Sage strode toward the corral where Newt was demonstrating the art of roping. He'd stayed longer with Sarah than he'd intended. He quirked a half smile remembering her blushes. Whatever she'd written, she sure didn't want him to know. It had to be all that romance stuff chick-lit novels were famous for—give him an action suspense or traditional western any day. When he remembered her delight over Precious Pudding's story, his smile turned into a big grin. She'd called him by his first name and then tried to cover her mistake. Since meeting Sarah, he'd been wondering if he'd lost his touch with women. All his life he'd had an easy way with them, and most times had to fight them off. Sarah had been the exception.
Sage rounded the corner of the barn and almost bumped into the twins. He did a quick sidestep. "Uh, excuse me ladies."
They giggled in unison and the one in the pink-T pouted, "We were wondering where you were. Are you going to watch the man swing the rope?"
"That I am. Have you had your turns?"
The pink-T twin looked him up and down. "Now what turn might that be, Sage." The purple-T sister stepped close enough for her boobs to graze his chest.
Shit. He'd stepped right into that innuendo.
Quickly sidestepping again, he pretended stupidity. "Newt's waiting for me. He's the best roper in the county and he won't rest until everyone's had a turn ropin'." Puffing air, he hurried away from the bimbos.
At the corral he rested his boot on the lowest crossbar and leaned against the railing. As expected, Newt's skill impressed the greenhorns. The old cowboy twirled the rope in a circle above his head and then lassoed the fence post next to Sage. Sage read his expression. Where the hell have you been? He responded with an innocent grin.
While Newt continued with another rope trick, the twins flanked him on either side. Now he was the center of their sandwich. Their shoulders rested against his. He glanced across the corral at the teenage kid and recognized the boy's look—envy. Sage sighed. Mindy and Mandy had no effect on him. He must be getting old.
Stepping away from the girls, he hopped over the fence and into the corral. While he walked toward Newt, the old curmudgeon whipped the rope in the air and perfectly captured him. All the dudes laughed, even sour-faced Mr. Hackstetter.
Sage stepped out of the rope. "How about we let our guests try their hands at lassoing? Jacob, would you like to be first?" The kid didn't think twice and vaulted over the railing. He shot his father a look that conveyed their love-hate relationship. Obviously, the kid was starving for his father's attention. "Mr. Hackstetter, why don't you join us?"
After a slight hesitation and a little nudge from his wife, he shrugged and clumsily climbed over the railing, even though Sage had walked to the gate and opened it. Father and son faced each other like an Old West shoot-out. Newt tossed the rope to Sage, who did some fancy twirling and then proceeded to instruct Jacob in lassoing an object—the object being Mr. Hackstetter. Surprisingly, after a few tries, the kid actually roped his dad. Everyone clapped, even Mr. Hackstetter. Jacob's chest visibly puffed out.
"Hey, Jacob, I think you're a natural," Newt called from the sidelines.
"I think you're right," agreed Sage. "Jacob, you can keep that rope and practice with it."
"Really? That's great!"
Mr. Hackstetter wasn't much of a roper and had no luck lassoing his son. However, he was a good sport about it, and ruffled his son's hair when they walked out the gate. Seeing the comradery between father and son made Sage happy, but also sad when he thought about his own son.
Next it was the twins turn and they shrieked with delight when Sage lassoed both of them together. Pink-T said with a giggle and wiggle, "Now that you've got us, Sage, what are you gonna do with us?" He smiled and tossed the rope to Newt, "I'm handing you over to Newt."
Undaunted, the girls turned their attention to the old cowpoke. Purple-T winked, and said, "We're all yours, Newt." Newt almost swallowed his false teeth.
Sage bid goodbye to the dudes and mounted Jackal. He had a ranch to run and needed to check the pastures and meet up with his other hands.
* * *
Julie bid a hasty goodbye to Tooty and her mom and rushed into the house. All day she'd wanted to blurt the fact that Mims Murphy was staying with them, but she'd given her word to keep it a secret. She knew Tooty would be mad when she found out she hadn't told her, but she just couldn't break her promise. Her dad had drilled into her the importance of keeping one's word.
