All I See Is You

4. That’s Texas

Chapter four

That’s Texas

Quinn

M y nerves danced through my entire body as I followed the navigation’s instructions, turning into a gorgeous drive lined with weeping willows and green pastures on either side. I hadn’t seen Dad since my graduation almost a month ago. It’s when I’d first met Georgette. She’d been…well, let’s be honest, she was a lot, but Dad seemed to be happy, so that’s all that mattered.

“Holy shit. This is the place they’re renting?” Whit’s voice was full of awe as she gaped out the window. Not gonna lie, I was a bit in awe myself.

We came to a small fork in the road, where one lane branched off toward a fancy barn, a sign by it reading Broken Creek Ranch on it. I followed the main road to the house, all the while, my nerves winding tighter and tighter. Why would Dad rent this place? I mean, I knew they were planning on having the wedding here, but still. I guess you could get away with irresponsible things like this when you were ridiculously wealthy, though. At least, knowing Dad, he’d probably found this place for a steal because of his high profile realtor job.

But something still didn't sit well with me. Something wasn’t right. There were missing pieces. And whatever this gut feeling meant, I doubted I would like it.

I scrolled through my phone and pressed my dad’s contact, the ringing sound all but deafening as it connected to the car’s speakers.

“Queenie! You almost here?” he asked, excitement in his words. I bit back a groan at my little nickname. It was cute when I was, like, ten, but I’d long since outgrown it. I put up with it though, because, well, it was Dad, and Dad got to do things like that.

“We’re actually pulling up now.”

“Great! Just park in the driveway. We’ll be right down.”

I hung up and continued up the path. My breath left me in a whoosh as the tree-covered drive opened up and a massive, I mean massive plantation style house with white wood siding and black accents loomed up before us. The nicely paved dirt path gave way to a flagstone circular driveway with a gargantuan fountain in the middle. A bronze statue of a cowboy and his horse rested in the center of it. A large, at least, six car garage stood off to the right.

“Holy. God,” I whispered.

“Fucks sakes. I mean I know your dad’s loaded…but damn.”

Damn, was right. I mean, I guess he was just renting it for the month, but still, this place had to cost a fortune. I could only imagine how much it would be in California. Definitely a hell of a lot more than what my event planner salary could afford.

This had to be Georgette's idea. Sure we’d always been wealthy, but my dad was never this flashy. Renting a ranch for a month? How the hell did that even make any sense?

I put the car in park and got out.

“Howdy, y’all!” Georgette’s fake twang drew my gaze and I nearly burst out laughing.

Oh, dear God. She looked like cowgirl Barbie in her baby pink corset crop top, a pair of light washed cutoffs that even I would feel self-conscious wearing, and a pair of sparkly pink cowboy boots. Her wide brimmed hat was the same color as her top. I mean, she looked great in it all. She had a hell of a body—tall, willowy build, legs that went on for days, and—I pulled my sunglasses down just a bit—were those abs? Yep…those were abs. Damn. Maybe she and I should start working out together. You know, some step mom daughter bonding. I bit back a snort.

Absolutely not.

I still didn’t really know how to feel about him dating—I mean, marrying, I guess, someone just a few years older than me. But it wasn’t my life.

Speaking of Dad…

I let out a muffled groan at his outfit. “Well, aren’t you just a bonafide cowboy?” I said, urging a horrible attempt at a southern accent into my tone.

He’d traded in his board shorts and flip-flops for Levis and cowboy boots. A light-colored straw cowboy hat and— oh God, is that a bolo tie?

Whit and I exchanged a familiar look. The one that silently asked, Do you see what I see?

I bit back a chuckle as I walked toward the large porch he and Georgette made their way down.

“Hi, Dad,” I said, coming to the bottom step. “Georgette.”

My dad drew me into a tight hug. “Y’all made it!”

I stifled an eye roll. Since when did he say y’all ? It didn’t stop me from hugging him back though as I said, “Thanks for having us.”

He pulled out of my grip just as Georgette slammed into me for a hug. “How many times do I have to tell you, Queenie? Call me Georgie.” She squeezed me tight. “We have been dying to have you here! I can’t wait to go over wedding details with you. It’s gonna be so much fun!”

I drew back and offered her what I hoped passed as an enthusiastic smile. “Yeah.”

It’ll be interesting, to say the least.

I didn’t miss the snort from Whit at my side. She hid it well, though, by saying hi to my dad and then introducing herself to Georgette.

Anxiety battled its way through my veins, rising and gaining in intensity as small talk was made and pleasantries were passed around. It’s not that anything bad was happening. Everything was fine…for the moment. But it just felt fake. Everything about this seemed like it was a dream. Like it wasn’t real.

