That Blue-Eyed Boy

3. RESCUED

POV:  STELLA

"STELLA!" I hear my name being screeched as soon as I hear Gemma's vehicle turn off. I'm in the barn spending more time with Zeus after supper while Beau and Dad start sorting through the cattle and ear tagging them with our tags.

"Gemma!" I grin, leaving Zeus's gate open while I know his nose is buried in his feed bucket. I jog outside and am met with my best friend throwing her body on mine. "Woah there, sister. Just because you haven't seen me since graduation, does not give you the right to suffocate me."

"Sorry! Oh my gosh, you have to tell me everything about Panama!" She squeals, finally letting go of me.

"Trust me, I will." I grin, and drag her into the barn with me and start spilling everything about Panama, including the very cute local boy who I got pretty close with. I may have left that part out when I was telling Beau and my dad about the trip. I tell her about the mansion my mother now owns, and the beautiful beach it sits about 30 yards from. Beau comes in several times to grab a new bag of tags, and then Gemma starts questioning me about him. "Dude, I've known him for 8 hours. Trust me, I don't know him at all."

"But he's hella hot." She grins, eyeing his ass as he walks out.

"What about your Italian boy? I need the details about your cruise and then little lovers trip back to Italy!" I smirk, smacking her shoulder with the carrot Zeus is trying to take out of my hand.

"Well, his name is Fernando, his family owns a vineyard in Italy, and he's going to be a transfer student at Cornell this fall. He's 20, and oh my god you'll die when you meet him. He's so hot." She practically swoons as she's describing this mystery guy.

"When am I going to get to meet him? You didn't kidnap him and bring him back with you, did you?" I laugh, teasing her.

"Well, I didn't exactly kidnap him, but yeah. My parents are letting him stay in our 'guest room' until he has to leave for Cornell this fall. And you're going to get to meet him tonight. Jackson texted me and invited me to a bonfire tonight. I told him I was bringing along a couple of plus ones." She grins, and puts air quotes around 'guest room'.

"Why didn't I get Jackson's text? I was always invited to his bonfires!" I pout for a minute, then realize that I haven't checked my phone since I was in the truck with Beau.

"He probably figured you were still in Panama. I mean, you were supposed to stay another week." Gemma shrugs, leaning against the outside of the stall while biting into an apple. Zeus hears the sound and sticks his head over the wall to try to coax her into giving him a bite. She takes two more bites before feeding him the rest.

"Yeah, but I missed my dad. I couldn't stand the thought of him running this place on his own."

"You didn't know he hired someone?"

"Didn't know until Beau picked me up at the airport. We argued for a solid five minutes about whether or not he worked for my dad." I laugh, remembering the conversation.

"I figured your dad would have mentioned a hot farm hand he hired for the summer." Gemma smirks, and I roll my eyes before closing the stall door. Zeus has had enough attention tonight. "Anyway, meet at my house at 9 and we can ride together. Love you!"

"Love you!" I call as I watch her jog out of the barn before turning to make sure all the horses have hay.

"Are y'all done in here for the night?" I yell to my dad and Beau, sticking my head out of the barn door so I can see them. "Kay! I'm turning the lights out and shutting the doors." I holler when they don't answer me, and slide the doors shut before turning and coming face to face with Beau's chest.