Three

H ours later, Genesis still felt all kinds of WTF. Friday nights were great to make big money for deliveries, but she didn’t turn on the app. How could she concentrate on locations and pickup times? Cyrus had bypassed his sons and left her a whole farm. One he didn’t want sold. The twins had copped an attitude about her stance on the issue, especially when they couldn’t immediately talk her out of it. She didn’t blame them. What her great-uncle had done wasn’t right. Clarence was sure Cyrus had been battling dementia and vowed to challenge the will. Cleo agreed but had a plane to catch and suggested they revisit the situation after the funeral. Genesis was relieved. She’d been ready to go since she got to the table. Since she sat down and, as one of her friends loved to say, “got her wig blown back” by a blast from the past.

Seeing Jaxson was like getting cold water thrown in her face. It took everything in her to act unaffected. Last she’d heard, he had a child and lived in Phoenix. Not that she’d followed his career or anything. Okay, maybe a little. Accidentally on purpose. When he went pro, almost everyone in Tennessee had cheered on their homegrown star. Emphasis on almost .

Neither Genesis nor her family had wished him well. There were reasons.

Seeing him today after so many years stirred up emotions she hadn’t known were still there. It didn’t help that he was more handsome than she remembered. And he was her great-uncle’s neighbor? And taking care of his property? And had offered to buy the farm, the one Cyrus didn’t want sold? What the heck had she done to incur this type of karma? More importantly, was there any way to reverse it?

Hoping to catch a break on at least one problem, she reached for the phone and dialed her ex’s number. Before they’d slipped on a bottle of vodka one night and fallen into bed, she and Lance had been great friends. It was the only reason she’d nearly drained her savings account to support what he’d called “a chance of a lifetime investment,” in a blues-and-BBQ spot being opened in Little Rock, two hours away. He’d assured her the loan would be paid back in a month, “no problem.” Except there was a problem. That conversation had happened two months ago.

She got voicemail. Not surprising. It was Friday night.

“Hey, Lance. What’s up? It’s Gen. I know you’re super busy, but can you give me a call as soon as you get this message? Thanks.”

For the rest of the evening, Genesis went through the motions. Tried to act like her life was still normal. It wasn’t. Everything was changing around her. She had no appetite for dinner. Not enough focus to watch a movie. Went to bed. Sleep was fleeting. One good thing came out of the tossing and turning. An idea. It had been six months since Genesis visited Cyrus. The last time she saw him. In the morning, she’d go to the farm.

It was raining when Genesis began the forty-five-minute drive from Memphis to Holy Mound. The weather helped her feel a little better about not turning on the driver app the way she would most Saturday mornings. For delivery drivers, weekends were busy. She tried not to think about the money she’d lose, cash she needed to pay next month’s bills. She hadn’t slept well, but the decision to visit Cyrus’s farm produced an unexpected calm. Stopped her head from spinning, her heart from hurting so much. It felt like the right thing to do.

She tried to view Cyrus’s decision objectively, without the combustive emotions. Her great-uncle had thought enough of her to leave something he treasured to her care. In death he’d continued what few others did in life—made her feel special, wanted, a part of something.

She got teary-eyed, wishing she’d spent more of the last months with him. Instead, she’d been back and forth to Little Rock helping her ex Lance try to get what had sounded good on paper to live up to the expectation.

Woulda, shoulda and coulda sneaked in for a visit. She allowed their negative talk for a moment before shutting down regret. Cyrus was gone, and maybe her money. No way to change the past. Focusing on the present and future would take enough energy. The cell phone beeped. She checked the dash. Lance. Thank God. She hoped he had good news.

“Hey, Lance.”

“Gen, hey. I hope you’re not calling about the money.”

Her shoulders slumped. “You know I was. What happened to that rapper becoming a partner?”

“Still working on it,” he said with a sigh.

“You know my lease is up next month. Without that money, and in this crazy job market, I might not be able to afford to renew it.”

He sighed loudly. “I wish I could help you. I’m struggling, too.”

“How was business last night?”

“You don’t want to know.”

“You’re right. I don’t need more bad news.”

“Why? What happened?”

