Club DTF
G. Younger
Club DTF
A Last Cowboy Story
Advanced Reader Copy Edition: April 30, 2024
Copyright ©2024 G. Younger
ISBN-13: 978-1-955699-13-6
Author: Greg Younger
Editing Staff: Bud Ugly, Old Rotorhead, Pixel the Cat, Rusty, TheMikeBomb, and Zom
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
All characters depicted in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Table of Contents:
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Epilogue
Notes from the Author
Prologue
The flight to Virginia allowed Austin to think about his time in Texas. For some reason, the months he’d spent on the ranch felt like a few days, not a couple of months.
A lot had happened in a short amount of time. He’d gone from working a real cattle ranch in Montana to being an outcast when he moved to Texas because he was a cowboy through and through. Since he was different, the kids at his new high school didn’t accept him.
Even the ranch kids—Maverick, Nora, and Travis—never really accepted him. Mav was older and had his own group he hung out with, while Nora was embarrassed to be seen with Austin in public. Travis was too insecure to risk it, even though Austin sensed that they might have eventually been friends over time.
In the end, the only person who seemed to like him was Mrs. Houston, Kelly—in private. She seemed to have a thing for ranch hands, for which he could never thank her enough. She’d taught him how to please a woman. But that all blew up when he learned she and his mother had been roommates and friends in college. When that was revealed, he was smart enough to know that Kelly would treat him as just an employee and he should keep his mouth shut.
Being isolated, he didn’t have anyone to talk to about how he felt about stuff. Not even his father, who was starting a new family. He tried to move in with his mother, but she didn’t want him, either. She was making him move in with a grandmother he’d met once, maybe six or seven years ago, for a long weekend.
Before he left, he’d vowed to try to fit in better in Virginia. He’d gone so far as to get his hair cut and bought a new wardrobe that he hoped would eliminate the barriers created when he wore his cowboy hat and boots. Being the new kid was bad enough; he didn’t want people making negative judgments simply because he looked different.
He also decided to take it slow with the girls because none of them he’d met in Texas had wanted more than some meaningless sex, or that was what it felt like. His first, Lucy—who later became his stepsister—visited the ranch for a weekend. At the time, neither of them ever expected to see each other again.
There’d been a handful of others like her, girls on short vacations who wanted to have some fun with the farmhand.
Nora and Tina were the two he’d thought might turn into more. Nora had only made him ask her to a school dance because she wanted to avoid Luke, Groesbeck’s star quarterback and playboy. Then there was Tina, his tutor, who was out of his league. If he were being honest, neither of them would ever date him.
At the time, he didn’t want to admit how much it hurt to be used and thrown away. But now, on the flight with him moving on, he could admit that it was inevitable, so why let himself dwell on them moving on?
If there was a guy who needed a reset button, he was the poster child. He planned to take his time and get the lay of the land.
He knew his grandmother had money, so his mom wanted him to follow in her footsteps and attend Broadview Academy. His problem was that he didn’t think he would fit in with those kids. Maybe he could make friends with kids from a working class who went to public high school. Better yet, he might be able to convince his mom and grandmother that he shouldn’t go to boarding school.
He would have to be on his best behavior to win them over, something he hadn’t necessarily done when he was in Texas. That is, if word getting out that he’d starred in an adult film and had stupidly not considered the consequences of not wearing condoms qualified. On top of that, he’d punched out their star quarterback on more than one occasion. Stuff like that couldn’t happen again.
But there was a bright spot. He was able to bring his new horse—a chestnut Friesian named Red—and his grandmother had sent him a video of his new puppy, a Rhodesian Ridgeback who hadn’t been named yet. His grandmother was waiting for him to arrive to have that honor. Austin loved animals, so he would at least have two buddies to hang out with.
The pilot finally came on and announced they would soon land in Washington, DC. From Waco, they’d had to fly to Dallas, then DC. That was five hours of his life he would never get back.
He looked out the window in time to see total darkness with a few flickering lights as they flew over the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Then, in the distance, he saw the glow of the city, showing him their destination. His mother had warned him that it would be another hour from the airport until they reached his grandmother’s house in the countryside of Middleburg.
The town was known as the Nation’s ‘Horse and Hunt Capital.’ It was in the heart of Virginia’s horse country, as if that news was supposed to make him happy.
It wasn’t lost on him that he wasn’t going to his mother’s place, but she was dumping him on a grandmother he hardly knew.
‘Things have to get better … right?’ Austin thought.
◊◊◊
Chapter 1
Austin felt tired—like he’d been wrangling cattle all day—when he arrived at his grandmother’s. So, when she’d checked him out and shown him his bedroom, he was ready to fall into bed. As he lay there, he couldn’t help but think that his mother’s new guy, Don, was after her money.
He’d waxed eloquent about Middleburg, which had been established in 1787. He went on and on about some of his real estate customers who’d purchased homes in this countrified slice of Virginia. As he described it, Middleburg was the favorite sanctuary for movie stars, horse people, old money, gentleman farmers, and Capital Beltway retirees.
The town itself had under a thousand residents.
When they got near his grandmother’s home, Don had gushed about it being an authentic 1817 federal-style home and gardens.
“What’s a ‘federal-style home’?” Austin mistakenly asked because he’d just given Don his opening to lecture him on the local architecture.
The short of it was that this highly desirable home style was built between 1780 and 1830 on the East Coast, mainly in New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Charleston, and Washington DC. The exterior was typically brick, with curved steps leading up to an uncomplicated door. The front was flat with evenly spaced windows. The rectangular buildings were two to three stories high.
When they pulled up to his grandmother’s house, Austin saw it was the three-story variety. When his grandmother answered the door, they were ushered into a grand entrance with a magnificent staircase that spiraled up all three stories. When he looked up, Austin saw an ornate crystal chandelier that lit up the stairwell and entranceway.
Don helped him carry his luggage to the third floor, where he was given a bedroom that was supposed to have been his mother’s old room. She shared that she loved this room because it was in the back corner and overlooked the gardens and stables.
Austin was almost afraid to touch anything because he was told all the furniture was antique. Wanting to sleep had made him overcome his anxiety of possibly breaking something, so he was soon snuggled down and fell asleep.
◊◊◊
In the morning, he took a quick shower and went to the kitchen, where he found his grandmother reading a paper in the breakfast nook.
“Good morning,” Austin said to get her attention.
She looked up and smiled. His grandmother was in her mid-fifties and had the body of a woman twenty years younger. Austin could have mistaken her for his mom’s sister if it weren’t for the wrinkles around her eyes.
“How did you sleep?” Grandma Montgomery asked.
“Just fine. What’s the plan for today?”
“I’ve got my bridge game at the Blackwater Riding Club this morning. You could go with me and check out their facilities, or stay here and look at the stables and pasture for your horse. When your mother moved to Montana, I got rid of the horses, so they haven’t been used for at least fifteen years.”
Red would arrive in two days, so he thought he better check that out. His horse was currently being transported from Texas.
“I’ll look at the stables,” Austin said.
“That sounds like a plan,” Grandma Montgomery said. “Do you cook?”
“Nothing fancy. Why do you ask?”
“I’ve been known to burn water, so I normally go out to eat. If you can cook and care for yourself, I won’t have to hire a cook.”
“Would you like me to make you breakfast? That might help you to decide,” Austin said.
“That’s a wonderful idea. I’d like my eggs poached with ham and an English muffin with honey.”
Austin had never poached an egg in his life.
“I could do scrambled eggs.”
“That won’t do. Poached eggs are so much healthier.”
“I could give it a try, I guess.”
“Perfect,” she said and went back to reading her paper.
Austin got up to go try his hand at poaching eggs when he had a thought.
“Where is the puppy you got me?”
“Oh, I forgot about him. He’s in a cage in the stables. He’ll be quite cross with me, but he gets so rowdy that I put him there until I’ve had my coffee. You might want to let him out.”
Austin put a pot on to boil water before walking out to the stables. It was a lovely early summer morning. He took a moment to look at the formal garden, which looked like it belonged on an old English estate. It had a brick walkway down the center and formal hedges to divide it into sections, with each section having a different flora, ranging from roses to begonias to lavender.
He hoped he wouldn’t also be the gardener because it looked like more than a full-time job.
When he got closer to the stables, he could hear unhappy yips. He opened the door and saw the poor puppy clawing at the cage to escape. The pup went wild when he saw Austin.
“Settle down. I’ll let you out,” Austin said in soothing tones.
