Her Guardian Angel- Gabriel's Story

Chapter 8- Player?

The next day we went to visit Double K Ranch, and see about a job and some lessons. The place was much bigger than I was expecting. It had an indoor arena and several outdoor ones with various different groups riding in each. The place was really busy. I felt like I could do anything I wanted here, and I prayed a quick prayer that I would impress Ms. Kite enough to get a job.

“Good Morning John, this must be Talia.” Ms. Kite greeted us at the office. “I was so sorry to hear about Maggie, she will be greatly missed.” I know that she went to school with my mom and they were friends at one point.

“Thank you Sue, we miss her too.” My dad was getting better at replying to those comments. They came everywhere we went. We know how much she will be missed, because there is a huge hole in our lives that will always be there.

“Let me show you around.” I could tell Sue, or Ms. Kite was good at reading the situation and wasn’t going to push us into anymore awkward conversation. I appreciated that more than she could know.

There were a lot of barns, a lot of horses, and I was certain that I wanted to be here all the time! The deal was that if I cleaned stalls and fed horses in the morning, I could earn a lesson that day. Seemed fair enough, I had plenty of time to spare, and I really needed something other than Damien to keep me busy.

My dad agreed, he would drop me off on his way to work 4 days a week, and pick me up after my afternoon lesson. We would try it out for a few weeks, and as long as I kept up with my online schooling, it could work out long term. I start next week, as soon as school for the rest of the high school finished. Which worked out because I needed to go shopping to update my riding wardrobe.

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When I arrived Monday morning, 7am bright and early I was surprised to see Megan already cleaning stalls. Seeing a familiar face was just what I needed to ease the first day job jitters. I haven’t been sleeping very well, since my nightmares started last Saturday night. I’ve had bad dreams most nights. Different scenarios every time, but essentially me looking for Gabe but waking up in a cold sweat, sometimes tears rolling down my cheeks. My dad heard me this morning, but he didn’t seem to know what to do at 2 am. I took a cold shower and was luckily able to go back to sleep till morning, but it is taking it’s toll on me. Hard work was just what I needed to get my mind right.

“Morning Talia! I heard you were starting today. This summer will be so much fun!” Megan was always one of my favorite people, but I didn’t actually know her that well. “Are you taking lessons in the afternoon as well?” She asked. Turns out she was doing the same work for lessons trade I was.

“Yep, figured I needed something to keep me busy this summer.” I wasn’t sure how up to date she was on the s**t-show that was my life these days.

Megan just smiled, giving me a knowing look. I was hoping I didn’t have to elaborate, and it seemed like it was my lucky day. “Let’s get to work, I’ll show you the ropes.” Megan handed me a pitchfork and we got to work.

The work was dirty, and hard, but the music was distracting and the conversation was easy. I guess Tana wasn’t hanging out with our friend group much either and that actually had me worried about her. Everyone else missed having me around and Megan was glad to hear I planned on coming back to school in the fall, even if I was going to skip a grade. When lunch time came around, I was surprised to find half of a chocolate peanut butter donut in my bag. My dad really was pretty awesome. I better remember to tell him that.

“Do we have lessons together? I am just wondering what to expect.” I asked Megan as we ate. There was a little grassy picnic area near the office that was in the shade. Which was good because the afternoons could get pretty hot in the summers.

“We will probably have some lessons together, but then we might have the option to do other classes if we want later. There are lots of options here if we work hard enough.” Megan seemed like she was pretty serious about all of this.

“How long have you been riding, and what kind of options are you looking at?” I wasn’t even sure what the options meant at this point, I just wanted to ride.

“Well, I have been riding since I was 10, but this will be my second summer working here. I am pretty good at western pleasure, but I’m hoping to get into dressage this summer. My parents said I could maybe lease a horse if I get serious enough.” Yep, way more serious than me. “How about you?”

“I don’t know when I started riding, but never anything serious, and I really just want to be around horses more and … you know… keep busy.” I wasn’t sure how to explain it, but she seemed to catch on.

“Damien is a pretty good rider….” She nailed it. I know I must have turned bright red because she just started laughing. “That’s what I thought. Just be careful with him, he’s not known to keep girls around for too long…”

I hadn’t really thought about that, but come to think of it I had seen him around with a few different girls last year. I felt so silly in that moment. Had I fallen for a player? No, he couldn’t be just playing me. We were already close, and serious...oh God, was he just using me for s*x?

