Owen
Fuck!
That’s gonna leave a mark.
Rubbing the top of my head from where I cracked it on the hood of the older tractor, I get a cloth to see if there is any blood. Guess what? I’m the proud owner of one very good, yet damned, gash up there. Shoulda left my hat on.
It’s a wonder that some of my brain matter isn’t oozing itself out through the wound. I’ve got to be losing it somewhere or another to act like I did last night.
I was so damned fed up with everything yesterday and the day before. About the whole damned kit and caboodle. From Kelly saying she wanted a threesome, which was and still is a foreign concept to me, to the broken tractor and everything else in between.
And it isn’t any better today. Doesn’t feel like it either.
As I doctor up my cut, I shake my head and can’t believe my luck lately. Both good and bad. However, the good could turn bad in a very real way. Meaning, Kelly could totally go for Trent and leave me out.
What in the world was I thinking? Making my demand of the two of them in such a frustrated tone. It’s not anyone’s fault but my own, even if Trent and Kelly jumped into action after the awkward explosion.
Even though I started it with my words, I wasn’t prepared to follow through with it. But then I was trapped and I had to make it work on such short notice. I had a difficult time looking at Trent in the buff, going down on Kelly. Yet, I still remained hard as a rock.
Not sure what that can mean.
What I do know is that I’m unequivocally attracted to Kelly. Another thing that I know is that Trent is really into her as well. It’s a reasonable request from Kelly to have a threesome, seeing as how she’s into both me and Trent, and we both are into her.
I’m just not into doing guys. Especially one with the label of my best friend.
Sighing as I look into the mirror, I finish cleaning the large cut. It’s no use getting this stuff out of my head and I’m not sure how I feel about it either. I haven’t talked with Kelly and damned if I know where she is this afternoon.
I leave the barn wiping my hands from the blood, taking in the view of the Red Hills to the east. Their presence makes me feel safe. Grounded. They’re not really mountains, per se, but they are commanding in a flat state.
Looking out at the field, I can’t see Trent. He went up to the field this morning to check the perimeter. I haven’t talked with him either. The way he left the room this morning makes me think he’s struggling with the same thing that I am.
I know for certain that he is avoiding me.
As I turn to go back into the barn and my work on the tractor, I see something moving out of the corner of my eye. Placing my hand over my eyes to shield them from the sun, I see Trent coming in hot on his horse.
I wait for him to get to me, but my gut tells me to leave in order to not have to face him. I guess I don’t really want to talk to him either out of embarrassment or some form of shame. I end the wrestling match in my head, deciding to stay put. He’s in a hurry, so I know it must be important.
Trent comes in hot on his horse, passing me then turning around to talk to me. He doesn’t dismount his horse, choosing instead to talk to me from higher up. “Hey,” he says as he takes his canteen out for a drink.
“Hey,” I say meekly. As he places the cap back on the water bottle, I can tell that he isn’t looking at me, but at something just above me, trying to avoid eye contact.
“I went up to check the perimeter fence and I think I’ve spotted something that I need you to take a look at,” he wipes sweat from his brow. “Can you mount up and ride up with me?”
“Yeah,” I’ll get her ready to ride. Give me a few minutes,” I disappear from his view and get my horse prepared to ride. When I’m ready, I ride my mount out of the barn and see his horse tied to a post. I wonder where he got off to?
I see him coming down off the steps from the ranch. “Sorry, had to take a quick piss.”
“No problem, are you ready?” I ask.
“Yep,” he kicks his horse, digging his spurs to the animals backside, taking off for the back pasture and the fence line. I follow tout suite, and meet up at the place that I showed him, the side with the bushes.
He climbs down from his horse, walking over to the brush and dives into it, disappearing from sight under the cover of green. I curiously get down and he beckons me to come into the chicory and come up between the honeysuckle and the fence.
I get into position and see that the fence is definitely busted, only held together by the piece of metal that Trent removes. “You see this?” he finally looks at me.
“Yeah,” I stand up next to him. “But a cow couldn’t make it through this gap.” I look down the length and that’s when Trent pulled the top wooden rail out of its socket on the post.
“Now one could get through,” he says, putting it back together. “Someone is stealing our cattle, one by one.”
“By guiding it to and then through this cut in the fence,” I’m stunned, as Trent turns to me and starts his way out of the brush.
Mounting his horse as I climb atop mine, he looks to me. “We need to find Kelly and tell her. This is evidence of somebody purposely sabotaging us.”
Damn it! I just knew that something would force the three of us back together today.
I nod my head, but secretly hide my hesitancy from him.