When he unlatched the cage, the puppy ran for the open door. Austin took a moment to take a cursory look at the stables. They were of good quality, but everything needed cleaning. He made a mental list of everything he would need when Red arrived.
As he exited the stable, Austin almost stepped into a present the puppy had left him. Of course, it was on the brick walkway, not the grass. He looked around; the puppy was missing, but he could hear it barking. Then he saw it tearing around the side of the house at full speed.
The pup seemed to do everything full out, so he mentally named him Max.
“Come on, Max. Let’s go inside and feed Grandma.”
The pup raced him to the back door and bounced around when Austin wasn’t fast enough opening it. He pulled it open, and Max flew in to find Grandma Montgomery.
“Get off me!” Austin heard as he stepped into the kitchen.
“He is a handful,” Austin admitted. “If it’s okay, I’ll name him Max.”
“Maybe Mad Max.”
“Does he have a bad temper?” Austin asked, concerned.
“No. From the movie.”
Austin looked at her with a blank stare. He had no idea what she was talking about.
“Look it up,” Grandma Montgomery said at his confused look.
“Sure. Let me try to make the eggs.”
He went through five eggs before he got it right. It was good that he was a growing teen and could eat all his mistakes. When he set his grandmother’s plate in front of her, she wrinkled her nose.
“I’ll look into getting a cook as well.”
“What else are you getting?” Austin asked.
“A maid. This house will be filthy with you and Mad Max running around.”
‘What have I gotten myself into?’ Austin wondered.
It didn’t feel like his grandmother was excited to have her life disrupted by a teenager and a puppy.
◊◊◊
Austin spent the morning sweeping out the stable. It had an infestation of mice, which kept Max entertained. Austin wasn’t sure what the pup would do if he caught one, but he sure tried. The sad part was the mice had chewed up the saddles and other gear stored in the tack room.
Austin sorted through what was in decent shape and the things that could be fixed, tossing the rest.
Next was getting the hose and cleaning supplies out and scrubbing everything down.
When his grandmother returned from playing bridge, Austin gave her a list of what he needed for Red when he arrived. She took the pickup to the feed store to pick up supplies.
While she was gone, Austin got the tractor out and attached the mower to run over the pastures so he could see what was there. His grandmother had let them go, and they were covered in wildflowers. One of the pastures had too much clover, so Austin sent her a message to pick up a broad-leaf herbicide to kill the clover and grass seed to fill in.
Some types of clover could be fatal to cows but wouldn’t necessarily hurt a horse. The problem was the fungus that grew on clover. In Montana, clover was the bane of ranchers, and it had been ingrained in Austin to rid it from anywhere large animals might graze.
Before he was finished mowing, his grandmother returned with the back of the pickup truck loaded down. After he was done cutting grass, he unloaded the truck. He was happy to see Max had finally run down and napped in one stall. It looked like the pup needed a shower as badly as Austin did, so he scooped the dog up and took him into the house.
Max wasn’t sure of the shower until Austin used the handheld. Then the dog realized it was nice to have warm water run down your back. He also liked getting rubbed down with the towel.
Once clean, the two of them went down the stairs. Max had grown since the video of his kamikaze run and could handle the stairs just fine.
“Did you eat lunch?” Grandma Montgomery asked when they got downstairs.
“No, and I’m starved.”
“Let’s go into town and grab a steak.”
That sounded good to him.
◊◊◊
Middleburg was home to a five-star resort where his grandmother took him. He looked at the prices and almost got up to leave. Their tomahawk ribeye was $175.00. The cheapest item he saw was a side salad for $19.00.
“Get whatever you want,” Grandma Montgomery said, acting like this was no big deal.
“We could go grocery shopping and buy enough for a month for what this will cost.”
His grandmother disregarded him, so he ignored how much each item was. He did see they had venison, something he hadn’t had since he left Montana.
After their server took their order, his grandmother caught him up on what she’d done that day.
“After bridge, I went to the restaurant and saw a notice saying they were looking for places to board horses. I talked to the manager, who said that all their stalls were spoken for. I told him that you were cleaning our stable and we might be willing to take on some horses.
“It would be convenient to Blackwater because a horse trail runs behind my property and leads to the riding club.
“I told him I would have to talk to you and see if you were willing to manage everything,” Grandma Montgomery said.
“It would help pay for Red’s upkeep, but we would need to hire someone to look after them when I go to school in the fall.”
“That’s not a problem. I’ll just have someone from the brewery take care of that.”
“Brewery?”
“If you turn the other way from town, I have a microbrewery. Some local restaurants buy my beers, plus many tourists stop in.”
Austin had just figured out where to get his beer supply this summer. Things were looking up.
When their meal came, Austin was impressed with what he’d ordered. The conversation drifted to what he’d done while she was out.
“We need some barn cats to deal with your rodent problem. The tractor also needs to be serviced. If you get the supplies, I can do that for you. Also, I saw an old dirt bike. Do you know where the key is?”
“I can get an exterminator to deal with the mice.”
“I’m not too excited about what they might use around Red, and I don’t trust Max to not get into it,” Austin said to push back. “Plus, I don’t want to deal with glue traps. I prefer my mice dead.”
“I don’t want any cats in the house.”
“Agreed,” Austin said.
“If you can handle servicing the tractor, I’m fine with that. As far as the dirt bike, you’ll have to ask your mom. It was hers when she was younger. I don’t think it’s been touched in nearly twenty years.”
Austin figured that he could ride Red just about anywhere in Middleburg because sitting two tables over were two men and a woman wearing riding breeches and jackets. They had tall velvet hats sitting in empty chairs. They looked like they were dressed to go on a fox hunt later.
But a dirt bike would allow him to go wherever he wanted. Plus, an old dirt bike was easy to work on. He was sure he could get it running; all he needed was the key. But if his mom couldn’t find it, he could swap it out.
“About the cats,” Grandma Montgomery said. “I wouldn’t know where to find them.”
Austin stood up.
“Excuse me!” he called out, and every head turned to him. “We need barn cats. Does anyone have some they want to give away?”
A lady in the back called out, “If you can catch them, I have some.”
“Sorry to interrupt everyone’s dinner. If you haven’t tried the venison, do. Mine was excellent,” Austin said and walked back to get the lady’s information.
◊◊◊
They followed Mrs. Elliot and her gentleman friend to her place outside of town. It wasn’t nearly as nice as his grandmother’s, which caused her to sniff and make a snarky comment about its condition.
When they got out of his grandmother’s car, Mrs. Elliot asked, “What do you plan to take them home in?”
“Do you have an empty feed sack?”
“I think I do. Follow me out to the barn.”
When she pulled it open, fifteen or twenty cats peered out from the shadows.
“I just bought the place and plan to renovate it. I need to get rid of these guys.”
“I’ll see how many I can catch,” Austin said.
Austin slowly approached a big male while making soothing sounds. The cat was used to people being around, so he didn’t immediately bolt as Austin had feared. When he was close enough, his hand darted out, and he grabbed the cat by the back of the neck. The cat went limp in his grip until it saw the bag. Then, it did everything it could think of to escape.
Austin stuffed it into the bag and began to stalk his next victim.
◊◊◊
Five cats in a bag made for an exciting ride home.
“Why did you take so many?” Grandmother Montgomery asked.
“Because we have enough mice to keep them fed through Christmas.”
“Why only males?”
“Did you see how many cats Mrs. Elliot had?”
“Oh,” Grandmother Montgomery said when she figured out his reason.
They didn’t want to have a hundred cats running around.
When they got home, he took the cats to the barn. When he opened the bag, they darted in five different directions to hide. Austin predicted it would be weeks before he saw them again. He got a bucket and filled it with water. He would get them a bowl later.
◊◊◊
He took Max out to the garden to do his business. The pup didn’t take long to start sniffing the air and looking at the barn. He began to cautiously creep toward it.
“Not a good idea, buddy. Those kitties are in a bad mood,” Austin warned.
One of the cats yowled, which caused Max to yip, tuck his tail, and run to the back door.
This was going to get interesting.
◊◊◊
Chapter 2
Two days later, it was the big day. Austin’s horse was due to arrive. He and Max bounded down the stairs the first thing to find a stranger in the kitchen.
She twirled around with a knife in her hand.
“Who are you!?”
Austin could tell instantly that the young woman knew how to use the knife and not just how to carve up ham, which she seemed to have been doing.
“I live here.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Mrs. Montgomery didn’t say anything about someone like you living here. She said that her grandson, ‘the cowboy,’ was in residence,” the woman said, using air quotes. “You don’t look like a cowboy to me.”
