Riding the River

by Jeanne Harrell

  “Matt, honey? What is it?”

  “… I’m in love, Sarah…For the first time in my life…”

  She smiled. “I know that, cowboy…I’ve known it for a while.”

  “… Probably before I did.”

  “…So?”

  “This probably isn’t the best time for me to say this…”

  “… Maybe not, Matt… We’re in the middle of something here…”

  “Yes, I know and that makes what I want to say even more important.”

  “Honestly, I get that, but…” Sarah pointed down to emphasize her point. They were quite in the middle of things with their bodies and hips glued together for one express purpose – He was still deep inside her… “Maybe we could just finish up first, before you say what you need to…”

  Matt laughed and flipped her over. “Right. First things first...”

  Later, after Sarah had fallen asleep, Matt lay there watching her. Everything she did was becoming dear to him. He loved those little bubbles and pops she made in her sleep. She never moved away from him and stayed right in his arms all night. He never even thought that would be a comfortable way to sleep. Now it was the only way he could sleep…

  So in the middle of the night, when she was sound asleep, Matt gently turned Sarah’s head to whisper in her ear. He had to say it and he had to say it now…

  “Sarah?” She mumbled something… “Can you hear me?”

  Without opening her eyes, she whispered, “Yes…”

  Matt didn’t know if she was awake or not, but decided to go on anyway.

  “… Remember I had something to say to you?”

  “…Yes…”

  “I love you, Sarah.”

  “I love you too…”

  “Will you marry me? I’m asking you…”

  “… Yes…” Matt watched her face as her eyes slowly opened and she turned her head to look at him. “Did you just say what I think you said?”

  He smiled. “Are you awake now?”

  “We’ve been awake most of the night.”

  “You were asleep just now, honey.”

  She looked at him in love. “Say it again to my face, instead of my ear.”

  “All right… Sarah Hughes, I love you. Will you marry me?”

  “… Is that what you wanted to tell me earlier?”

  “Uh-huh…”

  “What did I say when I was asleep and you asked me?”

  “You said yes.”

  “Okay. I’ll stick to that decision. It seems like a good one.”

  His face fell. “That’s not terribly romantic.”

  She leaned up to kiss his lips. They stayed on his for a good while.

  “… Matt Garth, I love and adore you. I would be very proud to marry you and be your wife. In fact, I’d be thrilled…”

  “Thank you, sweetheart.”

  “I don’t suppose you want to go back to sleep now. We have to get up in four hours…”

  The way Matt looked at her, Sarah knew he didn’t want to go back to sleep.

  “Okay,” she sighed. “Another sleepless night…”

  Matt laughed as he brought her in closer for an incredibly sexy kiss. When they finished, she smiled against his lips. “Who needs sleep?” And they continued…

  The next day she was helping Dale make breakfast and yawned a few times. Dale smiled at her.

  “Do you ever get any sleep at night now, Sarah?”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I don’t…”

  He laughed and laughed. “Good for you. I knew that boy loved you way back when you first got here.”

  She just smiled at him and started making pancakes on the hot griddle.

  “He asked me to marry him, Dale.”

  He turned around to give her a hug. “Congratulations, Sarah. I’m pleased for you both. Still going to work for me?”

  “Yes, sir…”

  “What about your family?”

  “I’m calling them today. We’re going into Wells since there’s no cell service around here and the few phones don’t have long distance.”

  “What do you think they’ll say?”

  “I think my dad’s head will rotate on his shoulders like the devil in that horror movie.”

  “That bad?”

  “Maybe not, once he meets Matt. It’ll just be tough getting Matt back there.”

  “He doesn’t want to go to Baltimore?”

  “No… But he’ll have to, sooner or later.”

  He took the bacon out of the pan.

  “Tess left today, didn’t she?”

  “Yes, I’m going to miss her very much.”

  “So is Richie.”

  “Think so?”

