Under the Open Sky

Chapter Four

Amanda stood at her bedroom window watching as her brother, Angela, and Cade took turns swinging way out over the pond from a recently tied rope and splashed into the water below. Heat had arrived with summer and the day was sweltering. Amanda would have joined them but upon seeing Angela in a swimsuit had immediately known she wouldn’t be putting her toothpick body on display beside the older girl’s. Angela’s peal of laughter pulled another deep sigh from Amanda. Too bad girls couldn’t wear cut offs to swim like her brother and Cade, she mused moodily. Why couldn’t she? Amanda turned and impatiently pulled on her swimsuit before yanking on cut off jean shorts and a white tank top over it. Dashing out her door, Amanda ran down the stairs in a rhythmic staccato, out the front door, and allowed the screen to slam closed. Without ever pausing, she dashed across the drive, grabbed the empty rope, and with a whoop swung out over the pond and let go. She came up to find her brother grinning at her.

“Decide to join us, pest?” he teased.

“Couldn’t let you have all the fun,” she smiled back.

“Hey, Mandy,” Angela greeted.

Amanda smiled and returned the girl’s greeting.

Modestly pretty with auburn hair, green eyes, and pale skin that was already freckling in the afternoon sun light, Angela was a sweet girl. Amanda had come to understand that the only thing her father held against the young woman was the threat she held to Sterling’s plans for Trent’s schooling.

“Where’s the new swimsuit Aunt Naomi bought you?” Trent demanded.

“I’m wearing it,” Amanda responded with a glare.

“Then why are you still wearing clothes?” her brother was laughing now.

“Hey, your sister’s at that awkward stage when every girl feels funny about their body; leave her alone,” Angela chided gently.

“Thanks, Angie,” Amanda shot her a smile.

“Sure, I remember how I felt; your brother wouldn’t give me the time of day back then,” Angela admitted with a sly glance toward Trent. Amanda smiled as her brother blushed and sputtered for an answer. She didn’t however; wait for his response before climbing onto the dock and plodding back to the rope to swing again. She spotted her aunt watching from the porch with arms crossed and pointedly ignored her. A moment later the water was swallowing her beneath its cool surface, the light drifting farther away amid the roar of the water around her. Amanda kicked and bobbed to the surface before spitting water from her mouth and pushing hair from her face. A few feet from her, Angela, laughing and talking with both Trent and Cade, sat on Trent’s shoulders.

“Hey, Mandy, climb on Cade’s shoulders and see if you can unseat me,” Angela called as Amanda swam their direction.

“What?” Amanda frowned at her.

“You climb on his shoulders, you and I lock hands, and then we see who can unseat the other first; it’s fun.”

“I don’t know,” Amanda hesitated; her brother was the only guy she felt comfortable enough with to be climbing onto their shoulders. Besides, Cade still made her nervous for reasons she had yet to understand.

“Come on, Manny, you’re small but wiry, I bet you can take her,” Cade invited, a hand extended. Amanda hesitated a moment and then gave in; she had given up on correcting him about her name. Maybe if she ignored him he would stop; he seemed to like getting a reaction from her.

“Okay, now take my hands,” Angela held her hands up. A moment later Amanda was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe as she leaned all her weight into Angela. Angela squealed as she lost her seat and splashed into the water. Amanda was still laughing when Angela broke the surface of the water.

“Come on, Trent, payback time,” Angela’s threat only made Amanda laugh harder. They continued to splash and play as the sun sank halfway behind the distant mountains. They finally pulled themselves from the water to settle on the deck. In front of them the sun stained the water deep auburn with silver streaks.

“I had fun today,” Angela mused aloud.

“Me too,” Trent agreed as he slung an arm around Angela. Feeling contented and at peace, Amanda smiled.

“I’m starving,” Cade offered his opinion.

“I still have to take Angela home, why don’t we run up to the drive-in for burgers and shakes first?” Trent offered.

“Sounds good to me,” Angela stood.

“Ditto, I’ll go change,” Cade hopped to his feet.

Amanda, swirling her foot in the water, stayed where she was.

“You wanna come, pest?” Trent offered.

Amanda smiled at him brilliantly.

“Okay,” she jumped up and followed him to the house. She had just finished changing into jean shorts and a t-shirt when a knock sounded on her door.

“Hey, Angela, come in,” Amanda invited.

“Mind if I freshen my make up in here? You’re brother needed the bathroom,” Angela queried with a smile.

“Sure.”

“That what you’re wearing?” Angela was surveying her thoughtfully.

“Yeah; why?”

“Mind if I look in your closet?” Angela, her green eyes hopeful, tilted her head and waited for an answer.

