Chasing Nikki Read online

  Chapter Two

  I drove my truck up the dirt lane—following the small U-Haul my mom was driving, towing her car behind it. We had to go slowly since the road was full of dips and bumps caused by heavy snow and rain during the winter. I was thankful it was April, and while it was still cool, we’d missed the worst of the weather. I was definitely going to miss the warm desert. I sighed again, for what must’ve been the thousandth time and cranked my music up louder.

  At least I’d managed to convince her to let me keep my pickup. I reminded her the ranch was three miles off the main highway and three more miles to the school. Unless Grandpa was planning on loaning me his ancient tractor, she was going to have to take me to school every day, because I refused to walk three miles to catch the bus.

  She finally relented.

  We passed out of the heavy cedar growth into the flat area that marked the ranch. The fields were all empty dirt patches waiting to be replanted.

  Silver Creek—the actual creek the town was named after—ran through the far edge of the property. Big cottonwood trees lined its banks, their new spring leaves rippling in the breeze. Directly ahead was the sprawling two story white ranch house, with its immaculately trimmed lawns and wide porches. The huge red barn, with lots of stalls and corrals, sat off to the right.

  I guess people would call the view pretty, if they were into rural settings. I, personally, thought it would have been more appropriate if there were a giant sign in the yard with the word ‘PRISON’ scrawled across it in giant letters.

  Grandma Johnson ran from the house with a big smile on her face as we pulled up. She wiped her hands on her apron and hurried to greet us. Mom jumped out to hug her, and I reluctantly went to do the same. Grandma was probably the one bright spot to this whole new change, but I wasn’t in the mood for happy greetings.

  “Chase!” She turned with a delighted look and held her arms open.

  I walked into them and hugged her loosely, but she squeezed me tightly.

  “Welcome home,” she said. “I’m so thrilled you’ve come to live with us. We’ve hardly seen you it seems, and I can’t believe how big you’ve gotten! How tall are you now?”

  “Six foot two,” I replied, stepping away.

  “My, my, and all lean muscle from the looks of it. I bet the girls go nuts over you with your strong, chiseled jaw, dark hair and eyes. You’ve grown like a weed! Ah, so handsome.” She clasped a hand over her heart.

  At the mention of weed, I suddenly wished I had some. I could use a little escape right now. It was one thing to have cute babes hanging all over me, another entirely to have my grandma raving over how good-looking she thought I was. It was a little creepy.

  My thoughts were interrupted by a new figure stepping from the house.

  Grandpa Johnson was imposing. He was tall and fit, with short, salt and pepper colored hair. I could hear his boots hitting the porch as he crossed and made his way down the steps toward us.

  “They’re here, Warren!” my grandma called.

  “I can see that, Caroline,” he replied gruffly. He bent to hug my mom. “Welcome home, Tori, sweetheart.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” she replied happily.

  Grandpa moved away and turned to look at me. He scowled, and I lifted my chin, determined not to let him walk all over me. “Chase,” he said in a low voice.

  “Warden,” I replied with a sarcastic nod, telling him I knew exactly what his intended role was in regard to me.

  His jaw clenched, but to his credit, he didn’t give into my goading, and there was an awkward silence before Grandma spoke to my mother.

  “We’ve prepared the upstairs for you. Your dad and I rarely go up there anymore, so feel free to arrange your things however you would like. Anything of ours you don’t want to use can be taken to the attic.”

  “No worries, Grandma,” I said. “We hardly own anything these days. I think Mom sold almost all our stuff, didn’t you?” I cast a glare at her as I walked over to open the U-Haul. “Two couches, beds, office stuff, and our clothes. Not much left.”

  I grabbed a box and headed toward the house.

  “I’m sorry about him. He’s a little angry,” Mom apologized as I passed by.

  “Don’t worry. We’ll teach him some manners,” I heard Grandpa reply, and I shook my head in disgust and kept on walking.

  I lounged on the bed in my new room, which was small but adequate, listening to rap music early that evening. Exhausted from moving everything in, I just wanted to go to sleep, but my mom appeared in the doorway.

  “How you doing?” she asked after I pulled one of the ear buds out so I could hear her.

  “As well as can be expected.” I shrugged. “Why?”

  “Grandpa wants you to help him with the evening chores.” She had the decency to look apologetic as she said it.

