Riding the River (14 page)

“No, stop,” said the girl.

“Come on… You’ll have fun.”

Then Matt and Sarah heard the sound of a slap
and walked into sight of the pair. It was Aaron and one of the
teenage girls. It didn’t look good…

“Aaron, what’s going on here?” said Matt
looking at him seriously.

“… We’ll just having a little fun,” said
Aaron.

“She doesn’t look like she’s having any fun.
Back off…”

Sarah stood off to one side to let Matt
handle the situation.

“We were just…”

“Save it,” he said to Aaron. “Miss, are you
all right,” he said, turning to the girl.

“No… I want to leave.” She’d started to cry
and Matt looked at Sarah.

“Sarah, will you please take her back to
camp? I’ll take care of this.” Then he spoke to the girl. “I’m sure
he’s sorry for any trouble he caused you, miss. Rest assured, it
won’t happen again.”

“Thanks…” Sarah gave him a questioning look,
but put her arm around the girl and started walking her back down
the path. Matt watched her leave and then he turned to Aaron with
blazing eyes.

“Are you out of your freaking mind?”

“… Ah…”

“Don’t speak. Just listen… First, she’s
underage. Second, Mr. Walker will fire you once he learns of this.
Are you nuts? What do you think you were doing?”

“Jesus, Matt. Calm down… Who do you think you
are? My father?”

“Apparently you need someone to keep you from
screwing up. Listen to me… Don’t talk to her again. Don’t look at
her again. Got it?”

“Yeah, sure. I got it, Dad…”

“Knock it off, Aaron. You came on too strong
obviously, but when a woman says no, it’s no. Besides, she’s way
too young…”

“Okay, okay.”

“And don’t mention this to anyone unless you
want to lose your job. Believe me, if you breathe her way again,
I’ll tell Mr. Walker myself.”

Aaron strode angrily past Sarah coming back
up the path. He didn’t look at her, just huffed in anger as he went
by. She walked up to Matt as he blew out an exasperated breath, and
rubbed his forehead hard.

“You did good, cowboy…”

“Cowboy? Well, I guess that’s a step closer
to my name, isn’t it?”

She smiled. “… You really handled that
situation well. It’s obvious you care about people, about
protecting people. I don’t see that very often, and it was another
brave thing that I’ve seen you do…”

“What kind of place is Baltimore that people
don’t care about other people?” They’d started walking along the
path in the trees again.

She shrugged. “I’m sure there are many caring
people. Just not many that I know… My world is computers, a grumpy
boss and politics. There’s not a lot of love there.”

She’d opened up a bit more to him.

“Tell me about your family.” She gazed up at
his soft eyes and took his hand. He held his breath as she laced
her fingers through his. “Sarah…”

“I’m getting there… I’m getting there.
Breathe…”

He let out a breath and laughed. “I’m ready
for the story, ma’am.”

For the next hour, they walked and talked.
Sarah told him about her prominent, political family, their
expectations and her dread of disappointing anyone. He wanted to
know whose life she was living – hers or theirs.

Matt asked questions and Sarah answered them.
By the time they’d almost walked their way back to camp, Matt
thought he knew most of her troubles that had forced her to escape.
He knew her professional dilemma and her personal ones. He marveled
that she had the strength to come West all by herself, and he
realized she was looking for a new life. More importantly, he knew
that she trusted him…

Before they were back at the campsite, Matt
stopped and glanced at her soft hand that he was still holding.
Then he looked into her lovely face.

“You seem pretty alone in your life…”

“… I have my friend, Abby, and…”

“You know what you need, Sarah?”

“…What?” She grinned at him.
What a
know-it-all… Though maybe a pretty cute know-it-all…

“You need to find a way to ride the
river…”

“Ride the river? Is that some kind of cowboy
code?”

“… It means to find someone you can count on.
Someone who’ll be there for you.”

He watched her face as she turned that over.
She was thoughtful, would think things through…

“
Riding the River
… I like how that
sounds.” Sarah looked down at their entwined hands, then back up at
his smiling face. “I’ve never met anyone like you before…”

“…Matt.
I’ve never met anyone like you
before, Matt
.”

“Wait for me… I’m a little slow.” She blushed
under his questioning gaze.