Amanda shrugged. She watched as the older girl sifted through clothing and pulled a few items out to lay them on the bed. A moment later she was laying the items against each other before nodding.

“Try this.”

Amanda eyed the skirt doubtfully before reluctantly taking it and pulling it on.

“It’s too short,” Amanda pointed out as she tugged at the hem of the jean skirt. “With my legs…”

“With your legs you can totally pull it off and trust me it isn’t that short; it doesn’t even qualify as mini. Here, try this top,” Angela extended a tank top. Amanda obeyed and added the wide belt that followed.

“Cowboy boots?” Amanda eyed Angela skeptically.

“Trust me,” Angela insisted.

Amanda shrugged and pulled the boots on.

“Sit,” Angela held a chair and Amanda again obeyed. Angela straightened Amanda’s hair and then grabbed her own make up.

“I don’t wear makeup,” Amanda protested.

“I’ll keep it light,” Angela promised.

A moment later, Amanda studied herself in the mirror in disbelief. She knew her figure hadn’t changed but the combination of items Angela had chosen played up what features she did have. Her hair hung down hair back in a solid sheet and Angela had skillfully applied make up, true to her word she had kept it light having Amanda finish it off with clear, cherry scented gloss. Amanda couldn’t believe how her eyes popped as she leaned nearer the mirror.

“Wow, thanks,” Amanda breathed as she stepped back from the mirror. She let her gaze drop to her legs. She had always considered their long gangly length a detriment, tonight they seemed an asset.

“You have a cute figure; just more lithe than curvy. You simply need to dress to your best advantage,” Angela slapped a cowboy hat on Amanda’s head, “Let’s go cowgirl.”

Amanda and Angela exited the room to find Trent waiting impatiently.

“It’s about time, I was…” Trent stopped short and frowned as he surveyed his sister.

“Doesn’t your sister look great?” Angela asked enthusiastically.

“I don’t know,” Trent hesitated, “it’s a little…grown up.”

“The jeans and snap up western shirts are becoming clear. Your sister isn’t a little girl anymore, deal with it,” Angela laughed as she kissed Trent’s cheek. “Let’s go, Mandy, you look great.”

The trio started down the stairs; Amanda paused in the living room door way.

“I’m going to the drive in diner with Trent,” she announced. She watched her Aunt Naomi gape in disbelief as she surveyed her.

“Have fun,” her father nodded without ever glancing up from his magazine. Amanda wasted no time in following her brother and Angela from the house and into the yard where Cade waited, arms crossed across his chest as he leaned against the truck.

“Took you long enough,” Cade grumbled as he pushed off the side of the truck. He surveyed Amanda, a frown skittering across his face before his expression became blank. “We ready?” Cade opened the cab door and waited.

Amanda frowned as she surveyed the truck. “Will we fit?”

“’Course we will, it’s called squeezing in,” Trent answered her. It was all Amanda could do not to protest when Angela crawled in to sit next to Trent, of course the dating couple would want to sit next to each other, she realized belatedly. She hesitated briefly before climbing in behind Angela and sliding as close to the other young woman as she could. Cade filed in last and closed the door.

“Scoot over, Mandy, Cade isn’t going to bite and we need some room,” Trent scolded her. Amanda scooted over obediently but held herself rigid. Beside her, Cade sat at an angle against the door to offer more room. Trent reached over to turn on his radio finally settling on the local country station. He pitched his voice low to sing along with Johnny Cash as he promised to walk the line; Amanda smiled. A glance at Cade showed he was amused at her brother’s antics as well. She felt the tension slowly draining from her shoulders and leaned back against the seat. The windows of the truck were rolled down to let the cooling evening air rush over them as they sped down the highway toward town. Amanda somehow knew that after her brother left for college in a few weeks this would be one of those occasions she looked back on fondly. Every time she thought of her brother leaving her stomach tightened and her throat wanted to close up. She was going to be lost without him.

“What do you say we claim a table on the patio?” Trent suggested. It was that or eat in the truck and Amanda knew with four of them that would prove uncomfortable.

“Suits me,” Angela agreed. Trent parked along the edge of the lot and the four of them climbed out of the cab and made their way to the courtyard patio that filled the space between the stalls where cars could order from speakers on posts.

Amanda recognized many of the teens gathered around, though most of them were older than her. She greeted one girl she had shared Algebra with the previous year and followed her brother to an empty table.

“Hey, Cade,” a blonde from a nearby table called with an inviting smile. Cade nodded before seating himself on the bench opposite Trent and Angela and beside Amanda.

“I know exactly what I want, I am getting a chili dog with onions and cheese fries,” Angela announced.

“Onions?” Trent made a face at her; gaining him a kiss and a smile in return.

