Chapter 2

“Take the 12^th Avenue Exit, then swing back underneath the interstate ... and take a right on Holiday Drive. There’s a western store down there where we can get you some work clothes.”

“Wade, you’re investing a lot of money in me before we even get to your ranch. I hope I’m capable of doing the job you have for me.”

“I still think you’re worth it. Besides, I don’t like the thought of dropping you off down at Sherman where you’re afraid to go to sleep. You have a lot to offer this world, and I aim to make sure you live to see it happen - if and when you ever meet a young man who’ll be proud to have you as his wife.”

“I’m not even thinking about marriage at this time in my life. I have too many bad memories and I’ll never be able to trust any man until I can put all of that behind me.”

“Very good attitude for a pretty young Texas girl to have, since you’re fleeing for your life – headed back to something that’s just as bad if not worse – than what you’re running from.”

When I pointed, she parked on the backside of the parking lot behind Brad’s Western Wear.

“They know me in here, so don’t be put-out when the sales people give you the once over, after seeing you come in with me. Don’t tell them anything. Let them wonder who you are and what you’re doing with me. Besides, I don’t like a bunch of people meddling in my business.”

“I need to take lessons from you. Seems like every time I turn around someone is trying to get into my business.”

“From what you’ve told me so far, it’s not your business they’ve been trying to get into.”

We were almost to the entrance when she stopped in her tracks and looked at me. “It just now dawned on me what you meant. You sure have a strange way of putting things. I ride two hundred and sixty miles with you, and you already know more about me than I thought I knew about myself.”

“You’re a beautiful young woman, Julie. You attract, men and women alike, of all ages, and you may as well get used to it...

“Now – I want you to buy five sets of denim work shirts and jeans. Get the tight fittin’ jeans if you’re going to ride. You know the reason for that. Get yourself a couple of denim jackets - and one heavy denim, wool lined, work coat. It’ll get cold soon and you’ll freeze your ... fingers off, on the cold mornings...

“Get two pair of good riding boots. One pair to work in and a dressy pair for when we go to town. Get a half-dozen pair of deerskin gloves that fit snug. You’ll be buying more of them soon, if you work around horses, hay, fences, and barns.

“You’ll need a couple of hats too. No good-looking cowgirl can be seen without a hat. Besides that, you’ll need to braid your long hair and wear a hat to keep it out of your face when you work or ride.

“They have a womens undergarment section over there, and you’ll need to get some underwear suited for riding. You’ll thank me for getting personal about your underwear this time.”

“Speaking from experience, I take it?”

“Yep.”

“You don’t talk about people from your past, do you?”

“Nope. No need to. You wouldn’t know them and I’d just as soon keep on forgetting about them. I don’t have room in my head for that kind of memory.”

“But I could learn about some of the things they did, that made you want to forget them.”

“We’ll have a talk about both our pasts, once you’ve been working for me a month - or so. For now, start fresh with your life. Leave all that other shit behind you, that hurt you before you met me. We’ll soon learn what it takes for each of us to get along with the other, without being worried about feelings getting hurt.”

“Wade Hobbs, you’re a tall, handsome, cowboy-rancher, who knows women better than you’ll ever admit. You may have learned your lessons the hard way, but I can assure you, the lessons I’ve learned about men, have no comparison. I’ll take you at your word, and I’ll start by leaving my past – in the past. From this day on, I’m just a working cowgirl on Wade Hobbs’ Ranch and I aim to be the best you’ve ever had ... Uh, I meant - cowhand.” She laughed and then she laughed louder at what she’d said.

“Stick to it, Julie. We’ll be friends a lot longer if we keep it like that.”

“You sell yourself short, Wade. But I’ll abide by the rules and keep my thoughts to myself.”

“There are no rules. You’ll earn your pay and I won’t have to worry about the job being done right or go behind you to make sure.”

“How do you know that about me, so soon after we just met?”

“Because you want a better way of life than what you’re running from. That alone will make you a good ranch hand. The rest will take care of itself sooner or later.”

“The rest?”

“Yeah, like you meeting a young man who’ll blow a hole in your straddle and knock your boots out of your stirrups, when he looks at you.”

“If you see him before I do, please point him out to me ... I’d love to experience that just one time in my life!”

We were walking together. I was pushing her shopping cart as she held up items for me to nod – yes or no. Then she tried on three or four pair of boots before deciding on two pair. We came to the jeans, where she took four different pair into the dressing room with her. Each time she tried on a pair, she came out and turned round and round, to let me see them on her.

Damn, does this Texas Girl know how to pull a pair of jeans up over her sexy butt!

I gave her the nod on the boot-cut, hip-hugging Wranglers, and even she smiled as she twisted around to look at her butt in the mirror.

We came to the womens undergarments and I cut her loose, after pointing to some heavy made sports bras and riding panties. “You’ll be glad you bought plenty of these.”

“When I rode my daddy’s horses, I wore bikini panties under my jeans. I’ll get some of these longer style too, and next time, I’ll know which ones I like best. Besides, I don’t like wearing tight jeans that show my panties underneath. I feel self conscience about men looking at me, as it is.”

“Men are always going to look at a pretty woman, regardless. With a body like yours, even married men will turn around to look again when you pass by.”

“I’m beginning to like my big butt more and more, after hearing how much you like womens butts.”

