United State of Love (18 page)

The flight had taken nearly ten hours and the drive just over another three. Tex’s older brother, Al, had driven to Fort Worth airport to meet them and although he had arrived in a pick-up truck, it oozed luxury and comfort with its wide leather bench seat and the much needed air con. Tex had warned her about the heat but, even so, Anna hadn’t expected it quite so hot. This, together with the tiring journey, soon had her dozing off, head resting on Tex’s shoulder.

‘Hey, sleepyhead. We’re nearly there.’

Tex’s voice woke Anna from her sleep, she felt him kiss the top of her head. Nestled in the crook of his shoulder, she wanted to stay there forever. She couldn’t help feeling nervous about meeting his family and wondering if they would be comparing her with Estelle.

As Al pulled off the main road and onto a smaller track, it seemed to Anna that it went on and on, a continuous straight line disappearing into the horizon. The fields on either side were wide open, clusters and rows of trees in the distance, which Anna assumed broke up the land into sections. It seemed as if she had woken up in the middle of nowhere, surrounded on all sides by field after field. Pastures, Tex called them. The truck slowed down at a lone mailbox by the edge of the road. Anna read the wooden sign that formed an archway above a five-bar gate announcing they were now at Moonshadow Meadows.

Al pulled up and Tex jumped out of the truck to open the gate, a procedure they seemed totally comfortable with as neither had to exchange a word. Anna squinted down the drive. It was one heck of a drive, and like the track they had just come down, the end was nowhere in sight. It was another few minutes’ ride before the ranch house came into view. A timber, shiplapped construction with a large veranda stretching across the front and several windows each side of the central doorway. The house appeared to be split over three floors, with several dormer windows in the roof.

‘Oh Tex, it’s beautiful.’ Anna was mesmerised by the charm of it. The Stars and Stripes flag fluttered from a pole by the side of the house, together with the Texan state flag. Before she had time to take in any more, there was a flurry of activity as a swarm of people erupted from the front door, their excited shouts and shrieks ringing out.

Anna heard Tex mutter some undetermined expletive, then a ‘Did you know about this?’ He was speaking to his brother. Anna read the sideways grin, which was remarkably like Tex’s, to say that he knew all right.

Tex was no sooner out of the cab when he was lost in the throng of well-wishers. There was much hugging and kissing from the females, and handshaking followed with manly back-slapping hugs from the men.

‘Nico!’

Anna looked on, she assumed the older couple now embracing Tex were his parents. It seemed strange hearing them call him by his proper name. Some of the family that Anna guessed were around her own age were calling him Nick. She made a mental note not to call him Tex in front of his family.

Now Tex was extracting himself and coming back over to the truck. Anna took a deep breath as he opened the door to the cab. A sudden cold fear rushed over her.

‘You ready for this?’ He raised his eyebrows, but she could tell he was delighted to be back amongst his family. He held out his hand to her. ‘Come on. Hey, don’t look so worried.’

‘Don’t go off.’ She knew she sounded pathetic but she couldn’t help it. ‘Don’t leave me.’

‘Never.’ He looked directly at her. ‘I’m gonna keep you right by my side all the time. I’m not letting go of you.’

One thing Anna was fast learning about Tex was that he said what he meant. For the next two hours he barely let go of her, constantly reassuring her with a squeeze of the hand, a calming touch to her back or an encouraging smile.

Tex’s family were lovely, so welcoming, and the hum of conversation, howls of laughter, and shrieks from children gave such an informal ambiance that Anna could feel herself relaxing with every passing minute. Everyone was very chatty, involving her in the conversations in such a way that she didn’t feel like a newcomer.

As they all sat down for dinner at the back of the house around several large, long, wooden picnic tables, Tex made sure he was right by her side. She soaked up the party-like atmosphere, everyone clearly delighted to have Tex home. She learned he hadn’t been back for over two years, and although he apparently spoke regularly to them all from the UK, it was obviously no substitute for being there in person.

‘Anyone want some chips?’ called out Tex as various bowls of food were passed back and forth and up and down the table.

‘Chips!’ exclaimed one of Tex’s brothers, who Anna thought was called Mikey. ‘Since when did anyone call fries, chips? Hell, Bro, you sure have been away too long.’ The others seated around the table laughed along with Mikey.

‘He’ll be telling us he’s on holiday next,’ joined in one of the others.

