I laughed. “I’m already learning how to ride a horse. One thing at a time, you know. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow?” I said. I’d intended for it to come across as a statement, but it sounded more like a question. I supposed part of me was still unsure whether he’d even want to see me again.
But he nodded. “Yeah, bright and early,” he said.
I grinned. “Bright and early.”
Chapter Thirteen
Brady
It was gearing up to be another beautiful day. I could always tell what the weather was going to be like, even when the sun hadn’t come up yet. I’d gotten up early enough for years to figure out the weather. There was a certain stillness in the air that morning that I just knew meant another hot summer’s day. I finished my coffee and made my way over to the ranch. I was just about to get into the car when I noticed how early it was, so I decided to walk it instead. I made a mental note to do this more often, especially before the winter mornings were upon us. There was nothing quite like going for a walk before the rest of the world had woken up. When I arrived, I was surprised to see Harold sitting on the porch. He waved me over.
“Wow, you’re here early,” I said.
He smiled. “Yeah, I wanted to get here before the crowds arrived. Did you walk here?”
“I sure did. Nothing quite like the morning walk. I’ll probably regret it this afternoon when I have to walk back, but it was worth it.”
He laughed. “Make the most of it, my boy. One day you’ll wish you had sturdy enough legs for a long walk.”
“Oh, come on! You could do it,” I said.
“Yeah, only it would take me three times as long as you. So, how are things going? I can’t believe they’ve all been here for two weeks already. Time has gone so fast. Only two more weeks to go. I’m not too sure how I feel about that. Between you and me, I’m going to enjoy having the farm back to myself again. But at the same time, it’s been pretty exciting having them all here. How about you? You must be glad it’s almost over.”
My mind immediately went to Sloan. It had been difficult to get her naked body out of my head, even though I’d tried hard enough. I smiled. “Actually, I don’t mind so much anymore. I guess I’ve gotten used to them being there.”
“Oh yeah? Wow, I never thought I’d hear you say that. I was actually feeling a bit bad about putting you through all this, to be honest. You’re a good kid, and I just threw this on you. But you’ve handled it well. They all really like you. I think they’re actually a bit scared of you to be honest. These city kids have no idea what life is really all about.”
I chuckled. “I quite like the thought of them being scared of me. But don’t apologize, Harold. This is your place and you must do whatever you want to. Also, it’s only for a month. And these two weeks have already gone by so fast. We’ll be back to normal in no time,” I said and then wondered at the little twinge inside my stomach as I said it.
“Yeah, you’re right. Well, thanks for everything. So, it’s the rodeo next weekend. I didn’t actually realize it was going to coincide with everyone being here. But I think that’s a good thing. I’m going to speak to the producer and see if he wants to use some of it for the film.”
“Next weekend already? Wow, I didn’t realize it was so soon.”
“Are you going to be in it?” Harold asked.
“I’m going to be roping with Trace, and I put my name down for the bull riding. I wouldn’t have done it if I knew it would be when the crew was here. Do you want me to take my name off?” I asked.
Harold shook his head fervently. “No way. You must do it. I’m glad to see that you’re getting more into the rodeo side of things. I always knew you had it in you. And while Trace is a pain in my backside at times, he’s very good at it too.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, he is. He’s actually not a bad guy.”
“I know. He’s just young. Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you take Sloan with you for the rodeo? I’m sure the producer would like her to see what it’s all about. It’s a great experience to have, anyway. Very different from what she’s used to in New York, I’m sure.”
“Yeah, okay, that’s not a bad idea. I’ll let her know.”
Harold laughed. “Wow, I thought you were going to protest. You really don’t mind them all being here, do you?”
I chuckled. “Nah, I’m okay with it.”
“You’re not as much of a loner as I thought you were, eh.”
“Perhaps not,” I said. “Anyway, I think I better get going. They’re all going to arrive soon, and I’d like to get some work done before they get here. Any idea where they’ll be shooting today?”
“As far as I know it will be mostly work with the horses. So maybe get that area ready. And get a couple of the guys to be on hand to help, if you don’t mind?”
“Sure, no problem. See you later, Harold.”
A few hours later, the crew was all set up. I waved at Sloan when she arrived, and she waved back. She was fully kitted out in the right gear for horse riding, and I was surprised at how quickly she had morphed into the role of cowgirl. I tried not to get caught watching her, but every now and again I glanced at her and wondered who the real Sloan Hill really was. So far I’d seen two sides of her. I’d seen the spoiled rich kid that wanted nothing more than to boast about her money. But I’d also seen an interesting, caring side that seemed more at ease out in the fresh, open air that she even realized it herself. I wished she could see how much more beautiful she looked when she stopped trying so hard. I wished too that I knew which side was the real Sloan.
The rest of the day went by quite quickly. I helped the crew with the horses and made sure they were all handled correctly. But for the most part, I stayed to the side and quietly did my work. I tried now to do work that was near to where they were filming, just in case they needed me. Once they packed up, I made my way back to the barn and put the horses away for the day. I kissed Betty and told her that she had done a fine job with all the city folks that day. She was a good horse, and they were all lucky to have met her. They were all going to go back with a good experience thanks to Betty.
