Chapter 3

It’s quite possible that the first step on Mandy’s journey to healing after being left at the altar was that shopping trip. She’d already decided she wasn’t going back to her apartment, at least for the foreseeable future.

She planned on calling her landlady and arranging to continue paying the rent, but she honestly didn’t know when she’d return. Bob’s offer of “diversion” was the island she had swum to after this particular ship wreck and all she could think about at the moment was catching her breath.

And provisioning the island.

To that end, she started making a list of what she’d need to replace that was currently in her apartment back east. It included, quite literally, everything she would need to live for at least a month and possibly longer. Bob helped, but only by pushing the cart she filled up with toiletries, a new hair dryer, a jar of Noxzema, and so on. When she stopped at the toothpaste display Bob said, “I have toothpaste, Mandy.”

“I know, but I’m not going to leech off of you. Do I need to get more towels?”

“I think I’m okay on towels,” he said, laughing.

She got five pair of jeans of a different style than she would have if she were still back at school. Bob said they needed to be wide at the ankle, to go down over the boots she’d be wearing. Also, on Bob’s recommendation, she got western style long sleeved shirts in checkered patterns of different colors. When Bob stopped at a store that sold primarily boots, he made more recommendations.

“You’ll need a pair of traditional cowboy boots with pointed toes,” he said.

“Why?”

“Makes it easier to get your feet in the stirrups,” he said.

“I’m going to ride a horse?” Her eyebrows went up.

“A lot,” he said, grinning.

“I don’t know, Bob,” she said, uncomfortably.

“You’ll do fine,” he said. “You also need a pair of Wellingtons for regular work. They’re easier to get into, and waterproof.”

“Do you wear boots in the house?” she asked.

“Slippers, usually,” he said. “I have some tennis shoes too.”

“Running shoes!” she said. “I have to have good running shoes.”

“We normally chase critters on horseback,” said Bob, grinning.

“It’s just for running,” she said. “That’s how I keep in shape.”

“Well it’s working,” said Bob, raking his eyes up and down her body with no shame at all. He did grin again to lessen the temerity of his visual assault.

“Thank you,” said Mandy, pinking up. “I think. Are you dangerous, Bob?”

“Gentle as a lamb,” said the bearded man with all the muscles. “No threat at all.”

“Said the wolf.” Mandy fixed her eyes on his and unconsciously assumed a defensive posture.

“Well,” said Bob, amiably, “you’re no Little Red Riding Hood, so I don’t think you have to worry a whole lot. I tend to take my aggression out on coyotes for the most part. Let’s get you socks first so we can fit the boots to them. Socks are important, so we want good ones.”

The boot-fitting was performed by a girl who couldn’t have been older than sixteen, but she knew her stuff and half an hour later Mandy owned two sets of boots of a type she never thought she’d ever be interested in. The cowboy boots were beautiful, though, with intricate stitching on them, made of ostrich skin. Mandy thought it was awful to make boots out of a poor bird’s skin, but they were so beautiful that she stifled that objection.

“Anything else?” asked Bob as the girl rang up the purchases.

“Undies,” said Mandy.

“You want to go to Richardson’s for that,” said the girl, as if a stranger talking about buying underwear in a boot store was the most normal thing in the world.

“How about running shoes?” asked Mandy.

“We have some, but based on your calves, you’re probably a serious runner.”

“I am,” said Mandy, unsure how to feel about the strange intimacy of the girl’s comment.

“For that, Jenner’s shoe emporium, over in Ridley,” said the girl. “That’s where the guys on the track team get their shoes. We’re a little too small to have a specialty shoe store.” She grinned. “Other than boots.”

“Thanks,” said Mandy.

“No problem,” said the girl. “Thank you for your business.”

They went to Richardson’s next and Mandy told Bob to stay in the truck.

“I think I can buy underwear on my own,” she said, sardonically.

“Get black,” he said, with a smile.

“Why?”

“I like black,” he said, grinning.

“Said the wolf,” growled Mandy.

Once inside she understood why the girl at the boot store had recommended the place. They had high end merchandise and it was all beautiful. Thinking about riding horses, she asked the saleswoman to recommend something for that. Even their sports bras were pretty and she decided a selection of those was all she’d need. She had some slinky undies in her suitcase, chosen to wear on her honeymoon, but she didn’t even plan to take those out of her bag. Perhaps if she went to a party or some other gathering she might wear some of it, but she had no reason to believe that would happen. On the way out, though, she walked by a manikin wearing a demi bra and matching thong panties that made her stop in her tracks.

It was gorgeous. The part of the bra that would cover the inner slopes of the breasts was transparent and shaped like a butterfly’s wings. The outside edges were scalloped delicately. The panties didn’t cover a lot, but the back wasn’t just a cord, and looked comfortable.

And ... they were black.

