Against the Odds: A Love Story (2 page)

Two

I
walked around the ranch again with Caroline, wanting to familiarize myself with the things they did there daily. It was a beautiful piece of land. Gazing out into the distance, there were red rock mountains as far as the eye could see. A sea of alfalfa swayed in the breeze blowing across the endless acres, and dots of yellow wildflowers toiled in the shimmering waves of green. To my left and out a ways, I could see a herd of cattle grazing. Further out in front of me, there was a corral, which was at the moment occupied by one of the hired hands walking a horse.

I turned and looked back up at the house, admiring the colorful flower boxes Caroline planted that lined the upper and lower back windows, filled with red, purple, and pink geraniums. I smiled. It might be a ranch, but Caroline had seen to it that a woman's touch was apparent.

As we continued walking, I listened to Caroline as she rattled off the names of the men working for them and what they did. She told me that most of the men worked from sun up to sun down because there was always so much to do, but they enjoyed the work. She said it would be good if I got to know them.

“I will eventually,” I said as Caroline waved to a couple of hands loading the back of a truck with bales of hay. They both smiled and waved back, pausing in their work as we walked by.

“I do believe you have a fan club,” Caroline said, grinning.

“Yeah, right,” I casually shot back, casting my eyes downward, trying to ignore the stares of the two men.

Caroline placed a gentle hand on my arm and I stopped, turning to her. She looked at me quietly for a few seconds and smiled. “I know you've had a rough time of it, Raine, but keep your heart open, okay? Don't let one man's stupidity ruin it for all men. There's someone out there for you. I know there is. Just keep your heart open.”

Wrapping my arms around my middle, I looked out across the land again. “That's easier said than done, girlfriend. And I'm not ready to think about it just yet.”

“That's all right,” she said, putting her arm around my shoulders. “You'll know when you're ready. Just stay open to the possibility.”

“I'll try,” I replied with a smile, thinking of the future. I was still young. There would be time. Just not right now.

We were just making our way past the bunkhouse when David came out.

“Hey there, gorgeous,” he called to Caroline as he walked out to us. He pulled her close for a kiss. Her smile was wide as she went into her husband's embrace.

I silently watched the two. When David released her, I noticed a few drops of sweat rolling down his face, continuing down his chest where his shirt hung unbuttoned. His hands and face were dirty, but it didn't seem to bother Caroline. I couldn't say that I blamed her. Even with sweat and grime covering him, David was a good looking man. He was tall and still very muscular for his age. His grayish-blond hair hung down to his collar, and his clean-shaven face, already showing signs of a five o'clock shadow, housed deep blue eyes framed by thick bushy brows. I was sure he was probably quite the catch in his younger days. Caroline had shown me a few pictures of their son who was now in his late twenties and a sergeant in the Marines. The photos definitely gave me a glimpse of what David probably looked like at that age.

My heart warmed as I watched David smile lovingly at his wife. The affection that the two still showed to one another was a little awe-inspiring. He walked over to me and casually draped an arm around my shoulders.

“So, what do you think about our simple life out here?”

“Well, it beats the smog and bog of Atlanta. And besides, I'd take the sound of calves bawling over the whine of Jerome calling my name any day.”

David laughed. “Well, you came to the right place to celebrate your new-found freedom. And speaking of freedom, I've got to get back down to the stable. Sally's having a hard time trying to deliver that foal. It's trying to come breech.”

“Oh, no!” Caroline said sadly. Sally was her favorite mare. “Oh, come on, Raine. Let's go down.” She turned to her husband. “It's all right, isn't it?”

“Yeah,” he said and looked at me. “Normally we'd stay away because it would slow her progress, but since we have to be there anyway, it's fine. Besides, this will be an experience you will never forget, Raine.”

“That's what I'm afraid of,” I said with a smile.

“You'll love it,” David assured me. He turned to Caroline. “Hayden got back late last night from purchasing some horses in Evanston. He's in the stable with Sally. She's in good hands with him, so don't worry.”

“So, I finally get to meet the famous Hayden,” I interjected. I had heard so much about the unseen man, I began to think he was a myth.

“Yeah, he was completely beat when he got in last night and went straight to his place.”

“His place?” I questioned. “I thought
this
was his place, too.”

“It is,” Caroline said, taking her husband's offered arm. “He just felt he needed his own space, which we could understand. He has his own house on the property. It's nice to still have him close.”

David grinned at his wife. “Shoot, sugar, you know that boy ain't going nowhere. This ranch is in his blood.”

“You got that right.” She pointed to a house in the distance. It was shaded by a small grove of trees. “Hayden built that house himself last year. I'll take you over there later to see it. It's beautiful.”

I made a soft noise of approval. “I look forward to it.”