“Uncle Cyrus died.”

A brief silence and then, “Sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“He was cool for an old dude.”

“He was cool, period.”

They continued to chat about Cyrus. It felt good to share pleasant memories with someone who’d known him. Even though Lance had met Cyrus only once in person, when Genesis called to check on her uncle, the two men often spoke.

She chatted with Lance until taking the county road exit that led to the farm. Memories of Cyrus, mostly from her childhood and teenage years, continued to make her want to cry one minute and laugh the next. The continuing rain was a perfect backdrop. She turned off the side road, placed the old key she’d been given into a rusty lock and swung back the privacy gate, then returned to her car and drove through. In a moment, she was the seven-year-old who’d ridden her bike down this road to retrieve the mail. Cyrus made doing that seem like a big responsibility.

“Make sure you don’t drop anything. I’m expecting a million-dollar check from a contest I entered.”

She drove closer, passed a few cows she hadn’t noticed on her visit six months ago. Did they belong to her uncle? Besides Nipsey, her uncle’s dog, were there other animals that needed tending? What about the house? The utilities. The expenses. The general upkeep of everything. As the new owner, all of these issues were now her responsibility to handle. She fought against panicking and feeling overwhelmed. She’d never even owned a house or condo, much less a farm with land.

Turning a gentle curve, she came upon a now-empty chicken coop. She’d once shooed away hens from the wired enclosures to gather their precious eggs. Beyond the coop was the tractor she’d thought might be her inheritance. Boy, had she gotten more than she bargained for. Her eyes drifted to the rambling ranch house, where she saw something else. Something unexpected. Something that caused her brow to furrow and eyes to narrow. A shiny Dodge Ram truck was parked askew in her uncle’s concrete drive, taking up both spaces.

Who was on her uncle’s property? And how did they get past the locked gate?

As she parked on the gravel road and got out of the car, a tall figure wearing well-fitting jeans—yes, she noticed—a windbreaker and a baseball cap rounded the corner. Jaxson. She began walking toward him, not even bothering to grab an umbrella.

“What the hell are you doing on this property?”

He adjusted his cap. “Genesis, right? Let’s get out of the rain.”

Without waiting for an answer, he bounded up the steps as though he owned them. She begrudgingly followed suit. It was either that or get drenched.

“I’m glad you’re here. We were just—”

“What makes you think you have the right to come on private property? Because you’re Uncle Cy’s neighbor or because you’re a washed-up pro baller?”

“Washed-up?”

He cocked a brow. Given that it seemed he’d forgotten her, Genesis mentally berated herself for letting it slip that she knew who he was. He continued to study her. Genesis refused to melt under those fiery, almost-onyx orbs or to process the emotion she saw there. Had she assumed wrong? Had he finally recognized her?

“I believe ‘retired’ is more accurate.” A confident smile punctuated the sentence.

She didn’t know what made her angrier—his smugness or seeming lack of memory of the night they’d spent together. There’d been years and probably hundreds of women since then. But still.

She crossed her arms, raised herself up to her full height of five foot five. “What are you doing here?”

“Right now, I’m trying to find Nipsey. I was headed to the shed to get a treat to entice him.”

“Now you won’t have to. I’ll find Nipsey.”

“Are you sure you want to relieve me of my duties? As Cleo mentioned yesterday, I’ve helped Cyrus off and on for a while now, especially after he got sick. Unless you’ve got experience handling land and livestock, you just might want to lose the attitude and accept a brother’s assistance.”

“I don’t need your help.”

She totally needed his help. While yesterday’s events and conversations were somewhat foggy, she did recall hearing something about him helping her uncle.

“Why are you so angry?”

Because you don’t know who I am! “Because I know your true motive for being so helpful.” She used air quotes for emphasis. “You want to buy the farm. What I said yesterday holds true today. This property is not for sale.”

He didn’t offer a rebuttal. Instead, his stare grew more intense. “Do I know you?”

Oh, how well he knew her. Almost every inch of her chocolate skin. Since it was obvious he didn’t remember, it was time to let him know. The sooner he realized he was an enemy, the sooner he’d leave her the hell alone.

