Chapter 34 – Surprise (long)
As Nathan exited the park, Jack turned to him.
"Everything okay?" He asked.
"Adam." Nathan said. "Well … he was worried I crossed a professional line."
"Do you want me to talk to him?" Jack asked.
"No." Nathan said. "Please drop it. I did nothing wrong and like I have said, you are like friends to me. When Elizabeth was crying and upset, it reminded me of my sister and all I wanted to do was comfort her like I used to comfort my sister."
"Thank you for that." Elizabeth said.
"So just you and your sister?" Jack asked.
"Yeah." Nathan said. "She is married and has a two year old little girl, Allie."
"By your tone." Jack said. "I take it you don't like your brother-in-law."
"He is a jackass." Nathan said. "I tried to convince Colleen that he was bad news, but she told me that she loved him and he was different."
"I take it you don't agree." Jack said.
"Correct." Nathan said. "Among other things, he drinks a little too much for my tastes."
"I will pray for them." Jack said.
"I will too." Elizabeth said.
"Thank you, both." Nathan said.
Then Jack's phone rang and he saw that it was Devin.
"Hey Devin." Jack said. "You are on speaker. I am in the truck with Nathan and Elizabeth."
("Take me off speaker." Devin said.)
Jack looked at Elizabeth and she nodded.
"Okay." Jack said. "It is just me."
Elizabeth scooted away from Jack so she could give him a little privacy.
("So." Devin said. "I got your message last night. I have no idea why your grandmother would think that, but given the documents that I have in front of me it is not possible.")
"I don't understand." Jack said. "If it is impossible, why would Gran suggest what I think she was suggesting?"
("I can't answer that." Devin said. "But I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that you and Elizabeth are not long lost twins.")
"How can you be so sure?" Jack asked.
("Okay." Devin said. "Both your parents have type AB blood. You have type A blood. Elizabeth has type O blood. So it is physically impossible for your parents to be her parents. Again, I have no idea why your grandmother might suggest that.")
"Well." Jack said. "There is something that they are hiding. Find out what it is."
Jack didn't wait for Devin to respond, he hung up the phone and sat staring out of the window. Elizabeth wanted to ask Jack what was going on, but she could tell that he wasn't in the mood to talk, so she was going to give him some space. The rest of the ride back to the ranch was fairly quiet. They talked a little about the immediate plan when they got back to the ranch. They decided that they would change and jump right away. Elizabeth decided that she wanted to relax on the upper deck where she could see the guys jump.
"Just talk to Gran." Jack said. "She will know where the best place to see will be."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I will check it out. What is the plan after you jump?"
"I was thinking that it would be about time to jump in the pool." Jack said.
"I would be up for that." Nathan said.
"Then I will make sure I have my suit on so I can join you boys." Elizabeth said with a smirk.
Jack closed his eyes and prayed for strength. He was already having a hard time being around Elizabeth, but her in a swimsuit. Well he knew that he was in trouble.
"Just remember." Jack said. "Ma and Gran are there."
"Well." Elizabeth said. "Blame Katie. She is the one that picked out three bikinis for me."
Jack let out a harsh breath. Nathan chuckled a little.
"If Katie picked them out, they can't be that bad." Nathan said.
"Have you seen Katie?" Jack said. "I have. I have also seen her taste in swimwear. So that is why I am concerned."
"It will be fine." Elizabeth said. "She did get me a black and white cover up as well."
Jack just shook his head. He needed to get the image of Elizabeth in a tiny bikini out of his head because he could already feel his body reacting. Even though Jack was a red-blooded male, a woman had never had the effect on him that Elizabeth did. He knew that it was going to be torture until he could safely act on his desires for her. Jack was eighteen years old and he couldn't believe that he was thinking of getting married and the sooner the better. He knew that if they got married while in school that it would be harder, but he also knew that it wasn't impossible. Jack knew that he had enough money to support them, but he also knew that he would never ask Elizabeth to not work if that's what she wanted to do. Jack also knew that he and Elizabeth had a long way to go before she would be in a place to accept his proposal. Jack just hoped that he didn't have to wait too long to officially make her his girlfriend.
"What are you thinking about?" Elizabeth whispered.
"The future." Jack said honestly.
"With me?" Elizabeth teased.
"I told you I want you in my future." Jack said. "So yes with you."
Elizabeth smiled. She had been thinking about a future with Jack as well.
"Think we can talk about a few other things after you guys jump?" Elizabeth asked.
"Of course." Jack said.
Nathan pulled up to the house and parked the truck. He quickly grabbed his bag from Walmart and headed into the house. He wanted to get rid of his gun and get ready to jump. He knew that he should probably keep his gun on him, but with security at the ranch, he felt better. He knew that he was going to have to rethink things for the bonfire as well as what he was going to do when they were jumping. He knew that his jumping clothes wouldn't hide the gun. Then he wondered if he could put it in his boot. Maybe not the one on him, but his smaller ankle one at least. The moment that Jack walked into the house, Charlotte was there waiting for him.