I was just about to leave when my phone rang.
“Brady speaking,” I said into the receiver.
“Brady, it’s Ryan. How’s it going, man?”
I smiled at the sound of my brother’s voice. I’d gotten close to Grant over the years, especially since he moved to Wyoming. But I was still closest to Ryan. He was a little younger than me and he’d been there for me when my other brothers hadn’t. We had very different personalities, and yet we gelled in a way that I didn’t with most people.
“Ryan, hey man. It’s been far too long. Where the hell have you been?”
“Oh, you know me, just climbing the ladder.”
“Climbing the ladder? What does that even mean? And since when do you talk in riddles?”
He laughed. “I’m making my way up the proverbial ladder in order to become the world champion MMA fighter. What’s happened to your brain these days? You’re turning to mush out there. What else would I have meant?”
I chuckled. That was true. I should’ve known that he was talking about fighting. Ryan loved nothing more than talking about his fighting career. And I didn’t blame him. He’d gone from a nobody to someone who was now winning every fight. It was impressive. And while I didn’t have any interest in fighting myself, I was always interested in hearing from him.
“That’s true. So, it’s going well then?”
“Yeah, you could say so. I just won the last fight. With Thompson Greary.”
I pictured a large scary-looking man that Ryan had shown me a picture of before. It was hard to forget a face like that. “Thompson Greary? I don’t know much about fighting, but even I know that he’s one of the top guys. I remember that picture you showed me of him once. Scary-looking man. Seriously, though? You beat him? That’s incredible.”
I could almost hear him smiling through the phone. “I’m serious. And he�
��s even scarier up close. It was a close one, but I did it. And now, I’m exhausted. Exhilarated, but exhausted. I’m literally sprawled out on my bed now, and I can’t get up.”
I laughed at the image. “I’d tell you that I’m exhausted too, but I have a feeling you feel worse than me.”
“I don’t know, man. You work so hard. And you do it all day every day from early morning to late afternoon. I think it’s safe to say you’re as exhausted as I am.”
“Maybe,” I agreed. “But a little less beaten up.”
“That’s true. Hey, listen, I wanted to ask you something. I heard a rumor about some movie being filmed out in Wyoming. Know anything about it? I wasn’t sure if it was true or not. But it’s a small town, so I figured you’d know if it was happening.”
“Wow, news travels fast,” I said.
“It’s called ‘the internet,'” he said and laughed. “Something you obviously don’t know about.”
“I have the internet,” I said with defiance.
“Oh yeah? When last did you go on it? Tell me the last thing that you looked up.”
“Uh, that doesn’t matter,” I said and chuckled. “Anyway, to answer your question, yes, they’re filming here. And guess where they’re doing it? Right here, on the ranch I work at.”
“Are you kidding me? And you’re only telling me now?”
“I didn’t think you’d want to know. It’s not that interesting, is it?”
“Maybe not to you. But to us normal folk, it’s damn interesting.”
I chuckled. “Sorry. Well, it’s happening.”
“You’re such a dork,” he said and laughed. “Anyway, I have to go, but I just wanted to tell you that I’m coming to visit soon. Hopefully I’ll get to see a bit of this movie being made, too.”
I knew from past experiences that Ryan wasn’t asking if he could come: he was telling me. He wasn’t one to ask for permission. But I didn’t mind. It would be good to see him again.
“Sure, no problem, bro. Looking forward to it.”
I switched the phone off and put it in my pocket. I made sure everything was packed away and then walked over to kiss Betty goodbye. As I walked out, I almost walked straight into Sloan.
“Oh hey,” I said and smiled at her. Neither one of us had spoken about what had happened, but it didn’t feel awkward, which was at least good. “You were great out there today. You’re getting the hang of the horses I see.”
She smiled. “You think? Thank you. It was a good day. A very long day, though. I’m exhausted. I’m heading back to the hotel. But uh, well, I’d love to see you again.”
“Actually, I’m glad you’re here because there was something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“There was?”
I leaned against the door trying to look as casual as possible. “There’s a rodeo happening next Saturday, and I’m going to be a part of it. I was wondering if you wanted to come with? It would be great for research purposes. For the film and all.”
“A rodeo? Oh, that does sound interesting. I’ll be there.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sloan
For the first time in a very long time, I woke up before the sun. I thought about calling someone to bring me a cup of coffee, like I usually did, but decided to just make one myself. After all, the room had come with a kettle and a can of instant coffee. It wasn’t exactly the kind of coffee I was used to drinking, but it would do. I made myself a cup and sat in bed, wondering what I was going to do with my day. The producer was working on a part of the movie that I wasn’t in that day. It was a scene set at some café and involved a few of the side actors. I was glad not to be a part of it that day. I loved working, but it was nice to have a break from it every now and again. I’d never done a movie when I’d been so fully immersed in the character and the environment, and it felt nice to just have a breather from it.
After the coffee and a long shower, I made my way downstairs and helped myself to some breakfast. I was still the only one up, and when I sat down to eat, the man looked at me in surprise.
