Stealing the Cowboy's Heart

Chapter 1: Warm Welcome

******Annika

I slumped my bag on the porch of my mom's huge, ancient house that was practically in the middle of no where. The outside was a pearly white while the shudders and the front door were a pine green. Nothing had really changed accept that the garage needed remodeling after a storm nearly ripped a tree out of the dirt it whipped around in the cool breeze until it finally landed on top of my mom's garage. It wasn't unusual for it to be this hot in Brooks Field at the beginning of June, and to be honest it was nothing like it was in Australia. Before I could knock the door flew open and my mother, Alaina, wrapped me in a bone crushing hug. "Hi, momma." I coughed as she released me and dragged me, along with my suitcase, into our huge house. The house was still the same as when I was a little girl, to the left was the opening to the living room, in front of me was a small hall to the kitchen and steps that led to the upstairs, and to the right was a small dining area that connected to the kitchen. In the back was a sun room that looked out into the huge field that held a swimming pool and the fire pit.

"Oh, Annika, I'm so glad you're back." My mother hugged me again and I couldn't help but smile. My mother looked a lot like me with long, curly, black hair and misty blue eyes. I was taller than her 5'0 frame at 5'7 but it didn't stop her from gripping me so tight that I started to see black spots.

"Momma, I can't breath." My mom chuckled as she let me go with a soft smile.

"Sorry, sweety. So, tell me all about Australia." My mom took my hand in hers and led me to the living room where we sat on the couch.

"It was amazing, I went to Sydney on the weekends when I was off of school." I smiled as I remembered the times that I spent with Dawn and Bobby. "I met two people, momma, they're just great. Dawn and Bobby, Dawn went to school with me."

"Well, they sound great." The doorbell rang and my mom stood. "They should visit sometime soon." She disappeared into the hall and I smiled as I stood to look around the room. Pictures of me and my mom littered the room, some on the fireplace and other on the table that sat behind one of the two couches in the room. I picked up a picture on the fireplace and it was me with three little boys. I had a toothless grin as I held the youngest Baker boy, Duke, in a head lock. Kaden, the middle boy, was laughing as he ran his knuckles across Duke's hair. Then my eyes landed on the eldest brother, Rowland Baker, who had his arms crossed over his chest and a small smirk on his face. Rowland was five years older than me and his brother, Kaden. Duke was only two years younger than both of us.

"It's my main bitch!" I put the photo down and spun to see Hannah, my best friend since birth standing in the doorway.

"Hannah!" I shouted as we hugged each other tightly. "Geez, it's good to see you."

"It's even better to see you." She released me and smiled. "Damn, girl, you look sexy as hell. Maybe I should go to Australia for eight years." I chuckled at her comment as I looked down at what I was wearing. I wore black, tight fitting jeans, a blue tank top, a black leather jacket, and high heel, black boots.

"Nah, you look good, you don't need to go to Australia to look hot." She smiled at me, her grey shorts fit her like a glove and her purple tank was sparkly. "Come on," she grabbed my hand and I shouted a goodbye to my mom. We walked to her new yellow Camaro and I chuckled. "Yep, daddy dearest is still trying to buy my forgiveness, you'd think he'd learn by now." She turned out of my driveway and drove towards the dirt driveway of old friends.

"Seriously?" I groaned, only she knew about my crush on Rowland and she always tried to push me towards him.

"Oh come on," she shook her head. "It's not because of Rowland." I gave her a disbelieving look. "Okay, maybe it is a little bit about Rowland. But we can't be the three musketeers without our third buddy, Kaden is gonna flip when he sees you're back."

"Right, we're gonna go see Kaden because you want me to see him again." I chuckled and she shot me a death glare. Seriously, she's had a huge crush on Kaden as long as I have had a crush on Rowland. We pulled up their dirt driveway and I couldn't help the butterflies in my stomach that erupted. I hadn't seen Rowland since he left for college the beginning of my freshman year of high school. Just as I was about to tell Hannah to turn around the Baker House and one of the barns came into view. There was no one in sight and as she parked I thought I was gonna puke.

"Calm down, you look like you're gonna puke." Hannah chuckled and I glared at her as I calmed my nervous stomach. I pulled my hair out of it's pony tail and fluffed it around to frame my face. "Ready yet?"

"Shove it," she chuckled at my remark as we exited the Camaro. Hannah put her arm around my shoulders as she almost tripped on the gravel. I couldn't contain my laughter as we walked towards one of the barns.

*******Rowland

"Seriously, Kay, can you focus for a god damn minute." I growled at my little brother as he threw a hay bawl that I handed him up the stairs to the loft.

"I don't want to talk about this." Both my brothers were having trouble with sifting out our father's will and it was starting to piss me off. I was about to try again when a musical laughter floated into the barn drowning any anger I may have had. "No fucking way, Annika Simone Sharp!" My brother jumped from the ladder and I turned to see the one girl I hadn't seen since my senior year of high school. Kaden wrapped her in a bear hug and she groaned in slight discomfort.

"Uh, it's nice to see you too, Kay, but you're suffocating me and you smell." He released her with a laugh and her misty eyes landed on me. Damn, she was not the little Annika I remember at all. "Hey, Row." She gave a tiny wave and I felt hot all over, and not from the sun I had been working in all day.

"Hey, little Annika." She wore tight fitting jeans, a blue shirt that made her boobs stand out, a leather jacket, boots, and her hair framed her face perfectly. Her lips were a rosy pink and just asked to be kissed.

"So, mate, how was Australia?" Kaden joked and Annika's eyes left mine to glare at my brother. She did have a slight accent and it just added to any desire that rose up in my chest.

"Oh, it was great, with all the kangaroos hopping around. Bonehead," Annika rolled her eyes as my mother's voice interrupted the little reunion.

"Rowland, the bull tried to... Annika?" My mom pulled her into a hug and Annika smiled.

"Hey, Mrs. Baker," Annika seemed to notice how tense my mom got as she raised and eyebrow.

"How've you been, dear?" My mom asked and Annika allowed the tense situation to float away.

"I've been good, got my masters in art design and the school is gonna let me teach there this fall." Annika beamed, she always did love art.

"Well, that's just great!" My mom gave me a look before returning to what she came out here for in the first place. "The bull tried to get out again, banged up the fence pretty bad."

"I'll get right on it, momma." I walked over and kissed the top of my mother's head. "It was good seeing you again, Annika."

"You too, Row." She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Come on, Kaden." I mumbled as he flirted with Hannah, those two would be perfect together.

"I'm coming." He smiled one last time at Hannah and kissed our Momma's head. "Hey, tomorrow night, The Tavern at eight. Be there, looks like the musketeers are back in business." He walked ahead of me and I shook my head as I caught up. "What now?"

"Don't do anything stupid." I warned him, "Annika just got back into town and she doesn't need the drama."

"Aw, look who's being all protective." Kaden rolled his eyes and I gave him a pointed glare. "Calm down, brother, Annika can handle herself. Besides, since when did it concern you?" I remained silent but my brother gave a knowing smile that I didn't like one bit.