Love on the Buchanan Ranch (A Romance Story) (6 page)

“He?” Stacey said with a raised eyebrow as she led Emma to a booth and sat down with her.

“Don’t read anything into it, Mama. We’re only friends.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You don’t have to, I can read you mind.” Emma told her with a smile.

Stacey jumped up and said, “Let me get you something to drink and a menu. Do you want coffee or soda?”

“Sure, Mom, coffee would be great. Make it two please; I’m sure Greg would like a cup too.”

Stacey went to pour the coffee and grab them a menu. She saw a young, handsome man come in through the door and sit down across from Emma. She watched the look on Emma’s face as she looked at him, and knew that her daughter had underestimated their relationship. “
She’s a grown woman, Stacey
,” she told herself, “
You have to learn to let her live her own life.
”

“Is that your daughter?” Victoria asked her, suddenly at her side.

“Wow, you’re stealth in those new shoes,” Stacey said with a laugh, “I didn’t hear you coming. Yes, that’s my Emma.”

“She’s beautiful, you’re lucky.” Victoria said, sincerely.

“Yes, she is, and I am. You’ll know the feeling soon enough,” Stacey told her with a pat to the girl’s belly.

“I hope I can pull it all off,” Victoria told her, “I’m not sure what kind of parent I will be.”

“You’ll do fine. None of us have a clue until it happens,” Stacey told her. “But what we lack in experience we just make up for in love.”

Stacey took the coffee and menus over to the kids. Emma introduced her to Greg and invited her to sit again. She slid in next to Emma.

“So, Greg, you’re a student also?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a thick southern accent that Stacey was trying to place as he said, “I moved to Arkansas a few years back from Georgia with my mama. She took a job there after my daddy and her divorced.”

“What are you studying?” she asked.

“Electrical engineering,” he said, “I’ve always been fascinated with electricity. I think it’s because when I was real little, we lived up in the hills and didn’t have electricity. When we moved down to town and had a switch you could flip up for lights, I thought we must have won the lottery.”

Stacey smiled; she could see why Emma liked this boy. He had an easy way about him and he didn’t seem like he was trying to impress anyone. He was just being himself, and Stacey liked that.

“How long are you staying?” Stacey asked Emma.

“We have to be back tomorrow. There’s a train that leaves late tonight, or one early in the morning. I just wanted to see you, and your new place, and make sure you’re really okay.”

Stacey put her arm around Emma and gave her a hug. “I am really okay. I’m so glad you came. You can both stay at the house with me tonight. It’s small, you’ll have to bunk with me, and Greg will get the couch, but I’d love it if you could stay!”

Emma looked at Greg who nodded and said, “Then we’d love to, thank you, Mama!”

Stacey let them eat, and then told Victoria she was going to take a short break and asked her to look after things. They all got into Stacey’s car, and when she drove up to the cottage and turned off the ignition, Emma laughed, “Mom, really? You’ve always been ‘Ms. Heart Healthy’; I can’t believe you drive to work. It couldn’t be more than a five minute walk!”

“There are wild beasts who roam these back roads,” Stacey said, not quite kidding. “A girl can never be too careful.”

Greg nodded, as if he agreed, and Emma only laughed at her again. She knew there had to be more to the story, but would wait until Stacey was ready to tell it. As she stepped out of the car she said, “Wow! If that’s one of the wild beasts, I think I’d take my chances.”

Stacey turned to look at what Emma was talking about and saw the rude cowboy out in the pasture near her cottage. He was off of his horse, holding on to the reins. He was facing them, but didn’t seem to notice they were watching him. He looked like he was talking to a cow. He was bent slightly forward towards the cow that sat in the grass, and was even using his free hand to gesture and possibly…get his point across? Stacey raised an eyebrow, and shrugging it off told Emma, “He’s a wild beast, alright. Not a manner, that one. I’d bet he was probably raised with the wolves! Let’s go on in and I’ll get you two settled. I only have a few more hours at the diner and then I’d love to make you both some dinner tonight.”

“Sounds great, Mom,” Emma said this to Stacey, but stood rooted to her spot, still watching the cowboy. Greg came around to stand next to her and said, “Is he talking to that cow?”

“I believe he is,” Emma said with a smile and a look of admiration. Stacey grabbed their bags from the car and said, “Come on in, I’ll give you the two dollar tour.”

When she had finished getting them settled she left to return to the diner, promising to come home in time to make them a home cooked chicken dinner. She couldn’t help herself, as she got in her car she looked to see if the cowboy was still there. He was, and now he was down on one knee, stroking the cows’ head between its massive long horns. Stacey shook her head, “
He must be crazy, as well as rude
,” she thought to herself.

***

Stacey spent a few more hours at work, and then left Edith and Victoria to close up shop so she could get home to Emma and Greg. She was happy to have some company. She hadn’t even realized she’d been lonely lately until she had seen Emma walk in the door. She was smiling as she drove up in front of the cottage, but as she started up to the door she noticed that now, not only was the cowboy still squatting down near the large bull, but so were Emma and Greg!

Stacey walked closer to the fence and yelled, “Emma Lynn Martinez!”

The cowboy and Greg both glanced up in her direction, and at the sound of her full name, Emma rose and started towards her mother.

