Always Mine (Love in Eden 1)

I shook my head. I appreciated the offer, but as much as I liked Curtis, sharing stuff about my personal life wasn't something I did.

"Have you heard from Brooks?" I heard myself asking.

Curtis took out his cell phone and shook his head.

"Did he say something before he left?" I asked. I should've played it cool and just kept my mouth shut, but I was desperate to know where he was… and more importantly, that he was coming back.

"He said he had to drive into town."

I nodded.

"You know if you need anything, son, all you have to do is ask," Curtis said gently. It made my heart pound painfully in my chest. This man had done so many things for me, had given me a chance when no one else had been willing to… I couldn’t ask him for anything more.

"The Hatfields will be here to pick up their new gelding soon," I said. "I should go make sure he’s all set to go." I gave Curtis a quick nod and then turned and went back to the barn. But as I made my way back to the building, I couldn't help but check the driveway every few seconds for a plume of dust and the fancy SUV that, like its driver, didn't necessarily fit in here, but who somehow belonged all the same.

Chapter 13

Brooks

"Brooks Cunningham?" I heard someone say, the disbelief in their voice clear.

I glanced over my shoulder at the small building just beyond the gas pumps. Eden had gone all technological by installing pumps where you could pay at the pump for your gas, so I'd been happy about that. It meant I wouldn't have to interact with anybody, which was exactly what I wanted. I’d had enough interaction today to last a lifetime, thank you very much. First with a man who’d made me feel like I was the only thing in his world when he was fucking me but then pretended I didn't exist five minutes later, and second, by said man's mother who’d decided I was shit too. Yeah, I was definitely over peopling today. But of course, fate had decided that it wasn't done fucking me over yet.

"Ronny Talbert?" I responded as I took in the man standing in the doorway of the little convenience store. He had dirty overalls on and was considerably heavier than I remembered. He was a couple years older than me, but with him being held behind a year in school, and me skipping a year, we’d ended up in the same class.

"Yeah, buddy, it's me," Ronny said as he held out his hands like he was showing off.

I nodded politely and said, "Good to see you." The fact that he’d called me “buddy” was ridiculous. He'd never been my buddy. Bully, yes. Buddy, definitely not.

"Heard you were back in town," the boisterous man said as he leaned against the pump I was using to gas up the Range Rover. He whistled as he eyed the car. "Looks like your daddy's still doing good."

The fact that he'd assumed the car belonged to my father, rather than me, wasn't a surprise. Despite how well I’d done in school, I'd always been dismissed as the rich kid. I hadn't even been the "cool" rich kid. I’d been the weird rich kid.

"Uh-huh," I agreed, because the last thing I wanted was to engage in conversation with this man. But I still had half a tank left to fill. It occurred to me that I could just leave it half full, but my neurotic nature wouldn't settle for half a tank when I was right there at the gas station.

"That murdering bastard still at your uncle's place?" Ronny asked, his voice changing from loud and obnoxious to low and dangerous. "Don't worry, we’re keeping an eye out for him."

I would've laughed at the man's pathetic attempt to act all gangster-like, but his words had kicked up fear in my belly. "What do you mean?" I asked. I wanted to point out that Xavier hadn't actually murdered anyone, but I was more interested in getting Ronny to expand on his statement about keeping an eye out for Xavier.

"We've got your daddy's back," was all Ronny said. "Just like we did back then."

I took my hand off the gas pump, no longer giving a shit about whether or not the tank was only half full. I stepped closer to Ronny and said, "Yeah, my father was really grateful for that. What did you guys do exactly again to help him out?" I asked.

Ronny shrugged and said, "Just showed the fucker what he was in for behind bars. Made sure to do it before the law caught up with him." Ronny's fists clenched, causing me to swallow hard.

"So you gave him a beatdown?" I asked, hoping I'd gotten the terminology correct. "And my father knew about it?"