As promised, R&B Superstar Diva Mercedes Jones was up at 5:00 in the morning to help with the farm chores. The early morning smells and the quiet house took her back to those summers in Augusta. It was a warm, welcomed feeling. She put on her farming jeans, an oversized flannel, and a pair of boots before pulling her hair in a tight ponytail. She left her bedroom and made her way downstairs, where she exited through the back door and made her way to the barn.
The walk offered her peace and solace that she had lost. Between being the perfect fiancee, still working on her fifth album, and planning the wedding, she didn't have time for herself. She had reduced herself to cooking, cleaning, and fucking Shane whenever he felt so moved. She was in the studio nearly every day, with only a break on Sundays. And those Sundays were reserved for speaking with her wedding planner. Deciding on the perfect dress, the menu for the reception, and even trying to time if she was going to have her father-daughter dance. Now, though, out on this farmland, she was free to just be Mercedes. Not Mercedes future Tinsley, but just Mercedes. A person whom she hadn't seen in forever.
"I must say, songbird, I didn't think you would be out here," Sam spoke from behind her as he held pails of pig feed.
"Well, I do always stick to my word. What's on the agenda today?" Mercedes responded.
"Slopping the pigs and chickens. Sheering some of the sheep and then brushing the horses. Think you can handle all of that. There won't be an assistant to come out of anywhere to help you when you get tired." Sam replied. Mercedes walked towards him and grabbed one of the pails before turning on her heels to walk to the pig enclosure. For the whole morning, the cowboy and the songbird worked hand-in-hand in silence as they did the chores. Mercedes's skills for the farm came naturally, and it came as a shocking surprise to Sam. He had merely reduced her to some stuck-up singer, but she wasn't shy with the farm, and more importantly, she wasn't afraid to get dirty.
She didn't flinch, and scream when a few of the chickens decided to jump at her height. She merely moved to the side and kept throwing the feed around. When one of the pigs nuzzled the back of her knee, she didn't call little Edward disgusting and screeching. She squatted down and gave him rubs on the top of his feed and smiled when he seemingly oinked in a loving way. And then, when it was time to sheer the sheep, she didn't bitch about all of the furs. She just moved it to the side in neat piles for Sam. She was some of the best help he had ever gotten.
"I must say, Songbird, you have been a pleasant surprise and a big help," Sam spoke as they walked to the horse stables, enjoying the slow sunrise.
Mercedes smiled, "See, Cowboy, you shouldn't judge someone just based on their looks."
Sam put his hands up as he walked backward in front of her, "And for that, I apologize. I do appreciate the help; Connor only wakes up when all the manual labor is done."
"You should talk to him about it."
"Nah, it's ok, he helps Dad, and that's all I could really want." Mercedes nodded, and once they made it to the stables, she could see there were about six horses in the stalls. However, there was a farther one in the back. Without thinking, she walked over to it. It was a light brown Mustang horse with beautiful brown eyes that looked back at Mercedes with just as much awe.
"Hi, pretty boy. What's your name?" She asked him gently as she rubbed his mane.
Sam had gone and grabbed the pails and the cleaning supplies when he came back and saw Mercedes petting and cozying up to Ford. Ford was his mom's horse, and he hadn't let anyone get close enough to him since her passing. Now, to see him enjoy the touch of Mercedes put a little jealousy in his heart. However, he walked over to him.
"You must be really special. He hasn't let anyone touch him since my mom. She passed a few years ago." Sam explained as he stood behind them.
Mercedes turned to him, "I'm sorry to hear that. My mom passed away when I was thirteen, so I understand what you're going through. What's his name."
"Ford. He was my mom's last one that she birthed before she retired. He was her favorite."
"For good reason, he is a sweet boy," Mercedes answered as she continued petting him. She grabbed one of the pails for Sam before moving Ford into the proper position to clean him.
"Why'd you come here?" Sam questioned as he watched Mercedes start to brush the hair on Ford's back.
Mercedes turned and looked at him before going back t her job, "Excuse me?"
"Something had to happen for such a successful Songbird like you to come out in the middle of Lexington. Were the hotels in the Maldives booked to capacity?"
"If you must know, I caught my fiancee fucking some sleazy model in my Manhattan Penthouse. Is that enough of an answer for you?"
"I'm just saying this isn't the most glamorous trip you could have taken."
"Well, maybe I didn't want glamourous."
"Sure," Sam scoffed, "Was it so hard being a quiet and sitting pretty fiancee? Come on, the guy had to have been cheating on you long before now. Just say you are using my parents' estate as a get-back and call it that." Mercedes threw down the brush and exited the stall. She stopped in front of Sam's face and pointed at him.
"Fuck you because you have no idea what I went through. Clean the horses your damn self." With those harsh words, Mercedes turned on her heels and exited the stalls. Sam sighed to himself before turning back to Ford who had walked back into his stall, and gave Sam his infamous death stare.
"What? You're the one who was being weird." Sam spoke to the horse. Ford rolled his eyes before letting out the closest thing a horse could to a scoff.