Life is full of amazing discoveries, but only when you take the time to live it.

Three

B
y the time we reached the stable, Sally's foal was half way into the world. There were two men working on the horse, both of them shirtless. One of the men had his back to us, pulling on the hind legs of the colt, and there was a blood-tinged film covering his arms and hands. Caroline and I stayed out of the way so the men could work. As I took in the dimly lit surroundings, I was quickly overwhelmed by the smell of horses, leather, and straw.

“How's she doing?” David asked the man with his back to us and changed places with the other man.

“Just about here,” came the deep drawl of the man as he worked to bring the little foal safely into the world.

There was a quiet tenseness in the air, but as the nameless cowboy continued to work, I soon found that my fascination was divided between him and the birth of the foal. I couldn't help noticing the way the muscles of his broad, tanned back rippled and the way his large biceps flexed as he coaxed the new babe out. Never in my life had I ever seen a more sculpted man, not even among the construction workers my friends and I would casually admire as we walked by building sites in downtown Atlanta. When the man turned his head slightly, I saw that his neatly trimmed beard and mustache matched his tousled, thick chestnut-brown hair, which was streaked with golden highlights and hung down to his shoulders. He looked to me to be a large man, one that I wouldn't care to encounter in a dark alleyway, but at the same time, I could also picture him on the front of a western romance novel.

Both David and the cowboy took a deep breath when the foal was finally delivered. I heaved a relieved sigh as well. Watching it all had been pretty amazing and the experience left me in awe of life and its creations. It truly was something I would never forget.

While the third man took care of mother and child, David and the cowboy stood and walked over to a large metal tub to wash up. A beam of sunlight came through a crack in the ceiling of the barn. It reflected off the large belt buckle that stood out on the cowboy's narrow waist.

Caroline took my arm and we approached him. “Hayden,” she said as the tall man toweled off his massive arms and sculpted chest and stomach. “I'd like you to meet my good friend Raine Allen. We became friends in Atlanta and she has come to stay for a while.”

He nodded toward me, his thick, tousled locks falling against the sides of his face. “Nice to meet you,” he said, pushing a hand back through his hair.

So, this is Hayden
. “It's good to meet you, too.” Now that I was looking at him, I could definitely see his resemblance to David.

Hayden quietly looked down at me for another moment, unsettling me with his gray eyes. And I didn't like being unsettled. I didn't like the feeling at all. I was surprised by my internal reaction to his gaze.

He finally turned to his brother. “I'm gonna run and haul that hay on over to Dale's place. Be back in an hour or so.”

“All right. Tell him I'll bring the other mare back over there later. Her leg has healed up pretty well.”

Hayden put his shirt back on and placed a worn, brown western hat on his head. He looked down at me once more and tipped his hat. When I smiled and nodded, he turned to leave.

Good grief, that's a bear of a man!
I thought as I watched his giant yet perfect frame walking away. Caroline had mentioned that he was in his early thirties, but his size made it seem like
he
should be the older brother instead of David.

Caroline's voice interrupted my musings. “Hey, Hayden, wait up!” she called as she quickly moved past me to catch up to him.

I stood by the stable entrance and waited for Caroline as she talked with her brother-in-law. I was startled when he glanced back at me and wordlessly nodded to her before turning and walking away. Caroline headed back in my direction. Just then, David came up behind me and draped his arm around my shoulders, a sly grin on his face.

“I think Caroline's getting ready to jar a couple of pears.”

“She's what?” I asked, somewhat bewildered.

David chuckled. “Never mind.”

Caroline looped my arm through hers and we headed back to the house.

“Raine, I asked Hayden if he wouldn't mind taking you with him, just so you can get out a little.”

I stopped and looked at her, suddenly speechless. “But . . . Caroline, I don't even know him.”

She waved a hand through the air, brushing off my response. “Oh, don't worry about that. Hayden is easy to get to know. Once he warms up to a person, he's good company. You'll enjoy the drive.”

“But I thought we were going to go out later,” I continued to protest. I wasn't comfortable with the idea of going for a drive with a total stranger, even if he was David's brother. And I felt slightly annoyed at Caroline for putting me in this position.

For the most part, I considered myself a very outgoing person and I usually welcomed opportunities to get to know people, so I didn't know why going for a ride with my friend's brother-in law bothered me so much, but it did.

Caroline squeezed my arm softly. “You'll be in good hands with Hayden, Raine. And we can still go out later if you want to.”

Taking in her adamant expression I finally shrugged my shoulders in defeat, thinking that it really would be nice to get out for a bit. “Okay, I'll go, but only if Hayden doesn't mind.”

“He doesn't mind at all,” Caroline assured me. “He'll be back in just a few minutes to pick you up.”

