by Naomi Niles
Bethany looked doubtful, but she did as I'd suggested, going down to the dining room after quickly getting dressed in a cute pair of jeans and a pretty blouse.
It was about five minutes later that I walked casually into the dining room wearing a fresh suit, my face unshaved and scratchy.
"What's for breakfast? It smells great," I said a little too loudly as I sat down across from Bethany, being careful not to make eye contact with her.
"Nothing for you. We ate it all," Brett teased, snatching the last slice of bacon from the platter in the center of the table. "The early bird gets the worm – or in this case, the bacon."
Mama set down a fresh platter with more bacon on it, and I grabbed several slices with a cocky grin. "Thanks, Mama."
She ruffled my hair, and said, "It's not like you to be late to the table, but I was sure to save you some after what you did yesterday."
William objected quickly. "Hey, I think I was the one who deserves the majority of the credit, and I was at the table early."
"Actually, Bethany deserves the credit," I said. I gazed at her across the table, then quickly averted my eyes before anyone caught on.
"So she does," William agreed chivalrously and tipped his hat at her. Then he rose from the table and said, "I've got to hurry up and get to the jailhouse. There's a ton of paperwork to do today, but for the first time, I don't mind."
"I've got to go, too," Tom joined him. "I agreed to give one of my students extra tutoring lessons this summer, in addition to teaching summer school."
"Is that the kid with the hot mother?" Brett razzed him like he always did.
"You're the one with the good-looking mother," Tom teased good naturedly and gave Mama a wink.
"Oh, you boys knock that off and get out of here." Mama flicked her dishtowel at them, chasing them at the door. Then she turned on Brett and Travis. "You, too. Both of you, get out of here and get to work. We're two men down since those criminals got arrested, and there's no time to waste."
"All right, I'm going," Brett pouted, snatching a last slice of bacon from the platter as he rose. "Tell that Colton. He's the one who's got to hire two new workers, and he was the last one to the table. Probably sleeping in like miss city girl here. She's always late getting up in the morning, too."
"That's enough." Mama shooed her two youngest sons out the door, but when she turned around, her knowing gaze focused right on me. With a wise smirk, she said, "It is rare for you to be so late getting up in the morning."
"What are you talking about? I was up hours ago, and already out in the office getting a jump on the day's work," I lied, knowing full well Mama could see right through me.
"You were, huh?" She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes. I felt myself squirm in my seat and had to look down.
Mama gave me a pat on the cheek and said, "Just be careful about what you're working on. I don't want to see anyone get hurt.”
Then she left the room, leaving me and Bethany alone.
"Does she know about us?"
"Mama knows everything," I said with a sigh.
Chapter Eleven: Bethany
The summer days were flying by way too fast. I'd finished my third painting, and was halfway through my fourth. Soon there would only be one left, and then I would have to return to Chicago. Still, I was determined to enjoy every moment of this perfect July I had been blessed with.
"Hey, beautiful. What are you working on?" Colton's voice startled me. I looked up from my canvas to see him strolling up to me with a sexy tip of his Stetson.
"I'm trying to get the forest just right, but no matter how I mix the colors, the trees aren't quite the right shade of green," I answered. "I want this painting for William to really capture the view he's always gazing at from the front porch."
"That's because the leaves aren't just green," Colton said. "They're tinted with red, even in the summer."
I tried adding some pigment to my green, and it made all the difference I was looking for.
"Thanks," I beamed at him.
"A hero's work is never done," he teased, making me laugh.
"And what brings a hero like you out here on the front porch? Shouldn't you be in the office working?"
"Well, I needed some more pencils. Turns out I'm all out in the office, and I thought Mama might have some in the house."
"I see. And just a little while ago, you needed a stapler, and before that, it was a refill on your coffee," I teased him playfully. "I'm beginning to think that you just may be looking for excuses to leave the office and pass through the porch into the house."
"And, why on earth would I do a thing like that?" Colton feigned innocence, but his eyes were dancing. He leaned in very close to me, so our lips were nearly touching, and it was more than I could resist. I grabbed his face and pulled his lips to mine in a passionate kiss.
"Man, can't you two get a room!" Brett suddenly called out, and we broke apart, each of us blushing brightly.
Colton shouted out to his baby brother, "Don't you have work to do?"
"I'm on break. How about you? Ain't this your third trip out of the office so far, and it isn't even lunch yet?" Brett called, obviously taking delight in giving his oldest brother a hard time.
Colton gazed into my eyes with passion and longing, and I could see how much he didn't want to leave me, but Brett was right. He had work to do.
"See you tonight?" his voice was husky.
"Absolutely." I smiled sexily, and we kissed one last time, while Brett led the workers to clap and whistle.
Embarrassed, Colton broke away. He walked down the porch steps back towards his office, but when he got to the bottom, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder at me.
"See you later." I blew him a kiss.
"Maybe even sooner than that." Colton winked and then slowly strolled away.
