Southern Charms (11 page)

Chapter 21

The few days that followed the conversation with Marshal about Elizabeth leaving to travel with Xander was a very busy for the both of them. There wasn’t a whole lot of time for them to spend together since they both seemed to have a laundry list of shit to do before they left. Xander needed to work out accommodations for the both of them, as well as find boarding for Rocky. He had to send in the entry fees to the arenas that he was registered to ride at. His truck needed a tune up. His daddy kept him busy with chores and things around the ranch that needed done, which he couldn’t do on his own anymore, but wanted done before both his boys left again. Rocky needed reshoed and to be seen by a vet, if he was gonna be able to ride him in the few events that you don’t draw for. He also had to call the cleaning staff, who had been taking care of his own ranch during his absence, to let them know that he would be headed up that way soon enough. He was curious about how his lady was gonna take finding out that he actually owned his own home, but hadn’t told her about it yet.

As he was cleaning out a stall in the stable, a smirk tugged at his lips. She was gonna be pissed. He actually never thought much of her anger, it reminding him of this kitten he had as a kid. It would try to act all big and tough, but it was still just a kitten. He hadn’t taken any shit, but it made more noise than anything.

Dodging the hay coming at his head, he looked over at his brother in the next stall, cocking a brow in question. Kyle was leaning on the broom handle, his own brow raised. “Just what the hell you gigglin’ like a girl for?”

Smirking wider, he shrugged as he went back to what he was doing. “Wonderin’ how my girl gonna take it when she finds out ‘bout the ranch.”

Kyle rolled his eyes before getting back to his job. “She been here plenty Xan. She already saw it all.”

Xander snorted. “Naw, not this one. Mine.”

Head popping back up, Kyle just stared at his little brother a moment before finding the voice he was looking for. “You ain’t told her yet?”

Shrugging again as he put the broom in his hands outside the stall, Xander then grabbed a hay bail to spread it around. “Hasn’t come up.”

Kyle just shook his head. “She gonna kick your ass.”

Pausing to look over at him, Xander gave him an incredulous look. “You don’t honestly think she thought I still lived at home with my mama, did you?”

“You give her any reason to think otherwise?”

He went to open his mouth, only to pause a moment. No, no he hadn’t. But he had enough faith in his girl’s intelligence to figure out that he didn’t, in fact, still live with his parents. Deciding it really didn’t matter, he finished his stall before moving on to the next thing on the list; fixing the floor at the back of the loft.

“Damn, how the hell many times that floor need fixin’?”

Moving to the back of the stable, he looked up at the spot that was supposed to be replaced, pursing his lips before sighing as he peeled his shirt off. After wiping his face off with it, he tossed it off to the side, grabbing a crowbar and hammer. With a roll of his shoulders, he began the climb into the only place that Hell is actually above you. Moving to the back where the damage was, he used the side of his boot to move the loose hay out of the way, then crouched down. He began the task of removing the seven planks his daddy wanted replaced.

He was lowering the fourth one down when he happened to look to the front of the stable. His girl was walking in with a tray of sweet tea, Mark behind her. Draping his arms over his thighs, he smiled at her. “Whatcha doin’ here, Little Darlin’?”

After setting the tray in her hands down, she looked at him, feeling her mouth go dry at the sight. As her eyes moved along his form, they caught sight of a single drop of sweat. They followed as it slid down his neck, over his pecs, then across the washboard he called abs. It got caught in the very well defined ‘V’ before finally vanishing below his well worn and beat to hell jeans.

Clearing her throat a bit while giving her head a shake, she looked at his face for once. “Ya mama called me. She told me that your dad has you pretty much booked for the day, but Rocky needs to go to the vet for his physical today, if he is going to get it at all. So, I’m here to get him, and I brought you some extra help.”

Grunting a bit, Xander took his hat off, slipping his fingers through his hair to slick it back, then wiped his forearm across his brow before putting his hat back on. He gave her a very serious look. “Do you even know how to trailer a horse, Sugar?” When he saw a light glare form on her face, he held up a hand to keep her quiet a minute. “It’s just a question, Little Darlin’, so don’t be gettin’ all upset now. You can actually HURT Rocky if ya don’t know whatcha doin’.”

Elizabeth blinked at him at that. “Oh, okay. No, I don’t, but Val does. She’s coming with me so that I know where I’m going.”

