Settlin’ In

The street outside the bar is busy, and I follow Tobias as he pushes through the crowd.

My smile evaporates, and I grip his hand tighter when we stand face to face with Deena. She looks at Tobias and follows his outstretched arm to me, her eyes jumping between us.

I hold my breath as I wait for her to pounce, but instead, she throws me a dirty look and moves on with her friend.

~Thank fuck for that!~

I have my university induction this week and don’t fancy doing that with another shiner.

“What are you drinking?” he asks as we head straight to the bar.

“Surprise me,” I say as my eyes search the room for the familiar crowd.

I finally spot Tanner with a gathering of girls around him. “Well, Casanova is over there, but I can’t see anyone else.”

Tobias passes me a glass of something bubbly and scans the room. “There’s Sara,” he says as he points her out.

“Right, I’m going to see her,” I kiss his cheek and head off in her direction.

She hugs me tightly when I approach her. She looks happy to see me. I tell her all about my date with Tobias, and she jumps with glee.

She knows to keep it quiet, though, as I’m not telling Frankie about us, not just yet.

I have a dance with Sara and her friend before going to find Tobias.

She must have been following me because as soon as I’m away from everyone, she’s there, appearing out of nowhere like the common cold.

“You didn’t listen to my warning, bitch,” Deena says as she stalks closer to me like a lion to its prey.

I can smell her cheap perfume, and I smile at the thought of how cheap and fake she is. Her equally cut-rate friend stays a step behind her.

“And what was the warning?” I ask. “Oh, to stay away from a man who doesn’t want you?”

She shoves me hard as I shake my head and grin. She shoves me again. I hate bullies, and I won’t let this bitch get to me.

Her friend lifts up a bottle and smashes it on the wall next to her. The smash draws some attention from people, and I practically shit my pants as my body goes into panic, but I keep my head high.

As soon as I show weakness, I know I have lost.

I hear Tanner’s voice and finally let my breath out.

“Toby,” he shouts as he jumps between the girl with the glass and me.

“Put the fucking glass down now,” Tobias barks.

Deena smirks as she stands next to the girl and crosses her arms. “She will cut her hard, you know. She has balls, this girl.”

“Can’t you do your own dirty work?” I shout over Tanner’s shoulder.

He leans into me to restrain me. I see Tobias coming toward us through the small crowd that has formed. He has Sara and Waylon trailing behind him.

“Didn’t you listen to what I said?” he says directly to Deena as he approaches us. “If you’re going to cut someone, cut me. I’m the one you have beef with, not Ella.”

I push past Tanner and take hold of Tobias’s arm as Deena moves closer to him. Her life won’t be worth living if she harms him. I eyeball her as she reaches out to touch Tobias.

“Here’s my warning to you,” I say. “Stay away from Tobias or a few cuts will be the least of your worries. Do you think you will hold your job down at that shitty eatery if my uncle knows you’ve been threatening me?”

I’ve done my homework on this bitch, and I know her family is poor as shit. I also know she pulls double shifts at the greasy diner Frankie’s good friend owns.

She looks shocked, and for a second I don’t think she gives a shit about my threat. Then something drops, she pulls her friend away, and they leave through the main doors.

“You’re a clever bitch,” Tobias says as he kisses my cheek.

“Not just a pretty face,” I smile. “Now let’s have a dance before you take me home.”

***

My second date with Tobias is to The Belcourt in Nashville where we watch ~Red Rocket~. It’s a funny, entertaining film, and I respect him for not making me watch some gory gun shit.

The third date is to the Johnny Cash museum and a nice meal after.

The more time I spend with the cowboy, the more I fall for him and the more intense it gets between us physically. I’m hoping he can’t hold back much longer.

***

“Hey Frankie, where do you want these shelves?” I shout as I move them from one side of the room to the other. I have been helping him sort the lounge out.

Travis took a truckload of junk for him last week, and now we have room for some serious storage solutions. I have a surprise for him once he decides where he wants the shelves.

“Over there is just fine,” he mumbles as he enters the room.

“Okay, great. Stay there, I have something for you.”

I open a box on the sofa and pull out the frames I bought. I start to stand them on his new shelf unit while checking he isn’t peeking.

“Right,” I say. “You can look now.”

He gasps and his jaw drops as he walks closer to examine the pictures in the frames.

