Wyatt
“I can’t believe that you just let Olivia and Lucy go without even asking them where they were going!” I looked at Beau and Austin in disgust.
“You do know I don’t control her, right?” Austin raised an eyebrow at me. “She’s gone camping with Sadie and Arya, and it’s not like she has to tell me exactly where she’s going to be.”
“Well, where did they go? And why aren’t they back yet? I thought they were coming back this morning.” I glared at them.
Chet laughed. “Dude, chill out. They went camping for one night.”
“Yeah, but who knows what could have happened?”
“Dude, Sadie knows the area like the back of her hand. Everything’s fine. Trust me.”
“Whatever.” I looked over at my mother. “Mom, at what point do we have to call the police to put out a missing person search?”
“A missing person search?” She pressed her lips together and if I hadn’t known better, I might have thought she was trying not to smile.
“Son, I don’t think that’s necessary.” Dad put an arm around my shoulder. “They said they’d be back later this afternoon, and we all know that Sadie is very capable of going on a camping trip. It’s not like she’s gone to Utah or someplace that she doesn’t know. She’s just out on the ranch.”
“Well, it’s very irresponsible if you ask me.” Everyone was staring at me, and my face was getting hot. “I’m just concerned about them, okay? I would’ve thought you guys would’ve been concerned as well.”
“Oh, Wyatt, Wyatt, Wyatt,” Beau chuckled. “So, you guys want to play some catch? I’ve got some time, and Wyatt, you could use a distraction.”
I still didn’t think they were taking this seriously enough, but maybe Beau was right. I just needed to take my mind off Sadie. “Fine, let’s do it,” I grumbled. I followed my brothers out of the kitchen into the backyard.
Austin picked up a football from the door, and I held my hands up. “Hey, pass it to me,” I shouted, and he did.
I caught it and ran down the path towards the fire pit and then kept going. It felt good to stretch my legs and run with the air in my face. I needed to talk to Sadie. I needed for us to have a real conversation. I really felt like she was avoiding me now. I felt like I fucked up everything, and all we’d done was kiss. What if we’d had sex? What would she have done then? Would she have taken a trip to the moon or Mars or something? Did I have to call Elon Musk and tell him, “Hey, if Sadie Johnson calls you asking for a ride, don’t let her go”?
“Hey, pass it to me, you old butthead.” Austin ran up and grabbed the ball out of my hand.
“Hey, what you doing?” I tackled him to the ground and grabbed the ball.
“Yo dude, chillax.” He wiped the mud off of his face. “I thought we were playing flag football.”
“Since when did you think we were playing flag football? We said we were going to throw the ball.”
“Well, let’s play some flag football.”
“Um, I don’t have time for all this,” Chet said. “I have got some work to do.”
“What work do you have to do, Chet?”
“Excuse me,” he frowned at me. “I’m not a bum, you know?”
“Could have fooled me.”
“Whatever, Wyatt. Take out your anxiety and your stress on someone else. I’m not your punching bag.”
“You know what, Chet? Shut up.” I grabbed the ball back from Austin, jumped up, and went running. I threw it to Beau who jumped up and caught it like a professional.
Beau had been the star football player when he was in high school. In fact, he could have gone pro if he’d wanted to, but he hadn’t been willing to let go of his responsibility to the family. He was also a talented filmmaker, and when we were young, he’d always talk about going to Hollywood to direct movies. I knew he’d given up that dream to look after Horseshoe Ranch and be the caretaker of the family business. I often wondered if he ever resented the family because of that.
“Hey, Beau!” I shouted.
“Yeah, butthead?”
“We should make a movie.”
“Um, what?” He looked confused.
“I said, we should make a movie of the ranch, help to advertise it.”
“Why would we do that?”
“If we’re going to be opening this eco-resort, let’s drum up some interest, right? Let’s get people excited. Let’s see if we can get influencers who want to come out and promote it, give us some free marketing and advertising, make it the spot to be. Let’s really push this thing.”
“Um, I don’t know,” he shook his head. “I’ve got so many other things to think about right now …”
“I think it’s a pretty good idea, and you’re an awesome filmmaker, so you could maybe make something really cool,” I shrugged. “But hey, if you’re not interested.”
“I’ll think about it,” Beau said. “What’s come over you? Is this related to the idea you wanted to talk to me about?”
“No, the idea I wanted to talk to you about is something very different and something very specific, and I’m still hoping we can have that chat soon because it’s very important to me.”
“I know, I know.” He grinned at me. “You’ve got big ideas and big plans, and I’ll listen to them. But let’s not talk business right now. Let’s just enjoy the afternoon.”
“I mean, that’s what we’re doing, right?”
Just then, I heard a car backfire and I ran to the front of the house to see if it was Sadie and the girls. But no, it was just one of the ranch hands who’d driven up with a couple of his guys. “Hey, what’s up, Miguel?”
