Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The roads of Texas have never been more tiring. The barely working AC in a beat-up Honda Civic from 2000 did nothing against the scorching sun and the heat from outside, especially around Austin.
Spending the last four years of your life in Colorado really did make you forget the intensity of summers in Texas.

And when you, who grew up spending you childhood practically living off sun, said you enjoyed and preferred the heat—well, you didn’t mean getting boiled alive.

All the boxes with your junk in the trunk just made the car feel heavier and—You swore on your life—also made it move slower. Which, of course, didn’t help while trying to get back to Austin from Colorado, after you wasted four years of you life studying journalism. you technically could’ve stayed in Fort Collins to get the Master’s Degree, but why would your You’d have to find a much more stable job than just serving coffee on the weekends, and starting off in the journalism field without much experience seemed impossible.

Which is why you decided to move back to the beautiful Austin suburbs to live with your father, Roy Wright, and, hopefully, get a stable job for the summer before deciding what to do next with your Bachelor’s Degree.

You pulled in the cracked driveway before turning off the car and grabbing the keys, hesitant to get out. It felt weird, being back to the one place you knew like the back of your hand, after four years. A lot has changed—like the color of the paint covering some of your neighbors’ houses and the flowers on their porches.

You took a deep breath and hopped right out, slamming the car door shut. At least the air wasn’t as stuffy as inside.

Welcome back to your childhood neighborhood, Wright.

It didn’t take long for Roy to run out of the house, covered in cake batter, and help you move the boxes upstairs. Both of you exchanged a lot of hugs and got into awkward conversations (about you partying in uni and about your plans for the summer) before you managed to settle in for the night. It took at least two hours, but it was worth it, considering you weren’t planning to move again for, at least, the next five months. Your old bedroom didn’t change much—not like your father even tried to tidy up or empty the little room, because why would he? As a single father he continued to hope his so, so innocent (sure) daughter would come back to live with him, after you left to pursue your ‘dreams’.
And come back you did. With a tail between your legs and a paper you paid too much money for.

You sat down on your old, creaky bed, letting your fingers feel the scratchy fabric of the duvet. It was nostalgic, really. The constant creaks of the floorboards under your feet made you feel sixteen again, as if you were back to the sneaking-out days. The flickering light on the nightstand brought back memories of you crying over your first heartbreak at seventeen.
All in all, you really did miss this place. Or maybe, you just missed the memories that stayed behind when your left Austin.

“Honey, you got a minute?” your father popped his head inside the room. “Wanted to, uh, talk to ya about the job opportunity I told ya about over t’phone, if yer up for it. I get that you’re prob’ly tired and all after the drive—”

“No, no, it’s okay,” you responded with a soft smile on your face, patting the space on the mattress. “I mean, I don’t have anything else to do before I go take a shower, anyway,” you huffed nervously. It felt odd, being back to living with your father at 27, almost in your thirties, and after graduating from uni. Years ago, you were sure you’d have a nice house and a family at this age.

Well, life liked surprising you and wrecking down the ambitious plans you created.
Or maybe it just liked reminding you of the brutal reality, which was much more different than the delusions you grew up believing.

“Uh, sure.” Roy sat down on the edge of the bed. “You remember Joel, right?”

You seemed to perk up after hearing his name. Of course you remembered Joel, how could you not? He and his younger brother, the biggest crush of your teenage years, Tommy Miller, came around during BBQs and summer blowouts, especially the Fourth of July parties your father organised for his work buddies ever since you were a thirteen-year-old kid in braces. You two weren’t particularly close, but he did teach you how to use pepper spray as a teen and always let you take a small sip of his beer.
He was also the one who gave you the longest lecture of your entire life about how ‘smoking destroys your lungs’ (though he was the one *always* smoking), after your stole a pack of his Marlboros at seventeen. At least he never told your father about it, so that was a plus.

So, yes. You did remember Joel. Very clearly.

“Yea, why?”

