Isabella's Story (Brick, Texas Book #1)

#1 

Isabella

The cab ride to Brick, Texas from the airport was long and tiresome. The driver was welcoming when I nervously flagged him down, but has not said anything to me in the past 45 minutes. The silence only put me on edge.

As I watched the rain hitting the window, I fought hard in my thoughts about the choices I was making. Was it too late to turn back?

Why I am trusting a man I met only two weeks ago is beyond any logical excuse I can find. The only thing my mother had taught me was to never trust a man and I believed her up till now. My father had left when I was at a young age. Years after that, every man my pitiful mother brought home only proved her point. Sandy Jones was a sad woman, who couldn't find the strength in herself to get her shit together. We didn't have a loving relationship, but I still cried the day she died. I wanted my memories of her to be filled with tradition, like cooking christmas cookies during the season or talking about prom and the boy next door. Instead I thought about all the times I picked her up at dive bars or begged her to stop bringing home men that liked to sneak in my room at night. I never once left in my 22 years, but I hid under my bed and slept on the porch more times than I can count.

The day she was put in the ground I met Wesley. He was visiting a late friend in the same cemetery my mother was burdened to. I was the only one there, not even Father Thomas from our church could be there to help me say goodbye. I kneeled above the six foot hole, staring down at the cheap box that held my mother. I couldn't help but hope that God would forgive the needle marks on her skin, and clean the veins that probably still held the heroin that killed her. I'm the only one in this world who cared for this druggy I called my mother. How could I have made things different? I asked that question a lot to myself, unable to find the right answer.

Wesley approached me, looking handsome in his dress blues. He had a stern look, one that only United States Marines could possess. I wasn't able to say anything, but like a child I wept harder and harder with each step he took toward me.

"Let me help you." He said to me, his strong arms folding me into his embrace. I was so afraid he'd notice how thin I was. My mind went blank as I let all the pain and emotion overtake me.

I ended up waking up an hour or two later, still in his arms. We were in the front seat of his pickup truck, a large red Ford F-250.  He told me how I passed out, and he couldn't bare to leave me until he knew I'd be okay.

How foolish I felt, in a stranger's arms, crying like a little child. It didn't take long for me to tell him about my mother, and how I was left all alone.

I explained to him that the landlord of my mother and I's home wouldn't let me stay or get any of my personal items. My mother wasn't exactly the best tenant, I can't hold it against him.

"I have spent my whole life taking care of this woman, and she killed herself without giving me a second thought. I am so, so lost."  I confessed to him.

We spoke for a long time, I tried to leave, not wanting to burden him any longer with my sad, pathetic life. He wouldn't let me though, and convinced me that he could take care of me. It was childish in a way, how he looked so eager to save me.

Wesley Smith and I stayed together for almost two weeks in a hotel in Jacksonville.  He told me how he was training at the military base , Camp Lejeune but would be leaving overseas in 10 days time. He even went to my home and packed a duffle bag full of my clothes and personal items for me. The grin he gave me melted my heart, telling me that, "No man scared him".

"You're from Texas." I told him, " That accent is a lot stronger than mine."

" Brick, Texas" He then stated, "Where you'll be heading."

And here I was, minutes away from his family ranch.

I focus on the fence that went on for miles, barely visible with the hard rain. I guess people weren't lying when they said Texas always went big. This rain storm did not look like anything you'd want to be outside in.

He bought me a plane ticket the day he left, even though I stressed that I could afford one myself-which isn't necessarily true. I didn't exactly make a lot of money as a LPN at the local elderly home, and thankfully, they were understanding with my sudden termination.  Most of my savings went towards the rest of the rent that was due as well as what was needed for my mother's burial. The day we parted, he promised he had his brothers waiting for me, brothers who were going to want me the same way he did. During our time together, he would talk to me about his siblings, and how each one of them were looking for one female to share and take care of. Each brother was different, yet such the same. His eldest brother, Ian was 39. He ran the ranch, and Wesley explained him as very quiet, private man. Next came Brody, he was recently retired from the Military at 36, a Marine like Wesley. Then came, Ken, who worked as a Texas State Trooper. Ken was born only a year after Brody was born. Wesley said he usually stayed at the ranch on the weekends, but stayed by himself in town on work days. Wesley was the youngest, at 29. He convinced me that they would feel what he felt for me the moment they laid eyes on me. He warned me that it may not be easy, but they would keep me safe while he was away fighting for our country.

It startled me, thinking that this man wanted me to be a lover to himself and three brothers. The town of Brick had many relationships like this, Wesley promised. He said it is a town where women are held in high regard, and treated like Queens by their men.

He didn't look like a man who would trick me into danger, but to believe that God was granting me this type of life, wasn't much believable either. Yet, as Wes kissed me for the first and last time for a while, I felt excited to meet the rest of the men who I was going to belong to. I looked down at the note in my hand, written by Wesley who told me to read in on the flight.

I've read it millions of times since then.

"The moment I saw you, I knew you were meant for us."