by Ivy Jordan
She chuckled. “You know, Harper, you really do surprise me. It’s good to know that I can still learn stuff about you after all this time of being friends with you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You are so much more relaxed here than I thought you would be. I’m the one freaking out over everything, and you just seem to be taking everything in your stride. I’m so impressed with you. I really am. I thought you’d be begging me to go back after the first day, but it’s been nothing like that at all. Do you think you could live like this?”
“No way! I couldn’t live like this. Not full time, anyway. I’m glad you think I fit in so well but it’s definitely a holiday for me and nothing else. I’m also surprised that I’m enjoying it though. It’s definitely not the sort of place I thought I would enjoy. I thought I’d want to go back after the first day too. Although, it’s also nice not to worry about my nails and my hair for a change. It’s sort of pointless thinking about it here, and to be honest, it’s not really that important. Who knows, I may even take a bit of this thinking into my life when we get back.”
Jillian smiled. “Well, that’s good then. I’m glad we came. Gives us a bit of perspective on things which is a good thing. You know, if I’m not going to go for Travis, then maybe you should. Yeah, you know, that’s not a bad idea. You should totally go for him, Harper. The two of you would look gorgeous together.”
That was the last thing I expected her to say. I looked up at her in surprise. “What?”
“Oh, come on, you know he’s gorgeous.”
“Well, yeah. I mean, obviously. Everyone can see that. He’s very fun to look at. But the whole thing is a bad idea. Like you said, it would just be a holiday romance, and I’m not sure I want to do that. You just said it’s not a good idea to do that.”
“For me! I just came out of a serious relationship. It would totally mess with my mind if I got together with another guy right now. I either need to make things work with Thomas, or I need to be by myself for a while. But you could totally be with him. Just have a bit of fun. God knows you deserve it. You’re always working so hard,” she said and gestured to the phone that was still in my hand.
I’d been trying so hard not to think of Travis in that way because of Jillian. It was weird to hear her pushing me towards him now, and I wasn’t quite sure what to think or say. Should I? No. No. What was I thinking? “It’s a bad idea. I mean, mutual compatibility is important, and the two of us are clearly very different from one another. He’s a relaxed country guy, and I’m this forever busy city girl. He’s… well, he’s country music and I’m rock and roll.”
Jillian giggled, and I was pleased to see that she was at least in a better mood. “Nothing wrong with going for someone different. Anyway, what’s that they say about opposites attracting. He’s not interested in me, so maybe he’s interested in you. I think you should go for it.”
“And I think you are crazy.”
“I think it’s great when opposites get together.”
“Yeah, but that only works for a casual fling and not for a long-term relationship. It’s all sparks and fireworks that eventually fade out.”
Jillian raised her eyebrows. “Oh yeah? So does that mean that you are interested in a long-term relationship with him?”
“I’m interested in a long-term relationship. Not with him. Anyway, I’m only here for a little while. How much longer are we even here for? A week? It’s a bit pointless to get involved with someone and then have to leave.”
“You’ve got to admit though, it would be fun…”
I laughed. “It would be fun, but I’m not sure if that’s what I want right now.”
Jillian rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, everyone wants a bit of fun. You should do it for me. Give me something to keep my mind off Thomas. I love playing matchmaker. I think the two of you would be great together. Would you at least think about it?”
I groaned. “You’re such a pain. I’m not interested. Let’s just have some girl time while we are here. We don’t need romance.” I hoped she couldn’t see how much I was blushing though. The more I thought about being with Travis, the more I realized I really was attracted to the guy. Even more so now that I knew Jillian wasn’t into him.
Chapter Fifteen
Travis
That evening I decided to do a final check of the stables and the barn, making sure that all the animals were secured and that nothing was out of place. Allison had told me she would take care of it, but I wouldn’t hear of it. I liked this part of the job. This was the part that I enjoyed the most. I could just walk around by myself, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the alone time. Life was so busy at home, so it was nice to get the chance to simply meander around the area. As I walked, I was reminded of what it was like growing up here as a kid. It had been a good childhood, and I was lucky to have been brought up in this sort of environment. I had always been a bookish sort of person, so it didn’t come as a surprise when I finally decided I wanted a different lifestyle. But it didn’t take away from all the years that I had lived here. I enjoyed growing up surrounded by animals and wide-open spaces. I remember lying on the grass with my father as we looked up at the stars. When I was a teenager, I was given this amazing laser pointer, and late at night we would shine it up and talk about the constellations. I used to know them all so well. I wondered how much I knew them now and when my laser pointer had gone to. My priorities had changed a great deal since those days.
As I looked up into the sky now, I hoped that Mike and Allison were able to have kids one day. This would be a great place to bring them up. They’d work on the ranch with Mike, and they’d have a wonderful mother in Allison making them delicious food all day. And I would be the cool uncle from Washington who came by every few months with treats from the city. I chuckled to myself as the thoughts came over me. I hadn’t yet spoken to Mike yet about his problems with Allison, and I wasn’t sure if I ever would. I wanted him to know that I was there if he wanted someone to talk to but I knew how private he could be about things like this. But maybe it was time that I said something. Maybe he needed someone to talk to. We’d always been hopeless at talking about our feelings.
