31. Remi

Chapter 31

Remi

D ouble checking the straps on the rafts, I waved to Myles in his rearview mirrors. After picking us all up at the end of the run, he’d given Angie and me a ride back to where I’d parked my vehicle.

“Thanks for your help!” I yelled.

Myles leaned out his window. “No problem. I’ll make sure these two get home safe. See you later.” With one final wave, he let off the brakes and drove forward.

The back truck tires spun on the gravel until they leveled out on the paved road. Checking the surrounding area for anything we might have left, I walked to where Angie sat with a towel wrapped around her in the passenger seat of my Ford.

With each step, the last of my stress left me. Tony and Nora were alive and well. Angie too. As a bonus, Tony had loved every minute of it once his nerves had settled. His smile had lit up his whole face, making everything worth it.

I’d chosen the rafting run because everyone around here talked about the mild rapids. With the low water levels, some had been bigger than I’d anticipated, and when Angie had disappeared under the water, my heart had stopped. The experienced rafter in me expected she’d surface like everyone usually did. The key word being usually . I’d never been present when someone had died on a rafting trip, but I’d heard horror stories. My mind went to those worst-case scenarios the longer Angie stayed underwater.

What if she never came up? What if she drowned? What if Angie wasn’t a part of my life anymore?

What if? What if? What if?

In less than two minutes, my feelings for Angie had become clear.

I loved her.

At least, I thought this feeling of ‘I can’t live without her’ meant the big L-word. I’d sacrifice anything to guarantee her happiness. I’d never felt this way for a woman; hell, I never planned on ever feeling this way. It’d snuck up on me like a rattlesnake in the brush and bit me.

What the hell was I supposed to do now? Confess my undying love for her? That sounded so corny I almost vomited in my mouth. Instead, I’d rather do the most unromantic thing possible.

I climbed into the truck and shut my door. Starting the engine, I shifted into drive and followed Myles’s route out of here. “I heard about an event in town and kind of sort of signed us up.”

She shivered even though it was as hot as a billy goat in a pepper patch in my cab. “I don’t know if I’m feeling up for it.”

Her statement presented a conundrum. First option: listen to her and run into the possibility of dropping the L-bomb on her. Second option: proceed forward as if she hadn’t said she didn’t want to go and get her in a horn-tossing mood.

Arguing was much safer than being nice. Rather than teasing her about falling in the river, I’d give her a break now, seeing as how her eyes were already half-lidded.

Angie leaned her head against the seat and dozed while I drove the thirty minutes into town, to the high school soccer fields. I’d parked at the back of the full parking lot and slipped the white T-shirts I’d custom ordered in the over-sized pockets of my swim trunks. The entire town gathered in the bleachers, though I was too far away to spot anyone I knew.

“Where are we?” Angie stretched and yawned, dropping the towel to the seat. She looked around her as the distant crowd erupted in a cheer loud enough for us to hear over the still running air-conditioning. “What exactly does ‘I don’t feel up for it’ mean to you?”

“What?” I jiggled my earlobe and turned the key in the ignition. Sliding it out, I put it in the cup holder. “Got water in my ears. I can’t hear you.” I shoved my door open.

She huffed out a breath and let out a little growl—perfect. Hopping to the ground, I waited for her tirade to begin.

“How could you have water in your ears? You never went in the ri—”

I shut the door on her words, knowing this would drive her crazy enough to get out of the car and tell me exactly what a terrible human being I was. She didn’t disappoint. Quicker than a scalded cat, she came up next to me.

“First, you dump me in a river, then you ignore me and expect me to take part in this barbaric …”

Barbaric? Angie trailed on. I started walking toward the crowd of people. Everyone cheered on what was happening in the pen in the center of the field. A circle of feeder panels had been erected, and as I drew closer, it’d been filled with mud up to the edge of the slits … making the puddle about two feet deep.

I came to stand at the side of the bleachers, waving to Agnes, Joe, and Mitch, my friends from the farm store. They cheered on their coworkers, dressed in matching Country Store shirts, although the three in the ring were now completely brown. A timer ran on the clock while they dodged and dipped, falling face-first into the slop.

Chuck and Pedro called to me, surrounded by Pedro’s posse of kids. One kid hung on Pedro’s arm, and another sat on top of Chuck’s shoulders.