“I’ll wait…” His eyes seemed to be sketching
her face. “Do you know why you won’t say my name?”

“You’re just full of answers tonight, aren’t
you?”

“… Because once you do, that’ll be it…”

“What do you mean?” She knit her eyebrows in
confusion.

He just smiled at her. When she stifled a
yawn, he laughed. “Let’s go. You’re tired and we have a big day
tomorrow. Did you get your tent up?”

“Yes, I just hope Richie’s not in it.” That
made them both chuckle as they walked happily back to camp. Clasped
hands swinging slightly between them…

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Sarah awoke before Tess the next morning. She
stretched, listened to Tess snore over in her bedroll and decided
to get up. Slipping on her clothes, she opened the tent flap to
greet the new day. And what a gorgeous morning it was… The sun was
peeking up over the horizon throwing splashes of vivid yellows
everywhere.

The other guests were still asleep as Sarah
freshened up and made her way to the kitchen area. She could hear
Dale already working on breakfast.

“Mornin’, sweetie,” smiled Dale when he saw
her walk up. “How about some cowboy coffee?”

“Sounds great.” She took the mug of steaming
coffee that he poured from a coffee pot on the stove. Her first cup
in the morning was always the best and this cowboy coffee was
delicious – strong… She took her first tentative sip. “What’s for
breakfast?”

“All right. We’re going to have fruit,
pancakes with syrup and sausage. How does that sound?”

“Great. What should I do?”

“Come in here, get the sausage links and cook
them in one of those pans. I’ll do the pancakes.”

Soon, fragrant aromas of coffee, sausage
frying and pancakes filled the air. Guests began to move around,
cowboys came in for their coffee. When many people were eating at
the picnic tables, Cooper walked over to brief them about the day’s
activity. After a few dusty days in the saddle, the stubble on his
face was more pronounced. He’d obviously quit shaving…

“Today we need to get about seventeen miles
to the pasture where we’ll leave the herd. We’ll be traveling
between hills on a grassy area for most of the way – No mountainous
areas like we had to deal with yesterday. Remember, everyone – Just
keep ‘em movin’.” He laughed and went over to the stove to refill
his cup of coffee. Then he walked up to Sarah and Tess, just
finishing their breakfast.

“Mornin’, ladies.” He tipped his hat at
them.

“Morning, Cooper,” they both said.

“Sarah, thanks for all the help you’ve been
this trip. Dale said you’ve helped prepare the lunches for us as
well.”

“… Just trying to be useful.”

“You are that…Thanks.” And he left.

“Sarah,” began Tess. “I don’t suppose I could
ask another favor from you, since you’re being Miss Helpful and
all…”

Sarah scrunched up her face at her. “I
shudder to ask…”

“It’s just that… I’d kinda…”

“You’d kinda what?”

“I’d kinda like the tent to myself tonight.
Could you sleep out under the stars for one night?”

Sarah started laughing. “I don’t suppose that
rascal Richie is going to keep you company instead of me?”

“… Maybe… Would you mind? Pretty please?”
Tess’ face had a mock
Help me
look that made Sarah laugh
harder.

“I guess I could move my bedroll out.” She
thought about it. “Actually, it sounds nice. The sky is black as
ink at night with a whole lot of stars… It looks like someone came
along with this big chest of bright, fluorescent lights and just
started throwing them everywhere…” She’d been looking up at the sky
while she was talking. When she stopped, Tess looked at her
curiously.

“You’re a romantic, Sarah. Did you know that?
That kind of imagery is lost on a computer nerd…”

They looked at each other and burst out
laughing. Sarah had been doing that a lot of this drive and it sure
felt good…

After breakfast was over, everyone helped to
break up camp. The cowboys folded chairs and got Dale’s kitchen
equipment back into the trailer. He drove off, waving as he left.
Guests took down their tents, rolled up their bedrolls and packed
up their duffels with stray clothing. Outside of an hour, guests
and cowboys were saddled up and riding with the herd. The day’s
lunches packed in saddlebags.

