Easing her foot off the brake, she advanced cautiously after checks in each direction lest any more animals put in an unexpected appearance.
Twenty minutes to go.
She glanced at her watch then shivered as wintry blues eyes floated unwittingly into her head. Oh, I’d like to wipe that menacing smirk off his face. Well, if their paths crossed, again. Yeah, right. What were the chances of that happening? He probably wouldn’t be the only cowboy she’ll encounter over the next month. Wait. Thinks I’m a boy, does he? Could she blame the man though?
Her gaze traveled the length of her figure, scrutinizing the baggy blue denims and denim shirt; one size too big for her petite body. Face devoid of make- up, her long hair, tied into a ponytail, and tucked neatly under a white Stetson, gave her the appearance of a young lad. Her lips curved in a sly smile at the notion of her father’s judgmental scowl, if he should see her now.
She slid the gear into fifth, increased speed, and hummed softly in tune to the radio.
“Yes, Papa, your little princess is not behaving like the perfect lady, is she now?” she yelled out aloud and glanced at the rearview mirror. Alas, there wasn’t anyone to hear, except the buzzing bees and squawking birds that hovered in the air above.
Samantha covered the rest of the journey with no further mishaps. Absorbed in the view, her jeep coasted down the long white fenced driveway, and she arrived at the house as the sun dipped with everything shrouded in its beautiful yellow haze. Bringing the vehicle to a stop outside the entrance, she jumped out and scanned the ranch with interest. Where were the galloping horses, frivolous cowboys, and noisy cattle? Vast open fields of green, corralled at spasmodic intervals and empty, met her searching gaze.
Watching way too many western movies, girl.
Amused, she switched her attention toward the large house. Her gaze scanned the white washed two- story splendor with a multitude of windows against a backdrop of distant mountains. Samantha stretched. Tense as a skater on thin ice, she rolled her neck from side to side and back to front, easing her stiff muscles. Driving on the opposite side of the road here as opposed to the roads back home was definitely tricky, and it made her concentrate a lot harder on her driving skills. Almost killing a cowboy added to her tension. Her muscles were wound tight as a spring coil.
Deborah sashayed out the front door with her arms wide open. “Hey, girl,” she squealed in delight and threw her arms around Samantha in a bear hug. “You actually made it in one piece.”
“You sound surprised. Why?”
“For one thing, I didn’t think you’d drive out here yourself,” Deborah stated. “I expected a long black limo.”
Samantha wrinkled her nose.
“It’s a good thing you didn’t run into a wild horse or something.” Deborah helped Samantha unload her bags from the rear of the jeep.
“Well, maybe not a wild horse.” Samantha rescued the last bag from the floor of vehicle.
“Huh?” Deborah lugged two bags up the porch steps.
Samantha grabbed the other two suitcases and trudged into the house behind Deborah. “I almost ran over a guy and his horse about twenty minutes from here,” she explained setting the bags on the floor. “It scared the bejesus out of me.”
“Let me guess. You didn’t notice the animal crossing?”
Removing the hat, Samantha loosened her hair from its ponytail and fanned her face with her hand. “Daydreaming, I kinda missed the sign, but I stopped in time.”
“Meet anyone cute?” Deborah crossed her arms below her breast and leaned back against the doorframe.
“My very first cowboy, a damn sexy one at that too, and I almost killed the man. God, any closer…” Samantha squinted bringing her forefinger and thumb an inch apart to emphasize her point, “…he may as well have ripped off my head. Livid is an understatement.” She shivered and hugged her body. “I didn’t do it purposely,” she groaned, more to herself.
“What? Ignore the signpost? Or daydream while driving?” Deborah teased. Samantha glared at her but stayed silent. “Well, sweetie, how about I drive you from now on? The atmosphere here ain’t exactly like the city, and folks don’t take kindly being run off the road.”
“Think I don’t know that already?”
“C’mon, forget the guy.” Deborah consoled. “I’ve made up the guest room for you. But if you wanna share, we could be roomies again.”
“Well, if you still snore like college days then I’d rather not.”
“I did no such thing.” Deborah scowled, snatched up the two cases, headed down the passage, and mounted the stairs.
“Did too. You didn’t hear yourself.” Samantha followed her with a giggle.
“Whatever.”
“Just a gentle snore.”
“Then, you’re sleeping alone.” Deborah threw over her shoulder and ducked into one of the rooms on the landing.