In a matter of a few months, I’d been accepted in this town. I had actual friends who knew nothing of my family or my fortune. I’d never experienced this phenomenon.

A squeal cut through the air as one of them caught hold of the animal’s back leg.

“… most low-down country thing we do. Pig wrestling? Seriously, Remi. You couldn’t have warned me?”

Pig wrestling. It qualified as the most unromantic thing possible. And I didn’t like how much the stub-nosed, curly tailed beasts scared me. Against my better judgment, I’d Googled the story of the pigs and old man Peterson. What I’d read could never be unread.

Today, I’d face my fear head-on.

“If I would have told you, you wouldn’t have done anything but mope around your house and work yourself past the point of exhaustion on your farm. It’s the fricking Fourth of July. Let’s celebrate.”

“By traumatizing a pig?” She put her hands on her hips. “No, thank you. And I thought pigs terrified you.”

“Angie!”

I was saved from answering by Blake’s little girl.

She came running down the bleachers and launched into Angie’s arms. “You’ve been busy. I missed you.”

“Hey, Maddie. Your mom here?” Angie turned her back to me and looped an arm around the girl, knocking the headphones on Maddie’s head askew.

“No. She’s at home with Daddy.” Maddie pointed into the stands to a woman with short, gray hair who looked like an older version of Lili. She lifted a hand at us, mid-conversation with Chuck and Pedro. “I’m here with Renee. The Bennies are making Mommy tired and sick.” She straightened her headphones and peeked up at me, then stiffened and leaned closer to Angie. “Who’s this human you’re always with? He comes over to my house sometimes.”

I laughed and walked to stand in front of them. I stuck out my hand. “Remington James the Third.”

Maddie eyed my hand, tilting her head back and forth, not budging from Angie’s side. “Do you like him?” She jutted a thumb in my direction. “This human.”

Angie looked at me. “He’s tolerable.”

“Okay. Nice to meet you tall er-rable Remington.”

I laughed as she finally took my hand but grimaced when the pig squealed again. “I don’t like it when the piggy is upset.”

I turned my attention to the mud-covered men carrying the whining animal. They managed to place the pig in the barrel and a cheer went through the crowd. I tended to agree with Maddie, I felt for the pig. “It’ll be our turn soon.” I nudged Angie. “Maddie, want to join our team?”

“No.” She didn’t hesitate, then tugged on Angie’s arm. “Are you going to go in there? With him?”

“He thinks I’m going to, but I’m so not going in there to get all muddy and chase around a pig for sport. I’m in my swimming suit, and I’ve had a rough morning …”

The longer Angie went on, the more emphatic Maddie’s nod became. Without hesitation, she joined the force against me. It appeared I had to win over more than Angie.

“Might I remind you of condition number three?” I held three fingers in Angie’s face. “You have to do …” Motioning to her, I waited for her to finish my sentence.

“Everything you say,” she mumbled. “But this doesn’t count—”

“Bup-bup-bup.” I put my index finger over her full lips. She narrowed her eyes, and for a split second, I thought she would open her mouth and bite my finger. Didn’t know why, but I found this to be a bit erotic. “I picked up every single rock from one side of your farm to the other, because you told me to. It goes both ways …”

“I also pay you,” she said around my finger.

“Is this the weird human who has been working on your farm? Nora says Mae doesn’t like him.” Maddie folded her arms and jutted her hips out like a teen. I guessed her to be under ten. I caught sight of a scar slanting across her cheek and couldn’t help but wonder what happened.

I let my hand fall to my side once again. “You and I both know I don’t need your money,” I whispered, making sure the super-observant kid didn’t overhear. “I have other motivations for staying.” I raised my eyebrows suggestively at her.

She stiffened. “No.”

Rex Southerland, the mayor of this small-town, announced Angie and me over the loudspeaker, followed by the name of our team … The Bacon Bandits. Capitalizing on this opportunity, I whipped out our shirts. An image of a pig with a mask and a cape sneaking off with a bag of money centered on the shirt.

“You’re not joking.” Angie put a hand to her forehead. “When did you have time to get these made?”

“Do you have one for me?” Maddie pointed at the logo.

“You can have mine.” After all, I matched them well enough already with my plain white shirt. I winked at the little girl. “Or I can get one made in your size.”

“I’ll take it.” Maddie snatched my shirt and pulled it over her head. “And I’ll be on your team. But I’m not going in there.” She pointed to the pen.

