Big Sky Dreams

Burke - Chapter 10

It had been two weeks since the dinner over at Vivian's house, and it was driving Burke mad.  He missed the easy flow of conversation.  He missed how the kids had just accepted him being there.  He missed the way Vivian's hair shone under the light.  He missed how she smelled.

And yet, despite all that, he couldn't bring himself to contact her.

Each day he went about his business, making sure all the chores were done, fixing things that needed to be fixed, preparing for spring and summer.  Things had dried out, and while the last frost had hit just a few days ago, frozen nights were just a memory now as daytime temperatures lingered in the 60's and low 70's.

Burke tried to fall back into his routine, but it seemed empty now.  The solitude no longer a blessing and a comfort.  So, when Hunter texted him about poker night, Burke said he would be there.

***

Calling it poker night was a bit misleading.  Sure, they had played a few rounds, which Burke hadn't done too badly at.  But once the beer was flowing and the food was on the table, the cards were all but forgotten as Hunter, Pete, and Kellen began to gossip like old biddies.

"Dude, I am telling you guys, this girl is hot!" Kellen was regaling the group with a hookup he had met at the bar the weekend before.  "Long blond hair, legs for days, tight body.  What wasn't to like?"

"Nah, man, I'm getting too old for that shit.  I left that behind in my college days." Pete was giving Kellen a hard time, but Burke could tell he was a little bit jealous.  "I'm tired of random hookups.  Sure, they scratch an itch, but nowadays I'm worried about waking up with an itch I shouldn't scratch, if you know what I mean.  I want a real woman who can put up with my bullshit."  Pete finished off his beer and reached for another one.

"What about the new gal?" Hunter asked.  "The one who bought the property next to Burke.  She's pretty good looking."

"No." The word ripped out of him before Burke had even registered speaking.  The three other men looked at him in astonishment as he shifted uncomfortably under the sudden attention.  Clearing his throat and taking a sip of his lukewarm beer, he shrugged.  "I mean, I think she has been through a lot, wants to be left alone, you know?"

"Dude." Kellen said, speculation glimmering in his eyes.  "Burke knows her."  He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the table.  "You gotta tell us.  What is her story, man.  Word is she remodeled that house basically on her own with two kids underfoot, while running her own business.  Who does that, man?"

Having seen the inside of the house recently, Burke was surprised by the surge of pride when he heard that Vivian had done the work that he had admired so much.  That woman had layers that he wanted to peel back and crawl under.

"Oh yeah, how did the puppy work out?" Hunter asked, as Kellen and Petes eyes flew to him.

"They named him Pax, after the character in a book.  He's working out, last I heard."  Burke desperately wanted the topic to change, but he just didn't know how to steer the conversation somewhere else.

"You got the lady a dog?" Pete asked, astonishment lacing his tone.

Burke shrugged.  "She was asking around about one.  I knew Hunter had a few pups, so I asked him if I could have one.  It was no big deal."  It was a huge deal, especially to him.  But he wasn't about to admit that to anyone at this table.

"So, what I am understanding," Kellen said, "Is that Burke is staking his claim on this mystery woman.  'Nuf said, she's off limits.  At least, until she decides she doesn't want to put up with your broody ass anymore." Kellen grinned as he elbowed Burke in the arm.  Not knowing what to say, Burke grunted and finished off his beer.

The night ended not long after that with all four men calling it.  Pulling up to his dark cabin, Burke sat in his truck staring at it.  It was in good shape, functional, kept him warm in the winter.  But it wasn't a home.  The stark difference between his place and Vivian's made him miss her more.  In such a short time she had taken a run-down old house and giving it a new life.  It was filled with warmth and love, a place anyone would want to come home to.

But until he got up the balls to text her again, he was going to have to suck it up.  Heading inside, he prepared for another lonely night.

***

The sun was warm on his shoulders as Burke drove the ATV along the fence lines.  Not much needed repairs after the mild winter they had had, but he made notes all the same on what needed addressing.  Better to fix small repairs now than to wait for them to become big problems.  It was during one such stop that he realized his phone was ringing.  Taking the time to finish his thoughts before pulling it out of his pocket, he scrambled to answer it when he realized who was calling.

"Vivian?  Is everything alright?"  His heart thumped and his hands grew clammy.

She chuckled breathlessly.  "Yeah, I'm ok."  She paused before taking a deep breath.  "Do you happen to have a horse trailer that I could borrow?  Like now?  That could fit three horses?"