Welcome To Hickville High (Hickville High Series Book 1) Read online

  The light changed and Dad turned right and away from downtown, but something about the building tugged at Kelsey.

  They headed down a two-lane road past a row of mobile homes. Most of the houses had wooden porches attached to the front and painted fences marking the yard. Life in a metallic cracker box—that’s got to suck. A couple of them had tires spread across the roof. The words trailer trash came to mind. Dad turned down a dirt drive, through an open double gate, to a somewhat rundown two-story farmhouse. Kelsey had been three the last time they’d visited the farm, but nothing about it seemed familiar.

  She let out a long sigh. This was it. It had really happened. Her chest grew heavy as she regarded their new home. The house looked sad. She wasn’t sure how a house could express an emotion, but it did. Perhaps it was the tired white paint or the neglected landscaping. Or maybe it was years of enduring the oppressive Texas heat.

  Uncle Jack and Aunt Susan stood on the top step of the large front porch and next to them stood Austin. The tightness in Kelsey’s chest ratcheted up a notch when she saw him. She pulled a brush from her purse, ran it through her hair, and told herself it had nothing to do with the tall Texan on the porch.

  Kelsey and her sisters filed out of the SUV to greet an uncle and aunt they barely knew while Austin melted into the background. After a round of awkward hugs, Uncle Jack clapped Austin on the shoulder and said, “This here is Austin McCoy. I believe y’all met him at the diner. He’s gonna help out when the movers come. Tom, did they say what time they were coming?”

  Dad glanced at his watch. “They said they should be here by three. It’s two-thirty now so I guess any minute.”

  “Sounds good. Y’all come on up and rest while you can.”

  Mom headed toward the front door. “Do you mind if I show the girls the house?”

  Aunt Susan sat in the wicker settee nestled in the corner of the porch. “Not at all, Maggie. It’s your house now.”

  Mom led the way through the front door and into a rectangular den with a fireplace on the far end of the room. The tan shag carpet looked as worn as the exterior. Mackenzie said what they were all thinking, “You’ve got to be kidding me. Coffee pot wallpaper?”

  “We can change that.” Mom spoke nonchalantly, but the white-knuckled grip on her purse said otherwise.

  The stairs were to the left of the door but the girls followed their mom through the den to the back of the house. They pushed through swinging doors to a large kitchen. Make that a large kitchen area because while it was probably the same size as the den, cabinets were lacking. Beige counters beneath painted tan cabinets were crammed in the corner of the room between an avocado green stove and refrigerator. How far they’d fallen from the subzero fridge and professional grade gas stove they’d left behind. Kelsey turned to her mom. “Are you sure about all of this?”

  Mom straightened her back and set her chin. “It just needs a little fixing up—come on, let’s check out what’s waiting for us upstairs.”

  They wandered back through the living room to the stairs. Upstairs was as boring as the rest of the house. Four bedrooms and one bathroom. The slightly larger bedroom was the master.

  Kelsey looked in the rooms next to the master. The first two were unimpressive. Square. Closet on one side, two windows facing the back of the house. The best room was the one at the end of the hall with two windows facing the back yard and two windows facing the side. Kelsey turned to her mom. “Can I have this room?”

  Mom nodded. “You’re the oldest, you should get first pick.”

  Ryan chimed in, “Well, the other rooms are exactly the same so I don’t care which one is mine.”

  Mackenzie echoed, “Me either.”

  Mom said, “Settled. We’ll put your bags in your rooms later.” With that, she jogged downstairs and out the front door.

  Kelsey looked at her sisters. “I’ve seen enough of this dump. I’m getting out of here.” She pulled her phone from her back pocket and ran downstairs to the front porch. She tapped the Facebook icon on her phone and looked for a place to sit.

  Her parents were settled in the glider and Uncle Jack and Aunt Susan sat in rockers across from them. Austin leaned against the porch rail studying his phone. He looked up and his deep blue gaze held her for a couple of seconds before he returned to whatever he was reading. Was he checking her out? It wasn’t like he looked her up and down. She didn’t miss the mischievous glint in his eyes. Was he making fun of her?