Austin had stored his regular clothes in his closet. His goal was to not make the same mistake he’d made when he moved to Texas that got him labeled an outsider.
“Ma’am. If you like, I can put on my boots and hat if it makes you more comfortable,” Austin drawled.
Max was bouncing at the back door, so Austin let him out.
When he turned around, he found the woman smiling at him, which made her look younger. Huge sapphire-colored catlike eyes gleamed with amusement. They held kindness and warmth.
“I’m Austin … ‘the cowboy,’” he said, doing the air quotes. “Actually, I might be the last cowboy.”
“Why’s that?”
“A guidance counselor told me it wasn’t a real job anymore. Even if it were, being a cowboy was too hard and lonely,” Austin said.
“Is it? Too hard and lonely, I mean?”
“I never thought so.”
She nodded and said, “I’m Emma.”
There was a scratch on the back door. Max was still a bit nervous with the cats in the barn and didn’t like going outside alone. Austin let him in.
“Do you want some breakfast? I can make just about anything,” Emma offered.
“I’d like two scratch biscuit sandwiches with a fried egg, a sausage patty, and a slice of cheese.”
“How about having that on English muffins with egg, ham, and no cheese?”
“I’ll eat just about anything, so that’s good.”
“I have some practice poached eggs that didn’t work out. Could I interest you in them?” Emma asked.
“How many did you mess up?”
“Three.”
“I failed on the first five,” Austin admitted. “Throw them on an English muffin with some ham, and I’m good.”
“Coming right up.”
She sat down with Austin as he ate and got to know him better. She lived a few towns away but had temporarily moved to Middleburg because they always had summer jobs. She lived with two guys she knew from school who were also working in town. One was her boyfriend, but her parents had no idea about him or their relationship.
They lived in a fourplex where other seasonal workers stayed because it was inexpensive. Austin was surprised that the two guys both worked at the microbrewery for his grandmother. While she still owned a construction company, the brewery was something she’d done to occupy her time. It seemed others ran the construction company his grandfather had started.
“Why are you living with your grandmother?” Emma asked, digging into his past.
Austin gave her the bare bones: his dad had remarried, and his new wife had two daughters. His mother had been after him to stay with her, but when he asked, she was busy dating Don Brookfield. So, he was sent to his grandmother’s.
He noticed Emma’s nose had crinkled when he mentioned Don’s name.
“You know Don?”
“I know his sons, Victor and Lawrence.”
“From that look, I take it you’re not a fan,” Austin said.
“I don’t really want to say.”
“I’ve never met them, so I have no opinion.”
“I don’t want to influence you. Just watch yourself.”
That didn’t sound good.
◊◊◊
Austin finished breakfast and went to work on the tractor. He planned to check the transmission because it smelled burned when he drained the fluid. This was usually a sign that the pump might not be getting the fluid to circulate through the transmission as it was meant to. He wanted to make sure that was the only issue that needed addressing while he had it apart.
While he worked on the tractor, Max got brave and confronted one of the cats in the barn. He discovered that if he ran at one of them, the cat would run away, creating a game of chase. That was until the big black one held his ground. The next thing Austin knew, his pup was on his chest, with the black cat hissing at them.
“Get out of here,” Austin said, waving his wrench at the mean kitty.
Max didn’t want to get off his chest, so Austin took him to the house, where he found Emma doing laundry.
“Can you watch Max for me? He had a run-in with a barn cat that decided to end him.”
“Poor, baby. Emma will protect you.”
Austin left them to figure it out as he returned to reassemble the tractor.
◊◊◊
“I want to invite Austin over this weekend so you and the boys can get to know him better,” Marie, Austin’s mom, said to her boyfriend, Don.
“You’re not considering inviting your mom too, are you?” Don asked.
“She is letting Austin live with her. It would be the right thing to do.”
“I don’t think she likes me.”
“She didn’t like my ex, either. I doubt she would like anyone who I was serious about.”
“She made it clear she likes Charlie Tanner,” Don complained.
Charlie Tanner had been her boyfriend in high school. They broke up when he went to Georgetown for college to get a law degree. He was now a partner in one of the larger DC firms and had recently divorced his wife. Her mom had mentioned that she’d talked to him a few weeks ago at the Blackwater Riding Club, making a point of doing this in front of Don.
She’d also told her that Austin would be taking classes there, and if Marie wanted, she could start riding again.
Marie was considering it because she had the time. She worked at home for a lobbying group. Her job was to help write policy papers and legislation promoting their clients’ causes.
Don didn’t understand what she did; he assumed she was just a glorified secretary. He thought she was living off the trust fund her parents had set up for her. The truth was that she made three times what Don did. Marie knew if he ever found out, it would be a problem because he felt like he had to be in charge.
But he was nice to her, and there weren’t many eligible single men in Middleburg. That was until her mom mentioned Charlie.
Marie didn’t plan to do anything about it because she and Don were starting to get serious, and there had been talk of marriage. The problem was that Don wanted a long engagement and never had a very good reason as to why they were waiting.
“You’ll just have to put your big boy pants on and face my mother. I think our boys need to meet because I want them to get along,” Marie said.
“I know something happened with Austin. What exactly did he do? He isn’t into drugs, is he?” Don asked.
She gave him a stern gaze but pulled back when she saw him start to look defensive.
“No. Austin doesn’t do drugs. If you must know, he was sexually active with several girls.”
Don looked confused.
“He starred in a porno,” Marie admitted.
Don rocked back in his chair with a goofy smile on his face.
“Way to go, Austin,” he quipped.
“One of the girls in the movie was a local youth pastor’s wife. If people knew, it would be a big deal in Texas.”
“I didn’t realize he had it in him.”
“Anyway,” Marie said to get back onto the subject. “Can I count on you and the boys for Saturday?”
“Sounds like a plan. Do you need me to bring anything?” Don asked.
“Just you and the boys,” Marie said. Then she added, “And make sure they’re on their best behavior because I was told that Austin knocked out the biggest bully at his last high school. If your boys start running their mouths, they might be sorry.”
“It must have been a sucker punch or lucky shot. Austin wouldn’t stand a chance against Lawrence, let alone Victor,” Don said.
She shrugged. Don’s boys were big kids but soft, in her opinion. Austin had worked most of his life doing manual labor; she’d seen him pick up plenty of calves and bales of hay like they were nothing. She worried Don’s boys would try to intimidate him with their size. Unlike most kids, Austin wouldn’t back down if they wanted to push him.
She hoped they would make a mistake and tangle with her son. It would be a good reality check for the two self-entitled little pricks.
Marie hoped Don would send them to live with their mother if she and he married. She’d already laid the groundwork by sending Austin to live with her mom. That way, they could start their marriage without kids underfoot. At the very least, they would all be off to boarding school in the fall.
Now, she had to get her mom to be on her best behavior on Saturday.
◊◊◊
Austin received a message that Red was minutes away. He double-checked to ensure everything was ready for his horse, which had been on a truck from Texas for several days.
His grandmother and Emma came out of the house when they heard the semi pull up the driveway. He pulled up close to the stable, and the driver and a woman got out of the truck cab. The woman walked up to Austin with a tight smile.
“Red got a little stressed, so we had to stop several times to let him rest. I want to take a blood test to check his muscle enzyme levels.”
“What does that mean?” Grandma Montgomery asked.
“She’s checking to see how fatigued Red is. One hour in a moving trailer is equivalent to him walking for an hour. I hoped he would do better because he’s used to taking long trips for the movies he was in,” Austin said.
“You may have to hold off riding him for a few days,” the woman said.
“No problem. Let me get Red out so I can check him over,” Austin said.
Red’s head came up when he recognized Austin.
“Hey, buddy. Want to get out of there?” Austin asked.
He clipped a lead onto Red’s halter and walked him down the ramp, then tied him off so he could go around and check his legs and hooves. Sometimes, a horse would kick when confined for too long. Everything looked good, but Austin could tell Red was stressed.
The woman took a blood sample.
“How about I give you a bath and brush you down, big guy?” Austin asked.
His grandmother signed off on Red’s delivery while Austin led him to the cleaning station.
A few minutes later, the semi pulled out on its way to its next destination. They had three other horses in the trailer to get to their new home or horse show.
As Austin washed his horse, he could feel Red’s muscles relax. The horse loved being pampered, so Austin gave him the complete treatment, the equivalent of a horsey spa day.
Once he was done, he took Red to his new stall and gave him fresh water and some grain. Austin would come out in a couple of hours and ensure Red was drinking water. One of the issues when transporting was dehydration. Austin wanted to make sure Red got plenty of fluids.