The men working the ring, thankfully, switched the much larger pig to one that could be managed by two people. If I’d been pitted against that other beast, I would have lost my nerve and run screaming back to my truck. “Okay, Maddie. Go over there and wait for my signal.” I pointed to the pens where the other pigs were being held and gave her the rest of her marching orders.

“Angie? Remi? I see you over there. Stop making eyes at each other and go catch yourself a pig.” Rex’s mechanical voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

The stands erupted in laughter.

“We’re coming, Rex. Give us another minute!” I shouted toward the announcer’s booth.

“One minute. Convince her quick.” Another laugh came from the bleachers. “Can we get sixty seconds on the clock?”

The scoreboard lit up with one minute on the clock and began ticking down.

60 … 59 … 58 …

“Are you going to make me wrestle a pig by myself?” I leveled one of my smiles on her I knew to be effective on other women.

“Don’t forget about me.” Maddie’s adult large shirt hung well past her knees.

47 … 46 … 45 …

“Stop looking at me like that.” Angie folded her arms and glared at me. “The whole town is watching.”

“I’ll stop once you agree.”

34 … 33 … 32 …

After a few more terse words emitted from Angie’s mouth, she took her shirt and yanked it on while she marched to the mud pit. I did an over-the-top fist pump, sending the town into another round of cheers.

Maddie took off to the pens at a run while Angie and I made it to the edge. The circular structure had no gate. By the time I’d figured that out, Angie had gotten in quicker than a whip. I followed, landing in mud well above my ankles.

The black and white spotted pig about the size of the bacon bits faced us on the opposite side of the pen. I’d grown attached to the tiny monsters capable of ingesting my bones and instantly pitied the creature.

In the background, a horn blared, and the crowd shouted with it.

Sorry little guy. I promise this is for your own good. I dove for the pig. Angie must have had the same idea. We collided mid-air and slid into the mess. I fell backward while her entire body disappeared under the surface.

The pig scampered to the other side of the pen as Angie came up, gasping for air. She scrubbed the back of her hand across her mouth.

“Ugh.” She wiped at her forearms, flicking her fingertips toward the cesspool. Mud splattered in tiny specks around her. Slop glopped from the previously white shirt now bunched at her midsection, exposing her navy-blue swimming suit.

I stood and laughed. “Well, you can’t get any dirtier now.”

“Are you just going to stand there laughing at me, or are you going to help me catch this pig?” Angie pointed to our black-and-white, spotted prey quivering in the corner.

The pig followed us with its eyes. It remained where it stood, its belly brushing the surface of the mud pit as if waiting for us to make a move first, ready to bolt at any moment.

“You come around that way and force the piglet to me. Don’t let it circle around you.”

I straightened and gave her a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Don’t call me ma’am.” She bent her knees and widened her stance, preparing to catch the pig as I shoved it her way.

Following her precise instructions, I waved my arms and hollered at the pig. It pivoted in a quick circle looking for a window of escape. I did my best to hop in front of its face and force it in the direction I wanted it to go. It darted past Angie, and she dove for it, missing it by mere inches. It bolted toward me. I laid out my entire six-foot-three-inch body, belly-flopping face first.

The cool, oversaturated dirt contrasted with the heat I’d been subjected to all day. How much of this was mud, and how much of it was feces? Surely the pig peed and pooped with how many times he’d been scared today. Still, it felt like a spa day. Some people, my mother included, spent a fortune soaking in mud baths like this one.

Honestly, they should charge extra for adding in the natural element of pig urine and pig feces. I wrinkled my nose and gagged. Since being on the farm, I could decisively say, pig manure was by far the most stinky.

Once again, Angie and I regained our feet. I glanced at the clock, and we only had two minutes remaining to catch the pig before someone else would take our place. It was now or never.

Forgetting all strategy, I charged the animal. It squealed and bolted in the opposite direction. I predicted its movements, and as it ran past Angie, dodging her attempt to grab it, I jumped on it and wrapped my arms around its middle.

The stewed mixture splattered into my mouth, and I did my best to spit out what I could, but I swallowed the rest, not relinquishing my hold on the pig.

The poor animal bucked and kicked against my chest, screaming as if I was about to strangle it.

“Help me!” Its snout hit my jaw. “He’s getting away from me.”

Angie came to my side and contained the squirming animal’s front legs. She jerked it toward the barrel, but I shook my head.

