The Ranch

Chapter 3: Love at first ride

Walking down stairs, Noah was greeted by the smell of freshly made bacon, eggs and toast. "Mmmmm... It smells amazing in here." Noah's aunt was standing by the stove making sure that the bacon wasn't burning. "Good morning sleepy head, ...did you take a shower?" His aunt gave him a confused look "No... Uncle John threw water all over me in the attempt to get me out of bed..." Noah gave his uncle, that was sitting at the dinner table, a stern look. "John! What is wrong with you?! The child needs his sleep." Aunt Ellie scolded her husband. "Well it worked, didn't it?" Johnny said defending himself. "Don't worry, you can do the same to your uncle tomorrow morning..." Aunt Ellie said handing Noah a plate of food and giving him a wink. Noah laughed at the thought  "I intend to..."

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Noah and his uncle was driving down the road to god knows where, Noah was just enjoying the peace and quiet when suddenly he notice that is uncle was starting to drive faster and faster. "Woah... why are we in such a hurry..." Noah was getting concerned at the fact that his uncle was speeding down the road and not slowing down. "Uncle John... you can slow down." Noah's voice was a bit shaky, he didn't know why his uncle was speeding on the dirt path.

"Look..." Johnny said looking past Noah.
Noah slowly turned his head and saw a horse running next to the car, riding the horse is a girl. Noah couldn't tell her age because she was wearing a helmet and and black protection glasses, she was also wearing a tight long sleeve baby pink shirt that framed her body perfectly and gray riding pants with black riding boots. Noah remembered that his uncle is a Jockey trainer so she must be one of his students.

After about ten minutes they got back to the house, Johnny walked up to the girl, she took off her helmet and glasses and then Noah's heart skipped a beat as he realize that she was barley 21 years old, she had bright red hair and persing emerald green eyes, she was absolutely stunning.

Noah followed his uncle up to this red head girl. "Noah... this is Emily... she is my top student and almost like a daughter to me." Johnny put his arm around Emily, pushing her towards Noah.

"Hi I'm Noah." Noah struggled to focus looking into her eyes.  "Umm I know..." She giggled, walking into the house.  Johnny nudged Noah's arm, raising his eyebrows a couple of times. "Oh just shut up!" Noah lightly pushed his uncle away from him. His uncle followed Emily into the house. "What the hell is wrong with you!" Noah mumbled to himself.

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"So Emily... you live here on the Ranch?" Noah tried making conversation with her. Emily looked up at Noah from her dinner plate "Yes... I was in town for the last couple of months with college but I'm back here for the summer." "Alex stop playing with your food!" Aunt Ellie interrupted them. "What are you studying?" Noah was curious. "Im studying horse training and behavior." Emily continued eating. "What do you do for a living?" Emily looked at Noah "You're joking right?" Noah was a little confused. "What do you mean?" Emily was just as confused. "Noah is a professional football player." Johnny intervened trying to stop an argument from happening. "AFL player, there's a big difference, professional football can also be playing for small clubs or even playing in college, AFL is much bigger." Noah looked at Johnny frustrated.

"Wait so you really have NO idea who I am?" Noah was baffled while Emily just gave him a soft smile. "Well I do know that you are Noah and your Johnny's nephew, and now I know that you're a professional football..." Before she could finish Noah interrupted her"... AFL PLAYER" "OK... sorry... AFL PLAYER!" "Alright why don't we stop this conversation...?" Johnny interrupted them before it gets out of hand.
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"I'm sorry I got worked up about you not knowing who I was." Noah apologized. "It's really fine. I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to offend you."  They both felt a bit awkward about everything. "I don't think it's such a big deal." Alex  popped up behind the couch. "Alex! You better be in bed before I get there!" Johnny yelled from the other room. "I don't think privacy is a big thing in this house." Noah joked. "We're country people, everyone knows everyones businesses." Emily shrugged looking at Noah. "Do you want privacy?" Emily smiled jokingly. "I don't know what you're insinuating but I'm not sure I'm completely against it either!" He knew what she was up to. "Hold up Romeo, buy me a drink first!" She laughed. Noah got a warm feeling in his chest. It was the most beautiful and purest laugh he's ever heard.

"Well... I'm gonna hit the hay, good night Noah..." Emily gave out a yawn and stood up from the couch with Noah following her action. "Good night Em" Noah leaned in to give her a hug but she didn't see it coming and it ended being an awkward side hug. Emily quickly walked away and up stairs to her room trying to hide her face.

"What the HELL was that?" Alex stood behind Noah and saw the whole awkward encounter. Noah felt his cheeks turn a bright red color "It was a hug Alex!"
Alex looked his cousin up and down "Well that was one of the weirdest hugs ever..." "Well shouldn't you be in bed...?" Noah was getting annoyed with his cousin. Johnny appeared  behind Noah "Yes he should be in bed..." Johnny gave Alex a stern look, and Alex didn't waste anymore time and ran upstairs. Noah look at his uncle "Was the hug really that weird?" "Yes... yes it was..." Johnny started laughing and shook his head as he walked out of the living room, with Noah following him.

Suddenly Johnny stoped at the bottom of the stairs and turned around to face Noah "I don't want to hear you anywhere near Emily's room." Noah threw his hands up in defense, "Don't worry, after that hug I'm afraid to see how the rest of our conversations will end." Johnny gave out a chuckle and walked upstairs "Good night Kiddo." "Good night Uncle John."