  “Ugh,” I answered with an eye-rolling sigh as I sat up. I grabbed my shoes next to the bed and began putting them on. “I guess it’s time to let the warden work the evil out of me. Wait. Doesn’t that make him an exorcist?”

  She actually snickered at the comment, and I scowled. I took my hoodie off the back of the chair and headed out the door.

  “Hey,” she said, stopping me. “Take it easy on him, okay?”

  I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Take it easy on him?”

  “He opened his home to us because he loves us. He may show it in different ways, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less real. Besides, he’s not the one you’re really mad at, so don’t take your anger out on him because he’s an easy target.”

  I snorted as I walked down the hall. “I don’t think anyone would ever call him an easy target.”

  I entered the giant barn and looked around for Grandpa. I didn’t see him, but I saw the old brown mare I used to ride when I was younger eating in her stall.

  “Hey, Mitzi,” I said, calling her by name as I walked over to pet her. “Do you remember me?” She bumped her nose against my chest, and I knew she was searching for goodies in my jacket. “Sorry, girl. I didn’t bring anything with me this time. It’s nice to know the old man still treats you good though.”

  “The old man has some carrots for her in the bucket on the shelf behind you,” my grandpa’s voice broke in.

  “Oh, thanks,” I said, staring at him before turning to get a couple. He came and stood beside me, while I fed her.

  “She’s a good ol’ gal. I don’t have much use for her anymore, but I can’t seem to get rid of her.”

  There was an awkward pause, neither of us really knowing what to say to each other. Grandpa gave a sigh and went to sit on a bale of hay, gesturing for me to sit across from him.

  Here it comes, I thought, but I kept my mouth closed and did as he asked.

  “So, you’ve been in a bit of trouble lately,” he started, and I could feel myself getting a little frustrated. “Now before you go snapping at me, why don’t you hear what I have to say first?”

  I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I gave him a curt nod.

  He continued. “I know you’ve been through a lot in the last few months since your dad died. I’m also aware of what it’s like to lose someone who’s close. It’s okay to grieve, and everyone should. There are lots of stages to go through, and while I don’t know where you are, if I were to guess I’d say you’re angry and hurt. I think you’re trying to numb your pain.”

  I couldn’t say anything. He was hitting the truth unbearably close, and I wasn’t ready for this discussion. I needed to get out of here. I stood and headed toward the door.

  “Chase,” he called. “I’m not trying to counsel you. I just wanted to give you the opportunity to get off this ranch and do something else.”

  This surprised me, stopping me dead in my tracks. “And what would that be?”

  He walked up beside me. “I’m a volunteer coach at the high school. I want you to come join the guys on the football team for our spring weight training. I know you quit last season after your dad d
ied, but you have a great talent, and I don’t think you should waste it. The head coach has already agreed to check you out as quarterback, since ours will graduate this year. There would be a lot of practices and summer camp too. I’m not promising anything. It would require hard work and responsibility, but it would give you something to do besides be here all the time.”

  Anything would be better than that, and I used to love playing football. “What’s the catch?” I asked, wondering why he was going so easy on me.

  “No catch. I think it’ll give you something new to focus on. Plus, we need someone to step up and try for this spot. This isn’t like the big city. We have to make do with what we’ve got. That being said, we have a really talented line, and I think our defense can hold their own too. They’re a hard-working bunch of boys.”

  I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t been expecting him to offer me a way out.

  “You can think about it for a few weeks. Weight training won’t start until the first of May,” he added when I hesitated.

  “Okay,” I replied with a nod. I glanced around uncomfortably. “Mom said you wanted me to help you with the chores.”

  “I have most of them done for tonight, but I’d like to give you a few regular ones. I thought you could help take care of the stalls in here, keep them mucked out and lined with fresh straw. There are six stalls, but only three horses. You can put them in the empty ones or out into the corral while you clean. It’ll only take about twenty minutes to do each of them.”

  He reminded me where all the equipment was located and showed me where the new trap doors had been installed in the hayloft, making it easier to shovel the fresh straw into stalls.

  “Does this sound okay to you?” he asked cordially.

  “Sure. I can take care of it.”

  “Thanks for your help, Chase.” He clapped me on the shoulder and headed toward the house.

  “Grandpa,” I called, and he turned to look. “I’ll do it—play football, I mean.”

  He stared at me for a moment, and I thought I could see a slight smile playing near the corner of his mouth. “Good,” he replied, and walked away.