As I went into the house to grab my purse, I found myself for the first time in my life wondering what I could talk about for the next hour with a total stranger. Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a single thing.

Surprises always come with the start of something new.

Four

I
t's amazing how one's opinion can change in a short time with just a little bit of effort.

As Hayden pulled his metallic gray Chevy truck back out onto the road exiting Dale Reed's farm, I couldn't help smiling as I contemplated how different I felt during the drive there than I felt now.

Not much had been said between Hayden and me as we drove out to the Reed farm to deliver the hay. He had asked me about myself and I told him a little about my life in Georgia, my modeling career, and some of my interests. When I in turn asked him about himself, his reply had come in two or three sentences, all of them referring to his work on the ranch, and that was it. He had said nothing about himself personally. But I figured what little conversation I managed to get out of him was better than if we were just discussing the weather, though it might have produced a sentence or two more.

When we'd reached our destination, I remained in the truck while he and the older man, who I assumed to be Dale, unloaded the back. There was no introduction.  Neither was there much conversation between the two men, but I did notice Dale occasionally glancing at me. I couldn't help smiling at his obvious curiosity.

After another moment, I took a deep breath and slipped into my bold mode. I got out of the truck, walked back to where they were unloading the hay and introduced myself. I could tell by the look on the man's weathered face that my action had been unexpected. Judging by the look on Hayden's face, I'd caught him by surprise as well. When I put out my hand, the man took off his glove and shook it.

“It's good to meet you, Raine. I'm Dale.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you, too,” I said back. I moved out of the way to let them finish unloading the hay.

While they worked, Dale asked me the usual questions. Where was I from? How long would I be here? And how was I enjoying my visit? I found it amusing that I had gotten more conversation from him in just two minutes than I had in the twenty minutes I had spent with Hayden. I mentally chalked it up to Hayden just being a listener. Maybe he wasn't much of a talker.

Once they finished, Dale handed us a couple of Cokes from the cooler on the porch and paid Hayden. We thanked him and got back into the truck.

And now here we were, back on the road again.

The day was very warm and the cloudless sky was bright. As we drove toward the sun, I slipped on a pair of sunglasses and savored the breeze coming through the open windows as it whipped the billowing curls that had escaped my ponytail. Red mountains loomed in every direction and there wasn't a tree in sight. Having moved from a state where you couldn't see the forest for the trees, this was definitely different. The tree covered valleys at home were beautiful, but New Mexico was also beautiful in its own way, and the dry heat was a welcome change from the humidity of Georgia. At least now when I dried off after a shower in the mornings I actually
felt
dry.

I turned on the seat slightly so I was facing the silent cowboy a little. I took in the faded blue t-shirt he wore, which stretched and hugged his massive, muscular form. I mused that the mold must have been broken after he was created. His physique was absolutely incredible.

“Thanks for bringing me with you.”

He tipped his hat back some. “You're welcome.” He looked at me and smiled slightly. “I think old Dale's gone sweet on ya.”

I chuckled. “Oh, really?”

He nodded. “I ain't never heard him talk so much.”

I snorted.
Listen to who's talking
.

As if he'd read my thoughts, he said, “Maybe he was just trying to keep up with me in conversation.”

When I comically arched an eyebrow, he grinned and I couldn't help grinning in return. His already handsome face was instantly transformed. His gray eyes sparkled and he suddenly seemed so much more approachable.  True, he had the looks of some giant western god, rugged and strong, but now I actually felt comfortable with him. Caroline was right. He really was good company.

“Hey,” Hayden said, pulling me from my musings. “You wanna see something fun?”

I smiled at his sudden boldness. “Sure. I'd love to.”

He smiled back and turned his truck toward town.

Sometimes friendship is found where least expected and when it is needed most.

Five

Y
ou have got to be kidding me,” I mused out loud as we toured the International UFO Museum.

Hayden chuckled. “I know, I know,” he drawled. “Our biggest claim to fame is also the most ridiculous thing ever heard of.”

“Oh, I don't know. Caroline told me some of the hired hands look like these little guys after a weekend of partying,” I joked, looking at a replica of one of the little green men. I took in the large, colorful mural behind it, depicting a flying saucer crashing to the earth.

“She's got that right.” He grinned slyly. “When I was younger,
my
skin took on that color a time or two.”

“But you're older and wiser now, right?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Daddy didn't take too kindly to my drinking, so I gave it up. Haven't had a drop since I was nineteen.”

“Good for you,” I said, enjoying hearing something about him that wasn't related to the ranch. It was nice to hear him opening up a little more.