At the door, Samantha inspected the room. The walls, painted a soft lemon with white trimmings, were enhanced by a rich creamy carpet. A huge four-poster bed dressed in a lighter lemon quilt with matching curtains filled the center of the room. Huge floor to ceiling cupboards occupied one wall, spacious enough to house her entire four suitcases and more. A door on the opposite side opened into a luxurious en-suite elegantly done in shades of lemon and cream. The coziness of the room made her feel right at home.
“You like?”
“It’s gorgeous,” Samantha gushed and flopped onto the bed, reveling in its softness.
“I’ll leave you to unpack. Take a hot shower. It will take the edge off. Supper is at seven thirty, okay?” Deborah left then popped her head back inside the doorway almost immediately. “Oh, I almost forgot…it’s us gals tonight. My brothers are off rounding up the cattle. They’ll be back tomorrow at sundown. So I suggest you enjoy the evening’s peace and quiet, ’cause it ain’t ever like this.” She winked then disappeared from sight.
“Okay.” Samantha lifted the nearest bag onto the bed and slowly unpacked. The stillness she encountered on her arrival now made perfect sense.
She met two of Deborah’s three brothers when they visited her at college. An instant friendship grew with Reece, Deborah’s twin. Unlike his sister, Reece possessed a wild, mischievous, and relatively outspoken personality. Jace, on the other hand, three years older than they were, displayed a shy disposition and offered very little conversation at any given time.
Cody, the eldest, she had yet to meet. According to his youngest brother, he possessed a very serious temperament and extremely overprotective toward his family. Reece used the term ‘bulldog’ to describe Cody. The man stepped into his father’s shoes at the age of seventeen and preferred to work on the ranch instead of going to college like his siblings.
Samantha chewed her bottom lip. She hadn’t spent this much time in the company of a single man, let alone three unmarried men. Although cautious when it came to the opposite sex, she had enough resilience to hold her own if the need ever rose. Her cellphone buzzed. She checked it and sent her mother a quick “Whatsapp” to let her know she arrived safely. Humming, she headed for the bathroom.
After a leisurely soak in the enormous bathtub, she dressed then plaited her hair neatly at the back of her neck. Throwing it over her shoulder, she slipped into a pair of sandals and made her way downstairs to the delicious aroma wafting through the air. She joined Deborah in the kitchen for dinner. Ravenous, Samantha welcomed the homey feel in the large green and white pastel infused kitchen and the taste of the food with undisguised pleasure.
“Hmmm, this is yummy. I didn’t know you could cook,” she complimented and slurped another ribbon of pasta into her eager mouth.
Deborah laughed. “Whoa, girl. It’s spaghetti and meatballs.”
“Trust me when I say this: we have a good cook, but I think she could do with a few lessons here. Don’t get me wrong. Rima cooks the best curries and a mean pot roast, but I’ve never tasted spaghetti and meatballs this good.”
“It’s the sauce. I burn water, that’s about all I’m good for in the kitchen.”
Samantha’s brow lifted. “And this?” She pointed to the food.
“Freda’s secret sauce.”
“Freda?”
“Our beloved housekeeper and the most adorable woman you could ever meet. Honestly, the woman is God sent. ’Cause, I couldn’t cook, even if my life depended on it.”
“And where is she?”
“Bingo night. She prepared dinner earlier and left a few minutes before you arrived. I only heated the sauce per her instructions. You’ll meet her in the morning.” Deborah rose from the table and began clearing the dishes.
“Bingo night? I thought only us city folks did those type of things.”
“And what exactly did you think us country folk do?” she asked. “Go around shootin’ and tootin’? This ain’t television, darlin’. We live normal lives like the rest of the world. Western movies are a far cry from the real thing.” A heightened tinkle lined Deborah’s last words.
Amused, Samantha helped Deborah clear the table. “I’m a total idiot with these fancy ideas spinning in this head of mine.”
“If it’s any consolation, you remember when I first arrived at that South African college?”
Deborah referred to the Women’s Institute where she and Samantha met. At her South African godmother’s insistence, Cody had allowed Deborah to attend their exchange program.
Samantha nodded.
“I mean first off, I was totally alone in a foreign country, and I didn’t realize college could be…er…so different, so English. Then I met you and check me out. I’m as refined a lady as they come.” She gestured at the length of her body, dressed in soft black slacks and a cream blouse. “When I dress like this, Reece says I look like a lady. I’m supposed to be one of the fella’s, apparently. And they constantly tease me every time I pronounce a word they don’t know.” Deborah poured the coffee. “I’ll give you a tour of our small town tomorrow.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Samantha mimicked a western drawl.