We were needing to have a talk, and probably soon. I wasn’t going to see him again until Friday, but maybe we could chat on the phone. “Thanks for the heads up.” I really was glad she tried to bring me back down to earth, but also felt sad that my relationship with Damien might not be as good as I originally thought. Just what I needed. URGH. Hopefully lessons will clear my head.

We were going on an afternoon trail ride, to see where all the riders were level wise. I was given a small brown horse named Bob to ride. He was pretty boring, and probably used for beginners, but I was excited the same. He wasn’t as fun as Fred, but the ride was just what I wanted, needed. Megan was great company and I recognized a few of the other girls in class. Jessica was a year older than me, she had her own horse, and didn’t have to work for her lessons. Ada was new to riding, 14 years old and did homeschooling. We laughed a lot about trying to get homework done during the summer. I was hoping I’d have more lessons with her in the future.

By the time my dad came to pick me up I was exhausted and oh so dirty. “You look like you had a better day than me.” My dad looked sadder than he had been for a few days.

“I had a great day, thanks for the donut.” I gave him my most genuine smile I could muster. “What’s up with you and your sad face?” I was worried, he had been holding together so well, I felt like I could relax a bit, but maybe I was wrong.

“Don’t worry about me, I just had to deal with lawyers and life insurance stuff today. It was just more sadness than I wanted with you gone all day.” He admitted, and I knew it was hard for him to tell me the truth.

“I love you dad. We will get through this... Want to get sushi for dinner? I am tired of leftovers.” I laughed and he agreed whole heartily.

“That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day! Did you want to invite anyone?” I gave him a funny look, and he clarified. “I might like to get to know this Damien a little more if he is sticking around.”

I can’t say I was expecting that one. I wasn’t really sure if I wanted Damien to meet my dad yet, but I guess it was inevitable. I couldn’t hide him forever, even if I wanted to. “Not tonight. Let’s have a Daddy-Daughter date, just us.” It was the best idea I had for a long time.

Sushi was delicious. I was so full and tired I was sure I could fall asleep at any minute. My phone was dead, so I plugged it in, and took a quick shower. When I checked my phone, Damien had texted me four times since I got off work.

D- ‘Hey beautiful, are you done riding yet?’

D- ‘????’

D- ‘I’m missing you, and wanted to come see you’

D- ‘R you ghosting me?’

Needy much? I am not sure he’s messaged me this much ever. I decided to play a little hard to get after my little chat with Megan today.

T- ‘Oh hey, sorry my phone was turned off and I didn’t even think about turning it back on until now’ Only a little white lie, but I want him to think I wasn’t missing him. Even if I was, a lot.

D- ‘Can I come see you?’ Straight to the point. Does he really miss me, or is he just horny? Ok, I guess it could really be both.

T- ‘I’m pretty tired, maybe another night?’

D- ‘…..oh, I just wanted to see how your first day of work and lessons went. No big deal, we can get together later…’ oh no, maybe he really just wanted to see me and I’m being a total b***h. What to do?!?

T- ‘How soon can you be here? I want to be asleep in 1 hr, I have to be to work early tomorrow.’

D- ‘3 min, I’m at Adam’s’

Oh s**t! I better get some clothes on! I threw on jeans and a sweatshirt, nothing else. He rang the doorbell before I could even finish putting shoes on. He must have been waiting for me. That sneaky boy! I cut my dad off as he answered the door. “Hey!” I may have said a little too frazzled. “That was fast…” My dad started to say something, but I interrupted. “Damien and I are going to go for a walk, bye dad!” I finished as I was dragging Damien by the arm to the road.

“Be home in an hour!” Dad yelled after us. I just waved as I was almost running away.

“That was abrupt….” Damien seemed slightly offended after we got a little way from the house.

“Sorry, I just didn’t want to give my dad a chance to ask you any questions….” Damien looked a little confused. “He has just been asking about us for a couple of days and wondering how serious we are and saying some pretty embarrassing things that I’m not ready to talk about with him, and I just wasn’t ready to have a big group introduction.” That all came out of my mouth like word vomit. I wasn’t planning on telling Damien that much, but the moment happened and now I was just looking at him, hoping he wouldn’t turn around and leave because his girlfriend was such a hot mess.

