hayloft of the barn. There was a simple pillow and quilt for each of them. An oil powered space heater sat between them. The guys threw down their duffel bags and gave her a nod. "Thank you, Jessi," they said at once.
She laughed at them, but gave a nod of her head. See you both at dawn for breakfast. I let the cattle out onto the pasture then and scrap out the stalls and such after that."
They nodded. She left and after their boots were off, they both fell asleep in an instant. The cattle below them and the smell of manure never fazed them one bit.
The first week of work passed in a blur, meals and chores. The woman knew how to work and was not afraid to get dirty or sweat. They found even more reasons to like her. They had yet to hear anything about her husband, but both could see her as the perfect wife. One night, Nash decided to voice his desire to court her while they lied in their cots, listening to the cattle make noise below them.
"I like her. She'd make a good wife."
Ricky laughed into the darkness. "I agree. Big women always make better wives. Do we have to fight over her?"
"We don't even know if we can. She still wears a wedding' ring."
"Have you seen a husband walkin' ‘round here? What kinda man would leave a woman like her alone for this long? The war’s been over for a year now. He wouldn't’ve been gone for that long after it."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right."
"Damn straight I am. So do we need to have a fist fight over her?"
"Why don't we let her choose? Whoever can woo her first will have her."
"You know I always win these types of bets, right?"
"You've never been against me with this kinda bet."
"What about Hannah Jenkins in the sixth grade before we dropped out? I got her to kiss me first."
Nash scoffed. "She doesn't count. We were only twelve. Now we're men. The true game starts now."
Ricky spit into his hand and leaned out of his cot to shake Nash's hand. "You got a deal, cousin. Whoever gets her first will be able to ask her to be their wife."
"What about Granny?"
"The loser will go back and take care of her."
"Right, of course."
Wanting It Bad
The next day, they were both on their game. Both had gotten up before her and started to prepare a breakfast of French toast, bacon, sausage, and scrambled eggs. Not many men their age could say they knew how to cook those foods to perfection, but their Granny always said a true man knew how to get around the kitchen. That was the only way to get a true place in a girl’s heart, so she taught them everything she knew.
"What's all this?" Jessi asked as she walked into the kitchen. A simple blue robe hung off her shoulder. Her long nightgown showed more cleavage and her curvy figure than her normal dresses did. Her usual braid was missing; her fiery red hair fell in waves over her shoulders and to the middle of her back. Both men swallowed hard. Neither had seen her with her hair down before.
She pulled her robe closed when she met each of their stares.
“We decided to pay back your kindness for hirin’ us by fixin’ you some breakfast,” Ricky said as he tore off a corner of the French toast and put it to her lips. A flush redden her cheeks when she opened her mouth to accept the food.
Nash tried to calm his ire. Ricky always had that natural suave manner to him, but Nash knew he would have his chance soon.
She moaned with delight as she sat down at the table. “You didn’t need to do that, but thank you.”
“It was nothin’,” Nash said, as he sat a plate down for her and a cup of dark, pressed coffee. She stared at the food for a long moment, before she closed her eyes and placed a hand over her mouth.
Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. Both men could tell instantly that they weren't tears of happiness. "Did we do something to upset you, Jessi?" Ricky took seat at the table next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She pulled away from him, as Nash took the other seat next to her. He
She laughed at them, but gave a nod of her head. See you both at dawn for breakfast. I let the cattle out onto the pasture then and scrap out the stalls and such after that."
They nodded. She left and after their boots were off, they both fell asleep in an instant. The cattle below them and the smell of manure never fazed them one bit.
The first week of work passed in a blur, meals and chores. The woman knew how to work and was not afraid to get dirty or sweat. They found even more reasons to like her. They had yet to hear anything about her husband, but both could see her as the perfect wife. One night, Nash decided to voice his desire to court her while they lied in their cots, listening to the cattle make noise below them.
"I like her. She'd make a good wife."
Ricky laughed into the darkness. "I agree. Big women always make better wives. Do we have to fight over her?"
"We don't even know if we can. She still wears a wedding' ring."
"Have you seen a husband walkin' ‘round here? What kinda man would leave a woman like her alone for this long? The war’s been over for a year now. He wouldn't’ve been gone for that long after it."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right."
"Damn straight I am. So do we need to have a fist fight over her?"
"Why don't we let her choose? Whoever can woo her first will have her."
"You know I always win these types of bets, right?"
"You've never been against me with this kinda bet."
"What about Hannah Jenkins in the sixth grade before we dropped out? I got her to kiss me first."
Nash scoffed. "She doesn't count. We were only twelve. Now we're men. The true game starts now."
Ricky spit into his hand and leaned out of his cot to shake Nash's hand. "You got a deal, cousin. Whoever gets her first will be able to ask her to be their wife."
"What about Granny?"
"The loser will go back and take care of her."
"Right, of course."
Wanting It Bad
The next day, they were both on their game. Both had gotten up before her and started to prepare a breakfast of French toast, bacon, sausage, and scrambled eggs. Not many men their age could say they knew how to cook those foods to perfection, but their Granny always said a true man knew how to get around the kitchen. That was the only way to get a true place in a girl’s heart, so she taught them everything she knew.
"What's all this?" Jessi asked as she walked into the kitchen. A simple blue robe hung off her shoulder. Her long nightgown showed more cleavage and her curvy figure than her normal dresses did. Her usual braid was missing; her fiery red hair fell in waves over her shoulders and to the middle of her back. Both men swallowed hard. Neither had seen her with her hair down before.
She pulled her robe closed when she met each of their stares.
“We decided to pay back your kindness for hirin’ us by fixin’ you some breakfast,” Ricky said as he tore off a corner of the French toast and put it to her lips. A flush redden her cheeks when she opened her mouth to accept the food.
Nash tried to calm his ire. Ricky always had that natural suave manner to him, but Nash knew he would have his chance soon.
She moaned with delight as she sat down at the table. “You didn’t need to do that, but thank you.”
“It was nothin’,” Nash said, as he sat a plate down for her and a cup of dark, pressed coffee. She stared at the food for a long moment, before she closed her eyes and placed a hand over her mouth.
Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. Both men could tell instantly that they weren't tears of happiness. "Did we do something to upset you, Jessi?" Ricky took seat at the table next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She pulled away from him, as Nash took the other seat next to her. He
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