Under the Open Sky

Chapter Eighteen

Amanda got a job as soon as school ended and started saving money to take to college with her. Once again she was so busy she hardly knew it was summer. She figured this was the way it was for adults. She was still working on the details of where to live while she got her degree. The commute between her and Haddon was not too bad in good weather but would be difficult in winter. The college its self did not have dorms so that wasn’t an option. It was Jenny who finally made the suggestion that both her parents and Amanda’s father agreed was the best solution. Amanda and Jenny would rent an apartment or duplex together, each paying half of their half of the rent. Since their school did not offer dorms, their parents each put in half their monthly rent; the girls would work to pay for the remaining one-fourth each. When they finished school it would be their call what to do next but if they kept their apartment the rent would fall solely to them.

By the time it had rolled around for Amanda and Jenny to move into their small duplex they had managed to accumulate most of the items they needed.

“I can’t believe Dad is letting you live in your own apartment at seventeen,” her brother groused as he and Cade moved a couch into the girl’s duplex apartment.

“How is it so different from a dorm?” Amanda demanded as she placed a box on the counter.

“Dorms have rules, like no boys in your room and curfews.”

“Maybe Daddy figures since girls are more mature we’ll be fine,” Amanda shot at him.

“Dad hasn’t hung around with you like I have,” Trent reminded her.

“I’ll be eighteen in a few months and Jenny is already eighteen,” Amanda reminded him. Her father had been required to sign a release and responsible party statement with the landlord before she had been allowed to move in.

“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” Trent informed her.

“They’ll be fine, Trent. They are both, over all, level headed; just a little too fond of shocking people,” Cade offered in their defense. “Besides you know your dad and Jenny’s parents will be checking in on them all the time.”

“I hope so,” Trent muttered.

“I could have stayed at home, considered it, but I need a job and then commuting in winter…Trent, it made more sense to move down here.”

“I guess,” he finally conceded.

“Who is in which room?” Sterling inquired as he entered with a mattress.

“Oh!” Amanda jumped to lead him to her room. The bedrooms shared a Jack and Jill bath with a third door onto the hallway. Amanda and Jenny had laughed at the number of doors, but the floor plan worked well for them. By the end of the night the apartment was set up and ready to function; both girls were so giddy Amanda figured they would never sleep. Tomorrow would be all theirs before Amanda started her new job and school started three days later.

“Wow, it feels odd, doesn’t it?” Jenny asked after everyone had left and they sat on their couch watching TV.

“It does,” Amanda agreed.

Their couch sat against one wall, the TV opposite them. A small galley kitchen sat off the neighboring dining room, and a small utility room led to the two car garage. They had a small patio off the dining room and a front walkway on their side of the duplex property. The neighborhood was made up largely of college kids and a few young professionals.

“Do you feel grown up yet?” Jenny hazel eyes were twinkling.

“No,” Amanda admitted with a wide grin. “You?”

“No,” Jenny laughed. “I keep expecting Mom and Dad to come in and say the joke’s up.”

“You’re old enough to do as you please anyway; I’m the one who still needs permission to do everything,” Amanda pointed out.

“Not for too much longer,” Jenny reminded her.

“Still several months.”

“Afraid Cade is going to meet someone?” Jenny teased.

“I figure there is someone, maybe lots of someones,” Amanda admitted. “We’re friends, remember?”

“Oh yeah, I forgot,” Jenny rolled her eyes. “Does it bother you?”

“What?” Amanda frowned.

“The someones?”

“I guess a little but we aren’t a couple, Jenny.”

Amanda’s first year of college was flying by. She had settled into her classes, adjusted to her new job, and gone on a hand full of dates. Jenny teased her that her seeming nonchalance for the opposite sex was driving half the guys at school nearly insane, to which Amanda had responded that they didn’t need her help in that department. Jenny had found a boyfriend and actually seemed to really like this one. Amanda saw trouble coming though. Jessie seemed to think that three months was a magical number in relationships; Jenny didn’t agree. By Christmas the couple was no more and Jenny applied herself to her studies with a new resolve. Her friend wore a good front but Amanda knew that Jessie had hurt Jenny.