“Good morning, Miss Hill. You’re up early today. I’m glad I made the decision to get the breakfast ready early.”
I smiled. “Yeah, I’ve been up for a while. It’s very unusual for me to be up at this time of the morning.”
“We’re early risers here. Seems you’re getting into the role of a cowgirl quite easily.”
I grinned. “I think I am.”
“So, what can I get you? I know you usually enjoy your fruit, but I do have some freshly baked croissants this morning if you’re interested. We fill them with scrambled eggs made from the local farmers’ eggs. It’s delicious.”
I could smell the croissants from where I was sitting. It was hard to resist. “Ah, to hell with diets. I’ll take one,” I said.
It was a good decision. The moment I took a bite of the fresh crumbly croissant, I wondered why I ever worried so much about my weight. It seemed so frivolous at that moment. I almost laughed as I thought of the headlines if someone were to catch me then.
SLOAN HILL – PREGNANT?
SLOAN HILL EATS ENTIRE CROISSANT DUE TO DEPRESSION.
I groaned inwardly, and then finished it quickly before anyone did actually take a photo of me. When the man took my plate, I told him that it had been the best thing I’d ever eaten. He seemed incredibly pleased as he walked off.
It was still early, and I felt like doing something with my day. I decided that I’d make my way to the ranch to surprise Brady. I could use a day of horse riding. I found myself missing Betty when I wasn’t around her. I called the driver and asked him to drop me off, and then considered taking up driving lessons when I was back in New York. Although, driving around this small farming community was probably a lot different from driving in busy New York. I wasn’t sure I’d want to navigate those roads.
When I arrived, I saw Harold sitting on his porch. He waved me over and seemed very surprised to see me.
“Sloan! Good to see you. Are you filming today? Please don’t tell me I got the dates wrong.”
“Oh no, we’re not filming. I just woke up today and thought it looked like a nice day to ride some horses. I can’t believe I’m saying that, to be honest. I never thought I’d wake up and think that.”
Harold laughed. “This place has a way of getting under your skin. Well, it’s great to see you on your day off.”
“Do you think it would be okay to ride the horses even though we’re not filming?”
“Sure, I don’t see why not. I have absolutely no problem with that. Brady isn’t here yet, but he should be in soon, and he can help you saddle up.”
“You mean to say that I actually beat Brady into work?” I said and laughed. “Wow, that’s quite something. But that’s okay; he’s shown me what to do. I’m pretty confident I can do it without him.”
“You sure? I don’t think he’ll be too long if you want to wait.”
“I’m sure.”
“Well then, the barn is all yours. I opened it up this morning so you can go right in.”
I grinned, thanked him, and walked confidently over to the barn.
Once inside, I chatted a little with all the horses, the way Brady always did, and then took Betty outside. I had all saddled and ready to go when Brady walked in. He stood in silence for a few seconds, just looking at me. Clearly he was shocked to see me there, and I chuckled at his response.
“Morning, Brady,” I said cheerfully.
“Uh, good morning. Wow, this is a surprise. What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to see Betty. I missed her.”
A small smile was starting to appear on his face. “Oh yeah? She’s easy to miss. So, did Harold help you saddle up?”
“I did it all on my own.”
“Seriously?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. You’re obviously a very good teacher.”
“I’m not surprised, actually. But I am impressed. Well, it’s nice to see you. I have a
bit of work that I need to get done this morning, but I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
Just then Harold appeared and said hello to Brady. He looked up at me and grinned.
“You really did do it all on your own. You’re a fast learner, Sloan. In fact, I think you’re a natural. Isn’t she, Brady?”
Brady smiled at me. “She sure is.”
“Now, I heard you saying you had some work to today. Well, most it can wait to be honest. Why don’t you take the day off for a change? Spend the day with Sloan and show her around. You’ve both been working too hard.”
“Oh no, I need to work,” Brady stammered.
“Nonsense. I won’t hear of it. You officially have the day off,” Harold said to Brady. Then he looked at me and smiled. “Have a wonderful day, Miss Hill.”
“Thank you, Harold,” I said. I liked this man.
Then I turned my attention to Brady. “So, go on then, get yourself a horse and join me.”
He laughed. “You’re not going to give up Betty? You do realize she’s my horse.”
I chuckled and patted Betty. “Not a chance. Today, she’s mine.”
I waited while Brady saddled up and soon the two of us were trotting around the farm. Brady pointed out all the different areas that he’d never shown me before.
“You know, it almost feels like you own this place,” I said.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“You have so much love for it. The way you look at this farm . . . well, it’s obvious that it means a lot to you.” To be honest, I’d never seen anyone love work as much as Brady loved his. I’d never seen anyone love a place as much as he did. I remembered his question when he had asked me which place I loved to be in the most. I still didn’t really have an answer. That saddened me. Why didn’t I have a place that I loved as much as Brady loved this farm?
He grinned. “It does. It means a lot to Harold, too. But yeah, I sometimes feel like this place saved my life, you know.”
Saved his life from what? I wanted to know but didn’t want to ask. If he’d wanted to tell me, he would’ve. I just nodded and told him that it was a place that could save anyone’s life. “There’s something about it,” I said.
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