by Clay, Verna
He popped the top of the coke. "What you've done with the terrace and living room is amazing. So, tell me about your day."
Pleasantly surprised by his question, she happily detailed her accomplishments and outlined her plans for the next day. Most people considered the job of running a household a necessary inconvenience. Not so for Ann, she'd always loved being a homemaker. "I made potato salad. Would you like me to fix you a sandwich or something to go with it?"
"No, you're off duty. You should enjoy your evening."
"Actually, I would enjoy making you something to eat."
Jackson gave her a quizzed look. "Okay, I'll just shower. A sandwich would be great."
Ann smiled while she created a sandwich masterpiece and loaded Jackson's plate with potato salad. When he returned and she presented it to him, his eyes widened and he grinned. "Oh, yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about."
Ann felt a shiver of pleasure at his happiness. "I guess I'll walk back to the cottage. Enjoy your evening."
"Wait, have you eaten?"
"Yes, I ate earlier. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Good evening, Annie."
Ann's pulse always sped up when he called her "Annie." She smiled and let herself out by way of the mud room. Being summer, the sun was still bright as she walked back to her cottage. She had an almost overwhelming desire to skip like a little girl. It had been a long time since she'd felt so content and carefree.
* * *
Jackson took his plate and sat at the breakfast nook table watching Annie walk to her cottage. She bent over a few times to pick up rocks and toss them like a child. Damn, but the woman turned him on. He sighed and glanced around the kitchen. It felt—homey. Enjoying a bite of potato salad, he allowed himself to feel something he always kept at bay—contentment. He'd often wondered if his dysfunctional upbringing by an alcoholic father had forever scarred his psyche.
After Annie disappeared into the cottage, he took his plate of food to his office to finish eating. Turning on his computer, he checked emails and the latest stock market reports. Mark Johnson, an investor he'd become friends with during his days at Mitchell Brokerage, had emailed him the latest trends. Next, he called up his portfolio and made adjustments. Although Mark managed his investments, Jackson still enjoyed tweaking them. He was good at calling long shots and he'd had his eye on a little company based out of Colorado Springs. They had some innovative ideas about alternative energy products and he wanted to get in on the ground floor. Tomorrow, he would purchase enough shares to put grins on the faces of the board.
Chapter 7: Changes
Sage watched Julie perform the last of her vaulting tricks with her horse, Precious Pudding. Every year the Lazy M Dude Ranch hosted a dozen children from his favorite charity, the Big Bro and Big Sis Organization. Seeing the joy it gave the kids, ranging in age from seven to seventeen, more than made up for the extra work. Remembering the campfire by the river the previous night made him smile. Most of the kids were city dwellers, so roasting hotdogs and toasting marshmallows was something they would remember the rest of their lives. Of course, listening to Newt's ghost stories wasn't something they would easily forget, either.
"Hey, mister." Sage felt a tug on his Levis and looked down at the youngest child of the bunch, seven year old Lester. He squatted beside the freckle-faced, copper-headed boy that asked at least twenty questions a day.
"Les, what can I do ya?"
"Do you think I can be a cowboy when I grow up?"
Sage pushed back his Stetson. "I definitely think you can be a cowboy. In fact, I'm positive you'd be one of the best cowboys ever."
Lester grinned, showing off the gap where his front tooth used to be. "I kinda thought the same thing. Okay, I'll come back and work for you when I grow up."
Sage laughed and looked up at Lester's big bro, Orville. Orville joined in the laughter and scuffed Lester on his head. "Come on, cowboy, it's time to rustle up some lunch."
Sage stood and watched the children run toward the dorm and the feast Curley had prepared.
"Hi, Dad." Julie approached the railing of the corral with Precious Pudding.
"Hi, honey." The kids loved your performance. Do you feel ready for the Cortez Rodeo next week?"
"I do. Hey, Dad…"
Sage knew his daughter well enough to realize something was up when she said, "Hey, Dad…" He waited.
"I know I've told you this before, but thanks for the Alaska cruise."
"Sarah and I agreed that a cruise would be something special." He waited for her to speak what was really on her mind.
"I got a letter from Maude. You know, she's in her eighties and still goin' strong."
"Yeah, that woman is something else."
