“You don’t even know him.”
“I know what you’ve told me about him, which is next to nothing. So he must not be good enough for you.”
“I’m in high school. Who I date doesn’t matter,” Maizie fired back.
“You’re graduating in a month. You’re going to have to grow up sometime.”
“Excuse me?” Maizie propped a hand on her hip. “I’m mature for my age.”
Christian couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his lips. Her pouty lips were far from mature.
She turned on him. “You got something to say, city boy?”
He smirked. “Nah. I’m content.”
Her eyes slanted until they were two black lines.
“Whatever. See you later.” She snatched her keys from the counter and slammed the front door behind her.
Christian watched out the window as she sauntered to her truck; a truck so old it was a classic now. His ex-girlfriend wouldn’t be caught dead in a truck like that. But there was something different about Maizie. If he’d known what was under all the manure, he would have taken her hand.
“Dude. Stop staring.” Jayce nudged his arm.
“I wasn’t,” he lied, reexamining the board.
What color am I?
“She’s my cousin. Therefore off-limits,” Jayce whispered softly enough that the other boys couldn’t hear.
“Got it.” Christian gave him a pointed look. He wasn’t an idiot.
He rolled the dice and made his move on the board.
“No!” Mason, the younger of the two boys, wailed when Christian knocked him off the board.
“Sorry, bud,” Christian said.
His eyes caught hold of the pictures on the wall behind Mitchell’s head. One was of Maizie in a dance costume. Her body was twisted and contorted in a mysterious yet beautiful way. Another was of her and maybe Mitchell. Both of their heads were thrown back in laughter.
The girl in the picture seemed content with herself, and there was something so intriguing in those eyes of hers. Something strong and overconfident, like she had been hurt one too many times to pretend anything but stubbornness. From her boots to the truck she drove, she was something else.
“You’re doing it again,” Jayce said.
Christian cleared his throat and looked away. He didn’t need more than one warning. He wasn’t here to find a girlfriend. “Aren’t we going to go hunting?”
“You’re going hunting? Can we come?” Mason perked up.
“Sure. Let’s go.” Jayce led the way back out of the kitchen, and Christian ventured one last look at the beauty in the photograph. She looked like a girl capable of chewing him up and spitting him out. Similar to his last girlfriend. And she was younger than him. She was definitely off-limits.
Four
“Doughnuts for breakfast?” Christian raised his eyebrows at Jayce.
“Yeah, isn’t it the best? Grandma makes them whenever her grandkids visit.” Jayce said, shoving half of one into his mouth.
Christian’s mom had never made doughnuts. She was gluten-intolerant, and so was his sister. The food they ate was healthy and far less fattening.
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Jayce’s Grandma came bumbling into the dining room where the boys sat. “Eat up, you are skin and bones.” She set a plate with two doughnuts and a banana in front of Christian. Apparently, the banana made all the difference.