Trent announced he had met somebody, it could be serious, and brought her home to meet the family. Amanda decided that Christy was nice enough but still couldn’t bring herself to like the woman. She had to admit that she had always hoped that her brother would wake up one morning and realize what a wonderful woman Jenny was. She guessed that wasn’t going to happen but she could always keep hoping right?

She continued to write Cade and he continued to write back. He was seeing someone, though it wasn’t serious. Amanda loved their letters. She could say or ask anything and he would answer honestly, often with a joke or chiding, but he was never outraged as her brother would have been at such questions. She had recently written and asked him: is sex all men ever think about? To which he had responded: most the time, sweetheart; most the time. Amanda had laughed at his response. She missed him. Between both their schooling and work schedules she rarely saw him; even her brother was elusive these days. In a recent letter Cade had written: Nicole wants to know who the hell you are and why I’m writing you. What should I tell her? Amanda responded:Tell her it’s none of her damn business. She received back: She didn’t like your answer and stormed out; oh well. In a letter just after her birthday: How does it feel to be eighteen? Her answer: I’m too busy with school to find out if it’s any fun to make my own decisions. I haven’t even found any trouble to get into yet!

As summer approached Amanda felt none of the excitement of previous years, for her nothing would change. She would continue to school and work through summer and occasionally agree to a date. Okay, so she was sort of seeing a guy. She and Josh had gone out several times now and he was a lot of fun. The problem was he seemed to want to make it something more exclusive; Amanda just wanted to hang out and enjoy laughing together. Why did it have to be all or nothing with men anyway?

Amanda was asking herself this as she played pool with J

osh, Jenny, and Ben, Jenny’s date for the evening. She had been looking forward to the evening but Josh kept sliding an arm around her waist, or dropping kisses on her neck as though he was trying to make a statement to the other men in the restaurant.

“Your shot, baby,” Josh let his hand trail around her waist as he passed. Amanda, mentally thanking Cade for teaching her to hold her own at a game of pool, moved to the table and sank her shot. Her next shot bounced just off the edge just to prove she hadn’t quite mastered the game. She stepped back to let Jenny go and leaned against the unused table behind them. Her gaze was scanning the room when her heart leapt into her chest.

“Here,” Amanda shoved her pool stick at her date and started weaving her way between tables.

“Hey, Manny,” Cade grinned as she approached and threw her arms around his neck.

“Hi! How are you?” she demanded as she leaned back in his arms.

“I’m good,” he assured her as he let her settle back onto her feet, until his hands slid to her waist.

“What brings you here?” Amanda drank in the sight of him.

“I wanted to see how you and Jenny were doing but it looks like I caught you at a bad time,” he nodded to where her date was glaring at them and dropped his hands from her waist. “I was leaving town when I spotted your Jeep.”

“Not at all, come join us?” Amanda invited.

“I’m guessing that wouldn’t go over well.”

“And I’m guessing I don’t care if it doesn’t,” she tilted her head in challenge.

“Tell you what, let me get a table and maybe I’ll join you after I eat,” he suggested.

“You better,” she insisted with a smile. He smiled back before finally acknowledging the hostess who was waiting to seat him at a table. Amanda reluctantly left him to return to her date; she was suddenly wishing she had been sitting home alone tonight. She would much rather be with Cade than avoiding Josh’s constant touches.

“Who’s that?” Josh demanded as soon as Amanda approached the table.

“Cade. He’s a family friend and works for my Daddy,” Amanda responded.

“It’s your play,” Josh, his expression stormy, thrust her stick back at her.

Amanda continued to play pool but she was distracted. She kept watching Cade watching them and wanted to ditch the game; only her desire to not be rude prevented her from doing so. Even with Cade’s distance across the room, Amanda could tell he was in an increasingly bad mood. Making her even more miserable, was the fact that Josh seemed more determined than ever to send the message that Amanda was his.

“Can’t we just enjoy the game, Josh?” Amanda side stepped another attempt at pull her close for a kiss.

