Break The Line Read online

  “Where the hell did you get that?” I hear Danni whisper into Beau’s fur.

  “Shhhh, I always have it with me. Do you know how many times I have to cut my line from a tree branch?” Taking slow steps toward the snake, I raise my hand and bring the metal down on the snake’s body, jumping back when it snaps its fangs all around me. “Shit,” I holler out, startled at the length the reptile stretches its half-severed body.

  I run to a large oak tree and grab a heavy fallen branch, dragging it quickly behind me. I place it over the snake’s writhing body, and with my knife I cut off his head.

  “Did you get it?” Danni says through her sobs, still clutching Beau in her arms.

  “Yeah, come on. Let’s get him to the truck, we need to hurry,” Walking over to Beau, I lift him off the ground. He whimpers, and I take off running toward the truck. Danni’s shoes grind the pine needles into the ground as she runs ahead of me.

  When Beau and I breach the clearing, I see Dani laying the blanket into the backseat of the truck. I run straight to it, laying Beau on top and helping Danni into the truck beside him.

  “Danni . . . look at me.” Backing out of the clearing, sending dust flying in the air, I beg for her attention. She is laying on Beau, and crying into his fur. “Danni!” I yell, her eyes momentarily finding mine. “Where’s your phone?” I realize my voice sounds stern, but I need her to focus. She points to her bag lying on the passenger side floor, and I reach down while trying to keep the truck on the road. I find Liza’s number and stab at the send button. It rings, and I curse when it goes to voicemail. I hit send again, and I swear my heart feels like it’s going to explode when she answers.

  “Liza! Beau was bitten by a timber rattler. I’ll be at your hospital in ten. Ok. Yes. He’s breathing but it’s fast. Ok, I’m hurrying,” I say, ending the call and fishtailing as I hit the asphalt. The four-wheeler rattles against the edges of the metal trailer when I whip the truck onto the road. I reach my hand back and stroke Beau’s head, and then run my hand down Danni’s back, still trying to keep the truck on the road. “It’s ok, Danni, he’s going to be ok,” I promise her, not knowing if it’s the truth. But I have to try.

  Chapter Six

  Danni-Rose

  The truck comes to an abrupt stop, and my body lurches forward with Beau still wrapped in my arms. His panting has gone from fast-paced to slow, with pauses so long I keep having to shake him to get him to inhale. I can feel him slipping away.

  The whole drive, my thoughts are like a movie reel playing in my head. I see L.J. holding Beau in the palm of his hands, his fur dirty and he’s unable to hold his head up. I remember L.J. walking up on my daddy’s porch to show me what he found on the side of the road. I hear his voice as if it had just happened, “Little guy was just left in the dirt.” Instead of going to the winter formal that night, we bathed the little puppy, fed him, and sat on my mama’s porch swing with Beau in our laps. I see Beau riding in the passenger seat of L.J.’s truck every day to the local farmer’s co-op he worked at our senior year. I don’t think there was a day that existed that summer where Beau didn’t ride everywhere with L.J. Beau would lay in the bed of the truck, and everyone that walked by would rub his head. I see Beau wagging his tail on the back of Thomas’ boat that day, Liza beside him lazily petting his head as she held her face to the sun. We were all so carefree. The world at our fingertips. And the image I’ll never forget, the one that haunts my memory even on the best of days, is of Beau padding into the murky water toward L.J.’s lifeless body.

  “Danni, move! Come on, we’re here,” Benson says, and he swings the back door open. I don’t want to let go. I can’t lose the only thing I have left of him. Benson’s hands wrap around my waist and he pulls me off Beau. “Danni, we have to get him inside, please,” he begs, as I’m clawing at the seats to get back to Beau.

  “I promised! I promised him,” I cry out, kicking my feet. Benson holds on to my waist, and I see Liza trying to push her way past me to get to Beau.