My dad always had been larger than life, and was a bit of a schmoozer, a charmer, but right now I felt like he was a snake oil salesman about to sell me the next greatest thing . I just…I didn’t like the unease coiling tighter in my chest.

“Well, what’re we waiting for?” my dad asked. “Let’s give you the grand tour!”

Georgette—Georgie—squealed and clapped her hands, more like an excited teenager than a thirty-year-old woman.”Yay! Tour time!”

And this is supposed to be my step mom?

As my dad and Georgie led us up the porch steps, I glanced at Whit, sharing another pointed look with her as I mouthed, “What the fuck?”

She didn’t seem anywhere near as concerned as me, more like highly amused. She just shrugged and snaked my arm through the crook of her elbow. “Come on, Queenie ,” she said cheerily, “Don’t wanna miss the tour!”

F orty-five minutes later and my dad was still showing us around the property. We’d gone through each and every single room of the five bedroom, six bathroom main house, complete with a home movie theater and a gorgeous natural pool and spa—you know, one of those that looks like a pond, but it’s fully functional as a swimming pool—and the eight car garage with a man cave built into it. We’d all gotten into the Gator to drive the ninety-five acre property after that, where Dad and Georgette drove us by two of the three guest houses—not including the third which was used as a bunkhouse for the ranch hands—and finally the main barn.

“ The pretty one. Not the one the ranch hands use.” Georgette’s words.

She’d been right about the pretty part, at least. The barn was massive and beautiful. Flagstone floors, wood and wrought iron accented stalls, there were even chandeliers hanging in even intervals from the ceiling.

“How come there aren’t any horses in here?” Whit asked, speaking up for the first time. She’d been surprisingly quiet since the tour started. Completely unlike her normal, loud opinionated self. But then again, it was hard for anyone to get a word in with Georgette around. Girl loved to talk. Not to mention, even I was a bit overwhelmed by the grandeur of this place.

“Well, once things settle down, Carl and I are gonna get ourselves a couple,” Georgette replied with a grin.

I’d given up calling her Georgie, I just couldn’t.

I pursed my lips, a hint of confusion flickering to life in me. Why would they get horses for this place if they were only renting it for the wedding? Before I could open my mouth and ask though, Georgette leaned into my dad, pressing a hand to his chest. It was an innocent enough gesture, but I hated the unsettling feeling constricting and wrestling in my stomach because of it.

Even though we were technically outside, I had to get some air—or, at the very least, I had to get away from them. I knew I was being dramatic, and probably a bit petty, but I couldn’t help it. I don’t think I’d ever seen Dad hold my mom like that. Touch my mom like that. Joke and laugh and act like a love-drunk fool. Granted, Mom had been sick the last four years before she died.

Every couple was different, though, I guess .

I couldn’t even fathom acting like that in public when I’d been with Devin. He was super against PDA. Said that touching and kissing and holding each other was for us—a special moment for our eyes only. It seemed just as stupid now as it had then, but I’d been afraid to say anything for fear of causing a fight.

Story of my life.

Maybe one day I’d learn to say what I actually felt. What was on my mind. Like how Georgette stroking my dad’s arm up and down the way she was made me want to throw up.

But then that meant potentially disappointing my dad, and I hated that idea even more.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to blow out all of my worries and frustrations. My gaze fixed on the other barn across the way, along with a guest house right beside it. It was close to a big sandy arena.

“Hey, you okay, Quinn?” Whit’s voice rang with concern.

I turned back to find her, my dad, and Georgette making their way out of the barn.

“Is that the barn and bunkhouse for the ranch hands?” I asked, glancing that way once more. I couldn’t look at her and my dad being all lovey-dovey. Maybe this could serve as a distraction.

I didn’t know anything about horses, or ranch hands, or if they were the same as cowboys or different, but all of it sounded intriguing. And if all cowboys were as hot as the one I’d run into…well, maybe spending a month here wouldn’t be absolutely terrible.

“Yeah. There’s what, honey, four of them? Oh no, wait, five with Hux,” Dad said, his gaze following mine to the barn.

Georgette groaned, drawing our attention. “Let’s be honest, we might as well have only four. Hux, well, he’s not much of an asset to this ranch.” She placed a hand around her mouth like she was telling Whit and I a secret. “He’s nice to look at though.”

I frowned. Okay, ew. Was she really talking about how attractive one of their employees was in front of her fiancé? Also what was she talking about—he wasn’t much of an asset? As if sensing the question in my gaze she huffed and went on. “He’s blind, and with that equal rights employment thing, or whatever it’s called, the previous owners felt bad and gave him a job. There’s basically no use for him, but firing him would cause problems.”

