Mansfield Ranch (4 page)

For the rest of the hour, I vowed to stay alert and attentive to the lesson. Julia didn’t look back again until after the bell rang.

“Thanks,” I said as I gathered up my books and stashed them in my backpack. “You totally saved me.”

“No problem.” She shrugged. “I’m a huge daydreamer too.”

I chuckled, not sure what I was supposed to say.

“You looked like you wished you were anywhere but here.”

“Yeah, well . . .” I smirked and pulled my backpack over my shoulder, then stepped out into the aisle in front of her.

“Well, hey, I . . .”

I glanced back and waited for her to catch up. “Yeah?”

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry for the bad rep you’ve been getting lately over my brother.”

Oh
. “No worries. It’s no big deal.” I started to walk forward again.

“Well, I just wanted to get a chance to tell you that since we’re coming to your house for dinner tomorrow.”

 “Tomorrow?”

“Yep. I just don’t want you to have any weird feelings, you know? Be uncomfortable around us.”

“Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say. Besides, there was only one person I was going to feel uncomfortable around—and that wouldn’t change no matter how many times Julia apologized.

“Well, I’ll see you later.” Julia smiled at me. She was really pretty. I could see why Sean would like her. I shrugged. At least she was nice, too, unlike her conceited brother.
Grr . . . Why does he have to come tomorrow? Seriously? Like my life isn’t hard enough right now.

***

So, I don’t know what I was expecting when it came to dinner Friday night, but it was nothing like what I could’ve imagined. Instead of the pompous jerk I thought Harrison would be, he was the complete opposite. Charming, considerate, well spoken, polite . . . In fact, had I not known better, I might have been swept away by his charisma just like everyone else.

Lauren preened like a cat who’d gotten the cream. She was so besotted by her new dream beaux, it was downright disgusting.

There was another problem, too, just a slight one that I’m sure no one else even picked up on. But since I was mostly set apart from the group and the least talkative of anyone, I noticed that even though Harrison proclaimed to be Lauren’s boyfriend and was enjoying all the rights that revolved around that claim—such as holding her hand, sitting next to her, giving her a hello kiss—his eyes sure seemed to stray a lot toward Alexis. A whole lot. Not good, right? I just wondered how long it would last before Alexis let him know she already had a boyfriend.

“So what do you think of Julia?” Sean whispered as we got the dessert ready.

“She’s nice, and pretty.” I gave him an arch look.

He ducked his head and rummaged through the drawer for silverware. Like it was hard to find.
It’s right there.

“Sean?”

“Yeah?” He still avoided me.

“Come on, admit it. You’re totally crushing on her.”

“Ahem.” He finally pulled out some forks and set them on the counter. He then started to fold the linen napkins in triangles.

“Fine—don’t answer, then.” I chuckled. “Never mind the fact that you get to bug me about my love life—I can see that the tables are completely flipped when it comes to you.” I waited a bit longer. When he didn’t say anything, I collected the cake platter and serving utensils and headed toward the kitchen door. “Be that way. Just remember that when you’re dying to tell someone all about it, I won’t be there to hear it.”

He scooped up the napkins, forks, and plates and followed me. “I admit it, okay? She’s hot. What do you want next? A declaration in blood?”

“Hmm. Don’t tempt me.” I pushed the door open with my foot and entered the dining room.

***

It wasn’t until later that night as we all sat around in the living room chatting and getting to know each other that it finally came out that Alexis had a boyfriend. Ha ha! I know I shouldn’t even smirk, but it was pretty funny to watch her try to hide the fact from Harrison. I had the advantage of sitting on a chair opposite the couch where Harrison and my two sisters sat, so I saw the whole thing. And I’m still chuckling, thinking about the look on her face when that first text came through.

“Who’s that from?” Harrison leaned over Alexis’s arm to get a better look.

She was so freaked out, she nearly dropped the phone. “Uh, what? Uh . . . no one. Why?”

“No one? Are you sure?” Harrison grinned this totally charming grin right at her.

I watched Alexis blush and nod, her eyes never leaving his.

“Really?” Harrison’s voice dropped a little. “If that’s so, why are you clutching that phone like your life depended on it?”