Amanda smiled before turning her attention back to people watching as she removed her hat and laid it on the table to run her fingers through her hair. She found Cade watching her; he quickly looked away when she glanced up.

A truck sped through the entrance, one of the guys in the back letting out a yell before it all but slammed to a stop in a nearby stall. She recognized several of the football players, some of them now graduated and enjoying one last summer before they headed for college. Music blared from the cab of the truck before the driver killed the engine; the song abruptly ended mid verse.

“Here comes trouble,” Trent muttered.

Jeff Jenkins leapt from the bed of the truck and strutted onto the patio to drop onto a bench beside one of the cheerleaders.

“Have you been drinking? You reek!” Trisha Benson complained loudly.

“Only a couple,” Chris slid his arm around Trisha.

Trisha made a disgusted face and slid out of his grasp before turning back to her friends.

“So when do you leave?” Angela’s question pulled Amanda’s attention back to the table.

“The Friday after Labor Day,” Trent’s voice dipped low and his eyes clouded.

“I’ll miss you,” Angela’s gaze was full of longing as she stared up at Trent. Her eyes were suddenly misting.

“I’d take you with me if I could,” Trent informed her.

“Hey man, order me a double with everything and O-rings with a coke; okay?” Cade threw at Trent before standing and moving off.

Amanda realized he was trying to give her brother and Angela a moment and stood to follow suit. She gave her brother her order and moved away to talk with Jennifer from her algebra class.

“Hi,” Amanda nodded at Lacy, Samantha’s older sister who was staring at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. Amanda couldn’t help grinning; Lacy had never seen her dressed in anything but jeans and occasional shorts. Amanda continued on her way to Jennifer.

“Hey, Jennifer,” she greeted while noting that Cade was talking with the blonde who had greeted him earlier.

“Hey, Mandy, wow, you look awesome,” Jennifer noted.

“Thanks, Angela made me her project,” Amanda admitted as she sat down beside her friend. Jennifer was a year ahead of her but she and Amanda had hit it off when Jennifer asked for help in class one day.

“You should let her do it more often,” she suggested with a smile.

“Maybe I will,” Amanda returned her smile.

“So I take it your brother and Cade are friends now?”

“Seem to be.”

“Cade’s hot,” Jennifer noted, her gaze locked on him.

Amanda studied his dark hair as the breeze played with it and considered his deep blue eyes and well-muscled torso.

“I guess he is,” she acknowledged for the first time.

“You guess?”

“I hadn’t really thought about it honestly,” she confessed with a shrug; but now that she had...

“How could you not with him living right there on the ranch and all?” Jennifer was staring at her incredulously.

“I guess that’s just it, he’s my brother’s friend and one of the hands,” Amanda offered in explanation.

“Whatever. You think Trent and Angie will hold it together as a couple after he leaves for school?”

“I don’t know; I know they’re crazy over each other but she still has a year of school left and Trent’s leaving…I guess time will tell.”

“I predict he’ll meet someone and one of the guys here will move in on Angie; she’s not got a shortage of male attention,” Jennifer threw a lock of long brown hair over her shoulder and watched as Trent dropped a kiss on Angie’s lips.

“They are so totally sleeping together,” Jennifer remarked a moment later.

Amanda frowned and studied her brother and Angela a moment before answering. “You think so?”

“Totally, it’s obvious.”

Amanda noted the way they looked at each other and how completely comfortable they were with each other. Jennifer might be right, she conceded.

“Dad’ll flip if she ends up pregnant,” Amanda predicted.

“Your dad’d flip? Have you met her father?” Jennifer waited expectantly for an answer.

“No.”

“He’s scary.”

“So’s mine when he’s riled. I’m going to move around a little,” Amanda stood and straightened her skirt. “I’ll see you around.”

“Sure,” Jennifer smiled as two of her friends rejoined her. Amanda moved back toward her brother’s table. She was stopped by an arm dropping onto her shoulder with enough force to make her stagger.

“You go to my scwhool, right?” a voice slurred in her ear.

Amanda looked up to find Jeff Jenkins grinning at her. He was cute, she had to admit, and she was flattered that he had taken notice of her; the raunchy breath she could do without.

“Right,” she felt a timid smile tilt her lips.

“Thought so,” swaying a little with the motion, he nodded.

Okay, so his being totally inebriated ruined his good looks, she decided.

“I know who you are!” Jeff suddenly looked inordinately pleased with his self. “You’re Trent’s little sister. You grew up,” his gaze swept down her body making her suddenly self-conscious. “You grew up nice,” Jeff’s smile widened as he tightened his arm around her neck to pull her closer until she was pressed against him. Amanda tried to gently extricate herself.

