Page 23 of The Cowboy's Temporary Solution

"Still not feeling better?"

I sigh and shake my head apologetically. Singer takes our plates and cups in one hand and pats my shoulder with her other.

"Sorry sweetie. I really thought he was into you, but at least you met me! I'll make sure you get to talk to everyone around town. We'll impress the snot out of your boss back east."

"Thanks," I tell her, doing my best to drop the sad vibe. "But I don't think the Ralstons are going to talk to me. I've left a few messages on their office number and haven't gotten a call back at all."

Something clouds Singer's eyes momentarily when I mention the Ralston name. "Yeah, they're...they kinda keep to themselves, you know? It's a small town; grudges get held for generations out here."

"It was your ranch, right? So your families are still feuding?"

Singer's mention of the history between her family and the Flying R Ranch jogs my memory. I make a mental note to get the Kelly side of the story, at least, when we have a better chance to talk. Right now, I've had about enough of the fair and just want to go back to my room at Singer's ranch.

"It's...complicated." Singer's eyes track something over my shoulder and, for the first time since I've known her, her sunshine demeanor slips. "My brothers haven't really let it go."

"Your brothers who don't even live in Slow River anymore?"

"Small town politics, I guess. Like I said; it's complicated." Singer's face lights up suddenly and I start to turn around to see who she sees behind me, but she quickly reminds me that I was headed to the ladies room.

"I'm just going to toss these real quick and I'll meet you back at the truck if you're really ready to go. Okay? Gimme like-- fifteen."

Then she's hopping over bleachers, like she's in a rush to get to a trash can.

When I get to the ladies room, I'm relieved to see there's not a line, but when I stop at the sinks to wash my hands, I find myself standing next to the one person in Slow River Valley that I was hoping never to see again.

"You're welcome, by the way."

The blonde beside me winks at me in the mirror as she pulls a tube of lipstick out of her cleavage and touches up her make up.

"I'm sorry, what I supposed to thank you for that?"

Bernie's reflection eyes me from the mirror, a fleeting expression crossing her face like she's actually clueless to why my voice might be carrying just the slightest smidge of hostility.

"Well yeah-- it was pretty obvious you two were dying for an excuse to kiss each other."

She leans in to wipe a smudge.

"I've known Ranger since we were finger paintin' together in kindergarten, sweetie. The man doesn't do PDA. He hasn't taken his hands off you the whole time you've been here, but he wasn't kissin' on you. Even though it was clear you wanted him to.

"I thought I'd help you out. We girls gotta stick together, you know."

The bitch winks at me again.

"You thought you were helping me out by getting me to kiss Ranger before you stole him back?"

I have never been in a fight. God knows, Bernie seems like the sort of woman who knows how to use those nails in self-defense, but I've got close to a hundred pounds on her, so I'm doing the math and thinking I've got a fair shot at kicking her ass.

Before I can plot my first move, however, she stands up straight and looks directly at me. Her eyes widen and a gaspcomes out of her perfectly stained lips that sounds slightly horrified.

"I don't want your man!"

"You...don't? But Kim said..."

Bernie leans a hip against the edge of the sink and gives me a long look.

"Look, Ranger and I have history between us, but it's not that kind. I know what people around here think was going on with us and I know I'm mostly the reason they think it, but I told Kimberly plain as day that there was nothing between me and Ranger. Never was, never will be. I've got my own thing going on. I just was hoping maybe Ranger might be willing to talk to me if his mother put in a word for me.

"He hasn't talked to me since my drama ran him out of town ten years back. I was hoping he'd give me a chance to patch things up now that he's coming back to the valley."

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