Chapter 3

“Jesus Christ. You can’t be serious. This is a great investment, and all of my other clients are eating this shit up; I don’t know why I have to convince you of this.”

Jamie squirmed in her seat in the van delivering them to the ranch. Not only was he swearing, but she was certain that he was talking so loudly that none of the other eight guests could carry on a normal conversation. She gently rubbed his thigh in an attempt to get his attention. “Honey, can you put your phone away? You promised me that you wouldn’t make any calls until we got to the ranch.”

“Fuck, hold on, the old lady is bitching about something,” he snarled into the phone. “What?” he asked impatiently.

“You promised, no calls,” she said gently.

“Jamie, if I reel this guy in, it’s a thousand-dollar commission for me.”

Everyone in the van was staring at them now, and she even heard some snide whispers. Obviously, she wasn’t the only one annoyed with her fianceé. “Can you wrap it up for me ... please,” she whispered.

“Yeah ... yeah ... just a few more minutes. Your job is easy compared to mine ... any idiot could push jewelry on the unsuspecting public. I actually have to work at this.”

She knew better than to argue with him, and she wasn’t an idiot. She was actually the top saleswoman in her store for six months in a row, and in a typical month she brought home three times what he did. “Okay, honey.”

Of course, he stayed on his phone the rest of the way to the ranch, and just as the van pulled up to the massive lodge he ended the call without closing the deal. “Thank God we finally got here,” one of the women said as she cut her eyes at Chad and then at Jamie, who hung her head, mortified at the entire experience. Not a good start, but I’ll make it up to them, somehow.

As they all piled out of the van, Jamie had a chance to take a look at her surroundings. The large lodge was constructed with logs and actually looked like a massive log cabin. Standing four stories high, the lodge dominated the valley. With the tall pines behind it and the Rocky Mountains a little further back, Jamie could think of only one word for the scene: majestic.

Seeing the small creek a couple of hundred feet from the front door, she remembered her Dad teaching her how to fish in it when she’d last visited with her parents when she was 14. Of course, that brought up painful memories of their passing two years ago, and she wiped a little tear from her eye. She’d loved coming here with them, and it had always been her favorite vacation with her parents. She hoped that this experience would be as good as that one, but the way Chad was acting she had her doubts.

Breaking her out of her thoughts, several large men dressed in cowboy attire approached the group. “Howdy, ya’ll, welcome to the Bar G Ranch. We’re here to help you cowpokes with your bags,” one of them said. As the men began grabbing bags, the loud, boisterous one who’d welcomed them approached Jamie and Chad. His tall and lanky body moved with such ease and confidence that Jamie was sure he’d been a cowboy all his life. His weathered face gave away his many years outdoors in the sun, but his kind, gentle eyes and warm smile instantly put Jamie at ease. “Just these two bags, Ma’am?” he said while looking deep into her eyes. It felt as if he was staring into her soul ... and her knees went weak.

“Yes, just these two.”

“Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere? You look really familiar,” Chad said while tucking his cell phone into his pocket.

“I ... ummm ... I don’t know, pardner. Maybe? Say, you folks know we don’t have a bowling alley, right? How many bowling balls did you bring?” Jake shook one bag; it clanked loudly and looked noticeably heavier than the other.

“That’s his bag,” Jamie laughed. “He likes to work out with his special kettle weights.”

“We have a workout facility on-site, but okay.”

“I do a lot of special exercises,” explained Chad. “Progressive stuff, you know. You boys probably don’t know much about real workout routines up here.”

“You’re probably right, my friend. We just lift hundred-pound hay bales all day. Welcome to the ranch.” He extended his hand, and Chad shook it. He felt like a vice was crushing his hand. “I’m Jake, by the way.”

“I’m Chad, and this is my girlfriend ... Jamie.”

“Fiancé,” she corrected.

He gently took her hand in his. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ma’am.”

She loved his bright, warm smile and his friendly blue eyes. “It’s nice to meet you too,” she whispered.

They followed him into the lodge, which had a huge great room that bustled with activity as all of the guests were checking in for the week. Her eyes traveled to the large fireplace that featured stacked stones all the way to the ceiling, and she fondly remembered roasting marshmallows with her parents. The walls were constructed with giant logs that were tastefully adorned with large paintings of cowboys and the scenic Montana mountains and countryside. She loved the rustic, bucolic ambiance of this place. Again, it brought back so many cherished memories of the happy times that she’d spent here with her parents.

“A little over-done, isn’t it?” Chad said.

It took everything in her power not to cut her eyes at him. “No, it’s beautiful, it’s perfect. Look at that spectacular view!” She pointed at the wide picture windows that rose to a peak in the center of the great room.

“I’m glad you like it, Ma’am,” Jake said. “You’re on the second floor if you’ll follow me, please.”

They walked up the beautiful wood stairs, and once they got to the second floor she took a moment to lean up against the wood railing and look down onto the great room. A few more couples were in the process of checking in and one of them had their children in tow. She studied them fondly as their mother doted on them. She’d always wanted a baby. However, Chad disliked children, but he had promised her that he’d give her one after his inheritance came through. She remembered that he said not to expect any help from him because she’d be doing most of the work raising the rug-rat, as he put it. She was confident, though, that once he saw the beautiful life they’d make together he’d change his mind and become a good father.

She quickly caught up with the men as Jake opened the door to their room. A large rustic four-poster bed sat in the center of the room with beautiful white lace draped from each post. A small wash station stood near the bed, complete with a porcelain pitcher and basin, and a large attached bathroom that had a massive shower and old-fashioned claw-foot bathtub gave the room both an old-fashioned yet modern ambiance at the same time.