‘Or that he takes the lift,’ someone else called out.

‘What about soccer? I bet he calls it football now!’

‘Hey, you redneck, what would you know?’ joked back Tex. ‘You’ve never been out of the county, let alone the country.’

‘Tell us, Anna,’ said Mikey. ‘Has Nick here gone and gotten all English?’

‘Oh no, definitely not,’ replied Anna smiling. ‘I can assure you he still says sidewalk, trash and cell phone.’

And so the banter went on, Tex laughing and joking along with his family. It was lovely to see him so evidently adored – a clearly mutual feeling.

By early evening, exhausted from the travelling and jetlagged, Tex made their excuses to leave.

‘Sorry, folks, but I think we’re gonna call it a night.’

‘You lightweight,’ said Mikey, throwing a cushion at his brother.

‘Now you leave them be,’ Tex’s mother reprimanded her youngest son.

‘You tell him, Mama,’ said Tex, tossing the cushion back at Mikey before going over and giving his mother a kiss on the cheek. ‘Night. See y’all in the morning.’

‘Night honey.’ Then, much to Tex’s delight, his mom went over to Anna and gave her a kiss and a hug. ‘You pay them boys no mind. You must be exhausted. Get some rest now. Night honey.’

As they stepped out onto the porch, Tex pulled Anna towards him, putting his arms around her. ‘She likes you.’

‘Who?’

‘Mama.’

‘She said?’

‘No, but I can tell. In fact, they all like you.’

‘Well, that’s good, because I like them all too. You have a lovely family.’ She stood on tiptoe and gave Tex a quick kiss. ‘Anyway, what are we doing out here? I thought we were going to bed.’

‘We are. Come on.’ He led her towards Al’s pick-up truck and opened the passenger door for her. ‘We’re staying at my place.’

‘Your place?’

‘Creek Cottage. Just over the back of First Meadow, about half a mile away.’ He shut the door and nipped round the front of the truck, sliding into the driver’s seat. ‘We’ve all got our own place on the ranch. Creek Cottage is mine.’

A few minutes later, Tex was pulling up outside the small wooden cabin. He breathed deeply as he took in the traditional settler type construction. It felt good being home.

‘I feel like I’ve stepped back in time,’ marvelled Anna, breaking his thoughts.

‘Well, there’s no electricity, running water or inside bathroom,’ he said as he helped her down from the cab.

‘Seriously?’

‘Seriously.’ He paused, amused at the look of surprise on her face. ‘I am only joking.’

Inside, the cottage was simply furnished. A room to the right was the living area and a room to the left was the kitchen and dining room. All the furniture was traditional, rustic. The stairs were at the back of the kitchen and led up to a large double room, a small single and a bathroom.

‘This is really lovely,’ said Anna as she looked round the bedroom.

‘I'm glad you like it.’ Tex smiled as he put his arms round her and kissed her. A thought of Estelle flicked through his head. He had never brought another woman here in the five years since Estelle had died. Was it wrong to bring Anna? He raked around in his heart for some sort of emotion. Guilt. Regret. Sadness. But all were absent. It didn’t feel wrong. In fact, it felt right. Very right.

‘So what have we got planned for today?’ asked Anna, coming up behind Tex and wrapping her arms around him while he cooked their breakfast.

Tex’s mom had left what he termed as a Red Cross parcel outside the front door, packed with good old home-style provisions. Bacon, eggs, beans, bread, milk and coffee. She had even managed to produce some English Breakfast tea from somewhere.

‘Thought I’d show you the ranch. I meant to ask, can you ride?’ He gave the beans a stir and shook the bacon in the pan, sending delicious smells into the mid-morning air.

‘A bike. Well I haven’t ridden one since I was about ten.’

Tex laughed out loud. ‘Not a bicycle. A horse.’ He turned round to face her. The look of total horror on her face actually made him feel quite sorry for her. ‘I take it that’s a no. Okay, not to worry, we can take the quad. You just need to sit on the back and hold on tight.’

While Anna went upstairs to get dressed, Tex prepared a packed lunch for them for later, again courtesy of the Red Cross parcel. He was really looking forward to taking her out today, to showing her the Longhorn cattle, the bison, the lakes where he had fished as a child, the places for shooting, the stables and all the things he enjoyed about ranch life.

Anna came back down suitably dressed in jeans and a white shirt. She was looking at him with amusement dancing in her eyes.

