Page 28 of Jake

“I’m back,” he called out.

“Have a seat, I’ll be right out,” Heather called back.

Jake looked around, paying attention to the place for the first time. Before, he’d been more focused on her. Now, he spotted the sofa, and considered sitting there, but opted for the table, and the bench seat on one side, as he could set down the beer instead of letting it grow warm from the heat of his hands.

Taking a seat, he twisted the top off his bottle and took a pull while he waited for Heather. This place was nicer than he’d anticipated. When she’d said trailer, he had pictured the little camp trailer that his dad had borrowed from his grandparents when he was a teenager, it had looked like something straight out of the sixties. Including the old fashion, cracking upholstery, and floral chintz curtains. This was spacious and far more modern looking, almost like a real home.

“That feels so much better,” Heather said stepping down off a set of stairs Jake hadn’t noticed into the main room of the trailer. He looked over to find that she’d changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, from the jeans and hoodie she’d been wearing earlier. His guess was that it had been cool when she’d pulled out of Dickenson that morning. She’d also brushed out her hair and pulled it up into a ponytail. And from the slight pink tint to her face, he guessed she’d washed her face too. The whole look made him want to pick her up, haul her back into the bedroom and show her exactly what she did to him. But they hadn’t gotten that far. No yet. But soon, he hoped.

“You look great.” He knew enough about women to know better than to tell her she looked better than before, that would only start a line of questions he didn’t want to get into. What was wrong with how she’d looked before? Nothing, but she looked like she felt better now. Still, he didn’t want to get into it.

“Thanks. I still have a little unloading/unpacking to do but it can wait. Let’s go meet your friends. Is that mine?” she motioned to the bottle on the table beside him.

“Yep, here.” He picked it up and twisted the top off before handing it to her.

“Thanks.” She took it, and he couldn’t keep from watching as she tipped the bottle back, exposing the long length of her throat.

Jake tightened his grip on his own bottle, resisting the urge to reach up and stroke that skin to see if it was as soft as it looked.

“Well, are we going out to see everyone?” Heather asked as she lowered the bottle.

“Sure, let’s go.” Jake stood, motioned for her to lead the way out, then tried to subtly adjust his jeans where they’d suddenly grown much tighter than they’d been just moments before.

“Should I lock it?” She stopped at the foot of the steps up into the trailer and asked as he descended the same stairs.

“You can if you want, but no one will bother it. We also won’t be offended if you feel like you should,” he said.

Heather tilted her head and watched him. “How about I don’t if we’re on the ranch. I can lock it if we leave for some reason. And at night.”

“Whatever you want to do.” He wondered why she planned to lock it at night, but didn’t ask, not yet. He’d wait for a better time to ask that.

20

HeatherfollowedAaronthroughthe door at the building in front of where he’d had her park her borrowed trailer.

“This is the restroom, and the showers,” he motioned off to one side as they came in. “They’re communal showers, so we’ve got a schedule right now for men and women’s shower time. If you’re still around after the Tucson bunch leaves, we’ll work something out if you want to use these instead of the shower in the trailer. You’re welcome to do either.” He continued through the building. “The kitchen, when we don’t have a big group, lunches are available in here, breakfast and dinner are served at the big house. Through there,” he motioned toward a doorway at the far end of the large room, “are the bunks. And we’ve got the TV in here, it’s got streaming TV and a PS5. There’s usually a couple of guys playing in the evenings, but you’ll probably have open access during the day while most of us are busy.”

Heather looked around and took in the space. It was cleaner than she’d expected for a space lived in and maintained by a bunch of men. It made her wonder if maybe more than just Aaron was previously military? She wanted to ask if she could see the bunk rooms, but thought maybe that was going too far. Maybe later if things worked out.

“And out here is where we’re all gathering.” He led her through the doorway and out into what looked like a large driveway that had been converted into a gathering area with several picnic tables on one side, a large firepit near the center surrounded with more chairs than she cared to count at the moment, and what looked like an outdoor kitchen set up on the side opposite the tables. “Meals, for now are served over there. There are also coolers with drinks of all kind under the tables. Help yourself. You’re welcome at all meals, now and after our visitors leave, or no one will hold it against you if you want to cook for yourself or go into town. I would appreciate it if you let me know if you’re going to leave the ranch. It’s not that I want to limit your movements, or restrict you in anyway, but until we know what’s up with Mitch and the assholes that he’s running with, I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

She scanned the area, taking in all the faces, some familiar, some she didn’t recall having seen, and only paying a little attention to what Aaron was saying. She nodded as he stopped speaking, barely registering what he was saying as she thought about meeting all these people, what would they think of her and how would she keep everyone’s names straight?

“Hi!” A woman’s voice beside her drew Heather back to what was going on. She blinked and turned to find the woman beside her smiling and looking friendly. “I’m Robyn. We met the other day, but you may not remember me. There were a lot of people, and I know I don’t remember half the people I met.”

“I do remember you; we didn’t talk much but I remember you were with Ghost, right?”

“I am, how did you remember that with all the new names and faces?”

“Ghost was one of those that hit something in my memory, and I couldn’t forget it. It reminded me of an old movie I saw when I was a teenager. And it just clicked.”

“Ohh. What was the movie? I might have to see it. He reminded you of it, you say?”

“Well, it wasn’t that he reminded me, it was more that his name did. The name of the movie is The Ghost and The Darkness. It was about hunting men killing lions in Africa. I heard it was based on a true story, but I’m not sure if that’s true or not.”

“Now that you tell me a little about it, I think I have heard of it, though I don’t think I’ve seen it. Why don’t you come over here and we can get to know each other a little better?” Robyn tilted her head toward a group of women sitting in a bunch of chairs clustered in the shade. They looked happy and friendly. Heather wanted to join them, but she wasn’t ready to leave Aaron.

“Aaron was just showing me around and making sure I know everyone. How about I join you when we’re done making the rounds?”

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