Heartbreak Town (COMPLETED)

Chapter Six

     "Here, let me take that for you." Swayde said to Renne. He took the heavy suitcase out of Renne's hand and began waking towards the house. Renne pushed her purse and duffle bag further up her arm as she took a deep breath and followed Swayde up the front porch steps.

    Just as Renne was about to step inside the house, her cell phone rang. Reaching into her pocket, Renne pulled out her phone. It was Matt. Retreating from the front door, Renne apologized to Swayde, "I have to take this." Swayde nodded his understanding and let the screen door slam as he turned and walked further into the house. Renne dropped her bags on the porch and took a seat on the porch swing. It squeaked under her weight. "Hey, Matt." Renne answered her phone.

     "Hey, you get to Alpine Ridge okay?" Matt asked. His voice came across the receiver staticky.

     Renne pressed her cell phone tighter against her ear in an attempt to better hear Matt. "I did. Thank you. Sorry for not callin' you right away, I ran into Swa-" Renne stopped herself. Matt didn't know about Swayde and she hoped to keep it that way. "Sawyer." Renne said quickly, hoping Matt wouldn't pick up on her mistake.

     "Sawyer?" Matt asked.

     "Yeah, he's the...he's my grandparent's dog." Renne lied. Sure, they had had a dog here at the ranch, but his name was Buster, and Renne hadn't seen him since she got here.

     "Oh, I see. You stood me up for a dog? Glad to know where I stand." Matt teased.

     Renne chuckled. Leaning back on the porch swing, Renne looked out at the view of the ranch land. Mountains filled up the background; green grass and few trees were in front of the mountain range all under a bright blue sky, sprinkled with fluffy white clouds. Cows and a few horses dotted the pastures. She had forgotten how beautiful it was here in Wyoming. Hopefully once she got settled here she could take some pictures. It was something that she loved to do. The walls in her ranch office and house back in Montana were covered with pictures of the "big sky country" scenery in Montana and various pictures of her clients and animals. Renne found out how much she loved photography when her grandma gave her a camera that used to belong to Renne's mom. Never have taken any photography classes, Renne taught herself everything she knows about taking pictures.

      Matt's voice drew Renne out of her thoughts. "You know I miss you, right?"
    
       Renne closed her eyes and leaned her ear tighter against her phone, trying to imagine Matt was right here next to her. "I know. I miss you too."
Matt drew in a breath. "How is your sister doin'?" He asked, changing the subject.

      "I don't know. I guess she is at the hospital with my grandparents right now. I'm assuming the kids are at a babysitters." Renne replied, opening her eyes. Matt's end of the line was still staticky. Typical for Alpine Ridge to not have good cell service.

       "So you're there alone?" Matt asked.

       Renne looked over her shoulder and back to the house. She knew that Swayde was in there somewhere, probably listening to her conversation. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, there's no one else here." Renne tried sounding convincing.

       "Okay. Well, unfortunately my girlfriend left me a very long to-do list, so I'm goin' to let you go get settled in and such so I can get back to work. I just wanted to make sure you got there safe. I'll call you later."

         "Okay. Bye, Matt." Renne said and hung up. Taking a deep breath, Renne stood up off the porch swing, grabbed her bags, and headed inside the house.

       Renne stopped in the doorway to take in the house. Nothing had changed. Taking a deep breath, Renne smiled at the fact that it even smelled the same in the house- like fresh mountain air, and homemade apple pie. At the sound of the wooden screen door slamming shut, Swayde entered the foyer from the kitchen.
"I was just makin' some coffee. Would you like a cup?" Swayde asked, throwing his thumb backwards to the kitchen.
  
      A small smile crept onto Renne's face. "You, making coffee? Last I can remember, you were notorious for burning coffee."