“I thought we were,” he returned irritably. Josh stepped up to take his next shot and cracked the balls with enough force to send one off the table.

“Whoa, careful there,” Ben cautioned.

For the next hour Amanda glanced between her increasingly moody date and Cade where he sat drinking a beer or beers, she wasn’t certain.

“I’m sorry,” Amanda finally whispered to Jenny when the tension between her and Josh began to influence their entire group.

“Want me to distract Josh while you escape with Cade?” Jenny teased her friend on return.

“I’m tempted,” Amanda smiled.

“Tempted to what?” Josh was back and trying to pull her close again. Amanda tried side stepping again, only to find he wouldn’t be put off so easily.

“Why are you acting like I’ve got the plague? I thought we were here on a date,” he snapped at her.

“There a problem here? I don’t care if she is your girlfriend, when a woman doesn’t want you touching her, you stop,” Cade, slightly unsteady on his feet, joined the group.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Amanda clarified.

“Then what is this?” Josh demanded.

“A friendly date,” Amanda explained.

“A friendly date!?”

“Amanda won’t commit to anyone, Josh,” Jenny informed the irate man.

“I wonder why that is, Cade?” Jenny turned to pin him with a sardonic smile.

Amanda shot her friend a withering glance before turning back to Cade. He was watching her closely, his expression inscrutable. When he reached for her, she came to rest willingly against his side.

“When a man puts his arm around a woman she should come willingly and if she doesn’t that should be a sign,” Cade shot at Josh.

“Okay,” Amanda sighed out aloud. “Cade, you are drunk; where are your keys?” she demanded.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you aren’t. Can I have your keys; please?” Amanda placed her hand on his chest and leaned closer. She would have to sweet talk him into turning them over and she knew it.

“I’m fine, I should be getting back to the ranch,” he maintained stubbornly.

“Come on, Cade; please?” Amanda was facing him now, the sides of his jacket in either hand. “Let me drive you to my house for a while. I’ll fix some coffee and we can talk and catch up,” she coaxed.

He continued to stare at her, his expression stubbornly blank until Amanda started searching for his keys herself. He made no protest when she claimed them and took his hand before turning back to Jenny; she reached into her own pocket as she did.

“Would you?” she held up her keys.

“Sure. I’ll bring your Jeep home; see you there in a little bit.”

“Thanks, Jenny. I’m sorry, Josh; we’ll talk later,” Amanda offered before she led Cade from the restaurant. He was silent, his demeanor brooding, on the drive to Amanda and Jenny’s place. Amanda might have felt threatened had it been any other man. By the time she got Cade inside, it was clear he was too far gone for coffee to make a difference.

“I think you are going to have to sleep this off,” Amanda informed him as she helped him down the hallway; his steps were unsteady. She gave him a gentle push onto the side of her bed and started tugging on his boots. He finally shook his head as though coming out of a fog.

“I can do that,” he offered sullenly.

“Good,” Amanda stood back and let him pull both boots off. She helped him remove his jacket, shirt, and undershirt before he grabbed her wrist and his gaze met hers.

“I’m sorry, Manny, I didn’t mean to make an ass of myself,” he apologized. “This is why I don’t drink. I don’t want to be like my old man.”

“You aren’t, Cade,” she assured him as she reached out to push his hair off his forehead.

“I don’t want to be that man always hurting people and…” he leaned forward to place his elbows on his knees a moment. “I’m sorry, Manny,” he stood. “I should go.”

“Sit down,” she insisted with a gentle shove. He actually looked to be on the verge tears, she noted before he averted his gaze. Amanda stepped close and wrapped her arms around him until his head rested against her chest; she stroked his hair. She could feel his shoulders shaking and buried her face against his hair. To be such a big, strong guy he had a lot of insecurities; she knew because he had shared them in his letters.

“I’m sorry, Manny. I’m sorry; this is why I don’t drink,” he reiterated a few minutes later as he gained control of his self. He looked on the verge of collapse.

“Why were you drinking tonight, Cade?” she finally asked him as he leaned back and swayed to stay in a seated position. “Come on,” Amanda urged him to lie down.

