Western Pleasure (Colorado Cowboy Series)

by Mascaro, Christina

  It was a bright afternoon when she locked the door, and it was an even lonelier walk back to her little cabin. As soon as Charlie heard her get close to the door, he started barking. She opened the door and he jumped up and down on her, begging to go out.

  Since the sunlight was still warm, Zoë leashed him and decided to take a stroll behind the cabin along the tree line, hoping to get him used to the property. They took a long hike, something she wasn’t used to, and when the sun started to dip, she headed back to the cabin. The sun was setting into a brilliant pink sky and in the horse pasture field she could see a dozen elk grazing with the horses. Charlie didn’t even seemed phased as they passed them, and Zoë took the moment to watch thoughtfully, taking in the mountain skyline.

  “I didn’t see you all day,” Logan interrupted. She snapped back to attention, and peered at him over the fence.

  “I think I got most of the office organized,” she nodded her head. Why does he always put me in a position to not know what to say? She thought to herself.

  “Good. Josh told me you went a little Martha Stewart in there.”

  Zoë’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “I hope that’s ok. I mean, I haven’t seen the owner to ask, but, I mean, it should be okay, shouldn’t it?” She asked him. Zoë noticed the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement.

  “I’m sure it isn’t a problem at all,” he drawled out slowly.

  “Wow, is that an accent I hear?” She changed the subject with curiosity. He held back his laugh, and went with the subject change. “It is. I’m not from Colorado; I’m actually from Texas. My family’s still down there,” he bit his lip.

  “Oh, that explains a lot.” She licked her lips and chuckled.

  He frowned. “What the heck does that mean?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “Oh, nothing. It just, you don’t act like a native,” she covered and backpedaled quickly.

  “Uh huh,” he let out a deep breath. “Heard Josh wanted to take you into town. How come you said no?” He asked her, the tone of his voice change in pitch just slightly.

  “Oh, I’m not a big bar person,” she shrugged. “I’m kinda a loner. I would like to go into town, but not just yet. I’ll get a chance to go later,” she brushed over his question.

  “It’s ok. He’s a little young and eager. But it was nice of you to not be so mean to him and offer to go later,” Logan smiled. Zoë flushed again.

  “Wow, you guys sure don’t keep things you yourself. Gossip travels.” She muttered in fun.

  “You’ll have to remember, that almost three quarters of our staff is college age.” Logan reminded her.

  Zoë was quiet for another minute, when he cleared his throat ready to say something. Zoë didn’t notice, and cut him off. “By the way, is the owner going to be around tomorrow to talk to? I have a few questions about my pay, and things like that,” she rushed.

  Again, Logan looked at her in amusement. Zoë watched the corner of his mouth twitch again, watched him stuff his hands into his vest.

  “Zoë, I thought you kinda knew…” he paused and looked at her, adjusting his hat. “I’m the owner of this place.”

  Zoë felt suddenly very stupid. She could feel her cheeks burning. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t know…I never talked to you on the phone,” she stammered. “The emails were all signed Mister Patrick, and I really didn’t know,” Zoë took a step back from him.

  Logan started chuckling. “It’s okay, really. I knew earlier today that you had no idea, and I kinda had a little fun stringing you along,” he grinned.

  “Wow, you’re so young, how did you, I mean—” She hesitated, feeling more rude for asking how he could afford such a nice place. Her questions didn’t seem to upset him, embarrass him, or faze him.

  “My dad is in finance. He helped me get a plan together to finance this place. I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do and had trouble finding a job, so my dad helped me get the money to put this place together. I’ve been around horses my entire life.” Logan gave her a genuine smile and nudged her arm. “It was kinda cute how you didn’t know,” he teased.

  Zoë looked down at her shoes, still feeling dumb.

  “You didn’t get to go out tonight,” Logan continued. “Would you like something to eat? You probably haven’t had a chance to go to the store yet.” He asked, studying her reaction.

  Zoë’s heart lifted, but then she realized who he was and who she was. “Thanks, but that’s okay. We kinda have to go,” she gave a little wave and pulled Charlie back toward her cabin.

  Back in her cabin, Zoë shut her door and unclipped Charlie, throwing herself down on the couch.

  Oh my gosh, you’re stupid. She turned on the television, hoping to drown out her own thoughts. Charlie nosed at the cabinet next to the sink and she whirled around. I wonder how much he’s worth? She thought curiously.

  “Hungry?” She asked Charlie. He sat down where he was, staring at her with wide brown eyes. “Me too,” she dug through her refrigerator, finding nothing. Feeding him, she settled on a bottle of iced tea, and decided to skip dinner.

  Chapter Three

  Feeling a little outdone by Holly, Zoë pulled out her nice jeans and her own pair of nice cowgirl boots, searching for her favorite sweater. Feeling good, she donned her outfit with a white vest. Everyone else has a vest…I will too. She smiled.