  “… Oh, yeah. He’s been moping around here trying to keep busy.”

  Sarah picked up a towel to wipe her hands.

  “Is that about it, Dale? I need to take off.”

  “Go, go. Tell me what your father says…”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Wells, Nevada is a small, rural town in northeastern Nevada. But they do have cell service, so Sarah was finally able to call home. Of course, she could have done it earlier, had she wanted to…

  “Dad! It’s so great to hear your voice…” said Sarah with a big smile on her face. She was standing outside of a café where Matt had gone in to get a cup of coffee. He watched her from inside the café, but couldn’t hear her.

  “No… It’s been wonderful here…Yes, I’m glad the campaign is going so well… Dad? Dad! Listen to me… I’ve met someone and I think I’m going to stay in Nevada… No, I haven’t gone nuts… Dad, he’s Gregory Peck… What do I care what Ben thinks? I’m not coming home, Dad… No, not for a while… Dad… Dad…”

  Matt could see that she was having trouble. Her father was giving her static probably about staying longer in Nevada. He’d need to call him…

  “No, Dad. Grandfather calling me won’t do any good. Please try to understand…” He watched her listen a while longer, then she glanced at him through the café window, and shrugged her shoulders.

  “Dad… No, I have a job here. I’m quitting the computer job in Baltimore. Dad, please listen to me…”

  Her father was applying pressure for her to come home – Matt could tell. She was squirming like a calf with a rope around its neck… Would he do any differently if he were her father? Possibly not… But Matt wasn’t her father and he wanted her with him very much. So that was the end of that…

  She’d hung up and made another call. He knew this one was to her good friend, Abby. Abby would be friendlier and more understanding… He crossed his fingers.

  “Abby… Hi! How are you? I’m good… great, actually. I’ve had a wonderful week, found my smile again and am quitting that hideous job… No…What? Yes, I did meet him… Oh, Abby, I’m in love and he’s wonderful… Okay…No…”

  Matt couldn’t tell if Abby was being helpful or not. Sarah’s body language was hard to read.

  “That’s right, Abby. No, I’m not coming home… That’s right… Yes, I’m moving in with Matt… No, it’s not too soon… Be happy for me, Abby. It’s what you wanted for me too…”

  When Sarah started her third phone call, Matt went out to stand by her. He knew this one was going to Joe the Tyrant, her boss. He wanted to give her moral support.

  “Mr. Olson? This is Sarah… No, I won’t be back. Consider the past week and this one as my two-week notice. I quit… Yes, I can quit… What? No, you can’t force me to stay. Just mail my last check…I won’t be back…”

  When Sarah hung up the phone, Matt took her in his arms. She was a wreck and started to cry. After he helped her in the truck, he got in and turned to look at her. Matt handed over his handkerchief.

  She smiled through her tears. “You still use handkerchiefs…”

  “What happened? Tell me.”

  “… My father insisted I come home, Abby told me I couldn’t fall in love this quickly and my boss insisted I couldn’t q
uit – He would sue if I tried it.”

  “Jeez, Sarah… I’m so sorry. I knew you were having trouble. Any other calls to make?”

  “No,” she sniffed. “Take me home…”

  Matt knew it was more important than ever to close the real estate deal on the ranch. He wanted Sarah to have a place that was hers… theirs… and no one else’s. A permanent home, not like staying at his grandfather’s.

  “Let’s stop at our ranch, Sarah. All right? I’ve got some people coming to help with the painting and carpet. Would you like that?”

  She nodded and kept her head on his shoulder most of the way back. His shoulder was getting damp from her tears and he had to stop a few times to comfort her. Her phone buzzed before they went out of the cell service range and she glanced at it.

  “Who is it?”

  “… Grandfather…”

  “Great...” She didn’t pick up.

  Her phone rang again. “That’ll be Ben…” She looked at the caller identification. “…Yep…”

  “Do you want me to stop, so you can call them back?”