“I didn’t like it,” his eyes were already closed.

“Didn’t like what, Cade?” she covered him with her blankets.

“Watching you with him.”

Amanda smiled and shook her head. She leaned over to kiss him lightly on the lips before speaking, though she wasn’t certain that he could hear her. “You didn’t have to you silly man. All you had to do was ask and I would have left with you at any point.”

Amanda changed her clothes and gathered her things before leaving Cade asleep and turning off her bedside lamp. She moved to the couch and grabbed the remote to find something on. She was watching a rerun of one of her favorite comedies when Jenny entered and tossed Amanda’s keys to her.

“Where is your inebriated Prince Charming?” Jenny set her purse on the counter and removed the light jacket she had worn.

“In my bed.”

“Do tell?” Jenny raised her brows.

“He passed out; very romantic,” Amanda grinned and shook her head.

“I didn’t know Cade drinks,” Jenny seated herself beside Amanda.

“I don’t think he does as a normal thing; it’s something he avoids because of his dad.”

“So why was he tonight?” Jenny shifted herself to face Amanda.

Amanda rolled her eyes. “He said he didn’t like watching me with Josh. I told him all he had to do was ask me to leave with him and I would’ve but I think he was already out cold at that point.”

“You two need to get together before you drive each other to the nut house,” Jenny informed her.

“Tell him that,” Amanda requested.

“I will,” Jenny grinned.

“I’m sorry I ruined your date, Jenny. When I suggested we double I thought it would be fun. Josh and I usually have a good time together but even before Cade arrived Josh seemed to be determined to make a statement,” Amanda offered on a sigh.

“Probably because several other men were watching you. As for Ben and I? He was nice but I don’t think I’m interested in a second date. You and Josh and your drama aside, Ben isn’t really my type. I thought it was only fair to give it one date anyway,” Jenny shrugged.

“There’s someone out there for you,” Amanda assured.

“Except the man I want?” Jenny asked, her expression that of disappointed child.

“He hasn’t walked down the aisle yet,” Amanda pointed out, though Trent and Christy seemed pretty hot for each other at the moment. According to their aunt, ever since he had arrived home from college he had been moping around and called her every night.

“Yeah, I think I’m giving up,” Jenny announced.

Amanda decided a subject change was in order.

“Was Josh totally pissed off?” Amanda queried with a grimace.

“Yep. He was ranting and raving so I put him out of his misery and simply told him that you have been in love with Cade since you were fifteen years old. He seemed sad but accepting,” Jenny offered helpfully.

“Jenny! I should have been the one to deal with that.”

“You had your hands full with Cade,” Jenny pointed out.

“Thanks, I think.”

“Well, I am tired so I’m off to bed. Where are you sleeping?” her friend, her expression mischievous, turned to query.

“I thought I would lie down on the couch,” Amanda admitted.

“Okay, good night then.”

“Good night, Jenny,” Amanda called after her friend. Amanda spread her blankets out, turned off the TV and lamp and tried to get comfortable enough to sleep. She tossed and turned until nearly one in the morning before moving to her bed. Cade was still out cold when she lay down beside him. It took her several minutes to get past the oddness of having a man in bed beside her before she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Amanda woke and lay still for a moment as she tried to pin point what was out of sorts. The arm across her, she finally realized; a smile pulling at her lips as her memory returned. She rolled over to face the man behind her to find him frowning at her in confusion. He likely had little if any memory of the night before, she realized.

“Good morning,” she greeted.

“What the hell happened?” he demanded.

“What do you mean what happened? Don’t you remember?” Amanda couldn’t help having a little fun at his expense.

“Damn it, Manny, don’t play games with me; what happened?” he looked almost panicked.

“Relax, Cade, you passed out, your virtue intact so no need to be repulsed,” Amanda felt rather hurt at his reaction.

“I’m not repulsed, Manny, but a man doesn’t like to take a woman to bed and have no memory of it. If I did that to you…” Cade shoved a hand through his hair. “This is why I don’t drink,” he muttered.