  “Danni, look at me.” Benson turns my body with his strong arms and grasps my face between his hands, holding my stare. “Let Liza take him inside, let her help.” Between his hands on my face, and his calming tone, I’m brought back to reality. “Shhhh, he’s going to be ok,” Benson says, pulling my head to his chest. He kisses the top of my hair. His hands stroke the back of my head, and I breathe in the clean sent of laundry detergent mixed with the gritty smell of mud clinging to his shirt. His arms are wrapped firmly around me.

  “I’ll do everything I can, Danni, you know I will,” Liza calls, before she and Beau disappear into the hospital. My only reply is a sniffle into Benson’s chest. I realize my hands are twisted into the back of his shirt, and I’m clinging to him as tightly as I was to Beau. I take a deep breath and pull back. Benson drops his hands to his side, and I notice blood is dripping down his forearm.

  “You’re bleeding,” I say, sniffling. I take his hand and pull his arm up.

  “Oh. Yeah, guess I am. Thorns probably,” he says, shrugging his shoulders.

  “Let’s go inside, I’ll get some gauze and antiseptic from one of the rooms,” I say, thankful for anything to take my mind off what could be happening to Beau.

  “It’s just some scratches, don’t worry about it.” He walks over to his truck and closes the back door. I suddenly realize he probably wants to be as far away from my mental breakdown as possible. I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

  “Thank you for bringing us here. I’m sure you need to get going,” I say, half turning to walk into the Vet Clinic. Benson turns around slowly, and walks back over to where I’m standing. He looks angry. He stops a few feet short of me, and runs his hands over his face.

  “Will you just stop it already? I’m not going anywhere, Danni,” he says, looking me in the eyes with his hands on his hips. He looks ready to put up a fight, and after what he did for me this afternoon, nothing in me wants to see him get in the truck and pull away.

  “Ok then,” is all I can manage. He blinks back at me, somewhat surprised at my compliance. Even I’m shocked by myself, but I feel too exhausted to pretend that I don’t want him around. I’ll push him away another day. He takes me by the hand and walks me through the doors of the hospital.

  * * * *

  “Ow!” Benson yelps, and sucks in air between his teeth. He shakes his hand back and forth, squinting his eyes. “Son of a bitch.” He’s sitting on a dog-sized table, feet dangling off the metal edges, with his hand in mine.

  “Really?” I ask, smirking at him and his low pain tolerance.

  “It stings.”

  I pull his hand up to my lips and blow cool air onto the iodine drying on his cut. I look up at him, and he’s staring at my mouth the same way he was earlier in the day, right before . . . My mind drifts back to Beau, and I stare down the hallway, willing Liza to come walking down it telling me he is ok.

  “Hey,” Benson says, tugging on my hand and pulling me between his knees. “Liza’s got this.”

  “Thank you, Benson. What you did for me, for Beau, today . . . I don’t know what I would have done had you not been there.” I’m acutely aware of how close I’m standing to him. His knees on either side of my waist.

  “I’m just glad I was with you,” he says, his eyes never leaving mine. They travel down my face and land on my lips.

  “Benson…” I say, meaning it to sound as a warning, but it comes out like soft pleading. His fingertips gently splay against my back, easing me forward, and his other hand wraps into my hair. I should tell him to stop before his lips brush against mine, I need to tell him I can’t, but the only thing I want is to feel his warm mouth exploring mine.

  Instead, he leans his head down, kissing me just below my jaw line. My eyes close and my hands slide up to his side. He kisses up to my earlobe and quietly whispers, “Danni, will you go to dinner with me tomorrow night?
” I pull back, staring at his face and trying to form the words, ‘I can’t,’ but my heart betrays me, and I nod my head yes. His smile keeps me from changing my mind.

  “But if something happens with Beau…,” I say, turning to look down the hallway once again.

  “Come here,” he says, pulling me against his chest. Why can’t I make myself hate this? I’ve done a fantastic job of hating his kind for so long, that it just seemed like second nature. But with Benson, it’s like a magnetic pull, and no matter how hard I try to fight it, he keeps reeling me in.

  The silence in the room is broken by the sound of Liza clearing her throat. I whip my head around and stare at her face, looking for any sign that Beau made it. “He’s stable for now, I cleaned the wound, and I have him on fluids. I gave him a heavy dose of antibiotics, and he’s sedated to keep him still. I’ll know more in the morning. I want to keep him for a couple of days and—” I don’t let her finish her sentence. I walk over to her and hug her as tightly as I can.