Alexis glanced down at her hands. She held the phone so tight that her knuckles were white.

I looked around the room to see if anyone else had paid attention to them. They were all still discussing a trip to Canada—something that had been occupying the conversation for the last ten minutes. Even Lauren hadn’t been paying attention. She’d been busy adding in her favorite Canadian cities and destinations. I was distracted for a moment by a comment Sean made about Canadian horses before I remembered to direct my attention to Harrison and Alexis.

When I looked back, he’d turned his whole body to face her and was leaning in with her cell phone in his hand. It looked like he had scrolled through her text messages.

“So, this is your boyfriend, huh? Trent?”

“Yeah.” Alexis smirked up at Harrison. “And he’s hot.”

“Really? He’s hot, huh?”

“Oh, yeah.” She grinned. “You should meet him sometime.”

Harrison handed back her phone. “Do you really want me to? I don’t think you’re brave enough.”

“Brave enough?” Even from this angle, her perplexed features looked totally enduring and sweet.

Ugh
.

“Yeah,” Harrison all but whispered. I had to lean closer just so I could hear him. “Because no matter how hot you think your boyfriend is, I’m way hotter. And if you were honest with yourself, you’d admit it.”

Both mine and Alexis’s jaws dropped.

Harrison snorted a faint chuckle at her expression before asking, “You want me to prove it to you? Believe me, there’s nothing more tempting to a guy than a girl who’s already taken.”

I gasped.

Harrison’s gaze flew to mine and connected. I froze. He slowly raised one eyebrow and waited to see what I would do, challenging me.

Believe me, if I’d had a full glass of ice water, I could do a lot of things to that fiery gaze. They might have gotten me grounded and doing chores for the next six weeks, but it would’ve been so worth it to watch that flirtatious smirk get wiped off his face.

I sneered briefly in disgust before standing up and walking out of the room. It was probably time to do the dishes anyway. Anything was better than being in the same room with that creep.

I’d only been in the kitchen a minute or two when the door opened and I heard a loud voice say, “Yeah, I’ll get you a drink too. No worries.”

Harrison walked in.

I nearly dropped the glass I was holding. As it was, it slipped from my hands and I had to lunge to catch it.

I purposely avoided him, not saying a word. Instead, in the looming silence, I scrubbed the fragile dinner glass within an inch of its life.

Harrison wasn’t deterred by my silence. After a couple of moments, he walked up to me.

“So, I’m here to get some soda and glasses. Could you help me?”

I ignored him and scrubbed some more.

He chuckled, which caused me to look up.
Does he think this is funny?

“Hey, you don’t have to get all prickly with me. Just show me where the glasses and soda are and I promise to get out of your hair.” He smiled his devastatingly handsome smile.

I wasn’t amused. Instead, I turned the water to freezing cold and rinsed the glass as I debated dousing him.

“Are you going to tell me where the stuff is, or do I have to find it myself?” His eyes positively sparkled with mischief as they dared me to answer him.

I was ticked—seriously. I smiled a tight, strained smile. “Why?”

He was thrown off guard. His eyebrows rose questioningly. “What do you mean, why? What are you asking me?”

As if I was that stupid. I snapped. “Why are you in here?”

When he opened his mouth to answer, I rudely interrupted. “And don’t give me that bull about wanting to get someone a drink, okay? Find the soda. Find the glasses—if that’s what you’re here for. You’re a big boy—I ’m sure you can figure out your way around the kitchen. But do me a favor and don’t try to con me into thinking you’re this great guy. Don’t try to have a decent conversation with me, because I’m not deceived. Thanks to your lesson yesterday, your act is history.” I turned the faucet off and forcefully wiped my hands on a small towel before I headed toward the door. Just as my fingers touched the swinging door, I heard sharp applause. Irritated, I stopped with my back to him.

Chapter Five: Hide & Seek

“Bravo, Lilly Price.” Harrison had the nerve to laugh. “Your little speech to your fantasy guy ought to keep your dreams stocked for the next few nights.”

