“Being eighteen.”
“It feels like freedom.”
She gives me another smile, this time a little sadder because she knows in her heart it’s only a matter of time now before I leave. I don’t have the heart to tell her I’m leaving soon. I don’t know when but I’m not staying here. I think she knows because why else would she hand me an envelope full of money?
When I make my way outside that morning, Jessie’s coming down the driveway. We grab a pitcher of sweet tea, two mason jars and the rum from the liquor cabinet when my parents aren’t looking.
My dad believes in work. He doesn’t believe in fucking around and acting like a kid. It doesn’t matter that today is my birthday. If there’s work to be done, it comes before anything else.
There’s a part of the fence on the south property and he gestures to it. “That better get fixed today, Alanna.”
I know why it needs to be fixed. Jessie and I knocked it down last week when we went wheeling out there.
I groan heading for the barn but with the sweet tea and Jessie following close behind, I know it’s gonna be an okay day.
Callan’s there already working in the barn but we hadn’t seen him yet. He’s doing his best to ignore me. He’s pretty good at it too. But what he fails to realize is that I’m a woman and so much better at making sure he can’t ignore me.
I can see him in there when we walk by, of course is shirt is off, I believe to tease me, blue jeans and black hat. He’s swinging a hammer, every muscle in his back and arms flexing with each pass. Lord, what is it about a man flexing his muscles doing manual labor that’s such a huge fucking turn on?
Jessie lets her glasses slide down her nose. “Does he know you’re eighteen today and finally legal?”
“Nope.”
“You gonna tell him?”
“No. Kasey’s comin’ over tomorrow. He’s gonna help me ride Hammer to impress him.”
“Since when have you ever rode a bull?” Jessie adjusts her glasses and twirls the hammer in one hand almost hitting herself in the face. She walks a little slower to get a good look at Callan.
“I’ve never rode a bull but it’ll get his attention.”
She looks closer at Callan. “Damn…are all bull riders that hot?”
I laugh. “I really have no idea.”
“Do you really think it will impress him?”
“Hopefully, or at least maybe turn him on.”
Jessie considers this and then looks at the broken fence we’re now standing in front of and the ruts we’ve dug up out here. “I can’t believe he’s making you do this shit on your birthday.
“It’s just like him. He’s an ass, always will be regardless of what the calendar says.”
We get to fixing the fence and blaring Pistol Annies but all the while we can see Callan in the barn. He’s watching us and the more we drink that sweet tea mixed with rum, the less we’re fixing the fence and the more we’re bull riding the fence posts that have fallen down.
That gets his attention. He even stops and leans against the side of the barn with his arms crossed over his chest. I bet he’s imagining fucking both of us right now. He wouldn’t be the first to imagine it, I know that for sure.
I throw my arm up over my shoulder, arch my back and move as “I Feel A Sin Comin’ On” plays. Callan’s eyes are on mine like fire, I feel the heat from here.
“Fuck, I think I have a sliver.” Jessie grabs at her crotch.
As I’m laughing at Jessie, the barn door slams shut, we both look over to see what he’s doing.
“Maybe it was too much.” I tease getting off the post. “We better get this done.” I motion to the fence.
We do but it takes us the better part of the afternoon and Callan never opens the barn door again.
We’re cleaning up as Callan’s pulling out of the driveway.