This Love of Mine (Raine Series #1)

CHAPTER 4

Madison

It was almost five in the afternoon when I made it back to the main house. I knew my grandfather was still out roundin' up all the horses when I put Rocket back into the stable in the main barn. I wasn't really in the mood to deal with my grandmother, but I was all but certain, my grandfather had already told her what had happened. I let the screen door slam shut behind me, before making my way into the empty kitchen. Grandma was nowhere that I could see, so I all but assumed I was safe. As I reached for a glass out of the cupboard, I felt soft cool skin connect with my elbow and I jumped in surprise.

"Grams, you scared the holy hell out of me."

"Language Madison, language." She half shouted. She reached into the cupboard and pulled down two glasses before turning to the fridge to grab the pitcher of freshly made lemonade.

"Sorry Grams. I didn't see you when I came in, I figured you had gone to town or something."

"Or something." She smiled. "I saw your granddaddy having to go after those horses after one of 'em kicked that broken latch. You know anything about that?"

"Yes ma'am." I blushed. I hated letting down my grandma. "I just needed something to drink and then I was going to fix it." I lied. That wasn't my plan at all, but it was now.

"That's my boy." She whispered.

"Hey Grams, Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course son, anything." She took a sip of her lemonade and only broke eye contact when she set her glass down on the counter.

"Why is grandpa so mad that I'm leaving in two days? He knows I can't stay all summer this year, why is he all uppity about it?" I took a big gulp of my lemonade as I watched my grandma start to fidget.

"Oh honey, you know your granddaddy just likes having you around. That's all." She turned and started bustling around the kitchen, getting all the fixings for dinner.

I walked up beside her and grasped her small fragile hands in mine. "Grams, you know I can't stay right?"

"I know love, you have your own life. I understand you have other obligations this summer, but your granddaddy is just gonna miss his time with you. Usually he gets ya for three months and now that you're graduated and such, he just was hoping for a little more time before you stopped coming around."

A stray tear fell from the corner of Grams' eyes, and my heart broke just a little more knowing that she would miss me too. "Grams, its not for good. It's just this summer. We have too many gigs to play for me to be away for a whole three months. I'm sorry, I know this cuts our time short." I placed a soft kiss to my grandma's cheek before heading back out into the early summer heat.

I didn't want to leave. Granted, I wouldn't miss having to get up at the ass crack of dawn and work my ass off all damn day, but I would miss being with the only family I had left. I glanced back and caught my grams wiping away another tear. I wish I could take her pain away. I wish I could stay and make it all better, but I was eighteen now and I needed to start building a life for myself. Lord knows I had no parent to help me out along the way.

After I gathered my tools and made it to the broken latch, I caught a glimpse of my grandfather riding up on Rawhide. My grandfather was already an intimidating man, but as he sat high on his Arabian, he was terrifying.

"You fixin' that latch, son?"

"Yes Sir. Just got out here after chatting with Grams. She's inside startin' dinner." I replied, but never looked up at him. Lately, all I saw in his face was sheer disappointment.

"I reckon I will come and get ya when dinner is ready then." His voice was clipped and I instantly felt bad for slacking.

"Thank you, Sir." I looked up from below the rim of my hat and tilted my head. My grandfather did the same and then rode up to the barn.

It was funny seein' my grandpa as a farmer. He didn’t fit the bill at all. He didn't wear Wranglers or a cowboy hat, or any of that other typical cowboy gear. No, he wore his Yankees baseball hat, that his father had gotten him when he was just five years old, an old ratty t-shirt and an old pair of jeans. The only thing that even tipped ya off that he owned a farm was the fact that he did wear cowboy boots. They had been his father's and when he passed on, he inherited them along with this farm.

I remember when Grams had told me the story about how they got this land. Apparently my great grandfather had struck it pretty rich in oil when he was younger. Back then it was a struggle to make ends meet, until he met his buddy Jenkins. Jenkins brought him in on his oil idea, and six months later they were two of the richest men in Texas. Needless to say, my great grandfather was smart with his money. He put most of it away in an account for my grandfather, but the rest he put into this land.

He bought it for dirt-cheap and built the main house with his bare hands. He was only married to my great grandmother for a short time and back then rarely anyone got divorced. So my great grandfather stayed married to her, but she left and made a life with a new man. It's funny how things used to be. I always found myself admiring just how much my grandparents dealt with, to make things work. Nobody ever tried that hard at anything anymore.

I guess when my great grandfather died; he left every single thing he owned to his only son, my grandfather. All the money he had in an account had practically quadrupled in amount because he never touched it, and the land was paid free and clear. It wasn't until my grandfather took over, that he started adding livestock to the land. Apparently my great grandfather was deathly afraid of any sort of animal, he just wanted the land. I wish I would have been able to meet him, but unfortunately he died of a heart attack before I was even born.

When my great grandfather passed, my grandparents were living in New York, but they were faced with either selling the land or moving back to Texas. Luckily for me, they chose to come here. I was all but raised out at this farm and I loved every minute of it. I may be moving to a big city now, but I am damn sure a country boy through and through.

I got the last piece of the metal latch fixed, just as I heard tires against the gravel beside me. I didn't know how long I had been out here, but it must've been quite a while. The sun was steadily dipping below the horizon and the shadows of the day were slowly disappearing. I wiped my brow with the back of my arm before glancing up at the old Chevy pickup next to me.

"Hop in son." My grandfather had showered and looked surprisingly presentable at the moment. Of course he still had his hat snug upon his head, but he had changed into a nice button up shirt and his nicest pair of jeans.

"Sir, if we're going somewhere, I reckon I should shower before." I pulled my hat from my head, running my fingers through my unruly hair.

"It's okay, we are just goin' to the bus station. We won't be too long. I told Jasper I would pick up his granddaughter for him, and I thought the ride would do us some good." He pushed open the rusty door and I quickly jumped in, as I placed my hat back on my head. "Buckle up, son."

"Yes, sir."

I buckled my seatbelt and couldn't help but wonder what the big deal was about me coming with him. He knew I was beat and all I wanted to do was eat, take a long hot shower and climb into bed. I rested my head back against the headrest and let my hand hang out the open window. I tugged my hat down over my eyes and tried to catch a quick nap. The bus depot was a good forty-five minutes away, so I knew I had some time.