Chapter 1
Connor POV
Pulling my truck up to the front of the main house, I talk a big sigh, my head back against the head rest and my eyes closed. I take a few minutes before braving the heat once more and climbing the porch steps home.
It has been a long hot day working in the back pasture with some of the hands, but that fence needs repairing after some of the herd decided they liked the grass on the other side better. I snigger to myself. That’s something my mom would say.
Stepping inside, the cool crisp air hits me and I thank the heavens Aiden had that a/c unit installed. Kicking my boots off, I head to my room to get showered and changed. Looks like I’m the first one back so I better hurry and finish dinner, we eat frozen pizzas far too much. Ever since Mrs McArthy retired, we haven’t managed to find a replacement housekeeper and cook. It’s a miracle nobody has been taken out with food poisoning, and that the hands haven’t abandoned us. Breakfast is straightforward, there’s a kitchen in the bunk house and the guys sort themselves out. I order in lunches from a bakery in town and they arrive at the house everyday, then my brother William dishes them out around the ranch. Dinner is the difficult bit. Luckily mom left a few recipes for slow cooker meals. I have five in the bunk house and two in here and fill them up at lunch so people can eat. However that’s only if I’m back at lunch. On those days I’m not, we order in. Today I made a stop back so everyone has a warm meal of mom’s chilli and rice tonight. I just need to sort out some corn bread and we’ll be ready to go.
Hopping in the shower, the cold spray soothes the heat of my skin. Washing away all the sweat and mud from a hard day. I used to love working in the fields all day long, but as I get older, I’m starting to look forward to the days i need to spend in the office doing paperwork or heading into town running errands or getting supplies. I know my brothers have the same thoughts I do. I’m not ancient by any stretch of the imagination but at 38, and the eldest of five brothers, I’m starting to wonder when I’m going to start my life. Over the years, we had all expected to find a good woman we could call our own and start our own families with. Someone to wake up with, grow old with. Just like our parents did. Jesus, they were married at 18 and I wasn’t far behind. We all want the love they have. We have all had plans drawn up for our own homes on the ranch land for years, YEARS! Yet still we are all bachelors. Every Friday night we head into town to let off some steam, non of us are lacking in the looks department, so we usually get plenty of attention, but none of them scream MRS instead they are all just distractions while we hope the real thing comes along soon.
Reaching for the soap, I wash my body. Looking at myself, I don’t think any woman would be disappointed in my body. It’s one built of decades of manual work and hot days in the sun. Callouses on my large hands and a few scars gathered over the years. Rinsing off the soap, I step out of the shower and reach for my towel, noting it’s not there. Damn it, the laundry hasn’t been done yet. I’ll have to remind Aiden, that’s his chore this week. I really need to re-up my search for a new housekeeper.
Walking around my room, air drying, I gather up my lounge wear and throw it on my damp body. I grab a hand towel from the cupboard and run it over my hair to take some of the water out. Then throw it in the wash basket and head downstairs.
I can hear my brothers moving about in their rooms, and notice all our boots by the door. Good, all back and safe. After years doing this, that’s not always been the case so I’m grateful every day that it is. Skirting round the big kitchen I start my final task. Popping the bread in the oven, I should be enough time for my brothers to finish up and get down here. I take a beer from the fridge and take a long satisfying drink. The cold liquid quenches my thirst, I carry it over to the living room and switch on the tv. There’s no doubt some sport in we can all rally behind. Waiting in this moment of peace before the hungry hoard clamber downstairs I find myself thinking about our parents. They raised us well and retired to Florida, just like they always planned to. I’m happy for them but I do miss them.
