Branded in Oasis

by Clay, Verna

  The waiter returned and suggested dessert. Kade gave Skye a questioning look and she said, "Dessert is definitely out of the question. No room."

  Kade asked for the check and when the waiter left, he said, "So, now you know why I treated you so badly when we first met. I knew you were rich and I figured you used people, too."

  Skye said, "That's understandable."

  Kade disagreed, "No, it's not. I was terrible to you, and again, I apologize."

  "Okay. Apology accepted and incident forgotten."

  Kade gave a sheepish smile and Skye forgot to breathe. Not only was he physically breathtaking, but his personality was even more so. He was one awesome package. To distract her wayward heart, she said, "Now that we have all that fabulous clothing, let's decide where to take the pictures of you wearing it."

  Kade joked, "You mean you're tired of photographing my garage?"

  "I think we've exhausted the garage location," Skye laughed. She tapped her chin. "However, there is a place I was considering, but I don't know if it's possible."

  Kade leaned forward. "I'm all ears."

  Skye couldn't contain her excitement. "Well, a few days ago Desi was telling me about the mystery of the stolen gold shipment and the mine just outside of town. I drove over there and studied it through the fence. It would make an incredible location for a shoot. And the fact that you'd be dressed to the nines in such a place would create an aura of intrigue. Do you think we could get permission to use the area?"

  Kade laughed loudly. "Only you could come up with such an idea." He hastened to add, "And I totally agree with the intrigue aspect."

  Skye was really excited now. "Yeah! Kind of like, James Bond meets the Lost Gold of Oasis!"

  Kade laughed even louder. "And now you have me cast as James Bond?"

  With a shrug, Skye leaned back and grinned.

  The waiter returned and set their ticket on the table. Kade grabbed it, lifted several bills from his pocket, and laid them on the ticket. He said, "Let's get out of here."

  When they were back on the highway driving toward Oasis, Skye asked, "Do you think we can get access to the mine?"

  "I'm not sure. I guess the thing to do would be to ask the mayor. If he can't give you permission, perhaps he knows who to contact. Since most of the town is owned by a private investor, maybe he also owns the mine."

  Skye almost gasped aloud. She hadn't even considered that her brother might own the mine. She hid her grin. Yep, she and James Bond a.k.a. Kade Blackwell were going to knock the socks off potential agents with her photos.

  Chapter 18: Mining Photos

  Skye adjusted the lens of her camera and joked, "We're not mining gold; we're mining photos that are going to make you rich and famous."

  Kade ignored her remark and asked, "Is this where you want the other tripod set up?"

  "Just move it to the right about a foot and that should be perfect."

  "Here?"

  "Yes. Great."

  To Skye, Kade seemed a little cranky, and she figured it had to do with him being dressed in a tux in the middle of the desert. For the first shot, she was positioning him about ten feet in front of the mine entrance and five feet to the right of it. The picture would reflect the boarded up entrance, as well as scattered, rusty mining equipment. She especially liked the cargo car that would have been used to transport ore on the now mostly missing tracks exiting the shaft.

  After another fifteen minutes of set up, she instructed Kade on where to stand and the stance she wanted from him. She decided to use natural lighting for the first few shots. She took some sample photos and grinned. Oh, yeah, he's supermodel material. Even though he was cranky, when she requested a certain frame of mind, his surly expression vanished.

  After an hour in the tux, she asked him to release the bow tie and let it dangle over an unbuttoned shirt. Stepping forward, she moved his shirt to expose an expanse of chest hair. Touching him sent shockwaves all the way to her toes. Quickly returning to her tripod, she called out various poses and expressions as diverse as boredom, anger, joy, and reflection. Every pose was magazine cover worthy.

  Finally, she said, "Ready for a break?"

  "More than ready."

  "You should have said something earlier. Anytime you want to stop, just let me know."

  Kade walked to the ice chest they'd placed under the meager shade of a juniper tree and responded, "You seemed to be on a roll, so I didn't want to interrupt a good thing." Lifting the lid of the ice chest, he asked, "Would you like water or something else?"

