On the Outskirts

Three

~Ryder~

I'd managed to evade all the fucking prying eyes in this town whilst I settled back in. A stop at the store in town though less than 24 hours after I got back was more than enough to set everyone talking again, I just know it. I'd planned the trip for years, people knew I was going and that I'd be back eventually, I don't know what the issue was. I hadn't ended anything, just put it on hold whilst I was gone. With full intentions on doing what I'm doing right now, getting everything back on track once I was on the right time zone and no longer treating blisters on my heels. 

I'd planned on stopping by earlier but honestly, I know Jack isn't a fan of work talk on weekend so I spent it doing all the fixing the house needed so desperately. Getting on top of it before it became an issue. But now it was Monday and I needed my job back. Hopefully word about my return hasn't reached him yet or I'm sure I'll get an earful. 

I stepped out of my truck, relishing in the crunch of the dust under my boots. A sound I'd missed when I was without it for so long. 

"Hey Mister." I lifted my head at the squeak of a voice I hadn't heard before, almost causing my hat to fall off my head. "You're new." 

"You're new." I narrowed my eyes at the little girl sat on the front porch step surrounded with coloring pencils. Brown hair pulled up into pigtails, legs covered in grass stains and dirt. "Is Jack around?" She tilted her head slightly. "Old man. About this big. Huge moustache. Talks like he's from a cowboy film?" 

"Oh." She nods and sets her things down. "I'll ask my mom." 

"Thanks." I've worked for Jack for years- excluding the past 12 of me being away. Not once have I known he'd have a reason for a little girl to be hanging around a place like this. Not at her age. All I can think is it's one of the guys' kids and for some reason they thought bringing a little thing like that around here was a good idea. 

"Mom? There's someone here for Pops." She called back into the house from the doorway. "He said he's got a big moustache and talks like he's in a cowboy film." A laugh echoed from inside the house and it settled somewhere in my chest with a sense of familiarity akin to the one I felt when I got home last week. 

"Yeah, I guess he does kinda talk like a cowboy." Bare feet pushed the door open and immediately the atmosphere was sucked out from around me. Hazel eyes and brown hair stood in the doorway. "Hey Hal, you need to go wash up for lunch. Properly." 

"Who is it?" Sadie's eyes were stuck on mine, colour draining from her more with every passing second and I can't say I didn't feel the same happening to me. I'd lost track of the number of years it'd been since I last spoke to this girl but I know how we ended things. I know it's supposed to be friendly and I know I'm supposed to forget that I've ever had my hands on her. I'd tried. I'd spent years trying. Apparently it didn't work. 

"Go wash up Hallie." 

"Mo-" 

"Hallie." Her voice is more stern now and the little girl stares at Sadie and her eyes break mine to shoot the girl a look that instantly makes her head inside. Sadie dusts the flour off her hands, swiping them over her jean shorts as she pulls the door closed behind her and takes a few steps forward. "You uh-" She clears her throat and tries again. "Hey." 

"Hey. I didn't know you were back in town." 

"Yeah, it's uh- its a long story. You were looking for my dad?" 

"Yeah-" I scratched the back of my neck, knocking my hat to the floor. "Yeah. Is he around? I can come back-" 

"He's round the back. He should be coming back around any-" 

"Ryder Matthews." Jack's heavy steps hit into the wood of his wrap around porch, stopping a few feet from Sadie. "You took your time didn't yah?" I wish I could say seeing Jack made my chest feel less heavy like it usually did but having Sadie this close was taking precedent over everything. Why the hell was she back here? It had to be short term. If that kids hers like I'm guessing she is just on her being the spitting image of Sadie, her dad's got to be somewhere around here but there's no ring on her finger. Jack has never mentioned Sadie to me and honestly, it was too awkward to ask. My Mom got me the job out here when I graduated college and came home, deciding city life wasn't for me and I missed the peace I had back here. 

Working for my exes dad on a farm doing damn hard, physically demanding labor was the very bottom of the list of things I'd ever seen myself doing but it filled something in me. Gave me some kind of purpose and I guess being on the farm I used to spend all my free time at, it felt easier to settle in than anywhere else. 

"I know, yeah, by the time I was rested and back in the right time zone, it was Saturday and I didn't want to intrude, thought it could wait until today." Jack looked at Sadie, nodding his head at her to go inside. Of all the gossip mom told me this weekend, Sadie being at her dad's place should have been number 1 on the list.  She disappeared inside and Jack stepped over the mess of crayons and paper scattered over the stairs. 

"So. Old man with a moustache that talks like a cowboy movie?" I brushed the dust off my hat as he approached slowly.

"She didn't have a clue who you were, best description I could think of a 6 year old would get." 

"Call her 6 and she might just put salt in your tea." Jack chuckled. "She's 9. Names Hallie." I nodded as if that made sense of anything at all. "I'm guessing you're here to ask for your job back?" 

"Sure am." Jack nodded. 

"How was your trip?" 

"Long. Exhausting. I think I'm gonna have dips where my bag was on my shoulder for the rest of my life." 

"Welp, don't worry about that kid, we'll knock you back into shape in no time. Now, have you eaten lunch? Sadie mentioned that she was throwing something together and knowing her, she's made enough to feed the whole town. You're welcome to join." 

"Thanks Jack but I uh- I've got a few other people to see around town. See you tomorrow morning?" Jack nodded and I turned around, heading back to the car and pulling door open. 

"She's not going anywhere Ryder." I turned my head back to Jack, eyes only just visible under the worn brim of his signature black cowboy hat. "Moved into the old Jameson place on the other side of town. Avoiding her aint gonna get you nowhere fast." I know better than to lie to Jack so I swallow my pride and nod my head, not waiting any longer to get in my car and drive away from the ranch and straight to my mother's to demand her reasoning for not giving me a fucking heads up about the love of my life being back in town permanently with a 9 year old daughter. As if I wouldn't see them around.