I was glad that Allison hadn’t asked me about when I was going to have children. She probably knew that this was not something that I wanted to talk about. I still wasn’t even sure if I wanted to have any. But that probably had more to do with the fact that I hadn’t yet found someone to settle down and have them with. I always felt annoyed when people asked me about children. Couldn’t they see that I didn’t even have a wife? One thing at a time, I wanted to tell them. Being out here at the ranch had made me delve a lot deeper into my emotions than I was used to. I generally didn’t think too much about my life. I thought I didn’t care that I didn’t have a wife or even a girlfriend. I didn’t think it bothered me in the slightest. Whenever people asked me, I just assumed that they were jealous of my freedom. I wasn’t so sure now. Perhaps it wasn’t jealousy that people felt when they looked at me. Maybe it was pity. The thought made me feel uncomfortable, and I tried to push it away. I had a job to do here, and I needed to stop thinking about my life. Soon I’d be back home, and everything would be back to normal.
I was surprised to find the stable door wide open when I arrived. I frowned and hurried to look inside but didn’t see anything amiss there. I quickly checked to make sure that all the animals were fine and I was relieved to see that they were all accounted for and in good health. The horses were all in their stalls and nothing seemed amiss. But the whole thing left me feeling uneasy because I was certain that the door had been secure the last time that I checked. Also, Mike was very good when it came to security, and he insisted that everyone who worked for him was just as good too.
I decided to take another look around, and I noticed that the dust and the hay on the floor had all been swept up. This was strange. Mike might have come by to sweep it up, but I was almost certain that this wasn’t the case. I had spec
ifically told Mike that I would take care of it and I don’t see why he would send me here if he had already done it all himself. Mike might be annoyed that I wasn’t here to work at the ranch for good, but I was sure that he still respected my work ethic. He knew that I wouldn’t do a halfhearted job just because this wasn’t a full-time gig for me. Even though everything seemed fine, I still got a strange feeling like something was going on. Although I couldn’t for the life of me think of what it could even be.
I stood there for a while, just trying to figure it all out. Eventually, I made my way to the utility closet, which was adjacent to the stables, and fished out a flashlight. I then went back and did a quick search of the outside of the stable. I wasn’t even sure what I was looking for, but I hoped that something would stand out. The only thing that I could see was a trail of footprints leading to the entrance. But with all the people coming and going over the past few days, it was hard to distinguish whether or not this meant anything. Perhaps I was just being paranoid, but I felt I owed it to my brother and to Allison to at least be thorough in my search.
Using the flashlight, I walked around, looking at the barn and some of the pens. All the animals seemed to be present, and most of them were asleep. If someone had come in to mess with them, then they would surely be agitated. But they seemed calm, and nothing seemed to be out of place. There definitely seemed like there was zero evidence of someone having messed with the animals.
I switched the light off and wondered if I was just being stupid. Should I tell Mike and Allison about the door or should I act like nothing had happened? I wasn’t sure if I was blowing this out of proportion or not. I was just about to go back when I heard a sound. It seemed like the movement was coming from near the pig pen. I made my way over there and then hid behind the wall. Whoever was coming, I was going to catch them. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. What the hell was going on?
Chapter Sixteen
Harper
I was feeling good after the talk with Jillian. She seemed to be in a much better place now that she had let all her feelings out. She had never been very good at keeping things in, and I could see that her mood had visibly improved. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen or how she was going to cope with being without Thomas, but I could tell she was happy to have talked it through. I knew she’d get over the embarrassment with Travis too. I could tell that she didn’t really like the guy. It was just her ego that had gotten bruised, and nobody liked it when that happened.
“Want to go for a walk?” I asked her. We had a lot of free time in between the activities, and I felt like getting some fresh air. It was a beautiful evening, and I didn’t often get to go out for strolls at this time of the day. I was usually stuck on my laptop or out with clients or friends. As a PR executive, my life was a constant hive of activity, and my social life was a busy one. I sometimes looked at my calendar in amazement, surprised at how little time I put aside for my own endeavors. I liked it though, and I had always been good at juggling the activities, but it was nice to take a break from it all.
“Nah, I’m okay. I think I’m just going to read a bit. I brought a stack of magazines along with me, and I haven’t had a chance to read them yet.”
“You sure? I can stay with you if you want?”
She chuckled. “I’m fine. You’re sweet, but I’m actually feeling a lot better after our talk. Thanks, Harper. Say hello the animals for me. I’m sure they’re dying to know how I’m doing,” she said sarcastically, and I laughed.