"Ah, she said their Alaska summer is beautiful this year. She, ah, invited Jacob and me to spend the rest of the warm months with her and Clyde.
"Do you want to?"
"You know I do."
"So what's the problem?"
"Jacob won't ask for the time off. He doesn't want to put you in a bind."
"Well, he is important around here."
Julie looked disappointed.
"But I could ask Jackson if he's got a ranch hand he could spare. He seems well situated."
Julie's eyes lit. "You mean it?"
"Of course I mean it. Hey, how can I deny my little girl and my son-in-law the opportunity to spend time with Maude and Clyde, twenty-first century gold prospectors?"
Julie reached over the top of the corral and hugged him. "Thanks, Dad." She chewed her bottom lip. "Now I just have to find a way to let Jacob know I asked you when he asked me not to."
Sage laughed, "Honey, I think you'll figure something out. When do you think you'll leave?"
"We won't leave until you're happy with Jacob's replacement."
"I'll talk to Jackson this afternoon and let you know."
"Daddy, you're the best!"
Sage watched Julie lead Precious Pudding back to the barn. He sure hoped Jackson had someone to spare. There was no way he could deny Julie her heart's desire to spend time in Alaska with Maude, the former cook at Lazy M for twenty years.
* * *
On Friday, after almost a week at Triple T Ranch, Ann was proud of herself for getting the main house in shipshape condition. Although Jackson had told her to hire out heavy labor, she mopped and scrubbed anyway. She took curtains down in the bathrooms and washed and ironed them, she changed sheets on all the beds, she did some weeding of flowerbeds in the back yard, and she enjoyed every minute of her new position. After shyly asking Jackson if it was okay to enter his bedroom to dust and change his sheets, he'd nodded and said, "Sure, but you don't have to do that. Just leave the sheets on the bed and I'll change them."
Of course, Ann couldn't do that and happily set about dusting his furniture, changing his sheets, and scrubbing his heavenly bathroom.
On Friday, she drove to town and, using the debit card Jackson had given her for household expenses, stocked up on supplies and groceries. She was in her element and knew it. On the ride home she stopped by Lazy M to see Sarah.
"You look wonderful!" Sarah pulled her inside the house. Toby and Preston ran to meet her and when Toby started to say, "Did you bring us a pres—" A stern look from his mother stopped him.
"Not this time, boys," Ann said, and hid a grin.
"Okay, Auntie Ann." Toby grabbed Preston's arm and pulled him toward their bedroom. Turning back around, he said, "Maybe next time you'll see that cool red car at the Wally Mart."
"Toby!" Sarah exclaimed.
He looked at the floor. "Sorry, Mom. Sorry, Auntie Ann."
Sarah shook her head and pointed for them to go to their room. "Those boys might look alike, but they're as different as night and day. Toby zooms in on what he wants and blindly goes after it. Preston sees what he wants and contemplates his next move."
Ann smiled. "Both qualities will serve them well as adults."
"I know. I don't want to squash their
personalities, but yet I want to teach them ethics and responsibility."
"You and Sage are wonderful parents."
"Thanks Ann. If you had told me five years ago that I would be married to Sage and we'd have twin sons, I would have thought you crazy." Sarah got a faraway look. "Because we both had sons who died, we savor every moment with our boys." She brushed the corner of her eye. "Look, here I am getting teary-eyed. Let's go to the kitchen so you can tell me about your first week."
After Sarah checked on Toby and Preston, she and Ann poured coffee and sat at the small drop leaf table in the kitchen. "So tell me everything," Sara encouraged.
"So far, things have gone smooth. I love the house and it's on its way to being in tip-top shape. I'm going to plant Black-eyed Susans in the front flowerbed on Monday."
"Do you like working for Jackson."
"He's a dream to work for. Ah, yes, he's very professional, and from what I've seen, works well with everyone at the ranch."
Ann sipped her coffee. "Remember I was telling you about Dixie, the gal who owns Dixie's Cuppa Joe, and how she might be perfect for Jackson?"
Ann squirmed in her chair. "Yes."
"I want you to meet her. Let's have a girl's-day-out on Sunday. You're off and Sage can watch the boys. I really want you to give me your impression of her suitability for Jackson."
