Under the Open Sky

Chapter Five

Amanda sat beside Cade as they waited for her brother to return from walking Angela to her front door. The Brown’s home had a deep front porch and without a single light on in the lower portion of the house, the couple was completely hidden in the porch’s deep recesses. As soon as Angela had slid from the cab of the truck Amanda had scooted over to put space between herself and Cade. She now understood what she had not earlier in the evening. She was attracted to Cade Winston. That he had admitted to checking her out earlier only made her that much more aware of him. The trip from town to Angela’s had been torture, his leg pressed against hers and his hard chest behind her shoulder. Having only admired a few guys around school from a distance, being pressed up against one she was attracted to was a completely new experience and she wasn’t altogether sure she liked it.

“Do you think they’re sleeping together?” Amanda asked, her thoughts returning to her conversation with Jennifer.

“What?”

Amanda looked over to find Cade scrutinizing her in the green glow of the radio. A slow ballad played at a low hum but not loud enough to follow.

“Do you think Angela and Trent are sleeping together; you know having sex,” she repeated her question.

“I think it’s pretty likely,” he finally answered. “Why?”

“Jennifer noticed earlier and then I watched them more closely. If Jennifer is noticing it then Dad is certainly…”

“Going to notice,” Cade finished her sentence. “Another thing for the two of them to fight about, huh?”

“Yeah,” Amanda grimaced at the thought. She knew the peace in the house was tenuous at best.

“I’ll say something to him.”

“Thanks, I think it would be better coming from you,” Amanda mused.

“Yeah, I guess so, your brother would like to think you don’t even know what the word means,” Cade informed her.

Amanda snorted. “I know,” she acknowledged.

“Hey, Manny, I know you have a brother and don’t need another one, but be careful around guys like Jeff Jenkins. Your brother leaves in a few weeks and won’t be around to get your back.”

“I know,” Amanda admitted, “and I will.”

“Good.” Cade fell silent as Trent strode off the porch and moved their way.

“Sorry,” Trent apologized for their wait as he started the truck. “You two are as quiet as monks; don’t you know how to have a conversation?”

“We talked,” Amanda responded.

“What about?” Trent glanced at her before turning from the driveway.

Amanda grinned at her brother, “Sex.”

“What?” her brother’s head snapped around, his gaze boring into hers. Glancing at Cade briefly, Amanda turned her gaze to the road ahead. His shoulders were shaking and she realized that she amused him; it gave her a rather heady feeling.

“You’re kidding right?” Trent demanded when she didn’t answer.

“No.”

“Since when do you know about sex?”

“Good grief Trent, Dad had that talk with me a few years ago.”

“But that’s all you know right?”

“You mean am I having sex? No! What kind of girl do you think I am?” Amanda glowered at her brother. “I’m fifteen!”

“You shouldn’t be discussing his sex life either, that’s more education than a fifteen year old needs.”

“We weren’t discussing his sex life either,” Amanda corrected.

Trent frowned at the road ahead, silence filling the cab of the truck until he rolled to a stop in front of the house.

“Then whose were you discussing?” Trent finally demanded.

Amanda scooted across the seat and hopped down. “Thanks, Cade,” she acknowledged his holding the door for her. “We were discussing yours,” she informed her brother before turning and bounding up the front porch steps.

“Mine?” Trent stopped short and stared after his sister.

“She asked me to talk to you,” Cade explained.

Choosing to go on in instead, Amanda didn’t wait around to hear what else he planned to say.

“Hey, Daddy,” Amanda greeted him with a kiss on his cheek. He was seated in his favorite recliner, a western on the TV.

“Hey, Pumpkin,” her dad glanced at her and then did a double take. “What are you wearing?”

“It’s called a skirt,” Amanda grinned at his look of consternation.

“I know that, but well, that isn’t one of your church skirts.”

“It’s a school skirt; I just haven’t worn it before.”

“Yes, well, um, you look…very grown up,” her father finally managed.