The horses were content to poke along today,
which was just fine with Sarah and Tess. They’d had trouble
yesterday rounding up strays and hoped the herd would cooperate and
stay together for once. One could always hope…

Sarah rode along watching the horses, but
looking around at the landscape. They rode between hills that were
colored in light and dark green circles, after a recent rain. One
small hill backed up against a larger hill with the pale blue
horizon in the background. Way off in the distance, she could see
the mountain range where they were heading. It was pleasant to just
ride. Thunder walked well, expertly avoiding uneven ground by the
sagebrush, keeping an even tread. Sarah, Tess or one of the guests
or cowboys would occasionally yell out, “Hey, Hey,” or “Git on,” or
“Yup, yup” which seemed to encourage the herd to keep moving.

She glanced around at the other guests.
Everyone had started off as greenhorns, as the cowboys would say,
but were beginning to lay back and relax into their jobs. She
looked for the cowboys and saw Aaron glancing back at her.
Wonder how that’s going to go…
She sincerely hoped there
would be no more trouble with him.

Watching Matt, he was competent and graceful.
He set a horse like it was what he was born to do. He moved between
the horses in the herd, keeping them calm and moving. Swinging his
rope occasionally, she heard him whistle at them as well. Matt was
a real cowboy – and didn’t have a fake bone in his body. Sarah was
beginning to appreciate that… What a man like Matt might have to
offer her…

Tess broke her reverie.

“He’s pretty cute, huh?” She smiled at Sarah
who was obviously staring at Matt.

“I think handsome is the better adjective
here.”

“Really? I stand corrected.”

She looked over at her. “Do you think
Richie’s cuter than Matt?”

“Parts of him are…”

Sarah pretended to be shocked. “Oh, missy.
What a potty mouth you have.” Tess laughed at her, then her eyes
lost their sparkle.

“There are a few reasons for my
devil-may-care attitude, Sarah.”

“Uh-oh… This sounds serious.”

“It is…”

Sarah’s smile faded and she reached out to
touch Tess’s arm. “Sorry… Tell me what you want to say…”

Tess rode for a minute alongside Sarah and
looked out at the hills. Then she focused on Sarah’s face and
became quite serious.

“I was married for a few years, Sarah.”

“Okay…”

“We were happy for a while until we lost a
child.”

Sarah’s eyes filled, as did Tess’.

“I’m so sorry, Tess.”

“It was horrible, the whole ordeal. I hope
nothing that bad ever happens to you.”

“… Then what happened?”

“Bobby and I couldn’t make it work after
that. We both blamed each other for the lost of the child, but it
was no one’s fault. Mother nature, maybe…”

“So you split up?”

“Yes…”

“… How long ago?”

“Two years now.”

“Do you still think of him?”

“Bobby?” Sarah nodded. “No, never… But I
think often of the baby I lost. It was a life changing
experience.”

“So… that’s why the carefree attitude with
Richie?”

“I think so. I’m not sure. I just know
there’s no way a relationship would work out for me right now.”

“… But the sex is nice…”

Tess and Sarah looked at each other and
started laughing.

“Oh, yes… the sex is
very
nice. You
should try some.”

“Maybe I will… sometime…”

Tess smirked. “I’m sure Matt would eagerly
oblige, if you asked him sweetly.”

Sarah quickly shook her head. “Not there yet,
Tess. Give me some time.”

“Don’t take too long, Sarah. Our time is up
at the ranch in five days, counting today.”

“… I’ll keep that in mind,” frowned
Sarah.

“Look lively, ladies,” called out Richie.
“There’s some strays to be rounded up over by you.”

Tess smiled at him, while Sarah rolled her
eyes. Then she reined in Thunder to turn him towards the
strays.

“Come on, Tess. Let’s get to work.”

They galloped off together to find those
wayward horses and contemplate what had just been said. As far as
Sarah was concerned, everything in her life these days was life
changing.
And that was all right…

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The day flew by… They were riding into camp
and saw Dale’s truck and trailer. He was probably hard at work
setting up the kitchen area. Sarah smiled just thinking about his
crazy hair and all the pots and pans he’d have going at one
time.

Second day of the horse drive and Sarah could
feel it. Two days in the saddle – Creaking joints and stiffening
legs… She dismounted and gave her horse to Frank to put with the
others for the night. Sarah stretched every limb and wearily moved
her head around from side to side. That helped a bit, as did
walking around.