Picture Trails Read online

  “I’ll tell him you made me do it.” He reaches over, tickling my side until I squirm away from him. “Sorry my uncle didn’t buy me a sixty G sports car. The men in my family work hard for nice cars. And they don’t give them away.” He laughs, still trying to tickle me while I fight him.

  “Hey, that’s not fair! My uncle worked hard for his money. And this wasn’t bought for me, it was handed down when he upgraded.” I pet the dashboard. “Plus, your uncle would buy you a truck and a flannel shirt. And apparently you don’t wear buttons sooo....” I smirk at him and his eyebrows raise to the top of his forehead. “I think your dad looks good in his flannel.”

  “What!” he shouts, quickly removing his hands from tickling me. “Aw, dude, no. Come on.” Cringing, both his hands grab the wheel. “Just for that.” His foot hits the gas and my car rockets forward.

  I shriek out a laugh and buckle my seatbelt then glance over at him. He’s smiling, solely focused on the road and handsome as hell.

  “So after school are you moving home to keep up with the family business?”

  He chuckles nervously and runs his hand through his hair. “I’m supposed to. Don’t really want to.” Shrugging, he glances at me. “I still really want to join the army but my mom lost her shit at that idea and my dad nixed it pretty quickly. They expect me to go back home and happily take over my Uncle Jack’s company like I’ve always wanted that or something. I never wanted that. I really don’t want to, Annie.” He sighs like he does when he’s getting stressed. It’s rare Able gets stressed over something like this, but I’m always there to calm him down. “But I don’t want to disappoint them either.” A desperate blue-eyed gaze meets mine.

  “Your parents are good people, Able.” I reach over and take his hand like I would any other time he needs calming. “They want what makes you happy. They’d never force you to do something you didn’t want to and they’re not going to disown you if you decide construction isn’t your thing.” I know the feeling of not wanting to let your parents down. But the difference is that I want to take over the Ranch. I want to go home and be in charge. Able...doesn’t. “What are you going to do if you don’t take over?”

  He snorts. “Is it bad we’ve been in college for almost three years and I still don’t know what I want to do? I’d be happy just like...I don’t know...settling down and working a modest job. Just being happy, ya know? I don’t need a party every day and won’t die if I don’t travel the world. I wanted to join the army. I like guns.” He chuckles. “I like the thought of combat. Defending our country. But I won’t break my mom’s heart so I’m not going to do that. I have no other goals.” He shrugs and shoots me a quick glance. “I’m a loser. I know.”

  “You’re not a loser,” I snap. “Don’t say that about yourself. You’re in your last year at a kickass college and haven’t failed out.” I smirk. “It was close there for a while but you got your shit together and you’re going to do amazing things after school.” I give his hand a squeeze, realizing I’m still holding it. But he’s got a good grip on mine, too... “You're going to end up happy, Able. Don’ let your family guilt you into anything else. What about your sister? Can’t she take over the business?”

  “Which one?” He smirks. “I don’t know what my sisters want to do with their lives. I should probably go home and visit. Me and Renee are only six years apart, but I don’t think she’s ready to think about her future. All the other rugrats only care about breakfast cereal and cellphones. Not sure any of them care about the fam business yet.” He smiles over at me, that handsome smile beaming. One day he’ll get his shit together and figure out how to nail the dating thing. One day he’ll make some woman really happy...

  “Yeah. My siblings are all over the farm. I’m not sure why my parents had so many. I was the only one they really needed.” I giggle, trying to push aside the worry and sadness that Able’s going to have an amazing family some day and refocus on my future. A future of farm animals and cowboys that like to do stupid shit.

  “Dude, one day you gotta take me there. I won’t wear a flannel, but I’d love to try and ride a horse. Or a bull.” He laughs. ”Your uncle can show me how it’s done.”

  “Oh man,” I laugh. “No. Uncle Bo won’t let anyone in town near a bull. His kid tried to head to the next town over one time for a small town rodeo competition and Bo about lost his marbles. I’ve never heard so many curse words yelled at a kid before.” I laugh. “But he’s just like his daddy, always tryin’ to find trouble.” I grin at him. “I’ve been told stories of how him and my dad used to do some stupid shit on the farm and it makes me wonder how we’re making it so sheltered. You know my mom won’t let my little brothers go to the lake to swim without her there?”