“You did this?” he asks as he picks up a wedding picture of him and Nora.

I nod proudly.

“This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” he adds as a tear escapes his eye.

“Aw, Uncle Frankie,” I cry and move closer to him.

He stretches his arm out and grabs my hand with his old, cold fingers.

“Thank you for all of it. For bringing a woman’s touch back into my home.”

“Well, we start with your bathroom next week. The guys are all helping out to fit a new shower—one that you won’t have to put bath towels around to stop it leaking.”

Frankie doesn’t know, but I have actually paid for a full new suite. They might as well do it all while they are in there.

“You have brought light back into my life,” the old man says as he squeezes my hand tighter.

I feel myself welling up and have to look away to keep the tears back.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I laugh. “But I’m glad you’re feeling more hopeful now.”

After our lovely afternoon setting up the new furniture and pictures, we take lunch on the porch together. When he heads in to watch sports on TV, I make my way to Tobias’s place for our next date. He is taking me horse riding.

I check my phone when the Wi-Fi connects. I have a number of messages. Some of my friends are still asking when they can come up here, but I ignore their pleas.

I have a quick check of my socials and see the guy who sent me the dick pics has been trying to contact me.

I’m not going to message him back right now—I don’t really have anything to say to him. We called whatever we had off when I left, and now I am so glad because the feelings I had for him were not a patch on what I have for Tobias.

He was my past, when I was wowed by meals at Michelin-star restaurants and five-star hotels.

“Hey there, beautiful,” Tobias says as he opens the door before I reach the top step.

I laugh when I look up from my phone.

“Have you been waiting for me?” I ask as my lips peck his.

He is wearing his cowboy getup: light-blue denims, a red-checked flannel shirt, and a darn cowboy hat. I hated that hat on the first day I arrived here, but now it gets my juices flowing.

“Well, hello there, cowboy,” I say as I smile innocently at him—but in my head, I have tied him up and fucked him already.

His eyes move down my body. “You don’t look dressed to ride,” he comments. I’m wearing my tight blue jeans and an Armani silk shirt with my Vans.

“I’m casual,” I say flippantly.

He pulls me into his house and starts to unbutton my shirt.

“Wow, cowboy,” I giggle. “You’re a bit frisky tonight.”

He shakes his head. “You need to get this top changed. I’m not getting the earache if you ruin it on my watch.”

“Oh, and here was me thinking you were ready to give up your virginity.”

He laughs sarcastically and walks over to a pile of clothes he has over the back of his sofa. “Here, wear this.”

I catch the T-shirt he throws. It’s one I have seen him in a few times. It has Nashville written across it.

“If I wear this, it’s mine for good,” I say as I slip my shirt off.

He nods in agreement, his eyes on my body as I give him a taste of what he’s refusing.

I follow him out to the stables, where he shows me how to saddle up. He helps me mount Dawn’s horse, Dotty.

I like Dotty the most—she always greets me when I bring her fresh hay. Tobias takes Jack out and jumps onto him with ease.

“Look at you in all your cowboy glory,” I laugh. “Do you want me to take a video for your TikTok?” I ask.

He scowls at me as he shakes his head.

“Right, let’s spend a bit of time in the field. Then when you get the hang of it, we can head off the beaten track.”

I listen intently as he teaches me the ways of handling a horse. He’s an amazing teacher with his calm, collected manner.

I want to tell him that I think I love him right here in the field, but I hold back. I still don’t know where this is going, and I don’t want to scare him off by declaring my love for him so early on.

For the rest of the date, we ride out into the early evening sun, and all I can think about is how happy I feel when I’m with him. How complete he makes me feel and how comfortable I am talking to him about anything.

On our ride back, he asks about my mom, and he is the first person I talk to about how screwed up the loss of her made me feel growing up.

I never had a female figure in my life. My dad took me away from my grandma, my aunts. All the females I knew back then were here.

In the twenty-one years I have been gone, my grandparents and my aunts died, and all that is left now is Frankie and a couple of cousins from my mom’s side who live a good few hours from here.

Tobias opens up to me about his loss. His own depression had been ignored and pushed to one side because his dad’s needs were greater. He talks about how his music healed him and how God showed him the right way.

There is something about being on a horse that is relaxing and helps you talk about anything. No matter how emotional the subject, it seemed to flow with ease.