by Ivy Jordan
I laughed. “That’s for sure. Although, admittedly, so can I.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here, and I know he is too even if he would never admit that to you. We’ve… well… we’ve been having some problems of our own. And I think having you here might be just what we need to get our mind off everything. I can already feel like the stress has been lifted by having something else to talk about and think about.”
I frowned and looked at Allison. This was the first I was hearing about any problems. From the outside, the two of them looked like the happiest couple in the world. “Are the two of you okay? I didn’t know you were having problems.”
“We’re good. I mean, the two of us are great. But we’ve been trying to have kids for years now, and it’s just not working out. It’s one of those things you just never expect is going to happen to you. I just assumed we would try and that I’d fall pregnant straight away and it just didn’t happen. The problem is that the more we stress about it, the more our bodies fail us. But it’s not the easiest thing to stop yourself from stressing about. It’s been tough.”
“Wow, I had no idea that you were having fertility problems. Shit, Allison, I feel so bad now. I should’ve been here for the two of you. I’m really sorry.”
“No, it’s not your fault. And anyway, there’s nothing that you could do. We’ll just keep trying, but there is a chance it just might not happen for us. That’s why I feel like keeping connected with family is so important for us. With your parents gone, I know how much Mike needs his family around even though he doesn’t always act like it.”
I smiled. “We’re both very stubborn. Aren’t we?”
“You sure are, and you’re both much more alike than you realize. So, enough about me, today went well, didn’t it? That’s an interesting group of people we have. That Jackson guy is really something, isn’t he? I noticed you were trying very hard to be polite with him. You did very well.”
I laughed at the thought of Jackson and shook my head. “He is really something, that guy. I think he really believes that he’s going to be a cowboy while he’s here. Do you always get people as nuts as him?”
“Not always, but sometimes. We get all sorts. It’s what makes the whole thing so interesting. I think he’s going to annoy everyone, but he’s probably going to entertain them too. He’s the guy that everyone is going to go home and talk about.”
“Oh, that’s for sure. That outfit was very amusing. I get the feeling he’s only packed things like that too.”
Allison nodded. “I wouldn’t be surprised. And what about those other two? The girls. What were their names?”
“Jillian and Harper?”
“Yeah, those two. Not the sort of girls we usually see out here. They’re both gorgeous, aren’t they? Although I get the feeling that Jillian is trying too hard. Like she’s trying to cover something up.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking too although I can’t quite place my finger on what it is. She seems nice though.”
“Yeah, she does seem nice. I wonder if she’s running away from something? That’s usually the case when you see city girls like them in a place like this. We’ll see if her enthusiasm lasts. Hopefully, this is just the sort of escape she needs, but only time will tell.”
“Yeah, should be interesting. And her friend Harper is pretty annoying, isn’t she?”
“Annoying? You think so?”
I nodded. “I mean, she’s gorgeous obviously, but her attitude is pretty shoddy. Makes me wonder why she came here in the first place. She doesn’t seem to want to be here at all. I get the impression she’s just dying to go back to her easy city life living.”
Allison burst out laughing.
“Hey, what’s so funny?”
“When you look at her, it’s almost like you’re looking into a mirror, don’t you think? I mean, you’re also a big city guy who doesn’t really want to be here.”
I chuckled. “I do want to be here.”
“I’m just kidding. Well, at least you have some pretty girls to look at while you’re here.”
“I’m looking at one right now,” I said to her and smiled.
“Ah, such a charmer. Just like your brother. Thanks, Travis. And thanks again for helping us out like this. I know it’s not really your thing, but I cannot tell you how much it means to both of us. You saved our butt. And, with this group of people, at least you’ll have a month here that you won’t easily forget.”
I thought of Jackson and laughed. “Yeah, that’s for sure.”
We sat there for a while longer, just talking. Allison told me all about her previous groups. She had some hilarious stories, and it made me wonder what I was in for this time around. Judging by the colorful group of people that had gotten off the shuttle bus, I had a feeling we were in for some pretty interesting experiences. That’s if all of them even made it all the way to the last day. Harper seemed worried for the last two days, but I was sure she wasn’t the only one that was worried about the two-night trip. I looked back up at the stars and smiled. At least with this group of city misfits, I didn’t feel like I was totally out of place here. For once I felt like I belonged.
Chapter Eight
Harper
I woke up early the next day and got out my little travel laptop. I pulled it onto the bed with me and checked through my emails. I knew I was supposed to be taking a break from work, but I liked to always be on top of things. There was a new campaign that my PR firm was working on, and even though I was not heading it up, I still liked to get involved where I could. I sent out a few emails, giving out suggestions where I felt was necessary, and I was just about to send one more when I noticed that Jillian was awake and that she was glaring at me. I quickly closed the laptop.
“Uh, sorry. Did I wake you up? I was trying to be as quiet as possible.”
She sighed. “You didn’t wake me up, but I’m not glad that you’re on your laptop. I can’t believe you even brought that thing with you.”
“Really?”
