Chapter 6

Friday, after a full day of Cuttin’ Horse trials, Manny and Mandy decided to load their horses and head back to the ranch before dark. Watching Julie and Mandy hug and say goodbye made me realize how close those two have become since Julie came to live with us.

Seeing them like this for the first time, made me realize too, just how much I have changed, since she came home with me. Though its only been three months, already I miss her when she’s not right by my side.

I called Texas Roadhouse and made reservations for six, then told Franklin and Avery the reservations were in my name, if they arrived before we did.

After we cared for our horses, we took a shower together and though we came close to hooking up in the shower, both of us wanted to wait until we come home tonight so we’ll have more time.

She dressed in some black western pants with silver conchos down both legs, and one of her white shirts she likes best. After she dried her hair, I brushed until it until it shined like strands of gold.

She held her black hat in her hand as we started out the door. I looked down at her about the time she looked up at me. She’s smiling as she reached for me - and I reached for her at the same time.

We were in the elevator when she told me, “Wade, I’m so happy right now, I could scream to the whole world, that I love you.”

“I know the feeling, Julie. I have to tell you this while we’re talking about it. I was almost afraid to let myself fall in love with you. Wait! Wait... Then, I realized, I was already in love with you. I knew before I admitted it to myself, that what I was feeling is real, and I could see it in your eyes when I look at you. That’s when I started planning this trip so we could be together away from the ranch, and let it happen, if it was meant to be.

“I love you, Julie. I never dreamed I’d ever say those words to anyone. But I’m yours and I want you forever.”

“I’m not sure when I started loving you. I knew you were different from any man I’ve ever been around. You’re so easy going, laid back and calm all the time, and I wanted to know all about you. I’m so glad you asked me to come home with you. I feel like I’m on top of the world, and for the first time in my life, I’m not afraid to let the world know I have big titties and a sexy ass.

“When you look at me and smile, you make me want to be pretty and dress sexy for you ... I love you, Wade Hobbs.”

The hostess who seated us, stopped in front of us before we reached our table, then turned to look at Julie.

“Ms. Hobbs, it just came to me who you are! I saw you on TV today. You were riding out at the opening of the rodeo and horse show! I wish you would let someone take our picture of you standing next to me. Just look around, everyone in here is standing and looking at you.”

I looked around too, I just knew this was going to be too much, too soon for Julie. But when the crowd in the steakhouse started clapping, Julie pulled her hat off, waving it overhead as she turned a complete circle, smiling, waving to the crowd with her free hand.

I backed up a step or two and clapped with them. She looked at me, then rushed me the way she does when she wants to kiss. I grabbed her and showed everyone here who she belongs to, when I pulled her up until her boots were off the floor, as we kissed in front of the crowd.

They were still standing and clapping as we were led to our table where Avery and Francine were standing with Franklin and Carol. They too were clapping as we stopped at our table.

While the women hugged, I shook hands with Franklin and Avery. “Wade, you and Julie make the best looking couple I’ve seen in years. I hope you have a houseful of young colts to carry on your breeding stock,” Franklin told me.

Avery added, “He’s right Wade. Just seeing you with that broad smile on your face is enough to show the crowd here tonight who the lucky man is that came in with The Rodeo Queen.”

After we ate, I ask Avery and Franklin if they knew a good place with a decent dance floor. Both of them told me Texas Nite Life is the place to go.

Both couples decided to go with us, though they planned to leave early.

They didn’t leave early - and we had the best time ever, dancing, laughing and talking.

The best part for me, was when Julie and I were on the dance floor. She couldn’t get enough, and I couldn’t get enough of her - as we danced until 1:00 in the morning - long after our friends did call it a night and leave.

Back at our hotel, we were both undressing as soon as the door to our room was closed.

“Wade, I want to be on top when we do it this time. I want tonight to be when we make me pregnant with our first baby. I love you so much, and I’m so excited.”

“I’m excited too, Julie. Until you came into my life, I never knew love could be like this. Dancing with you tonight has been the most fun I’ve ever had. With my two lifelong best friends there with their wives, made it even better.”

“Francine and Carol asked me if they could come over and help me plan our wedding. I told them we’d be home tomorrow and I’d give them a call...

“Why are you looking at me like that? Get your butt on that bed so I can ride you like I rode Whiskey into the arena today.”

“Come get all you can stand of me, Baby. For years, I’ve given up on having a son or a daughter. Now, I have the sexiest, most beautiful woman in the world, wanting to marry me and have a stable full of boys and girls. You have made me the happiest man in all of Texas and Oklahoma.”