  He’s cracking up by the time I finish and I furrow my brows, not sure what I said that’s so funny. “I fuckin’ love when you do that!” He slaps the steering wheel.

  “Do what?” I narrow my eyes at him.

  “You’re so focused on the story.” He stops to catch his breath. “God, it’s cute. I’m sorry, Annie.” Reaching over he rubs my hair a little. “You’re adorable sometimes. But you have the thickest southern drawl I’ve ever heard, and my family’s from Tennessee.” He’s laughing hard again.

  “Oh god,” I whisper, trying to tuck the accent back where it belongs. I can feel my cheeks warm with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper, not trusting my own voice.

  I’ve worked my hardest these last few years to not sound like an uneducated hick. I hate that the accent does that to someone. It can sound sexy as hell on guys, but the minute a small, country bumpkin girl like me starts talking with an accent, all credibility is lost.

  “Don’t be sorry. It’s cute as hell.” He grins and rubs my shoulder a little. “First time I heard it I was so confused. Why do you hide it? It’s kind of sexy.” He shrugs, his hands back on the wheel.

  “For starters things can’t be cute and sexy at the same time. It doesn’t work that way,” I mumble, hating the delicious feeling in my gut from him saying something I do is ‘sexy’.

  With raised brows he looks over at me. “They can’t? You ever been in a guy’s head? Trust me. They can. Cute, sexy, beautiful, pretty, all at the same time and they each mean different things but they all can apply to a woman he’s...into. Ya know? Like if I were into you, you’d be all those things to me. Hence making you perfect. Not you, but you know what I mean. Like that’s how dude’s brains work. But anyway, go on with your logic of why you have to hide the cute and sexy accent.” He rolls his hand.

  “Uh...” I stare at him for a minute, studying his face. So he doesn’t like me like Jimmy said? Huh. “I uh... It’s just, it makes me sound uneducated. And I'm taking over a ranch worth millions. I need to sound educated. That’s all.” I don’t like talking about this subject. I don’t like bringing up why I hide certain parts of me. They’re a part of me for a reason. And I love those parts. But people in big cities...well...they don’t.

  “Did you really just say that?” He’s pissed. “Who the fuck ever told you that? ‘Cause I'll beat their ass right now. We’ll head south right this minute so I can kick that red neck’s ass. Who the fuck made you think that? Nothing, and I mean nothing you do makes you sound or seem uneducated. You’re probably the smartest person I've ever met. Like seriously. Twenty years from now I could see you running for president or something crazy.”

  “Calm down, Cujo. No one ever told me that. It’s just the impression I get. And trust me, no one back home feels that way. The accent’s only hidden here. And around big city folk.” Fuck, there it went again.

  “Well I’m offended. I thought we were good enough friends you could be yourself around me.” The smile on his face tells me he’s teasing, but he’s right.

  “So you’re sayin’ you want this nice country twang in every conversation, then?” I bat my eyes at him after pulling out the thickest most natural tone I could. “Because, doll, I can do that.”

  Lau
ghing, he puts the car in park and unbuckles, jumping over the console. “God I love it!” He attacks me with tickles making me scream. “Laugh in a southern twang.” He has me pinned until my squirming accidentally makes me slam his head against the side window and we both stop.

  “Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” I blurt, gripping where he just whacked the window. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” He chuckles, staring into my face and when his eyes drop to my lips I quickly look out the window. “Does it annoy you I tickle you all the time?” He shifts back over to his side and pushes open the door. “’Cause I just realized that’s probably really annoying.” He rubs the back of his neck, seeming to think something over.

  “No,” I say. “I’ve never thought it was annoying. It’s...” What is it, anyway? “It makes me happy, I guess.” I shrug and furrow my brows, trying to figure out why being tickled so much doesn’t annoy me like it should. Looking at Corben’s place, I cringe. “It annoys me that your friend doesn’t know how to clean up his lawn, though,” I mumble.