“Okay, I’m not surprised. But still, it’s supposed to be a vacation. We’re supposed to be making the most of this experience. Remember what I said to you? We’re here to disconnect and reconnect. Well, that doesn’t look very much like disconnecting if you ask me.”
“It doesn’t hurt to keep in touch though. I mean, it’s just a few emails. If I do it every day, it won’t take up much time.”
Jillian shook her head. “No. You’re supposed to be on vacation. That’s the whole point of this thing. Anyway, the company is not going to fall apart just because you’re not there. And you’re not going to fall apart if you don’t talk to any of them. You work so hard, and you can afford to take a little bit of time off work.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Come on, put the laptop away. Can you promise me that you’ll at least try? Just take your head away from your work for a bit and try to enjoy this place. The people that run this place seem so nice, and I think it will be good for us to at least try and enjoy ourselves. Please. For me.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. Okay. You wore me down. I promise I’ll try a little harder. Maybe it just takes a few days to get used to this. That’s all.”
“I’m sure of it. Come on, let’s go for a walk and check things out. I was too tired to really do much yesterday, and I sort of want to check out the place without everyone hanging over my shoulder. It seems less authentic with them around, don’t you think? Like I feel like I’m in a tour group when everyone is all around me.”
“Well, that’s because we are in a tour group,” I reminded her.
“Never mind that. Let’s go and do our own thing before we see all of them. I don’t know about you, but I need to wake up a bit more before seeing Jackson again.”
I agreed. We got dressed and then made our way outside. I regretted the outfits that I had brought along now. Nothing seemed to fit this environment. At least Jillian had come better prepared, but I hadn’t thought it through at
all. I tried not to think about how ruined all my clothes were going to be by the time this experience was over. I would probably have to get rid of all the clothes. But then I thought about going shopping for a whole new wardrobe, and I perked up a bit.
We walked around the ranch grounds, and I noticed once again how dusty everything was. But, despite this, it was actually very refreshing to be outdoors. The place was really beautiful in the light of the early morning. I usually went straight from my apartment to work every day and very rarely did I spend time looking at my surroundings. I normally had too much on my mind to think about my environment.
“It’s pretty here,” I said, and Jillian looked at me in surprise.
“It is. Oh look, sheep!” she exclaimed and pointed to a fenced in area where a whole lot of sheep were enclosed. We decided to go up and take a look.
I chuckled at the sight of them. I wasn’t even sure if I had ever seen sheep up close like this before. Most of the animals I saw were on TV or in magazines. They were all looking at me while I looked at them and I wondered what they thought of me. Could they tell that I was from the city and that I had no idea what I was doing? “They’re kind of comical looking, don’t you think? I wonder what their fur feels like? Think I can try to pet one?”
“I don’t know. Try it. They seem tame.”
I reached over and patted one on the head as gently as I could, and I couldn’t help but laugh as soon as I did. The animal looked at me with curiosity but just let me touch it. Sheep weren’t meant to be this friendly, but maybe this little guy was used to the tourists. The fur was softer than I thought it was going to be. “Pretty cute. He feels so soft. Hey, I think he likes me patting him. Maybe I should get a pet sheep when I get back. I could start a trend,” I joked. “Go on; you try it now.”
“Ah, I don’t know,” she said. “He’s giving me a funny look.”
“What? You can’t make me touch it and then you don’t. Come on, just try. The fur is so soft. You’ll be surprised by it, I think.”
Jillian reluctantly put her hand out, but the moment she did, the same sheep that was so nice to me tried to bite her, and she quickly retracted her hand. “Dammit, you see, I shouldn’t have done it. I knew he was looking at me funny. Why do they hate me so much?” she groaned.
I laughed. “They don’t hate you. I obviously just got lucky that time around. Try again.”
“No way, I’m not trying again. You know he’ll get a big chunk of my hand. They seem agitated by my presence. That’s so annoying. Why do they like you so much and not me? Maybe they don’t like my perfume or something.”
I giggled. “I doubt it has anything to do with your perfume. And I don’t think they like me and not you. You’re just looking into it too much. I really wouldn’t worry about it. Maybe sheep are not your thing. We still have the horses to look forward to, remember?”
Jillian smiled and looked relieved. “Yeah, that’s true. I think I’m going to enjoy that part of it. I’ve always wanted to be a horse rider. Ah, this is nice. I’m glad we got to spend a bit of time alone before the group wakes up.”
“Yeah, I don’t even see Mike and Travis. Oh, but they don’t stay here, do they? They probably go back to their homes. I’m sure they’ll be here soon though. I get the impression these country people wake up super early.”
Jillian laughed. “Yeah, I get that impression too. Hey, speaking of which, don’t you think Mike and Travis are gorgeous?”
“Well, yeah. I guess so. Mike’s married though.”
“But Travis isn’t,” Jillian said mischievously. “And I most definitely want him.”
I looked at her in surprise. I thought Jillian was here to get away from men, not to flock to the first single guy she found. “You do?”
“Oh, come on, you have to admit the guy is gorgeous.”
I thought of Travis with his sandy hair and green eyes, and a shiver ran through me despite myself. “He is. But I thought you were here to forget about men?”
