Wes steps back, but lifts our joined hands and places the sweetest of kisses on the back of mine. “All right. Wait here for five minutes and then come down.” He releases my hand and backs away toward the stairs.
“Okay,” I whisper to his retreating form.
While I wait, I ponder over what he said. I have no clue what it is that makes me hold back with him. I’m not this scared, confused person. I take life head on. If something makes me happy, I go for it. Like him, I’m persistent, too. We have fun together and he’s so easy to talk to and be around. The passion he possesses, with everything he does, draws me to him. And I can admit that he’s right in the fact that no one knows what will happen at the end of the summer, and I know that he’s more than capable of taking me on the ride of my life.
I hop off the last step of the ladder onto the barn floor, and two mumbling male voices draw my attention. I quietly inch my way to the wall next to a stall. With my back flush against it, I listen.
“She’s special, man. Don’t go and mess with her head only to let her down.” It’s Brantley’s voice. Without Wes here to distract me, I can hear his recognizable Alabama twang, and he sounds pissed.
“It’s not like that with her. My mom’s been telling me about her since last summer. About how she captivates everyone and everything around her. That there’s this light of beauty that surrounds her, and that people just want to be near her to bask in that same light. And you know what? After a fucking year of listening to my mom go on and on about her, I’m starting to believe she’s right. I don’t know, man; you know how I’ve been living life since I’ve been in Dallas. All I’m saying is that it’s refreshing.”
My hands clamp over my mouth hard as I try to mask the deep breaths my lungs are dying to take. I had assumed that Sandy was the one talking about me to Wes, but I never knew she thought all those things about me, and now, he does, too.
“All right. I’ve said my piece, but I’m telling you, if you hurt her, I’ll kick your ass. And you know you’re like a brother to me, but like I said, she’s different. Kenleigh’s not here for your entertainment, Wes. She’s a good person with a good heart. And the kids that come here love her, too. You know it’s hard enough for them with all of their own special needs, but even the ones who know they aren’t going to live forget about that when they’re here, and it’s all because of that girl,” Brantley says with an exasperated sigh.
“I got it. And you’re like a brother to me too, but just trust me on this one, okay? Honestly, I think she could be the one to break me, not the other way around.”
Not able to handle listening to them talking about me, I clear my throat and step away from the wall. Tension pulsates thickly in the air as I round the corner looking at Brantley and Wes. With a wide smile, I look between the two men who were just talking about me. “Is something wrong?” I ask. Brantley’s hands rest firmly on his hips, his knuckles begin to turn white, and his face has a red tint to it. The veins bulge from Wes’ interlocked fingers straining behind his neck. His knuckles are starting to turn white as well from the strain he has on them. His lips aren’t turned up in a smile anymore, and there’s a blank look in his eyes.
Wes looks at Brantley for a long minute before he looks back at me. “Nothing. I’m gonna go and get some air.” Without a backwards glance at me, he spins around and walks out of the barn.
“What was all that about?” I ask, pretending I didn’t hear them.
“You know, Kenleigh, I like you a lot and really respect you, but don’t treat me like I’m stupid. I know you and Wes have been spending a lot of time together.” With a deep breath, he continues. “I wasn’t going to insert my two cents, but then I heard him in here talking to someone when I came looking for him. I didn’t know it was you he was talking to until I asked him if you were up there and he didn’t deny it.” Brantley smoothes his hands over his bald head a couple of times. He looks at me for a long moment, pinning me with his stare. “I know you heard our conversation. I don’t know how much you heard, but don’t act like you don’t know what’s wrong.” He drops his hands and walks over to an empty stall.
Brantley has never talked to me like this before. Ever since we met last summer, there’s always been an easiness between us. We’ve been able to joke around with one another, and it’s never been taken to extremes or insulting in any way.
He walks over to a pitchfork in the corner of the stall. I take a minute to think of how to fix this between us as he begins to muck the stall. I follow him, take a deep breath, and hope that what I’m about to say won’t piss him off further. “You’re right. I did hear some of y’alls conversation, mostly the tail end of it, I’m assuming. And I’m so sorry if you thought I was treating you like you were stupid. Because I don’t think that. I would never think you’re stupid. You’re such a good friend to me and I appreciate you wanting to protect me, but it’s okay. I know I’m only nineteen—“