“Hello, Wyatt.” He nodded at me.
I walked slowly around to the back of the house.
“Was it them?” Chet asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Was it who?” I snapped.
“Your fairy godmother. Who the fuck do you think, dumbass?”
“Stop calling me dumbass, punk.”
“Boys,” Beau imitated our mother and we all laughed. “Wyatt, you really need to chill, okay? I know you and Sadie have got some sort of awkward, weird tension-chemistry thing going, but you’re freaking everyone the fuck out. Like, chillax.”
“I am chill. Look, I need to talk to her about something and she’s been acting weird, and …” I heard another car pulling up at the front. This time, I froze.
Austin grinned at me. “You want me to check?”
“I don’t need you to check anything.”
“I’ll check,” he said. He ran to the front of the house and was back a moment later.
“So do you want the good news or do you want the bad news?” he asked me.
“Um, whatever,” I said.
“They’re back.”
“What?” I could feel my spirits rising. “So they’re okay?”
“Yeah, they’re okay,” he laughed. “And I’m going to go back and give my lady a big hug and a kiss if you want to come to the front and join.”
“No, I don’t need to go to the front and join. I mean, I’m glad they’re safe and sound, but I mean whatever. It’s not like she told me she was going on this trip, and it’s not like she checked in or had to check in. I don’t care. I just was concerned because your fiancée and—”
“Can it,” Chet rolled his eyes. “You sound like Grandma. You’re just going on and on and on.”
“I’m not just going on and on and on—” I pressed my lips together. “You know what? Whatever. I’m going inside to get some lemonade.”
“Okie dokie, smokie.” Austin chuckled and winked at me. “Anyway, I’m going to go and give my lady a big kiss. You coming, Beau?”
“Of course. I’ve missed my Lucy.” The two of them ran to the front of the house to greet their girlfriends, and Chet and I were left there.
“So you’re not going to go and greet Arya?” I said to Chet.
“No, of course not. You’re not going to go and give Sadie a big kiss on the lips?”
“Ew, of course not. Why would I do that?”
“Because you’re kissing friends now.”
“We’re not kissing friends now. We kissed one fricking time and—”
“Dude, honestly, I feel like I’m in high school again. If you like the girl, tell her. If you don’t like the girl, tell her and move on. But get over this shit. You’re making everything awkward for everyone.”
“You’re a fucking punk, you know that right, Chet?”
“I’m your brother and I love you and I’m being honest with you. You deserve that. But you cannot keep going on like this. I know she’s your best friend. I know you care about her. I don’t know what you want from her or don’t want from her, and I really don’t give a shit. Have a conversation with the girl. And if she’s playing games, tell her, ‘Look, Sadie. I’m not about to be a bitch ass punk.’”
“I’m not going to say that to Sadie.”
“Fine, don’t say that to Sadie, but just tell her you need to talk and you want some answers.”
“Um, I don’t think I’m going to say it like that either.”
“Dude, I don’t care what you say. Just have a conversation with her, okay?”
“Fine,” I said. “I’m going to get some lemonade, and then I’ll go and talk to her.”
“Okay, I’ll come in with you. I could drink a gallon of Mom’s lemonade.”
“Me too,” I laughed as we headed back to the kitchen. “Hey, Mom. We’ve come for some lemonade,” I said as we walked into the kitchen.
“Okay,” she smiled. “Help yourself to some scones fresh out of the oven as well.”
“Mmm, yummy.” I grinned at her. “Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re welcome, Wyatt,” she smiled at me. “And I think …” she gave me a meaningful look.
“Yeah?”
“I think Sadie’s back.”
I grunted and headed towards the fridge.
Why was it that everyone wanted me to have a conversation with Sadie? At this point, I didn’t really know what anyone knew about the situation. I just knew that it was driving me crazy. She was driving me crazy. Something had changed in our relationship, and I didn’t like it. Something had changed between us. I wanted things to go back the way they used to be.
Except that was a lie because I’d enjoyed the kiss. I had really, really enjoyed the kiss. And I wouldn’t mind being friends who kissed, but I didn’t know if Sadie could handle that. And if she couldn’t, well, I didn’t need to kiss her. I’d find someone else. And if she really wanted to date one of the Olivio brothers, I’d be okay with it. I’d support her.
But my stomach curled at the thought. In my heart, I knew I was lying to myself. I didn’t want to admit that I didn’t want to see Sadie kissing anyone else. I didn’t want her getting into a relationship. I didn’t want her to find true love. I didn’t want her distancing herself from me.
I felt like a hypocrite and a fool and an asshole. I wanted her all to myself and yet I didn’t want to have to give her any more of myself than I already had, and I knew that wasn’t fair. I had to be honest with myself and with Sadie, so I had to figure out exactly what was going on between the two of us.
I owed it to myself, and even more so, I owed it to her. I was her best friend, and I needed to ensure that I acted with her best interest at heart.