Max had watched every move Austin made with the big scary horse. The dog needed some loving when they exited the stable. Austin felt it best for Max to continue having a healthy fear because it would be easy for Red to kick the pup or step on him if he became irritated. Either would end in a bad day for Max.
◊◊◊
When Austin came in for dinner, Emma had outdone herself. She made a mixed green salad and fried chicken with black-eyed peas. For dessert, there were homemade chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream.
“You’re keeping her, right?” Austin asked when they were done.
“I told her I would try her for a week and see. So far, so good.”
“I finished working on the tractor. I’ll start on the dirt bike tomorrow.”
“That’s good. The gardeners will be here tomorrow. Make sure you have Max under control so they can work.”
“Will do.”
“Your mom called. She wants us to come to her house on Saturday to meet Don’s family.”
“I heard I need to be careful around his sons,” Austin said.
“Where did you hear that?” Grandma Montgomery asked.
“A little bird.”
Her expression said she didn’t believe him.
“Honestly, I don’t like any of them, so don’t ask me what I think. Your mom can do better.”
“Tell me what you really think,” Austin goaded.
“I learned long ago that your mother doesn’t listen to me regarding her love life. I’m sure you’ve heard what I felt about her marrying your dad.”
“It wasn’t a secret. My dad still loves her, if that’s any consolation,” Austin said.
“I know he does, but they’re too different. She needs someone who is her equal.”
“Are you saying my dad wasn’t her equal?”
She gave him a sad look.
“I would never come out and say that. Your dad has many fine qualities. It’s just Marie grew up here, went to private school, then to an exclusive college. She was destined for much more than traveling around in a motorhome.”
Austin wanted to get mad because, growing up, he hadn’t known any different and had been happy. Since leaving Montana, he felt out of place. After seeing his mom’s childhood home, he could understand what she’d given up to raise him and live with his dad.
Austin wondered if he could stick it out even half as long as his mom had.
◊◊◊
Chapter 3
Austin got up early to let Red into his new pasture and enjoy the outdoors. After cleaning up Red’s stall, Austin and Max returned for breakfast.
Emma was in the kitchen with his grandmother, who was reading her paper in the breakfast nook.
“I called my mother and got her recipe for angel biscuits,” Emma said as she pulled them out of the oven.
Grandma Montgomery perked up and said, “I haven’t had those since I was a kid.”
“What are they?” Austin asked.
“A cross between a buttermilk biscuit and a Parker House roll. They get their name because of their pillowy softness and golden buttery top. After you try one, if I did it right, the name will make sense,” Emma said.
She brought out a bowl and some butter and honey for them to try.
After his first bite, Austin said, “I think you end this probation nonsense and just hire Emma.”
“I had one last task for her before she gets complacent,” Grandma Montgomery said.
“What’s that?” Emma asked.
“Clean the exercise room.”
Austin hadn’t taken the time to explore the house yet, so he had no idea there was one.
“Can we see it?” Austin asked.
“Sure,” Grandma Montgomery said and got up to lead the way.
One of the bedrooms on the second floor had been converted. There was a treadmill, exercise bike, massage table, and rolled-up yoga mats.
“I’m not a professional, but I’ve been told I give a good massage,” Austin said.
“Tell me another one,” Emma said, not believing him.
“I rub down horses all the time. Most of that translates,” Austin said to defend himself.
“I think there are supplies in the closet,” Grandma Montgomery said. “Anyway, I would appreciate it if you could clean everything and organize stuff.”
“I’ll do that after I clean up after breakfast,” Emma said.
Austin looked around and asked, “Where’s Max?”
They all looked at each other and quickly hustled downstairs. Luckily, the pup hadn’t figured out how to get on the table, or the biscuits would’ve been gone.
◊◊◊
Austin and Max went to the stable and worked on his dirt bike.
He received a message that Red’s blood work had returned and that he was stressed, but nothing serious.
Austin had it running by lunchtime, but the bike needed a new seat, brakes, and tires. At lunch, he talked his grandmother into running him to the next town over, where they had what he needed. Austin loaded the dirt bike into the truck so they could change the tires.
When they dropped it off at the cycle shop, his grandmother told them to give the dirt bike a once over and replace whatever was needed, and they would be back in a couple of hours.
Austin was clueless until they pulled up to a fancy men’s store.
“You need dress clothes for the various events this summer,” his grandmother announced.
The store carried everything from tuxes to fancy riding gear with the requisite tall velvet hats. When the salespeople saw his grandmother, the place suddenly looked like a used car lot when a sucker drove up. Three of them almost fought until the manager stepped in and took over.
“How may we be of service?”
“My grandson needs everything for the summer, from formal to casual.”
“Why don’t we get his measurements to see what will work for him?”
Austin was taken to the back, where their tailor had him stand on a small platform with three mirrors so he could see how things looked. His grandmother sat down on a loveseat and was brought a glass of wine to enjoy while he was put on display.
Once he gave the manager his measurements, the three salespeople began bringing in stuff for him to try on.
The first item was a double-breasted houndstooth blazer. Austin rolled his eyes.
“Roll your eyes at me again, and I’ll smack them right out of your head,” Grandma Montgomery warned.
The tailor looked nervous as she said, “We’re going to try this on for size.”
He tried it on, and to his relief, the tailor said, “He needs something more fitted and youthful.
“These two are on sale,” one of the salespeople said.
‘Hell no,’ Austin thought.
The first was a blue microsuede, and the other a black velvet sport coat. While this might have been in style at that moment, in a few years, it would look as bad as wearing your jeans so low that your underwear was exposed.
“Do you have anything in paisley?” his soon-to-be-dead grandmother asked.
His look must have given him away because everyone had a chuckle at his expense.
The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur. After the initial fun of making Austin uncomfortable, they actually listened to his ideas. Of course, his grandmother had final veto power and rejected a few of his suggestions.
By the time they were done, he owned a gray vested houndstooth suit, which looked surprisingly good in both his and his grandmother’s opinion. He also had two sport coats, one navy blue and the other something called buttercup, a yellowish beige. To go with that were a variety of dress shirts, pants, ties, and belts, as well as a lambskin leather jacket and a couple of pairs of dress shoes.
Their next stop was to get his hair cut.
When they were done, his grandmother was pleased. She declared that he had the makings of a fine Virginia gentleman.
◊◊◊
When they returned to the cycle shop, his dirt bike was ready. The salesperson explained that they’d beefed up the brakes, replaced the seat and grips, and put on tires that could be used for trails and run on hard surfaces, aka roads.
They’d also cleaned the bike, so it looked almost brand new.
His grandmother bought him a helmet. Austin passed on the other gear because he wanted the bike to get around, not terrorize the neighbors.
◊◊◊
Austin was reminded of what Don had said when they got to the drive. Real estate in the Virginia horse country was all about the entrance. But it couldn’t be an ordinary drive; it had to be a winding five-minute trek bracketed by magnolias and stately oaks bowing down to welcome you home. His grandmother’s house had that in spades.
Once they parked, his grandmother grabbed his new clothes.
“I’ll have Emma wash and press the shirts. She’ll hang the rest in your closet.”
“Thanks,” Austin said. “I’m going to take a quick ride to test the bike. Maybe I’ll shoot over to the brewery.”
“Pick up a six-pack of American Ale. I’ll call and have it waiting for you,” Grandma Montgomery said.
“Will do.”
He pulled into the microbrewery’s parking lot, which was almost full. Tourists were enjoying the early summer weather as they sat around round metal tables with umbrellas, sampling the different crafted offerings. Austin pulled around to the back and went in the ‘employees only’ door.
A young Black man was loading beer glasses into a dishwasher.
“You must be Austin.”
“Yeah. I’m here to pick up some beer.”
“I’m Oliver. You know my girlfriend, Emma.”
“Yeah. Right. She’s our new cook and housekeeper,” Austin said.
“Go through that door and look for the big Viking-looking dude. He’ll have your beer ready.”
“Will do,” Austin said and began to walk away. Then he stopped because he planned to change things here and hopefully make friends. “Maybe we can hang out sometime.”
“Sounds good,” Oliver said.
When he went through the door, Oliver wasn’t lying. There was a tall, long-haired blond guy who, if he’d had a beard, would look like the TV version of a Viking. He was currently waiting on some customers, so Austin cooled his heels.
When the guy was done, he turned, smiled, and held out his hand to shake Austin’s.
“I’m Liam,” he said as his hand engulfed Austin’s.
“Austin. I hear you have some beer for me.”
