So now, while Ray and I spend our days putting this farm back together, fence by crumbling fence, Riley spends her days gardening with Barbara before heading into town and picking out new curtains, clothes, and fixtures.
It’s been a hard adjustment. Especially starting from day one with a fresh bullet wound in my chest. Every day was a struggle. I pushed myself to my limits, and because of that, healing from my injuries took longer than it should have. I tore open my wounds more than I care to admit, but as Ray watched me, I quickly realized that this was a test to see what kind of man I am. Will I break under pressure? Do II know the value of a hard day’s work? Am I the kind of man worth putting his time into? And considering he hasn’t told us to pack our shit and leave, I can only assume I passed his test.
Ray and Barbara never had kids of their own, so the moment Barbara laid eyes on Riley, there was a magical connection. They became instant best friends, even more so when Riley told Barbara about the barbed demon dick and the pentagram back in the abandoned farmhouse. She also got Barbara into something called smut. Apparently there’s fairy smut, monster smut, and just plain hardcore dark smut. I haven’t quite worked out what any of that is, but judging by the secretive glances the two of them share during our nightly dinners, I can only imagine.
It’s not just a home here. It’s becoming a family. Our way of life.
Ray is still weary, and I don’t blame him. I’m a convicted murderer. He should be keeping an eye on me. And after everything I’ve had to go through just to get us here, I’m weary too. I don’t trust easily, especially when it’s Riley’s life I’m putting in their hands. But it’s only natural, and the more time Ray and I spend mending fences, the quicker we start figuring one another out.
It’s not easy. Neither of us are open books, both men of little words, but there’s a camaraderie there, and I find it comforting out under the blistering sun. I even caught myself chatting to him about what livestock should go in which field, getting excited for what we could do here. Ray quickly told me I was wrong and rearranged my hypothetical paddock arrangements.
I mean, fuck. Is that what it’s like to have a father?
One thing is for sure, nobody gives a fuck that we’re here.
I’ve headed into town twice. The first time with Ray. He wanted to stop at the local hardware store to pick up some new tools and wood for the fences and needed a hand with the heavy lifting. And just like in any small town, new faces are ogled. People stared, they were curious, but seeing me with Ray, they decided that must have made me somewhat trustworthy.
The second time I ventured out was with Barbara and Riley, and the second we got into town, I suddenly understood the smirk on Ray’s face and why he was so insistent that he couldn’t come.
The townspeople came and introduced themselves, invited Riley and me to come around for dinner, and wouldn’t leave us in peace. It was as though we were the shiny new toys that Barbara couldn’t wait to show off. I even had a little old lady ask me if I could help her rotate her mattress, and Barbara was all too happy to offer my services. So sure enough, I spent an hour in her home, lifting every piece of furniture she had. Apparently she didn’t like how the afternoon sun came through the windowand put a glare on the television, so the whole house got a facelift.
It was a hard lesson to learn, but a lesson well worth the experience.
Despite being welcomed by the town, I’ve gone out of my way to keep to the property. I prefer it here. I don’t like the attention, and while I know Ray and Barbara trust their community, I don’t.
Every time Riley heads into town, my stomach sinks, and I spend every minute away from her in a panic that she won’t come home, until I finally see the car turning into the driveway.
It’s been a long day, and as I stand back with Ray, taking in the freshly painted white fences that surround the whole property, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride. While I spent the day painting, Ray was on the tractor, cutting the lawn, and it’s incredible how just a little bit of love and affection can breathe life back into the property.
I’m starting to see its true potential.
With the right livestock, and a healthy vegetable garden, we could work and live on this property for years without ever having to leave. It’s the perfect home for us, the perfect place for us to start our lives together. Riley’s even started to talk about writing again. She loved her work as a journalist and has suggested starting a town paper, and if that’s what she wants to do, then who the hell am I to stop her? Barbara has an old computer stashed in the attic from when they used to use the property as a means of income. She’s offered that to Riley, but I want to save up and get her something nice. Ray says there’s a guy in town who could order one in. Might take a week or two, but it sounds good to me.
Seeing movement in my peripheral, I glance up from the fence to see Riley striding down the long dirt driveway, an old pair of rain boots coming almost to her knees and slapping againstthe hard ground with every step she takes. There’s been no rain, and there’s definitely not a puddle in sight, but if rain boots are making her happy, then I’ll love her goddamn rain boots.
“Wow,” she says, joining me in front of the fence and moving right into my side, her head resting against my chest as the sun begins setting on the horizon. “Who knew you were so good with your hands?”
Fuck. She’s such a little menace.
“You knew I was good with my hands,” I say, my very hand in question shifting down to her ass and squeezing tight. “You good?”
“Yeah, Barbara’s been teaching me how to cook a roast. It’ll be ready in ten, if you wanna start making your way up to the main house. Though, fair warning, Barbara was in charge of the gravy, and something doesn’t look right.”
I can’t help but laugh. Barbara is a terrible cook. Ray more than warned us about that from the get-go, but while she can’t cook to save her life, she’s an excellent teacher, and Riley has been killing it in the kitchen ever since.
“Shit, it’s been a minute since I’ve eaten a roast.”
She smiles up at me, and I just know that I’m going to spend the rest of my life doing everything in my power to make her happy. “It smells divine.”
I twist her around and pull her into my chest, grabbing her ass and lifting her right into my arms. “Does it smell as good as you?”
Riley kisses me, her lips lingering on mine. “Better.”
“Not possible.”
I lose myself in her kiss for a moment before letting out a breath and letting her feet hit the ground again. “Menace, I . . .” I pause, pulling back to meet her eyes, unsure how to bring this up with her.
Her brows furrow, and she inches back just a step, her hand on my chest. “What is it? Why are you looking at me like you’re about to tell me you’re handing yourself in?”