On impulse, she told the sales lady she wanted a set. She’d already been measured. She wasn’t sure why she was doing this.

It was partly because it was so beautiful, and partly because she was going to tease the wolf. Not by wearing it for him, but she was going to let him see what she’d bought. She didn’t understand that urge, but also didn’t think about it a lot. She just wanted to do it.

She might not wear that ensemble anywhere but in her bedroom, but she wanted it.

As she was paying for her purchase, she suddenly thought about Harold. “He” was back east and even though she hadn’t felt anything close to an amorous nature, she knew that would someday return.

“Can I ask you a strange question?” she asked the saleswoman.

“Go ahead,” said the forty-year-old mother of two.

“Is there a store around here that sells ... um ... things of an ... uh ... adult nature?” She blushed.

The forty-year-old mother of two didn’t blink an eye.

“Nope. We have to get that sort of thing from the internet.”

“Thank you,” said Mandy.

“Pay attention to the tracking information if you order something,” said the woman. “You need to get to the mailbox before your man or children do.”

“Oh!” said Mandy, smiling.

The woman smiled back.

“Good luck, honey.”

“Thanks.”

“Come back and see us,” said the woman.

“I will,” said Mandy, and took her bag out to the truck.

Ridley was forty miles away, but Bob said he didn’t mind going there. “I prefer you stay in the wonderful shape you’re currently in,” he said, grinning. The running shoes, once they got there, were easy. They had the brand she preferred and she knew what size to get.

Then they were back on a narrow two lane road and headed to what Mandy thought of as her temporary new life.

Mandy was reminded at least a hundred times during the next day that she was a city girl, who had no business even being on a ranch, much less trying to work there.

She had a stubborn streak, however, and tried to convince herself it wasn’t really much worse than working in a fire-charred environment.

Bob dove into the work that had been put on hold because of the wedding. The first thing was inspecting the stock, to discover any problems that might have developed while he was gone. Mandy’s new Wellingtons were soon covered with “ick” but she learned a lot about animals.

The one she liked most was Jasper, Bob’s Australian cattle dog. She was sweet and looked different than any dog Mandy had ever seen.

Her head was black but the rest of her body looked like somebody had thrown a bag of ashes on her, which had stuck in clumps, to a black coat underneath. She was inordinately happy to see Bob, who leaned down to rough her ears and said, “Hi, waggy tail. Did you miss me?”

“Waggy Tail” had definitely missed him, but soon abandoned him to explore this new person.

“Hi, pretty,” said Mandy, reaching to fondle the dog’s ears like Bob had.

“Careful,” said Bob. “She doesn’t much like strangers.”

“Oh!” said Mandy, standing up. The dog stood on her back legs, her paws on Mandy’s thighs. Her tail wagged.

“Get down,” scoffed Bob. The dog did, sitting and looking up at Mandy. Her tail was still going.

“Well how about that,” said Bob. “You have apparently passed the Jasper test.”

“Jasper?” said Mandy.

The dog instantly stood back up, her paws on Mandy’s thighs again.

“My watchdog,” said Bob. “I’ve never seen her warm up to a stranger like that.”

“She’s a girl and you named her Jasper?”

Jasper whined. Mandy reached to smooth her hand over the dog’s head by instinct. Jasper leaned into her hand and her tail wagged faster.

“I always give my female dogs male names,” said Bob.

Mandy knelt and Jasper curled her body to lean into Mandy. Mandy stroked her back and the dog lay down, rolling over and spreading her rear legs, exposing her mottled belly.

“Good grief,” snorted Bob. “She’s showing obeisance. I’ve never seen her do that to anybody but me!”

“You poor girl,” cooed Mandy, stroking the dog’s belly. The skin there was soft and smooth. Jasper whined again. “Did the bad man give you a boy’s name? No wonder you’re confused,” she continued.

“I’ve seen that ‘poor girl’ take on three coyotes at the same time,” said Bob. “I hope you haven’t ruined my dog.”

“I haven’t ruined anything,” said Mandy, still stroking her new friend. “She just likes me, that’s all.”

“That’s obvious,” snorted Bob.

That had been her introduction to Jasper, and Jasper had been within fifty feet of her ever since. Whether they were indoors or out, Jasper stayed close enough that she could call her name and the dog came running.

The horses didn’t mind Jasper at all. It was obvious they knew she was no threat. Mandy, on the other hand, was a stranger, and some of them shied away from her touch. Touching them at all seemed incredible to Mandy. They seemed huge, and their moving feet made her nervous. But once she’d touched a forehead, sliding her hand down to the smooth skin on the nose, Mandy was hooked. That nose felt just like Jasper’s belly.

Then it was time to go find and inspect the fifty head of cattle Bob currently owned. That required Mandy to mount a horse for the first time in her life. She was terrified at first and gripped the saddle horn with both hands, the reins slack in her grip.

