“I love you too.”
Pulling off my coat and hanging it up behind our door, I grab my phone out of my pocket and instantly dial my dad’s number. “Jefferson speaking,” a voice greets me. That stern voice still hasn’t changed. “Dad? It’s Vicky.”
After a few minutes of catching up, because my dad always has a lot to ask and say when I call him, I start packing up my things. I make sure that I have everything, because I have no idea how long I am going to be away for. Just as I put my phone into my bag, I see a text:
Blake: I am coming over.
Moving double time, I squash everything into my bag and run out to my car, not sparing any second glances at anything behind me. That probably makes me look crazy.
It is not until I am on the main highway that I relax. My family ranch is a long drive; over seven hours by car, so I make sure I stock up on heaps of water to keep me hydrated for the long trip.
~*~
Pulling up to our long gravel road, I get out and check the mailbox out of habit, before carrying on up the huge, oversized driveway to the ranch. I start to pull my bags out of my boot, when I feel big arms wrap around my waist and lift me from my feet. I automatically know who it is. “Dominic?” I squeal.
“Hey Precious, how was your trip?” He grumbles, placing me back on my feet. My brother is a giant of a man; he stands well over 6’3 and must weigh in at around 220lbs of muscle. He owns one of the largest gyms in Hollywood hills.
“Oh my gosh, when did you get here?” I ask as he picks up my bags, and I follow him into the house.
“Yesterday, Dad needed some help around the place because he fired the last boy he had working here. The new one starts in two days, so I’m here to help until then.” Typical Dad behaviour, he fires anyone. He obviously thinks he is Donald flipping Trump. “I’ll go put these in your room.”
I shake my head. “In the guesthouse please, I need space.”
He looks at me with worry lines forming around his eyes. “Okay, is everything good?”
I nod my head, glancing away from him for a second. “Yeah, of course.”
I begin to walk into the large lounge area. I see my Dad sitting in the rocking chair with a whiskey in his hand, looking very worried.
“Hey Dad,” I say, peeking up at him. He shoots up off his seat with shock in his eyes.
“Hey precious, I am so glad you made it.” I knew he would have been worried about my traveling, nothing much changes in the eyes of a loving father. He may have fallen out of love with my Mom, but he never stopped loving us kids. It will take time though, because he didn’t need to cheat on my mother. He could have just left.
“Of course I did, all those driving lessons didn’t go to waste, you know.”
He smiles a big smile down at me, and for the first time in a long time, I see how much he has aged; that feeling pulls at my heartstrings. “Very good. I hope your taste in music still stands, too?” I laugh at his question while taking a seat on one of the other sofas.
“Still very much alive, Dad.”
Sitting back into his seat and taking another drink, he smiles around the rim of his glass. “How is Alaina?” My family love Alaina; they took her under their wing from day one. Not that she needed it; Alaina had a very strong support system with her Nana and Aunt.
“She is good, really good. She has a boyfriend now, though.” Dominic walks in at the mention of Alaina. “Alaina has a boyfriend? Do tell,” he smiles while eating some peanuts. “He is…. interesting.” Dominic’s face drops.
“Good interesting or bad interesting?” I have to be careful with how I word stuff to do with Alaina around Dom; I always forget that he was Alaina’s first time. I almost killed them both when it happened. I did not talk to either of them for weeks, until I got over it.
“Hmmm, hard to say. He does really like her, so that’s all that matters.” I stand from the sofa and stretch out my arms. “I’m going to go and get settled in.”
Dominic looks at me with a smirk. “Sis? Stay away from Knox when he starts, too.”
I slump my arms back down and huff. “Ha ha, very funny. You make me sound like a man-eater. I can assure you, I will be staying away.”
His chest moves up and down from his laughter. “Well, I wouldn—” I snap my eyes at him with a sneer.
“Shut up Dom, don’t be mean. I am not like that anymore.”
He laughs and raises his eyebrows. “Oh yeah? Then tell me, how was spring break with Kalie?” I look at him with my chin held high; I forgot how close those two were, they drive me crazy, the both of them.