Chapter 2

“Just when did you arrive?

Elijah Blayze Mitchell heard his Uncle David’s voice on the other end.

The twenty-eight-year-old TV star just parked his sleek white sports car in front of the huge ranch house. It gleamed under the afternoon sun. It had tinted glass windows and windshield, making it beautiful and enigmatic. Maybe it was an understatement. His car was an object of envy as he sped along town a while ago.

He saw Aunt Angela come out of the house to check who arrived. He smiled when he saw her jaw drop upon seeing him get out of the car. If he wasn’t mistaken, her tears welled up in those beautiful radiant gray eyes.

The Golden Cattle Ranch was the same as he remembered it. It stood near the small manmade lake that had fish in it. He used to fish there when he was little. It’d been years since he last visited. Maybe four or five. He wasn’t sure. Nonetheless, he was here and that was the most important thing.

The ranch house was a two-story building, with extensions on both sides. The left wing was where the couple’s room was located, while the right one was Jack’s place. Meanwhile, in the middle, it was the main house, where the visitors could stay. It was where the kitchen, dining room, living room, study, and tea room were. The tea room faced the backyard, where the flower garden was.

Upstairs were the two guest rooms, balcony, and a bathroom. Safety rails made of wood surrounded the porch, with a couple of steps in the middle with smooth wood banisters on each side. The porch was wide and spacious, where two rocking chairs sat side by side, facing west, which was on the left side of the house. The meadow and grazing area was vast from this view. Beyond it was the beautiful picturesque of the trees and ragged lines of the mountain. On the opposite side was a small four-seater coffee table, overlooking the lake. A vase with fresh wild flowers was on top of it.

He always loved the setting here at the ranch. But life for him was too busy to stay here, even if he wanted to.

“Oh, just now. Where’s Jack?” he asked, as he met the fragile-looking middle-aged woman and gave her a hug. He then kissed the top of her head when he felt her shoulders shake. He let go of her and saw the tears roll down her tanned cheeks. “What’s wrong, Aunt Angela?” he worriedly asked the woman with a messy bun. Some silver hair stuck out from her dark head, he noticed. He was barely aware that he was still holding the phone, talking to his Uncle David.

“Where were you?” He heard the same question from the couple, one on the phone and the other in front of him. “We couldn’t reach you,” she added. Her gray eyes looked mournful.

He blinked slowly. “I-I accidentally broke my phone and I was too busy in Europe for a shoot for the TV series I am in. You know I don’t use my phone when I’m on set. And I just got back the other day. I thought I’d surprise you and stay here for a while, before leaving for the Philippines. But where… where’s Jack?” His eyes darted to the right side of the house.

She really burst into tears now as she shook her head. She buried her face in his chest.

His heart constricted all of a sudden. “Tell me, please,” he said in a quiet baritone voice.

“He… he’s gone!” He heard Uncle David’s voice waver, like he tried to control his own tears.

Blayze’s hand that was holding the phone dropped on his side. His mouth was agape. Then he blinked fast as his eyes felt hot.

“T-this is not real, is it?” he whispered, looking at the right side of the house once again. It was as if he would see his second cousin come out any moment now. But five, ten seconds passed by and no playful Jack came out.

A tear rolled down his cheek. He hastily wiped it away with the back of his hand.

“W-what? H-how…? W-when did it happen?” he whispered with confusion reflected in his eyes.

“More than a week ago he had an accident in a race,” Aunt Angela informed him, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

He shook his head, phone forgotten. “I-I should’ve been here earlier… Maybe… maybe things would’ve been different!

She cupped his handsome face with her two hands. “Maybe… but maybe not. We don’t know. But… the Creator has called him.” She tried to show him her brave face.

He gathered her into his arms and comforted her. “I’m so sorry for not being here. I’m so sorry, Aunt Angela!

“Let’s get inside. Kenny and David will be here soon,” she said, holding his arm.

He already heard about this Kenny from the Philippines from time to time. Jack would brag he found a “brother” in this person. That was always with a wide grin. Unlike him, who seemed to ignore his cousin most of the time, as he was always out of reach. He did explain himself but Jack would just tease him that he would always choose Kenny over him.