It was around 8:45 when Sam had finished brushing all the horses, feeding them, and letting them out for exercise. His only regret was not holding onto his insult longer so he could have had extra help. In truth, he was pissed that this random woman was able to run away from her life to come in and cozy up to his mom's horse. A horse in which it took months for him and Connor to break long enough for him to get washed. Yet, Mercedes broke him instantly. It wasn't fair to his mom or her memory. She shouldn't be able to have that power.
He was in the kitchen waiting for his coffee to finish brewing when Jane and Connor came to the kitchen from the library.
"Our mom wanted us to be country boys with range, and she read us all the greats. Dickens, Graham, and Baldwin are just some of the few." Connor was exposed with enthusiasm that Sam had felt was nauseating. He rolled his eyes as he grabbed his mug and took a sip.
"Baldwin is my all-time favorite; I am glad to know I have someone to discuss it with other than Cedes. Speaking of Cedes, Sam, have you seen her?" Jane asked as she turned to the brooding cowboy.
"She was helping me with the chores, but she ditched me when it came to the horses," Sam answered with a shrug.
"That doesn't sound like Cedes; she always loves horses," Jane replied.
Sam sighed, "Well, she got mad at me and left. I figured she would go back to her room."
Connor groaned, "I told you not to be a dick."
Jane's soft eyes turned into slits, "What the fuck did you say to her?"
"Calm down; all I said was that her fiancee was cheating on her way before she knew it and that this trip was just a get-back before she went back to him," Sam answered honestly.
"You fucking dick!" Jane shouted as she left the house in search of her sister.
"Sam, what the fuck did you do?" Connor questioned as he turned to his brother, "Why would you say something like that to her? To a guest?"
"I didn't like the way Ford was nice to her. Ford is mom's horse, and it took us months to get a trust with him. It isn't fair that she was able to do it in five minutes. It isn't fucking fair, Connor."
"But that isn't her fault. And you need to apologize. I know you thrive off being the broody, asshole blonde, but you really fucked up this time, Sam."
After Sam's hurtful words, Mercedes didn't want to go back to the house, so she just walked. She walked the trail that was behind the horse stables and stopped short at the lake that was at the end of the trail. She sat on the ground and wiped the stray tears that came from her face from Sam's words.
In truth, she knew it couldn't have been the first time that Shane had cheated on her. It was such a bold move to sleep with someone in her penthouse, and it was bold then had to have entered the part in his infidelity where he thought he could never get caught. She never thought that Shane could cheat on her. He was always so attentive, and treated her like she was the only woman to ever exist. He was patient, kind, and sweet. He bragged about her, and he even let her host a few of the team dinners because of how much she loved being a host. But he threw it all the way, and what hurt the most was that she still loved him. She loved his smile, his laugh, the way he touched her, and stupidly, she was still willing to marry him. Maybe she was just a glutton for a broken heart.
"I thought I'd never find you," Jane said as she sat beside her sister.
Mercedes smiled weakly, "I didn't want to go back to the house."
"We can leave. I can book us a spa resort in some foreign country. Connor isn't that cute." Jane insisted.
Mercedes chuckled, "No, I am not going to let some asshole with a pretty face ruin my trip. I just need to steer clear from him."
"Well, FYI, I can also book a trip anywhere."
"Do you think Shane had been cheating on me before I found out?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"I want you to convince me that I wasn't an idiot for agreeing to marry him."
"Merce, Shane was the first guy to ever shower you with the love you deserve. I can't lie and say that you weren't happy and that he didn't make you happy. The bottom line is he was just a man, and men will act like the sun rises and sets out of your house and still be a disgusting asshole behind closed doors. Shane isn't your ending in life. You were a ten when you guys first met, and after you still are going to be ten. You are Mercedes Jones. Never forget that." Jane encouraged her friend.
"I think I want to hit up the clubs. See what this city has to offer at night." Mercedes answered.
"Now that's what I'm talking about. Pull out the sexiest thing you own because we are going to show these country boys what us city girls have to offer!" Jane cheered.
After the perfect homestyle breakfast made by Connor and Dwight, a shower, a nap, and some reading, Mercedes was in her suite bathroom as she put on her makeup and sang along to her playlist. She looked amazing and sexy, and she had given herself the perfect blowout curls. Her dress options had been narrowed down to a tight red dress with a halter top and cut-out heart right at the center of her blossom. Her second option was a double off-the-shoulder long-sleeve sweater dress that came up to her upper thighs. Given the dropping temperatures, she decided on the sweater dress with a pair of sheer black tights and thigh-high boots.
She had finished getting dressed when she headed downstairs to see Jane and Connor speaking.
"Merce, you look hot as hell." Jane cheered as she wore a cropped halter top with a mini skirt and matching strappy heels.
"I must say you do look amazing." Connor added, "I was just telling Jane that Sam and I can go to be security for you guys. Those clubs can get a little rowdy."
"He means that he has already volunteered his and his brother's services for the night. They are coming regardless." Before anyone could say anything else, Sam came up the stairs from his bedroom in a tight grey long-sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans. Mercedes admonished herself for getting turned on by the sexy asshole.
"Well, let's go," Mercedes spoke seductively as she turned on her heels and put a little more swish in her hips than usual.
She was going to make Sam pay for being an asshole.