“I brought you here to sleep it off and that is exactly what you did,” she reiterated.

Cade stared at her a moment, his blue eyes fathomless. “You scare me sometimes, Manny.”

“You feel alright?” Amanda asked; she was trying to decide whether she was still hurt at him or not.

“Yeah, before your dad hired me I was known to over drink a fair amount; I’ve never been prone to hangovers,” he informed her.

“Good,” she offered awkwardly. “I should let you up,” Amanda started to move.

“Wait,” Cade stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you earlier, Manny. That is a lousy way for a man to treat a woman and the last thing I ever want to do is hurt you.”

“Thanks, Cade. I’m sorry I was having fun at your expense.”

“Thanks,” Cade smiled at her and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Amanda felt odd laying there beside him in her bed. It felt almost surreal. He was sexy in the mornings; she realized and squirmed slightly at the thought. His blue eyes were vivid, his strong jaw stubbled in an appealing way and his body as great as ever. The man was a dream to look at. Amanda’s eyes slid across his broad shoulders, flat stomach, and narrow hips and felt herself blush at the places her thoughts were going.

Amanda couldn’t resist running her hand over the light smattering of dark hair that covered his chest. His chest hairs felt rough under hands but the skin beneath smooth and warm to her touch. She let her hands trail over his well-muscled shoulders and then back down his chest to his stomach and up to his hip. Cade watched her, not reacting until her hand slid over his hip and caused him to breathe in sharply.

Feeling both embarrassed and exhilarated, Amanda flushed at his response and let her hand trail back down his hip along his pant line until she reached the button of his jeans and he grabbed her hand; he was laughing as he did.

“Your curious little hands are getting a bit bold,” he accused. Amanda knew she was blushing, she also felt heady and oh so very alive. When Cade reached out for her chin to pull her close to kiss her, Amanda leaned against him only too happy to kiss him back. When his hands went sliding under her shirt she made no move to stop him and shuddered slightly under his touch. Amanda let her own hand slide over his back and chest, but each time her hands started dipping lower, Cade stopped her and chuckled before returning them to his chest.

“I need to go,” Cade broke their kiss. “I have to be at work in just over an hour and a half.”

“You’re only forty-five minutes from the ranch,” she pointed out.

Cade grinned and kissed her again. “I know,” he finally told her. “Tell me, Manny; how many would I make?” he rolled until he had her pinned.

Amanda felt heat climb into her cheeks.

“One?” he asked, and watched her. “That’s what I thought. You have school to finish; I have school to finish and whatever you are telling yourself at the moment: you don’t do casual relationships, Manny. You deserve better than a quick roll before I rush off to work,” Cade’s voice was strong with conviction.

Amanda felt mildly embarrassed that he could see through her so easily. “How many would I make?” she turned the tables on him.

Cade laughed. “I set that one up for you didn’t I?”

Amanda smiled in return.

“The only one that counts,” he assured.

“Mmm, hmm; that’s a cop out,” she accused. “Besides, I’m sure you say that to all the girls.”

“No, Manny; I don’t. There haven’t been as many as you probably think there have been. When you wear a certain attitude people make assumptions without asking.”

“You’re side stepping the question,” she accused.

“Does it matter to you?” his gaze held hers.

Amanda shook her head. “Not really but I figured if you were going to put me on the spot, I’d put you on the spot.”

Cade smiled and kissed her and things heated up again. With a groan, he pulled back. “I’ve got to go, Manny.”

“But I don’t want you to,” she argued.

He chuckled, “I’ve got to.” He kissed her again and moved to get up. Amanda grabbed his belt loops and held on; she was smiling as she did.

“Manny, I’ve got to go,” he was laughing now. Amanda released her hold and sat up to watch him as he pulled on his undershirt, then his shirt, and finally his boots. She sighed; she really didn’t want him to leave. Brazen or not she wanted him to come back to bed and stay there with her and she didn’t have sleeping on her mind.

“So you’re going to leave me sitting here frustrated?” she demanded. Cade stood and leaned over to kiss her lightly.

