Page 11 of The Texas Cowboy's Lady

“And I do not plan to do that. You know I had to leave. Just like you had to stay and fight for your dream. I had to findmine, and I did. And now I know that it can exist right here in Texas, among the people I love. So why can’t he just leave it alone?”

Sammi Jo finally stood and retrieved the brush from her hand. She made her sit down and she began a slower, methodical brushing of her sister’s hair. “Before you go bald, I will brush, and you can listen and do some deep breathing. It’s only natural that some people might doubt that you want to stay here, given that you couldn’t wait to get to the bright lights. And you couldn’t wait to get back to them after your brief visits to Texas. And there was always a cowboy who was there to watch you come and then watch you go, and we would have to put up with the snarly bear he would turn into for the month afterward. You know his feelings over the years. So cut him some slack. He’ll figure out that you mean what you say. And then you can show him, just like you will all the others, that you mean what you say by being here in the spring to welcome the newest member of this family.”

“If he had such feelings, he should have understood why I had to leave. And why wouldn’t he be glad I’m back and saying that I am staying?”

“Well, I would have to say that he might have had those feelings over the years, but feelings change just as people do. He waited a long time for you to have a change of heart about this place... and about him. Everyone has to move on with life at some point. You met someone. Why would it be hard to figure that so would he?”

Laurel caught Sammi Jo’s gaze in the mirror. Her raised hand stilled the brush. “You’re saying he had a change of heart? Does that change have a name? The woman in Abilene he had dinner with the other night? Why haven’t you said anything about this change to me before now?”

“Maybe I figured it wasn’t news to impart long distance. Whether he’s chosen her, that’s not for me to say. But if he has, I’m happy for him. Jaxson is a good man, and he deserves to have a home and wife and kids of his own. I think he knows it’s time for that in his life, and he doesn’t plan to miss out on it. You can’t blame him for finally getting your message. But I ask again…why would it matter if he had moved on? You did.”

You did.Sammi Jo’s words hit home like an arrow. Of course, they would all think she had done just that by bringing Sean to the ranch. Not correcting anyone about their true relationship had probably not been one of her better ideas. But that was hindsight. No one ever moved forward by looking backward. That was a pearl of wisdom her grandmother had imparted, along with so many others.

If people believed that she wouldn’t stay, it was because she had not given them anything else to believe by her actions. If Jaxson doubted her, it was because she had told him to forget about her and any future with her in it, because she belonged elsewhere. And he had finally believed her.

The problem was, while he might have moved on, she hadn’t moved forward at all.

*

“So, this iswhere you keep all this immensity working like a well-oiled machine? May I enter? I’ll just sit in a corner and observe—soak up the atmosphere, so to speak. It’s a large part of what I do before I get behind a camera and try to recreate it all,” said the man who stood in the doorway of Jaxson’s office.

Sean Collins had actually found his way through the traffic of trucks and trailers, animals and cowboys, moving in and out, having already been at their jobs well before the sun rose. Yet, here was Laurel’s dandy, as Jaxson had begun calling him in his mind. It suited the figure in front of him, with his starched and pressed designer jeans that likely cost more than most of those working hands in the stables made in a month. The sweater was another two weeks of pay, and the leather jacket and wool scarf casually, yet perfectly, draped loosely around his neck was a bit much for the day ahead. But then, who was Jaxson to enlighten him? Sean was Laurel’s problem until they both climbed back on the jet that brought them and got out of his hair.

Jaxson stood, drawing the black Stetson down on his forehead and tucking his leather work gloves under his belt in their usual handy place for his workday. He began heading toward the door, leaving the visitor to follow or not.

“Things are a bit busy down here, so mind where you step. Visitors could easily get hurt one way or another. That’s why they are discouraged.”Take the hint and leave.

“I’ll just keep out of the way and tag along, if I might. All this is great to allow me to soak up the atmosphere of a time and place.”

“You’ll be soaking in sweat if you think you’re dressed for where I’m headed. Once the sun heats up a bit more, and the usual wind dies down, you’ll be in an oven for a few hours.”

“It gets warm in California. I think I’ll be fine.”

Jaxson slid the usual dark lenses of his aviators on his face. They served to shield his thoughts a good part of the time. And this moment was no different. He grabbed a chaff of hay as he stepped past it and stuck it between his lips. It also helped to have something to bite down on and keep certain comments at bay. He had a feeling he would need a lot more hay before the day was done.

“Suit yourself. Keep up or leave, but no one has time to be a tour guide today.”

Jaxson went about his work, barking orders, his eyes on all the activity. He made his way through all three large stables, vaguely aware of a shadow behind him. A couple of times, he was sure that a horse and cowboy was about to send Sean running back to the safety of the main house, but he stayed.

They pushed through one of the large sliding doorways, and they were inside a fenced area with a dozen or so horses milling and moving about. There were seven cowboys with their ropes in hand, awaiting Jaxson’s instructions. He stood for a few moments, eyeing the herd. Then he nodded and called out a cowboy. “TJ, the red roan.” The cowboy moved forward into the horses, his rope ending up around the neck of a large animal. He led it toward the distant gate.

“So, what is this all about?” Sean’s words hung in the air for a few moments. Jaxson wasn’t going to speak up, as his attention was on the work at hand. It was an older cowhand who stood at the back of the group, observing the younger ones. A spate of tobacco left his cheek. Sean moved his leather dress boots back a foot or so.

“The boss man is choosing the mounts for some of our newer hands. They’ll work with them and get to know each other. They’ll be partners.”

“What if they don’t like each other?”

“The boss always knows the best pairing ninety-nine percent of the time. If they don’t work out, it’s for a more serious reason thanliking. So, the horse is sidelined, and we older fellas get to figure out what’s up. The cowboy gets another mount.”

There were six horses left in the pen after all the cowboys had led their mounts away. Jaxson turned and found Sean was at his elbow.

“You’re still here.”

“Yes, and I’d like to be paired with one of these horses, if I might. Since I should see the ranch on the back of a horse, as you mentioned yesterday. I’m sure you could pick the most suitable one for me. That would be okay, wouldn’t it?”

Jaxson did his best to keep a straight face as he spat a blade of straw out of the corner of his mouth. He sized up the man in front of him for a moment or two. Then he turned to the remaining horses. Here was a moment he should be able to relish by putting the Hollywood man in the Texas dirt. But as much as he might enjoy the scene it would make, something stopped him. The man wanted to learn. Maybe Jaxson could end up doing Laurel a favor. She at least deserved to have a guy who could get on a horse. Maybe even last for five minutes.

He should have kicked Sean out of the stable the moment he showed up. Choosing the high road was not what Jaxson wanted to do with his day.

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