  “Thank you so much,” I cry.

  “I love Beau, too.” She squeezes me back. “He’s not in the clear just yet, Danni. My main concern is making sure his organs are functioning properly the next few days. Rattlesnake venom is very potent. I also have to monitor the wound for infection. But for now, he’s ok.” She smiles at me, and I feel comforted. “Had you not gotten him here as quickly as you did…” Liza trails off, and we both look at Benson in appreciation. He replies by shrugging his shoulders, and that simple gesture causes my heart to thaw.

  The way he reacted to me today, the way he soothed me and embraced me, the way he calmed me down, I’m not sure if anyone else could have done that.

  “Can we see him?” Benson asks, and Liza looks at me with a puzzled expression. I nod my head yes, letting her know he is no longer the enemy, at least not today.

  “He’s asleep, but yes, of course you can,” she says, and we follow her down the hallway.

  Beau is lying sideways on a metal examination table, he has a blanket draped over his body, and his front paw is wrapped in gauze. An IV tube is snaking its way out of his leg and ending at a bag of fluids. His breathing is slow and steady, and he looks relaxed.

  I run my hand over his head, and I know he’s going to be ok. Beau and I have been through so much together, we are connected, and I know he’s going to make it. We’ve been through worse.

  I watch Benson across the table. He leans his face down to Beau’s ear. “Hey bud, I need you to do me a solid. I’m going to need you to make a full and speedy recovery. See, the thing is, I come out of this whole ordeal looking really good if I’ve saved your life. And that means this beautiful woman standing on the other side of you, might let me come around and play fetch with you. Honestly, it’s a win-win.” Liza elbows me, and I can’t help but smile.

  “I’m going to stay here tonight and keep a close watch on him. I’ll call you if anything changes, but I expect him to stay asleep for the rest of the day,” Liza says, and kisses me on the cheek.

  “There’s not room for two back there on that fold-out sofa, huh?” I ask, already knowing that even if there was she would send me home. Seems like Liza has been doing more looking out for me the past six years than I have for her.

  “Go on.” Liza laughs. “If we know anything about Beau, it’s that he’s resilient. I’ll text you tonight and let you know how he’s doing.”

  Benson grabs my hand and leads me toward the front door. I peek over my shoulder to Liza and she mouths the words, “What is this?” with a wink and a suggestive grin. I shake my head at her and attempt to hold back a laugh. The truth is, I don’t know exactly what this is either. I just know that for the first time, in a long time, it doesn’t feel bad.

  * * * *

  “Do you want to come inside?” I ask as Benson’s truck pulls into my driveway. I look at the porch, half expecting Beau to come bouncing off the steps. Benson responds to my question by turning off the truck and opening his door.

  “I wasn’t planning on leaving, even if I had to sit on that porch swing all night and make sure you were ok. Liza is taking care of Beau, and I’ve got you,” he says, sliding out of his seat and closing the door.

  I look across the fields and see that Mama and Daddy are home. I need to call them and let them know what happened with Beau, but it can wait. I don’t feel like rehashing the details, and right now I just want to breathe. “That’s my parents’ house,” I say, pointing.

  Benson smiles. “I saw them . . . that night at the Crawfish Barn. You look like her.”

  I push open my front door, and watch while Benson stands in the doorway. He looks hesitant.

  “It’s a house, not a witch’s cottage,” I say, walking into the kitchen and tossing my keys and wallet onto the table. “I left my Jeep at the bakery; I’ll text Liza and let her know she can drive it home. Are you thirsty?” I ask, aware that I’m rambling. I’m nervous. Now that my hateful attitude toward him is dissipating, it’s replaced with a sense that I don’t know what the hell to say or do. I notice his silence, and I look over my shoulder at him. He’s standing at my fireplace, gazing at a black-and-white picture of me and L.J. I take a deep breath, knowing that I’ll have to talk about it sometime.

