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Chapter Five

"Guys, how in the world do you crap so much?"

It was six in the morning and the grass was wet with dew that had beaded up overnight. I had on steel toe boots, shorts, and a tank top and I was up to my nostrils in horse shit.

The kids that came for lessons arrived at ten a.m. every day. Addy suggested that I start work no later than seven in the morning. I was only out here so early today because dad always told me first impressions were the most important.

I finished mucking out the stalls. They were clean, but they didn't smell that much better. I headed over to the water spicket and knelt down to start filling buckets.

"You want breakfast?"

I glanced up. Mason was standing in the doorway of the barn in pajama pants and sneakers holding a package of Pop Tarts. A flat stomach and rippling abs made up the span of his chest. I couldn't take my eyes off of it.

"Shel?"

"Yeah?"

"Your bucket's overflowing."

"What? Oh shit!"

I shut off the tap and stood up. Mason came over waving the package. "Hungry?"

"Pop Tarts?"

"Cherry. Your favorite."

I smiled. Cherry was my favorite.

"Take a break," Mason said with a smile. He scrambled up the old wooden ladder into the loft above. I glanced at the bucket and the sloshy floor, shrugged, and followed him up.

Mason grabbed a heavy red blanket hanging over a short milking stool and spread it out over the hay. He hopped onto the stack and stretched out. He tore the package of Pop Tarts open with his teeth.

"One for you, one for me," he said. I smiled and stretched out so that we were facing each other. I held out my hand and he put the frosted goodness in my open palm.

"Your boots are already caked," he commented. He took a big bite of tart. Little flakes fell all over his chest...the chest I was not looking at, thank you very much.

"I'm working hard," I replied with a grin. I nibbled off a white chunk of icing.

"I think it's ridiculous mom's making you wake up so early," he said sympathetically.

"You're up early."

He didn't respond. He shoved practically half the Pop Tart in his mouth.

"By the way, why aren't you at your mom's this summer?"

He made a face, chewed vigorously, and swallowed.

"I told her I got a job and wanted to stay here."

"How'd she take that?"

Mason smiled. "Well, I had to promise her I'd come out during Fall Recess and Spring Break to make it up to her, but she was alright. She's flying in for my birthday."

I nodded and took another nibble. Mason had inherited his blonde hair from his mom, Kristin. His thick eyebrows and his eyes on the other hand...

Totally his dad.

"Of course, I can think of a worse way to spend Spring Break than lounging in L.A.," he continued. "Unlike you who sold your soul to come here," he teased. I swallowed another sugary bite.

"I didn't sell my soul," I said. "I just...offered to babysit. Until I die."

We both laughed.

Mason crumpled the shiny wrapper in his hand.

"I better get back inside before Addy comes looking for you," he said. He crawled off the haystack and offered me his hand. I took it and he yanked me up. My boot got caught in the twine used to bind the hay together and I stumbled right into him. His arms wrapped around my waist quickly.

Suddenly I was pressed against a nice, warm bare chest. I hadn't ever been that close to that kind of chest. I felt my ears burn.

"Ack, sorry, I got..."

"Caught," Mason finished smoothly. "It's okay. Just don't tumble down the ladder. Dad will probably blame me."

He flashed me another grin and backed down the ladder. I followed, still feeling like a dork.

I had never felt like a dork around Mason before.

I didn't know why I had to start now.

--------------------------

"Beautiful job, Shel. These are some happy lookin' horses."

Addy was about my height and she was solid but in a feminine way. She had a small waist, small chest, and brown shoulder length hair.

"Want to stick around and help me with the kids?"

"Well, I--"

"HEY!"

Addy and I turned. Dan was standing in the doorway with his swim trunks on.

"Shelby, you wanna go swimmin'?"

I looked over at Addy. She smiled.

"Go ahead. I have eight weeks to get you to stick around."

I laughed. "Thank you."

"MEET US AT THE TRUCK!" Dan yelled as I walked past him. I ruffled his hair. He reminded me of Joe, albeit a well-mannered, bubbly Joe.

I headed up to my room and pulled a swimsuit out of one of the dresser drawers. I pulled my hair back into a bushy ponytail. I hadn't had time to straighten my hair this morning. I tied the straps around my neck and wiggled into the bottoms. I zipped up my coverup and headed back down the stairs.

Dan was swinging on the door of the truck. He stopped as I headed over.

"Let's go!"

He scrambled into the cab and I grabbed the door to hoist myself up. I looked at the driver's seat in surprise.

Mason was behind the wheel.

"What are you doing?"

He smiled. "Driving down the road to the lake."

"You're fifteen!"

"Almost sixteen. Besides, it's fine. Dad lets me take the truck as long as I don't go far. Plus, I know the one cop in town. We're cool."

I looked at him doubtfully, but I hopped up. The seat wasn't as crowded with little Dan between us. Mason glanced in the rearview mirror and backed up.

"How long have you been driving?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. A couple months."

I folded my arms and pouted. I had been begging dad to put me behind the wheel. Enroll me in driver's ed. Do something. Everytime I mentioned it, he suddenly pretended that he couldn't understand English. So I memorized the phrases in Spanish and asked. That still didn't work.

And here was Mason driving. On the road. In a big truck.

Dad was so going to hear about this.