“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t blow a hole through you right now, Riley!” William demanded.
His face quickly turned an angry shade of red, and his chest rose and fell quickly. Riley was going to give him a heart attack, and then Riley would be my boss. That would be the day I quit.
“I am your son,” Riley slurred.
“No, you aren’t. No son of mine would drink and drive, knowing that his own uncle is in the ground for that very same thing.”
I held back a gasp. William still hadn’t seen me yet, and I didn’t want to be sent away from this show. I deserved a front row ticket to this. Riley did the one thing William and I would not be able to forgive. He for his brother, me for my parents.
William still had not lowered the shotgun. William’s words must have wounded Riley, because hurt crossed his face. His own chest rose and fell quickly. He looked like the eight-year-old boy whose dog was hit by a car. The same dog the farmhand’s daughter couldn’t help him save. God, I hated thinking of that day, of that little boy and his dog. I hated thinking of the path that day put us both on. He became an asshole, and I became a recluse with no self-esteem.
“No son of mine would disrespect me enough to do something like this. I will speak with my attorneys tomorrow about my will. I no longer have a son,” William said with defeat. His arms were shaking, either from having to aim his shotgun at his son or from the fear of what his son could have done to himself or someone else tonight.
I knew Riley had been dancing on William’s last nerve for a while, but I never expected it to end with a statement like that. That was brutal. I actually felt for Riley, but barely. I was just as angry and hurt about the drunk driving. It was another reason to hate Riley; he was insensitive to the feelings of others. He was incapable of understanding that actions had consequences, even drunk ones.
My parents were gone because of decisions like that. Riley’s uncle was gone because of the same actions.
I must have drawn attention to myself standing off to the side in the darkness.
William looked at me sadly, with some sympathy. “It’s okay, Emma. I have this handled. You can go back to bed. Take an extra hour to sleep in for the disruption. Riley will be happy to do your morning chores,” William said to me. He still had not lowered the shotgun from Riley’s chest. His arms shook less, though.
“Yeah, get bent, Emma,” Riley said, still slurring his words. He had only focused on the first words William had spoken. He didn’t realize my dismissal came out of respect from his father. I must have been wearing my heart on my sleeve. I touched my face with my hands, and sure enough, there were tears. This drunk driving issue was hitting too close to home.
William took a step closer to Riley and put the barrel of the shotgun on Riley’s chest.
“Do not disrespect her in front of me again. You should be following her lead. She grew up, and you stayed the same spoiled brat you were when you were five. I would trust her with this farm well before I would ever trust you. I will remember that when I meet with my lawyers.”
Oh shit. Did that imply what I thought it did?
Riley’s glare turned angrily in my direction, but he didn’t dare say anything else. He left his truck where it was, wrapped around a fence post. He didn’t bother shutting the door before he half walked, half stumbled through the front lawn and into the mansion. The front door slammed after he entered the house.
“Good night, Emma,” William said, dismissing me as he shut the truck door.
“Good night, William.”
Holy shit, Riley had finally done it. He broke the last straw, and he was in for the consequences. Maybe this time I would pop some popcorn and watch the show. Riley was the playboy, like Hugh Hefner before him, but now he could lose his mansion.He’d have no place to bring his bunnies to.
Six
The next day, you could have cut the tension on the farm with a knife. Riley’s truck had been moved to a covered garage on the property. Riley was spotted wearing a polo shirt and slacks with dress shoes. His hair had been combed over and gelled. His looks now matched his personality, douchey. At least in his flannel, jeans, and boots he looked hot. He was a jerk, but a hot one.
Riley avoided looking in my direction when he and his father stood outside to greet the attorney that was willing to make a house call. I knew he could feel my eyes on him. We always seemed to know when we captured the other’s attention. I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
Riley was finally getting what was coming to him. I would give almost anything to be a fly on the wall in that meeting.Would he be removed from his father’s will, or was this just a stunt to scare him straight? I almost hoped it’s the first, but I thought that would actually destroy him. As a kid, he talked about what he would do once he took over this place. I didn’t think his plans had changed all that much over the years, just his immediate priorities. Losing this place might be what reformed him or totally destroyed him. My bet was on the latter.
My chores had been done this morning, although very poorly, when I woke up. I spent my extra time sipping a coffee at the tiny table and chair that took up residence in front of my trailer. I was being nosey and waited for any hint of a show. I noisily ate a bowl of cereal, enjoying the sunshine and family drama.
Three hours later, while I was warming up a horse for a boarder, I saw the attorney exit, shake both Riley and William’s hands, and then get into his Escalade. He drove slowly out the driveway, and I could feel his eyes linger on me.
It sent a shiver up my spine. I never liked attorneys, especially the one that handled my parents’ estate. That attorney hadlooked at me like he was having thoughts he shouldn’t about a client, and I was still a minor. I hoped he was far away from here now.
Riley walked back into the house without even glancing my way. Did William really break him? Did last night really break the wild Rodeo Romeo? I couldn’t wait to find out. I sensed some gloating in my future.
??
It had been two days since the lawyer paid a visit to the farm, and all had been quiet. I could get used to it. This was how life on a horse farm was supposed to be.There were no late-night truck stereos bumping or random hoes screaming out windows. I slept peacefully though the night, both nights.
My nose was in a textbook, and I was halfway through my bottle of wine when there was a knock on my door. I would rather do anything then read the chemistry book, which was why I drank while I was reading.