“Yes, Mama?”

“Don’t you ‘yes Mama’ me, young lady! What are you doing out there? That thing is huge! It could crush you, or gore you with one of those big horns!”

“He’s sick, Mama. Owen was waiting with him until the vet gets here. He’s coming from Austin and it’s taking him awhile. Owen didn’t want him wandering off.”

“Owen?”

“Yes, Mama, That’s the ranch hand’s name. He’s a really nice man, and he does too have manners,” Emma said this last with a smile.

“Did he tell you about me and the bull?” Stacey said with an irritated glance in his direction.

Emma laughed, “Yes, he did. I would think you’d be more grateful to him. Instead you seem to dislike him, Mama. You didn’t even know his name.”

“That could be because he was too rude to give it to me the day I gave him mine,” Stacey said indignantly.

“He’s a little quiet is all, Mama. You should give him a chance. He’s very nice looking, and about your age…”

“Okay, missy-matchmaker, that’s enough! I’m going inside to start dinner. You keep your distance from that thing!”

“Which thing is that, Mama? The cow or the cowboy?” Emma asked with a grin.

“Both!” Stacey said as she turned and walked towards the house. She was smiling though. Emma was always able to get her to smile.

Stacey changed her clothes into a comfortable jogging suit and started preparing the chicken. While she was washing it and rubbing it with spices she couldn’t help but wonder where she had heard the name Owen recently. She knew the cowboy hadn’t given it to her himself. All she had gotten out of him that day was a “Hey,” and a nod. She was sure she had heard it somewhere this week though. She just couldn’t remember where. She finally convinced herself it wasn’t important, turned on some music and poured herself a glass of wine. After she put the chicken in the oven she went into the living room to look out on Emma and make sure the bull hadn’t gored her.

They were all still there, but now there was another man as well. Stacey assumed he was the vet since there was also a truck and trailer parked in her driveway that said: Buchanan Stock Yards on the side of it. “Oh my goodness!” Stacey thought to herself, “That’s where I heard the name! Nate said his brother’s name was Owen.” She glanced back out the window, at the cowboy in the dusty boots and the hat that looked as if he’d been wearing it since grade school. “That couldn’t be him. He must just have the same first name. There is no way those two are brothers.”

Emma and Greg stayed outside and watched the cowboy and the veterinarian coerce the bull into the back of the trailer while Stacey finished making dinner. They were both exuberant and talkative when they finally came in.

“That was really something!” Greg was saying, “Did you hear the way he talked to that bull? It was like he’s the cow whisperer or something!”

Emma giggled, “The cow whisperer?”

“You know what I mean!” Greg said, laughing at himself. “It was just real impressive to watch.”

“It was cool,” Emma agreed.

Stacey told them to wash up for dinner and began setting the table. Emma came back in and helped her finish setting the food out, and they all sat down to eat.

Stacey spent the dinner getting caught up with Emma about how her classes were going, how she liked her roommate, and what there was to do in Arkansas. It was good being with family, Stacey thought. She had never had a real family growing up. Her parents had divorced when she was very young, and her father had moved across the country. Stacey had only seen him a few times since then. Her mother worked hard to make sure Stacey had all of the material things she needed, but Stacey often wished she had a mother that stayed at home like her friends did. Their relationship was always a bit strained; they never seemed to know what to say to each other when they did spend any time together. When Stacey found out she was pregnant with Emma, her mother had told her, “Good luck; I’ve already done my time. I’m not doing yours.”

Stacey had a full time job and got her own place before Emma was born. She and her mother spoke on the phone once or twice a month, and she would take Emma over to see her on holidays for the next few years, but their relationship never got any better. Then, when Emma was only three years old, Stacey’s mom was killed in a head-on collision with a drunk driver. She remembers feeling guilty at her funeral too, like she had at Edward’s. It wasn’t because she was happy to be free of her, like she had been with Edward. It was that she realized only then all of the sacrifices her mother must have made for her, and wished she had been more grateful for that while she was alive.

Stacey brought her thoughts back to the present, and looking at Emma now, smiling and seemingly content with life, Stacey had to admit she owed Edward some of the credit for that. Had she not met and married him, she may have had to work as much as her own mother had to support Emma, and they might not be so close today. She reminded herself to say a prayer tonight for his soul, to at least thank him for that much.

Stacey and Emma stayed up long after Greg had fallen asleep. They sat on Stacey’s bed and talked about old times, and about the future. Emma told Stacey all about college, her classes, her roommate, and social activities that Emma had been involving herself in. Stacey told Emma about the diner, and her new friends, Edith, Manuel and Noel. She eventually made it around to Victoria. Stacey had given thought to not sharing the fact that Victoria had been Edward’s mistress, and was now carrying his child. She had decided, however, that it was inevitable Emma would find out if she came to visit often, and Stacey didn’t want her to feel as if she had been lied to.

“Do you remember the younger waitress, Victoria, from the diner today?”

“Yes, the really pretty girl. Greg’s eyes kept popping out of his head every time she walked by.”

Stacey smiled, “Yes, Vicki seems to have that effect on most men. I need to tell you something about her. It’s a little hard for me, because I know how you felt about your Pops.”