“Me too, sweetheart, but I really do have to go.”

“You’re mean,” she accused.

“Where are my keys?” he asked as he grabbed his jacket.

Amanda grinned and didn’t answer.

“Manny, where are my keys?” he was smiling and trying not to laugh.

Amanda sighed, tossed aside the covers and stood to move to the kitchen where she had left them on the counter.

“Morning, Cade,” Jenny offered with a huge smile.

“Morning, Jenny,” Cade’s cheeks flushed. “Walk me out?” Cade turned to Amanda. Amanda followed him outside and to his truck.

“Thanks for not letting me get behind the wheel last night,” he told her as he turned to lean against his truck and pulled her to lean against him.

“I couldn’t let you get yourself hurt or worse,” she informed him.

“You really don’t know how hard it is to leave,” he told her before kissing her again and then pushing off the truck, “but I have to.”

“I’ll see you later?”

“I’m sure you will,” he opened his truck door. “Right now we both need to be focused on school.”

“I know,” she agreed with a sigh.

“Bye, Manny.”

“Bye, Cade,” she stepped back as he closed the door and turned with a sigh to return inside.

Amanda reentered the living room to find Jenny waiting, her eyes bright with curiosity.

“I notice you didn’t remain on the couch all night.”

“No, I couldn’t get comfortable,” Amanda admitted as she lowered herself into an arm chair she had found at a junk store. She had added it to the room and loaded it with several pillows to bring color into the room.

“I imagine you were much more comfortable in bed with Cade,” Jenny teased.

“I was; slept like a baby.”

“Are you going to keep me in suspense all day?” Jenny finally demanded impatiently.

“What?” Amanda frowned at her friend and then broke into a grin. “We made out but he turned me down in the most frustratingly polite manner possible.”

“What?!? Omigosh. I’m surprised that he walked; what did he say?”

“That we need to finish school and that I wasn’t in to casual relationships and that I deserved better than a quick roll before he left for work.”

“Wow, in an odd, still turned you down kind of way; that’s romantic.”

“It’s frustrating.”

“I can just see it now had he stayed,” Jenny looked off into the air thoughtfully. “‘Mr. Jennings, this is Cade. I’m sorry but I’m going to be late because I’m in your daughter’s bed taking her virginity.’”

Amanda pulled one of the pillows from behind her and threw it at Jenny with as much force as she could muster. “That is not funny!” she informed her friend around a laugh.

“You are a brazen hussy! You are so going to burn in hell,” Jenny was laughing as she said it.

“You take that back!” Amanda threw another pillow at her friend.

“No; it’s true!”

Amanda stood and looked around for a weapon, her gaze landing on a sachet bag of potpourri. “You take it back or I’m going to make you eat this!” Amanda threatened as she crossed the room.

“You want murder on your conscious too; in addition to trying to seduce an innocent man?” Jenny, already reaching for a pillow to ward off Amanda’s attack, was laughing.

A moment later, Jenny was hitting Amanda with the pillow as Amanda tried to reach around it and shove the potpourri in her mouth.

“Take it back,” Amanda was laughing so hard she could barely speak.

“No!” Jenny made it to her feet and stumbled as she tried to flee. Amanda grabbed her around the waist a moment later and tried to shove the potpourri into Jenny’s face. The two were laughing so hard they could hardly stand.

“If it had been my brother in your bed?” Amanda demanded as Jenny managed to lock Amanda’s hands under her arm.

“Then I guess you wouldn’t burn alone,” Jenny admitted. “I’d be a hussy too.”

“That’s what I thought,” Amanda panted and gave up her quest for revenge. Trying to catch her breath, she collapsed into the floor. Jenny collapsed beside her.

“Are you okay?” Jenny demanded.

“What do you mean?” Amanda turned her head to look at her friend.

“Does it hurt that he turned you down?”

“My pride but I really think he thought he was doing the right thing,” Amanda admitted.

“I need to get ready for work. What are you doing today?”

“Going to see Daddy.”

“Will it be awkward seeing Cade?”

