Page 27 of Perfect Storm

“Make me,” I laugh. “I want to.”

“Good,” he gives me a smug smile.

“Holy shit!”

The exclamation has us both looking towards the front of the bus. Everyone is looking out of the opposite window to our side. I try to see but at five one, I’m way too small. I get up and lookover the top of Dylan’s head, using his shoulders to balance as the bus turns.

My eyes widen. We’re at a gated entrance with two huge pillars and a metal sculpted sign stretching across the top.

“Morning Glory Ranch,” Jack laughs.

“Oh my God, is he serious?” Brooke drawls with a shake of her head.

We head down a long driveway. There are manicured lawns on either side. It leads to an amazing two story building straight out of the TV show,Dallas. My grandma watched it religiously before she passed. This is what a ranch looks like, I guess.

Beyond it, there are rolling hills and then the mountains, rising like a fantastic painting. I also see stables and an enclosed area where three horses are grazing, and a few other buildings dotted around, too.

For a girl raised in the Queensbridge projects, where there were barely any green spaces, I’m floored.

After we park up, everyone heads off the bus.

“It smells weird.”

“That’s the fresh mountain air, babe,” Archer tells Brooke.

“More like horse shit,” she mutters.

A fellow city dweller who I presume has never been to a place like this before or doesn’t want to. Where she is frowning and picking up on what could be construed as the bad parts, I’m reveling in the beauty.

So it smells a little, it’s not that noticeable. The fresh flowers in the beds by the Ranch are more prevalent and pleasing to me.

“Does everyone have their keys?” Sandy asks.

I pull mine out of the little black bag we were given and waggle it. Dylan has wandered off to the edge of the driveway, both hands above his eyes as he looks beyond the ranch building. Nick and Elsa move away to look at horses. At Sandy’s call, we all head towards the building with her.

“Where is Jordan?” Adam asks, his arm around Jenna.

She seems content to let him. Dylan filled me in on the news when I got out of bed and rejoined everyone.

“Out riding,” Sandy calls over her shoulder as she leads us up onto the porch. There are double glass doors already open, which lead into a large entrance hall. The kind I never thought I would ever step foot in.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.

“Isn’t it?” Sandy says, coming over to link my arm. I’ve never met her before, but I like her already. “Adam, Nick and Archer, and your beautiful companions. You’re on the ground floor to the left.” They all glance down the long hallway off the main area. “Ciro, Dylan, Nash and Jack, you’re on the first floor. Nash and Jack to the left, the others to the right.”

“You couldn’t have put Ciro and I together? Now we have to listen to what is going on in their rooms,” Jack groans.

“You can swap,” Sandy says. Dylan and Jack swap keys.

“You’re enjoying this way too much,” Jenna tells her mom. Sandy grins even wider.

“Everyone, go freshen up. There is a BBQ for dinner tonight. Be back here for six.”

“Is that asshole ever gonna show his face?” Archer asks. “Mama Montanari, as much as I love your hosting skills, he should be here to explain himself.”

“I’d really like to see him riding a horse,” Nick says, picking up his and Elsa’s bags.

“If he breaks any bones, I’ll kill him,” Adam adds.

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