Ever

Chapter 1

Cruising down Fern Road with Tim McGraw's One of Those Nights playing through the speakers I wondered about Blake. Strands of my hair blew in the wind. I pushed them out of my face and tucked them behind my ear. Does he care? I told him in my texts that I wasn't the kind of girl who flirted with guys who didn't care, but it's hard to tell if they care if they don't give you any indications.

My phone vibrated twice on the passenger seat jarring me from my thoughts. Who could need me now?

The road was nearly desolate except the occasional car on the opposite side. That's the beauty of driving at night in the rural mountains of New York.

I grew up in the suburbs of New Jersey. I hated almost every part of life there. Everybody was a jerk and nobody understood me. I was a good student and never had an issue with grade. It was other things. Guys were scared of me and I kind of liked it that way. I seemed tougher than them. I lived in cowboy boots and had my lip pierce since I was 13. At one point I had to cut off all my hair so the doctors could operate after I fell off the stallion. I kept it short to show of my scar. Girls were a bunch of assholes. They thought they could mess with me. I showed the head cheerleader she was a bitch and she shouldn't ever talk about me again unless she wanted another broken nose.

I found comfort in horses and other animals so at 16 I took off, leaving home to live with my aunt and two cousins. This year I graduate. I had taken all advanced classes so I have credits when I got to Cornell.

My phone vibrated again in the seat. This time I picked up and saw it was Blake.

WHERE R U???????

I responded: DRIVING HOME Y?

Blake: HOW LONG

Me: Y

Blake: HOW LONG!

Me:5 MIN

Blake: K HURRY UP..

I was shocked. Not only was he looking for me but that might have been the longest conversation I've ever had with him over text. I continued home with the stereo blaring country hits and poured all my adrenaline into singing.

When I got to the house, sure enough, there was Blake sitting on the tailgate of his pickup. Good lord he was hot. He was everything a girl could dream about. His body built so perfectly. His heavenly tan and his Tennessee southern drawl is something I fortunately had gotten to hear often before left for college.

"Hey pretty girl." He purred.

"They don't know your here do they?" I nodded towards the house knowing they didn't. Grant was at football practice and Jaime was either out with her friends or tending to the horses.

Then I realized she wouldn't have tending to the horses because I told Aunt Rene I'd take care of them so she could go out with some old college friends.

"So Blake what are you doing here if you don't mind my asking"

What I didn't mention before was I love it how the moon and the stars shines so bright it's almost unearthly.

Blake smiled cunningly and his eyes lit up. "I thought you would never ask. You are coming with me so get in"

Ha he was funny and crazy if he really thought I would fall for that. "Maybe but I gotta feed the babies"

"Great! I'll help! You didn't actually think you could get rid of me right.... Silly girl."

Damn. Honestly, yes. I was almost hoping he would leave. I mean he is smokin' hot but I can't take his reputation and we've just been friends for years. As cute as he was, I was always enjoyed watching him work on cars or ride his horse.

It was the summer after my fourth grade year. I spent the summer at the ranch and Blake was one of Grants best friends. Grant would take him down to one of the pasture to build a fort while I got mad at him. My tomboy persona said to march down there and demand to help but I didn't. I never went down for a couple reasons.

One: I always felt like they left because they were tired of me and annoyed.

Two: There was another guy. Tyler rode at the barn. He always was asking to ride Bo my horse and I secretly watch through the window of a stall. He loved Bo as much as I love the big beast.

Tyler had sandy blond hair and brown eyes with light streaks through them. Ty was always kind to me, hell, maybe affectionate. He was the one who found me after the damn stallion threw me. I remember how easily he lifted my limp body off the ground and sat me on Casper then mounted. We rode back to the barn then he carried me to his truck while calling my aunt to meet us in the ER. One year he took me to the county fair. We went on a date if you ask me. Ty won me a huge stuffed animal and we kissed on the Ferris wheel.

I headed towards the barn to get the quad. I threw a bale of hay on the front and one on the back. Before I could turn the key I had a hand stop me, "Damn it Blake what do you want from me?"

"I told you I want you to come with me," His face was serious but his eyes were hinting to something. I just couldn't understand what it was.

"Blake. I don't think I want to go with you," suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and on edge, "tell me where we'd be going."

He looked at his feet ashamed and dragged his boot on the asphalt. "Kel baby you know I've changed..."

"What?" I screamed, "What the hell are you talking about? Who are you trying to pull one over on? Just last Tuesday you took Hannah to the wheat field. No. Now let go of my hand. They're hungry."

He reluctantly pulled his hand away frowning from mine and I started the quad. I put one knee on the seat for support and pulled forward. Unlatching the gate, I continued into the pasture, my head spinning from what just happened.

I finished haying the herds when I decided I need to calm down. I tucked the quad up under a low lying branch. I took the spare rope from the back and walked a few yards to my horse, Blossom.

At a girl shhh nice and easy ok?

Like that we took off galloping through the fields with just a rope bridle in the middle of the night.