“That’s ok, I can meet your dad whenever you want.” That smile, that face, how did he melt my hot mess self so quickly. “I’m just glad I get to see you tonight, I really missed you the last couple of days….” I must have shown my emotions on my face because he leaned over and kissed my cheek sweetly. “Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are without makeup on?”

Oh gosh, makeup! Did I even brush my hair, or my teeth? I ran out of the house so fast I didn’t even think of how I looked. “Don’t tease me, I just got out of the shower…”

“I’m not teasing, you are beautiful, and I am really happy you agreed to let me come see you.” He seemed so sincere in this moment. How could I have ever thought he was a player?

“I guess I missed you too…” I snuggled in closer to him, holding his waist just under his shirt. “Hummm… You smell really nice.” I admitted out of nowhere.

Damien chuckled a little and his chest vibrated my head that was tucked in close to him, “Thank you, I tried just for you.”

“You are going to be the death of me, do you know that?” I half laughed, half gasped.

“How so?” He was petting my hair at this point and we were just stopped by a tree on the sidewalk.

“I don’t know, you do things to me that no one ever has. You are so charming, and so much older. Am I just some silly little girl to you? Do you do this with other girls too? I don’t want to be another notch in your belt or something like that. I don’t know what I want, but I know I don’t want that. I guess I just need to know what I am for you?” More word vomit, straight out of my mouth.

Damien leaned my head back and looked into my eyes. “Is that what you are worried about?” I nodded, with a few tears forming in my eyes.

“I can’t handle it if that’s all you want.” Fear had started to consume my thoughts, and I needed to know.

“Silly girl, what made you think I was a player?” His voice was so soothing, I could get addicted easily.

“Just people talking….” I started really crying now.

“I’m sorry people talk, but no. I’m not a player. I have dated a few girls, but not like this. I’m not trying to use you. I really, really like you, and I was hoping you felt the same.” He leaned down and kissed my tears away. “Do you like me?” Again, I could only nod. Why is it that when words would be nice, they don’t seem to come out, but when I shouldn’t really say anything, everything falls out at once. How is he so calm and confident all the time? I really need to work on keeping my s**t together. “Good, now how about I take you on a proper date, and even come meet your dad officially this Friday?”

“That sounds wonderful, where are we going to go?” I hadn’t really been on a proper date, and I didn’t really know what to expect.

“I think I better surprise you, show you what a good boyfriend I can be.” My tears had dried and now I was feeling a bit friskier after being in Damien’s arms for so long. My hands roamed around his waist and under his shirt up his chest a little. His chest was so damn sexy I wanted to touch him constantly. We started kissing and he mimicked my own actions, but suddenly I remembered I was only wearing my sweatshirt and shrunk back a little.

“Oh no you don’t beautiful. You dare come outside with no bra on and expect me to keep my hands to myself?” Oh, that devil! I didn’t fight him, again, I was not strong enough to fight this pull. Being naughty with Damien felt so nice. Just as we were getting a little heavier, I thought I saw a flash of light, and there he was. Gabe, in my head. Sad again. What was going on with me? I seemed to only think of him when I was with Damien. I wonder…. No. It’s not really him. He is gone. I need to focus on this hot piece of man right in front of me.

“Ummmm….. I think we better get back. I have to work in the morning.” We pulled a part a little bit and started walking back to my place.

“You didn’t even tell me about the ranch, did you have a good day?”

“I really did, it was everything I was hoping for this summer.” I dreamily admitted.

“Oh, I was hoping I was all you wanted this summer…” Damien raised his eyebrows and tickled me as we got back to my house. My dad was waiting at the door watching us giggle. I was surprised to have Damien go straight up to him, offer his hand and introduce himself. I could tell that impressed my dad, and that meant a lot to me. We said our goodbyes, and Damien blew me a kiss. I was so tired, I went straight to bed, but paused for a moment in bed thinking about why I saw Gabe again while I was with Damien. I saw him while I was ‘out’ riding at Damien’s place Saturday too. I wondered what the connection could be, but only for a moment before sleep won over. It wasn’t a good night though; I was up twice with the dreams that were becoming my normal. I really need to get this s**t figured out, or maybe just get used to staying up all night.