“See, sugar, he’s been looking for someone to help him on the small ranch he owns. I told him ‘bout you needing some job and he agreed to take ya in,” Roy explained. “Figured you’d be happy, you always liked annoying his old ass when he came ‘round,” he added, chuckling and shaking his head.

“Joel has a ranch?” You furrowed your brows. Well, that one you didn’t know about. Dad never took you to Joel’s place, so how could you have known? “Since when?”

“Since before I even met him, sweetheart. Never took you for a reason, didn’t want ya going and scaring the horses”

“I—okay, but why would he even agree to hire me? I don’t have any experience for ranch work—”

“He offered to teach ya the basics. ‘Sides, he’s got Tommy to help too, when his young ass ain’t working with me,” he chuckled again, patting your shoulder. “So whaddya say? It’s a twenty-five minute walk east, but ya can take that old bike of mine”

You bit you lip, carefully analyzing the offer. It was your biggest chance of actually having a decent job that didn’t involve angry mothers and teenage boys trying to hit on you, but at the same time you’d have to work with someone who’s known you since you were a weird kid. Wouldn’t it be awkward?

It would, you were sure of it. However, it would also be nice to catch up with the Millers after such a long time. Why not do it through work and also get some money, right?

You only live once.

“Sure,” you finally spoke up, lifting your gaze to you father and giving him a tight smile. “I guess it won’t hurt to try.”

“That’s my girl!” Roy’s face lit up and he moved to wrap you in a warm hug. “Look at you, getting a big job!”

“Doubt that helping scoop up horseshit is big—”

“It’s bigger and better than that whole barista shit you had goin’ on in Colorado,” he snorted in response, pulling away. “I’ll go call up Joel, let him know you’ll come ‘round tomorrow”

“Wha—tomorrow? Already?”

“Y’think the horses and lambs stop shitting just ‘cause it’s Saturday?” He joked, standing up and cracking his back, “Now shoo off to shower and sleep, y’must be tired.”

“Yeah, okay.. thanks, dad. G’night,” you sighed, watching as the door to your bedroom closed behind your dad.

For a while your just lay in the silence, eyes focused on the glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling, which you glued up there back in 1990.

When did all that time pass?

This was going to be a long summer.

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Chapter Text

What woke you up next morning, after the beautiful, full night of uninterrupted sleep, wasn’t the alarm clock, your dad or the usual, loud singing of the birds outside your bedroom window. 

It was a familiar, enthusiastic voice cracking jokes at 9am in the goddamn morning, in the badly decorated kitchen placed right under your bedroom. Though, the house still had better walls than the ones in your old student apartment complex. Fuck you, real estate developers.

You’d recognize that voice anywhere, no matter how long you spent away from home. You groaned loudly and rolled out of bed, immediately grabbing some clothes, a barely working hair curler and a hairbrush, from your two last unpacked boxes. Your back still hurt after the long drive home, but you seemed to forget that after you realized who’s downstairs. You bolted to the old vanity, desperately trying to make yourself look at least somehow presentable in record time.

You hissed as the curling iron scorched your thumb for the third time, throwing it down like it was personally conspiring against you.

Fine, a ponytail it was.

The shorts you yanked from a half-open suitcase were wrinkled beyond repair, but at this point, you were just praying no one noticed.

After you pulled on a shirt, finally, with your fingers still suffering after the curling iron incident, you ran downstairs, nearly tripping on the carpet on your way to the kitchen.

“—and he said, quote-”

“Tommy!” you squealed. He still wore a cheap gas-station cologne and had oil stains on that ratty shirt of his, which you were sure were on every single one piece of clothing he ever owned.

But that exactly was Tommy's charm, after all.

He still had the same boyish grin despite the years that carved their way across his face. He stilled mid-gesture as you barreled into him, colliding with his torso. 

“Whoa- holy shit, girl, that you?” He laughed, returning the hug after a second of being stunned. He was taller than before, that’s for sure. “Goddamn, still short as ever, darlin’,” he joked, ruffling your hair. So much for the lame job your did with the hair curler that morning.