“Mrs. Montgomery said you can pick up beer anytime. She said that would save her having to call each trip.”
“Good to know.”
“It also instantly makes you my new best friend,” Liam said with a wink.
Austin might have had several new ‘best friends’ if he wasn’t careful. A teen with access to unlimited beer could create some faux relationships.
“I don’t want to abuse my grandmother’s trust,” Austin said to push back.
Liam chuckled and raised his hands in surrender.
“I had to try. But if you ever get a sixer or three, keep me in mind. Even if you don’t, we could hang out. I have some killer weed if you’re interested,” Liam said.
“I don’t smoke, but I wouldn’t mind hanging.”
“Let’s do that. Swing by Friday night. I’ll have to ask Emma, but I think they’ll want to have a few people over for something casual.”
“I’ll get the details from Emma. Nice meeting you,” Austin said.
Another customer came up.
“Yeah, see ya,” Liam said, turning to the young professional couple. “How can I help you?”
Oliver wasn’t in the back. Austin spotted him busing tables. As Austin got onto his bike, he realized that carrying beer was a bit of a problem. Austin would have to take his backpack next time. He managed, though awkwardly.
◊◊◊
When he got back, he dropped the beer off and got Max to go with him to check on Red. His chestnut Friesian perked up when he saw Austin. It was good to see his horse was feeling better, but it would be a few days before Austin would ride him. For now, Austin would pamper Red.
Once Red had been brushed and rubbed down, Austin returned to the house.
When he came in, he found a note from his grandmother saying she was going out with friends for dinner, so he was on his own for the night.
He found Emma getting ready to leave.
“Not cooking for me?” Austin mock complained.
“I made some cutlets and put them in the fridge. You can make yourself a sandwich.”
“Sounds good,” Austin said and noticed Emma rubbing her shoulder. “You hurt yourself?”
“Nothing serious. I wrenched it, moving some stuff, is all.”
“We have the massage table, and I’d be willing to help you if you want,” Austin offered.
She thought about it for a moment.
“That might be a good idea, but I have to get home to feed Oliver.”
“Are there enough cutlets for all of us?”
“I think so.”
“Then call him and invite him over. Liam, too, if he wants,” Austin said.
“Maybe you could also teach Oliver how to give me a massage.”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll call them.”
◊◊◊
When Liam and Oliver arrived, Liam looked up the massive staircase and said, “Damn, this is nice. Is there any booze in the house?”
“There’s a liquor cabinet in there,” Emma said, pointing to the left.
Austin started to feel uncomfortable. He’d not gone exploring because he didn’t want his grandmother to think Austin was intruding more than he already was. Raiding her liquor cabinet didn’t sound like a good idea.
“Mrs. Montgomery said I was supposed to get rid of all the open bottles. I guess they haven’t been touched in nearly twenty years. There isn’t much in any one of them,” Emma said.
Oliver and Liam were busy pulling out the different bottles.
“I say we mix them together,” Liam suggested.
“Mystery punch. I like it,” Oliver said.
“Just don’t get into anything that hasn’t been opened,” Emma warned.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist,” Liam mock scolded her.
Liam found the good whiskey glasses, and Oliver poured a bit from each bottle into the glasses until there was a good shot in each. Liam then handed them out.
“Fuck it!” Oliver cried out, lifting his glass.
The others lifted their glasses, so Austin did the same. He watched as they raised their glasses, tilted their heads back, and gulped down the amber liquid.
So, like a dumbass, he did the same. The mystery punch burned all the way down to his stomach, causing his eyes to water, and he suddenly felt ill. Austin squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to keep it down.
“Shit!” Liam yelled.
“Damn! That’s going to leave a mark,” Oliver said, wincing.
“Give me another,” Liam said with a strained smile.
“I’m out,” Austin said. “I need to eat something to absorb that concoction.”
“Me too. I need food,” Emma said.
“Wimps,” Liam said with a big grin.
The two guys filled their glasses up and began to chug them down.
“This is going to get ugly. I say we go eat,” Emma said.
Austin followed her to the kitchen. He found Max huddled under the table.
“What’s wrong, buddy? Are they making too much noise?” Austin asked as he picked up the pup and loved him up.
“I’ll clean everything up. Mrs. Montgomery will never know those idiots drank her discarded booze,” Emma promised.
“I usually stick to beer,” Austin admitted.
“Just tell them ‘no’ next time. They’re good guys. They might razz you some, but they would never force you to do something you didn’t want to,” Emma assured him.
◊◊◊
After they ate, Emma and Austin went to the exercise room.
“You’ll need to take your shirt off if you don’t want to risk getting it stained,” Austin told her.
He was busy checking out the different oils.
“This one smells …” he trailed off.
Emma had taken her shirt and bra off and crawled onto the table. She was sure Austin had gotten an eyeful, and his reaction pleased her.
Austin started with a light touch to rub in the oil, which smelled like coriander. Once he had her back covered, Emma felt him start to do deeper probes with his surprisingly strong fingers. Whenever she winced, he would work that area until the muscle loosened up.
Emma felt embarrassed when she moaned when he found a bad area and worked his magic, but she couldn’t help herself. She began to understand why her mom went to get a massage each week.
After Austin had fixed most of her issues, he said, “I’m going to straddle your thighs so I can reach easier.”
She nodded to tell him to go ahead.
Austin climbed onto the table, and she felt him straddle her thighs. It felt uncomfortable, not because he was squishing her, but because she’d never been touched by anyone other than Oliver.
Everyone assumed that the two of them had done the deed, but the truth was when she saw Oliver’s dick, she flat-out refused. The monster between his legs looked like the head of a baseball bat, and she knew that he would tear her poor little kitty to shreds if he shoved that in her. To date, he’d been satisfied with blowjobs.
What she worried about was how much longer he would wait.
As Austin began to use his magic fingers on her, the uncomfortable feeling she’d experienced vanished. She laid her head on the pillow and let him have his way with her.
◊◊◊
Emma jerked awake, confused about where she was. Then she remembered. She looked around, and Austin was on the floor, giving Max a belly rub.
“Can you hand me my top?” Emma asked.
“Shy now, are we?” Austin asked. “I thought you were trying to scandalize me.”
“I’m just a little embarrassed I fell asleep.”
“A good massage will do that. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Austin said and then talked to his pup. “Come on, Max. Let’s give the lady her privacy. I bet you want to go outside, and I need to check on that big bad horsey.”
Max jumped up and bounded out of the room, with Austin following.
It wasn’t until they were halfway home that she discovered that she was dripping wet. Austin’s magic fingers, as she was now calling them, had done a number on her. She worried that Oliver would find out. It also concerned her that someone other than her boyfriend could get her like that.
She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Finally, she decided that her condition would have happened to anyone, and it wasn’t because she was attracted to her employer’s grandson.
◊◊◊
Chapter 4
Sally came downstairs to find her mother sitting at the kitchen table, staring out the window as she smoked a cigarette. She hated that her mother had that disgusting habit. Sally wondered why her mother wasn’t like the other mothers in the neighborhood.
Her mom spotted her and quickly put out the cigarette.
“Your father was in a mood this morning, and I needed to calm down.”
Sally’s mom, Naomi Draper, had married her dad, Tom, when she was young. Naomi had gotten a part-time job before college, working for her local congresswoman, where her dad worked as her legislative director. She also was a model who did work for local businesses.
She ended up not going to college because she’d gotten pregnant with Sally. Since then, they had another child, Rob, who was three years younger than Sally.
Recently, Sally had heard her parents fighting and was convinced that they would soon get a divorce.
“I was invited to a luncheon,” she said.
“Who with?”
“Victor Brookfield.”
“He’s too old for you,” Naomi said.
“Mom,” Sally whined.
Naomi rubbed her forehead, obviously not wanting to fight with her daughter.
“Tell me more,” Naomi finally said.
“It’s at Mrs. Carson’s house …”
“Who?” her mom interrupted.
“She used to be Montgomery.”
“Marie?”
“That’s her,” Sally said and hurried on before her mother interrupted her again. “I guess Mrs. Carson’s son moved in with her grandmother, and she wanted him to meet Don’s sons. Victor wanted me to come along so he wouldn’t get bored.”
“I bet,” Naomi mumbled. “How are you getting there?”
“Victor is picking me up.”
“Okay, fine, but I want you to come home as soon as it’s over. Your dad is inviting people over for dinner tonight, and you know how he gets if we aren’t the perfect family,” Naomi said.
That meant the adults would get drunk, and if she were really lucky, she might steal a few glasses of scotch and get a good night’s sleep.