Nodding, Xander bent back to fish his truck keys out of his pocket, then tossed them down to his girl. “Careful now, Ya here?”

Catching the keys, Elizabeth just stared at them a moment before looking back up at Xander, who had returned to the task of taking up floor boards. Blinking at him, she asked, “I get to take your truck?”

Xander shrugged as he handed down another plank. “It’s just a truck, Sugar Britches. Don’t rightly give a fuck about it. I got another one.” Looking over at her, he warned, “Watch the gas and turns, and for Christ’s sake, do not let Val drive if you wanna make it home alive. Girl’s got a foot heavier than the bull that broke my ankle. With a trailer on the hitch, y’all can’t be doin’ that.”

Mark snorted, but made no comment as Elizabeth grimaced. “I know.”

Xander smirked, nodding to the back exit of the stables. “Rocky’s out back in the corral, and the trailer should already be hitched up. Thank ya, Little Darlin’. I’d give a hug, but...”

Elizabeth giggled. “No, you keep your nasty ass far away from me right now.” Giving him a smile after a bye to Kyle, Elizabeth went out the back to get Rocky.

Chapter 22

It had taken the three boys till nearly dark to get everything finished that Jim wanted done, then they were handed a different list by Bev, so that the field by the lake was ready for the barbeque the next afternoon. It was well after dark by the time they once again got back to the house.

Sweaty and filthy, Xander and Kyle said bye to Mark, then went inside to get something to eat before they fought over who got to get a shower first. They were both lying on the table in the dining room when plates of food and a beer were put in front of them. Without sitting up, they both replied ‘Thanks, Mama’, only to receive a giggle that wasn’t from their mom.

Xander picked his head up to see his girl standing the there with an amused look on her face. Blinking at her, he asked, “Whatcha still doin here, Little Darlin’? I figured ya went home hours ago, when ya brought Rocky back.”

Shaking her head, Elizabeth smiled at him, “Been here the whole time. After I gave you back your keys, I came to say bye to your mom. She asked if I would give her a hand doing prep work for the party tomorrow, and since I didn’t have anything else to do, I stayed.” Then she giggled again, “Either y'all a bunch of pigs, or she invited the whole town. And just so you know, if you want ANYTHIN’ that is made with potatoes anytime in the next year, you’re peelin’ them your damn self. You are just gonna have to deal with the flesh on an apple, because I ain’t peelin’ them either.” Hearing her name called from the kitchen, she smiled at Xander again, “Better eat so you can get to bed. You up before the cock tomorrow.”

Xander watched as she trotted back into the kitchen, giving his head a small shake before digging into the piled high plate of beef and taters.

His girl wasn’t wrong, either. His mama was in his room shaking him awake just before dawn. He was getting out of the freezing cold shower, to help wake him up, when he heard his girl’s voice downstairs with his mama and Daddy, her Aunt and Uncle’s voices mixed in. Groaning in his throat, he wondered to himself how the fuck she was so bright eyed and bushy tailed at the moment, knowing she got less sleep than he did.

After pulling on a pair of jeans and socks, he just grabbed his shirt, tossing it over his shoulder before picking up his boots to head downstairs. Walking into the room, he didn’t attempt to pretend to be more awake than he was as he flopped down into a chair across from his dad.

Mr. Steele smirked behind his paper as Elizabeth put a cup of coffee on the table for his son, then nodded to her when she asked if he wanted a refill. After finishing his article, he put the paper down and crossed his arms, not bothering to wipe the smirk off his face, “Mornin’ Son.”

Xander looked at him over the brim of the cup at his lips, unable to hide the annoyance in his eyes. “Yeah, mornin’, Pa.” After drinking half the coffee in one go, despite the burn it caused, he grunted. “What am I doin’ this mornin’?”

Jim rubbed his chin with a hum. “Welp... ya mama told folks to be here ‘round noon, so the first thing that gonna need be done, is gettin’ the cow and pig ya mama got over the spit by the lake. Come here in awhile, ya brother should be back from the run for tables and the like. Them gonna need set up. Marshal got a bed full of wood that gonna need to be unloaded.” Taking a pause to thank Elizabeth when she gave him his breakfast, Jim thought for a moment longer before picking up his fork, “That be ‘bout it, I reckon.”