I scoffed, literally scoffed at the audacity, the ignorance, and the hatred falling from this woman’s lips. Mom had always advocated for people with special needs and disabilities. We’d spent most of my middle school years volunteering at different events for them. If she heard this woman talking right now…

I glared at her before shifting my withering stare at my dad. “Do you think this about him?”

“Wh–what? No…” Dad’s expression turned apologetic as he fumbled for words. “No, Queenie. You know I don’t think that.”

I huffed. Yet he was going to marry a woman who did.

“Quinn.” My dad’s tone held a desperate note to it. “She didn’t mean it.” He wrapped an arm around Georgette’s waist. “Did you, sweetheart?”

Georgette looked confused, an expression she wore way too well, as she met my dad’s stare. Something silent passed between them, and Georgette nodded slowly. “Right, I’m sorry, Quinn. Sometimes I just put my foot in my mouth, is all. He’s a…good person.”

“Right.” I nodded, the lingering anger in my chest burning like hot coals. I needed to get away from her before I snapped. Up until now, I thought she was a bit obnoxious, but for the most part harmless. But being capable of saying something so awful, and mean… No. I didn’t like those poisonous words. Didn’t like even more how quickly my dad came to her aid.

I didn’t want to start a fight, so I needed to get away.

“Well, uh, should we continue on the tour?” my dad asked, a forced lightness in his voice.

I found myself shaking my head. “Actually, you guys go ahead, I want to walk a bit, explore the grounds. You know, be out in nature.”

A complete lie—this weather was miserable, and I felt like I was wading through a bowl of soup, but I couldn’t be around them right now.

My dad frowned, his dark brows furrowing beneath his cowboy hat. “You sure, Queenie?”

“I’m sure, Dad.”

“I’ll stay with her,” Whit replied, coming to my side and squeezing my shoulders reassuringly. I knew she sensed my anger. The squeeze was nothing more than a silent, I got you.

Dad’s frown deepened a moment longer before erasing from his face entirely, an easy grin replacing it. “Alright. Dinner’s in an hour.”

“Don’t be late!” Georgette said with a wide grin. “Else you might just miss out on Isidor’s ceviche! It’s to die for!” She flicked her wrist, that stupid ever-present smile bright on her face.

I wanted to punch that smile right off her. But I’d never been a fighter, so I offered her my brightest, fakest smile right back. I’d just kill her with kindness.

I waited until her and my dad retreated to the Gator and drove out of sight before turning to Whit.

“You okay?” she asked, her pretty face a mask of concern.

I nodded.

“Are we really going to explore in this god awful heat?” she groaned.

I chuckled. “No.” Even I couldn’t stoop to that level of petty just to avoid Georgette.

“Then what are we gonna do?”

Maybe it was the way Georgette seemed to talk down about the blind ranch hand, but something made me want to go introduce myself. “I want to go meet the ranch hands.”

And before Whit could offer up a question or protest, I started marching for the house beside the barn.

W hit came to a stop a step or so behind me as I rapped my knuckles against the door to the bunkhouse in quick succession. “I wonder if any of them are hot,” she mused.

The door swung inward and my heart stopped.

The cowboy from the grocery store.

“Hello?” he said, leaning a tan, tattooed, muscular arm against the door frame while holding onto the knob with the other hand. His hat was off, but it didn’t take away from how drop-dead gorgeous he was.

I opened my mouth, but for the second time today, I struggled to find words.

“Look, I know you’re there, what’dya want?”

My eyes widened, a gasp escaping me. I realized he wasn’t looking directly at Whit and I, but between us. I just didn’t notice at first because his glasses hid his eyes.

“Oh—oh my God. You’re him…the um, well, you’re the blind cowboy.” I couldn’t stop the words that bubbled up my throat and fell from my lips. Oh my God. Talk about word vomit .

This was the guy Dad and Georgette had been talking about.

Something hardened on his face, a muscle in his jaw clenching. “Jesus fucking Christ,” he huffed, moving to close the door.

Oh my God. No. Why had I just blurted that out? “No. Wait!”

And even though it was completely indecent of me, I reached out and placed a hand on his holding the door. “Wait. Please. I’m sorry. That was completely horrible of me. I just… I was taken aback. I ran into you in the grocery store earlier.”

The harsh look on his face softened, and his head cocked to the side. He inhaled deeply, and a look of…surprise washed over him. “You’re the girl who was singin’.”