  "Water. I'm parched. I'll take a protein bar, too."

  Kade handed her what she'd asked for and then grabbed the same for himself. He asked, "What's next on the agenda? It's going to be getting hot soon."

  "I know. Do you feel like changing into the Armani suit and going one more round? After that we can call it until this evening. We'll need to get here in time to set up and catch the last rays of sun. I have some great shots in mind for that."

  "Not a problem." He gulped down the rest of his water and headed toward the SUV to retrieve his change of clothing.

  As he walked away, Skye called, "Kade, is everything all right? You seem a little down today, although you're great at not letting it show in the photos."

  * * *

  Kade heard Skye's question and called over his shoulder. "I'm fine. Maybe a little tired."

  It was a lie, but he didn't want to tell her that the real reason for his funk was her. Ever since their candid conversation over lunch he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. Nightly, his dreams turned erotic and the last thing he wanted was another relationship with a rich girl. Even though she was nothing like Ashley, he was gun shy of rich women. The way he figured it, she'd get tired of him and move on to someone more in keeping with her social status. Hell, he was just a grease monkey living in a nowhere town on the backside of the desert.

  Grabbing the Armani suit out of the car, he walked to the other side of the vehicle and started removing the tux. He wasn't modest about changing in front of Skye, but the way his body reacted when he was around her, he didn't want to take a chance of embarrassing himself. He tossed the tux in the backseat, not caring how expensive it was, and walked back to Skye. She was reaching into her backpack for something. She retrieved a large powder puff. "We'd better hurry. Let me blot the perspiration off your face and then we'll take some quick shots."

  Kade clenched his teeth as Skye started patting first his face and then his neck. The rest of him was covered by the suit and he was hot as hell, not only from the sun, but from the woman's close proximity and touch. He glanced downward as she moved the puff over his chin and mouth, and their eyes locked. He heard her suck a breath before quickly stepping backward. He saw her reaction expressed in her eyes. She was as drawn to him as he was to her. He almost reached to pull her against him, but forced his hands to stay put. The preservation of his heart was uppermost in his thoughts. He stepped away and tried to lighten the intense moment. "What are your instructions, maestro?"

  They worked until shortly before eleven when it got too hot. That evening they returned a couple of hours before sunset and quickly set up. This time, Kade wore the ivory Ralph Lauren suit, and before the sun went down, Skye had him remove his shirt and wear only the jacket. She kept telling him to look provocative and sexy. He had no idea how to do that, but he gave it his best shot. Every time she took a picture she liked, she gave a little squeal that had Kade's hormones begging for release.

  By the time they had repacked the car with her equipment, the sun was down, and Kade had changed back into his jeans and T-shirt. Skye was scrolling through the day's cache on her viewer. The way she smiled made his heart trip. He asked, "When do I get a peek?"

  She looked up and smiled. "Not until I've completed your portfolio, then we'll go through it and you can tell me what you like and don't like."

  Skye's smile was so warm and sweet that Kade was reluctant to part company with her. Against his wa
rring emotions, he said, "Why don't we grab a bite to eat at Desert Princess Diner and you can share what happens after the portfolio is finished."

  She glanced from the viewer, back to him, and replied, "I'd like that."

  Chapter 19: Next On The Agenda

  Skye slid into a booth at Desert Princess Diner and Kade sat across from her. Pilar was at the counter pouring coffee for patrons. As soon as she was free, she hastened over to their table, and exclaimed, "What a nice surprise! How was the photo session?"

  Skye noticed that the entire diner had suddenly gone silent and several people had turned to look at them, waiting for their response. A smile tugged at one side of her mouth, but before she could answer, Kade glanced around and said loudly, "HEY, THE PHOTO SESSION OVER AT THE OLD MINE WENT GREAT!" Then he started to laugh, which made Skye and Pilar laugh along with him. Soon, everyone in the café was chuckling.

