Meeting the Brothers

We drop the cowboy that goes by the name of Tobias off at his place. It looks small but seems to be part of a bigger ranch.

“Thanks, Frankie,” he shouts as he bangs the front of the old rusting truck.

I’m surprised the front end doesn’t fall off with his muscle power.

“He’s a good guy,” Frankie comments as he watches him walk into the house.

~He seemed like a dick to me!~

“How long until we get to your house? I was kinda hoping I could get some shut-eye at some point today.”

“No worries, two minutes up here and we’re home.”

He literally lives two minutes from the rude cowboy.

I pull my tired arse out of the truck and leave the old man to get the bags. I have never felt so tired in all my life.

The first thing I notice is how small the house is, and the second is the lack of cleanliness.

The front porch looks okay and lures you into a false pretense because as soon as you step through into the actual house, holy motherfucker, it’s a shithole.

Pots cover the kitchen side of the house, and random shit consumes the rest of the space.

“Where will I be sleeping?” I ask as he pulls my case into the lounge.

“Well, Dawn came by and set your room up. She bought new bedding and set you out some niceties. It’s just at the top of the stairs there.”

I’m so angry with my dad for sending me here, I will contact the university first thing Monday and live on campus. Anything is better than this. I stomp up the stairs and drag my suitcase with me.

Surprisingly, when I open the old creaky wooden door, the room is quite pleasant. There is a large bay window overlooking the fields at the front of the house. The room has a small single bed and a large wooden wardrobe.

I unzip my case on the floor and pull out some nightclothes. Thankfully, this old shithole has an en suite bathroom.

Even though the plastic shower cubicle is old and moldy in places, my need to use it is great. I pull on my flip-flops and thank the Lord I brought my own bath towel.

I sleep surprisingly well, and when I wake it’s dark and I fear my jet lag will have me on the wrong time zone. I climb out of the bed and I’m so freaking hot I feel like I can’t breathe.

The cushions in the bay window are comfortable so I snuggle in with my phone next to the open window that brings in a gentle breeze.

No Wi-Fi, as predicted; I have data but it’s 3-fucking-G. The networks around here seem as slow as the people.

I must have fallen back to sleep by the open window. I wake to the sound of the birds chirping and a car pulling in across from the house.

I watch as that cowboy Tobias jumps out with another man. They are laughing as they walk to the fence by the field.

He’s not wearing his stupid hat today but a cap. As I get a good look at him I notice how cute he actually is. The guy he is with is cute too. Maybe this place will have some perks after all.

“Ella,” my uncle shouts as he bangs on the door.

“You don’t have to shout, I’m just on the other side of the door,” I comment as I pull the old door open.

He stands and smiles at me. “I have some jobs for you,” he beams.

~Jobs? What the actual fuck!~

“Get ready and meet me downstairs in ten,” he adds, then he takes off before waiting for a debate.

Well, if he thinks I can get ready in ten minutes, he has another thing coming. After twenty-five minutes, he’s back at my door. This old man takes no mercy.

“ISOBELLA,” he shouts.

I open my door. “It’s Ella. No one calls me ‘Isobella’ other than people that don’t know me.”

“Well, it’s the name your mother gave you, so I will call you it if I please.”

I shake my head. “Please don’t talk about my mother.”

“Why not? She is still your mother.”

“Hardly. I don’t even remember her.”

“Well, allow me to jog your memory. Your mother was the woman who wasn’t afraid to get stuck in, would be up at the crack of dawn to get shit done. She had manners and spoke to her elders with respect. I let it go yesterday because you were tired, but listen to me: I won’t have a rude, spoiled brat staying with me.”

I stare at him as he continues to rant, and he says I’m rude. As if you speak to your guests in that tone.

He doesn’t know me. I have had my world turned upside down—new country, new culture, new university, and living with family I don’t even know. What does this old guy expect from me?

“What jobs did you have for me?” I ask, ignoring his rant. If it shuts him up, I’ll do it.

“Tobias and Tanner are over the way, they could do with a hand.”

“What can I help them with? I’m no manual laborer.”

“I’m sure they will find something for you to do, but you might want to change out of them shorts. The grass is long around these here parts.”

If he thinks I’m wearing long trousers in this heat, he has another thing coming. It’s so hot even the denim shorts I am wearing are sticking to my legs.

The thinnest top I could find is the red vest top I’m wearing—it’s light and airy and still too much material.

I grab some fruit and head outside. At least staying here will help with my addiction to food—I’m not sure I can stomach sitting down to a meal at that table.

I follow Frankie over to the two men I was watching earlier. Tobias turns and pulls a face when he sees me. The other guy is less rude and sends a smile my way.

“This is my niece,” Frankie says as I pull my Chanel sunglasses on.

“Well, hello there,” the other guy says, looking me up and down and stretching his hand out for me to shake.

I ignore the hand.

“Hey,” I say.

He awkwardly smiles and drops his hand by his side. “I’m Tanner and this is my brother T—”

“Yeah,” I interject. “I met Tobias yesterday.”

“Oh, no one calls him Tobias. Call him Toby,” Tanner laughs.

Tobias speaks to me for the first time. “No, Tobias is fine,” he adds.

~Dick!~

Frankie smiles and makes his excuses, leaving me with the two guys.

“So you are…?” Tanner asks as he moves closer to me.

He’s attractive—he has a twinkle in his eye and a cute smile. He’s also very confident, and I don’t have to be from these here parts to know he is a ladies’ man.

“It’s Ella to you,” I say. “But Isobella to him,” I add.

Tobias looks up at me from the fence he is tying rope around and scowls.

They must be brothers—Tobias also has that same cute mouth that creates dimples at the cheeks, but his hide behind the light stubble he has growing.

Tobias is wearing some light blue denims again and a gray button-down shirt with the sleeves pulled up—it has some business logo on one side of the chest and Toby on the other.

I wonder if it’s a real work shirt or fashion. Back in the UK, a lot of the students wear them as a fashion statement.

He has turned his cap backward and I struggle to take my eyes off him.

“Ohhh, a feisty one,” Tanner chuckles. “We’re going to have to watch this one,” he adds as he nudges Tobias, who is looking more irritated.

“Right, what do I need to do?” I ask.

“Just take a few on that fence over there and look pretty,” Tanner laughs, dimples forming on his cheeky face.

I obey and pull my phone out as I climb onto the fence and soak up the sun.

“Are you serious?” Tobias roars.

~Something’s eating him!~

I snap a picture of him with my phone and he marches over to me.

“Delete that,” he demands.

“What the fuck is your problem?” I snap.

“You are my problem, people like you. Thinking you’re better than others, not appreciating what you have handed to you. What the fuck are you even doing here, princess?”

My eyes meet his. All I see is rage in them.

~Fuck, he really hates me.~

“I’m not here by choice,” I snap.

“Oh boo-fucking-hoo,” he barks before he jumps over the fence and heads toward the truck that’s parked up.

“Don’t mind him, darlin’,” Tanner says as he watches the dust lift at the haste of Tobias’s steps. “He’s just bitter because he always wanted to go to university. He had big plans for himself, ya know, but real life sent him down a different path.”