Page 27 of Don't Leave Me Behind
Clay
“I think Leni’s seeing someone,”Mercer says, first thing in the morning, before anyone's had coffee or even talked about the day’s assignments. The hired hands who are there excuse themselves to go get some caffeine before having to deal with the crazy family drama. The rest of us left standing around the breakfast table that’s set out behind the main house.
“What?” Adler asks, his voice muffled by half a muffin he shoved into his pie hole. He’s wearing a backwards baseball cap over his dark, wavy hair. A grey tank top on his torso, black combat boots gaping at the tongues where he’s neglected to tie them up.
“Why else wouldn’t she come back at all for the summer?”
Toby shakes his head, long hair dusting his shoulders beneath his cowboy hat. He should pull it back or cut it. I can’t imagine how hot it’d be to run around with so much hair. “I thought you said she wasn’t coming back because he’s here.” Toby hooks his thumb over his shoulder at me.
“Thanks,” I deadpan.
“Obviously.” Mercer rolls his eyes, taking a sip of hiscoffee before continuing. “But what if that’s only half the story? What if she’s secretly hooking up with some guy and they’re running off to do naked time on a beach or something?”
I choke on air, slamming my fist into my chest, willing myself the ability to breathe again. What the fuck is wrong with this family, and why do I now have the image of naked Leni on the beach burned into my mind?
Ethan gives me a hearty pat on the back before muscling Adler away from the table where Ma put out some breakfast burritos and pastries.
“Why do you keep doing that?” Mercer puts a hand on his hip, his eyes narrowing at me.
“Swallowed wrong? Sue me.” I rub my chest, throat burning from the coughing fit.
“Maybe I will.” Mercer looks at Ethan, who rolls his eyes.
“You can’t sue someone for choking dipshit. So what if she’s seeing someone?”
“Well, did she tell any of you assholes about him?”
That gets all the boys standing a bit straighter. Generally, if Leni likes a guy and knows he’ll fit in, she’ll tell at least one of the boys about it. The news spreads through the grapevine, and the boys make plans to go ‘meet’ the new boyfriend. On the other hand, in the past, when Leni started a relationship and didn’t tell anyone, it was usually because she knew he wouldn’t fit in. Guys who ended up with their faces rearranged because no one ever treated her right.
I rub my jaw, imagining Brooks taking a potshot at my face. I watched that dude drop my dad with a single punch to the jaw. I have no intention of finding out what that feels like for myself.
“Shit,” Adler sighs. “There’s too much going on. I do not have time to drive to Benson and spy on Leni. Then cover forBrooks while trying to stake out Clay to figure out who he’s fucking. This is getting ridiculous.”
“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” I feel my eyes bulge out as I stare at the youngest Kane brother.
He presses his lips into a straight line, eyes widening as he realized how badly he fucked up.
“Adler James, did you just say you’re spying on me?”
“What? No, I never said that.” Adler shoves the rest of his muffin into his mouth before turning back toward the table.
“He totally is.” Toby jumps up to sit on the tailgate of the side-by-side. “Said you slept on the couch for some reason last night.”
“Jesus H Christ.” I rub my hands down my face and make a mental note to tell Leni that her brothers are up to no good. “Jefferies!” I call the ranch hand I gave stall duty to. “Change of plans. You’re gonna work the sevens with Toby here. AJ is going to muck stalls.”
“Wha?” Adler turns and groans. “Come on, man! I’ve done my time in the barn. There’s like, eighty horses out there now!”
There’s fifty, and only twenty or so were in their stalls last night. So, it’s an easier job than running the fence lines and fixing wires, but I don’t tell him that. I twiddle my fingers at him in a fake wave and send him on his way. Adler’s shoulders stiffen, a muscle in his jaw ticking when he bites back whatever insult he’s thinking. Flipping me the bird, he grumbles past us, and I avoid the temptation to kick him in the ass as he walks by.
Mercer smirks at me, grabbing his to-go cup. “I’m so glad I’m the boss at our real jobs.”
I flip him the bird, and we head for the big barn to grab our horses.
My blue roan Mako is kept here in the stables. Everyone used to keep their horses here, but now the boys mostly keep theirs at home. All of them, except Adler, have their own littlepatch of dirt to call home. I have my own plot across the highway. Someday, I’m going to build a little cabin there. Maybe get a dog, keep Mako nearby so I can ride whenever I want.
Mercer saddles up Leni’s old horse, Calypso. He’s old and fat and has not been worked nearly enough. A big step down to the younger buckskin he favors. Fabio has a lot more pep than Calypso does, but for riding pastures and pushing a few cows, he’s still got it. I wonder if Leni misses him.
“How you been, Clay?” Mercer tips his hat a little lower on his brow, blocking what he can of the sun as it begins to peek over the horizon. Deep purples, blues, and fiery hues of orange and pink paint the sky.