“As a matter of fact—”

“I found him!”

Genesis looked around as a bundle of energy rounded the house and dashed up the steps. The young boy was dressed for rain from head to toe—a bright yellow rain slicker with matching hat and camouflage-colored boots. She assumed he was Jaxson’s son, and imagined a wife was somewhere nearby. The thought sent a slight pang to her heart. She ignored it.

“Come on, Uncle Jax. I found Nipsey. We’ve got to help him. He’s stuck!”

This comment jolted Genesis off her high throne of indignation and placed her squarely in the present moment. That aging German shepherd had been Cyrus’s constant companion, whom he’d probably loved more than his two-legged sons.

“Good job, Mario!” Jaxson high-fived the young tyke. “Where is he?”

“Come on. I’ll show you!” Mario practically tumbled down the steps, then took off in the direction he’d come.

Without another word, Jaxson turned on his heel and followed him. Genesis pulled up the hood of her jacket and followed Jaxson. They ran behind the house to a hedge of bushes growing next to a worn-down fence. She watched Jaxson kneel beside the dog, who was clearly trapped in a thorny bush. Jaxson began to quietly issue instructions.

“Think you can open the toolbox in the back of the truck?” Mario vigorously nodded. “Good. Get my gloves out of there and the first aid kit. And bring the bottle of water from the console.” The boy took off, clearly excited to have clear-cut directions to follow. “And a towel!” Jaxson yelled at the boy’s retreating back.

Genesis watched Jaxson reach into his pocket and pull out a knife. He knelt beside the whimpering animal and spoke in a soothing tone.

“Hey, there, Nip.” He reached for the dog’s paw. He growled. “Hold on, buddy. I know it’s uncomfortable. We’re going to get you out, okay?”

He began cutting away the thorny branches. The young boy returned with the requested items. Jaxson cut off part of the towel and wrapped it around the dog’s mouth, preventing him from lashing out in pain and biting the hand that was trying to free him.

“Hold his legs,” he instructed. The boy did as he was told. In less than five minutes, Jaxson freed Nipsey from his thorny prison, then tended to the dog’s scrapes and cuts with medicine from the first aid kit. Finally, once assured the dog was calm, he loosened the towel from around Nipsey’s mouth and let him lap water from the young boy’s cupped hands. Even for someone she despised, the act was impressive. Had she come upon the dog alone, she wouldn’t have known what to do.

“Thank you,” she said, once he stood, brushed off his jeans and returned his attention to her. Given their history, she really wanted to say “Eff you,” but he had rescued Nipsey, so, though warranted, the invective wouldn’t be nice.

“It’s no problem. I admired your uncle. He was a good man whom I considered a friend.”

“Is that why he asked you to help him?”

“He didn’t ask. I offered.”

The comment didn’t sit well with Genesis. Sounded like an ulterior motive lurked close by.

“A man as proud as Cyrus would never ask outright. I knew with his health challenges he couldn’t work like he used to. I was more than happy to lend him a hand and promised him I’d continue to do so. We looked out for each other. Neighbors around here are like that.”

“I see.”

Genesis had the heart to feel embarrassed. And conflicted. The football star who’d helped ruin her brother’s pro chances, then slept with his sister on a dare, didn’t sound like the man speaking right now. He was still as sexy, though. There wasn’t enough conflict in the world to not recognize that. There was a maturity about him. An unpretentiousness she hadn’t expected, given his worldly, pro athlete past. Here in the country, he exuded a shrewd intelligence and seemed comfortable in his own skin. Skin that she’d once explored with her hands and vice versa. He was the first one to—

Girl...don’t even go there.

She wondered about his reaction if she revealed who she was. But why even tell him? Why bust open that decade-old can of worms? Or more like sack of snakes! Someone else could give her the ins and outs of the property and take care of the responsibilities Jaxson had done. She’d likely lease the land, making regular visits unnecessary. There was enough distance that even as neighbors they wouldn’t see each other. It was a small town. He’d probably learn her identity eventually. Hopefully by then this whole farm situation would be worked out and make additional conversation unnecessary.

“Do you always keep the front gate locked, even when you’re here?”