“Thanks, Daddy. I’m going to bed. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Amanda entered her room and moved to the mirror to study herself again. Her skirt came to just past mid-thigh, not that short at all, she realized, and her shirt while fitted, didn’t cling. She had been paranoid after her run in with Jeff. He had been drunk, she reminded herself and turned to dress for bed. She was just leaving the bathroom from washing her face when her brother topped the stairs.

“Hey, Mandy, thanks for the warning; the last thing I need is another fight with Dad,” Trent admitted.

“I know.”

“You scared me though and I think you know it,” Trent accused.

Not bothering to deny his claim, Amanda smiled.

“Funny,” he groused. “Look, I like Cade well enough but he’s a very experienced man and not anyone to play around with.”

“I didn’t,” Amanda countered.

“Just be careful, guys like him seem to have some draw on women.”

“I’ve seen that, as I said: I’m fifteen!”

“There are girls your age…”

“Yeah, I know; I’m not and I don’t plan to not until…” Amanda stopped and frowned.

“Until you marry?”

“Like you?” Amanda crossed her arms and challenged her brother and watched him frown.

“Okay, until what?”

“I’m ready and I’m not ready and can’t imagine that I would be anytime soon. The idea of just sleeping with some guy for the heck of it creeps me out.”

“It should!” Trent followed her into her room. “And I plan to marry Angela.”

“Good.”

“I do,” Trent insisted.

“I said good!” Amanda turned on her brother and planted her hands on her hips.

“I’m sorry, Mandy. I just realized tonight that you’re growing up and I won’t be here to protect you,” Trent admitted.

“Daddy will.”

“But he doesn’t understand our generation, men in his generation were more…honorable or something.”

“Right teen pregnancy is an invention of our generation,” Amanda offered with a serving of sarcasm.

“Where do you get your sharp tongue?!” Trent demanded of her.

“Maybe mom was sassy,” Amanda offered as she seated herself on her bed and grabbed one of her pillows to pull it close.

“Sassy? Is that how you like to dress it up?” Trent moved to seat himself at her desk.

“Spirited?”

“Sharp; you could cut a man to pieces.”

“Good, so I can look out for myself,” Amanda grinned at her brother.

“I hope so, Mandy; I hope so.”

“You are spending too much time with that girl; I won’t have you throwing your future away son. You are at a critical point in your life where the decisions you make will shape the rest of your life!” Sterling yelled at his son.

Amanda sighed impatiently. As much as she dreaded her brother leaving at least the fighting would stop when he did. Trent had spent nearly every spare moment with Angela since his graduation and their father had taken notice.

“I am eighteen years old and if I want to see Angela I will!” Trent shot back.

Amanda stood and crawled onto the porch before scooting down the post to head for the barn. She couldn’t stop her brother and father from arguing but she didn’t have to stay and listen to it. She hated the way her father and brother fought lately, it seemed at times it was all they did; it had never been this way before.

The day’s heat had abated leaving a cool breeze to tease Amanda’s hair as she walked the rutted farm road between the house and barn; Big Boy once again trotted beside her. Here, with the night sounds serenading her, she felt peace replace the tension that had tightened her shoulders. Amanda’s steps slowed as she neared the barn and found the door open and lights glowing from inside. Cade was bent over the engine of one the tractors just inside the double doors. Amanda quickened her pace; perhaps Cade would be better company than her family was at the moment.

“Hey, Manny, what are you doing out here so late?” Cade glanced up at her as she entered and leaned against the tractor wheel.

“I’m a refugee of World War III,” she muttered darkly; her brows were drawn in frustration.

“Your dad and Trent at it again?”

“Of course.”

“I told your brother to cool it some; he won’t listen.”

“Nothing new there but this is the first time I can really recall my brother and father staying at each other so long.”

“They’ll move past it, if nothing else your brother leaving will put an end to it.”

“I know,” she sighed as she meandered to a nearby hay bale and seated herself; Big Boy propped his head on her knee.

