Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 20306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Ironically enough, as soon as I speak of cows, a cow appears.
A big box truck pulls up on the road. It’s not one of Hawk’s friends, this time. It takes me a moment to put together who it is, because we don’t see him all that often. Mr. Bell, I realize. He’s one of those ranchers on the outskirts of Evergreen Valley that I mentioned.
“Dad’s yearly meat shipment has arrived,” Hawk announces. “I guess I need to go help with it.”
“Yearly meat shipment? Meat doesn’t stay good for that long,” Lavender says. She’s still got a lot of rich girl in her, but she’s learning.
I watch as Mr. Bell gets out, greets my brother.
And then I see something: no, someone, who totally takes my breath away.
He’s got the most piercing blue eyes, and he hasn’t even looked directly at me yet. I just caught the corner of them. His hair is buzzed short, in the most handsome way. He’s wide, he’s strong, his arms looking like he spent a healthy amount of time in the gym. And they’re covered with tattoos. Dark ones, mostly, but plenty with colors. Flames, skulls, and some flowers too.
Someone like him sticks out like a sore thumb in Evergreen Valley, and he’s absolutely captivating me.
He goes into the back of the truck and then emerges with a whole ass cow carcass draped over his shoulders. It’s wrapped in plastic and ice packs, so it’s nowhere near as disgusting as it sounds.
“Is... is that a whole cow that guy is carrying?” Lavender says, very much surprised by what she’s seeing.
“Dad apprenticed for a butcher back in his younger days,” I explain. “Learned enough to carve up the cow himself. And he’s been doing so for decades.”
“But a whole cow?”
“Beef prices are high. He’s deduced it's cheaper to buy it like this. We got a garage full of freezers to deal with it.”
The strange tattooed man carries the cow like it’s nothing. As if he is the Incredible Hulk. My eyes remain glued to him, only briefly having left him for the half minute he disappeared into the truck.
He goes over to the garage, chatting away with Hawk who is opening the door for him, as well as spotting him. Hawk himself is impressed by this guy.
During that wandering glance, the man’s eyes meet my own, and I feel like he’s staring into my very soul. I gaze back, frozen in place like a deer in headlights.
He smiles, and I damn near melt.
I hurriedly shift toward Reuben, who apparently had been trying to get my attention. I stroke my dog’s back, trying as hard as I can to keep my eyes away from him.
God, I just made myself look like the most awkward weirdo in the world, didn’t I?
“You all right, there?” Lavender asks. “You see a ghost or something?”
“Uh, no. Just, um... just don’t worry about it, okay?”
She smirks. “Was it the tattooed guy?”
“I told you not to worry about it!” I snap back at her.
She laughs me off.
Sure, she’s absolutely right. He’s hot as all hell, and I’m intrigued by just who he is. I’m going to be thinking about him for a long time even if I never see him again.
It’s not like I’m terrified of talking to boys I find attractive. That the one crush I had before this didn’t lead me to hiding in the bathroom from him.
Out of the corner of my eye, though, I notice someone approaching me.
It’s him.
Oh God.
And the closest bathroom is so, so very far away.
TWO
tristian
Glad to be done with all that. I’ve never been a big fan of long drives, and the delivery of this cow with Mr. Bell is one of the longer drives I’ve had to make for him.
It surprised me how many deals he had with various folks in this town. I knew small towns were different, but as a city boy like myself, it’s all new to me.
“All right, that’s in the freezer for Dad to deal with later,” the guy, who I assume asked Mr. Bell to come out here, says. “Thanks as always for the personal delivery.”
“Anytime, Hawk,” Mr. Bell replies. “Your father always treats me well so it's only right I do the same.”
This Hawk guy looks me up and down. “Got you what Dad would call a hoss, I see.”
Mr. Bell slaps me on the shoulder. “What, Tristian here? Yeah, he’s one hell of a hard worker, and strong as an ox.”
I smirk. Nice to know I don’t have to worry about being so far from a gym, working this job.
“Well, hopefully he’s taking the more rural life well,” Hawk says. “I’m going to go let my father know what is waiting for him. Take care of yourself, Mr. Bell. And your hoss too.”
Hawk heads inside the house as Mr. Bell and I leave the garage.