I was trying my best to sit straight in the uncomfortable wooden seat. Unfortunately it was much harder than it looked. First of all, it made it almost impossible to reach the stuff on the table in front of me. Then there was the little fact that Jesse was sitting next to me. Yes, you read that right. Jesse –whom I love- was going to be eating beside me. Watching me make a total idiot out of myself, no doubt. That's the only reason I could think of. I mean, he wasn't supposed to sit beside me. Kathleen had made that point very clear. Oh well, I guess this way I have someone to copy on the whole eating-like-a-lady-front. Not that Jesse's a lady. But he'd still have to eat politely right?
"First of all I would like to make a toast…….to Miss Kathleen Turner, who today turns seventeen. We would like to ask you all to raise your glasses to such a………" Mr Turner began cheerfully. But I didn't hear the rest, mostly because at that exact moment Jesse leant over and whispered in my ear:
"Are you still angry with me?"
I looked from him to Mr Turner. Then back again. Carefully raising both eyebrows I cocked my head in Mr Turners' direction. Jesse just rolled his eyes. Which of course made me laugh. A couple of people looked at me like I was a freak, but I chose to ignore them.
"No. Who said I was mad at you in the first place?" I whispered back. I watched as he smiled, making my insides melt.
"Why, your good friend Kathleen. She told me to leave you alone because you were upset with me." he replied under his breath. I blinked at him dumbly. Before turning to look at Kathleen, sitting primly in the corner as her father sang her praises. Not literally of course. That would have just been weird. I was so going to kill her later.
I hastily raised my glass along with everyone else. Trying my best not to scowl at her. I'd never met someone with such an amazing power to make me like them one minute and hate them the next.
"I never said that." I told him, as we lowered our drinks. He nodded slightly.
"I guessed as much. You seem like the sort of person that would tell someone if you didn't like them."
"You have no idea." I muttered, while still letting my gaze shoot daggers at little miss prissy herself. I could feel his gaze on me, so I promptly stopped and instead rolled my gaze over him. He was wearing the usual open necked top and tight black trousers. Except his shirt was more dressy than the one he'd been wearing for the next century. It had slight gold embroidery around the sleeves. He looked as hot as ever unfortunately. It took all my will power to tear my gaze away from where they'd come to rest at the opening of his shirt. I forced myself to look into his dark eyes.
"What?" I asked, feeling uneasy under his unwavering stare.
"Nothing. You just don't sound much like a ranchers' daughter." he told me calmly. It sounded more like a question than a statement to be truthful. I didn't know what he expected to get out of me. I was too good at this game to get caught off guard. But I admit that I was fed up. Big time.
"Thanks. I think." I said sarcastically. He smiled.
"I didn't mean to offend you." he told me sincerely. No doubt worrying that my daddy would go complaining to his daddy. Except that wasn't Jesse's style was it? He genuinely must feel bad about continually insulting me.
I snorted.
"Don't sweat it. I'm sure I'll get over it." I smiled. He smiled in return, which I took as a good sign. I mean, at least he didn't hate me.
"I was meaning to ask you something the other day. But you rushed off too quickly for me to get a chance." He grinned at the memory.
"Shoot." I said. He looked confused. I decided to elaborate. Considering he'd been born a century before the phrase was used and all.
"Shoot what?" he asked. I laughed. Luckily everyone else on the table was talking as well. Otherwise it would have seemed to be a very strange conversation.
"No. It's an expression……..where I come from." I explained.
"Which is?"
"Never you mind." I told him rudely. At least I wasn't still dribbling on about Oregon and a non-existent ranch. Owned by a made-up father.
He smiled again.
"You can't blame me for wanting to find out." He said. I gave him a look of steel.
"Yes I can." I replied stubbornly.
"I'll just have to ask Mr Turner." He threatened.
"You go do that."
"Maybe I will."
"Maybe you should." I shot back.
"Fine." He said.
"Fine." I replied.
He shook his head in annoyance.
"You are one of the stubbornness women I've ever met." He told me, shaking his head.
"Then obviously you haven't met many interesting people." I replied calmly, taking that opportunity to stand up along with a few other people.
"Retiring so early Miss Susannah?" Mrs Turner asked curiously.
"Yes. I seem to be suffering from the most terrible of headaches since I've arrived here. I find it better to go to bed early."
I was quite aware of the fact that Jesse was watching the scene with a very amused expression on his face. I chose to ignore it.
"Okay dear. Be sure to rest. You have a long day tomorrow. Kathleen will be joining you in horse riding classes."
I froze. Horse riding?
"Seeing as you already have experience from your Fathers ranch we decided you would do fine." she continued happily.
I was quite aware that everyone's eyes were on me, so I nodded. Deciding to worry about it later.
"Will do." I said uneasily. I hurried out of the room as fast as my legs would carry me.
I was on the landing to my bedroom when something brushed my arm. I turned and found Jesse looking down at me with concern.
"You may not want to admit it, but you are no ranchers' daughter." he insisted as I tried to walk around him. He caught my arm, and this time didn't let go.
"Okay, yes Jesse. You're brilliant. What are you going to do about it?" I hissed dangerously. He just shook his head a little.
"I'm going to help you." he replied. I folded my arms across my chest and leant against the wall casually. Not quite as effective in a dress, but whatever.
"And how do you intend to do that Mr De Silva?" I asked sarcastically. He frowned.
"They'll let you off tomorrow if you insist that you are too ill to ride. But if you try to get out of it more than once the family will get suspicious. All ranchers' daughters know at least the basics of riding. They won't accept that you don't know how."
I wasn't about to mention that that was exactly what I was going to use as my excuse. I didn't need to anyway. Jesse had guessed.
"So I'm effectively dead meat. I'll find a way around it." I said flatly.
"No you won't. I'm going to give you one. I'm going to teach you how to ride." He breathed unemotionally. I blinked. Once. Twice. Was he serious?
"But why?" I asked in amazement. He was already backing away back towards the stairs however.
"I like you Miss Susannah."
I was so shocked by that little confession that I couldn't even think of a way to reply to it. Jesse seemed to take advantage of my moment of shocked silence.
"I will meet you by the stables at midnight. Please try to not be late."
And then he was gone. And I was left to try and figure out what to do next.
A/N: heya! Once again: thank you SO much to all my reviewers! You're the reason I keep updating this fic instead of the others. Lol.
Horse riding lessons……at midnight………should be interesting huh? And Madam Zara will be re-appearing soon.
As for what happens between Suze and Jesse, you'll just have to keep reading to find out!
Now: please press the little blue button and REVIEW!
P.S. As I know certain people are collecting them (cough:unangelichalo:cough) the next If-You-Review-You'll-Get is:
An invisible: Psychic Snowball. I caught a load while it was snowing up here today!
Look after your Smurfs and Dancing Banana Men!
Booksrule39 - Your Smurf is suffering from a bad case of muffin withdrawal. Give him a load of Blue-Berry muffins and he'll stop banging his head. Hehe.