I walked off chuckling to myself and headed out. I had considered taking a jacket, but I was glad I didn’t now. The air was cool, but it wasn’t cold, and it felt good against my skin. I thought about what Jillian had said about me fitting well into the environment, and I couldn’t help but laugh a little at that. I’d been so adamant that I didn’t want to come on this trip, but perhaps I didn’t know myself as well as I thought I did. I would always be a city girl, but it was good to know that it wasn’t the only thing that I was. I made my way towards the barn and thought about saying hello to the animals. Maybe if I told them how nice Jillian was, they would be nicer to her the next time. I wasn’t sure if Jillian was ever going to get on another horse for the rest of her life. I didn’t blame her either. That fall couldn’t have been fun.
I turned the corner and screamed as someone jumped out in front of me. I was just about to run away when I saw that it was Travis. He was looking at me in confusion.
“Harper?”
“What the hell, Travis? You gave me such a fright. I thought I was being attacked or something.”
“I’m so sorry. I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to give you a fright. I thought you were someone else,” he said. He looked like he wanted to say something else but then changed his mind. What the hell was he thinking giving me a fright like that?
I shook my head. “You’re crazy. Are you trying to give me a taste of the city life or something? This is the sort of thing I can expect in NYC, not out here at the ranch.”
He laughed. “I just wanted to make you feel more at home.”
“You’re one crazy dude, man. My heart is beating so fast.”
“So is mine,” he said. “Anyway, what are you doing here? Are you looking for something? Anything I can help you with?”
“No, I was just taking a walk. It’s so nice out here in the evenings. I was coming to say hi to the animals too. Poor Jillian is convinced that they don’t like her so I was going to see if I could get them to change their minds.”
He chuckled. “And how exactly where you going to get them to do that?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Tell them how nice she is.”
“And you call me the crazy one?”
“Well, you are,” I insisted.
“So does that mean you were in the stables?” he asked curiously.
“No, not yet. I wasn’t even sure if it would be open, to be honest. I was just walking around. Why?”
“No reason. I was just curious. So, uh, mind if I walk with you a bit?”
I thought about saying no, but I realized the company would be nice. I also didn’t feel so bad about talking to him now that I knew Jillian wasn’t too fond of him anymore. “Yeah, of course you can. It’s your place after all. You can do whatever you want to do.”
He chuckled, and I wondered what he found so funny. It was like he was sharing an inside joke with himself. “True. So, are you having a nice time? I mean, other than the broken nail when you climbed on the horse.”
“Ha! You mock me. But I’ll have you know that my nails were very pretty before I got here. I’ve now had to resign myself to having to go ‘full country’ for the next while, bad nails and all. Honestly though, nails aside, this is a very cool place. Better than I was expecting it to be, that’s for sure. A few things have really impressed me.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?” he asked.
“I’m from New York, as you know, so the concept of actually seeing so many stars at night is a little strange to me. And very exciting. It’s the little things that have impressed me the most. Things I wouldn’t have even thought would matter. It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen such a clear and beautiful sky. It sort of puts my whole life into perspective in a way that I would never have thought before. It’s… peaceful.”
“Yeah,” Travis agreed. “That’s why I’m out here too. The evening walks are the best. The morning ones too. There’s such a stillness in the air that makes it easier to see things clearly. Like you’re not bogged down with a million different things. It’s just you and the big open sky.”
I smiled at that. Travis was an interesting character. I was surprised that he still spoke so highly of this place even though he lived here. Usually people got bored of a place after being there a while. “So, what was it like growing up here?” I asked. It was so foreign to me. I had grown up in the city and had lived there my whole life. It was all that I knew.
“It was nice. It was… simple. Hard in
some ways, wonderful in others. It’s a great place to be as kid, that’s for sure. I mean, where else do you get a place as big as this as your playground? I don’t think I ever realized how lucky I was though. You never do as a kid, but that’s the beauty of it. It was nice growing up in a more rural area. Less of the concrete jungle and all that. Actually living here and being surrounding by all of this makes you appreciate nature in a whole different way. It’s completely different to going to some fancy zoo or watching a nature documentary. Here you live and breathe it.”
“Yeah, I totally get that actually. I know it’s nothing major, but even just being up on that horse made me appreciate animals more. I never realized it would be like that. I felt such an instant connection to the horse. I thought I would be so scared, but I wasn’t. You were right about the whole respect thing. I felt like he was giving me respect because I was giving it to him.”
“It also helped that you were a natural up there. Thunder really liked you.”
I chuckled. “I’ll never get tired of hearing that. I had no idea I’d be so comfortable on such a big creature. Thunder is gorgeous. I’m actually really looking forward to another horse ride. It’s been the best part of the experience so far for me. So, Travis, I know you love it out here, but have you ever been out to New York at all?” I was curious to know about his life. It all just seemed so strange to me. I couldn’t ever imagine living out here for the rest of my life, no matter how beautiful it was. Although I was sure he felt the same way about me. We were from different worlds.
“Of course I have. I’ve been there as well as several other large cities. Numerous times.”
“You have?” I was expecting him to say that he had been here his whole life. I got the impression that people from here weren’t all that interested in visiting the bigger cities. Clearly, I was very wrong.