The rest of the week flew by in a flash. And before Torrie knew it she was waiting in the car for Niall to be on their way to Georgia. He continued to ignore her for the rest of the week. Looking up every few minutes to check her watch and to see if Niall was there she let out an aggravated sigh.
John the driver looks up at her through the mirror and smiles "Does he always take this long?" Torrie asks and the driver laughs and nods his head. "Mr. Veneti Is several things but he is not one to be told when to leave so we all kind of sit here for a long time." He says and Torrie looks out the window.
After what feels like ages to her she spots Niall walking towards the car with his suitcase. Rolling her eyes as he enters he looks at her. "What?" He asks and she looks at him. "You had known we were leaving today for a week now. And you still manage to be late." She says and he looks at her.
"I'm sorry princess am I intruding on your patience?" He says and she lets her eyes roll looking out the window of the moving vehicle.
As they make their way to the airport runway. Niall's phone goes off repeatedly. Causing Torrie to look at him. He ignored the phone call. "Are you going to answer that?" She says and he looks at her.
He then shrugs and turns to the window. "Is it bothering you?" He asks in an emotionless tone. She rolls her eyes and turns back to the window. Anger slowly starting to boil inside her. "Yes, Now please answer the call." She says moving her tongue across her cheek in anger.
He looks at her and she turns to him a wicked grin on his face. "Well since you asked. And asked." He said picking up his phone. "I won't answer it." He says looking back out the window. She realized there was no winning the conversation and so she turned her attention out the window.
Watching the city as they drove by was her favorite part of Chicago so far. She loved how beautiful when you drove past. When the car stops she got out not waiting for John and grabbed her bag heading to the plane. "Have a great trip, Torrie," John says and Torrie smiles. "Thank you John see you in a week!" She says and notices Niall looking at her. "Who is driving us around?" He says and she looks at him.
She starts to laugh "Oh you are in for a treat." She says causing John to laugh. "Thank you, John." He says and John returns the thanks watching the two get onto the plane. She sat down on the seat of the private plane and looked around. She started to feel an overwhelming feeling of not being fit in on the plane.
She got herself comfortable and started to send a text to her sister. "So tell me, No security, no driver, what else do you have in store." He says and she smiles "I live your elegant lifestyle for a year you can live my lifestyle for a week." She says turning back to her phone.
The flight was peaceful except for the fact that halfway through Niall's snoring from the couch started to bug her. Other than that Torrie managed to get a light nap on through her flight and got a beautiful view. She remembered that when she was younger she always wondered what the could felt like.
When they landed and Niall finally awoke. They walked off the flight and to a car waiting for them. She was handed a set of keys and nodded her way to the car. She opened the trunk of the car and set her bags down leaving it open for Niall and headed into the driver's side.
"You are full of surprises Torrie," Niall said and She laughed. As the small private airport was growing smaller in the distance. Niall turned on the AC. "Why is it so fucking hot in October." He says and Torrie laughs as she drives towards her small town. "Welcome to Georgia." She says and he looks at her.
"You really enjoy this torture don't you?" He asks and she laughs. "Torture?" She says and gasps. "Yes, Yes I do." She says laughing and he shakes his head. As they start to drive towards her small town she realizes what Niall is wearing.
"You have non-fancy attire right?" She asks and he looks at her. "What do you mean?" He asks and Torrie looks at him. "Like, Jeans and a T-shirt." He says and he looks her dead in the eye. "Oh shoot I don't." He says and Torrie looks between him and the road. Beginning to think that this man in front of her was pure clueless.
He laughs and she looks at him. "of course I brought them I am not delusional." He says and Torrie makes a face that says that she wasn't so sure of that statement. "Would fool me." She says and he laughs slightly. He glares at her a little bit after causing her to break into laughter.
Before she knows it she was looking at the sign she thought she would never see again. "Welcome to Barkton Georgia! Population 4,000" She feels her stomach drop. As she drives through the straight street. Watching as people young and old walk down the street. Sitting at restaurants enjoying their meal. Teenagers shopping at the small stores with their friends.
"Wow, you aren't kidding when you said you were from a small town." He says looking out at the busy street of her town. The town was nice there wasn't anything bad about it other than the size. It was well decorated with lights and decorations for the upcoming holiday. "Your town decorates for Halloween?" He asks and she looks at him.
"Yeah. You should see Christmas." She says and he nods laughing and turning back to the window. Torrie admires the town. The shops she and her friends would shop at every weekend. The restaurants she would stay until the sheriff kicked them out for curfew. And also where her first job was. Where she spent countless nights waiting table after table.
She drove past the park where countless festivals and concerts were at. And also were her first kiss was at. Before she knew it they reached the dirt road with the sign above her. 'Matthews Family Ranch' She sighed and came to a stop at the gate. She turns and looks over at Niall. "What?" He asks and she looks at him. "Can you open the gate?" She asks and he looks at her. "I don't know how." He says and she laughs opening her door.