The next morning, after stopping for breakfast, we went to the arena again. This time to load our horses and leave.

We were having so much fun as she and I talked about our wedding at the ranch, she never realized we were headed toward Fort Worth until she saw a huge overhead sign that read, Fort Worth - 98 miles.

“Wade, are we still in Texas? I thought we were going home so we can start planning our wedding.”

“We are, but I wanted to show you another place I thought you may like. It’s just down the road a few miles and we’ll be there in an another hour or so.”

We stopped with about another fifty miles to go, and checked the horses before we used the restrooms and got a cold drink. We had ridden no more than forty miles when I pointed to a large animated billboard announcing tomorrow as the first day of the rodeo at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

“Wade?”

“Yes.”

“Are we going to that rodeo?”

“Yes, I thought you may like this one. It’s at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.”

“But we brought our horses. Will they have a place for us to stable them?”

“Yes, I called ahead and told them I was bringing my fiancé and they told me to hurry, they want to meet you.”

“I know you’re teasing me now. Are we really going to that rodeo?”

“Yes we are. I hope that’s alright with you.”

“I love it, but I didn’t bring enough clothes to be gone this long.”

“We’ll stop and get you some more clothes. Who knows, they may even ask us to ride out during the opening ceremonies.”

“I know you’re kidding now. I can tell when you smile like that ... Will we spend the night?”

“I have reservations for three nights and four days. I hope you didn’t have anything planned. I mean, other than planning our wedding, which we’ll take care of as soon as we make it back to Comanche.”

“I’m with you - and no matter where we go or what we do, I love being with you.”

I had already entered the address for Gomez Western Wear in the GPS, after Franklin gave it to me. It’s just off I-30. Easy off and easy on, he said.

As soon as we walked in, a sales lady was right there to ask if we need any help.

“My wife needs a really fancy outfit for each of the next five days. We’re going to the rodeo and I want to show her off.”

“Wade, I can wear jeans and my white shirts one or two days. I don’t really need any more outfits like this one, and the other one I wore back in Wichita Falls.”

“I love seeing you wear them, and I love taking them off you. I’ll let you pick them out, but I want to see them on you, too. Just look at how the folks back in Wichita Falls talked about the way you were dressed.”

“For you, Wade ... and because I love pleasing you.”

After nearly an hour and a half, we were about ready to leave.

“You may need to get a pair of those white boots over there to go with that white outfit.”

“Are you sure? If you’re sure about this, I would love to have them.”

Now for the most important stop.

I have the address of Lincoln Jewelers off I-30 that Francine had given me. She said their daughter loves shopping there when they get down this way.

I parked out a ways from the front of the store and we checked the horses before walking toward the jewelry store.

“WADE! Are we going in there?” She’s smiling though she has tears in her eyes.

“Julie, I love you and I want the best for you, no matter if it’s horses, clothes or jewelry. Let me do this my way, and I’ll agree to anything and everything you ask for when you plan our wedding.”

“Will you agree to everything I want when we’re in bed tonight?”

“You name it and I’ll agree to it. Now, I’ll let you pick out the wedding rings and my wedding band, but I get to pick out a necklace and earrings for you. Are we agreed on that?”

“I don’t see any prices on these, but I do love the ones on this front row. Can we ask them how much they are?”

“I’ll tell them you want to try the rings on and then we’ll talk about money.”

About that time, a young man asked, “Can I help you with anything?”

“My wife wants to try these rings on.”

“We have the matching womens and men’s in three most common sizes, and hopefully we’ll have your size. If not, we can size them for you and you can pick them up tomorrow.”

She picked the first rings up to slip on her finger and they fit perfectly.

“They fit like they were made for me. Do you like them?”

“I love them. Are you sure these are the ones you want? I want you to have the best and I want to be sure you have what you want.”

“I love these and I hope they’re not too expensive. You need to try on that largest wedding band.

I picked up the largest one and it slipped right over my knuckle to fit just right.

“We’ll take these and my wife and I will wear them. Now, I’d like to see that necklace and earring set in that other case. The ones on the front row, on the far left ... Yes, that’s the ones...

“You put the earrings on and I’ll fasten your necklace on for you. You look like a million dollars, Julie. I love seeing you smile and I love making you happy...

“Look in the mirror and tell me if you like them. Hold your hand up and look at all of them. I want you to be happy, but I want you to be happy with what I buy for you.”