“You’ll miss him won’t you?” Cade had stopped and turned to face her.

Amanda nodded.

“You two are closer than most brothers and sisters I’ve known.”

“We always have been. Maybe it’s because we lost our mother so early; I don’t know we’ve just always been close.”

“Must be nice.”

“It is. What about you, Cade, do you have any siblings?”

Cade gave a mirthless chuckle. “Not that I’m aware of but I suppose given my father’s penchant for women that it is a real possibility.”

“Sorry I asked.”

“Nah, it doesn’t bother me anymore,” Cade insisted as he turned back to the tractor’s engine.

Amanda somehow knew it did matter; she let him have his bluff.

“Want to do me a favor, Manny?”

“What’s that?”

“Climb up there and try starting the engine, let me see if I’ve got this or not.”

“Sure,” Amanda hopped up to climb onto the tractor’s high seat. Big Boy flopped to the ground with a sigh. Amanda’s attempt to start the tractor produced spitting and sputtering.

“Stop; I see the problem,” Cade stuck his head back in the engine. Amanda waited and admired him as he worked. He had discarded his shirt; his muscles were impressive, his shoulders were bunching as he wrestled with the engine.

“Okay, try it again,” Cade instructed a moment later.

Amanda cranked the tractor; its engine rumbled to life.

“You did it,” she offered him a smile.

“Fixing engines and things kind of comes natural to me,” he admitted. “You can turn it off. Thanks, Manny, I don’t think I could have fixed it by myself, I needed to see the engine turn over before I could even see where the problem was.”

“Glad to help, anything that gets me out of the house at the moment,” Amanda climbed down from the tractor.

Cade moved to the utility sink and grabbed the strong soap her father kept in the barn for washing away grease and animal sweat. The sound of Trent’s truck roaring to life and spitting gravel as he spun down the drive carried through the air.

“I guess that means Trent has run to see Angela just to spite dad and now Daddy will hide behind a catalogue while Aunt Naomi tip toes around him,” Amanda mused aloud.

“What will you do?”

“Sneak back in and stay out of both their way,” she admitted. “I guess I should get back; Naomi will freak if she finds me gone.”

“Hold on and I’ll walk you back,” Cade pulled his shirt back on. “Does your dad know you sneak out?”

Amanda grinned and considered it. “I think he suspects I do but I’m not sure.”

Cade flipped off the light and grabbed an object that looked suspiciously like a rifle in the dim light of the crescent moon.

“Your father found wolf prints around one of the pastures yesterday and is making all the men carry one of these,” he held up the rifle.

“He didn’t say anything,” Amanda’s gaze was wide when it met his.

“He probably didn’t want to worry you and I suspect that he doesn’t know you sneak out,” Cade informed her.

“I’ll be more careful,” she assured him.

“Good. I see Angela has left her mark on you as well,” Cade commented as they walked toward the house, Big Boy trotting between them.

“What do you mean?” Amanda frowned over at him. He motioned toward her outfit and Amanda glanced down. She wore a pair of jean shorts, hemmed, not cut offs and a tank top.

“Oh, well, she kind of convinced me that my clothing was only making me look even lankier and straighter,” Amanda admitted.

“You’re out growing it,” Cade assured her. “I know your brother and I like to tease you but you’ll be a knock out one day Manny and it’s driving your brother crazy.”

“Thanks,” Amanda could feel heat climb into her cheeks. She was suddenly glad the night was rather dark. “I guess you’ll miss my brother too,” Amanda changed the subject.

“I will, he wasn’t sure of me at first but I think he’s almost decided I’m okay,” Cade offered her a grin.

“Almost?”

“Almost,” Cade nodded; his smile was enigmatic. “You should be okay from here. You going back in the same way I’m sure you came out?”

“What?” Amanda turned and frowned at him.

“That’s quite an acrobatic act you do,” Cade teased.

Amanda opened her mouth to speak, closed it and shook her head.

