Strawberry Wine ✓

Chapter 3

It was a week later and I was once again being forced to go to some society party with mother. My hair was all done up and I had on one of the nicest dresses she had made for me. "Stop your slouching Dallas. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"I'm sorry Mother." I say as we stand on the front porch, waiting for the car to be brought around. I see Jimmy walk out of the barn and I wave a little at him. He smiles and waves back.

"Dallas we really must be going. You'll see the stable boy later." She says before walking down to the car. He looks down, embarrassed and when he looks back up I smile apologetically at him.

"Mother, give me one moment. I promised Daddy I would check on the mares before we left."

"If you must. Don't go ruining your dress now." She says from the driver's seat.

"I won't." I promise before I run towards the barn, motioning subtly for Jimmy to follow me. We get inside the barn and I drag him into the tack room. "Please don't pay any mind to what my mother says." I say. "She's like this with everyone."

"It's fine Dallas. I know I'm just a stable boy."

"That doesn't give her the right to talk about you like that. As if you aren't a person." I sigh. "Hey, wanna do something that could get us both in trouble tonight?"

He looks up and smiles. "Whatcha got in mind?"

"There's a spot up the river. It's still on our land but my granddaddy used to use it for a hunting cabin. Daddy doesn't use it anymore but still has it up-kept. We could go out there and talk. I don't want you thinking we're all like Mother."

"Sure." He says. "And the mares are all fine. For when your mama asks." I smile and place a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you Jimmy." I say before running out of the barn.

"Dallas, a lady never runs. She hastens." Mother says before we turn and head up the drive to the main road.

...

Later that night, after Mother had gone to bed, I change into my jeans and a flannel, tying my hair up on the top of my head, before softly sneaking downstairs to the back door. "Dallas, you know you're not suppose to leave the house after dark." Daddy's voice comes in from the study.

I sigh. "I'm just going for a ride." I say.

"And who will be joining you on said ride?"

"Daddy, don't. Please." I beg. "There's nothing wrong with him."

"I'm not saying that. I'm just saying don't get caught."

My eyes go wide. "Daddy?"

"I was young once too. And you're an adult now, regardless of what your mother might think." He says before shooing me away. I run out, past the barn to the stable hands' quarters. I knock quickly and silently on his door.

"I thought you weren't comin'." He says, grabbing his jacket and pulling his boots on.

"I got held up. Daddy was waiting for me, like he knew."

"You're not gonna get in trouble are you?"

"No, let's just go before Mother hears." We run to the barn and saddle up our horses, taking off before anyone in the main house is any the wiser.

"So did your love of horses start because this is what your family does or just because you love horses?" He asks as we ride along the northern fence line. The moon is bright and full and casting an ethereal glow across the pasture, bathing us in romantic light.

"It was probably a bit of both. I've been around horses my whole life, literally. My family was here for the summer when my mother gave birth to me. But over time I developed my own love for them."

"So your birthday is coming up then?"

"Yeah, June 19th."

"That's in a few days. You excited?"

"I guess. Nineteen isn't that exciting."

"So your family doesn't make a big deal about birthdays?"

"Oh they do. Just not exactly something my style. Fancy party, fancy dresses. People that I don't particularly like come to grovel at my parents' feet. Not really my idea of a great night. Although I have managed to secure your invitation to such a lively event."

"Oh I don't need that."

"Yes you do. You're my friend, or at least I thought you were. If I have to suffer through it, I'd much rather have a friend there."

He laughs causing the crickets to stop chirping. "Well, if you insist. I guess I'll be there then."

"Thank you." We pass the next several minutes in comfortable silence, just before the cabin rises up over the last hill. "There it is."

"I thought you said it was a cabin." He says, taking in the grandeur.

"I'm just repeating the words I've been told my whole life." I say with a roll of my eyes. "The Rhodes don't do anything half-assed, not even a hunting cabin that was more for show than anything." He gives me a questioning look. "For living in Tennessee my family isn't big on the hunting. Says if we're not going to eat it, which we wouldn't, there isn't a point."

We dismount in front of it and I guide him up the stairs. "Don't judge me based off of my family's decisions." I beg as we step inside and I dig out the book of matches from the dry sink and started lighting the candles in the wall sconces.

"And I thought it was massive on the outside." Johnny says as I light the lantern so I can show him around.

"5 bedrooms, 4 washrooms and a little room off to the side here for all the high society ladies to powder their noses and admire the sticks that are up each others' asses." This caused him to let out a deep laugh that had me joining in. I liked when he laughed. Laughing completely changed his features, made him look more his age and less like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Now if you want, I'm almost positive there's a deck of cards in one of these drawers here. I'm sure we can figure out a game we can both play and talk." I say with a smile. And we do. We play rummy until the early hours of the morning before I crash on the table and Jimmy carries me to the couch. I snuggle into his chest, not thinking or caring about the hell that there will be to pay tomorrow morning.