‘What kind of person is he?’ He would often wonder then.

Perhaps, he’d soon find out.

♥ ♥

They were now following the dirt gravel road. Kendall knew it was a private road from here on, and she could see the vast still-green pastures, tree lines, and mountain ridges. She saw rolled hays lined up in random intervals. The overall view was stunning!

As the windows were rolled down, the cool wind played her hair. She could smell the fresh air, with a hint of cow dung, cut grass, dried hays, and others she couldn’t name. However, she thought it was familiar. It was like she was not far away from home.

She glanced at the quiet driver on her left. He seemed to be less talkative after that call from whoever it was. She wanted to ask but thought better of it. She got the gist, and it was giving someone the bad news of Jack’s death. She’d never thought that a jolly person like David could look this way—so pitiful that her heart went out to him. She reached out for his hand on the steering wheel to touch it gently. He smiled at her before she withdrew her hand.

The sun was setting, and it gave a golden view of the ranch house ahead. It was painted in pastel yellow, while the gable roof was red. As they came nearer to the house, she noticed it was made of bricks, with huge twisted pillars. It was unique and exquisite. She already fell in love with the ranch at first sight!

The truck came to a halt, just beside a beautiful sports car. She thought it was the first time she’d seen such an elegant, expensive-looking car in person.

She looked at David as they got out of the car. He took her luggage, and she followed him after taking her own shoulder bag. She looked around as she took the two steps of the porch. The floor was made of wood, painted in alternate colors of green, cream, blue, and orange. These indeed gave life to the floor.

She also noticed the lake that sparkled under the last rays of the setting sun. The cattle corral was in sight, as well as the barns and a horse stable, from where she was. She thought it was truly a beautiful place to live in.

‘It’s homey.

“Welcome to Golden Cattle Ranch, Kenny,” David said over his shoulder, looking at her before opening the wooden door, which had an intricate carving detail. He smiled at her.

“Thank you,” she said with a toothless smile.

The interior was even more charming. She expected a wood floor, but it was made of white tiles. The walls were cream in color. A family portrait was hanging on the right, next to the fireplace. On the other side of it was a painting of what she had an impression of was the old ranch house, maybe back in the days.

The living room on the right side was cozy, with a sofa set, huge TV, and sound boxes. The small crystal chandelier was hanging on the ceiling, in the center of it. On the left was a staircase leading up to the second story of the house, which had round iron banister.

Both left and right side of the house had double doors, toward the extension rooms. Meanwhile, the middle was a hallway, which she already had an idea, where it led to the kitchen and dining area, as well as bathroom.

The place was huge—she thought it could hold more than fifty persons as guests should there be a party.

From the hallway, two persons came out. The woman got her attention first.

“Angela!” Kendall exclaimed upon seeing the older woman in faded black jeans and checkered black and white long sleeves. She met the latter halfway to embrace her.

“Kenny!” Angela murmured happily with tears in her beautiful gray eyes.

Kendall momentarily closed her eyes, rubbing and patting Angela’s back. The two of them were of the same height of five feet and four inches. But the latter was skinnier than her. Maybe it was because of what happened just recently. To lose someone dearest to you was not easy. Never easy. She knew this from her own experience.

She loosened her embrace to look at the woman’s gray eyes. “I’m so sorry about Jack, but we’ll all be okay. Everything’s going to be fine, alright?” she said quietly, trying to comfort the older woman.

Angela nodded a little.

Her hand, however, froze when her brown eyes met those familiar, most tantalizing blue eyes she’d ever seen in her entire life. The six-footer man stood behind Angela. She barely noticed him at first as she tried to focus her attention on David’s wife. But now that her eyes were settled on the fourth person in the room, it was like her entire being was paralyzed in an instant. And yet, her heart hummed a familiar rhythm and skipped a beat or two. She only knew one person who owned those pair of blue eyes like the sky… and that unique musky scent she loved above all.

Her eyes went round, and her mouth opened. On the other hand, he seemed to be under the same spell as her. He was also taken aback to see her.

She blinked once, twice.

“Doll!” he exclaimed, breathless.

“You?” she questioned simultaneously, brows knitted.

Next chapter