  Beer cans everywhere.

  “The guy just had a party. Cut him some slack.” He starts picking up the litter and I try to help but I almost grabbed a beer can in a pile of puke.

  “Gross,” I mutter, walking up to the porch. “Let’s get this over with.”

  “Hey.” He grabs my wrist with his free hand. “You didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to. You coulda stayed with Kate. Or we coulda did something else.”

  “No I couldn’t have.” I pat my purse holding my note pad. ”Corben was at the party last night. Maybe he has answers.”

  “Oh...yeah. We’re still on this.” He clears his throat and pulls open the door for me.

  I hear a car door shut and glance out the window. Of course he brought Annie. He always brings Annie, and though she never seems like she wants to be here, she’s always happy to be around him.

  Poor guy.

  I smile at them both when they walk through the front door. “Afternoon, you two. How are you guys feeling?”

  “Dude, your neighbors have to hate you.” He drops a few cans into the sink. “And I’m fine. Little hangover but I was definitely black out drunk.” He glances at Annie and I see her look away.

  “And you?” I ask, heading for the fridge for a water.

  “Hungover but I’m surviving.” She takes the bottle of water from me. “Thanks,” she mutters. I glance at Able who’s standing there watching us.

  “You want one, man?”

  “Uh, yeah.” He looks confused, like she did something weird, then I realize what I just heard. Annie’s southern accent she’s always hiding.

  “Get it yourself.” I wink at him and sit at the table.

  "Yeah, of course. Wouldn’t expect anything less, ya lazy bastard.” He heads for the fridge.

  “Why didn’t you two move in together? You’ve known each other your entire lives,” Annie finally asks after downing almost the entire bottle.

  “When I finally moved to town Able was already shacked up with the stoner weirdo. Plus, this place is cheaper rent and I don’t have to share with anyone. Not sure if you know this or not, but your boy’s a clean freak and I can’t live like that.” I grin at her and her eyes go wide.

  “I’m not claiming him,” she blurts. “But I know what you mean. He’s always picking up after me.”

  “You, are just flat out a slob,” he says to me, then looks at her. ”And you’re a little messy.” He sits down. “And the main reason we don’t live together is because this fuckhead can’t keep his eyes off my Aunt Jenny and she hates him, and my Uncle Jack wants him dead. I’m sparing his life by living with Jimmy. Just a bonus you moved in.” He winks at her.

  She laughs and I see the way he watches her when she isn’t paying attention. This poor guy’s going to get his heart broken by her if she doesn’t realize she’s in love with him soon. I’m honestly shocked it’s gone on this long without her figuring it out.

  “Hey, you were at the party the whole time last night, right?” Annie blurts, changing the subject.

  “Yeah, pretty much. Why?”

  “I uh...” She laughs. “I have some questions.” She pulls out a notepad with notes all over it and I glance at Able.

  “Is she serious?” I laugh, leaning back in my chair. “Notes?”

  “She’s trying to figure something out.” He stares at the notepad. “Not sure what, ‘cause nothing to figure out except alcohol impairs judgment.” He stands and moves toward the TV, turning on the Xbox.

  “Wait, did you black out, too?” I ask her and her cheeks turn pink. This girl’s got a dead giveaway any time she’s hiding something and she doesn’t even know it. I look at Able who’s ignoring us but trying his hardest to hear everything I say to her.

  “I may have,” she says slowly. “I’m just filling in some blanks, that’s all.”

  Able chuckles and shakes his head from the couch and it starts to click into place.

  “Wait.” I laugh. “Did you two?” I wave my hand between them and her cheeks glow almost red. “Holy shit, it’s about time! Nice, Able!”

  “Dude.” He glowers over his shoulder at me. “Shut the fuck up! She’s not some skank that’ll be a notch in someone’s belt. So shut the fuck up.” His red face is from pure anger and it’s obvious this is a touchy subject. He turns his back to us to focus on the TV.

  I look at Annie who’s got her head hung and her hands flat on the table. “Sorry,” I mumble. I’ve known he’s loved her since day one. I didn’t realize it wasn’t something I could celebrate, though, when the time finally came. “So what do you want to know?”

