Dr. Stud

I’m crossing from the house to the office so I can be there for Parrish’s meeting with Russell when I hear dad’s voice shouting for me from the barn where we keep all of the ranch supplies. I groan and look at my watch. It’s almost eight, and Parrish told me to get there early. If I don’t show up when I say I would, she’s just going to be disappointed in me again, and I don’t want that.

“Dad! I don’t have time!” I holler back at him as I try to double-time toward the office. But then he sticks his head out of the barn doors and glares at me so intently, I can see the fire in his eyes even from where I’m standing.

“Boy! You get your ass over here now. I need to move these boxes before the carpenter gets here today, and I can’t do it by myself.”

I look nervously over at the office door, then check the road leading into the ranch to make sure that Russell’s truck isn’t lumbering down early. With a resigned groan, I rush over to dad, hoping that it’s just a box or two, and then I can get back to Parrish. But of course, as soon as I step through the doors, I see at least twenty-five boxes, and heavy one at that, which all need to be slid out of the way so the carpenter can get to the table saw.

“Dad, I told Parrish I would be there for her meeting with…”

He gives me the glare again. “Parrish is a grown woman, Hawk. She doesn’t need a babysitter. But I do need your help with this. So less squawking and more moving.”

I have to remind myself not to roll my eyes as I take off my jacket and start picking up the boxes of feed and supplies and chucking them to the other side of the barn as fast as I can. But the closer I get to the back, and to the table saw, the heavier they get. We have to use a lift, and before I know it, I’m soaked in sweat, and I have no idea what time it is because I had to take off my watch when it kept getting snagged on the boxes.

Once the area is cleared, I look at my phone, and see it’s almost ten. “Shit! Dammit! Son of a…”

“Hawk, you watch your mouth, boy!” my father says as I pick my coat back up off the barn floor and run for the office. I throw the door open and slide inside, and the minute I see Parrish’s face, I know that I am in so much trouble.

“Parrish! I…”

She holds up her hand. “Don’t. It’s fine. It’s not your fault. I didn’t even ask you to be here. You offered. You weren’t obligated.”

Based on the way she is slamming files and plans and, finally, kicks the wall over and over until she is crying, I can tell that whether or not I was obligated, I should have told my father to screw and come here anyway. I rush over and pull her into my arms, only to stop her from hurting herself.

“Parrish, what happened? Tell me.”

She firmly, but gently, shoves me away. “Forget it, Hawk. Seriously. It’s fine.”

I sit on the edge of the desk. “It’s obviously not. Tell me what that creep did.”

Parrish sighs, and sits down in her chair, then crosses her arms over her chest protectively. “That… bastard. I knew he was a creep. I could feel it. He came in here to go over the plans. We talked for a while, and everything seemed fine. Then, he stood up, and spread the plans on my desk, and he reached over and…” she stops talking and looks down at her breasts. “Forget it, Hawk. It’s not a big deal. You know how old guys like him are.”

“No. Fuck that,” I growl as I stand up from the desk and stalk outside. I feel like all I’m doing around here lately is getting pissed off, but there is no way I’m just letting this go. I walk out the door, and see that Russell’s truck is still here, so I head in the direction of the barn. I can hear him talking to my father, and sure enough, they’re in there, chatting like old buddies. Dad even gives him a friendly punch on the shoulder.

I can do one better, I think as I walk up to them, rear my fist back, and sock Russell in the jaw so hard, he crumples to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Dad looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “What in the sweet damn hell, Hawk? What has come over you?”

Russell makes a move to stand up, but I point at him, my hand shaking. “You stay down there, you piece of shit. Don’t make me hit you again.”

Russell looks up at me with pure white hot hatred in his eyes, but he doesn’t move.

“I thought you were going to talk to him?” I snarl at my father. He looks at me, confused.

“About what?” dad answers, shaking his head.

“The way this garbage fire of a human being treats women.”

Dad’s eyes narrow, then he looks from me, down to Russell. “What is he talking about, Russ?”

Russell rubs his jaw. “Hell if I know.”

I feel rage wash over me, and I dive at him again. Dad reaches out and grabs my arms, holding me back, preventing me from straight up killing the man.

“You tell the truth, Russell! You tell the truth right now!” I scream. I’m suddenly aware of a presence behind me. I turn around, and Parrish isn’t the only one standing there. Anna and my mom are there too, along with a handful of the builders, the carpenter who arrived early, and Simone, watching from outside the doors. But I don’t care. I’m too angry to care. And I c

an see my father getting angrier by the minute too.

“You tell the truth, Russell. What did you do?” my father says under his breath, now also aware we have an audience.