Before he could say anything she closed the door and walked up to the gate. She took a deep breath and looked around at the gate lifting the hatch and then untwisting the chain. As she gets back into the car driving off. As they go down the dirt path two black dogs dart out of the plains and run towards the car.
"Arent you going to close the gate?" Niall asks and she looks at him and smiles. "Nope, it's my nephew's job." She says and he looks at her with a weird expression. As she follows the dogs in front of her to the house she sighs. She hasn't been home for years for one reason. She didn't want to be.
Taking it all in she smiles slightly. She couldn't help but admit that she was a little excited to see her family. As they reach the small white family ranch home she honks the horn signaling her arrival. As she puts the car in park the porch screen door swings open and two little humans race each other to Torrie.
As she closed the door to the car the dogs greet her with tails wagging barking and licking all over Torrie. She laughs and lets the dogs get into her arms and lets them lick her face. It isn't long before the two humans are as close enough to her that the dogs move out of the way. "Auntie!!" They scream as Torrie grabs the two squeezing them tight.
"Ah, I missed you guys," Torrie says letting them both go. Niall comes from around the car dropping the bags out of the trunk. "Guys this is my friend Niall. Niall this is my niece and nephew, Taryn and Branson." She says and as she finishes an even more tiny girl was trying to keep up with her siblings. "Auntie!" She says and Torrie looks down at her picking her up.
"Hey, Little miss." She turns to Niall. "And this is Ainsley." He smiles warmly at the kids and turns to Taryn. "Are you Auntie's Boyfriend?" She asks and Torrie laughs. "No, I work for him, dear." She says and Taryn nods. "Now let's go see Mommy and Daddy and Grandpa yeah?" She says and they all nod as she puts down Ainsley they all run off towards the house. Torrie laughs watching them run away.
"So they have three kids?" He asks as they get their bags out of the trunk. And she nods. "How old are all of them?" He asks and she looks at him. "Taryn is seven this week. Branson is five, And Ainsley is three." She says and he nods looking out towards the house. As they head inside she shouts through the door. "I'm home!"
She says and her sister shouts from the living room. "In here!" She says and Torrie starts to walk in that direction. As they walk through the house she looks around. the rusticness and also the nice put of mess and clutter. Elk and Deer heads on the walls from several successful hunting trips.
As she walks out to the living room to see her family hanging out she smiles. She walks up to her dad. Who was standing in his blue flannel with jeans and his worn-out boots? His bread growing longer each time she saw him. He hugged her tightly and the overwhelming feeling of his familiar dad scent.
She then turns to her sister. She hugged her tighter. Her dirty blonde hair setting down on her shoulders. Squeezing Torrie tight as she remembers how much she missed her sister. As Torrie looks past her sister she spots a tall blonde figure and she smiles wide. Hugging her brother in law. Her family turns to Niall and he looks awkward.
"Everyone this is my boss Niall Veneti. Niall, This is my father Tucker, My sister Haileigh and her husband Austin." She says and Haileigh walks up to Niall giving him a slight hug. "Nice to meet you." She says and he smiles slightly. "You too!" He says as her father approaches him.
"I hope she is not too much trouble," he says and she rolls her eyes. They shake hands and her dad walks off towards the kitchen to grab something.
Austin whispers something to Torrie. "He brought jeans right?" He asks and Torrie smiles and nods. She looks over at Niall and notices him with all their suitcases. "Here let me show you to one of the guest rooms." She says and he nods. She leads him down the hallway and gets to a stop looking at the doors.
"Here is the guest room!" She says opening the door to a room. Her old room to be specific. They walk and she looks around remembering the good times and memories she made in this room. Pictures of her rodeo days on the wall and ribbons hanging on her old corkboard with trophies on her shelf.
Niall looks at the corkboard and points to a picture. "Who's this?" He asks and Torrie looks at him. "It's me," she says and he looks back at her almost in shock. "You? Riding a Bull?" He says and she laughs looking at him. "They were smaller than normal but yeah that's me." She says and he laughs. "Full of surprises aren't you?" He asks and she nods with a smile. "Well this is your room and if you need anything I'm down the hall." She says turning around and leaving the room.
When she reenters the livingroom Haileigh looks up at her. "What?" she says as she sits down. Haileigh shakes her head and smiles. "When you said your boss was coming with you I wasn't expecting a hot billionaire." She says and Torrie laughs. "You married." She says and Haileigh looks at her. "And your single." She and Torrie looks at her.
"He is my boss that's weird." She says and Haileigh looks at her. "Is it though?" She says tilting her head to the side. As she gets up she asks Torrie over her shoulder. "Coffee?" She asks and Torrie nods her head. "It's still weird though." Torrie shouts and Haileigh laughs heading into the kitchen. "It's not if it's meant to be!" Haileigh says and Torrie rolls her eyes.