  “Anything really. You didn’t happen to get any pictures, did you?”

  I glance at Able who’s focused on the TV and pull out my phone. Swiping the screen to unlock, I notice a text from him that came through a minute ago.

  Able: Don’t tell her I like her. It’ll freak her out.

  I glance at him and he’s looking back at us. I look at her and sh looks like she’s about to lose her patience with me. She doesn’t know how he feels? I guess I assumed she knew. Especially if they fucked...

  “Uh,” I mumble, moving to my photo stream and laughing at the first picture that pops up. “Well, someone groped you at some point.” I laugh, but the look on her face isn’t funny. “Probably just Able during the keg stand.” I zoom in and notice it isn’t Able and cringe. “Or not.”

  She steals the phone from my hand and squints to focus as the groping is happening in the background of a selfie I took with my beer.

  “Who is that?” she mumbles, trying to recognize the guy gripping her tit.

  Able’s behind us in no time. He yanks the phone from her hand and lifts it to his face.

  “Who the fuck is that?” he mutters. “Didn’t you feel someone grab your tit?” he then barks at her and my eyes go wide.

  “Obviously I was too drunk to remember anything from last night or we wouldn’t be doing this,” she snaps, taking the phone back. “Fuck, my head is killing me.”

  “I’ll get you something for it.” I push away from the table and head to the bathroom.

  A few seconds later, Able’s closing us in. “Listen to me. You know how she is. If she even thinks I think she’s pretty she’ll fucking move out. You get me? We have to be friends and only friends. She’s so freaked out about why we slept together! Just say alcohol. It was alcohol’s fault.” He’s nodding, waiting for me to agree.

  I can’t, though.

  “It wasn’t the alcohol, man.” I pat his shoulder. “I mean, I don’t want her to go anywhere. You’re a better person when she’s around. But I’m not going to tell you what you two did was only because you were drunk.”

  “It was alcohol, Corben. Do you hear me?” He’s talking through gritted teeth, still nodding his head like a damn fool.

  “Naw, man.” I chuckle. “All I know is she’s hungover and you're not taking care of her so I have to.” I wink at him because
I like poking the bear.

  He growls. “I’ll end you,” he says pinning me to the wall. “Don’t fuck around, Corben. And way to go, ya douche.” He gives me a shove, backing away. “Nice, Able,” he mocks what I said earlier in a dopey tone. “Way to make it seem like I’ve been trying to get her in bed.” He slides his hands over his head stressfully.

  “Wow.” I laugh. “Okay, so you’re more stressed about this than she is. You guys fucked. That’s a good thing.” I push off the wall and grip the bottle of pills. “She’s not leaving you, dude. She’ll figure out what she feels before she runs for the hills.”

  “Yeah, not according to her,” he mutters, pulling open the door. “Hey, you want to get out of here?” he asks her before I can give her the pills for her headache.

  “At least let the girl take these.” I shove the pill bottle at her and slide a water bottle across the table since she downed the first one.

  “Thank you,” she says in that southern twang she’s been rocking since she walked in the door. Maybe he fucked the sense back into her. We all know where she’s from and she’s always claimed she didn’t have the accent.

  “So are we not getting food?” I ask, referring to my original text to Able.

  “I don’t care, man. It’s up to her.” Able sits at the table next to her, stressed she’s looking through the pictures on my phone. “Annie.” He pokes her a little.

  “Look at this picture,” she murmurs. “Everyone’s having a good old time and smiling for this huge group picture, but we’re not paying a lick of attention.”

  She holds the phone out and I see what she’s talking about. Everyone in the photo is smiling, holding their drinks and having a grand time.

  And then there’s Able and Annie. On the couch in the back ground, inches from each other. In their own little world. Like always.

  “You two were like that all fucking night,” I say, flicking through a few more pictures. “That’s about midnight ish.” I point to a picture and Able zooms in to see the two of them holding hands heading down the front sidewalk towards her car. “You left without telling me goodbye. And you assholes drove home drunk.” I slap Able on the back of the head.