◊◊◊
Austin was squirming in the front seat of his grandmother’s boat of a car. She’d made him wear some of his new clothes, including a tie and new dress shoes that were digging into the back of his foot. He was sure he’d have a blister before the day was over.
His grandmother ignored him until they pulled up to his mom’s house. It was in a newer subdivision that mainly housed young professionals who commuted to DC. One of the reasons his mom gave for him not living with her was that her house was too small. This was at least ten times larger than their motorhome, so he called BS on that argument.
As he got out of the car, Austin ran his finger inside his collar to try to loosen it.
“Quit fussing,” Grandma Montgomery hissed.
The front door opened, and his mom walked out with a big smile.
“Don’t you look handsome? Come on in so you can meet everyone.”
His mom twirled around and rushed back inside. His grandmother handed him the key fob that started her car.
“In case I have to have a few too many drinks to get through today.”
Austin looked at it, shrugged, and slipped the key fob into his pocket. He wondered what they would do if he ended up joining his grandmother in drinking too much today. Another stray thought was that if the key fob was in his pocket, it wouldn’t stop his grandmother from driving if he were in the car with her. The vehicle had a push button that started the engine.
“Come on, you two. Everyone’s eager to meet you,” Marie said from the front door.
“Let’s get this over with,” Grandma Montgomery whispered.
Austin couldn’t help but get a tiny grin, knowing his grandmother would be in rare form today.
◊◊◊
Austin had just stepped over the threshold when someone shouted, “The Virginator is in the house!”
His eyes locked with his mother briefly before she broke eye contact. She’d obviously overshared with someone. Before he could have a quiet word with his mom, Don and his two sons came into the entryway to greet him.
Don was a big guy. Austin would guess he was six-one and very fit. His two sons, Victor and Lawrence, were both tall. Victor, the older, was pudgy, while his younger brother was thin as a rail.
Victor tried to give him a fist bump, but Austin left him hanging.
“What’s ‘The Virginator’?” Grandma Montgomery asked.
Don’s face turned bright red when he realized Victor had stepped in it. He grabbed his older son by the nape of the neck and led him somewhere to ‘have a talk.’ That left Austin’s mom to explain because he wasn’t about to tell his grandmother where that nickname originated.
“It’s just … a new slang … uhm … that young kids use as a greeting,” Marie stammered.
She looked Austin in the eyes to dare him to say she was wrong.
He spotted a blond girl peeking around the corner. Austin tilted his head to the side and asked, “Who are you?”
The girl looked to be about his age. She walked up and offered her hand.
“Hi. I’m Sally Draper, Victor’s guest. I’ve always wanted to meet The Virginator.”
Lawrence laughed and quickly left when everyone turned to stare at him.
“Like I keep saying, you could do better. I hope you have some of the good stuff because I need a drink,” Grandma Montgomery said, grabbing his mom’s arm and pulling her into the house.
Austin was sure his grandmother would know what The Virginator was about in no time.
That left him alone with Sally.
“You don’t look like a cowboy,” Sally said, bringing Austin out of his thoughts.
“Sorry to disappoint, ma’am,” Austin drawled as he tipped his imaginary cowboy hat. “But my grandmother insisted I get all cityfied for today’s festivities.”
That caused Sally to giggle.
“My mom rides horses. She’s a member of Blackwater Riding Club.”
“My grandmother’s a member. I plan to start taking a class there on Monday.”
“If you promise to be a real cowboy, I’ll see you there,” Sally promised.
“You just want to see everyone make fun of me,” Austin said with a smirk.
“Maybe. But I’m guessing you’re man enough to pull it off,” Sally said as she twirled around and left him in the entranceway.
◊◊◊
Don dominated the lunch conversation with his bragging about his salesmanship in real estate. So Austin jumped at the opportunity when Victor asked if they could be excused to play video games. He followed the three teens to the family room.
Austin had never played before, so he sat on the couch to watch. He was surprised when Sally joined him.
“So, Austin,” Victor called out as he loaded the game. “How many pornos have you starred in?”
“I’d rather not talk about that,” Austin said.
“What? You don’t want everyone to know you have a tiny dick?” Victor asked.
Victor didn’t know how close he was to getting a bloody nose.
“I was warned that you were into dicks. That was why I was surprised you managed to get a girl to be your beard today,” Austin fired back.
“Dude! That was classic,” Lawrence said.
Victor threw his controller onto the floor and jumped up. Austin stood also and let the bully march up to him. When Victor was close enough, Austin snapped out two jabs that caught him in each eye and threw an uppercut to his chin.
Victor staggered back and shook his head to clear it. Before he could do anything, Austin waded in and punched Victor in the gut, which doubled him over. He finished him off by snapping off another jab into the nose.
“Holy Shit!” Lawrence cried out.
Sally screamed when she saw the blood.
The next thing Austin knew, the adults came rushing into the room.
“You little shit!” Don screamed.
“Bring it on, old man. I’ll put you down, too,” Austin threatened.
“Don, don’t you dare,” Marie hissed.
His grandmother had a huge grin on her face that instantly disappeared when his mom glanced back at her.
“Come on, Austin, drive me home,” Grandma Montgomery said to give him a graceful out.
They headed for the door. When Austin reached it, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Austin turned to see Sally looking worried.
“Victor was my ride. Can you take me home?”
“Come on, girlie,” Austin’s grandmother said. “You can do better, too.”
Austin didn’t have his license, but he’d been driving for the past few years. Mostly, he drove his dad’s pickup with the trailer on the back. Austin had a knack for backing up trailers, which confused many people. That was because you turned the steering wheel the opposite of the way you usually did to make a turn when backing a trailer. One of those people was his dad.
When they arrived at Sally’s house, his grandmother said, “I want you to walk the young lady to the door. Explain what you did to her date so her mom knows why he didn’t bring her home.”
Austin mumbled under his breath but got out of the car and opened the back door to let Sally out.
Austin rang the doorbell, and Mrs. Draper answered.
“Ma’am. I knocked out Sally’s date, so I had to bring her home.”
“I’m sure he had it coming,” Mrs. Draper said.
Austin blinked a few times, then turned to Sally. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the lips.
“When will you be taking her out again?” Mrs. Draper asked.
“Mom?!” Sally said and stormed into the house.
“I hear you’re a member of Blackwater. I’ll be there on Monday,” Austin said.
“I’ll make sure she’s there.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Alex said.
As he walked back to the car, all he could think was that Sally’s mom was a MILF. He wasn’t sure who he was looking forward to seeing.
◊◊◊
Austin was in the circle pen, working with Red. He could tell his horse was feeling a hundred percent better by how he moved. Max was running beside his horse, which was doing a good job of ignoring the pup. The benefit was that Max would be worn down when they were done.
“He’s a beautiful animal,” Marie said, startling Austin.
“Which one?” Austin asked.
“The horse, of course. I still can’t believe my mom bought you a puppy.”
“Me either,” Austin admitted.
They were quiet for a few minutes. Finally, Marie said, “I want to apologize for Don and Victor’s behavior today. Lawrence told us what Victor said.”
“That’s nice.”
“I also want to say I’m sorry for telling Don what you did in Texas. I thought it was a private conversation. He wanted to know why you’d moved to Virginia. I realize now that he can’t be trusted,” Marie said.
“That’s okay. I don’t think Victor will be bothering me again. And if Don wants a go, let me know.”
“He’s a grown man,” Marie said with worry.
“Who sits on his ass all day bragging about what a big deal he is.”
“Austin!”
He shrugged and clicked his tongue to let Red know it was time he picked up the pace. He watched as Red fell into the Friesian high-stepping trot they were known for. He looked like the Cadillac of horses with his elegant movements. That was why Red was a joy to ride.
“I told Don that we’re through,” Marie said.
Austin didn’t respond because it was none of his business. Of course, his grandmother would be over the moon with the news. He was sure that lawyer she’d been talking up would be hearing from her.
“Because of that, I want you to move in with me,” Marie said.
“Does your mom want me to move out?” Austin asked.
“She said she’s enjoying getting to know you.”
“As am I,” Austin said.
“So, it’s your choice.”
Austin thought about it for a moment. While he missed his mom, she hadn’t been in his life since she left Montana. She tried to get him to visit several times until Austin said he’d come. Then she foisted him off on his grandmother.
Grandma Montgomery had a place for Red, and it was a short trip to the riding school. Plus, he suspected his mom wouldn’t let him keep Max, with whom he’d started bonding. He’d also met some people who had the potential to become friends—Oliver, Liam, and Emma.