“No. I’m here to forget about Thomas. And I know just the way to get over him.”
I couldn’t help myself. A flash of jealousy came over me the moment I thought about Jillian with Travis. I couldn’t believe myself. The whole thing was ridiculous. Why did I care about something like that? Travis wasn’t my type of guy. I needed a city guy, not some guy who walked around in ridiculous boots all day and tended to animals. I didn’t see him as the sort of guy Jillian would go for either, but who was I to judge? Anyway, she could do whatever she wanted.
“I thought you wanted to get back together with Thomas, though?” I said.
She sighed. “I mean, of course, I want to be with Thomas. But I also want him to be with me, and right now I’m not sure if that’s ever going to happen. And what better way to get over a guy than to find a new one. Especially one as good-looking as Travis.”
“I’m not sure, Jillian. I don’t want you to get your heart broken. You’re not over Thomas yet, and you should be spending this time getting to know yourself again.”
“I know myself well enough. Anyway, you have to admit that a city girl hooking up with a country guy is just about the most romantic idea ever. What if Travis and I are destined to be together?”
“So you’ll come live here if you are?” I asked.
“Or he can come and live with me. Who knows? Only time will tell I guess.”
“You have watched way too many romantic movies.”
“And you have not watched enough. I can just picture what our wedding will look like. I think we’ll get married here actually. I mean, can you just imagine how beautiful this wedding will be here? Imagine the photos. But we’ll go back to New York to live. I don’t know if I could actually live here for the rest of my life.”
I chuckled. “Your poor wedding dress is going to be so dirty out here. I’m glad to see you have your whole life planned out. Don’t you think that Travis might want a say in all of this too?”
“I’ll give him a chance. Hey, I’m going to at least try my luck. I’m sick to death of things not going my way. I have to take matters into my own hands. And if it works, great… then who knows, maybe something amazing will happen. If not a lifetime together then maybe a short, wild romance. If it doesn’t work out, then at least I tried. It’s not like I have anything to lose.”
“A wild western romance? Yeah, who knows?” I said and wished her luck. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the whole thing. I didn’t even know if Jillian was having as good a time as she said she was having. She seemed sad to me, like she was trying too hard to prove to me that she wanted to be there. I got the feeling that she was taking this breakup with Thomas a lot worse than she was letting on. If she wanted to be with Travis, then she was just looking for a rebound. I knew there was nothing I could say to stop her. I was just going to have to hope that she wasn’t setting herself up for some more emotional hurt. I would be there for her, but I was going to have to watch out for her as much as possible. Jillian liked to wear her heart on her sleeve, and I didn’t want to see her getting crushed so soon after Thomas.
“Let’s forget about boys for a while though. I’m just happy to be here with you,” I said. “Maybe you are right. Maybe this is just what the two of us need. This will be something that we will never forget.”
She grinned. “Really? Now that’s the spirit! Thanks, Harper. I’m glad to have you here with me.”
Chapter Nine
Travis
It was the second morning for the group, and I made my way to the ranch. There was a list of things that they were to do while they were there but for a lot of the time, they were also left to their own devices. Allison told me that they used to have a stricter schedule, but they found that people didn’t like that so much. These people were also here to have a bit of a break. Between myself, Mike, and another ranch hand, we were going to split the activities up so that we could attend to them all.
As I got to the ranch, I spotted Jackson. It was hard not to notice
him and even harder not to laugh at his ridiculous get up. If I thought yesterday’s outfit was crazy, then I wasn’t sure what to make of the one he was wearing today. It was even more over the top. Did he really think that this was what everyone would be wearing? Or maybe he was just the sort of guy that liked to stand out? Either way, it was going to be impossible to lose this guy in a crowd. He saw me and waved, and I made my way towards him. He annoyed me, but it was hard to stay angry at the guy. I knew that the whole point of a dude ranch was for people to get in touch with their inner cowboy selves and to take a break from their real lives. I knew that I couldn’t judge Jackson too harshly. He was a middle-aged accountant who had come out to live out his dream, and there really was nothing wrong with that.
“Morning, Jackson. Did you sleep well?”
“Hi, Travis. I slept like a log. I wanted to know if we were going to train with trick shooting or anything like that today or while we are here?”
“Oh, no, nothing like that. Uh, there was a list on the website of all the activities that you will be experiencing out here. Did you get them? If not, I can definitely get them printed out for you if you like.”
He shook his head sadly. “I saw them. And they all look great. I was just hoping that there might be some secret activities that were not on the website.”
“Ah, sorry, Jackson. There are no secret activities planned. We like people to know what to expect when they are booking. Not everyone likes surprises.”
“Pity. I love surprises. Anyway, isn’t part of being a cowboy knowing how to use a weapon? I would think that this would be one of the most important parts. I’m just very surprised that this is not a part of the experience.”
I tried not to roll my eyes. Thankfully there was nobody else around because I was sure I would’ve started laughing. The worst part was that Jackson was being completely serious about all of this. He really had thought all of this through. I felt bad that he was disappointed, but at the same time, everything had been pretty clear on the website.