Caramel | Rip Wheeler

Caramel - Chapter Ten

Ten years later and it never happened again.

Maria often wondered what her life would be like if she had pursued Rip. But after her miscarriage and finding out Kayce was having a little boy and that little boy being born. She decided to dedicate her life to the ranch and being there for John. She treated everybody like family and that's all it could ever be anymore.

"I'm gon' teach you a little thing or two." Maria blew into her closed fist, shaking the dice side to side. She tossed them in front of the group of men, everybody looked at the pair one: was a five and the other was two. "Yeah motherfuckers!" She jumped up, almost spilling her beer. "Pay up, bitches." She opened her hand.

"This little girls gonna leave me broke." Floyd huffed, handing her his bet and walked away with a shake of his head.

She continued to dance with her hand open, tipping her hat each time someone out money in her hand. "It's going in y'all's part of my will, promise." She kissed Teeter's nose as she handed her a twenty dollar bill. "I love you."

She turned around, her heart jumping as she ran into a large, hard body. "Oh shit." She chuckled in her drunken state. "What's the damage, big daddy?" Her hat became lopsided with the impact, causing a blushy smirk to form on his lips.

He shook his head, fixing his coat before he fixed her hat with two fingers and sighed. "What did I tell you about being in the bunkhouse?"

"Nothing I cared to remember." She raised her beer, shaking her hips as she ran a hand down his chest in a little dance move.

"She's just having a little fun." Teeter defended, leaning on the edge of the table. "She likes us."

She pointed at Teeter in agreement, blowing her a sloppy kiss with the palm of her hand. Her smile dropped quickly as Beth waltzed into the bunkhouse, leaving the front door open behind her. It seemed as if they had just gotten back to the ranch together. She hadn't seen her in years, which was pleasant enough to say the least.

"Maria." Beth stated, pursing her lips. "Looking as trashy as ever."

"Bethany." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Haven't seen you in a while. How was rehab?"

"Did the pothead just tell me I need rehab?" She looked at Rip and he shook his head, shushing her.

"Oh, come on. Loosen up, we can fuck if you want to." She licked her lips, nodding at her. "I know you want to."

"And catch all fourteen diseases you have?" She chuckled. "No thanks."

"Rip didn't mind. Did you Rip?"

Everybody now had their attention on Rip and he cleared his throat, scratching his beard nervously. In attempt to hide his continues blush, he changed the subject. "All of you idiots spent the whole night partying, now it's time for work. Shower and dress up. I don't want to hear any complaining that you're tired."

Maria rolled her eyes, walking pass Rip and stopping in front of Beth as she took a swig of her beer. "I wouldn't touch your man with a gloved hand holding a ten foot pole." She eyed her, then eyed Rip. "Not my type. Yours definitely though." She shrugged a shoulder, winking at her as she exited.

For the past twelve years that woman has known exactly how to get under her skin. Although, Beth had been gone for most of it, only coming back every once and while, this was one of those times. She had been here for a week and was trying to make Maria's life miserable. Call it jealousy, or just pure hatred, neither of them knew why they couldn't stand each other.