"I promise I will talk to you, Ma." Jack said. "And we WILL talk, but right now, I need to change and go get some jumping practice in."
"Fine, but don't take that tone with me." Charlotte said. "Your new riding pants are in your room. Take some clothes to change into, so you boys can shower at the stables and leave your stuff down there if you want."
"Whatever, Ma." Jack said.
Charlotte glared at Jack for a moment before turning to Elizabeth.
"What is your plan, Elizabeth?" Charlotte asked.
"I would like to sit up on the upper deck." Elizabeth said. "I think I can see the guys jump from there. I was also thinking of maybe grabbing a book or my laptop while they jumped."
"Very well." Charlotte said. "Everything okay, JP said you wanted to talk and that is why you took so long. Where did you go? What did you talk about? Why does JP suddenly have an attitude."
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "Everything is fine. I wanted to apologize for waking them last night with my nightmares. We went to a little park and what we talked about is between me and Jack. It is none of your business and if you want to know what is going with Jack, you need to ask him."
Charlotte didn't say anything else, but she just looked at Elizabeth. She then turned and headed out the door and toward the stable. Elizabeth waited a moment before turning to Gran.
"She really doesn't like me, does she." Elizabeth said.
"Give her some time." Gran said. "She has seen lots of girls try to get JP's attention because of his money. She just wants to protect him."
"I understand." Elizabeth said. "But I felt a connection with Jack before I knew who he was."
"Tell me more." Gran said, leading her over to the couch.
"I will." Elizabeth said. "But I wanted to watch the boys from the top deck and then when they were done jumping, we were going to have some fun in the pool."
"How about you change?" Gran said. "Then I will join you on the upper deck. I love the view from up there. We can talk while up there."
"Okay." Elizabeth said.
"Meet back here." Gran said. "I will take you up the spiral staircase."
Elizabeth nodded and headed down to change into her swimsuit and grab her cover up.
Jack and Nathan changed into their black riding pants and undershirts while grabbing their riding boots. They threw some clothes into a bag that Jack had put on the bed so they could shower and changed down at the stable.
"I will get you a locker down there." Jack said. "You can leave your riding gear down there. That is what I usually do. There are towels and soap down there for us to use."
"Take it your mother doesn't want us traipsing through the house." Nathan said
"I don't know what her problem is." Jack said. "I think it has something to do with Elizabeth. It is not like we don't have hot water on demand. As much as Ma likes a nice trail ride, she has gotten a lot more used to having others do things for her and having everything perfect. I think that was part of the reason I convinced Dad to let me have an apartment with Doug and Lee for college."
"Well." Nathan said. "Whatever her problem is, I am not in the mood to cross her. I don't care if I have to change and shower down there. I will do what I have to do to keep the peace."
"Good plan." Jack said.
They headed down to the stable. Jack got Nathan a locker and showed him around before they changed into their riding boots and the rest of their gear, before going and getting Bandit and Honey. Jack was glad to see that the hands had set the jumps. Jack moved a couple to make a few tighter turns. He knew that the committee at the charity event sometimes liked to throw a few tight turns in to make things a bit harder. Once the jumps were set and they warmed up the horses, they planned on taking turns jumping, both going through a couple times. They played rock, paper, scissors to see who went first. Jack lost. Jack shook out his head and blew out a harsh breath before bringing Bandit up to a canter and lined up for the first jump. It was an easy fence only set at two and half feet. Jack cleared it but it wasn't pretty. Jack moved to the next jump which was an oxer set at three and three five. Jack clipped the rail on the oxer, it didn't fall but rattled around in the cup a bit.
Nathan had been sitting near the rail and he heard a few of the hands whispering. He turned and glared at them, but that didn't stop them from whispering. He heard comments like 'no wonder he quit' and 'maybe that kid was right'. Nathan was worried that Jack was going to get hurt or hurt Bandit, so he rode over to Jack and got him to stop.
"What is wrong with you?" Nathan asked.
"I don't know." Jack said.
"Is it Bandit?" Nathan asked.
"I don't know." Jack said again.
"Switch." Nathan said.
Jack just looked at him.
"Switch." Nathan said, leveling an icy stare at Jack.
Jack jumped down from Bandit and Nathan from Honey. Nathan handed Jack Honey's reins and mounted Bandit after adjusting the stirrups.
"Stay here." Nathan said. "I want you to watch and see if there is something wrong with his gait."