  “No… I’m not going to be pressured into doing something I don’t want to do.”

  Matt stopped the truck and turned to look at her. Tears still rolled down her face and she began to hiccup. He pulled her into his arms.

  “… Honey, what can I do? Tell me. I’ll do anything to help you…”

  She shook her head. “No, I’m going to have to face this.”

  He pulled back to lift up her chin. “Sarah, you’re not facing this alone. I’m the problem here, not you.” Her eyes blazed…

  “How can you say that? I’ve never been happier in my life than when I’ve been with you. No one’s going to wreck this for me.”

  He smiled at her… She was getting feisty and he liked that. Sarah had real spirit – gumption – that was another part of his draw towards her.

  “Want to sit outside for a while?”

  She nodded again and leaned over to kiss his cheek. Matt turned to her at that moment and their lips met instead. He grabbed her and the kiss became more urgent… His lips were firm and demanding that she give him more. She did… And out in the middle of a pretty valley, a cowboy and his true love wound themselves around one another to deepen that very necessary kiss. He needed to know that she still wanted him – She needed to know that he still loved her.

  “I need to lose mmmyself in you…” Sarah stammered.

  “… That goes for me too,” Matt whispered. He grabbed a blanket from the back seat. “Let’s go out there.”

  The road back to his ranch went through a lovely meadow. Matt knew Sarah loved meadows, so he took her hand as he searched for a nice place to sit in the wildflowers. Sarah was already beginning to perk up just being in the open with the grassy area and the big sky. Matt wondered how she ever existed before in a closed city. She needed the open spaces to breathe – Why didn’t her dad know that?

  He laid the blanket on the ground and sat down. Matt tugged Sarah’s hand for her to sit between his legs. He leaned her back against him, so they could watch the small herd of deer roaming the area. After ten minutes or so with Matt holding her tight and watching the deer, he could feel the tension leave her body…She relaxed back into him and her breaths were deeper. The hiccups stopped…

  When the deer left, Matt lay down on the blanket. She joined him and they lay there quietly, arms around each other, listening to the sounds of the grassland… birdcalls… owls hooting…

  She whispered in his ear. “… Still want to marry me? I told you I was a mess…”

  “No, you’re not a mess. You’re not even confused,” he whispered.

  She pulled back to look at him. “I’m not?”

  “No, honey… Change is hard. You’re becoming something different than what the people in Baltimore are comfortable with. Maybe they can’t handle it. It depends on how much you want this change…”

  “You mean… How much I want you.”

  “… And this life we’re planning.”

  “Yes…”

  “We haven’t known each other very long, Sarah. But I know this is what I want… Are you sure?”

  She looked him squarely in the eye. “Absolutely…” Matt blew out the breath he’d been holding. “…I want you body and soul – I’m sure.”

  A slow smile spread across his face. “Did you say body?”

  She nodded.

  “You might have to prove that.”

  ####

  The next few weeks were eventful… wonderful… Sarah worked with Dale at mealtimes and with Matt at other times over at their ranch. He’d settled with the real estate agent and the sale was in escrow – A few more weeks and the ranch would be theirs. He was in the process of buying some horses.

  They painted walls, had new carpet installed throughout the house, and cleaned and scrubbed – Then cleaned and scrubbed some more. John came over occasionally to help out with some of the painting and volunteered to lend some furniture, until they had their own. The landscaping in the front and backyards was beginning to take shape.

  Exhausted, Sarah fell sound asleep in Matt’s arms, night after night – He knew this life with Sarah was definitely the life he wanted. In the early mornings and late evenings, they made love… Creating more to what they had already.

  But it was too good to last and it didn’t…

  One day, Matt and Sarah were working in the kitchen of their ranch when John drove up. He parked in the driveway and walked in the front door.

  “Hey… Anyone home?”

  “… In the kitchen,” Matt called out.

  John walked back to the kitchen and whistled.