“I think I’ll stay, if that’s okay,” Austin said.
“Mom said you would. I think I messed up as bad as your dad did.”
“At least this time, I was the one hitting instead of being hit,” Austin joked.
“I think it’s too soon for that one,” Marie grimaced.
“Could be,” Austin conceded.
“The upside is I’ll have more free time to spend with my two favorite people,” Marie said as she tried to put a happy spin on the situation.
“You won’t if Grandma has her way. You’ll be spending it with your ex … the lawyer guy,” Austin quipped.
“I did like Charlie at one point, but he broke my heart. Looking back, I’m glad he did. I needed a chance to grow up and figure out what true love really is.”
“What is true love?” Austin asked. “I’m asking for a friend.”
Marie smiled at his poor attempt at humor.
“When I was in high school, I worried about how it looked. Charlie was one of the prize catches, and all my girlfriends were jealous. I also worried about what he felt for me. Did he really like me, or was it just that I was convenient and checked all his boxes for a companion?”
“I can see that,” Austin admitted.
“While it’s nice to hear that someone loves you, you can’t let that drive your relationship. Only you can feel love for the other person; otherwise, you’re living a fantasy.
“When I discovered that only I have control over who I love, it became empowering,” Marie explained.
“Because you quit focusing on how they felt?” Austin asked.
“You can’t make someone love you.”
That made a lot of sense.
◊◊◊
Chapter 5
Austin was slightly irritated when he arrived at Blackwater Riding Club and discovered that his grandmother had signed him up for a beginner’s steeplechase class. He’d thought it would be something more like the Western-style riding he was used to.
Steeplechase was the craziest thing anyone could do on a horse, in Austin’s opinion, because it involved racing one’s horse around a course where they had to jump multiple times. He couldn’t think of a single good reason to make his horse jump, primarily because it was the quickest way to either get killed or kill the horse. Or both.
Red was a big boy, and a horse’s legs were easy to snap. If that happened, it meant you’d have to put him down. The flip side was that the rider would also go down if the horse went down. Austin shuddered, imagining a ton of horseflesh rolling over him. The alternative was that while going at breakneck speed, your horse stumbled, and you flew over his head and landed face first in the turf, snapping your neck.
Austin was dismayed to find he had all the wrong gear, starting with his saddle and ending with them insisting that he had to wear a stupid helmet. For today, they let him ride Red with his western saddle but loaned him a helmet.
The class participants ranged in age from five to fourteen, with him being the only teenager. When he rode Red out, most of the kids mistakenly thought Austin was the instructor. That would end up being Miss Sandy, who didn’t appear to be much older than Austin.
Before she got started, she pulled Austin aside.
“Do me a favor and help the younger ones stay on their horses. My boss warned me that if any of them have to go to the ER, I’ll lose my job.”
“How am I supposed to do that?” Austin asked.
“Just keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t do anything stupid.”
“Like jump over a fence?”
She thought he was joking and funny. He couldn’t have been more serious.
He ended up riding beside the kids to set a nice, easy pace and lead them to a fence where their horse would jump. Seeing their joy at surviving their first jumps was a lot of fun.
That is until Red got tired of watching all the other horses get to jump over stuff. He twirled around, took off like a bat out of hell toward a full-sized jump, and launched himself over it. While Austin was trying to get his heart out of his throat, all the kids cheered Red’s feat.
When the class finished, the owner of Blackwater Riding Club, Mrs. Warren, rode up to Austin.
“Are you looking for a summer job?”
“I hadn’t really thought about it,” Austin admitted.
“Look, you’re good with the kids, and I need someone familiar with Western riding. We have a beginner class that meets three times a week, and I want you to teach it.”
“What would I be showing them?” Austin asked.
“How to take care of their horse, get them comfortable in the saddle, and take them on some trail rides. These are kids aged five to ten and are complete novices.”
It sounded much like what he did in Texas at the dude ranch.
“When do I start?” Austin asked.
◊◊◊
After his class, Austin put Red into one of their guest stalls and went to the restaurant where he was to meet Mrs. Draper and Sally.
He hadn’t expected that almost everyone would be dressed in English-style riding gear. So when he entered, nearly everyone turned and stared at him in his Western clothes. Sally wore an amused expression as Mrs. Draper stood up and waved at him.
Her English riding pants were form-fitting and showed off Mrs. Draper’s model body. Every guy in the place took a moment to admire her fine form.
“You look the part,” Sally said as he sat down.
“What are you talking about, dear?” Mrs. Draper asked.
“She didn’t believe I’m a real cowboy,” Austin said.
“You mean like herding cattle and such?” Mrs. Draper asked.
“Yes, ma’am. I grew up doing just that in Montana.”
“Is it like that TV show everyone’s watching?” Sally asked.
“Without all the drama and killing. Although I did have to kill a grizzly bear once,” Austin admitted.
That had been a mess because the federal people frowned on that. They hurried up and buried it before anyone knew.
They had a nice lunch. When Sally heard that he would teach a beginner Western riding class, she asked her mom if she could take it. Austin explained that most of the participants would be under ten, but that just made her suggest that her brother, Rob, should take it, too.
The other outcome of lunch was that Mrs. Draper decided she’d like to board her horses at his grandmother’s stable. He gave her his grandmother’s number to make the arrangements.
After he was done, Sally walked him to get Red.
“Victor broke up with me.”
“Were you really dating him?” Austin asked.
“Not really, but he wasn’t happy I went home with you.”
“I think you’re better off. You should find a nice guy to go out with.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Sally said and went to find her mom.
◊◊◊
When Austin got home, Max was bothering Emma as she prepped for dinner.
“Has he been a pest all day?” Austin asked.
“Not really. He’s just a curious boy.”
“I’ll take him outside and wear him out.”
“Before you go, Oliver and Liam wanted me to ask you to come over tonight and hang out.”
Austin didn’t have to think long to agree. She told him there was a coded lock on the front door. The apartment was used as an Airbnb during the fall and spring. Emma gave him the code and said they might not be there when he arrived, so he should let himself in and relax until they got there.
◊◊◊
Mia thought of herself as the classic popular yet unsatisfied teen. She was a cheerleading squad member where she was one of the flyers—she was lifted high into the air by a girl called a base. Her base was her best friend, Steph Walter. As a member of the ‘in’ crowd, Mia was part of the clique that ran the school, the group of cool kids everyone stood to the sides of the hallway for.
During her sophomore year, she’d developed a crush on Noah Harris, who was a cutter or attackman on the lacrosse team at Broadview Academy. He was the Big Man on Campus due to his scoring ability on and off the field. He was the prize every girl at Broadview dreamed of having on their arm.
Her mother warned her about boys like Noah. The athletic ones got away with murder, wore letterman jackets, and had a new girl every few weeks. Her mom explained that for them, it was the hunt that kept their interest. They soon got bored once they bagged their prey, and their eyes began to wander. Mia’s mother recommended she look for someone more serious, a boy who was self-confident and put her needs first. Not someone like Noah, who was only about Noah.
The good news was that, in the spring, she’d bagged the BMOC and held onto him through prom. Then Noah told her he had to go to his uncle’s house for the summer. There was some girl there that he hooked up with, and he didn’t want to hurt Mia by spending time with the vacation skank.
Steph was in her bedroom, looking through her closet for something to wear to that night’s party.
“But since Noah broke up with you, you’ve given everyone the cold shoulder, and rumors spread. I heard Taylor Schmidt say that you’re frigid, and that’s why Noah dumped you. He was sick of you holding out on him.”
If Steph only knew. Mia had been sleeping with Noah basically from day one.
“Seriously?!” Mia scoffed. “Taylor Schmidt has no room to talk. I heard that she won’t even swallow.”
Steph covered her mouth and barked out a laugh. Then she got a sober look.
“All I’m saying is, prove them wrong by getting under someone tonight. You need to get over Noah.”
That was always Steph’s advice; she felt an excellent orgasm cured everything. Maybe she was right. But Mia needed to loosen up to pull this off, and she knew how.
“I need to buy some pot,” Mia said.
“Back at school, there was that janitor, but I have no idea where to get any here at home.”
“There’s a guy who’s working here this summer that lives a couple of towns away. Liam something. He’s renting one of those quadruplexes over in the poor section.”
“Is it even safe to go there?” Steph asked. “You could get robbed or worse.”
“You just said ‘worse’ was what I needed.”
“You!” Steph said, scandalized.
“I’ll be safe. I’ll meet you at the party later.”
Steph had picked out a cute skirt and a pink silky tank top.