How dare he?
I whirled around. “Harrison Crawford, you are the most conceited, rude, arrogant, pig-headed jerk I’ve ever met in my whole life. Not to mention completely brainless if you’re stupid enough not only to listen to idle high-school gossip, but to actually believe it! That completely proves my point that you’re not worth the time and effort it takes to speak to you. I don’t have time for fools. Go back and talk to my sisters because frankly, you deserve them!” I pushed the door open so fast that it banged into the opposite wall.
Dang! I’ll be in trouble now
. I didn’t look back. Instead, I hurried to my room and willed myself not to completely lose it.

It didn’t work. I stressed out, just like I always did when I had an outburst. I knew I was sometimes rude and overbearing, just like I knew I let jealousy and anger cloud my judgment.
What was I thinking? Seriously.

 The Benallys were going to be really upset again. There was nothing I could do about it—nothing.  I know, I’ve tried. I’ve tried so hard to be the daughter they wanted—the daughter they thought they were getting. But it wasn’t me. I’m their burden, the extra weight they carry. Their stress.

I chuckled in despair as I plopped down on my bed and fingered the blue-and-red afghan that had been mine at the children’s home in Albuquerque.
I wasted that wish on a stupid date that was never going to happen. I so should’ve used it on becoming better.

Sometimes when I’m really silly and have nothing better to do, I allow myself to be completely washed in remorse for a few minutes. You know, the self-pitying kind, the kind that gets you nowhere fast? I was there. I guess in a way those moments are good to have every few months or so—just so you get it out of your system and move on.

I’m not sure what other families are like. Since I was put in the orphanage as a baby, I’ve only known this one. But sometimes, sometimes I wished I was a different person. Sometimes I wished I was someone who actually deserved to be cared about. I mean, I knew I was stubborn and created ninety-nine percent of my own messes, but I wished I wasn’t. I wished I was someone the Benallys could . . . could love.

Fat chance of that. It obviously wasn’t in my blood. I remember when we were little and Alexis and Lauren and I would try to guess who my parents had been. No matter how many times we exhausted every possible thought of something exotic or exciting, it always came back to the reality that my parents were probably some sort of criminals or druggies totally rotting in jail. They had to be. I mean, look at me. I can’t even my keep mouth shut for like twenty minutes. I’m always in trouble.

“Lilly, are you in there?” I jumped when I heard the faint knock and Daniel Benally’s voice at the door. It was inevitable, I guess.

“Yes, Mr. Benally. I’m here. You can come in.”

The dark-haired man propped himself on the doorjamb. His arms were folded—that was never a good sign. I decided to wait until he wanted to talk. I didn’t have to wait long.

“Can I ask you something, Lilly?”

“I . . . yes.”

“Do you think it’s appropriate to embarrass our guests?”

“No,” I whispered.

He paused a few seconds and then asked, “Do you think it’s appropriate to slam doors in this house?”

“No.” I glanced away; I couldn’t look at him anymore. Instead, I drew the afghan closer to me.

I heard him heave a sigh before he asked, “Do you think it’s appropriate for a girl of your age to scream at our new neighbors and call them names and humiliate not only your family, but them as well?”

I looked up.

Daniel ran his hand through his hair and braced his other hand against the doorframe in frustration. His voice rose like it always did. “What is wrong with you? Why do you insist on tormenting us like this, Lilly? Why?”

“I—I don’t know,” I squeaked.

“Don’t you have everything you need? A house, a bed, pretty clothes, a cell phone, this—this room? Good grief! Not to mention your own horse and truck! Are you deprived in any way? Is this some plea for help or attention? What are you lacking, Lilly Price? What more could we possibly give you that you can throw back in our faces? Huh? Because obviously, this isn’t enough, is it?”

“I . . .” I didn’t know what to say. It was fine, because he wasn’t expecting an answer.

“I’m extremely disappointed in you.” His voice lowered. “I don’t think I have to tell you that you’re grounded. Again, Lilly. You’re grounded
again
.” He shook his head and mumbled something under his breath. “What am I going to have to do? What other privileges do I need to take away so you can see how serious I am?”

I held my breath. This was always the worst part.

Daniel sighed again and said, “Your truck is gone. Once it’s fixed, we’ll sell it. If you want a set of wheels from here on out, I suggest you get a job and buy your own.”