“Still the same asshole as ever,” you snorted, fixing up your bangs and pulling away to look at him. His dark hair was a bit brighter and longer, his dimples as charming as you remembered. “What, you didn’t think I’d come back?"

“Yea, thought the big city messed with yer head and made ya realize it’s not worth coming to see the old folks back here,” he hummed, his voice warm. “Just joking. You’re too soft to just leave us.”

“As if I’d ever leave your childish ass behind. I missed hearing all about the girls you slept with—”

“That’s a low blow, sweetheart. Let him live, no? He sure did learn from his mistakes after that blondie stole cash from him back in 2002,” your dad cut in, nudging the younger Miller in the rib. He handed him a cup of coffee, then leaned back on the counter. “Joel told ya that my girl here’s gonna work at the ranch?”

“Seriously? Nah, man didn’t tell me shit,” Tommy shook his head, then looked up at you and whistled. “Want me to drop you off after breakfast? Joel’d appreciate it if you came a bit earlier than noon, I’m sure. He's always been an early riser, that one.”

“Sure, I could use the free ride, especially in that old truck of yours,” you smiled, your cheeks a bit red. It’s been years, and yet your small crush on Tommy still showed. He was still ten years older, for fuck’s sake. Besides, he only saw you as the insufferable kid from the summer blowouts, who used to hide from fireworks.

Which, okay, was a little funny.

The breakfast went.. fine. Tommy constantly asked you questions about your time away and made jokes that made you blush. Dad burnt the toast. you spilled coffee on the table. The jam stained your top and you had to change. But it could’ve went worse. So.

No harm done.

After changing and fixing up your hair, you pulled on battered cowboy boots and waved goodbye to your father. Tommy’s truck was already waiting next to the sidewalk. You had to say — it was definitely refurbished. You still remembered the old one that barely even drove and always broke down in the middle of the road to the shop, whenever dad and him would take you with them.

You missed those days, of you being young and naive, of believing that you were made for something bigger than just following in dad’s footsteps.

But there you were, back to point zero, with nothing to your name except that useless degree, which didn’t even make you seem smarter. It actually seemed to be doing the opposite.

How could you look smart after having paid thousands of dollars for a piece of paper that didn’t even give you a job?

“Hop in, sweetheart,” Tommy’s voice broke through your cloud of thoughts, opening the door to the passenger side. You let out a sigh and moved.

“Such a gentleman,” you responded sarcastically, getting in and reaching for the seatbelt. “Since when are you so nice to women, hm?”

“Ah, well, your daddy gave me the talk one time after a beer, think it was 2001, even before that girl robbed my poor wallet ,” he explained jokingly, jumping in from the other side. He buckled himself up and reached for the radio, slightly cranking it up to fill the truck cab with some noise. “Then Joel joined, and it turned into a lecture about me ‘not respecting women enough’.”

“You were, what- 31? And you got lectured like a kid?” you laughed, looking at him as he started the car. “Wish I could’ve seen that. You got your ass handed to you for a good reason.”

“Well, hon, that’s what happens when two older guys get into a heated discussion with a youngin like myself. And, I know, I deserved that.”

“Psh, if your old ass is a youngin, then I’m still a little kid.”

“You sure are, honey. You even look the part, just missing the braces and the pink stripes in your hair,” he shrugged, eyes focused on the road. You let out a gasp of disbelief.

“There is no way you just said that, Thomas Miller,” you huffed dramatically, looking out the car window. “Just so you know, I am now totally mad at you.”

“Sure, sweet cheeks. Be mad all ya want, just know that I’m right.”

“You wish,” you huffed once again, crossing your arms. “I’ll tell my dad all about how you treat his daughter.”

“Go on, miss Colorado.”

You didn’t speak for the rest of the ride. Not because you were actually mad (c’mon, you knew he was just teasing—Typical Tommy), but because the day was hot and talking took too much energy, which you had to preserve for work. That was, of course, a standard day in Texas during the summer.

