The Bennett Sisters

Chapter 1 - Montgomery Bennett

6/1/16 Edit: Changed name of town from Riverside to Paradise. 

1 – Montgomery Bennett

I don't know when I got old, but it happened. One day I was thirteen, dreaming of being sixteen, having boys and men fall on their knees to see me pass. (You know, in that kind of Lana Del Rey harlotry-jailbait kind of way.) But sixteen had come and gone, and I was now nineteen, and no, boys and men did not fall to their knees when I passed, not now and not when I was sixteen. You'd have to ask one of my sisters to know what it would feel like to see men fall to their knees for you.

I was just Montgomery Alabama Bennet. The uglier, shorter, chubbier middle child of the Bennett sisters, graced with the unfortunate arrival in a town with a name more suited for a boy. Above me were luckier Charlotte Carolina and Savannah Georgia. Below me were Arlington Texas and Daytona Florida. We were born all around the country; our parents loved to travel, and being nine months pregnant never stopped my mother.

It started with Charlotte, arriving a month early while my parents were vacationing in North Carolina, and hadn't yet decided on a name, so they named her for the beautiful city she was born in. Savannah was born while my parents were living in Georgia for a few months while my dad sorted out his father's estate. I came along on Christmas day, when we were visiting my mother's side of the family in her hometown; Montgomery, Alabama. Arlington wasn't far behind me; we were on our way to Mexico for a family vacation when she was born two months early while we were stopped on a flight layover in Arlington. By the time Daytona rolled around, we realized that it was only fair for her to get a city name, too, so my family planned our beach vacation around my sister's arrival. After Daytona was born, we begged our parents to stop travelling. Five girls was more than enough.

"Montgomery?" my least favorite deep voice called as the tall man stepped out of the tow truck. I could hear the smirk on his face in his voice.

"Yes, Cole, it's me. Of course it's me. Who else would own a 1986 Volkswagen Beetle that breaks down every other day?" I sighed.

"Whoa there, princess, no need to get aggressive," he chuckled. He enjoyed this. He always did.

"I've been telling you for years this old clunker is better off replaced," he smirked.

"I'm not getting rid of it! I've told you a thousand times and I don't care if it costs an arm and a leg, you're going to fix it."

"More business for me, sweetheart," he smirked, "Headed to work?" He nodded towards my red gingham skirt and white top. I worked at Lulu's Diner in town, and had been on my way to work when my car had given up on me again.

"Yes," I sighed. I was so fired. Back when Lulu ran the diner, she never minded when I was a little late. She knew my car wasn't exactly reliable and she didn't care. But Lulu retired six months ago, leaving the diner in the care of her niece, who was a stickler for punctuality, and didn't care if the world was ending; you had better be at work on time.

"Caty's gonna have your ass, you know?" he said as he hooked up the cables to pull my small car.

"I'm fully aware," I replied. I watched as Cole loaded up my baby onto his tow truck.

"Hop in, princess," he said, holding open the passenger door, "I'll drop you off at work and then take your precious piece of junk to the shop. What time is your shift over?" he asked.

"Seven," I said.

"I'll pick you up from there and if your car isn't fixed by then I'll take you home and let you know what's up," he said.

I gave him a skeptical look.

"You gonna get in or are you gonna be an extra thirty minutes late to work?" he asked.

I hopped in the passenger side, climbing into the truck. Country music was playing softly on the radio. I turned it down a little more. Cole hopped into his truck and headed towards Lulu's Diner.

"Why are you being nice?" I asked.

"I'm always nice," Cole said.

"Not to me," I replied, and Cole gave me a look like he thought I was crazy.

"Maybe you're just misunderstanding me," he said.

"I doubt it," I laughed.

"How's your sister?" he asked.

"Oh, I get it now; you're being nice because you're interested in my sister. Which one?"

"Relax, I'm not interested in your sisters. I was just curious about how Charlotte was doing. I graduated with her, remember?" he said.

"Oh, yeah. She's doing fine. She has a two year old, Gwyneth. She's still married to Anderson," I shrugged.

"I knew she was still married. Anderson and I hang out sometimes, but I hadn't heard much about her."

"She's fine," I shrugged, "She doesn't live at home anymore and she's always a little too busy being super mom so I don't see her as often as my other sisters."

"Understandable," he shrugged, turning up the radio, and I cringed as the country music twang filled the cab of the truck. Growing up in a small, rural town meant that country music, football, and beer were shoved down your throat at every change. I wasn't found of any of the three.

I reached up and switched the radio station to the town's only classic rock station.

"Make yourself at home, why don't you?"

"Don't mind if I do," I quipped back. Cole rolled his eyes and kept driving. We were nearly to the diner now, and I was only ten minutes late.

"You know, as much as you are a pain in my ass, it's good to have you back in Paradise," Cole said, "This small town may not have all your dreams, but it's a little brighter when you're here."

My heart pounded in my chest. That might actually be the nicest thing Cole has ever said to me. And it was romantic? Or maybe I was just reading too much into it?

"We're here, sweetheart, get your pretty little ass in there before you're late. I'll be here at seven. I'll be working on your piece of junk."

"Thanks," I sighed, hopping out of the truck.

"And Montgomery?" he called.

"What?" I stopped and turned around.

"Your skirt is tucked into your panties," he winked.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" I felt my face redden as I fixed my skirt.

"I was appreciating the view. And I knew your face would get really red when I told you."

And with that last comment, I remembered why he infuriated me.