Oh goodie, sounds like a light mornin’ load.
Nodding to his Pa, he answered, “Alright,” then smiled at his girl when she gave him a plate and refilled his coffee. “Thanks, Little Darlin’.”

Smiling back, Elizabeth looked embarrassed, “I just hope you like it. I haven’t made biscuits and gravy in a while. Um, I made the biscuits last night, but the gravy was after I woke up.”

“I’m sure it’s fine, Sugar.”

There was a snort from across the table. “Fine ain’t gonna cut it. Don’t tell ya mama, but this is better than hers.”

Starting at that, Elizabeth beamed at Mr. Steele, kissed Xander’s cheek, and then went back into the kitchen so she could help turn all the prep from the night before into actual dishes.

After eating and drinking the equivalent of a pot of coffee, Xander pulled on his boots, donned his hat, and got Marshal’s truck keys so he could unload the wood in the bed out by the lake. By the time he was done with that and back at the house to change trucks, Kyle had gotten back. Telling him he would meet him out at the lake, he hitched up the smoker to his truck, and then loaded the meat for the barbeque in the bed. After catching the bottle of water that was tossed to him by his girl, headed back to the lake.

Mark showed up at the lake to help out about halfway through the setup, taking it upon himself to get the meat in the smoker before helping the brothers with the tables and chairs.

Around 11, Elizabeth and Val pulled up with decorations and stuff to be put up, since this was a combination with Xander’s birthday. While the girls did that, the guys headed back to the house, to begin loading the rest of the food and drinks into the trucks and change into their swim trunks.

By the time they were cleaned up and back at the lake with the food, people had already begun to show up. Elizabeth and Val unloaded the food while the boys took care of the coolers that held everything from bottled water to hard liquor. Xander actually snickered to himself as his girl’s words from the night before surfaced in his mind.

Either y'all a bunch of pigs or your mom invited the whole town.

What his little darlin’ didn’t know was that his family was infamous for their parties, and he wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if the whole town did show up.

By one the party was in full swing. More than a few of the younger people were already drunk due to never having white lightning before, and not knowing to pace yourself with that shit. There was music playing, and people dancing as well as swimming. Others were snacking while the meat finished smoking. It was a damn fine time for everyone present.

After dinner was done and eaten, Elizabeth slipped away unseen by Xander. She went to the truck that she and Val originally came in to get the box out of the backseat before giving it to Mrs. Steele, who smiled at her while taking it. Setting it on the table, she opened the lid, nodding at the cake inside. It was white frosted with an edible picture of Xander on Rocky’s back as the horse reared up on his hind legs, placed dead-center on the top. Over the picture but not covering Xander or Rocky, red gel spelled out, ‘Happy birthday Xander’. Below it, black gel spelled out, ‘Good luck, Steele’. Taking the pack of candles from Elizabeth, she put the 2 and 6 on the cake, and then lit them before picking the cake up.

Before Mrs. Steele turned around, Elizabeth stood on a chair. Putting her pinkies in her mouth, she blew a high pitched and loud whistle, catching everyone’s attention.

Xander, not quite as sober as he should have been in front of his mama, turned to see what the hell that was about, only to snort as a goofy looking grin came to his face when he saw his mama holding a birthday cake in her hands. He hadn’t actually been home for his birthday since he was twenty, because if memory serves, he spent his 21st in Vegas. He was only still in town this time because he broke his ankle.

The others present started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ as Xander made his way through the crowd, blowing out the candles when the song was over, which kicked up a hoot and holler from them again. Smiling at his mom, Xander kissed her cheek. “Thank ya, Mama.”

She just shook her head. “Ya thank that lady of yours, Sugar. I was just gonna bake ya an apple pie.”

Turning those emerald eyes of his eyes on the smug looking little lady next to his mama, “Thank ya kindly, Little Darlin’.”

Elizabeth just smirked with a shrug. “It’s just a cake, Xander.” Then her eyes lit up, “Wait till ya see what I actually got ya for your birthday.” She turned her head, cupping her hands around her mouth, “Hey Kyle.”

Kyle looked over at her, nodding before he jogged over to one of the trucks parked farther away. With precision driving, Kyle backed the truck up to the crowd before hopping out and moving to the bed, yanking the tarp off it to reveal a bed full of bags and boxes.

