Page 7 of For Him

“You and me both, Mom,” I whispered as the tears slid down my cheeks once more. I hadn’t realized how much this had truly hurt until now.

“I won’t meddle. Even if he is very handsome and his family is extremely wealthy,” she added, and I groaned.

“Mom,” I teased, and she smiled softly in my direction.

“He’s also only twenty-nine.” She bumped me with her shoulder.

“I thought you weren’t going to meddle.” I grinned her way, and she sighed.

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Love you, Mom,” I replied as she wrapped me in a hug before I found the comfort of my pillow.

∞∞∞

Because I wasn’t going to the Duke Ranch to perform any medicine, Doc had me travel in my car and leave the clinic truck. But as the road wound higher and higher up the side of the mountain, I began questioning whether I should’ve taken my parents' truck instead of my Civic.

The last home had disappeared a couple miles back, yet my GPS said I was still twenty minutes from the entrance of the ranch. Pushing a wayward strand of hair that had fallen from my ponytail nervously behind my ear, I continued the journey farther into the mountains. It was beautiful, but the graying clouds in the sky held something ominous.

The minutes trudged by faster than I’d expected as I enjoyed the journey and felt a rush of adrenaline coating the fear that was pumping through my veins. If the ranch was this far out here, I doubted they enjoyed visitors and hoped that Cassidy remembered I was supposed to be coming.

Off to my left a large wooden arch signified the entrance to the ranch. The brand I’d seen on the rump of the four cattle yesterday was marked beside the words Duke Ranch hanging from the top beam. Passing under, I was swallowed by trees and dark wooden fencing. The graying sky nearly disappeared completely. I would turn this place into a haunted hollow for Halloween if I owned a ranch like this.

Then again, maybe they did. I knew absolutely nothing about this town or these people. I’d been here for only two days now. As the trees continued thick around me and the dirt road twisted to the right, I rolled down my windows and slowed the drive. The thick scent of pine treesand fresh air encompassed me, along with the bristling sting of bitter cold.

There was a possibility my thick green turtleneck sweater and Aztec-patterned coat wouldn’t be warm enough, as the cold bit through the fabric of my sleeves. At least I’d brought a knitted hat for my ears as I traversed the insane journey I was about to forage into.

One more turn to the left and suddenly the trees all but disappeared, and I emerged in the most beautiful valley nestled well into the woods. A large cabin rose to my left, smoke swirling from the chimney. Farther down the road, I counted three more homes of similar structure. To my right was a smaller version of a cabin, while behind it all, spread out upon acres and acres of open pasture, roamed cows that bellowed and munched lazily on the sharp needles of grass.

Horses whinnied off to the right,beautiful corrals and round pens were all fenced by the same dark wood that had guided my pathway here. Pristine care was taken to ensure that the grandeur of mother nature was not hindered, but enhanced by the surrounding structures.Down through the trees loped four different cowboys upon the backs of elegant horses, two Razor ATVs blazed down the path to my left as I had stalled my car at the entrance.

Following the four horses came a massive wave of cattle, I could hear the whistling as more hands emerged around and behind the herd. They walked down the hillside towards a large pen where a chute rose, waiting. To the right, behind the small bunkhouse, six more figuresemerged from a looming red barn, horses tacked up and snorting. Their hot breath mixed with the crisp air.

“Didn’t think you’d show this early, Miss. We are just getting our last round up going and bringing all the cattle down before the winter storm.” A voice pierced through the scene that lay before me, the colors of fall imploding with the fictional stampede of cattle and horses.

“Good morning, Cassidy,” I replied and rolled my eyes, turning to find the cowboy leaning up against the door, his arm above his head as he peered down at me with those hazel eyes. His Carhartt was zipped tight around a beautiful paisley-patterned wild rag tied tightly around his neck.

“Park your car over by the house where the trucks are and meet me out by the chute. I hope you brought some gloves, it ain’t warm.” He nodded towards a row of large trucks beside the beautiful home with the smoke curling from the stone chimney that ran up the right side wall. Two chestnut-colored wooden rocking chairs sat upon the exquisite porch that held potted plants hanging off of the railing.

I let my eyes roam the beautiful scene. It was something from a dream that I’d never be able to see enough of.

I crept my car forward, the enormity of it all sweeping my breath away. I was hardly able to catch it as I stepped out into the bitter air once my car was parked. Pulling the hat over my ponytail, it fell at a more normal length, and I zipped my coat up as high as it would go. Shoving my fingers into my gloves, I turned around and watched as four small four-wheelers zipped by, each with two occupants—not one of whom was an adult.

This was a life, and one that the cold would be worth the sacrifice for. I could only imagine what else was hidden through these hills as the road curved around and upwards towards either direction, disappearing into more unknown adventures. There was crude laughter mixed with children screeching and animals of all sounds crashing through the air as I turned the corner and approached the slowly crowding pen.

Mostly men sat upon horses, ropes strapped to saddles. There were a few women scattered about, huddled in a small group of their own, chatting. The children chased each other with ropes, snakes, and whatever else they could find. I paused for a moment, smiling, and wondering if they truly understood the magnificence of what they enjoyed.

But the beauty was broken by more grating words behind me. “Glad to see you didn’t get lost. Since you’re here this early, I bet Weston wouldn’t mind a vet’s help in our last little round up and deworming before winter.” Cassidy grinned, and I shook my head.

“You do realize that I have only done stuff like that in a school setting.None of this cowboy way,” I replied and glanced at him. His eyes once more raked up and down my body.

“That’s pretty obvious. You sure your toes won’t get too cold?” He winked as I shook my head.

“You really just assume your looks allow you to get away with saying anything you want, don’t you?”I said in response.

He threw his head back and laughed. “They’ve not failed me yet. Except when it comes to Weston.”

“Who’s Weston?” I asked.

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