He looked down at her, eyebrows raised. “Problem?”
She looked petrified when she looked up at him. “Uncle Wyatt suggested it?”
He looked at her several moments before intuiting her concern. “Yes, he did.” He leaned down close to her ear and lowered his voice so Maria wouldn't hear. “Let's go to his office and we can talk about that.” He tried again to lead her there with a soft hand on her back, and this time she allowed it.
He closed the door behind them and locked it. Seeing her concern, he tried to ease her mind. “I don't want us to be interrupted while we talk.” She nodded, but still had a concerned look on her face, which was okay with him. He wanted her to take this seriously.
He sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him. “Come sit down, Garnet.”
“Alicia.”
“Alicia.” He waited for her to sit before addressing what he assumed her earlier concern was. “Yes, Wyatt knows what happened, and we've talked about it. He suggested we use his office.”
“Why?”
“Frankly, because it's soundproof.”
The look of alarm on her face was priceless. “You weren't serious the other night, were you?”
“About what?”
“When you said, you know; the other night when you talked to me.”
“What did I tell you?”
“About what?”
“About anything. What were we talking about?”
“About me – you know.”
“Yes, I do know. I know what night you're talking about, and I know what I said. What I want to know is if you know what I said.”
She was obviously frustrated, but Bo stayed calm. “Tell me what we were talking about, and what I said.”
“If you already know—”
“Alicia, you're extremely close right now to going over my knee for a well-deserved bare bottom spanking. I'm giving you a chance here to at least lessen it. If you aren't interested in that chance, we can just proceed to the spanking.”
He put his hands on her arms to pull her over his knee. “No, wait. I am interested.”
“Then answer my questions. Before you say anything, let me give you a hint; honesty here would be beneficial. For the last time, what did we talk about, and what did I say?”
“You told me not to tease the men any more.”
“Were you teasing them today?” She hesitated, and he sighed. “It's a simple yes or no. Were you teasing them today?”
“Maybe a little, but—”
He reached to grab her arms and pull her toward his lap again, but she quickly yelled, “Okay. Yes, I was teasing them again.”
“And what did I say would happen?”
“Don't pull me over your lap again right away, because this is the truth. You didn't exactly say what would happen, but you made it sound like you'd spank me.” He didn't say anything, but gave her a little more time and watched her expression. “I didn't think you were really serious, though. I thought you were just trying to scare me.”
“Well, if I was, it obviously didn't work.”
“I don't scare easily.”
“So I see.” He sighed. “Garnet – Alicia, sorry, I'm going to give you a reprieve and explain this to you one last time. But listen carefully, because I'm not simply trying to scare you. I'm explaining what will happen. Do you understand what I'm saying?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Those men are working. They're working around large animals and machinery, either of which can be very dangerous. Therefore, they have to concentrate on their work or they could easily be hurt. As the foreman on this ranch, part of my job is to do what I can to keep them safe. You going out there flaunting your body at them, teasing them, will distract them, and you know it. That can lead to accidents and injuries. Therefore, I don't want you out there bothering my men. Do you understand what I'm saying?” She nodded. “When I ask you a question I expect a response; not a nod of the head. This is important. Do you understand what I'm saying?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now that we've covered that, we'll move on to the next thing you did today which I told you not to do.” She looked at him surprised. “I told you I didn't want you going too far from the house. I know you stayed on the lane, and I appreciate that. I can give you some leeway when you do that, but Wyatt and I don't want you out there alone, that far from the house. If something happened to you we wouldn't know where to even start looking for you. You didn't tell anyone where you were going.”
“But I had my phone. I would have called if I had trouble.”
“Unless your phone had fallen out of your pocket while you were going that fast on a four-wheeler, which is something else we should talk about, or a wild animal surprised you out of nowhere.”
“Okay, I get your point.”
“Good. Alicia, please remember, these rules are not meant to upset you, and they certainly have nothing to do with any past we had. They're strictly for keeping you safe while you're visiting on Wyatt's ranch. We care about you and don't want to see you get hurt.”
She looked up at him, expecting to see a smirk or something similar, but there wasn't. He seemed very sincere. But before she could question it, he continued. “Now, finally, I want to make sure you're completely aware of what will happen if I see you doing anything like that again. I was not kidding the other night. If I see you teasing my men again you will be going over my knee for a bare bottom spanking. It will not be simply symbolic, an attempt to get your attention. It will hurt, and you won't like it. But it will make my point.”
“And Uncle Wyatt—”
“— is fine with it,” Bo assured her. “That's what you were planning on doing here today, isn't it? You were going to run to Uncle Wyatt for protection. Well, sorry, but Uncle Wyatt is fine with it. That's why he offered the use of his office.”
He saw the terrified look on her face, but there was some sadness there, too. He softened his voice and took her hands in his. “Alicia, we're not trying to be mean. We both want you to enjoy your time here this summer. You said you've changed, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you again. We've both grown up since we last saw each other. And Wyatt says he hasn't seen much of you since you've been away at college, so he's eager to spend time with you, too. But we both want you safe while you're here.”
