Right Where I Need to Be

Luke smiled at her slightly before clenching his jaw at the music coming from the speakers. He couldn't understand how people listed to this, but considering he got a small smile and a thank you from her,he would deal with it just this once.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not going soft. You will never live this down," he teased her, winking slightly as he pulled into the road leading to her uncles. "Just like you won't live down the whole creeping on me while I was shirtless and unloading hay." He teased, sending her a devilish smirk.

"Let's get one thing straight, okay?" she began, as they pulled into the driveway of her uncle's place. "I was not creeping on you. I just happened to look out my window and there you were. If anything, I think you knew that was where my room was, and you stood there pretending to do important stuff, hoping I'd spot you. I'm wise to your ways, mister, and don't you forget that." She wagged her pointer finger at him accusingly, before exiting the vehicle with a grin.

Luke couldn't help but laugh, a genuine laugh at that. He pulled the truck around to the barn so he could start unloading it.

Before he did that, however, he headed into the main house to grab a glass of sweet tea. He caught sight of Brooke in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. "Did you want to use my phone?" He asked, pulling it out of his pocket and reaching it out to her.

Brooke's eyes lit up when Luke offered the phone to her, and she quickly stepped forward to take it. She went back outside and dialed her dad's number. The line rang for a moment or two, before her father answered.

"Hello?" He sounded a bit unsure, and Brooke figured it was probably because he didn't recognize the number.

"Daddy? It's Brooke."

"Oh, hi, Brooke. I almost didn't answer. Whose phone are you on?"

"It's the farm hands, Luke. Look, before we get off topic, I have something to ask you. What is going on with my credit card? I went into town today to see if I could get a new phone, and when I tried to use my card, it was declined. Apparently there's no money in my account."

Her father cleared his throat, "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that, didn't I? Well, nothing is going on, Brooke. This is just another part of your punishment. See, before you flew down, Thomas and I came to the agreement that while you're living on his farm, you're going to work. You're going to do whatever he tells you and help out when you're asked to. Then, and only then, will money be deposited in your account. Thomas is going to be keeping me updated on your progress, and I expect only good things. Is that understood?"

Brooke was almost at a loss for words. This was never part of the deal. She was never told that being sent to her uncle's farm meant she had to become a farmer.

While Brooke was outside using his phone, Luke decided to make himself a sandwich. He pulled out the stuff he wanted, and got to work.

After hanging up with her father, Brooke stamped her foot and groaned in absolute frustration. She didn't care what he said, there was just no way she was going to be a farmer for the next two months. There had to be another way to earn money that didn't require hard labor.

Spotting Luke, who had already come outside and began working, Brooke walked over in his direction. She handed over his phone, and without another word, stormed into the house and up to her room. There was pretty much nothing to do there, but she'd much rather do nothing than assist in doing dirty farm chores. Her father would eventually come around; she was sure of it.

Later than evening, after a quick shower, Luke headed up to the main house. He hadn't seen Brooke since she had returned his phone to him.

He stopped inside the door when he received a text message. Luke, please answer the phone so we can talk...you know I miss you. He glared at it the text before shoving the device back into his pocket.

He then continued into the kitchen to see if Kay needed any help.

Brooke laid on her bed for a couple hours, before finally deciding she'd better head down for dinner. She would have been content just staying in her room and sulking for the rest of the night, but ultimately realized that, as a guest, it'd be rude to not join them. So, she changed into something a bit nicer, and headed down.

She could hear Luke and Kay in the kitchen, but instead of walking in to join the conversation, she sat herself at the dinning room table, and let out a big sigh. It was already quite the hassle playing pretend with her aunt and uncle, but now that her father filled her in on his little plan, it was going to be even harder. With the mood she was currently in, she really wasn't sure how she was going to keep the act up.

Luke carried the plate of garlic bread into the dining room, surprised to see Brooke sitting there already. He placed the plate down before turning to her. "Tea to drink?" He asked quietly. She looked like she was ready to fly off of the handle at anything.

Brooke startled at Luke's sudden appearance in the room. "What? Oh. Uh, sure. I'll get it, though. Thanks."

She stood up from her chair and walked into the kitchen, where Kay was stirring something on the stove. It smelled good, just like last night, but Brooke remembered how well that went over.

"What are you cooking? Please don't tell me it's some sort of pie...or road kill," she said, glaring through the door way at Luke, as she opened the fridge to take out the tea.

Kay laughed as she turned to look at her niece. "Not at all, dear. It's actually just plain old spaghetti and meatballs."

"Finally, something I can work with!" Brooke exclaimed jokingly, retrieving a few glasses from the cabinet so she could pour everyone a glass.

"Just don't tell her whats in the meatballs..." Luke said loud enough for the girls to hear him in the kitchen. From where he was standing, he could see Brooke as she poured the tea for everyone. He gave her a once over, taking her demeanor in. Surely her aunt and Uncle could see all of this was forced, and that she was truly miserable.

"Oh, jeez," Kay said, giggling. "Don't listen to him, Brooke. It's just regular ground beef. Lukey is just playing around and, dare I say, flirting?"