“I think I’ll go braless with this.”
Mia cringed inside because she saw this train wreck from a mile away. Steph would get a few drinks in her, and dressed like a little slut, she would end up in a back room being passed around like a party favor. Mia nodded. That was all she could do because Steph believed she could take care of herself.
◊◊◊
Austin drove his dirt bike over to the quadruplex and found 1-B. He knocked, and no one answered, so he put in the code and entered the apartment. He’d stopped at the microbrewery and picked up a case of Summer Ale. The girl working told him that was their slowest seller and probably the best one for him to pilfer.
Austin removed his backpack, went to the kitchen, and put the beer in the fridge. He noticed several storage containers that held leftovers from meals Emma had made at his grandmother’s house. He’d heard his grandmother encourage her to take them home. With money being tight, Emma had thanked her.
Austin grabbed a beer, twisted the bottle cap off, and took a long draw. After the day he’d had, a cold beer was called for.
He entered the living room and found a gaming system hooked up to the TV with a road racing game. Curious, he turned it on and was running through the tutorial when there was a knock on the door.
Austin got up and answered it. Standing there was a five-foot-nothing goddess. She was the type of girl he could never imagine talking to. She wore what looked like a tennis skirt with a half-shirt that showed her navel. The shirt had a graphic with a crest that said ‘Broadview Academy’ with ‘Cheer’ underneath. The t-shirt did a terrible job of hiding the girl’s large, rounded, firm breasts. What caught his eye was her exposed stomach. This girl had an honest-to-God six-pack that ninety percent of teen guys would kill for.
Out of the bottom of her skirt emerged two thin but muscular legs that begged for his hands to caress them. He looked up, and she had brilliant green eyes that captured the breath in his chest. She had flowing sandy-blond hair tied back in a ponytail.
The goddess interrupted his perving by saying, “Is Liam here?”
That slowed his fantasy.
“Uhm … no. But I think they’ll be home soon. Want a beer while you wait?” Austin asked.
“Sure. I’m Mia, by the way.”
“Austin.”
He grabbed a beer and took it to her in the living room.
“Is it okay if I play, too? My brother won’t let me because he says I suck. So, fair warning,” Mia said.
“I’ve never played before. So I bet we both suck.”
“Let’s get better together, so you can kick Liam’s butt, and I can put my smart-mouth brother in his place.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Austin said.
◊◊◊
About an hour later, none of the residents had returned. Austine and Mia had each started their third beer and were having fun.
“No way!” Austin complained when Mia clipped his car, putting him into the wall.
“Don’t drive like some old lady, or I’ll run you over.”
“Whatever.”
“So, back to sex,” Mia said. “Did the last girl you were with give you oral?”
“How did we get onto my sex life?” Austin complained.
“Just shut up and answer.”
Austin couldn’t help but laugh at some of the things this girl said. Either Mia was a total airhead or secretly an evil genius who tricked boys into sharing everything they knew.
“Yes, she gave me oral.”
“And you?” Mia asked but then hesitated like she was embarrassed. “You did the same. I mean for her, of course. Not like you sucked your own dick or anything!”
“I’ve never tried to suck my own dick,” Austin said, rubbing his chin like he was contemplating doing that later that night. “But, yes, I gave her oral, too.”
Mia looked shocked.
“You don’t think it’s gross or anything?”
“No, of course not. I love going down on a girl. It turns me on when they get off as I snake my tongue between their lips and tease all the best spots. I then use my fingers to get them off. Watching a girl shudder in pleasure is the best.”
“Noah won’t, but he expected me to … you know,” Mia stammered.
“If he’s unwilling to reciprocate, tell him you won’t go down on him. Sex should be fun for the both of you,” Austin said and smiled. “If it were me, you’d have to push my forehead away because I would never stop.”
Mia turned a tad pink and slammed her beer.
“You ready for another one?”
“No. I’m good.”
She jumped up and ran to the bathroom. Austin wondered if she had gone to rub one out.
◊◊◊
With her gone, Austin had a chance to think. This was not how things happened in real life. Guys like him didn’t have a shot at the hot cheerleader types. Yes, there was a whole movie/book genre where the nerdy-but-good boy meets the smokin’ hot girl looking for something different from the meathead jock douche-tard she was currently dating.
In the story, the girl would suddenly take a second look at the outsider and see something no one else did. Because of that, she would give him a shot, even though she couldn’t tell any of her friends. Then, at some point, the boy makes some dramatic gesture, like saving the world or killing all the vampires, so the girl finally accepts him.
Boy and girl kiss, and the story fades to black after they get their happily-ever-after.
Austin knew he wasn’t delusional about this because there had to be a grain of truth, or Hollywood and authors wouldn’t be writing those types of stories. They also knew the market of people who didn’t feel like they fit in was huge, and they wanted to root for the boy.
As much as Austin needed to hold out hope that he had a shot, the real world was different. Combining teen hormones with frustration created the perfect mixture for watching people flame out spectacularly. It might be the guy who buys candy and flowers for his one true love on Valentine’s Day, only to have her reject him. Or perhaps the girl is set on the star quarterback/model/movie star, only to find he only wants to be friends.
Austin knew he was the new kid and was nowhere near the level that would allow Mia to be interested in him. Before she came back, he’d talked himself into taking a step back and letting sanity rule.
◊◊◊
Chapter 6
Mia returned with her fresh beer and gave Austin an appraising look.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she asked, trying to decide whether she could trust him.
“Yeah, sure.”
“He literally never wore a condom.”
Austin assumed she was talking about her ex, Noah.
“Not once?” Austin asked, with a twinge of guilt for doing something similar back in Texas.
Once his dad clued him in about the dangers of unprotected sex, he felt awful.
“He didn’t like them. Said he was being eco-friendly. You know, the birds that swarm the dump?”
“I guess,” Austin said, wondering where this was going.
“Anyway, they love used condoms, and they can choke on them. So Noah was saving those poor birds.”
Austin no longer had any sympathy for her ex. Then he grew concerned.
“You do know how babies are made, right?” he asked because he hadn’t thought it through before.
“Not a chance. Noah said that my body has to be ready to get pregnant, and mine’s not ready. I can tell because I’ve been stressed about him going away for the last couple of months. The stress has caused me to miss my period, so I’m okay.”
‘Was this girl just stupid or naïve?’ Austin wondered. Then he thought, ‘If she let him, would I need to wear one, too?’
Then again, a guy that tactless was probably spreading the wealth, and who knew what he could have contracted. Condoms were a must.
Mia brightened.
“I’m going to a party tonight. Give me your phone.”
“Why?”
“So I can give you my number.”
Austin had to assume that was good, so he unlocked his phone and handed it to her. Mia tapped away, turned the phone toward her, and took her picture.
“For my profile,” she explained.
She continued tapping away, and her phone notified her of a new message. She pulled her phone out and smiled.
“I need a dick pic. Do you have any on your phone?”
Austin’s mind went blank.
“Why do you need a dick pic?”
“For your profile picture. All the guys do it,” Mia said as if that were no big deal.
“I’ve never taken a picture of my dick.”
“Then take it out, and I’ll take one for you.”
Austin knew that if he wanted to get naked with Mia, she would see his dick anyway … so he stood up and undid his jeans. He pushed the waistband and his underwear down until his dick flopped out.
Mia’s eyes got big.
“It’s not hard.”
She looked mesmerized by his cock, like a scared little bird facing a python. Mia reached out and grasped it.
“It’s beautiful,” Mia said as she ran her fingers up and down his length.
Her touching him caused a noticeable change as he started to get hard.
“Oh, my. You’re huge. Noah claimed he was the best-hung guy in the locker room. You have to be at least three inches longer than him,” Mia said as she brought Austin to full hardness.
She then looked up at him and said, “Can I suck it?”
“Only if you let me go down on you first.”
In response, Mia uncrossed her legs and scooted forward on the couch. She wiggled her skirt up to her hips, revealing a red thong underneath. She hesitated to make sure Austin was watching her, hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her underwear, and slowly slid them down to her ankles.
Mia slowly spread her knees apart, revealing her treasure. Her sex was utterly smooth, with fat lips outlining her glorious slit. Tan lines from her bikini bottoms framed the scene. The contrast between dark skin and light skin was intoxicating.
“You like what you see?” Mia asked.
In answer, Austin dropped to his knees before gently running his fingertips up her inner thighs. He couldn’t help but marvel at how ripped she was. Mia had muscles upon muscles. He had no doubt that he was about to take his life into his own hands because her thighs could probably crush his head like a nutcracker.