A broad smile stayed on my face for a long while afterwards as I basked in the joy of a summer love. I'd never had a romance like this, with a man so mature and handsome.
Colton came from strong roots and was dedicated to his family, which was a far cry from my own background. He was college educated and worked hard in the office, taking care of ranch and helping it to thrive. Most of all, he was a man of heart. The passion he felt for his family and his business, carried through to how he treated me.
I had never been with a man who was so caring, patient, and sensitive; and yet, Colton was pure man. He was masculine, strong, and brave. As much as I tried to tell myself that this romance we were having was nothing more than a summer fling, I knew in my heart that I would never find a love like this ever again. When I said goodbye to Colton at the summer's end, I would be saying goodbye to my one true happiness.
I blinked back the tear that sprang to the corner of my eye. I could ruin my whole summer by dwelling on the future, but I was determined not to do that. I was going to focus on the now and enjoy each wonderful moment while it lasted. Right now, I was making the memories I would carry with me for the rest of my life and was determined to make them good ones.
I stared out at the forest land that stretched out beyond the green pastures. William often gazed at them from this same vantage point, and even though the Hutchinson ranch was no longer losing money, I wanted each brother to have a painting they could keep with them, wherever life brought them, that gave them that feeling of being home.
Colton's suggestion of using pigments of red to accent the leaves brought my painting to life, and I immersed myself in it, finding joy in each stroke of my brush.
"You look happy," I heard, and I looked up from my canvas to see my father passing by with a wheelbarrow full of dirt.
"I am happy," I said with a thoughtful smile. "How's your day going so far, Dad?"
It felt wonderful to able to say that word, Dad, and have someone respond to it. I felt giddy every time I used it. Frank and I had been getting to know each other really well these past few days, and it was amazing to me how close I now felt to him. A
fter our rocky first start, he and I had really connected. It almost as if we had never been apart.
"I've been digging a fencepost hole for the expansion by the equipment shed and that rock-hard dirt is kicking my ass," Frank said. He was always down to earth, even if a little crass, and his way with words made me crack a smile. "When I hit a damn rock, I decided it was a sign from God that it was time to take a lunch break. I thought I'd stop by and see if you'd care to join me."
"Okay. That would be great." I smiled and put my paintbrush to soak in a cup of water by my palette.
Usually, I had lunch with Colton, but with as many times as he'd already left the office to come flirt with me, I figured it would be okay to spend some time with my long-lost father. After all, how many more days would I have left to spend with him?
Unless I decided not to return to Chicago.
As Frank and I sat on a bench under the shade of a nearby oak tree, nibbling on the sandwiches Margie had made for us, the crazy idea kept nagging at the back of my mind.
"You're awfully quiet today," Frank observed. "Everything all right?"
"Yeah, everything is terrific. In fact, life has never been better. I love being out here in the country, away from the city with all the traffic and noise. My paintings are coming along better than I hoped, and I've found you. It's almost enough to make me want to stay."
"I'm happy we found each other, too," he said, giving my shoulder a paternal squeeze.
"What do you think of the idea of me staying?" I asked, and my pulse quickened with worry about what he might say.
Frank looked down at his half-eaten sandwich long and thoughtfully. When he finally spoke, he looked up into my eyes with an expression of wisdom and love.
"I think your question has a lot more to do with a certain handsome cowboy in a suit than it does about anything else. Not the beauty of the country, or the painting, or even me. I think you love him. Am I right?"
There was no point in denying it, and I nodded my head in silent confession.
He sighed heavily, and I knew his reply wasn't going to be something I wanted to hear, but I wanted it anyway.
Frank took and hand and said gruffly, "I grew up with the attitude that men were the bread winners and it was a woman's duty to stay home and raise the children. Women didn't need a career, or independence, or an opinion. Her duty was to follow her man, no matter what it cost her.
“Well, I've come to learn throughout my lifetime that's not the way things should be. A woman doesn't have to give up her career, her dreams, and her goals to follow some man in order to be happy."
"You think that's what I would be doing?" I was appalled, but Frank squeezed my hand gently and nodded his head.
"I do. You told me getting that internship at the art museum was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You told me that it meant you could have your work displayed in your own show, and that all you ever wanted to be was a professional artist."
"I do, but-"
"No buts about it. You told me how hard you had to work to get into art school, and now that you have your degree and your career is just beginning, you're talking about throwing it all away and moving out to the country. For what? To be with some man you've only known for a month? That's crazy. Think about it."
"But I've fallen in love with him, and Colton loves me, too. I think I could be really happy out here."
"You know who you sound like? Jillian and me. We were madly in love once, too. She'd gotten into some program for secretarial training. They were teaching her how to use the computer, do spreadsheets and all that crap. I'd gotten a job at a factory across the state. She could either stay where she was and have a career, or come with me. Well, you know the rest."
"I never knew that about Mom." I was truly stunned.
"It changed her. She never could stop resenting me for the sacrifice she had made, and it just kept building and festering inside her. When she got pregnant with you, things just got worse, and I knew she'd blame you, too. From what you've told me, it sounds like I was right."