  She plastered an I’m bored look on her face and sat on the top step. A ceiling fan whirled overhead and a breeze wafted across the porch, but it did nothing to cool things down. The screen door screeched open as Ryan and Mackenzie stepped onto the porch. Mackenzie retreated to the corner near her parents. Ryan stood next to Austin. Typical. Mackenzie was the shadow, always fading into the background. Of course Ryan would stand next to Austin. If there was testosterone around, she was sure to follow.

  Uncle Jack tipped his beer toward Austin. “Son, why don’t you show the girls around the farm?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Kelsey couldn’t figure what needed to be shown. From what she saw it was pretty simple. Farmhouse in need of repair, a barn that she supposed held some animal things, and lots and lots of nothingness.

  Ryan looked up at Austin and flashed him a smile.

  “Hey.” Austin gave a quick nod. “Come on, I’ll show you the barn.”

  They stepped off the porch and into the heat. The ground seemed to pulse as the sun’s rays beat down on them. Kelsey wiped sweat from her forehead as she watched Ryan chat up Austin. Of course Ryan would flirt with the new guy, he was a future notch on her guys-I’ve-slept-with belt.

  Austin led them across the yard to the barn. “There’s twenty acres behind the barn and a tank that has some pretty good fishing.”

  “Tank?” Kelsey asked the question, but she didn’t want to understand. This farm, this town, was just a pit stop in her life—emphasis on pit. To learn about life here, was to accept it and that was never going to happen.

  “It’s the same as a pond.” Austin led them through a doorway opening to a small room. “This is the tack room. Jack got rid of most of the animals before y’all came. He kept two of the horses—Harry and Buster, Winifred the pig, and the chickens.”

  The air was stifling. It was like walking into a giant oven. Four saddles lined the wall on one side the room and a row of bridles hung across the opposite wall. Kelsey would have loved to inhale the scent of the leather but the other less pleasant odors kept her from taking a deep breath. She shielded her nose and mouth with her hand. “How do you get used to the smell?”

  Austin furrowed his brow. “What smell?”

  Kelsey’s eyes watered. “I think it would be animal excrement.”

  He shrugged. “I can’t smell it. So come on, I’ll introduce you to the animals.”

  He led them through a door and into an area with four stalls. The two horses poked their heads out of the stalls. “During the summer we leave them inside under the fans during the day and turn them out at night.”

  Kelsey looked at the fans perched above the stalls blowing on the horses. She couldn’t imagine they helped much, but the horses didn’t seem to mind.

  “This is Buster.” Austin stroked the side of the animal’s face.

  Ryan stood next to Austin, almost touching his shoulder as she reached to pat the horse. “Look at the white stripe on his nose. Isn’t he cute?”

  Really, Ryan, already flirting? Kelsey wanted to push Ryan away from Austin. Not that she cared about Austin, but it was embarrassing the way her sister threw herself at guys.

  Austin stepped back from the horse. “That stripe is called a blaze. Buster and Harry are both really nice geldings.”

  “Geldings?” Kelsey asked the question before she could stop herself.

  “Horses that have been cut.”

  Ryan peeked over the top rail of the stall. “Cut?”

  “You know, cut. Neutered. Jack thought they’d be good for y’all to learn to ride on.”

  “Is this a requirement to living in Texas?” Kelsey laced her voice with sarcasm.

  Austin smirked. “It should be. Come closer, they won’t bite.”

  Kelsey stepped closer and looked into Harry’s stall. He was a pretty horse with brown and white splotches all over him. His mane and tail were half white and half brown.

  As if reading her thoughts, Austin explained, “He’s what we call a paint—he’s a tobiano. See how the brown extends over both flanks? Look at his legs. He has white socks. There is a pattern to his colors. Now, Buster is a buckskin dun.”

  Kelsey nodded like she understood. The truth was, she wasn’t interested enough to understand. It was stupid. In her mind one was a brown and white horse, the other tan.

  Ryan stood next to Austin stroking Buster’s nose. Mackenzie cowered against the wall with her arms folded across her chest, looking totally freaked out by the animals.