  “That’s L.J.” I say, not in sadness, but matter-of-factly.

  “You don’t smile like that.” Benson points to the picture, turning to look at me. “You do, but you try to hide it.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and takes a couple of steps toward me.

  I stand there looking at him, unable to formulate the words I want to say. The sarcastic retort that is usually swimming around in my brain seems to be on mute.

  “I barely know you, Danni, and I don’t know him,” he says, jutting his thumb to the picture behind him, “But I think any man whoever had the pleasure of bringing a smile like that to your face, wouldn’t want you to hide it. In fact, I’m certain of it.” Benson stops just inches from me. He reaches his hand out and tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and my breath catches.

  “I may not ever get to be the guy who can bring that smile back, but something tells me that if I don’t try, I may never forgive myself.” Reaching his hands behind my head, his fingers tangle in my hair. He brings his mouth to mine, his lips tasting of spearmint. Walking backward with me, our kiss never breaking, he pushes me gently against the wall. I slide my hands up the back of his shirt as his tongue softly traces against mine. A sound of pleasure leaves my lips, encouraging him to deepen our kiss. He wraps my hair around his fist and pulls my head back, exposing my neck. He nibbles his way up, stopping at my ear and whispers, “Yes, I’m thirsty,” and I can’t help but smile. He leans his forehead against mine, and places his hands on the wall on either side of my head.

  “Sweet tea, or something stronger?” I ask, with my eyes still closed.

  “Stronger,” he says, short of breath.

  “Beer it is, meet me on the porch swing.” I duck underneath his arms and smile to myself, knowing that he’s watching me walk away, knowing that his eyes are on me, and knowing that underneath his stare is exactly where I want to be. At least for today.

  Chapter Seven

  Benson

  Danni swings the screen door open, juggling two frosted beer bottles in her hands along with a bag of pretzels. Her cheeks are flushed, and I have to adjust myself; the satisfaction I feel from knowing I did that to her is overwhelming. I had to stop myself from taking things too far with her. Again, I find myself looking for the balance of giving her just enough room to swim at her own pace, but still keeping the line tight enough so she doesn’t plummet down into the muddy lake bed. I might never get her out of there.

  “Corona Light, ok? I put a little lime in, it’s the only way to drink them,” she says, extending her hand. I can’t help but notice the way her fingers are wrapped tightly around the bottle, and my mind instantly flashes to th
e way her hands worked their way up my back.

  “This is perfect,” I say, taking a long pull from the bottle. I’m praying that the alcohol takes effect quickly, before I find myself unable to keep my hands from resuming their conquest.

  She sits down beside me, and without thinking twice I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her in against my side. She tenses, but only for a second. With any other girl, I probably wouldn’t have noticed, or cared. But with Danni, I’m acutely aware of her every move.

  “Relax,” I say, and I sense her smile more than I actually see it.

  “It’s weird not having Beau laying at my feet. Do you think he will be ok?”

  “Oh yeah . . . I’m sure of it. We struck a deal, he’s got my back,” I assure her, my fingertips tracing up and down her arm. The sun is lowering behind the tree line in front of us, and the breeze coming off the hillside whips the dirt from her driveway into the air.

  “Tell me why you’re a fisherman?” she asks abruptly. I could give her the spiel about making a lot of money while sitting on the river all day. I could tell her it’s because I like to travel from town to town, or that I like the small taste of fame in the fishing community. I could say it’s the way the women look at me because I drive a nice truck and a sparkly boat. But I decide on the truth instead.

  “My Pop was a fisherman, and he taught me.” And she nudges me with her elbow, prompting me to keep talking. “My dad took off when I was four, and my mom and I moved in with Pop. Every weekend he would take me fishing because ‘no grandson of his was gonna be a softy raised solely by a woman’.” I can’t help but laugh at the memory. “He called me ‘a natural’ and I believed him. He said I knew what the fish wanted before they even did, and I believed that too. I don’t know, Danni, being on the water is just the only place I’ve ever felt like I belonged. I’m good at it, and I like being good at something.” And I’m a little embarrassed that I revealed more than she asked for.