Wild at Heart

June woke up from another weird dream. Ever since she had met Zacky in Austin she had been having crazy and confusing dreams where he appeared. She opened the window and stared at the sunrise for a few seconds. She didn’t need an alarm clock to wake up at 6:30 am, she had gotten used to it after all these years.
After dressing an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt, she walked downstairs barefoot. The house was still silent and dark and quickly she started opening every window, letting the morning breeze roam inside the house. She grabbed her cowboy hat hanging on the wall hanger and headed towards the back porch, picking up her dirtiest cowboy boots before walking down the stairs.
One hour later she was back at home again, after having fed the horses and cleaned the barn. She headed upstairs to take a shower and an hour later she was leaving the house again, this time to go to the market.

Brian opened the bedroom door, the smell that came from the kitchen invading him. He couldn’t recognize that smell, but it was definitely something good. It smelled like butter, vanilla and honey. He walked downstairs, listening to the music getting louder as he walked towards the kitchen. He stopped as he saw June humming to the sound of a country song that was playing on the radio. He leaned against the door frame, watching her dress moving along with her body. She stopped for a few seconds, opened the oven and then kept on dancing, her black long hair brushing against her skin, tanned from staying too much time out in the sun.
“Jesus Christ, son of God!” She almost dropped the tray filled with cookies to the ground, once she turned around and saw Brian. “Do you want to kill me?”
Brian laughed. She had a funny way of saying things, but it suited her perfectly. “Oh you think it’s funny?” She placed the tray on the countertop. “Well buddy, no cookies for you then!” She turned around to him, hands on hips. His smile faded, but just a little bit, he knew she was teasing him.
They heard footsteps and, a few seconds later, Matt was next to Brian. “Do you want a cookie?” She pointed to the tray and Matt took a cookie. “Hey, not you!” She scolded Brian once he took one too.
“She only met you yesterday and already knows you’re no good.” Matt laughed.

It was almost 10:30 am when they were all finally downstairs, having breakfast together. The table was full of food; big sourdough cookies, black strong coffee, fried bacon and other things they didn’t know what it was and that they were part of a Texan breakfast.
“If it’s meaty, spicy and smothered in cheese or gravy, it’s Texas good.” She gestured her fork full of bacon while talked to Matt, taking it then to her mouth.
“Hurry up boys. We’ve got a lot of things to do today.” She said a few minutes later, making everyone look at her intrigued. She got up and started cleaning up the table, but nobody got up, still looking at her in silence.
“Come on y’all!” She snapped her fingers, just as they heard a car honking outside. “He’s here!” She squealed and started to run towards the front door. They followed her and when they reached the front door, June as tightly hugging a tall and tanned man in a Texan deputy uniform, while he spun her around.
I can’t believe she has a boyfriend; was the first thing Zacky though, feeling his heart twinge. June spoke something to him and the man looked up at them, Zacky’s eyes widening in shock, pain turning into anger. He couldn’t believe who he was seeing. Ryan, his best friend from high school days, was June’s boyfriend?
“Zacky, buddy! Is that you? Man, you changed a lot.” He said as they climbed down the porch stairs. Zacky was ready to beat the hell out of him, but he had to keep up a facade. Not for him, not for June, but for the guys. They couldn’t find out what had happened between him and June, not even suspect.
“You changed a lot too.” Zacky answered, still trying to keep a grip on himself. He introduced the others and Ryan gave June a set of keys, leaving promising that he would visit them later.
“Tell Violet I said hi!” She waved at him just as he was entering the patrol car.
“What are those keys for?” Johnny was the first to ask. June giggled. “You’ll find out soon. But first you should get changed, I’m sure you don’t want to ruin your city clothes. We’re gonna get dirty.” She winked.

June waited impatiently at the front porch. She had already changed clothes and was now wearing a pair of worn out jeans and a dark blouse. She saw Zacky walking out of the house and she turned her back around, leaning against the handrail and facing the big willow tree in front of her house. She had avoided talking to him, especially when they were alone, she didn’t want memories to come back to surface.
He stood in silence for a while, watching her and waiting for her to turn around.
“Don’t you have anything to tell me?” He finally asked her. She didn’t answer, nor did she turn around. It was almost like if she was a statue, just standing there and staring blankly at the tree.

“Hey June.” Zacky greeted her once he closed the gates. It was the last weekend before the end of Spring break and he was once again at her house.
“Aunt Maria ain’t here.” She said as she waved back at him.
“Oh, she isn’t?” Zacky pretended to be surprised. He knew his mother wasn’t with June’s mother, Madison, but he needed an excuse to see her again.
“Do you need help?” He asked after staring at her for a few seconds, while she was taking the saddle from one of her horses.
She raised her eyebrows at him. “Are you asking me if I want your help with the horses?” She almost laughed. “I always thought you didn’t like horses.” She pulled the horse by the bridle towards the stables.
June was right. Zacky wasn’t a big admirer of horses, in fact, after all those years living in Texas, he had never even ridden a horse.
“Listen June…I need to talk to you.” He followed her.
“I’m here ain’t I?” She didn’t stop what she was doing.
He sighed. What was he going to say? That they were cousins and even though they never really liked each other, through the years they had learned how to deal with that and that now he was falling in love with her? She would probably kick his ass right on the spot.
“Cat got your tongue?” She looked at her. He realized he had been staring at her for quite a long time.
“June!!” Both heard a female voice shouting her name. “Yes mom?” June yelled back, appearing at the stable’s door. “Supper’s ready!” Madison waved once she saw Zacky. “Do you want to have dinner with us?”
“No thanks.” He smiled. “I should get going.” He addressed to June.
“Okay then.” She shrugged, walking now towards her house.
“See you later.” He smiled widely at her. She gave him a strange look, not used to the fact of Zacky being so nice to her. “Bye.”

“I am talking to you.” He leaned against the handrail too, staring back at her. “Are you and Ryan dating?”
That made June’s head turn in a split second. “What are you talking about? Have you gone crazy?” There was anger in her voice.
“I saw the way you were acting around him.” Zacky mumbled.
“Ryan is married and Violet is his wife!” June’s fists hit the handrail in frustration. “And what if he was my boyfriend? Life goes on, what did you expect me to do?! Wait for you?” June burst. “You should be ashamed Zacky!”
“Is everything ok?” Brian asked standing at the door.
“Yes, why shouldn’t it?!” She snorted, going inside the house again. “Just like the good ol’ days!”
She threw herself on the sofa, mumbling words of despair. Why did he have to be so jealous about everything? Why couldn’t he just ignore the past like she was trying to do? It wasn’t an easy task when he was always reminding her of that.
She heard them leaving the house and did the same. Outside, they all looked at her in expectation.
“So, where are we going?” Brian asked as she unlocked the truck.
“Come on, hop in city folks!” She gestured, not answering his question.

The ride was short, but not silent. While Zacky was on the passenger seat as quiet as a dead person, the guys in the back seat didn’t stop talking, trying to guess where they were going. One of them even asked if it was a strip club, which made June giggle.
They crossed the village center and soon arrived at what it seemed to be a car repair shop. June picked a key from the bundle Ryan had given her and opened the huge garage door. She pressed a few switches and the lights came up slowly, revealing its interior. She walked to the back of the building, stopping in front of three closed garages. One by one she opened them, revealing six four wheelers.
“I asked Ryan for a favor...” She started “So they’re all ours for today. I’m going to show you every corner of Wimberley the coolest way possible.” She smiled at their shocked, but also excited, faces.
“June, you’ve just become my best friend.” Matt grinned, making her laugh.