Hayden told me his drinking had most likely stemmed from losing his mother. He was only twelve when his mother died from cancer. It was hard for him and David. But since David was already grown and out on his own, David had been able to handle their mother's death a little better. Their father had raised Hayden alone. Hayden told me how much he loved his father and that he was a good man. I told him his father would be very proud of him for what he had accomplished and for the kind of man he had become. He thanked me for the compliment. Then I shared with him how much I missed having a father in my life when I was younger. I knew my mother had done the best she could to raise me properly, and she always made sure I never went without. Still, it would have been nice to have a father figure. Of course, in my neck of the woods, having an absent father was standard. We probably could have started a club.

Entering another room of the museum, I snorted derisively as we viewed a model of the notorious alien autopsy. “Oh, now this is priceless.”

“Isn't it though? Now you can't get more authentic than that.”

“No, I don't think you can,” I said with a laugh.

After walking around for a little while longer, he asked, “Are you hungry?”

“A little,” I answered, looking up at him. I had to tip my head back to look at his face. Five-feet-ten is pretty tall for a woman, and I had been around my share of tall men, but Hayden had to be close to seven feet.

“You like seafood?”

“I love it.”

“Well, I know it will be hard, but do you think you can tear yourself away from this fascinating medical procedure to go and get a bite?”

I grinned. “If I really have to.”

We settled into a booth at
Red Lobster
and quickly ordered our meals. I had eaten at the restaurant quite a bit in Atlanta, and despite Jerome's aversion to what he considered too low a class of dining for his taste, it was one of my favorite places to eat. It was also Mama's favorite. You would think that dining there in Roswell without her would make me a little homesick, but it didn't. Of course, the company I was keeping at the moment helped.

Soon the waitress delivered our food and refilled our water glasses, lingering over Hayden as she did. I choked back a snort as I watched our loose goose in action. Now
that
was something universal; you zero in on the target and work the so-called assets to the best of your ability, and believe me, she was working them. I shook my head slightly. It was the same everywhere. After the slow refilling of our glasses, she finally left us to our meals.

As we ate and talked, I couldn't help glancing around at the people in the dining area. They were all so different, yet they seemed so down to earth, so laid back. No one was in a hurry. And I could count the designer dresses and three-piece suits on one hand. The little city seemed to move at its own pace. After living such a rushed life for so long, this was a nice change.

After a while, I finally became so full I pushed my plate away. I leaned back and sighed. “I swear, if I eat another bite, my jeans will split at the seams.”

“I doubt that,” Hayden said with a grin, leaning back. “I don't think a person can get any littler than you are.”

I turned in my seat and leaned back against the wall, stretching my legs across the booth seat and arched an eyebrow slightly. “I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.”

“It was a compliment.” One corner of his full mouth twitched slightly. “Just don't get any smaller or you might disappear all together.”

When he grinned, I took a piece of ice from my cup and threw it at him. As expected, he dodged and I missed.

“You're dangerous, darlin',” he said with a laugh. “I'll have to be careful what I say around you from now on.”

“Yes, you will,” I said with a grin. Then I heaved a sobering sigh. “When it comes to the subject of my weight, I throw myself a pity-party from time to time.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, truthfully, I've never been on a diet or had to watch what I eat like most models I know. Sometimes it's a blessing, sometimes a curse.” I paused, becoming thoughtful. “When I was younger, my mother took me to the doctor and had me checked out because she couldn't seem to get me fattened up, no matter what she fed me. I don't know why it bothered her so much, but it did. I guess since I was her only child she was more protective.” I shook my head slightly. “I was a scrawny kid and a scrawny teenager.” I smiled. “Busty but scrawny.”

Hayden smiled back but didn't comment. “So, what did the doctor say?”

“He told her there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. My metabolism had always run through the roof. It still does. But sometimes I do feel like it would be nice to put on a few pounds.”

Hayden leaned forward and again smiled, his eyes intently looking into mine. “I think you're fine just the way you are.”

“Thank you.” I was warmed by his compliment.

“So,” he said, leaning back, “you want another tour of the museum before we go? Or would you rather go looking for signs of alien visitation?”

I laughed. “I think I've had all the extraterrestrial enlightenment I can handle right now.”

“Awww,” he drawled, feigning disappointment. “I was looking forward to driving you out to the desert and finding some of them little footprints. I brought aluminum foil for our heads and everything.”

I doubled over with laughter. “You, in aluminum foil? Now I would definitely pay to see that.”

He laughed. “You and the rest of the hands at the ranch.”

“Now that
would
be priceless.”

“Darlin', even a mental picture of it is more than I can take.”

We looked at each other silently for a moment and broke up laughing all over again.

“I think we'd best get out of here before they throw us out.”

“I think you're right,” I agreed, still chuckling.

We talked for another few minutes and stood to leave. I thanked Hayden again for taking me out. He said he was happy to do it.

And judging by the look of amusement still lingering in his eyes, I knew the day had been just as fun for him as it had been for me.