Mims…er…Sarah, was sitting on the couch with her laptop in front of her. She was so absorbed she didn't even look up when Julie walked in. Julie cleared her throat, which got Sarah's attention.
"Hi, Julie. How was school?"
"Okay. Are you working on your new book?"
"Yes, I felt inspired. When that happens, I just go with the flow." She closed the laptop. "I think I'm winding down now, though."
Julie saw a strained look cross her face.
"Are you hurting?"
"Just a little. Writing takes my mind off of it." She leaned back against the couch cushions.
"Hey, you just rest. I have to go take care of my horse and then do some trick riding for the dudes, then I'll come back and help you with anything you need. Do you have to go to the bathroom or anything now?"
Sarah smiled. "Thanks, Julie. I'm fine. Your dad says you're a great rider with lots of ribbons."
Julie blushed. "I probably wouldn't have ribbons with any other horse."
Sarah chuckled, "I love the name of your horse, Precious Pudding."
"Really? You can use the name in one of your books if you want."
"Thanks. That's sweet of you. If I do, I'll be sure to let you know."
"Oh, don't worry about that. I'd know because I read all your books."
"Speaking of books, you're still carrying your backpack."
"Oh yeah, guess I better take it to my room and change clothes." Not wanting to leave, but knowing she should go over early and meet the dudes, she said goodbye to Sarah.
From four until five, Julie and Precious Pudding demonstrated trick riding. The teenage boy, Jacob, was kind of cute. He made butterflies flutter in her stomach.
While she was leading Precious Pudding back to the barn, Jacob trailed along with her. "You're really good," he said.
"Thanks. Is this the first time you've been on a ranch?"
"Uh, yeah. But your dad said I'm a natural roper. He said he'd teach me some more stuff tomorrow. Are you gonna ride for us again? I'm here for two weeks."
"Yeah, I usually do trick riding a couple times a week. Too bad you're leaving in two weeks instead of three."
"Why?"
"You'll miss our Annual Covered Wagon Three-Day Trail Blaze. We get together with another dude ranch, the Triple T, and travel in—you guessed it—covered wagons! The route is about ten miles and we keep it as authentic as possible; act like real pioneers."
"Wow, that sounds…rustic."
"Yeah, we usually lose a couple of pioneers."
Jacob gave her a strange look.
She laughed. "I don't mean 'lose them' like leaving them behind or anything. Newt radios one of the hands to pick them up."
"Oh, you had me goin' for a minute." He hesitated, "So, what grade are you in, Julie?"
Julie's stomach flip-flopped when he said her name. "I'm in eighth, going into ninth. My dad's making me take some summer school classes. What about you?"
"I'll be a freshman when school starts again."
When Julie began unsaddling her horse, Jacob asked what he could do to help. He even helped her brush Precious Pudding. "So…Jacob…" She liked the sound of his name. "Are your mom and dad enjoying ranch life?"
He frowned. "My mom is. Dad—probably not. It was my mom's idea that we come. She sorta roped my dad into it." He grinned.
Julie grinned back.
"They don't get along too well. My dad's a workaholic—can't live without his cell phone. He was really pissed when he got here and there was no service." He snickered. "I'm surprised he's stayed this long. What about your mom? I haven't met her."
"My mom died in a car accident when I was five."
"Oh, I didn't mean to pry. I'm sorry."
"No, really, you didn't. My dad's done a great job of raising me, although I wish he'd fall in love again and get married. I'm not one of those daughters who wants her dad all to herself. I'll be gone to college before you know it and I want my dad to have someone special."
Jacob tapped his jaw. "You know, those twin sisters, Mindy and Mandy, seem to have a thing for him. Maybe one of them–"
Julie stopped brushing her horse's flank and busted out laughing. "Those are the least likely ones my dad would go for. We always get women signing up for the dude ranch just so they can meet him."
Jacob looked puzzled.
Julie leaned toward him and whispered, "He's a pretty famous model…in lots of magazines and on book covers. When the ladies track him down, he hates it. I just wish he'd find someone like Mims…" She clamped her mouth shut. "I mean someone normal."
"Wow. Your family is full of surprises."