Colorado Skies

Chapter 3 {Bonfire}

By the time my shift was over I just wanted to go home and go to bed. I drove to the new house and parked my truck. It was different but it was good for the future. I saw that my dads truck wasn't there, and it was Friday so Cody was at school. I stepped into the house I had never been in before. Immediately I took notice to the tree that was in the middle of the kitchen acting as a pillar when you walked in. There was cast iron pans hanging off the nails that were in the tree. I ran my hand across the homemade wooden dining table. I walked into the living room where there was a huge beautiful fireplace with a tv mounted to it surrounded by leather sofas and a leather recliner. One of the end tables there was a note that read

 
Krew and I went to the furniture store to get some things and then we're gonna stop at the grocery store. The horses are in the pasture and so are the cows. Diesel is with us. Be home later. Love dad.

I set the note down and made my way upstairs to my bedroom. The bed frame that my mom and I hand built before she died held my mattress in the middle of the room. Both my dressers were in here and so was my desk. My laptop was sitting on it and the tv was mounted to the wall. I changed out of my uniform and grabbed a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt out of the nearest box. After closing my blinds and putting my phone on the charger I lied on my bed hoping to fall asleep fast.

It didn't take long to fall asleep but I was woken up when I heard a banging on the door followed by the doorbell ringing. "Oh you have got to be kidding me!" I pulled the covers off me and walked downstairs to the front door. When I saw who was leaning against the wood railing on the front porch I regretted opening the door at all. "What do you want Riley?" I asked breaking him out of his thoughts. "Oh my God! Matthews is that you?" He asked a smirk on his face. "I'll ask again, what do you want Riley?"

 
"Well I was gonna come welcome the new neighbors but since your the new neighbor I'm debating on whether or not it was a good idea to come here." "Okay well then you can leave."
"Fine but let me just give you one piece of advice." I didn't say anything indicating I was listening to him. "If your gonna ride the trails don't venture off. You don't know the land and there's a bunch of coyote and bobcats out there so you gotta be careful and watchful of your cows." I nodded. "Well thanks for being nice for once and warning me." "Oh what are you talking about I'm nice all the time." There's that smirk again. "I'm sure. Bye Riley." I closed the door and decided against going to sleep and instead filling a thermos up with coffee. While the coffee was brewing I decided to get changed into a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt. Placing my Stetson on my head and slipping my boots on my feet I walked downstairs. I poured the coffee into the thermos and added some french vanilla creamer.

I walked out to the barn already sweating in the hot May air. "Hi girl!" I heard Bonnie neigh as she saw me. I grabbed the brush off the shelf that her saddle was on. I brushed out her mane and then saddled her. Hopping on I rode her out to where Krew and my dad set up the barrels. I noticed a fence in the distance about 50 feet away. "Alright ready Bonnie? Let's do this!" I gave her a kick to start and she began running around each barrel. Tightly hugging each one until we made our way to the last two barrels that she always had trouble with. "You can do this." I whispered over and over again until finally we reached the barrels.. and made it past them both perfectly without hitting either of them. With a huge smile on my face I turned Bonnie around to go through the course back to the start. "Good girl! You did so good!"
"That was great!" I heard a voice and looked behind me to see Riley resting on the fence behind me. I rode over to him. "So does this fence separate my land and you land?"
"Gee what do you think genius?" "Your an actual asshole Riley." "Oh come on Brynlee I was just trying to compliment your barrel racing." I sighed. "Thanks." He nodded. "Hey uh, Reese is getting ready for the bonfire if you wanna help her." I nodded "I'll be over. I just gotta put Bonnie back." He nodded. "See you around Matthews." He saluted me with his hat before getting on his four wheeler and driving away.