Brooke hung her head a bit and blushed, but she definitely didn't miss that nickname Kay used. "Lukey, huh? Interesting. Could you give me a hand with these glasses?" Brooke asked the man, holding back a laugh as she walked by him to set the ones down that she could carry. She stored that name in the back of her mind. Surely, she'd be able to find the opportune time to use it against him at a later date.

Luke felt heat on the back of his neck, and coughed awkwardly at Kay's comments. He so wasn't flirting...or was he? As he mentally went through the teasing comments and stuff he'd said...it was crystal clear to him that he had indeed been flirting. Albeit, unintentionally... But it was flirting none the less.

He had been so in his own thoughts, he hasn't heard Brooke speak to him. "I'm sorry, what?" He said, somewhat awkwardly as he noticed her looking at him with a perfectly manicured eyebrow raised.

After Brooke set the glasses down, she looked at Luke, quirking a brow. "I asked if you could carry out the rest of the glasses? I have free hands now, though, so I can just get them."

She walked back into the kitchen and grabbed the remaining beverages, before returning to the dining room. Luke still stood in the same place, and Brooke couldn't help but chuckle. Usually she was the one left speechless by their conversations, but this time, it seemed like he was, and that was beyond hilarious.

After dinner, Luke carried his dishes into the kitchen and rinsed them off before loading them into the dishwasher. After he was finished, he bid everyone a goodnight and made his way towards the barn.

Whenever he needed to clear his head, currying and brushing down his horse always seemed to help. He smiled when his dapple grey mare walked to her stall door to greet him.

"Hey girl," he said, unlocking the stall door And stepping inside.

He laughed when she butted his chest, looking or say sweets or treats in the breast pocket of his shirt. He patted her neck, tossing her mane to the other side as he rubbed her down.

Brooke finished with her dinner not too long after Luke left the table, and after taking her dishes into the kitchen, she followed him outside. She hoped he'd let her use his phone again before bed, because she just had to call her best friend, Ashley, and inform her of everything that's happened since she got to West Virginia.

"Hey," she said, after she walked into the barn and found him brushing one of the horses. "I'm sorry to bother you, but uhm...I was wondering if I'd be able to use your phone again for a little bit. I haven't spoken to any of my friends since I got here and I just—" She really didn't know what to say. She needed to talk to someone she actually knew? She needed to talk to someone normal? Nothing seemed right, so she cleared her throat awkwardly, hoping he might take the hint and understand what she meant.

Luke offered her a crooked smile, reaching down and pulling it out of his back pocket. He chucked when his horse head butted him in the back because he stoked grooming her.

"I'll be in here for a while, and if I'm not in here you can just bring it to the guest house " he said, holding it out for her.

Brooke giggled at the horse, before taking the phone from Luke. "Thank you. I won't be long, I promise."

With that, she left the barn, and headed back to the house so she could talk privately in her bedroom. When she got there, quickly dialed out Ashley's number—which she'd memorized by heart ages ago—and flopped down on her bed as she waited for her to answer.

"Hello?" A voice finally responded, and Brooke couldn't help but smile.

"Hey, bitch," Brooke replied, smiling.

"Brooke?! Oh my, God, I've been trying to call and text you for days!"

"Tell that to my father. My phone has absolutely no service and I'm literally stuck in the middle of fucking nowhere with nothing but the clothes on my back."

"Ugh! I can't believe your dad did this to you. It sucks here without you."

"Of course it does. I'm only the life of every party. Now, please, fill me in on what's been going on. I need gossip. I'm lost without it."

After brushing her down, he walked to the feed room to get her a treat, smiling when he heard the sound of hooves begin him. He turned to see she had followed him out of her stall, and was standing at the door of the feed room, neck stretched out to him, obviously expecting her treat.

After giving her a little more TLC, he lead her back to her stall, and scratched between her ears. "We will go for a ride in the morning, okay girl?"

After clicking the lights off he started towards the guest house, lost in slightly troubled thoughts of the blonde who was currently borrowing his phone.

"Yeah, and then Kevin and all his lame ass friends started shooting off fireworks in the front yard. The neighbors ended up calling the cops, and they made everyone leave," Ashley said, and Brooke laughed. Even though she missed home desperately, it was still amazing to hear what was going on there.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes when Ashley mentioned the boys name, even though her heart ached a bit just thinking about him. "So, uh...how is Kevin?" The line suddenly fell quiet, and if she didn't hear Ashley's breath hitch, she might've thought the call dropped. "Ash? I know, I know, I shouldn't care because he's a royal jackass but I'm just wondering is all."

"Brooke..." Ashley began, sighing heavily. "Look, they told me not to say anything, but I think you deserve to know, considering he was your boyfriend. But...the day you left, Kevin asked Brielle out...and she said yes."

Brooke's stomach dropped. Brielle was supposed to be one of her closest friends, while Kevin was her most recent ex—recent being a week or so ago. She couldn't believe it.

"I, uh...I have to go," Brooke said, standing from the bed. "I'll call you again when I can." With that, she hung up, ignoring Ashley's protests. As soon as the phone cut off, she let tears fall from her eyes and she sobbed as quietly as she possibly could.