  Before she even reached the lodge, Logan stopped her.

  “Hey, I wanted to check the trails today, see how much snow there is.” He stepped in front of her path. “Would you like to go?” He asked. They were interrupted by Holly’s truck pulling up.

  “Hey guys!” She slammed her truck door shut. Zoë stared at the white pickup.

  “Hey Holly. Checking trails today. I was thinking you could take the one hour, and we’ll take the two hour?” He asked.

  Holly looked disappointed. “Oh, I was hoping to go out with you together. It’s so boring by myself,” she pouted. Zoë took a step back.

  “Yeah, I have some computer stuff to do anyway,” she hurried away before Logan could object. She disappeared. After turning on all the computers, she was hoping to start her own file organization, when she was interrupted.

  “Hey, go grab your coat. Logan wants to hit the trails up today.” Josh popped his head into her office. “Holly said they were going together.” She called out, without even turning to look at him.

  “Yeah, Holly likes to think she says what goes. Holly and me are going on the one-hour trail. Logan was taking you on the two hour,” Josh winked at her. Zoë looked up quickly at him, and he disappeared out the doorway as quickly as he had popped his head in. She locked the door up to her office and hurried back to her cabin, tossed Charlie a chewy, and changed her vest for a coat.

  By the time she got to the barn, the three were waiting for her. Logan helped her up onto her horse, adjusted her stirrups, and handed her the reins.

  Zoë held her excitement to herself and lifted her chin, remaining calm and showing off her cool confidence. It had been three years since she’d been on the back of a horse, and it felt good.

  “Wow, you look like a little horse person up there,” Holly giggled at her. Zoë didn’t respond, and the four nudged their way through the footpath toward the forest. Zoë listened to Josh and Holly jabber as they passed the entrance to the trail.

  The one-hour path took a jab to the left, and the two-hour took a steep climb to the right. Logan took the lead, and Zoë fell behind him, keeping her lips pressed together and holding her breath. The air was cold and bitter, and when they were in the trees in the shade, she felt a sharp drop in temperature. Logan didn’t talk either, until they were out of the tree line, and they came into a clearing.

  “So, you turned me down last night,” he started, turning slightly in his saddle. “Is that because you felt bad you didn’t know I was the boss, or because you just plain weren’t interested?” He teased. Zoë lifted her eyes to meet his, measuring what his intention was.

  “
I didn’t come out to Colorado to meet a boy.” She thought carefully, picking out her words.

  He let out a short burst of a laugh. “Well, I hate to tell you this but most of my wranglers are guys, and they’re going to be all over you. You’re going to be meeting a lot of boys.” He emphasized the last word.

  Zoë pursed her lips in an amused half smiled. Logan smiled back when he saw her expression. “You know what I mean,” she retorted.

  “Well, I was just trying to be polite,” he turned back around to face the trail. They both fell back into a silence, the horses snorting at the chilly air. She noticed the ground getting harder and more snow covering the trail. He stopped, and Zoë did as well. “The trail is going to have to wait another few days. There’s too much snow on the ground. The horses will slip and we can’t risk the guests riding up here,” he turned his horse. “Do you know the way back?” He faced her.

  “I suppose,” she turned her horse and nudged him down the trail. They were a few paces in when she heard Logan cough. Turning to glance over her shoulder, she knew he had a question.

  “Yes?” She asked him.

  “Oh, well.” He stopped. “I was just wondering why you were out here. What brought you twelve hundred miles away from home?” “I could ask you the same thing,” she whipped back at him. Within seconds, Logan had pushed his way to walk next to her. It was a

  tight squeeze and the horses were a little spooked walking side by side, but they managed. Zoë looked at her leg when his knee brushed against hers.

  “I’ll tell you if you tell me,” he gave her a cocky grin. Zoë agreed, holding her horse steady.

  “Well, let me first say, Michigan isn’t even home. I had to get away. I was legally divorced six weeks ago. I’ve been legally separated for over a year. We had to be legally separated before getting a divorce. It’s been horribly bitter, and I just needed to do something different. I got married too young, had a horrible marriage, got divorced, and here I am.” She hurried through her explanation. She looked up at Logan, who was staring at the trail.

  “Well, why did you get divorced?” He asked her. Zoë collected her thoughts slowly and methodically. It was a question she’d asked herself for over a year.

  “You ever just start to get real mean?” She asked him quietly. “We were just really mean toward each other. Impatient. Young. We both thought we were right about everything. And it made us mean toward each other,” she answered. “I think that’s another reason why I’m out here. I am out here to get balanced. Learn how to be a better person again.”

  Logan nodded, accepting her answer, giving it a moment of silence. She tilted her head and watched him, trying to understand why he didn’t show any type of emotion in his features.

  “Now, your turn,” she smiled, nudging her left leg against his.