‘So you really are a cowboy,’ Anna said.

‘What?’

‘The hat. You really must be a cowboy if you’re wearing a Stetson.’ She walked towards him. ‘Come here, cowboy.’ She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. Darn it, he could take her right back to bed there and then. She must have read his mind. ‘Don’t go getting any ideas. Come on, show me your ranch.’

He caught her hand. ‘Don’t think you’re getting away that easy. Gotta protect your lily white skin from the sun.’ From behind his back he produced another Stetson and dropped it onto her head. ‘Let’s go, cowgirl.’ He gave her behind a playful smack.

As Anna climbed on the back of the quad and shuffled forward, Tex was rather pleased that she couldn’t horse ride after all. Having her sitting so tight behind him, her arms wrapped firmly around his waist, he could feel every curve of her body against his back and enjoy the sensation of her thighs against his. What more could he ask for?

It had been a glorious day riding around the ranch. Anna couldn’t get over how vast it was, and how Tex seemed to be able to find his way around, despite it being over two years since he was last here.

That evening, dining up at Moonshadow Ranch House with Tex’s parents, she felt very much at home, and after sitting out on the porch, the relaxed atmosphere and conversation continued.

‘You know Buckler’s ranch has started farming olives,’ said his father.

‘Olives? I know there’s more of it going on these days round here. How they doing?’ Tex asked.

‘Okay, by all accounts. You ought to take a drive up there this week and have a look. Quite something to see row after row of olive trees instead of cattle.’

‘That’s sounds like a good plan for tomorrow,’ said Tex.

When they eventually made it back to Creek Cottage, Anna felt happy. Extremely happy. It was bliss just being in Tex’s company all the time. She had hardly thought of Luke, who was splitting his time between Nathan and his friend Jacob’s house. Anna dismissed thoughts of England, she didn’t want to start worrying, there was nothing she could do anyway. No, the two worlds of lover and family were securely compartmentalised. No overlap. She was here with Tex and that was all she wanted to think about.

The following day Tex took Anna out to Buckler’s ranch, which the sign at the gate now advised was called Olive Grove Ranch. Not exactly inspiring but hey, it was what it said.

Browsing in the ranch shop, Tex seemed to be taking a keen interest in the local produce. He picked up a couple of jars of olives.

‘Green or black?’ he asked, weighing up a jar in each hand.

‘Eww, neither,’ said Anna, wrinkling up her face. ‘I don't like olives.’

‘You can learn to like something, you know. Before you know it, you love something you once didn't.’ Anna gave him a sideways look but Tex carried on. ‘I'll challenge you not to fall in love,’ he paused before adding, ‘with olives.’

‘Okay. How do you propose I do that then? Fall in love with olives that is.’

‘Every day you must just eat a little bit of olive. Not a whole one, just a small bite. Do that every day for a month and I'll guarantee that you will love them. That is what they mean by an acquired taste. You have to slowly familiarise yourself with the taste, get used to it gradually, without rushing. A little each day and you will learn to love them.’

‘I accept your challenge,’ replied Anna cautiously. ‘I can't make any promises though.’

The week was slipping by too quickly. Anna thoroughly enjoyed their days out sightseeing, and the days spent relaxing at Creek Cottage and exploring the ranch. Tex had attempted to teach her how to shoot, but she didn’t even want to hold the gun, so he had settled on giving her a horse riding lesson, which she much preferred.

She was very impressed to watch him haul himself up onto a horse one afternoon, sitting in the saddle looking totally at ease. The thrill that shot through her when he had winked and tipped his Stetson at her was bad enough, but coupled with that seductive smile of his, she truly thought her legs would give way.

‘Are you sure you’ll be okay without me for a few hours? I don’t mind if you would sooner not be left on your own.’ He had checked with her earlier and double-checked several more times throughout the morning.

‘Of course I don’t mind,’ she told him again. ‘And, anyway, who am I to stop you having some time with your brothers. You go and enjoy yourself. I’ll be fine.’ To see him so happy and relaxed was lovely.

He gave the reins a tug to the left and immediately the horse responded. As it swung round, Anna saw Tex give a small but authoritative dig with his heels into the horse’s flank, a flick of the reins before galloping off with his brothers to help with the herding. She watched him disappear, swallowed up in cloud of dust, entranced at the way he took command so effortlessly and confidently.