Melinas Men

Chapter Six.

Chapter Six.

I spent the rest of the afternoon on the alfresco with Jessa just watching the world go by.

“What do you think Carmichael thinks about while he rides?” Jessa randomly asked me.

Michael was known for always going for a horse ride on his own, every afternoon, every day.

“Dude, where did I leave my croquet stick, I can’t find it. Dude, where’s the girls at?” I put on my best over exaggerated bro accent.

Jessa laughed, “you’re such a child.”

“Well, you asked, you weirdo,” I kicked her, then put my legs on her lap.

“Do you think it’s weird I haven’t met any boys?” Jessa asked, more seriously this time.

“You’ve meant plenty of boys, you went to an actual school,” I said, “you’re lucky you weren’t home schooled like me and Michael.”

“Yeah, but that’s different, they were all childish,” she said.

“You didn’t like any of them?” I asked.

She shook her head, “you’ve met plenty of boys, and so many are after you.”

“I’m sorry, I guess that’s my fault it’s not your turn yet, I tell mum all the time to just skip me.”

“But they want to meet you that’s the thing,” she said, still starting towards the green pastures.

“Your time will come Jessa, don’t worry,” I reached over and patted her shoulder.

“You know, I’m eighteen now and I’ve never even kissed a boy,” she said.

I laughed, “that doesn’t surprise me in this family, and it’s probably a good thing. How good will it be to marry your first kiss?”

It didn’t seem like my thing, I guess it once was, but I knew Jessa would like that statement. And she did, her smile grew just thinking about it.

“Have you kissed someone before?” She asked, then realised what she had asked, “oh, sorry.”

She was referring to knowing about Sebastian. Not Jack.

“Can I asked if you’ve—,” she didn’t finish her question, but I knew it.

“No, even for me that is forbidden,” I laughed, “and even if it wasn’t, do you think any man that mum brings around us would dare without a ring on this finger.”

Jessa laughed, “yeah true.”

“I’ve thought about doing it, in spite of her, but it just doesn’t seem worth it.”

“I mean, I would never,” Jessa declared, “I like the idea of my first kiss being with my husband so I think I could wait til our wedding night.”

“And some won’t have it any other way,” I said.

“They would know?” Jessa asked.

I laughed, “god, no. They think they would, but they won’t. Things have a way of getting out though.”

I didn’t realise what I had said before it was too late.

That afternoon I didn’t go to the stables to see Jack as he had around about proposed this morning. It was too risky, and I couldn’t get out of my mind what I had said to Jessa, things always have a way of getting out. I ate dinner with Michael, Jessa and Eric. Our parents nowhere to be seen. Michael and Eric spoke about sports and what not and both Jessa and I ate silently. After dinner I went to my room and that’s where I stayed until I knew everyone was asleep, or at least in their own quarters for the night. Then I got myself ready to go to the bar. Hair back and black eyeliner. I wasn’t ready to admit to myself that I was going there for a specific someone now.

I made my way into the town without a hitch and straight to the bar.

I looked to the bar and there was no sign of Jack. I sat in front of Mauve on my usual stool and for once she hadn’t put a beer down in front of me in preparation. I looked at her confused.

She nodded to the back corner, “it’s over there. Along with your new friend.”

I looked down, smiling, embarrassed.

“It’s okay, he’s cute,” she leant on the bar and winked at me.

I got up and walked over to the booth, Jack had his back to me, and I could only see the top of his head. But I knew it was him by his pushed to the side blonde hair.

I slid in across from him, “you know, I don’t like change.”

“Something makes me believe that’s a lie,” Jack pushed the beer across to me.

I took a sip, “much better than champagne.”

Jack laughed, “you’re like a whole different person here.”

“it’s my disguise,” I smoothed my hair back with my hands.

“I like it, I like the eyeliner,” he told me.

“I do too, I feel more like myself.”

“Why can’t you wear that as yourself?” He asked.

“I was always taught natural beauty,” I shrugged.

“You are a natural beauty,” he told me.

“You’re so corny,” I laughed.

“What? Would you rather me be mean?” He asked.

I shrugged, “it would probably make it easier for me to stay away from you.”

“So, why would I do it then?” He raised an eyebrow.

I blushed under his gaze, “to make my life easier?”

He leant back in the booth, “what’s the fun in that?”

“You could have anyone here, why choose me?”

“You think I just like a challenge, don’t you?”

I shrugged, “maybe.”

He shook his head, “there’s something about you. I don’t know what it is, but I want to find out.”

“That sounds like a cop out,” I declared.

“Just let me find out what it is, okay?”

I thought about it for a moment. I always wanted to rebel, by sneaking out and having a couple of drinks here and there. But if I fell for someone I couldn’t, would I hurt them and myself, or my family?

Before I even knew the answer myself, I answered. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Jack repeated with a smile.

“How long do you have left to stay?” I asked.

He thought about this, “til the end of the week, I think. And then we have to go back home, Eric and his father have a prior engagement. Then I think we’ll be back.”

I watched him, he seemed like he had more to say.

“Then we’ll be back, and Eric will most likely propose if he hasn’t already.”

I gulped loudly, “has he expressed anything about that to you?”

He sighed, “yeah, he has. If I hadn’t talked him out of it, he’d be proposing this week.”

“Thank you for that,” I smiled at him sincerely.

“I didn’t do it for you,” he smirked, “I did it for me.”

I laughed.

“Got to bide myself some time, you know,” he shrugged, “I want at least one more kiss before I have to say goodbye to this.”

“Goodbye to this?” I pondered.

“I know you’ll make the decision you need to make. And we both don’t know if it’s me.”

I sat there thinking and watching him.

“And let’s be real, we barely even know each other. We’ve known each other in brief moments for a couple days. I don’t want to mess your life up like that.”

I laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Jack looked at me confused.

“Just shut up, and come over here,” I told him.

His eyes lit up and he quickly got out of the booth then back in next to me.

I put my hand on his neck and pulled him down to me, kissing him sweetly and softly.

It only lasted a moment, but it felt like it lasted a lifetime.

After a moment Jack finally spoke, “what was that for?”

“Felt like the best way to shut you up,” I smiled innocently.

“Nice play,” he scooted in closer to me, so our shoulders were touching and placed a hand between my crossed legs. In a safe zone, he didn’t try and move it up.

“You keep surprising me,” he said, smiling down at me.

“Want me to surprise you again?” I asked.

“Enlighten me.”

“You’ve heard of people like me waiting for marriage, to kind of, give their husband something no one else has,” I began.

“Yeah,” he looked at me confused as he sounded the word out.

“That still applies to this day.”

Jacks eyes widened, “oh.”