. God love him, but he was one of the finest lovers I had ever had.”
My cheeks redden once more. I didn’t need to know all that.
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Eh, we were friends. Our relationship was one of convenience. His girlfriend Mary Sue, that bitch will probably be coming around trying to hit you up. Tell her to get lost. If she gives you any trouble you just call Bob at the gate and he’ll handle her.”
“Um okay. Say, where’s a good place to grab a quick bite to eat?” I noticed the fridge was bare when she showed me the kitchen.
“That’d be Rowdy’s. It’s the happening hot spot for all the young folk. Great burgers. Live music.”
*—*
Walking into the bar, I feel a bit overwhelmed but excited. I don’t know anyone here which is new to me. I’ve always had Justin or his friends with me when I go out. I look around and I notice the hot guy from earlier behind the counter. He is wiping the bar down with an excited grin on his face. There is a woman working with him. She totally just pinched his butt. I wonder if they are a couple. But then I get my answer when I see her go over to a man sitting at the other end of the bar and lock lips with him. I am pretty sure there is some heavy tongue action going on there. I feel a bit awkward watching.
“Hey, sweetheart, you gonna come in and stay awhile or you gonna stand at the door all night?” The woman behind the bar yells at me, catching me gawking at all of them.
I feel my cheeks flame and make my way to the bar to order a burger and a beer.
“What can I do ya for?” Sex on legs asks me. His blue eyes are like a damn dagger to my libido.
“Yeah, um… Bethel said you guys serve good burgers. So, I will take a burger with lettuce, tomato, and mayo. And a Bud Light to drink.”
“Sure thing.” He walks away to place my order. When he comes back, he opens my beer, setting it on the counter with a devilish grin. “So, who are you? I know you aren’t from around here. I know we would have met by now if you were.” He leans across the counter entirely too close, but he smells so damn good I don’t mind it. All manly and tempting.
“Leave her alone, Zane. She is clearly out of your league.” She winks at me and holds out her hand. “Name’s Sienna. You must be the newbie in town. Bethel called and said you would be coming in tonight and to watch out for you. Ignore Zane. I do.”
I give her a quick shake. “Something tells me Zane is hard to miss.”
She laughs and goes back to serving the other customers.
“Don’t listen to her. She is just pissy that I won’t join her and her old man in their shenanigans. She likes ménages,” he whispers the last part.
“Dream on, lover boy,” she retorts.
“You two are funny. You married or something,” I joke.
“Hell no,” he says, looking offended by the word married.
“Sorry, I didn’t…I was kidding,” I feel so awkward, but this hunk is trying hard to make me feel welcomed.
“Relax, gorgeous.” He smiles. “Sienna, you got the bar?” he asks her while looking at his watch.
“Yeah, go on, show off.” She waves him away and I watch intrigued as he takes a guitar from behind the bar and goes over to the stage.
“Prepare to have your panties melted off,” Sienna states, sliding my burger across the counter to me.
I can’t take my eyes from him as he commands my attention with his voice. He looks so at home in front of the small crowd with his guitar.
God, he is gorgeous, and he sings. I am loving this place already. I try to quit staring at him and enjoy my burger. I don’t want him to think I am infatuated with him, but I can feel his eyes on me too. The attention is nice and welcomed after the crappy week I have been having.
The bar isn’t like any I have ever seen in my life. The place is huge with several different sections and three bars. Only the one is open tonight though.
I spot a sign for a mechanical bull and add it to my list of things to try while I’m in town.
But heck if all the men around here look like Zane just maybe I will stick around.