Amber
The water hit my face as I washed the grit and grime of the day down the drain. Another day of saving children from abandonment, assigning court dates, mental health check-ups for clients, and a plaguing concern for my brother. I toweled off as I thought about the men I was going to see. Colt with his cowboy swagger and huge, loyal heart and my little brother, a little lost but with good intent. I loved them both.
I slipped into an emerald green babydoll dress with leggings, something cute and girly, and put on some cute little boots. Colt inspired that. I pulled up into the driveway an hour later. Colt’s house looked so cozy and inviting. I felt as if I was walking into another part of the earth, not the dry, often dusty California hills of Merced. As soon as it came into my sight, I slipped into relaxation. Something truly sacred and captivating existed at this property. Maybe because of its carved-out trails that led into the back of the mountains or because of all the beautiful sounds of nature that existed. The sound of the brook was something I wouldn’t mind hearing every day.
My brother was standing on the front porch, puffing on a cigarette. I had to fumble around twice to get my car door open. It was hard to contain my excitement. I ran to him, nearly knocking him off his feet. He hugged me back, a little in shock from the barrage.
“You made it! Oh my God, you made it. I was so worried.” I touched his face and reared back to take a closer look at him. He held his cigarette to the side and blew out the smoke.
“I told you that I would be okay. I owe you. Both you and Colt. He’s a hell of a guy.”
“Yes, he is. He’s a very loyal and protective man.”
Colt stood on the porch with a look of amusement on his fine, chiseled face. “Am I?” Colt’s mouth cocked into a quiet smile as he snuck up from behind.
“That you are,” I confirmed.
“Only to the people who are loyal to me,” he clarified with a steely look in his blue eyes.
Hector regarded the conversation and continued puffing on his cigarette. Colt walked past my brother and kissed me solemnly on the mouth, stealing the breath right out of me. My brother cleared his throat conspicuously.
“I see what it is now. You two.” He grinned. “I’m glad you’re good together. Look after my sister, Colt.”
“That’s the only thing I plan to do,” he responded with an affectionate smile.
Colt put his arm around me, kissing my cheek. All of this affection in front of my brother made me a little shy. Colt seemed oblivious to my discomfort.
“When you find a good thing, Hector, don’t let it go.” Colt turned to me. “You look like heaven, baby.”
Even though it was kind of embarrassing, Colt made me feel loved and seen. Despite his harrowing past and the crazy set of circumstances that had brought us together, I loved this man. I just didn’t know quite how to say it.
Hector sucked in more nicotine and exhaled upward. “I’m too busy trying to stay alive to worry about women.”
I squeezed his arm. “You’ll find somebody for you, but I get that you need to stay out of harm’s way.”
Hector had let his hair grow out a little. He had a two o’clock shadow that made him appear more manly. I don’t know what happened in San Francisco, but something about his demeanor had changed. My little brother was growing up fast.
“Meh.” He shrugged his shoulders as we all floated inside.
Cheryl was at the kitchen counter, and the room smelled like spices and meat. I breathed in the heavenly aroma.
“Cheryl, is that casserole?”
“Yes, it is. Got a few more minutes to go, and then I will dish it up.”
I observed as she wiped her brow and stood back from the oven. “Do you want some help?”
She shooed me back into the living room. “No, go sit down. No help needed.”
Hector walked around, studying the pictures on the shelves as I plopped down on the couch. He picked up one of Colt on a horse with a lasso. “You really were a cowboy. This is insane. When did you do this?”
Colt replied, “I used to go to the rodeo every year to compete. I used to do barrel races as well. We had a bigger farm when I was little, more like a ranch, wasn’t it, Mom?”
She licked her fingers from the casserole dish. “Uh-huh. I loved that place. So many trails. Those were the good old days. All those fresh pine trees. You used to be outside for hours, playing with that lasso. I had a hard time calling you in at night. You were obsessed.”
Colt’s vibrant blue eyes sparkled at his mother’s recollection. “I know. I was a real scruff, too. Used to drag mud and dirt into the house.”
Colt talking about his family made me think of mine. Not like I got to see my parents much since they lived in Florida. I remembered what they’d said when I first came to Merced.
