Page 113 of The Skeikh's Games

“I’m the new owner but you’re the boss. I’ve been in charge long enough and I want you to be my partner. Marry me Jackie because I love you and I never want to be without you. We can travel on my private jet between the Caribbean and Wyoming.”

“You think you can just barge in here and make all my dreams come true Beau Savage?” Jackie tried not to smile.

“Yes. I do,” he said. Beau pulled a black velvet box from his pocket and opened to reveal a breathtaking diamond ring. “It’s not on loan this time.”

Jackie welled up with tears of joy. “I love you too Beau and yes I’ll marry you.”

Beau put the ring on Jackie’s finger as he gathered her in a tight embrace.

Part 2

Spring mornings in Wyoming on the Wandering Bison Ranch were blissful. From the moment she opened her eyes until her two-year-old Jason Beauregard (JB) called her name, Jackie Savage had her moment of Zen. Unless of course, her husband Beau rolled over which was often the case.

“I think we have time before our son begins screaming.” Beau grabbed a naked Jackie around the waist before she had a chance to throw on her silk negligee.

“Mm. I can never resist you in the mornings. You are very sexy with your hair tousled and that smoldering smile,” Jackie purred.

As Beau pulled his wife in towards his muscular body, JB wailed.

“He’s punctual. I’ll give him that. JB must get that from my side of the family; all the men in the Savage clan are up at dawn. I bet even pops is rolling over at this very moment,” Beau said as he put on his boxers.

JB was nearly two years old and his parents still fought over who was going to be the first to pick him up. Jackie and Beau had a shotgun wedding after a whirlwind courtship. Jackie always joked that a shotgun wedding was appropriate for a cowboy. Beau had gone from jet setting lothario to family man in two years but he settled into his new role seamlessly. They spent most of the winter in the Caribbean but Beau kept one foot in Wyoming for business and to keep an eye on his 92-year old Grandfather Jason Savage.

“You beat me again. I liked it when JB preferred me when I was the food source.”

“Since you insist on getting JB out of his crib, you’re on breakfast duty. I’m going to pick up Pops so he can spend the day up here with us. I’ll fix some brunch and we’ll all take a walk out to the stables. We have to savor the moments when we have Pops with us because face it; he’s 92 and things are winding down,” Jackie said.

“Pops is going to live until he’s 100 at least. I have no doubt about that but if you insist on a family day then I’m in. We can get my grandfather on a horse and I bet he out rides both of us. He’s a cowboy born and bred so get the old coot up here; I’m sure he’s raring to go.

“I’m going to pull on a pair of jeans and my boots before I go. Eggs scrambled for JB if you think you can handle it.”

“You doubt me?”

“Yes I do Beau. You were giving our son elk jerky the other day and mixing coffee in with his milk.” Jackie laughed. “Good thing I didn’t marry you for your culinary skills. Why don’t you have Eve fix Master Savage his breakfast?” She winked.

“Mommy, Poop!” JB was good at signaling the need for a diaper change.

“Bye Beau. I’m off to get Pops.”

Jackie kissed her son goodbye leaving Beau to change a messy diaper, which she knew he wouldn’t change. As she walked away, she heard him calling Eve. Beau had taken to be a father well but he was not involved in the changing of diapers. He also would refuse to wake up in the middle of the night when JB was an infant. Jackie hopped in her convertible with the top down and took off for Pop’s house which was about a mile away. The sun was warm on her shoulders and the fields and rolling hills were just beginning to turn green. Life was good.

Jackie walked up the wooden front steps, trying not to wake Beau’s grandfather. He often fell asleep on his favorite chair under the shadow of his cowboy hat. She nudged him to wake him gently from his slumber.

“Hey Pops. It’s Jackie here to take you up to the house. I’m sure you’re in the middle of a good dream and I hate to interrupt.”

Jackie lifted his cowboy hat and shook him by the hand. It was cold and Jason Savage was dead. She didn’t panic because she had never seen a more peaceful passage. The coffee mug next to his chair was full but cold so she predicted he had been on the porch for hours. Maybe he was viewing his last sunset when he died. Jackie grabbed her phone and dialed Beau.

“Hey I called ahead to the stable and they’re getting some horses ready. Tell Pops that”

Jackie interrupted Beau mid-sentence. “Pops is dead Beau. He appears to have passed away peacefully in his sleep. Call the ambulance or the coroner; I don’t know which because I’ve never been in this situation before. I’ll stay until you get here. Ask Eve if she can stay for the day and make sure, she’s available for the next several days. Beau. Beau?”

Beau dropped the phone, barked at Eve; and sped his truck to his grandfather’s house. The look on Beau’s face was one Jackie had never seen. He looked scared and mad; Beau was out of control because he had just lost his best friend and mentor.

“What the fuck Jackie. Oh, Beau call the coroner. I’m surprised you didn’t ask me to pick up a gallon of milk on the way over. You’re acting like this happens every day. Jason Savage is an important man in case you weren’t aware of that. He’s also the only person on the planet who truly understands me.”

Sirens were blaring as the ambulance raced up the dirt road to the ranch. Beau waved them on to the porch where the paramedics moved the body off the chair and checked his vitals. Police cars followed and began asking questions and taking notes.

“Was Eve able to stay with JB?”

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