  Austin motioned to Mackenzie with his head. “Don’t you want to pet one?”

  “Nope. The only horse I want to touch is the vault.”

  “Vault?”

  “She’s a gymnast.” Kelsey supplied, although she had her doubts that Austin understood.

  He nodded like he did anyway. “Okay. Come on, let’s meet the chickens.”

  *

  Austin led the girls through the barn to the chicken coop. God, what a bunch of greenhorns. No wonder Jack asked him to help out.

  He’d already figured the girls out. Kelsey was sexy as hell with dark hair that was just long enough to dance on her shoulders as she walked. She had cool blue eyes that matched her ice-queen-bitch attitude that said she was too good for this redneck town. Ryan, with her short spiky hair, was desp
erate for attention and would do anything to get it. He’d bet ten minutes alone with a guy and she’d be shedding her clothes, but that wasn’t what he was about. The youngest—what’s-her-name—wore long bangs that covered her face. She looked scared to death, but he reckoned she was too tough to admit it.

  As they reached the eight-by-ten fence in front of the coop, he turned to the girls. “We have one rooster, The General, and eight hens.” He cracked opened the gate and squeezed through. The girls followed.

  The chickens ran toward them. The girls squealed and ran for the gate. Austin bent low and guided the birds back toward the coop. “They’re not going to hurt you. They think I have feed. Come on, you’re gonna have to learn how to fetch eggs someday.”

  Kelsey, Ryan, and the other one stood flat against the fence, wide-eyed and breathing hard. Kelsey spoke up. “Fetch eggs? Not today, besides we’re wearing sandals.” The other girls nodded in agreement.

  Austin straightened and shook his head. “Hopeless.”

  One of the chickens broke from the group and charged the girls, flapping and squawking like she was telling them to get the hell out of her coop. The girls screamed and pushed through the gate.

  Laughing, Austin picked up the bird and walked to the fence. “Here, pet Miss Emma. Make friends.”

  Kelsey eyed the bird suspiciously. “Don’t they carry salmonella or something?”

  “Only if they’re slaughtered and the meat kept out too long.”

  The girls let out a collective “Ewww.”

  Ryan stepped up. “I’ll touch her.” Gingerly, she reached through the wire of the fence and lightly stroked the chicken’s back. The bird wriggled in Austin’s hold and she jerked her hand back until it settled again. “Her feathers are so soft. Mackenzie, your turn.”

  Mackenzie. That was her name. She stepped closer and reached toward the fence but hesitated.

  “Come on Kenzie, don’t be chicken.” Ryan snorted at her joke.

  “Not funny.” Mackenzie rolled her eyes and shoved her hand through the octagon shaped hole to touch the bird. Her hand got a little too close to the beak and Miss Emma managed to get a good peck into her index finger.

  She jumped back and gave a little squeal. Austin lowered the bird to the ground. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, it didn’t break the skin.”

  “Okay. So we’ll pick up on chicken handling one-oh-one later. Hang on.” He jogged to the hen house and grabbed an egg before joining the girls outside the chicken yard. “Let’s meet Winifred.”

  He led them to a fenced yard to the right of the henhouse.

  “Winnie!”

  A rotund white pig lumbered to the fence. “Hey girl, are you hungry?” He tossed the egg and the pig craned her neck just enough to snatch it out of the air. She crunched and yolk squeezed from her mouth and slid down her chin.

  Kelsey gave a disgusted look. “That just might be the grossest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  He laughed. “It’s good for her.”

  McKenzie held her stomach. “I’m never eating eggs again. Can we go back to the house?”

  “Sure.” Austin knew the girls were from Chicago but he had no idea they’d be completely clueless.

  “Thank you,” Mackenzie sighed.

  As they walked up the steps to join the adults, Jack pulled a sip of beer and swallowed. “So did you teach the girls everything they need to know?”

  Austin leaned against the porch railing. “Let’s just say we got a start.”

  Kelsey plopped down on the vacant rocker. “I am not a country girl.”

  Jack winked, tipped his beer toward her and said, “You are now.”

  Mackenzie and Ryan joined Austin leaning against the railing.

