Page 76 of Play Me
NINETEEN
Gray
Gravel crunches beneath my tires as I turn onto the long driveway leading to Blackbird Ranch. The sign Grandpa proudly hung when he was about my age shines above the gate. The stone pillars that Mom hated stand tall on either side with solar lanterns on top of them.
The thought of Hartley using solaranythingmakes me smile.
A wooden fence borders the driveway, separating our private road from the forest on either side. The trees are thick, and the vegetation is dense and dark. Despite not being in those woods for a decade or more, I have no doubt I could find my way through them blindfolded.
I peek at Astrid, finding her taking it all in.
The feeling of being home settles over my soul. It’s been too long since I was here—so long, in fact, that I forgot how the world ends at the start of the gate. Back here, it’s a world all its own and ruled by hard work, loyalty, and family.
My chest grows heavy as nostalgia for a time long gone takes up residence between my pecs.
“You grew up here?” Astrid asks, unbuckling herself.
“Yeah. I grew up here with my parents, my dad’s dad—my pap—and my brother, Hartley, who you’ll meet in a second.”
Her gaze settles on the main house coming into view. “I know you love rugby and all, but I don’t think I could ever leave a place like this. It’s so … peaceful.”
The way she says it hits me in the heart.
“Some things run in the family, I see,” she says, laughing.
What?I spy Hartley’s giant white pickup truck parked just outside the garage. He comes out of the garage with a shit-eating smile and waits for us to pull up.
“Look at you,” he says, grabbing me for a hug as soon as my feet hit the ground. “How the hell are you? Still a shrimp, I see.”
I chuckle, taking in his six-foot-one, solid two-hundred-thirty-pound frame. “We both couldn’t be great looking, so God gave you height.”
“You’re full of shit,” he says, grinning from ear to ear. He takes a step back, and his attention is drawn to movement at the front of my truck.
I follow his gaze to Astrid. Her arms are folded across her middle. Gone is the easygoing girl I had in the truck with me. Astrid with the clipboard is back—minus the actual clipboard.
“Come here,” I say, smiling gently at her. “Astrid, this is my brother, Hartley. Hart, this is my assistant, Astrid.”
His eyes light up. “Thisis the assistant?”
“Yes.” I hide a grin. “This is the assistant.”
“Whatever he’s said about me comes from a place of ego and stubbornness that I fear you know all too well.” Astrid holds out a hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Hartley.”
“It’s very nice to meet you. I can tell we have a lot in common,” Hartley says as they shake hands.
A small smile touches her lips.
“I gotta run a couple of keys to the guys at the south gate.” Hartley turns to me. “You guys can ride with me or head on in and grab a drink.”
Astrid is more relaxed than she was a few moments ago, but I think introducing her to the crew might be more than she’s ready to handle today.Those guys are a rowdy bunch.
“We’ll stay here,” I say.
The relief is evident on Astrid’s face.
“I’ll be about thirty minutes,” Hartley says, getting into his truck. “The keys are in the side-by-side if you want to take it for a spin.”
“You’re good with staying here, right?” I ask her as Hartley starts the truck.