“This way.” I tipped my chin toward the nearest fence. “Trust me.”

Awkwardly, we made our way to the edge. The feisty little pig almost caused us to drop him twice. The mud, combined with his slick hair, made him harder to hold than a than a potato covered in KY jelly.

I led the way, leaning over the top of the panel. Angie followed suit. The crowd’s murmur grew louder as I met Angie’s eyes and, with a nod, released the pig. The animal’s hind legs hit the ground before Angie completely relinquished her hold. It kicked free of her slackened grip and sprinted toward the other caged and wailing pigs.

I gripped the brown panels and jumped over the top. My sandaled feet hit the ground at a run. Covered from head to toe in mud, I channeled my best imitation of Mel Gibson and lifted my arm and yelled, “FREEEEDOMMM!”

With her lips set in a firm line of determination, Maddie scampered to the other five gates and threw them open. The remaining pigs joined my squealing friend, forming a mass which moved together as one.

Chaos erupted. People poured from the stands, chasing the wayward pigs, while the mayor garbled words into the loudspeaker. I came to a stop by Maddie.

“That was fun.” She looked like a nymph with her mischievous grin.

I turned to find Angie, covered in mud, by my side.

“I had no idea this is what you had planned. Those farmers are going to be so mad.” She rubbed the drying mud from her eyes and cheeks, creating a pale mask in the dark sludge. “What good is it to release pigs into the soccer field?”

“To make a statement. Maybe after this debacle, they won’t do pig wrestling next year.”

The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile, and she laughed. The late afternoon sun descended closer to the horizon, and the breeze picked up, sending goosebumps all over my body, whether from the cooling air or from the fact that I made her laugh, I didn’t know.

Maddie pointed at something beyond the field. “Uh–oh.”

Following her gaze, I saw Renee, Chuck, and Pedro headed our way. Though Renee looked less than pleased, she had a smirk on her face, which gave me the impression she’d go easy on Maddie.

I pushed the little girl toward her guardian, leaving a muddy handprint on her otherwise clean, oversized white shirt. “If you get into too much trouble, I’ll come over and beg for your freedom.”

Maddie started toward Renee, paused, then ran back to me. Slowing to a stop about two feet in front of me, she wrinkled her nose. “I was thinking about hugging you, but you’re dirty. Thank you for helping the pigs, Remington James the Third.” With her proclamation finished, she returned to Renee.

Angie let out a low whistle next to my ear. “Wow, that’s impressive. Nobody has gained Maddie’s trust quite that quickly—except maybe Lili.”

“It’s all for the shared love of pigs.” I placed a hand melodramatically over my heart. The mud dried unevenly over my skin, giving me a camo appearance. And she looked the same, her blonde hair now dirt colored.

“Speaking of the pigs we just freed.” She tapped my shoulder and pointed to someone behind me. “That is one angry mayor headed our way.”

Rex towered over the crowd, his deep-mahogany bald head glinting in the sun. He sliced through the chaos, keeping his fixed stare on us.

Seeing him made me feel a little bad for what I’d done, though not enough to regret it. “Do you suppose we should help get the pigs into the trailer?”

“Nope.”

She grabbed my hand, and though dirt rubbed between our palms, I reveled in the warmth of her soft hand in mine.

“I suggest we leave. Right now.” She tugged me toward the truck.

Pushing through the crowd, we practically sprinted the rest of the way, leaving behind the soccer fields and the churning mass of people accompanied by the occasional squeal from the herd of pigs.

I climbed in and started my truck. “The little guys will be okay, won’t they?” My back tires peeled against the gravel in the parking lot.

“They’ll be fine. Marv will get them wrangled back in his trailer, or they’ll make it to the Russian olive forest and live as wild free pigs.” She leaned her head on the headrest, chuckled, and closed her eyes. She sniffed at the air. “We stink. Turn right here, and we can hose off at the fairgrounds.”

I left the engine running while we sprayed as much of the pig excrement and mud off our clothes. We shrieked like kids at a water park, spraying each other until most of the filth was removed. I wrapped a towel around Angie and opened her door. She hopped in, and I climbed behind the wheel, reticent for our day together to come to a close.

