Carter Brothers: One Shots

Rachel & Zach: The Start of A Grand Adventure

Rachel and Zach: The Start of a Grand Adventure

He wears that same easy smile but this time it's not directed at her.

Rachel watches with the seedling of jealousy blossoming in her as he flashes that dangerous grin to Mrs.Erkel, who although has 3 grandchildren, blushes from the attention. She has no right to feel this way, she knows. He'd said he would be blowing through the town once or twice a month and she hadn't exactly planned on it leading anywhere. But...plans don't always work out. That one searing kiss after a late night at the bar is still imprinted in her mind. Despite being 'soul-mates' they'd both agreed the time isn't right. They've each got their own lives to sort out first and when the stars do align, they would settle down but that doesn't help the uneasy feeling coursing through Rachel's veins.

It seems subconsciously she's already claimed property of him and him strutting around the town fair making women giggle is gyrating on her nerves.
He has all this damn time to poke around the jam stalls and dunk a few willing volunteers but he can't even come and see her! Asshole.

Zach glances over to Rachel's stall, confusion flittering across his features as he catches the glare she throws at him. Of course, he'd spotted her a little while after arriving but he knows that if he goes over, he wouldn't be leaving and that would mean missing out on everything else. So, he'd taken the chance to first look around which turned out to take longer than he'd anticipated. The small town had readily welcomed him despite being a near stranger who occasionally stops by. After hearing about Ida's grandchildren, he heads straight for the stall with the prettiest woman he knows.

"Hey."

Rachel glances up to be met with that all American handsome face. God! He could be a model for those patriarchy posters.
"Hi," she stiffly replies, an awkwardness setting in.
She wants to be mad at him, but has no right to be.
"Think we can talk for a bit?" he asks lowly.
Rachel's heart skips a beat at the intensity in his expression. Thankfully, there's a customer behind him wanting to buy a peach pie, giving Rachel the perfect excuse to dismiss him.
"Hm...Sure, after the fair though."
He nods, "I'll catch you then."

Giving the customer their change, Rachel lets out a soft sigh as she glances at her watch and sees she only has about another 2 hours to sort her jumbled feelings out.

Austin folds the make-shift table leaving Rachel with nothing else to do. She anxiously watches as Zach draws closer, his tall build sauntering up to her in the soft glow of the evening sun.
"Almost done?" he asks.
She rises to her feet, dusting down the pink floral skirt of her summer dress before nodding and tightening her ponytail.
"Yep, let me just say bye to Austin."

"Austin," she calls.
He glances behind her shoulder to Zach, the friendliness from his eyes slipping into concern. To say he's not a big fan of the Carter man is an understatement. Despite her protests and denial, Austin still holds the suspicion that Rachel and Zach are more than just platonic friends. But those are just dark fantasies Rachel has to keep herself warm at night. In practice it's far too dangerous to her heart to allow such a connection when it wouldn't be there for months on end.
"We're just going to talk," she says before he can get a word in.

It placates him a little but not much, "okay, but don't do anything reckless, Rach. That's not you and you know he won't...he won't stick around."
"I'm going to talk to him, Austin. Not exchange vows. It'll be fine, you're such a big brother sometimes," she casually states with a roll of her eyes.
She may have slipped in the lie about it everything being fine but it's not something Austin should be concerning himself with. Not when he worries so much over other things he shouldn't be. Like her parents, and her rent and making sure she has food in her cupboards to survive on.
The big lug gives her a teasing shove before allowing her dismissal.



Zach is patient for her return and when she does they take a small stroll around the park, finding an empty bench on a quiet path.

"So..." she starts smoothing out her dress and awaiting whatever it is he has to say.
"How are you?" he begins.
"Good."
"And your parents?"
Her smile strains at that question. She hasn't told him about any of that yet. Actually they haven't talked about anything other than the superficial things.
"Fine."
"Are you...are you mad at me for some reason? Have I done something to-"