"That doesn't mean the same thing will happen to me."
"No, it doesn't, but do you really want to take that risk? How long have you known Colton? How well do you really know each other? You've been wanting to be a professional artist your entire life. Do you really want to throw away a lifetime of work for a guy you've just met?"
"No, I guess not. It's just that when I'm with him, he's all I want and I can't stand the thought of leaving."
"That will only get worse the longer you're with him. Go now while you still can, before he sucks you in any further."
"I'm only on my fourth painting. I still have one more to do."
"Well, get it done quickly. The sooner you get out of here, the better. Once you're back home in Chicago where you belong, your time here will fade into a happy memory you can treasure forever."
"I guess that's true." I smiled sadly. He was making some good points, but I still wasn't ready to give up on the idea of staying.
"I know I haven't been there for you like I should have, but please let me give you some fatherly advice now, while I can. Don't make the same mistake your mother and I made. If you really want your happily ever after, you can't let love derail you from your goals."
"Thanks, Dad." I hugged him goodbye. He'd given me a lot to think about, and I didn't know if should listen to my heart or my mind. It was a tough decision to make, and I had very little time left to make it.
Chapter Twelve: Colton
"Your fourth painting sure is coming along nicely," I said to Bethany as we strolled around the ranch in the general direction of the barn. Maggie padded along by my side, stopping occasional to sniff at something before running to catch up with us again.
These little walks had become a tradition of ours. Every night after helping Mama wash the dinner dishes, Bethany and I would take Maggie for a walk, although everyone knew it was really so we could be along together.
Often times, we ended up in the hayloft up in the barn where we could make love without the worry of being caught by Mama, although our romance was no longer a secret around the ranch. In fact, it seemed to be the talk of the town, with all my brothers giving me a hard time about it every chance they got.
I normally didn't let their ribbing get to me, but this time it was different. I'd never felt this way about a woman before, and it was scary – but in a good way. Everything was happening so fast, and it was exhilarating, terrifying, and wonderful all at once.
Maybe it was because I knew Bethany was leaving soon. It gave our romance a real urgency and forced me to express my feelings a lot faster than I would have under normal circumstances. It also made every moment we spent together all the more precious. Our love was bittersweet, like a romantic tragedy of old, or so it seemed every time I thought about her leaving.
So, we never talked about it. We talked about other things, like books, our favorite foods, and what games we liked to play when we were kids. Bethany talked about art, and I talked about cattle ranching. Anything and everything except the looming end of our brief time together.
"Thanks. It's officially finished," Bethany said in response to my compliment. She kicked a small rock with her toe and it rolled across the ground. Maggie chased after it, but then realized it wasn't a ball and lost interest.
"You don't sound too happy about that." I was confused. Usually, she was bubbly and full of smiles when she talked about her paintings.
"Now I only have one last one left," she said, and the meaning of her words weighed on us both like a storm cloud ready to burst.
"Oh." I didn't know what to say. Bethany had essentially just told me she only had one week left to stay. That's how long all of her previous paintings had taken to complete. As soon as this last one was done, she'd go back to Chicago. It was too sad a subject, and I refused to even think about it.
Maggie had run into the barn, presumably to chase a mouse or something, and I took Bethany by the hand and led her
inside to our favorite secret hideaway. It was too dangerous to try to make love in our bedrooms in the house. Mama or one of my brothers was always barging in without even knocking, and even though they all knew we were in a relationship, they didn't know it had become an intimate one.
No one ever came out to the barn after the work day was done; in fact, they wanted to stay as far away from it as possible, making it the perfect love nest for the two of us.
"Let's not talk about that right now," I said low in Bethany's ear and began to kiss her neck.
Giggling, she climbed up the ladder to the hayloft, beckoning her finger for me to follow her.
When I got to the top, I found she had partially unbuttoned her blouse. I brought my lips to her exposed cleavage. Bethany closed her eyes, threw back her head, and moaned softly with pleasure. She tasted so delicious, I couldn't wait to peel off her clothes and make love to her in the hay.
Suddenly, we heard voices below and sat up, feeling startled. Leaning over the edge of the loft, we peeked down to see Brett entering the barn with none other than Emma Fields, the pastor's daughter.
"Thanks for agreeing to meet me tonight," Brett was saying to the pretty young girl.
"Sure, what do you need to talk to me about?" She tucked a lock of her strawberry-blonde hair behind one ear.
"Well, your father said it was wrong for a twenty-one-year-old man to date a high school student. Now that you've graduated, I thought maybe we could start again."
"Have you talked to Daddy about it yet?"
"No. I wanted to talk to you first. There's no point in my asking his permission to date you if it's not something you wanted first. Besides, you're a legal adult. Is it really necessary for me to get your father's permission? Can't you do what you want?"
"Yes, but want I want is to do things the right way," Emma insisted. She was young, but definitely strong in her faith and her opinions.