“What’s the rush, sweetheart,” Jeff’s face was now in hers.

“I’m hungry and I think my food’s arrived,” Amanda pushed against his chest.

“I’m hungry too,” he shared as he dropped his face to her neck to nuzzle her.

Amanda, her heart starting to pound, raised her shoulder and pushed harder against Jeff’s chest. She had never felt physically threatened like this before, not in this way.

“Get your hands off my sister, Jeff,” Trent barked sharply from behind them.

“Trent! How are you? You know your sister is all grown up,” Jeff smiled at Trent as though he wasn’t threatening Jeff’s physical wellbeing.

“I said get your hands off my sister.”

“Maybe your sister likes it,” Jeff’s arms slid lower around Amanda’s waist.

Amanda pushed against him again to no avail.

“I am telling you one more time and then I start talking with my fist. Get your damn hands off my sister.”

“You’re gonna make me?”

“He is and I’m going to help him,” Cade had come to stand behind Trent; he crossed his arms across his chest.

“You want a fight?” Jeff shoved Amanda away from him and Amanda stumbled backward; she was aware of her brother’s quick movement past her. Amanda found herself encircled in strong arms again, these supporting her just as she expected to fall.

“You okay, Manny?”

Amanda blinked up into Cade’s blue eyes and grimaced.

“Manny?” Cade frowned at her. “You are shaking all over, come on,” Cade led her to a nearby table and seated her on the bench. Angela dropped down beside Amanda and wrapped an arm around her. Amanda’s gaze sought her brother to find him pinning Jeff to a post.

“And if you ever lay a hand on my sister again I will tear your ass up Jenkins; you hear me?”

Blood trickled from the corner of Jeff’s mouth as he glared at Trent and nodded. Trent released Jeff and stalked to where Amanda sat on the bench, her arms wrapped around her middle.

“You okay, Mandy?” Trent demanded; Amanda nodded as she stood. Trent took her arm and led her back to their table.

“What were you thinking, Mandy? He might be good looking but he’s not a nice guy,” Trent growled as he sat down across from his sister.

“I didn’t invite his attention, Trent!” Amanda stared at her brother with wide eyes. How could he think this was her fault?

“Jeff waylaid her; I saw the whole thing, Trent,” Cade spoke up.

“Well, stay away from him and the entire breed like him,” Trent was still glowering at Amanda.

“Hey ease up on her, Trent, I don’t think she enjoyed that any more than you did,” Angela chastised.

Amanda dropped her gaze as she felt tears sting her eyes, her brother’s anger at her hurt. The waitress arrived and Amanda used the other’s distraction to wipe the tears from her eyes.

“Mandy, you’re food!” Trent snapped. Amanda jumped and refused to look at her brother as she reached for her meal. “Are you crying?”

“That jerk scared the hell out of your sister and you’re treating her as though she is somehow at fault; you’re being an ass, Trent,” Cade bit off the words.

Amanda’s gaze jerked up as she watched wide eyed for her brother’s reaction. Her brother was enough like Sterling Jennings that few crossed him when he was angry.

“I’m sorry, Mandy, when I saw Jeff pawing at you like that I snapped,” Trent admitted, “why did you smile at him like that?”

“I was just being nice; I didn’t want him to try…” Amanda stumbled for the words to explain how her innocent pleasure at being noticed had turned so sour.

“Any girl would be flattered to have the star of the football team notice her, Trent. The smile she gave him was hardly an invitation for what followed,” Angela came to her defense. “Only a guy like Jeff Jenkins would take it as one.”

“That…outfit isn’t helping any,” Trent pointed out sullenly.

“What? There is nothing wrong with her outfit!” Angela protested.

“It’s okay, Trent,” Amanda quickly assured her brother; she wanted to bring the argument to an end.

“No, it isn’t, Manny, your brother is being unreasonable,” Cade argued.

“Don’t you butt in on this! I saw you look her over at the house when she came out!”

“She looks nice; I noticed. When I start whisking her away to be alone with her you can start throwing accusations my way but not until. Good grief, Trent, what are you going to do follow her around and beat up every man who looks her way or has the nerve to talk to her?” Cade demanded of his friend.

Amanda glanced between the two men who sat glowering at each other and occasionally to Angela who suddenly looked amused. Amanda watched her brother’s shoulders relax a moment before a smile broke over his face and Amanda felt her insides unknot.

“You’re right, I’m being an unreasonable jerk,” her brother acknowledged before turning to Amanda, “I’m sorry, Mandy.”

“It’s okay,” she assured him with a relieved smile.

“Can we eat now?” Angela demanded.

“Best idea I’ve heard all night,” Cade acknowledged before picking up his burger and taking a bite.