Eventually Bob had to take the reins and lead her horse. They didn’t go far, maybe half a mile, before Jasper announced with a bark that she’d found what they were looking for.

The cattle, unlike the horses, didn’t care for Jasper at all. Jasper’s natural instincts were to herd cattle, and she did that expertly, running back and forth, making them move toward Bob and Mandy, who sat on the horses and just waited. Eventually Jasper had herded them into a group and Bob gave a whistle, whereupon Jasper just sat down. The cattle began to wander again, away from the dog, but Bob was able to inspect them as they did so.

“Ten missing,” he said.

“What does that mean?” asked Mandy, still gripping the saddle horn for dear life.

“Means we have to find them,” said Bob, shrugging his shoulders. “I can’t lead you and make any time. Lucy’s a sweet mount and she’ll behave herself. Just let her follow me and take your weight with your legs. It’s going to get bumpy, but try to feel the horse’s movements under you and you’ll find a rhythm. Once you get that, riding will be easy.”

“I don’t know,” moaned Mandy. “I’m scared I’ll fall off.”

“You might,” said Bob, shrugging again. “But it won’t kill you. Just get back on and try again.”

“I shouldn’t have done this,” whined Mandy.

“Well you did, so get used to it,” said Bob. “We’re going to trot a bit. It’s a two beat rhythm. Learn that and you’ll do fine. Ready to give it a go?”

“No,” complained Mandy.

“Too bad,” grinned Bob through his beard.

He clicked to his horse which started off. Mandy’s horse followed automatically and suddenly all she could think about was not falling off.

It seemed like she was on a carnival ride that was bouncing her up and down. She stood up instinctively and that made it a little better. Had anyone asked her where Bob was, she couldn’t have said. All her attention was on the horse. Her analytical engineer’s mind centered on Bob’s comment about a rhythm and she identified the two beat pattern to the horse’s movements. It took her a while, but she finally figured out how to flex her knees in time with the horse’s gait so that she didn’t bounce so much. Her butt felt sore and she could feel the tension in her abdomen and thighs as her legs got a workout. It felt like all day, but was really only ten minutes before she lifted her head to look around.

Bob was right in front of her, about thirty feet away. Jasper was nowhere to be seen.

She wanted to stop to rest and catch her breath, but she bit her lip. She wasn’t going to give up that easily. Besides, now that she wasn’t bouncing so much it wasn’t so bad.

She heard a bark and Bob’s horse suddenly veered off to the right. Her horse followed without any command from her. She looked down to see the reins lying across the horse’s mane. If they hadn’t been tied together, they’d be hanging to the ground. Gathering her courage, she reached for the reins with one hand while maintaining her grip on the saddle horn with the other. That was awkward and, gingerly, she let go of the saddle horn for a few seconds.

The change was startling. Now that she was sitting up, instead of leaning forward, she was better able to match the two beats of the horse’s hooves. She felt wobbly and leaned back a little, pushing her butt into the wide cantle of the saddle. That gave her a feeling of stability, even though her butt slid up and down the smooth leather there.

Bob disappeared over the horizon and a few seconds later Mandy saw the ground drop away.

She leaned back automatically as Lucy started down the incline and was amazed as the ride seemed to smooth out.

She saw Jasper’s black and white coat flicker between some bushes and saw two cows trotting away from the dog.

Two more rushed out of the brush and then a group of three followed, Jasper at their heels.

Bob’s horse stopped and Lucy slowed to a walk. It was amazing how stable Mandy felt in the saddle, now that the horse was walking.

She released the tension on her legs and just sat, feeling relieved. Bob turned to look at her.

“Still on?” he asked.

“If I wasn’t I’d be lying on the ground a mile away,” groused Mandy. “You didn’t look at me once!”

“I looked at you a dozen times,” he said, easily. “You were doing fine.”

“I don’t feel like I was doing fine,” she groaned. “My butt is killing me.”

“I have a salve at home,” he said. “I’d be happy to rub some on for you.”

“I bet you would,” she growled. “No thank you, Beast.”

“Your call,” he said, grinning. “This is all but three and I bet those are close. You want to stay here while I have a little look-see?”

“Maybe I should,” she said, relieved at the thought of not bouncing for a while.

“Be back in a few,” he said. “Just put a little pressure rearward on the reins when I leave. That will keep Lucy where she is.”

He whistled again and his horse jumped forward, breaking into what Mandy would later learn was a canter. He rode into the brush which was high enough to hide the horse. It looked like Bob had impossibly long legs and was running away from her. Lucy started to move and Mandy pulled back on the reins. Suddenly she was moving backwards. It took her a few seconds to realize Lucy was responding to the pressure and she eased it. The horse stopped instantly, stamped a hoof, and seemed to blow air out of its mouth loudly.

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The City Girl Blues

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