Amanda shook her head, “No, Cade and I seem to be able to smile at each other and somehow understand what that means. My only concern is my brother picking up on any tension between us.”

“Oooohhh yeah that would not go over so well,” Jenny winced.

“It’s none of his business; I’m eighteen but he seems to think I’m still a child.”

“He loves you, Mandy; he just wants to look out for you.”

“I know, but sometimes he crosses a line.”

“Well I have to tell you that as soon as I saw you two together today I knew something had happened; I thought maybe a lot. Oh, and you have whisker burn all down your neck and collar,” Jenny supplied with a smile. Amanda groaned. “Is it too warm for a turtle neck?” she joked.

“Yes,” Jenny laughed.

Amanda sat up and rubbed at her collar bone. “Will it fade?”

“At some point.”

“But how long?” Amanda, her eyes wide, demanded.

“How am I supposed to know? I don’t bring drunk cowboys home and make out with them.”

“I’m serious, Jenny. Do you think it will fade soon?”

“Aren’t we funny, two virgins trying to hide our illicit behavior. Or yours rather; I’m innocent in all of this.”

Amanda grabbed one of the pillows they had dropped and slapped Jenny with it before standing to go shower; maybe a shower would help.

Amanda visited with her dad and aunt for much of the afternoon until her dad got a call to come and pick up a bull he had bought. Amanda then meandered her way to the barn where, as luck would have it, Cade was brushing down one of the horses. Several hands were working in the field just off from the barn, installing a new gate.

“Hello, Cade,” Amanda, her hands in her pockets, moved to lean against one of the nearby stalls.

“Hello, Manny,” his smile was rather wicked and garnered one from Amanda in return.

“You still mad at me?” he asked her.

“I’m still thinking about it,” she pouted and watched his smile widen.

“Manny, love, you are going to give me a run for my money, aren’t you?”

Amanda moved to stand by the horse he was currying and rubbed the gelding’s nose. “If you would just co-operate,” Amanda shrugged and watched him laugh.

She spotted her brother coming through the open doors and quickly schooled her features. Whether it was any of his business or not she had no desire to pick a fight today.

“Hey, Mandy,” Her brother grinned as he approached and kissed her forehead.

Cade moved to turn the horse into his stall; his expression was neutral when he returned.

“You still missing your woman?” Amanda teased her brother.

“Terribly. Getting back to school will be something of a relief. How are you and Jenny doing down there all by yourself?”

“We’re doing fine,” Amanda assured him.

“You and Cade write each other and share all your secrets; right?” her brother’s question held sarcasm.

“Some things,” Amanda bristled at his tone.

“So see if you can get Cade to tell you where he spent last night,” Trent suggested.

Amanda knew he was goading her; making sure she knew that Cade had been out all night the night before. Little did he know. Amanda watched Cade turn to grab his water bottle and shook her head; if her brother wanted a fight she’d give him a fight.

“He had too much to drink and I took him to my place to sleep it off. Don’t worry, he turned me down,” Amanda informed her brother. She turned to leave; she could hear Cade coughing behind her.

“Damn, Manny,” still sounding slightly strangled, he called after her a moment later.

“Amanda Lynn!” her brother exploded as he started after her.

“What?” Amanda snapped and turned to face him, her chin high in challenge.

“Since when do you take men home and proposition them?”

“I am eighteen who I do or don’t proposition is none of your business!” she yelled back at him.

“You may be eighteen but Dad is still paying half your bills; what do you think he would have to say about your actions?” Trent was in her face now, fairly gloating.

“I won a scholarship that covers my schooling. After I turned eighteen the lease went into mine and Jenny’s name and we’ve been paying the bills with no help. I am an independent woman and I do not have to answer to you, Trent.”

Her brother looked as though he had been slapped.

“I love you and I thank you for looking out for me but I get to make my own decisions and if I make mistake they are MY mistakes, Trent. I get that right too, just like you. I get to live and learn. If I get my heart broken, it’s my heart.” Her brother staring after her, Amanda turned to leave. She hadn’t wanted to fight with him but he was going to have to learn that he didn’t get to make her decisions for her.