All Chapters of Minus: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

CricketJust then my phone rang, and I silently thanked whoever was interrupting this conversation. However, once I looked down and saw who was calling, I wasn’t so sure. The look on my face must have said it all, not to mention Hatch could read me like a book, and not one of those big thick, complicated Russian novels that took forever to get through. My brother could read me like a pop-up book.“Is that him calling?” he asked in an irritatingly bright tone.“No,” I lied.He simply raised an eyebrow.“Yes, so?” I retorted.“Well… are you going to answer it?”“Not with you here!”“Suit yourself, he’s your business partner,” he replied glibly.“Hatch, I swear to God, if this wasn’t a brand-new phone, I would throw it so hard at your stupid head.”The phone pealed one more time, and I answered with a flustered, “Hello!”“Cricket, thank God, I was starting to worry.” Minus’ voice made my insides feel like they were filled with bubbles coated in butter.I cleared my throat. “Worry? Why? W

CricketThe next morning, we drove about forty-five minutes out of town, to the Double H Ranch. This was the home of Duke and Pearl, whom I knew little about, other than they knew my uncle, and that Minus had lived with them for a while. The scenery along the way was breathtaking, becoming more beautiful with every mile closer to the ranch.“This is gorgeous,” I said as we pulled off the main highway, and onto a long private road.“Wait ’til you see the property itself,” Minus said. “Not to mention the house. Pearl’s always got the place decked out like she’s getting it ready for the cover of ‘Fancy Ranch Monthly’ or something.”“Really? That’s not what I’d pictured for a couple of ranchers,” I said.“Why’s that?” Minus asked.“I don’t know, I guess I’ve just never spent any time around people that live out in rural areas. I’m a city girl. All I have to base my expectations on is what I’ve seen in movies and on TV. Even Kim and Knight who own property in Portland… it’s still close to

CricketAfter putting a pot of coffee on to brew, Pearl led me to the back of the gigantic ranch house, where she pushed on a wall panel and a door popped open.“Oh, my word, you have a Scooby Doo door?” I breathed out.Pearl chuckled. “I’ve never heard them called that, but that’s what I’m calling them from now on.”“Them? There are more than just this one?”“I have six Scooby Doo doors. Never know when we gotta hide a Saint from a sinner.”I followed Pearl into the ‘first-aid’ room and tried to keep my mouth from dropping open. This was a glorified hospital room, complete with lights, a rolling IV bag stand, and an official hospital bed. Pearl patted the mattress and smiled. “Hop on up, honey.”I sat up on the end of the bed and Pearl leaned down and frowned. “I’m gonna need you to get those jeans off, so I can dress it,” she said. “You feel comfortable with that?”“Is the door locked?”“Yeah, honey, it’s locked.”I nodded and pushed my jeans down past my knee. “I love your dress, P

CricketHe kissed me one more time, then we cleaned up and stepped out of the tack room. Jase let out a quiet whistle, then the sound of a horse whinnying echoed through the space.For the first time since we’d reconnected, I watched Jase’s face completely change. His eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning and his nostrils flared slightly, like he was drawing in the scent of his surroundings. He grabbed my hand and led me around the corner to where the prettiest horse I’d ever seen had his head peeking out of a stall, whinnying up a storm, as we approached.“Hey, Bossy Boy,” Minus crooned, and the horse threw his head up and down. Minus stroked his nose and grimaced. “I know, buddy, it’s been too fuckin’ long, huh?”Standing across from them, I smiled… until someone shoved me from behind. I turned to give them a piece of my mind when I discovered it wasn’t a someone at all. It was another horse. I let out a frightened squeak and stepped back, only to find Jase’s arm snake around

CricketJase took my hands. “The baby elephant tree fell over ten years ago. Its environment couldn’t give it what it needed to grow and flourish, so when the strong Savannah winds came, down it went. It stood in one spot for over a hundred years, and then one day, it didn’t. Normally you’d cut a tree like that up for anything from firewood to furniture.”“Why hasn’t Duke done that?”“It’s too special. Duke’s grandfather planted this tree for his grandmother, his father proposed to his mother underneath it, and he proposed to Pearl—”“Jesus, Minus,” I said, leaping to my feet. “If you’re—”He laughed, taking my hands, and sitting me back down. “No, no, I’m not proposing. That’s not what I’m saying.”“What are you saying?”“I’m saying Cutter is right. We are great together. And, I’m saying your brother is right, we’re dangerous together. Either way, we have something special and undeniable between us. Cricket, I love you. I think I always have, and I know I always will. I don’t know if