  Bubba called, "Just keepin' tabs on our own famous son, Kade Blackwell, supermodel!"

  Kade responded, "As curious as you are, makes me wonder if you want to take a shot at it yourself, Bubba."

  Bubba returned, "There ain't no comparison 'tween my mug and yours, I win hands-down."

  Everyone in the diner was now laughing loudly. Bubba continued, "Hells bells, if I was ta git my picture on the cover of a mag-o-zine, I'd be branded as the heart-throb of Oasis. I don't want to break no more hearts, so I'll leave that title up to you."

  Someone called, "Bubba, I'd like to brand you with a cow iron."

  An elderly man made a waving motion to gain everyone's attention. "Yeah. Brand Bubba's mouth so he can't tell anymore stupid jokes."

  A few more people spouted comments and Pilar made a motion with her free hand to encompass the room. "I love this place!" She poured coffee for Kade and Skye and said, "Coffee's on me. Do you need time to decide what you want to eat?"

  Kade glanced at Skye, waiting for her response. She said, "I know what I want: the two plus two plus two breakfast with bacon, country potatoes, whole wheat toast, and scrambled eggs. Also, a glass of orange juice."

  Pilar said, "Got it." She looked at Kade.

  He said, "I'll have the Super Duper Cheesy Burger with everything on it."

  Pilar grinned, "Somehow, I already knew that. Do you want your usual biggie iced tea?"

  "Yep."

  Before Pilar left to place their order with the cook, Skye asked, "What's my brother up to?"

  "He and Willie headed to Phoenix early this morning. Max promised him a new baseball bat if he helped with the annual cleanup around the trailer park. We've spruced things up at the clubhouse and the entrance to the park by adding flower boxes." She leaned forward and whispered, "And just between us, Max got the okay from Princess to have plans drawn up for a new clubhouse to be built next spring."

  Skye said, "That's Max. Always something in the works."

  Pilar grinned, "Yep, that's my Max."

  As she walked away, Kade said, "I've never seen my cousin so happy."

  Skye responded, "Nor I, my brother. They're perfect for each other. I've seen my brother handle mega companies and corporate execs with ease, and when necessary, heavy handedness, but he never had a perpetual smile on his face like he does here." She had been watching Pilar while she talked, but now she shifted her gaze to Kade and confided, "Frankly, in the beginning, I thought my brother was crazy to want to live here, but now I understand. Oasis is a wonderful community. I mean, where can you sit in a diner and have all the patrons joking with each other?"

  Kade said, "No place that I know of."

  Pilar returned with their drinks, and he continued, "And how many towns have their own gold mine with stories of stolen riches. You never told me how you got access to the mine. Did you go to the mayor?"

  Skye slid her gaze to Pilar and they exchanged a knowing glance while Kade busied himself pouring sugar into his tea. She said, "Uh, yes. He gave me the phone number of an attorney. After the attorney gave me the go-ahead, he called the mayor to release the key that opens the padlock."

  Kade sipped his tea and Skye did the same with her orange juice. She hadn't exactly lied; she'd only left out part of the truth. She had gone to the mayor and he had given her the attorney's phone number, but it had been Max who'd called and brought him up to speed on Skye's request, and it had been Max who'd given the attorney permission to allow the mayor to release the key. Skye wanted so badly to tell Kade that her brother owned the town, but she'd given her word to keep it a secret. The only ones who knew were Pilar, Gramps, Princess, Skye, and, of course, the attorney.

  When Pilar returned with their food, Skye asked, "Have you heard from my grandfather and Princess? All my mail is forwarded to a mail service, so there's a lag time before I receive it. And apparently Gramps isn't using his laptop or cell phone. When he said they were going to fall off the face of the earth for awhile, he wasn't kidding."

  Pilar said, "We got a postcard yesterday from France. All it said was,

  We're getting ready to ride a zip line in the French Alps. Never knew retirement could be so much fun! Princess sends her love.

