River's End

Chapter 2-2

Erin held her breath, then let it out of her mouth before taking another breath back in. The trailer stunk. It was putrid. It had garbage overflowing the trash can and littered all over the counter. Dirty clothes and shoes were everywhere. This was the trailer in which she was to live? It wasn’t very big and had a door near the back, which turned into a small kitchen, with a half-sized fridge, sink, stove and countertop. With one step, she was in the living area, a small square of couch with a two-seater table across from it. A small hallway with a sink on one side and a door on the other lay beyond that. The toilet? Well, it looked about as big as a two-foot closet. At one end was a bed that took up the front of the trailer. It was wedged between the walls with barely six inches of room to walk around.

She gulped audibly. She had never imagined her brother would be living really nice, but this? No, she wasn’t prepared at all for this. He was so dirty. It wasn’t just the trailer, which, in comparison, wasn’t so bad. It was the gross state her brother left it in. Noticing small black bits on the counter, she shivered in revulsion; they were mice droppings.

“He doesn’t exactly clean the place.” Joey looked around with a frown. She turned and smiled to cover up her growing disgust.

“Oh no. It’s fine.”

Joey’s eyes twitched, and he found it gross. “Oh. Okay. Then I guess I’ll leave this here.”

Erin turned and stepped outside. She had to get out of there. She couldn’t stand the rancid smell. Inhaling a deep breath of fresh, cold air, she sighed at the clean scents of dirt and pines. When she lifted her eyes and looked past the trailer, she could see behind it was a sloping meadow that trailed off towards the river. The water flashed and sparkled under the stark sun. Further beyond laid an orchard that rose above the river and disappeared into the brown mountains beyond. God, it was like nothing she’d ever seen before.

Goose bumps had long ago broken out over her skin. Her feet were so cold, it hurt to wiggle her toes. Stepping off the metal stair that led with little fanfare into the trailer, she dropped onto the packed dirt below it. Her small heel sunk into it and she pulled it loose before moving towards the grass nearby. Not five feet from her brother’s trailer was the next trailer, which blocked the view towards the driveway. It would be like living in a parking lot.

Only the views that surrounded her reminded her that she was far from anything familiar.

The faint rumbling of an engine was approaching. She walked along the trailer until she could peek around it towards the rest of the ranch. Beyond the house, a road led towards a group of barns, shops, and outbuildings that were lined up along the road in neat parallel rows, like a parking lot of buildings instead of cars. Jack was driving a tractor, going down the dirt road with its front end held up high, and full of something brown. He disappeared around the furthest barn.

Jack Rydell. He didn’t like her. From one glance, he knew she wasn’t whatever she said she was. There was no bullshitting Jack. She saw that in his single glance. The thing she didn’t get was why he let her stay. Or why Chance was there. It was so unlike the kind of place she had pictured Chance living in. She didn’t know what to do. Who cared if she lied to the kinds of people Chance regularly associated with? They were usually creepier and more dishonest than Chance. But the Rydells? They weren’t.

Jack could intimidate the s**t out of anyone. Even Chance. He was lean and tall. His body, shoulders, and demeanor suggested that he was in complete control at all times. And that he had all the answers. All the power. And no one bullshitted him.

He wasn’t hot like Joey was. Joey looked like he was the star in a western film that was being shot today. Jack looked like a real honest-to-God, old-time cowboy: rough, tough, and worn. He was much older than Joey. She simply had to avoid Jack at all costs and maximize her attention on Joey. That was her only chance for remaining there.

Joey came up beside her, his gaze following hers as the tractor came back into sight.

“Jack’s going to ream my a*s. I’d best get back to work.”

“Sure. Of course. I shouldn’t have shown up like this and disturbed you. I didn’t think it out. To be honest, I’ve never been on a ranch before.”

“No? Where you from?”

“Where did Chance say we were from?”

Joey thought, then frowned. “Don’t know that he ever said. I got the impression he was from lots of places.”

She nodded. Sure he was. Chance had a warrant for his arrest in Seattle after skipping out on his bail for a series of shoplifting charges. He’d been in eastern Washington ever since. Yakima. Ellensburg. Spokane. Now at River’s End. He deliberately made a huge detour from all the small towns and was now out in the middle of nowhere.

“We’re from Seattle. I haven’t seen Chance in over a year or so.”

She hoped she could get Chance alone before everyone figured out he had no idea she was coming, and would never have asked her to visit him. The tractor rumbled to a stop near the side of the biggest barn. Jack stood up, then turned and jumped down with the grace of a cougar. He stared across at them, his eyes glittering cold as a smirk hovered over his lips. Finally, he walked towards them.

Her breath hitched. s**t. He was like a cop catching her stealing. He seemed to know she was everything but what she claimed to be.

“Chance will be up in a minute.”

She twitched in surprise. Jack found Chance for her? Why? And what was Chance’s reaction? Jack’s dour face gave no indication. Was he setting her up? Did he figure out by Chance’s lack of reception towards her that she wasn’t all she claimed to be?

“Did he… did he say anything?”

Eyes as blue as the sky behind Jack stared at her. “Say anything? Like what?”

“I don’t know. Just asking.”

Jack nodded his head to the trailer. “You’re staying here.” It wasn’t a question.

Joey stepped forward. “I said it was okay. We don’t own Chance. Or whoever wants to visit him.”

Jack’s gaze landed on Joey and his lips twisted into an ironic smirk. “Of course, you gave her permission.”

“It’s my ranch too.”

Erin tensed up at what she sensed in the undertones between these two men. What was it? Jack eventually nodded, and smiling at Joey, said, “It is, Joe. You’re right.”

That was it? Erin almost swooned with relief. She thought for sure Jack was about to make her leave. He was staring only at Joey, who smiled and nodded. What did Joey think he’d done? Proven his masculinity and leadership to his brother? He hadn’t. Jack had all the power here. It was so Jack’s ranch. She almost turned and explained that to Joey. Whatever… Jack seemed to be offering Joey a few crumbs here today. Crumbs like letting her stay. She felt nothing but relief. And gratitude. And she couldn’t spoil Joey’s little bit of control by explaining that to him.

“It is you. I thought Jack was mistaken. What the f**k are you doing here?”

Erin whipped around on her heel in surprise. Chance was walking up from the behind the trailer, his lips curled cruelly in disgust. He came up through the field that was hidden by the trailer. Her heart picked up. This was it. She’d be discovered. Chance would refuse to help her and the Rydells would kick her off their land. And then what would she do? Sleep in her car along the river somewhere?

She meant to ease Chance into all of this; and intended to talk to him alone and lay out a convincing case about why she came and why he had to let her stay with him.

Instead, she licked her lips and glanced at her side. Joey was staring with displeasure at Chance and curious to know her motives. Jack smirked, no doubt ready to point out to Joey he was right about her before he told her to get off his land.

She had no recourse and looked down and then back up at her brother. She only hoped it mattered to Chance what she had to say. “Mom’s dead.”