"Oh, I don't know. I have to–"
"Ann, I'm not taking no for an answer. Besides, we need to chill and have fun. We've both been working our asses off. Actually, I wish that were true for myself, you don't have anything to work off."
Ann chuckled. "Okay. Okay. What time do you want me to be here?"
"How about ten. It'll be a blast. Hey, changing the subject, do you remember meeting Miles Brightman? He's the guy in the wheelchair that stayed a couple of weeks. He was at the wedding and reception."
"Yes, I remember him. He was quiet and kept to himself. Didn't seem to want to talk much."
Sarah laughed. "Yep, that's Miles. Anyway, he's coming back to spend the rest of summer." She tapped her finger on the table. "Oh, jeez, you don't know the latest development. Julie told me this morning that she and Jacob are calling you tonight to fill you in. They wanted to wait until the plans were firmed up. They've been invited by Maude and Clyde to spend the summer with them in Alaska. Maude was the cook here for years. Sage's dad hired her. She met one of the hand's who was twenty years her junior and they up and eloped when Sage was a kid. She and her groom headed off to Alaska and struck it rich. She's in her eighties now and, according to Julie, as spry as ever. Anyway, the kids are leaving to experience the wilds of Alaska for a few months."
"How exciting!"
"Oh, back to what I was saying about Miles. He's going to be staying at Julie and Jacob's cottage while they're gone. The renovations are done and Sage is building some ramps to make negotiating the place easy."
"Why doesn't he just stay at the dorm where you already have access ramps?"
Sarah looked at the table.
"What is it you're not telling me?" Ann leaned in.
Sarah glanced up with a twinkle in her eyes. "Okay, you're my best friend and I can't keep secrets from you. Miles Brightman is really Maxwell Henry."
"What! You mean the Maxwell Henry; the author of all those best selling suspense novels?"
Sarah nodded vigorously. "He's working on his next book, the one that's promoted in a gazillion advertisements, and he needs solitude. He liked being here, and when we found out that Julie and Jacob would be gone for the summer, their place seemed perfect for him."
"Wow, just think, I met Maxwell Henry and didn't even know it. I've been meaning to buy his latest release. Which brings up a question—how are you doing on your book and when do I get to read the drafts?"
"I must admit that I'm not as far along as I'd like. The boys keep me busy and when they're in bed I like to spend time with Sage…" she giggled and whispered, "…in bed."
Ann laughed, "You are incorrigible, Sarah."
"I know. I couldn't help but say that. Maybe I'll use that line in my latest story. Anyway, back to your question. Sissy, my publisher, wants a rough draft at the beginning of fall and I think I'll have it for her. You know, it'll be my first book after Baby Kisses."
"I just loved the Kisses Series. Do you think you'll add more books to it?"
"I'm not really sure. I've wanted to branch out into romantic suspense and that's what I'm working on now. Of course, you already know that because I can't keep anything from you, my dear friend."
A noise in the doorway captured their attention. "Toby took my car," Preston wailed.
"Did not. It's my car," Toby defended himself.
Sarah lifted her eyes to the ceiling. "Now you see why it's taking forever to get this new book launched."
Ann nodded sympathetically and the friends grinned at each other.
Late that night, Ann reclined against her pillows in bed and reread a passage from Honey Kisses, her favorite book by Sarah. She always thought of Jackson when she read the words.
The tall, lanky cowboy leaning against the barn siding looked dangerous and mysterious to Fannie. Being a city slicker, she had no experience with cowboys or hoe-downs. The community had come together to celebrate the raising of yet another barn. Fiddlers livened the atmosphere while country folk danced a jig. "Yee ha," yelled one of the dancers when the song came to a close. Another musician tapped one-two-three, and the music started again before anyone could leave the dance floor.
Fannie lowered her head and surreptitiously glanced toward the cowboy. He was gone. Before she looked back up, however, well-worn boots came into her line of sight.
"May I have this dance," said a voice of deep timbre. Fannie slowly lifted her eyes to the pale gray ones of the cowboy. She forgot to breathe. Never had she seen such a handsome man. His dark coloring, in contrast to his honey hair, stole rational thought from her. Unbidden images of placing her lips on his and stroking his chest and arms, danced in front of her eyes. Inadvertently, she said, "No." But her words were not to the cowboy, they were to the visions in her mind.