  Skye sighed. "I'm so happy that my grandfather and Princess found each other. I wonder how they met. When they get back, I want to hear their story. It just goes to show that you're never too old for romance." She lifted a forkful of home fried potatoes and made a happy sound as she chewed. "My compliments to your chef."

  Pilar said, "I'll go tell him now."

  Kade took a bite of his burger and they ate in silence for several minutes. Then he asked, "So, what's next on the agenda?"

  Skye crunched into her bacon, crispy just the way she liked, and noticed Manuel, the portly chef, waving at her in response to her compliment. She waved back and then answered Kade's question. "Well, I think we can finish the shoot at the mine this evening and tomorrow morning, then I need about three or four days to cull the photos, select the best ones, and finish the portfolio. After it's digitized, I'll print the photos for you to preview as hard copy. We can make any changes you want, and then I'll upload the file to my friend, and also send him the portfolio in a binder for shopping agents in person. He'll contact his connections, and we'll cross our fingers that a top agent takes interest." She munched on her toast. "Of course, I think it's only a matter of time before that happens. Your photos are fabulous."

  Kade asked, "When you have the hard copy, would you mind bringing it to my house so my grandmother can give her input? I think she'd enjoy doing so."

  "I'd love to."

  Chapter 20: Portfolio

  Skye pulled her Range Rover to the front of Kade's home. Its design was Santa Fe style, probably built during the early 1900s, and had a backdrop of the Weaver Mountains. The sandstone colored exterior of adobe blocks looked like an extension of nature growing out of the desert. A smooth, flagstone walkway led the way to the entrance. Various cacti and boulders dotted the grassless yard and two giant pots overflowing with jasmine punctuated either end of the porch under a shady overhang.

  The front door opened and Kade's grandmother called a greeting. "Hello, Skye. I'm so happy to see you again. Come on in and have a glass of iced lemonade."

  Skye felt a sudden love for this sweet woman and understood Kade's desire to do anything and everything for her. Clutching the portfolio to her chest, she grinned at Shiloh. "It's wonderful seeing you again, too. I'm so happy I have this chance to say goodbye before leaving tomorrow." She stepped under the porch overhang and lifted the binder in her hand. "And I can't wait to hear your input on Kade's portfolio."

  Skye waited for Shiloh to back her walker up and then followed her into the cool interior of her home. The inside was just as lovely and homey as the outside. The rough hewn walls had an earthiness that homeowners paid big bucks to designers to recreate in new homes. And the muted colors, so reminiscent of desert terrain, was incredibly beautiful. Skye exclaimed, "I love your home!"

  Shiloh said, "My granddaddy and granny built it themselves. They came here from th
e east coast during the mining boom and decided to stay after things bottomed out. My granddaddy tried his hand at mining his own claim for awhile, but then, because he had a college degree, he was asked to become the first school teacher in town. My daddy always told me granddaddy liked teaching much better than mining. My daddy became a teacher, too, and so did Kade's daddy.

  "After granddaddy died the house passed on to my daddy. My mama, a pure blood Navajo, was raised dirt poor. She loved this home. She said it was like living in a palace. She was the one who talked my daddy into adding two more bedrooms for my two younger brothers. She said everyone needs their privacy. I guess she never had any growing up. She also had a green thumb. Why, I can look out my kitchen window even now and see her gardening like it was yesterday. I never had the 'touch' like she did, but Kade has it." Shiloh smiled at Skye. "Come to the kitchen, sweetie."

  Skye felt a lump in her throat for all things family. What would it be like to put down roots; to live in one place year after year; to know your neighbors; to participate in community activities?

  In the kitchen, Shiloh ambled to the sink. Lifting a frail, blue-veined hand, she pointed. "Look at my boy. He's as handsome as they come, but that's not what makes him so attractive. It's his heart. That boy is generous to a fault, and when he returned heartbroken from Phoenix, it broke my heart, too."

  Skye walked to stand beside Shiloh and gaze out the window at Kade working in a glorious vegetable garden.