  “I came back from the war, and I just couldn’t find a job. I was out of work for over a year, and I had to do something. I was always good with horses. Even with a college degree, nobody wants some Joe from the Army,” he frowned. “This place had been empty and for sale for a few years with just a family from the city looking to get out of the business. They could barely afford it. I worked here for one year, and my dad loaned me a little and helped me finance the rest.” He shifted in the saddle slightly, purposefully not looking at her. “I’ve had it for two years, and we’re doing okay, but this is the first year we’ve been able to afford getting this place right. Getting the marketing right, focusing on customer upgrades.”

  Zoë didn’t know how to respond. Should she thank him like another stranger? Should she empathize?

  “So you’ve only been up here for a few years then?” She tried to fill the silence. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice. “Yeah. Before that I spent a year in Austin, trying to find a job.”

  “Alone?” Zoë blurted out before she could help herself. She noticed the corners of his mouth kick up and felt relieved. “Does it matter?” He asked her, teasing in his voice.

  “Just curious,” she lifted her chin and turned to look at the trail.

  “Not alone.” He answered. Zoë wasn’t sure if she would be satisfied with that answer, but she didn’t have a choice. He didn’t elaborate, and she didn’t want to be too nosy.

  “Hey, you guys are done early!” Holly shouted at them. Zoë could see Josh and Holly walking toward them. “The one hour trail is muddy but usable.”

  Logan nodded and continued back toward the barn. Zoë watched him take the lead and cut off the three of them. She rode in silence; content, not able to keep up with the chatter between Holly and Josh.

  When she got back to the barn, Logan was already off his horse and had let him out, and he was walking away by the time she was sliding out of the saddle. Gee, thanks for helping me off my horse. Great talking with you today. Zoë started removing the saddle. She put the saddle back on the bench and started to remove the horse’s bridle, her hands on autopilot, and her mind on Logan. Getting back to the barn was a totally different affair in her mind.

  She imagined climbing down off her horse with his help, his hands steadying her as she reached the ground, his fingers gracing her hips longer than they needed to. She imagined his breath on her neck and ear, breathing in the scent of her vanilla shampoo that she used last night. She imagined him smiling, and taking the heavy saddle off so she didn’t have to do it.

  Of course, her own imagination was interrupted when Holly scolded her.

  “You can put that saddle up in the tack room. Don’t just leave that there on the bench,” she taunted her as she walked out of the barn. Zoë unleashed the horse she’d been riding into the field, and turned her attention to putting away the saddle and bridle, forcing herself to learn her way around the barn and taking responsibility. By the time she was done, both Holly and Josh were also gone, and she was the only one left.

  I think tonight is a good night to go out by myself and go grocery shopping. That’s easy enough. Groceries, maybe a little shopping. Zoë thought, walking back toward the lodge alone.

  Thankfully, the rest of the day was spent getting her way with the computers. If there was anything that came in handy, that degree that she had earned and the work that she did put her in a position to keep the technology as up to date as Logan could afford. After helping herself to the tea in the kitchen, she took a break mid-afternoon to take Charlie on a quick walk, and then went back to work. With more and more employees starting to filter in, she was able to get a grasp of how Logan wanted the place to be, and she busied herself creating a makeshift manual for the employees on how to handle guests, customers, and service.

  She doubted Logan would even appreciate the fact that she was being so academic about it, but fortunately he gave her the run on in and left her alone. The next few days he was gone into the Front Range, preparing the lodge to receive horse feed and preparing the wranglers on how to handle the horses. The only jealous part for her was the amount of time that Logan was spending with Holly.

  Being alone again with his image and smile distracting her left her alone to go into town and do a little bit of shopping however. Before hitting the boutiques, she had spotted a few coffee shops in town, and decided to stop in. If there were anything that would make her feel better, it would be getting coffee. For her, coffee was a chance for her to regain the confidence she had lost. It was something about caffeine that made her stand tall again.

  The line was unusually long, but she didn’t mind, sampling the books that were on the counter while she waited. She picked up a book, engrossed in the cover, and smiled. The cover alone made her want to read it.

  “Looks like Charlie, doesn’t it?” A voice said peculiarly close to her ear. The breath was so near, it made her hair move slightly. The feel of his hot breath so close to her made her stomach jump slightly. She whipped her head around and saw Logan leaning down.

  “Do you whisper in girls’ ears often?” She teased.

  “Only girls I like,” he winked at her. She gave a
wider smile, eyeballing him. Did he like her then?

  “It does look like Charlie. And I’m a sucker for a dog book,” she put it on the counter, pulling out her wallet.

  “I’ll tell you what, I’ll buy it. You can read it first, and when you’re done, I can read it.” He pulled out a twenty and slapped it down on top of the book.

  “Um, because I can’t afford my own book?” She shoved his money back into his hand and ordered a latte, and held up the book for the cashier to scan.