  Kelsey folded her arms across her chest and set her jaw before speaking. “Mom, did you know there are chickens—with eggs?”

  Mrs. Quinn answered, “That’s wonderful, dear. Farm fresh eggs!”

  “Well, who’s going to pick them?” Kelsey said.

  Pick them? Austin bit his lower lip and studied the toe of his boots to keep from laughing. Mr. Quinn answered. “They’re not picked, they’re gathered. And the gather-er would be you and your sisters.”

  Austin raised his eyes enough to see the glare Kelsey shot Ryan.

  Ryan answered the look. “What?”

  “You know what.” Kelsey spat.

  Definitely something going on there.

  Susan rose from her rocker. “Would you girls like some sweet tea? Or there’s coke in the fridge.”

  Kelsey pulled the screen door open. “I’ll get it, thanks.”

  The girls headed into the house.

  Mrs. Quinn looked at Austin. “They’re having a few adjustment issues.”

  A few adjustment issues? Like they’ve just landed on another planet-adjustment issues. Austin nodded. “It’s got to be a big change from Chicago.”

  “You have no idea.” Mr. Quinn took a swig from his beer. The words were barely out of his mouth when yelling could be heard from within the house.

  “I’d better go keep them from killing each other.” Mrs. Quinn started to stand but Mr. Quinn stopped her.

  “Let them work it out. Besides, if they kill each other we won’t have to deal with their bickering anymore.”

  Just then the door ripped open and the girls spilled onto the porch. Kelsey and Ryan’s faces were red, and they were both huffing but neither said a word. Mackenzie looked utterly defeated, as if her whole world had been taken away. She sipped from her Coke and clunked down the steps and toward the backyard.

  She’d barely cleared the corner of the house when Kelsey started in on Ryan. “This is all your fault.”

  Mr. Quinn stood. “Girls…”

  Tears dripped from Ryan’s eyes and rolled down her cheeks. “I know why we’re here and I know you can’t wait to tell the world either. So why don’t you?”

  Kelsey glared at her sister. “Don’t go there, Ryan.”

  “Girls…” Mr. Quinn warned again.

  Austin looked for an easy escape from the porch and the Quinn sisters’ war but they stood in the way. He leaned against the rail and listened, feeling awkward at being caught in the middle of the family drama.

  Ryan brushed her cheeks dry with the palm of her hands and moved to stand inches away from him. “Do you want to know what I did?”

  “Not really.” Christ, why was she dragging him into this?

  “Stop it, Ryan,” Kelsey ordered.

  Austin shifted left to step around Ryan but she countered and blocked his path. Mr. and Mrs. Quinn both got to their feet. Jack and Susan looked like they felt as uncomfortable as Austin.

  Ryan ran her fingers through her spiky hair. “See, it’s my fault. Everything is my fault.”

  He shot Kelsey a help me look.

  She grabbed his elbow and pulled him away from Ryan. “Ignore her. She’s crazy. Come on, let’s find Mackenzie.”

  They headed down the steps and to the back of the house. “So I take it you and your sisters don’t get along.”

  “Ryan and I don’t get along. Mackenzie is fine.”

  They rounded the corner of the house and saw Mackenzie standing at the edge of a swimming pool staring into the forest green water.

  Kelsey joined her sister. “Wow, that’s supposed to be a pool?”

  Mackenzie took a sip from her drink. “I can’t believe this is happening to us.”

  Kelsey nodded slowly. “Me either.”

  Austin felt a little sorry for the girls. Their life had taken a complete one-eighty. Uprooted from the suburban life they knew, torn from their friends to move to a dinky little town in Texas…it had to suck for them. Unfortunately, it was probably going to get a whole lot suckier before it got better.

  3

  In Texas, if it grows, it sticks; if it crawls, it bites.

  Exhausted, Kelsey stared at the boxes lining the walls of her new room. How was she going to squeeze all of her stuff into her new broom closet of a room? She flipped onto her back and stared at the popcorn texture on the ceiling. It didn’t matter. This was a temporary assignment. One more year of school and she was off to college. Just like Dad, she was going to blow this hellhole. Only she wasn’t coming back.