And somehow, you grew to miss that as well.

A few minutes later Tommy took a sharp turn and slowly came to a stop, inching the car a bit closer to the now visible ranch. It wasn’t big all in all, it was rather small compared to the ones for tourists, although it did make you hold your breath for the first few seconds when you saw it. There were four horses on the paddock, either resting or galloping around. The stables’ doors were only slightly ajar, probably not to let that much heat inside. Joel was nowhere in sight, probably working in the back or cooling down in the small house next to the stables.

“Whoa. Shame y’all never took me here earlier. It’s so peaceful,” you commented, grabbing your bag and jumping out of the truck. “Hey, how come Joel’s not working in construction with dad anymore?”

“Well, ever since he realized how hard it is to keep the ranch while working at jobsites, he quit. Plus, he didn’t wanna pay for others to do his job here.” The younger Miller shrugged and grabbed his keys from the ignition. “Figured I’d be the one to keep working and on my days off I’d come and help him,” he explained and slammed the car door shut. “Don’t be so scared, it’s not that tough. Just be careful not to get kicked by the horses and you’re good, hon.” He pat you shoulder, moving to lead you through the ranch.

Right. Just don’t get kicked by the horses. Got it.

He rested his hand on the small of your back, which, okay, did make you knees go weak for a split second. That was a very unnecessary action, yet you found yourself enjoying the gesture.

You definitely didn’t grow out of your crush. It just got lost among all the uni situationships you had throughout the years.

Not that Tommy was significantly smarter than the dumb boys from Colorado, but he was a blue-collar man after all, and more handsome than the city boys. And older, which actually made it even worse.

God, help me.

You clutched you bag tighter and moved closer to the horses, wanting to pat the closest one.

“Go on, just be careful not to lose your fingers, yeah? They bite,” Tommy warned, watching as the redhead climbed the small fence and slowly let you fingers scratch the chestnut mare’s ears. You were gentle with the horse, despite a bit of fear surging through your body.

“What’s her name?”

“Oh, uh, think it was Lou, or somethin’? Joel’s not the type to give them fancy names, all he cares about is knowing which one’s which.”

“Hey, Lou,” you hummed, voice turning sweet and soft. “You’re so beautiful, you know? And look at your mane, girl,” you cooed, scratching the mare gently. “Bet the boys be on your ass all the time. Can’t even eat the hay in peace? I know how it is, girl, having men chase after you.” you patted her softly, fingers combing softly through the mane. Clearly, you were mesmerized by the horse — it’s not like you never saw horses in real life, you just weren’t allowed to get so close as a kid. Now, working at a ranch meant you’d have to get real close to them.

And honestly? It didn’t seem so bad now.

“Hey, she ain’t a dog, no need to coo. She’s a full ass horse,” a ruff and deep voice came from the end of the path, the Texan drawl so hard it felt like it scratched. “And get yer ass from that fence, you’ll break ya legs if you fall.”

Your fingers stilled in the mare's mane, grip tightening slightly, as the sound of his voice crawled down your spine, sending a shiver through you. You turned your head toward the sound of the voice, breath catching in your chest. What you saw knocked the wind right outta you, your smile faltering.
The air felt heavier now, the kind that pressed against your ribs in a suffocating way, forcing you to remember how to breathe.
Slowly, your gaze traced the figure that emerged from the house. It was him—you recognized him even by his silhouette.

Yet, you didn't expect him to be so.. broad. Sure, a lot of time has passed, yet he seemed to age like fine wine—enough for your walls to come tumbling down and enough for you to realize that, in reality, you weren't ready to see him again.
Jesus Christ.