“You got ‘em all beat, Julie ... Just get the rest of your clothes and at least two hats. Get one like I’m wearing, and another one made of beaver fur - sort of dressy. We’ll go to a Cuttin’ Horse Meet in a few weeks so I can show off my new ranch hand.”

“Really? Do you ride in the meets?”

“Sure, and it won’t be long before you’ll learn to ride a cuttin’ horse too. You’ll love it and the judges will love you.”

“Stop already! You’re making me sound like I’m a beauty queen.”

“Go in the dressing room and change into one of your denim work shirts. Tuck it down into your tight-fittin’ jeans. Put on a pair of your pointy-toe boots, and your black hat. Come to the register like that and glance around to see if there are any men and women looking at you.”

“Are you serious?”

“Do it. I’ll be waiting for you at the checkout. Be sure to look in the mirror at yourself – front, side, and backside, before you come out of there. I want to see you walk out of that dressing room, a new woman. Better yet, I want to see a Texas Cowgirl come waltzing out of there like she’s just bought this place.”

“I’m not so sure I can change - that much, that quick - just by changing my clothes.”

“Yes you can! And today is the perfect day to make the biggest change in your attitude and your life. Change how you look to others – and how you feel about yourself. Make up your mind that - Julie - I don’t even know your last name...”

“Winters.”

“Make up your mind that Julie Winters is now on top of the world, instead of lying in the middle of that pile of shit you left behind.”

“Yes Sir, Boss. You have me pumped and ready to tell the world to kiss my big ass!”

“Atta Girl!”

When Julie walked out of that dressing room, carrying her white sweats and her white work shoes, she looked like a Million Dollars worth of Rodeo Queen sure-nuff. I could tell by her smile, that she loves the way she looks. That smile alone was worth what I’ve spent on her - and so much more.

She had all the tags from her undergarments, hat, shirts, socks, and jeans in her hands so the woman could ring them up. She had already rung up the other items.

The woman handed me the receipt and looked at Julie. “I feel like I should know you, but I can’t remember your name. You do ride in the WPR, don’t you?”

“No Ma’am. I’m just a hired hand, working for Wade.”

“Well, I’ll remember who it is you remind me of, and I’ll sure remember you when you come back with Wade.”

While she put her new clothes in the back seat, I checked the horses. We still had fifty miles to go. I know these young horses will be glad to get there.

Julie started to get in on the passenger side and I stopped her.

“Whup! You’re still driving. You work for me now, and if you drive, you’ll remember all the intersections, turns, and country roads we’ll take. There’ll be times you’ll have to drive over here to Ardmore by yourself for supplies. You may as well start remembering your way around. Besides, today is the first day of Julie Winters’ new life.”

“Can I tell you something, Wade?”

“Sure.”

“I absolutely love my new life, and I haven’t even seen where I’ll be living.”

“Well, you’ve probably seen better places, but I like it and it’s home to me.”

“I’m sure it’s more than you say it is. Whatever it looks like, it will be a mansion compared to the places I’ve lived over the past ten years.”

“Well, it probably is a lot better than I make it sound. It’s not that fancy, but it has all the modern facilities and appliances. I do have a nice patio in back, with a pool and hot-tub.”

“You have a pool and a hot-tub? WOW! Are hired hands allowed to use those facilities?”

“The new one is.”

“You are one-of-a-kind, Wade Hobbs.”

“No I’m not! There are hundreds of men just like me scattered all over Oklahoma. Not even middle age yet, burned out on love and marriage, no kids, just living life day to day, enjoying the world around us as it keeps on turning.”

She’d been driving for an hour when I pointed across the pasture to my spread.

“That’s your place? You would never make it as a Realtor, selling ranches and ranch houses. That is so beautiful. I can just imagine the inside. I love the weeping willows in the yard and just look at those beautiful barns and corrals...

... “WADE ... those are oil wells I see back there, aren’t they? You weren’t going to tell me that part about you. You wanted me to make up my mind before I saw those, didn’t you? I’m learning more about you, more and more, each mile and each hour I’m with you.”

“Honestly, it never entered my mind, to tell you, or not tell you. They’re here and they belong to me. My dad left me this place and Mom left her family land in Kansas to my younger brother. I suppose Dale and I are a little better off than most, but I’ve never let it make me any different from day one – when I inherited this place.”

“One more question?”

“Sure.”

“Did you marry your high school sweetheart?”

“College.”

“Did she see this place before or after?”

“That’s two questions, but – before...

“I know, I know – but Mom wanted to meet her and I wanted to show her off to my friends. It didn’t work out, and after a year and a half, she wanted to move to Oklahoma City. I told her to go ahead ... I hired a lawyer and paid her off. Now, you know my ugly history on love and marriage.”

“You’re a better man than that – Wade Hobbs. I don’t have the money to bet, but I’d bet she knew about this place before she ever came here the first time.”

“You’d win. I found out later that she had plans from the beginning. That made me feel like an even bigger fool. Like I said though, that’s in the past and I’m living in the present.”

“There’s a lesson in there for me too, isn’t it? Though I have nothing but my body to offer a man - the same lesson applies.”

“You’re learning by the hour, Julie. You’re worth millions to the right man, but don’t sell your body or your soul for no amount of money. You’ll be the loser in the end.”

“Do you ever go places where you could meet women?”

“Nope. I’m not in the market for a woman. I just keep to myself, and if one of my friends introduces me to a woman at one of the meets, I let her know right quick that I’m not looking for love.”