Deborah laughed. “Sam, I think it’s better if you stick with your gorgeous South African accent than have you sound like there’s a gun stuck up your butt.”
Coffee mug in hand, Samantha followed Deborah out of the kitchen toward the living room. She found their home fairly up-to-date in contrast to its rustic exterior. The house didn’t quite look like the ones in the movies. Old and rickety with ancient dark furniture, wooden floors, and walls lined with lots of photographs.
Modern furniture, with an elegant living room complemented by shades of ivory and black tiled floors throughout, harmonized their home. White molded ceilings added to the appeal of the beautiful soft ivory colored walls. A woodsy blend of cherry smoke, hay, and pine wafted through the home giving rise to a musky atmosphere filled with friendliness and warmth. Admittedly, a stark contrast to the fresh flowery cool scent that always greeted her at home.
“My grandfather built this house when Dad was a baby. Later, Dad extended it to accommodate the large family.” Deborah guided Samantha on a tour of the house. “There are six bedrooms. One for each of us, plus a guest bedroom, the one you’re in now. We each have our own bathroom so no one fights for the shower like we did when we were growing up.”
“Nice,” Samantha said.
“Yep, nice, but I miss the good ol’ days.” Deborah stopped on the landing at the last door. “We had this awesome outdoor shower my dad built with a water tank. Whenever we worked in the vegetable patch, we always raced after to be the first one in the shower, a cold one but the best thing ever.” Deborah’s eyes twinkled in memory.
“Gosh, sounds awesome.” Samantha smiled. Their childhood appeared truly remarkable. Unlike hers which consisted of the usual ‘do this and do that’ instructions, prim and proper dresses with pearls and stockings.
“And this is Cody’s room,” Deborah said and swung the door open.
Samantha didn’t want to pry and snuck a quick peek trying to discern this mysterious brother. Another exquisitely furnished room, but nothing there hinted at a personality she had yet to meet. As she descended the stairs, her gaze roamed the photographs lining the wall. “I don’t see any photos of Cody.”
“He hates posing for them. Whenever there’s a camera around, he does the proverbial disappearing act,” Deborah said as they descended the last stair and headed for the living room.
“Seems like the serious type?” Samantha dropped onto the black couch, sinking into the cushions.
“You could say that. He’s a workaholic and holds his own when it comes to the ranch chores. I guess as the head of the family, he is afraid of failure. Treats us like kids though.” Deborah slid into the seat next to Samantha. “He feels responsible for us. We’ve told him we’re adults and capable of taking care of ourselves, but it falls on deaf ears.”
“Oh, I know the feeling, trust me.” Samantha smirked. “How old is he?”
“Thirty-four.”
“No marriage in the pipeline?” In Samantha’s family, once women attained the age of twenty-one and men the age of twenty-five or six they were married, irrespective of their wishes or social status. She fought hard with her father to let her study before indulging in the whims of holy matrimony. Soon to change.
“He could definitely do with some love in his life…” Deborah’s words trailed off.
Samantha laughed. “I’m sure someone somewhere waits for him. Mom says love finds those that believe in it.” She wondered whether Cody knew how troubled his sister was over his love life or lack thereof.
Deborah tucked a wayward lock behind her ear. “Okay, enough with the melodramatics. Tell me about what you got up to since we last saw each other. Have you spoken to your father about the kindergarten wish?”
Samantha sank back into the sofa with a sigh.
“No.”
“Why not? You were so excited about it.”
“Yeah. He’s adamant charity drives and helping orphans isn’t the same as a job.” Samantha shook her fist in the air, mimicking her father. “And no daughter of mine is going to become a lowly teacher. Leave it to my father to know exactly what’s best for me.” She grimaced. “Given the disastrous confrontation over this holiday request, there isn’t a chance he’ll grant me any more freedom. He took forever to consent to the one year Business Management Course. Teaching studies will take an approximate of four years, and he’d never agree to let me stay single that long.”
“C’mon, I’m sure he’ll change his mind once you explain your desires.”
“Unfortunately, marriage is what Papa is more interested in right now.”
“Oh, boy.” Deborah chuckled. “Well whatever it is, I don’t think you should shelve the idea yet. Don’t give up on your dreams even if you get married. Who knows? You could interest your husband in playing teacher in the bedroom.”
Samantha stuck her tongue out and laughed. Marriage was the furthest thing from her mind right now. They spent the next half hour talking. Samantha shared the woes of her dull life; Debbie on the other hand regaled Samantha with hilarious ranch tales. By bedtime she was weary from laughing so hard on top of the trip.