“I thought Trent was the only one who knew my secret to getting in and out,” Amanda admitted.

“I was coming across the field one night and spotted you, as I said, it’s quite impressive.”

“One of the advantages to be freakishly long legged,” Amanda offered with a smile and shrug. “Good night, Cade.”

“Night, Manny.”

Amanda turned, surveyed the house for movement and then sprinted across the yard. At the corner of the porch she leapt lightly onto the railing, grabbed the edge of the roof and used her momentum to swing herself up. A moment later she scrambled over the edge and was at her window. She turned to set her screen back in place and glanced back toward the edge of the yard to where she and Cade had parted under the large oak tree. Cade raised a hand and turned to move away. Amanda grinned and turned to throw herself across her bed and reclaimed the book she had discarded earlier when the fighting had started.

Amanda woke, slightly disoriented as to what had woken her, only to hear her brother’s truck door slam a moment later. Trent was home. Amanda scooted into a sitting position and glanced at her bed side clock. It was nearly three in the morning. With a shake of her head, she placed her book on the nightstand and stood to dress. The last thing she had remembered she was reading. Amanda heard her brother’s bed room door ease shut and breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently her father was already asleep. Amanda slipped her gown on and turned back her covers before climbing into the bed and turning her lamp off. She laced her fingers behind her head and stared at the ceiling.

Allowing herself to admire Cade would only land them both in trouble, she acknowledged to herself. Not admiring him when their paths so often crossed proved quite difficult, however. Her brother had invited her along on many of their outings into town and usually was in Cade’s company when he was at work on the ranch. Trent had even taken to inviting Cade to have dinner with the family. He was too old for her, at least at this point. She figured it was a crush she would outgrow, it only seemed reasonable considering how little experience she had with the opposite sex. Of course the older, slightly dangerous man had caught her attention; she was human. Amanda rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.

A moment later they snapped open as chills ran down her spine. She sat up, her gaze on the window. Another long, melancholy howl lifted onto the night breeze and filtered into her window. Amanda stood and moved to the window. An answering howl sounded from another direction and Amanda removed her screen to sit on the porch roof, her knees drawn to her chest and arms wrapped around her knees. The wolves were creating a symphony now, calling and answering each other in the night’s stillness. In the corrals by the barn, the horses were snorting and calling in distress; below, Big Boy whined deep in his throat.

Amanda heard the front door open and the screen door snap shut below her and knew that her father was on the porch. He would be concerned for the livestock, she knew. The screen slapped shut again and her father’s voice floated up from somewhere in the hall below. She tracked his process back to his room and then a few minutes later back out onto the porch and then watched as he appeared in the yard, rifle in hand. He seemed to be waiting, her brother moving to stand beside him, and a few minutes later Amanda watched several of the hands join them in the yard.

The men’s voices rumbled below her but their words were indistinct. Her father was pointing and several of the men were nodding. A few moments later the men were clearing out of the yard, her brother and Cade hanging back a moment, apparently in conversation. The wolves’ calls seemed to be coming from every direction now, some coming closer and closer to the house and barn. Amanda watched as Cade glanced up and then did a double take; he grinned and offered her a nod. Amanda smiled and raised a hand in greeting. Trenton looked up and glowered at her.

“Get in the house, Mandy; there are wolves out in case you missed the racket.

“They can climb porch posts can they?” she called back in defiance.

“Get in the house!” he reiterated.

Staying where she was, Amanda rolled her eyes and ignored him. Unless wolves had somehow mastered the art of climbing she figured she was perfectly safe where she was. Her brother finally turned and stormed off; Cade followed behind at a slower pace.

Amanda, listening to the eerie calls, remained where she was for some time. She finally stood and moved inside before climbing back in her bed to stare out the window, sleep slowly over took her. She dreamt she was a wolf, moving silently and gracefully over the land, surrounded by tall towering trees and rushing streams, never seeming to quite reach a destination.