Clouds painted orange and pink by the setting sun stretched before us for miles. Wind flowed through my open window and buffeted my wet shirt as we drove along the fields I’d become well acquainted with. Knee-high corn plants flashed past the truck, and the air smelled of the freshly cut hayfield on the right. A sense of accomplishment filled me—one like I’d never experienced before.

Each of those corn plants had been put there by Angie and me, the hay I harvested. If only I could make a living as a farmer, then I’d tell my family to get lost and keep doing this with Angie daily. But as evidenced by Tony, family farms couldn’t compete against the corporate farms controlling crop prices, or the tempting offers of land developers.

“Did pig wrestling help you feel better … after … you know …?” I looked over to Angie, my words coming out in a jumbled mess. Her damp, white shirt clung to her body, showing the outline of her navy swimming suit underneath. Somehow, this was even more alluring than when she’d stood before me with just her swimming suit on.

She turned to me. “I thought I was going to die in that river.” Then, she brushed off her dark words with a laugh. “But I didn’t. Although, I might have a new fear of water.”

“You mean respect, not fear, right? Like with wasps?” I continued without giving her a chance to say anything. “Having a healthy respect for something keeps you alive but doesn’t keep you from enjoying life.”

Her only response was a soft sigh or a long exhale. I let the quiet settle in around us as the last rays of the sun illuminated the horizon. I turned into the neighborhood, taking the route to my model home.

Angie shot me a questioning glance.

“I forgot some tools in my garage. I thought I’d stop by and pick them up before I dropped you off at your house.”

“Thank you,” she said as my house came into view.

She spoke so quietly that I had to lean closer to hear her.

“What you did today meant the world to Papa.”

Tony loved every minute he was on the water. Life bled back into him, but it’d also exhausted him. Still, a tired yet satisfied smile was on Tony’s face when he’d left with Myles.

“You’re welcome.” I brushed a hand through my drying hair. “You’re lucky to have a dad like him.”

“Yeah.” I caught the waver in her voice and wanted to fold her into my arms and take away her pain.

To hell with mortality. Some people should be allowed to live forever. “I’m sorry. For what you’re going through.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” She smiled through the wet sheen in her eyes.

“Are you expecting someone?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No.”

But then I saw a familiar figure under my porchlight. The glimmer of twilight highlighted her stilettos, designer clothes, and Chanel purse dangling from her artificially tanned arm.

Kathryn.

How had she found me? This took stalking to a whole new level.

I clenched my jaw and shoved the truck into park, heat rising from the pit of my stomach to my face. Rushing to get out of the truck before Angie, I slammed my door and met Kathryn on my sidewalk.

She threw her arms around my neck. Her abnormally long nails stabbed into the skin next to my spine. She kissed me everywhere. My lips. My cheeks. My neck. Not giving a care my clothes were still quite soaked.

“I’ve … missed you …” she said between kisses. “Your brother … told me … where to find you … Why didn’t you … answer my calls? … It doesn’t matter … We are together now …”

Matthew. How dare he manipulate my life like this?

I grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away from me. Angie stepped into view, and for a split-second, heartbreak reflected in her eyes. With one shake of her head, she took off toward her land.

“Angie, wait!”

But she didn’t pause or turn back to me; she ran faster.

“Who’s that? Don’t tell me she thought you would ever be interested in someone like her. It looks like she lives in a shack like a feral woman.”

“Kathryn, I look just like her.”

Her over-plumped lips drooped downward. I didn’t have time to feel sorry for her. Or feel sorry for the way I treated her. I couldn’t afford to waste another second and risk the chance of losing Angie.

“Here.” I shoved my keys into her hand. “Go inside. I’ll be back later. To talk.”

“No. You can’t do this to me.” She chucked my keys at me, hitting me square in the chest. “After everything. How can you leave me? I know you said you didn’t want anything serious, but I thought …”

I tried not to think about how far ahead Angie was getting. “Look. You’re an amazing woman and you deserve someone to treat you better than I treated you.”

Tears tracked down her cheeks and she arranged her features into a practiced pout. “I came all this way. To show you I love you. You’re good enough for me. Really, you are.”

I was lower than the dirt growing my corn. Lower than the lowest life form on earth. How many guys had treated Angie this way? Discarded her like I was abandoning Kathryn? I needed to be better. To change.

But I still wasn’t meant to be with Kathryn. I took her hands in mine and placed a kiss on the back of them. “I’m sorry.” I dropped her hands, and, without a backward glance, I sprinted into the fields.