  “Damn, it looks good… You guys have done a great job with this place. It’s beautiful…” He looked around as he spoke, his eyes twinkling. Then he turned to Sarah and the twinkling stopped.

  “I’ve got something to tell you, darlin’,” he began.

  Sarah looked up surprised as Matt came down off the ladder he was on.

  “What is it, John?”

  “I just got a call from Seth Walker. There’s a man who’s arrived at the guest ranch asking for you. He said his name’s Ben Foster.”

  Sarah blinked in surprise and then shook her head. “I don’t believe it. He came here?”

  Matt’s face was clouding up fast…

  “There’s more, sweetie,” John had taken off his cowboy hat and was holding it in front of him. This was serious…

  “… Apparently, your grandfather’s had a heart attack and this Ben fellow has come to take you home. He told Seth they couldn’t reach you, so your father sent Ben out here.”

  “Oh, my God – not Grandfather…” She looked aghast, but in the next minute, she frowned. “But he didn’t need to send Ben, for Pete’s sake…”

  “It’s understandable, Sarah. We’re still working on getting cell service out here – You know it’s a remote area right now.”

  “He could have sent a telegram…”

  John shrugged his shoulders and looked at Matt whose mind had kicked into overdrive with worry. Ben would be taking Sarah away… A lump was forming in his throat and he found it hard to speak.

  She looked from John to Matt.

  “Will you take me over there? I told you I’d have to face this sooner or later. I guess it’s to be sooner…” He nodded, reached over to pick up his hat.

  Sarah picked up a nearby towel and wiped off her hands. Then she smoothed back her hair.

  “I’ll take off now,” said John. “Let me know if I can help…” He gave Matt a questioning look and left.

  Sarah and Matt looked at each other with pain written on both their faces. Matt knew that Sarah would have most of the responsibility here and it bothered him – a lot. It wasn’t his place to deal with Ben…

  She made it easier for him but going into his arms and hugging him tightly to her.

  “It’ll be fine…”

  “Will it, Sarah? I’m not so sure…�
�� He tilted up her chin to look into her eyes. “You’re going to have to leave with him, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, probably, if Grandfather’s in bad shape. I’ll have to see him…”

  “I don’t want you to go…”

  “And I don’t want to go, but, for now, let’s drive over there. I have to talk to him.”

  “All right.”

  But he couldn’t let her go… Matt was thinking he may not have her in his arms again and he couldn’t handle that idea very well. So he hung on to her…

  Sarah reached up to touch his face and his eyes got misty. She leaned up to kiss his lips and he kissed her back. They stood in the doorway with their lips sealed tightly together… But eventually, Sarah broke off their kiss.

  “… Matt, honey. It’ll be all right. Breathe, please…” She could tell he couldn’t breathe very well and it was making him light-headed. “Sit down…”

  “…Sorry. I’m such an idiot.”

  “No,” she smiled. “You’re a man in love…”

  And that brought out the tears. “Yes, you’re right.” Then he kissed her again.

  “Come back to me, Sarah,” he whispered against her lips.

  “… If I’m there too long, come get me.”

  “How long is too long?”

  “An hour?” She smiled weakly at him. Matt couldn’t smile at all… “Take me over there, please. He’s waiting.”

  Matt finally got his legs working, although his knees threatened to go out on him, and he helped Sarah in the truck. When he closed her door and walked to his side, he felt like it was going to be the worst day of his life. He was close…

  At the Walker guest ranch, Ben was shown politely into the dining room to wait for Sarah and someone had given him some iced tea. He stood out as a stranger with his three-piece suit in a land of jeans and Western shirts. Ben was tall with sandy hair -- A few people gawked at him. Dale saw him, knew immediately who he was and wondered how Sarah was going to handle this. He thought he’d hang around, just in case she needed him.

  Dan, the driver who had brought Ben in from Reno, was thinking the same as Dale. He too stood back, waiting to see what was going to happen and to help, if he could.