He nodded. “A private back road runs between our properties. Little more than a dirt path that either my grandfather or your uncle created. If you’d like, I can show you where it is and help you navigate it.”

“Thanks, but I’ll figure it out.”

“Hopefully not in that Kia you’re driving. These lands have rough spots and hidden hazards. Your vehicle rides low. It could get tricky.” He looked up. “Especially in weather like this, where all the rain we’re having is creating a muddy mess. More storms are forecasted throughout the weekend.”

Nipsey, obviously feeling more like himself, came up and nuzzled her hand. Genesis was thankful for the distraction from Jaxson’s perfectly shaped cushy lips making it hard to hear the words coming out of his mouth.

She knelt down. “Hey, Nipsey. Remember me? Good to see you. We’ll have to learn how to avoid those thorns and stay out of trouble, right?”

A piece of advice she felt appropriate not only for the canine but for herself as well. She felt the sooner she put distance between her and Jaxson, the better.

She stood and managed to eke out a tight smile. “I appreciate whatever you did for my uncle. This place meant everything to him. He probably needed the help.”

“He did. Would have loved for his sons to be more interested or involved, but that was not the case. I was happy to step in. Like I said, it’s what neighbors do. That said, if you guys need anything at all, my place is just down the road. Don’t hesitate to ask.”

Genesis wouldn’t be needing anything from Jaxson King. But she figured she could show him better than she could tell him. With a quick wave, she turned and headed toward the house with a battered yet brave and loyal Nipsey trotting beside her. Good boy!

She went inside her uncle’s home and tried to forget about Jaxson. Memories of both men assailed her. The rooms felt gloomy and claustrophobic. Fresh air was needed even though the rain continued to fall.

Despite Jaxson’s warning, she jumped into her Kia and headed down a back road where, if memory served correctly, the cracking concrete of a slaughtering slab from a bygone era had been turned into the perfect surface for mean hopscotch competitions. She turned up the music, humming along as her car jerked along the bumpy trail. She slowed as the slab of concrete came into view, the once-white paint and colorful numbers faded with time. When she reached a fork in the road, she saw that one direction continued around her great-uncle’s property line while the other led to the home she assumed belonged to Jaxson. He was the last person she wanted to see. She headed left and sped up, her car doing a slight fishtail in the soggy tracks.

Probably should slow down.

The idea came a second too late. At that exact moment, Genesis heard a loud clank beneath the car before it suddenly swayed to the right. She stopped, put the gear in Reverse and pressed on the gas. The tires spun, clinging to the mud Jaxson had warned her about. She tried several more times to unstick the car, “rocking” it by going from Drive to Reverse, but to no avail. Just as she decided to walk back to the house, a big splat of rain hit the windshield. Genesis shook her head and opened the door. Not only was the car stuck, but it looked like she’d get soaked, too.

She’d just walked through a patch of tall grass when a sound stopped her. The rain, coming down harder now, muffled the sound. One of Cyrus’s cows? She continued moving, cautiously looking around her. To her left, nothing. Right, same thing. Determined to make it back to the house unaided, she squared her shoulders and pushed away fear. Before she could move, a snort caused her to look behind her. That was when she saw it. Not a cow. She could handle that. No, this was a big black bull, pawing the earth and looking at her like she’d eyed Jaxson—like she was about to be lunch.

“Oh, shit!”

She took one step, then two, then began to run in a panic. She didn’t get far. Tripping over a hard object buried beneath the grass, Genesis’s foot twisted. She went down hard. The pain was excruciating, took her breath away. She tried to scream but couldn’t. The rain’s intensity increased, a full-blown deluge. She thought about Jaxson and how she’d haughtily dismissed any help he’d offered. That neighborly assistance would come in handy right about now. His strong arms could easily pick her up and carry her to safety. She eyed the beast, slowly moving toward her. It stopped, stared back, unblinking. She tried to move. Bad idea. Tried to scream. Too difficult, since it hurt to breathe. Genesis and her hard head had gone off and created a dire situation. And to think Uncle Cyrus had imagined her a farm girl. That, she now knew, was a bunch of bull!