Jack nodded his head. In truth, Nathan didn't want Jack to hear what some of the hands were saying. He knew that Jack was in his own head and hearing them would only make it worse. Nathan took Bandit around the ring once before lining up for the first jump which they easily cleared. As they approached the oxer that Jack had clipped, Bandit stutter stepped, so Nathan pulled off and tried to realign for the oxer. Again, Bandit stutter stepped so Nathan stopped him. Nathan jumped down and Jack walked over with Honey as Bandit danced around a bit. As Jack approached Nathan, Honey started dancing around and pulling on the reins. Jack had never seen either horse act up like they were.
"Take both of them out of here." Nathan said in a commanding voice.
Jack quickly grabbed Bandit's reins and took them over to the rail. He handed them off to a stable hand.
"Hold them, outside the ring." Jack said.
The young hand nodded as he took both reins and led the horses out of the gate, turned and waited. Jack headed back over to Nathan.
"What?" Jack said when he got close.
"Something is wrong." Nathan said. "I saw Bandit hesitate with you and that is why you clipped the rail. He stutter stepped twice with me, then both dancing around. Start looking around."
"What are we looking for?" Jack asked.
"I don't know." Nathan said. "Something, anything that doesn't belong and is upsetting the horses."
As they were looking around, Nathan spotted it first. There curled up near the base of the second standard of the oxer. Nathan backed away quickly grabbing Jack and moving them further away.
"What?" Jack hissed as Nathan dragged him further away toward the gate.
When they were far enough away that Nathan felt it was safe, he stopped and turned to Jack.
"There is a timber rattler curled up at the base of the second standard of the oxer." Nathan said.
Jack's eyes got huge. Then he got angry. Jack turned and stocked over to the hands that had gathered. Nathan could feel the anger coming off of Jack. As he stocked over toward the hands, they all straightened up and cast glances at each other. Most of them had never seen Jack like that.
"Get those horses inside now!" Jack hissed.
The young hand holding the horses didn't need to be told twice; he quickly turned and moved the horses toward the stable. Jack then turned to the rest of the hands gathered.
"I want to know who is responsible for maintaining this ring." Jack demanded in a very loud and threatening voice.
They all looked at each other, but no one spoke.
"NOW!" Jack bellowed.
Jack was so loud his voice carried all the way to the house, which brought Charlotte outside after she had returned to grab something and James emerged from the stable office. Nathan came over and laid a hand on Jack's shoulder.
"Calm down." Nathan said softly.
"No, I will not calm down." Jack said. "I have been jumping in this ring for twelve years and there has never been a problem before. Now, I am not going to ask again who is responsible for maintaining this ring."
"JP." James said jogging over. "What is the matter?"
James could see Jack seething. He hadn't seen him that mad in a very long time.
"I suggest that you start talking." James said, turning to the hands that had gathered.
"Brandon is responsible." One finally said.
"Someone better find me Brandon right now." James said.
"He is gone, Sir." Another hand said. "His mother called and he left."
"Fine." James said. "I will speak to him later. I suggest that you all get back to work."
As the hands started moving back toward the stable, Charlotte joined her father. Both turned and looked at Jack and Nathan.
"Care to share what all the yelling is about?" Charlotte asked.
"Timber rattler." Nathan said. "Jack messed up on the oxer. I wanted to make sure it wasn't the horse. We switched. Bandit stutter stepped for me, so I brought him back around and he did it again. He then was antsy. Jack walked over with Honey who also started dancing around. I figured something was there. I had Jack get the horses out of the ring. We then started looking around. I found it at the base of the second standard on the oxer. I pulled Jack away and then told him. He then ordered the young hand to take the horses in and then he started yelling."
"Anyone hurt?" James asked.
"No." Jack said.
"No." Nathan said.
"I don't understand how there is a snake." Charlotte said. "We spend a small fortune on snake and mouse repellent. Solar ultrasonic ones staked in the ground as well as snake mace that is spread on all the pastures, rings and the track."
"I know." Jack said. "That is why I am angry and wanted to know who was assigned this ring."
"Brandon is fairly new." James said. "And no one has used this ring much. Maybe the stakes got pulled last fall and never put back in. I will deal with it."
Jack just stared at his grandfather.
"Thank you." Jack said. "I am still not happy. Even if we put the mace down right now, we can't jump out here today. And who knows if I can get Bandit to trust me again."
"You and Bandit will be fine." Charlotte said.
Jack glared at his mother for a moment.
"Is the rattler still there?" James asked.
"As far as I know." Nathan said.
"Ride the horses over to the arena." James said. "Get some jumping in. Then bring the horses back here. I will make sure that the stakes are placed and mace is harrowed into the ring while you are jumping in the arena. But first I need to call the Conservation office to have someone come relocate the rattler. Charlotte, I will need your help to capture it."
"Okay." Charlotte said. "Boys, go deal with the horses. We will deal with this."
The boys headed toward the stable. James pulled out his cell phone and made a call. Charlotte carefully entered the ring and found the rattler just where Nathan had said he was. She kept an eye on him while her father got the need items to remove the snake.