He smiled slightly, tipped his hat, and started to turn away.
"No. I didn't mean no. I meant yes." Fannie felt utterly insipid and expected the cowboy to walk away laughing. Instead, he stretched his hand toward hers.
When she slipped her fingers into his, flames of desire threatened to consume her. Never had she experienced such emotion. The kiss Chester Littlefield had stolen when she was sixteen, and which she had thrilled over for months, paled to nothingness in light of the cowboy's work roughened hand holding hers. On the dance floor he said, "My name is Johnson Mendoza. What's yours?"
"Fannie Harper."
It wasn't until he placed his hand on her waist that she remembered she didn't know how to dance.
Ann sighed and set the book on her nightstand.
* * *
Sarah lay in Sage's arms and rubbed her hand across his chest. "Do you still think we're doing the right thing in trying to get Jackson and Ann together?"
"Uh huh."
She drew circles with her finger on his collar bone. "I hope my introducing Ann to Dixie, with the intent of making her jealous, doesn't backfire. Ann's so sweet it would be just like her to actually try getting them together if she thinks Dixie's a good match for him."
"Uh huh."
Sarah slid her hand to her husband's abs and absentmindedly tapped them while she spoke.
"Do you really think we're doing the right thing?"
"Honestly, Sarah, right now I can't think. You're driving me crazy."
Sarah stilled her hand. She rose on one elbow and looked into flaming eyes. A slow smile lit her countenance and she moved her hand lower.
Chapter 8: Someone for Jackson
Ann entered Dixie's Cuppa Joe with Sarah and stood in line waiting to order. A large glass case showcased luscious pastries.
Sarah sighed, "I adore bear claws and they adore my thighs. But what the h
ell, I'm forever dieting. Might as well make it worthwhile. What would you like, Ann?"
Ann eyed the apple strudel. "I'm a sucker for anything with apples."
The customer in front of them moved on and Sarah ordered their pastries. "You want a fancy or regular coffee?"
"Just regular, and please, let me pay."
"No way, girlfriend, I invited you." Sarah ordered a regular coffee and a melted chocolate chip caramel café for herself.
Ann spotted a vacated table in the busy coffee shop. "You want me to grab that table."
"Yes. Put our claim on it and I'll bring our order."
After settling into their seats with a view of Main Street's two-lane traffic and cars parked at angles to the sidewalk, Ann opened little packets of hazelnut creamer and poured them into her coffee. Sarah sank her teeth into her bear claw, closed her eyes, and moaned.
Ann grinned at her friend and followed suit with her strudel. "Delicious," she mumbled. Feeling lighthearted and happy to be spending time with Sarah, she said, "Thanks for inviting me."
Sarah sipped her coffee and grinned. "We need to do this more often. It's fun to chill."
Ann nodded because her mouth was too full to reply.
Between bites, Sarah asked, "Did Jacob or Julie call you yet about leaving for Alaska next Sunday?"
Ann dusted crumbs off her lap. "Yes, Jacob said Sage hired one of Jackson's ranch hands to work at the Lazy M until they get back. It's all happening so fast. I'm going to miss them, but I know how much they're looking forward to spending the summer with Maude and Clyde."
"I called to let Miles know their house is available and he's arriving a week later. He said he's been working like a madman trying to make deadlines and he's looking forward to the change of scenery."
Ann said shyly, "If I give you the book I just bought, would you ask him to autograph it for me?"
"Of course, but hopefully you'll be able to ask him yourself."
"I don't know. He's kind of intimidating. I'd probably lose my courage."
"I understand where you're coming from. But since I've known him for years, I see a side of him others don't." She looked sad. "He lost the use of his legs in a car accident when he was a teenager. From what I've gleaned, I think he was very athletic and in line for a football scholarship. I met his sister once and she privately told me that he wouldn't leave the house for a couple of years after the accident. Even though he's done well for himself, sometimes I sense his bitterness. But on a happier note, I think every book he's written has made the New York Times Best Seller List. His last two novels were made into movies and I understand the one he's working on now is also going to the big screen."