Alicia had a lot of thoughts and feelings going through her head at the moment. She was glad she wasn't getting spanked. That was the first thought, forefront in her mind. But she was also touched by his words. He seemed very sincere, and seemed to want to get to know her better, as did her uncle. She was starting to feel as though someone cared about her, which felt good. Her parents pretty much let her do what she wanted, and although she thought that was great, she was starting to think it felt kind of nice knowing someone was looking out for you.
Bo was talking again, and she pushed her thoughts aside for later so she could listen. “Are we clear now, Alicia? I'm not trying to be mean, but safety on this ranch is my responsibility, and I take my responsibilities seriously. Do you understand why I don't want you teasing my men, or going too far from the house without one of us with you, or driving so fast on the four-wheelers?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“And are you perfectly clear as to exactly what will happen if I see you doing any of those things again?”
Her face turned what Bo thought was a very becoming shade of pink, but she nodded her head again. “Yes.”
“Good. Now, I've got to get back out there and get back to work. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon and I'll see you tonight for supper.” He left the office, and she sat there, thinking.
A couple minutes later Maria appeared at the door. “Are you okay, Alicia?”
She was still thinking and hadn't even realized she was there. She turned and smiled at Maria. “What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I'm just thinking.” When Maria didn't leave, she put some of her thoughts into words. “He said I was driving the four-wheeler too fast an
d was too far from the house. He said he and Uncle Wyatt were worried about me. He seemed sincere.”
“I'm sure he was,” Maria assured her. “Both of them are good men. They care about the men working for them, they care about me, and I'm sure they care about you, as well. Did you think otherwise?”
“No, I guess not,” she murmured. “I guess I'm just not used to having someone tell me that.”
A smile spread across Maria's face. “It feels good, doesn't it?”
“Yes, it does.” Alicia reached out and hugged Maria, which surprised both of them. That wasn't something Alicia normally did, but at that moment it felt right.
She told Maria she had some free time and asked if there wasn't something she could do to help her. Sensing Alicia wanted to talk some, she asked if she'd mind helping with supper. Sure enough, they had a nice talk while Alicia peeled potatoes and sliced them for scalloped potatoes.
By the time they had supper ready, Maria had painted a nice picture of both Wyatt and Bo. Alicia was pretty sure Bo had been sincere about his concern for her, and even found herself looking forward to getting to know him better.
Maria had also gotten enough information out of Alicia to know that a caring but no nonsense man like Bo would be good for her. She was an only child, but it seemed to Maria that her parents gave her all the material things she wanted, but failed to give her the time and attention she needed. Maria was sure there was a good person inside her, but it was hiding behind the brat that craved attention. It would be interesting to see how she and Bo clashed, for Maria was sure they would.
Chapter 4
Things went well for the next couple weeks. Bo and Wyatt had become more than just ranch owner and foreman. They had become good friends, and were working well together. Wyatt was anxious to implement some of the new things Bo learned at school, and although it took some time to implement and get accustomed to, the preliminary results were promising.
Alicia spent time thinking about what Bo had said, and took it to heart. She was thrilled when both men, but especially Bo, offered to take her out to see more of the ranch. The two of them were getting along real well and spending more and more time together in the evenings and on weekends.
That fact was not missed by Maria or Wyatt, who were both watching closely with approval. They had talked about it and both felt they would be good for each other. “Bo seems to be happiest when he's got someone he cares about and wants to protect,” Wyatt commented during one of their talks. “And Alicia has some growing up to do, and that protection would be good for her while she's growing.”
“How close are they in age?” Maria asked.
“Actually, pretty close. They went to grade school together, up until her family moved away when she was in high school. I understand he just missed the age deadline for kindergarten and she just made it, so he's almost a year older than her, but you'd think there's more than a year between them.”
Maria was surprised at that news. “I assumed he was several years older. He is much more mature.”
“Exactly what she needs. They seem to be getting along real well. I hope that continues.”
Maria nodded. “Me, too. They make a good couple.” She turned to look at Wyatt. “And speaking of a good couple, I hear you and Kayla Robertson have been spending time together. Now, there's another good couple.”
Wyatt laughed. “Now, Maria, wherever did you hear that?”
“That shouldn't be too hard to figure out, Wyatt. You know I nearly always go see my cousin, Consuela, on Sunday, and she's the cook at the Robertson ranch. She said you've been spending a few evenings with Kayla lately.”
“I forgot you two were cousins,” Wyatt admitted. “But now that you know, what do you think; am I crazy, at my age?”
“What do you mean at your age? You aren't that much older than Bo and Alicia. I think it's about time you got back out there again. I know it was hard on you when your wife died, but that was four years ago. It's time for you to get on with your life.”
Wyatt nodded. “Everything you just said makes sense, Maria. But it's been hard to put it behind me. The odd thing is that after the second or third time Kayla and I ran into each other and we started talking, she's been feeling the same things I have. Her husband's accident and death were not long after my wife died, and when we talked about it, we understood each other and the feelings we've been having. Spending time together has actually been good for both of us. We're kind of pulling each other out of the hole we've been in.”