Elizabeth went to the bed to grab a bag out of it, smacking Kyle’s hands when he went to open the gate. She shook her head, whispering for him to wait a second before he revealed the big thing she got. Taking the bag to Xander, she handed it him with a smile. “This is only part of it.”

Giving her a smile, he set the bag down to dig through the tissue paper until he found what was buried inside. Cocking a brow at her, he pulled out soft material that was a pair of black chaps with fringe on the sides, which matched the older, beat to fuck and well broken-in pair that he normally wore in competition.

While he had been preoccupied with the bag, Elizabeth let Kyle put down the gate. When Xander looked up to thank her, he froze at what he saw.

Front and center, right behind the gate was a brand new, black leather saddle with onyx black steel stirrups. Throughout the leather were decals done in red stitching. The horn was made of black jasper with red swirling around in the stone, AJS -his initials- carved into the top. Across the back of the skirt, dead-center behind the Cheyenne roll, ‘Steele’ was stitched onto the leather in crimson.

There was a round of appreciative whistles when the others got a look at it, but Xander was now looking at his girl, loving the small smile on her face. She bit her bottom lip before looking in his eyes. “Told ya you look better in black.”

He was gobsmacked at that, knowing just how expensive a custom saddle like that costs.

When he didn’t say anything for a minute, self-doubt and a spark of fear entered her eyes. Looking at the saddle for a second, she gazed back at Xander, tripping over her tongue a few times before she got the words out, “If you don’t like it, I can probably have it...”

Snapping out of his shock over the present, he cut her off by swinging her up in his arms and twirling her in a circle. Once she was on her feet again, he grinned at her. “Like don’t even cover it, Sugar Britches. I love it.”

A beaming smile lit her face. She met him halfway when he dipped his head down, his lips capturing hers, much to the enjoyment of the drunken crowd around them.

Pulling back and giving her a wink, Xander pulled his now blushing lady to his chest before getting a better look at his new saddle. Eyes meeting Elizabeth’s, his curiosity got the better of him. “When did you have the time to have this made?”

She gave him a small smile in reply. “I had it commissioned about a week and a half ago and Kyle picked it up this morning.”

Xander cocked a brow at her, “Was that why you was at the house so early?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I had to give Kyle the final payment and paperwork for it before he went to pick up the tables and chairs. He dropped it off with Mark on his way back so you wouldn’t see it.”

Knowing her as well as he did, his brow slid higher. “What ain’t ya tellin’ me?”

Looking everywhere but him, “I might -or might not- have used the fact that you told me you wouldn’t do anythin’ without your mama’s say so to my advantage. I also might -or might not- have put a whisper in her ear about having it made, and using a birthday party for you to keep you in town long enough for it to get done.”

Smirking wide at her, he chuckled, “Ya might have done that, huh?”

Giving him the most innocent look she could muster, Elizabeth hummed, “Or might not… don’t forget the might not.”

There was a titter next to them, drawing their attention to Mrs. Steele as she smiled at them. “Hush it up, Boy. Had I not gone on with the poor girl, you would have jumped off the minute that boot came off. Puttin’ off  leavin’ for a few more days ain’t nothin’ horrid now. ‘Sides, ya should commend the girl for usin’ all her advantages.” Then she turned to Elizabeth, smiling. “Came out just like you described, Sugar. It’s beautiful.”

Giving her a small grin, Elizabeth replied, “Thank you, Mrs. Steele, for all your help.”

She scuffed, flapping a hand a bit, “Nu-uh, Child. Mrs. Steele is that horrible woman I call my mother-in-law. You g’on call me Mama, Darlin’. That’ll be just fine.”

Smiling even wider, even as Xander sighed while dropping his face in his hand, Elizabeth nodded, “Of course, Mama Steele.”

She tsked, rolling her eyes, “That’ll do I suspect. Y'all two have fun now... and Xander, Sugar? You give her a hard time, and I’ll hurt ya, ya hear?”

Grinning at her, he nodded. “I hear ya, Mama.” Once she was out of hearing distance, he gave his lady a grin. “So, what else you been up to that I should know about?”

Returning that same sly grin, she backed out of his arms, then kept backing up. “Well, you know how you been busy lately?” Xander nodded with a cocked brow, making the grin on Elizabeth’s face grow. “You also remember that boyfriend I...”  She never got to finish that sentence before whirling around with a shriek of laughter, darting away when Xander made a lunge for her.