He carried the years like a man who was proud of his work, nevermind the hard shit he went through, like his divorce and having to leave his job for the ranch. The lines around his mouth and eyes carved deep, forehead creasing as his brows furrowed when he took you in, like he wasn't expecting you to be so grown up all of a sudden. The wrinkles and lines didn't make him ugly, though—hell no, quite the opposite, actually. He looked more like a man, one who could protect and offer comfort, but at the same time still have control over you. His gait was steady, although you noticed the way he shuffled weight to his right leg, a small limp visible when he walked.

Your stomach turned traitor, flipping as if you were eighteen again, lost in a crowded room, looking for someone to talk with, when everyone was already busy with each other.

Realizing that time had done nothing to soften him, you swallowed hard, tongue dry. God, why did it feel like every part of your body as throbbing, even though he hadn't even touched you yet? Was his gaze on you really enough to send you spiraling?

His beard wasn’t as long as before, no. It was trimmed — left as a barely-there scruffy surface covering his jawline and dimples. His hair was more curly and longer, which was new, considering he always whined about needing to have it cut. Besides the dark brown curls, there were hints of grey peeking out on top. His facial features seemed rougher and more defined.

You're better than this, you hissed at yourself in your mind, biting down on your bottom lip.

You were an adult, for fuck's sake, so why did you feel like a kid again?


There he was.
Joel Miller, your new boss.

And despite that fact that it had been years since you last saw him, the sight of him could still drag the air right out of your lungs, leave you caught between running and stepping closer, and have you act like a goddamn animal.

Like he was a hunter and you were his prey.

Which was weird, because just years ago, you would never say that about him. As much as you liked having him around, helping your dad, you still thought he looked constantly angry at the world.

But now? It felt like your feelings did a full 180.

Shit. A crush on Joel definitely wasn't helping your case.

“Hi, Mr. Miller,” you smiled nervously, climbing down from the fence and waving to him as he approached you and Tommy. “Long time no see, old man. Think you turned into a full cowboy when I was gone, s’far as I can see."

“Yeah, yeah, smartass, I’m 38. Just got older and worked a lot, when you were busy partying and pretending to study all of that journalism shit,” he cracked a joke, barely smiling. It was weird, how grumpy he always looked. He could’ve been the happiest man on Earth and it still seemed as if someone pissed in his shoes the night earlier. “ ‘Sides, just call me Joel, for Christ’s sake.”

“Sure, Joel,” you purred just to annoy him. “So, you’re my boss now?”

He sighed loudly. God, you were going to get under his skin so, so easily.

“I’ll teach you the basics today,” he explained, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Well, me and Tommy, since he decided to show up.”

“You should be happy I came to help, big bro. Not often I come here on my own. Especially when it’s so hot. Can’t blame me for choosing the beer most of the time.”

“Not happy that I’ll have two idiots on my ass today instead a’one.”

“C’mon, cut her some slack, man. She just graduated! Look at you, our smart girl with a degree,” Tommy smiled with his teeth, pulling you close to his side by your waist. “Soon enough you’ll be writing about us in the news."

“That wouldn’t be a good thing, Tommy,” you started, a nervous smile forming on your face, “besides, I have to get a Master’s Degree first, if I wanna go up the journalism ladder.”

"That why you’re here?” Joel cut in.

“Yeah. Figured I’d get some money to pay off the next two years and also get some work experience.”

“Y’know, I still think ya coulda gone to a closer university. No need to break yer back on the drive to Colorado.”

You sighed. You really, really didn’t like talking about your uni choices. Not with your father, not with Tommy, and especially not with Joel. You didn’t need anyone telling you how to live your life, when you already had enough of living it yourself.
He seemed to sense your discomfort and cleared his throat, grabbing a cowboy hat hanging on the post next to him.

“Put that on yer head. Don’t want you getting no heatstroke over there or yer daddy would shoot my ass,” he muttered, putting the hat loosely over your head. “And c’mon, it’s time we’ll show you the ropes.”
You wanted to protest, but in the end just rolled your eyes and adjusted the hat, following the two brothers. You were ready for the mansplaining coming from Joel, mixed with the playful jokes Tommy was in the mood for.

This was about to be hell.

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