“That's good to hear,” Maria said sincerely. She patted him on the arm. “Consuela says Kayla has been much happier, and her parents are so glad she moved back with them and you two met.”
“I'm glad to hear that. I feel the same way.” Maria noticed the big smile on Wyatt's face as he said that, and was glad the two had gotten together. She thought he and Kayla made just as good a couple as Bo and Alicia.
* * *
Bo and Alicia had been spending time together almost every evening after supper for about a month before Bo asked her out. He'd been happy to see his last talk with her apparently helped. He hadn't seen or heard of her distracting the men. She'd gone into town shopping or to meet a friend she'd met from a neighboring ranch, but she hadn't gone out alone on the ranch, which was good.
He was happy that she'd made a friend to do things with, even though every time they got together it seemed it was for the purpose of eating a meal and shopping. She didn't come home with multitudes of bags, however, so he wasn't concerned. Some people liked to window shop, and that was fine.
The first night he took her out for dinner Bo was a little nervous. They'd gotten to know each other fairly well, but an actual date was still a big step. He'd been enjoying the time they spent together, and hoped that didn't change. He would have been surprised to know she was in her bedroom getting ready, worrying about the same thing.
As it turned out, neither needed to worry. From the moment he helped her into his pickup and they headed toward town, he was able to keep a casual conversation going, which put them both at ease. By the time they reached the restaurant the nerves were gone and they were again talking like old friends.
Neither was hungry for dessert, and they decided instead to take a walk in the park. After they walked to the far side of the park, they sat down on a bench by the pond to watch a family feeding the ducks. Bo and Alicia laughed at the kids as their parents passed them handfuls of cracked corn. The whole family was enjoying themselves. “Some day I want to be able to do things like that with my kids,” Alicia said. She immediately turned red and wanted to hide her face. She hadn't meant to say that out loud.
“Me, too,” Bo said. “Maybe some day.” His comment put her at ease again. He reached over and squeezed her leg. “Are you ready for dessert? How about some ice cream before we go home?”
“I haven't had any ice cream in a long time,” she said with a playful smack of her lips.
He laughed. “Well, we better remedy that oversight right away.” He stood and helped her up. They took their time walking back to the car, enjoying the nice evening.
They got their ice cream and sat at a table outside. Soon afterward they were surprised when Wyatt and Kayla came over to their table. After introductions, they sat down with Bo and Alicia. The four of them ate their ice cream and visited for over an hour before Bo took Alicia home.
* * *
Bo had already started chores the next morning when Wyatt got to the barn. “She's pretty,” Bo said. “She seems nice, too. How long have you been hiding her?”
Wyatt looked over at Bo and saw the grin on his face. “We met about the same time you and Alicia did. It didn't take me as long to ask her out, though.” He chuckled at the face Bo gave him. “I'm glad to see you did finally get around to asking my niece out. How'd it go?”
“It went good. And you two last night?”
“Good.” They worked side by side, neither saying a word for the next twenty minutes. Bo glanced over
at Wyatt. “You're okay with me asking her out, aren't you?”
“Of course I am. I think you two are good for each other. I was starting to wonder if you were going to get around to it, though.”
“I'm more slow and methodical. We had a problem when we first met, with her wandering off from the house on her own and enticing the men. She seemed to settle down after our talk, but I was a little afraid if we started a relationship right away she'd think she could get away with more. I didn't want to give her the wrong idea.”
Wyatt nodded. “That was probably a good idea. I wish you two well.”
“And you and Kayla. Good luck, buddy.”
Maria was very happy the next few weeks, watching the two young couples spreading their wings. All was going well, and the men were happy with the new ideas they'd been using on the ranch. Everything seemed to be fine, until the doorbell rang one evening as Wyatt, Bo and Alicia were sitting down to supper.
Wyatt answered the door and returned with Sheriff Roy Culler. “Sheriff Culler, this is my niece, Alicia Robertson, and this is Bo Hamilton. Bo, Sheriff Culler wants to talk to you.”
Bo's eyes opened wide. “You want to talk to me?”
“I do. Is there somewhere we could go in private?”
“Bo, why don't you take him back to my office. You can talk in there.”
Bo led the sheriff into the office and closed the door. He sat down in one of the chairs in front of Wyatt's desk as the sheriff sat in the other. “I can't imagine what you'd want to talk to me about Sheriff. What can I do for you?”
“You're Bo Hamilton?”
“I am.”
“I have a few questions I need to ask you.” Bo nodded, and the sheriff continued. “Where were you two nights ago, on Monday evening, around seven, eight o'clock?”
Bo looked stunned at the question. “Right here.”
“All night?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Is there anyone that could verify that?”
“Yes. We eat supper around 6:00, 6:30. As I recall, Monday we were picking beans while it was still nice and we worked a little longer. I believe we ate around 6:30, maybe even a little later.”
Life at the Ranch Page 5