by Faye Sonja
“I don’t believe I’ll have to try very hard,” Harmony shot back.
Carlos was holding his side as he staggered with laughter.
Andrew frowned. “That wasn’t that funny,” he said in a voice that only Carlos could hear.
Carlos heaved for air. “Oh, she will fit right in with us men.”
“Yeah, maybe too well.”
Carlos’s laugh turned to a low chuckle before he finally was able to whisper back, “You have nothing to worry about, Andrew. I like her.”
“You like all women.”
“All women are beautiful, but I am not speaking about her beauty. Harmony has an…” He moved his hands around as he searched for the right word. “...quality that is different.”
“You just met her.” They stopped once they got to the parish and headed up the front steps.
“Yes,” Carlos said. “But, already, I can tell.” He pointed a finger at Andrew. “Don’t mess this up.”
Andrew made a face of disapproval. “I don’t mess things up.” He opened the door and walked in. He stopped walking when he realized Carlos was no longer by his side. He turned around to see his friend holding the door open for Harmony and Melody. Andrew sucked his teeth. He should’ve done that and from the disapproving look on Carlos’s face, the other man thought so too.
Father Matthew Tindol walked towards the two men. Father Tindol was an older man. His hair was white and he had heavy smile lines; evidence of his good nature. He hugged and kissed Andrew on both cheeks. “Andrew, I believe I just saw you. When was it? Your baptism?”
Andrew chuckled.
“I thought you said you were religious? You don’t go to church?” This from Harmony.
Father Tindol smiled at her, “You must be Harmony.”
Andrew frowned.
Harmony came forward to stand at his side.
Tindol smiled. “I was only kidding. Andrew is a Christian, but the rodeo takes him away on the road a lot. He goes to other churches while he is gone.”
Harmony nodded her head. She turned to Andrew. “Do you spend much of your time away from the house?”
Andrew nodded. “But when I leave, everyone comes with me.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“Stay home if you want, but if the road suits you, that’s fine as well.”
Harmony tilted her head. Andrew looked up and waited for her hat to fall off. It didn’t. She finally said. “Alright.”
“Alright what?”
“I think I can live with this arrangement.”
Andrew sighed. “Any other questions?”
Harmony tilted her head again. “Hmmm,” she said in a more serious manner. She seemed to be checking a list off in her head.
“When is the next trip?” Melody asked.
Carlos answered. “In a month we’re going to San Diego. We’ll be back two days before Thanksgiving.”
Father Tindol told Harmony, “If you need more time—”
Harmony shook her head. “No.” She brushed her skirt and then folded her hands in front of her. “I’m ready.”
Father Tindol nodded and then led everyone to the front of the parish. All the right words were said and then Andrew was looking up waiting for Harmony to lean down and kiss him. Harmony stared down at him. She lifted a brow. She was waiting for him to move first.
“Kiss her,” Carlos hissed.
Andrew frowned. She really wasn’t that much taller than him, but she was taller. “You gonna make me go on my toes?”
Harmony sighed. Her hands came up to hold Andrew’s cheeks. She leaned forward and placed her lips on his.
The kiss was simple at first, but as Harmony began to pull away, Andrew’s heels left the ground. Harmony’s hands stayed on his face as the kiss continued. And then it broke. Both needing to breath. Andrew took a step back and stared into Harmony’s wide eyes.
“¡Cáspita!” Which meant, ‘Great Scott!’ came from Carlos.
Father Tindol narrowed his eyes at Carlos.
Carlos ducked his head. “Forgive me.”
Andrew swallowed a lump that formed in his throat. Carlos’s words had been dead on. Harmony packed a kiss that was as tall as her statue. He smiled at her. “Let’s go. I’ve got to get to work.”
Harmony, who looked like she’d been about to smile, went back to a more neutral look. “Very well.” She thanked the Priest and then turned to head out the door. Melody got up and followed.
Carlos came over to stand by Andrew. “Let’s go. I’ve got to get to work? Is that your best line?”
Andrew frowned. “It ain’t a line. It’s the truth. We’ve got work to do.”
Carlos shook his head. “You should be taking her off somewhere romantic. You are a very good looking man, yet you have no skills with women.” Carlos frowned. “Have I taught you nothing?”
Andrew started for the door with Carlos at his side. “I don’t need skills. I’m married.”
Carlos shook his head. “My parents would not have had thirteen children if there was no romance. You must...” His hands started going again. “Woo your wife. I will help you. I can guarantee that you’ll be en amor by Thanksgiving.”
Andrew waved him off. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll be fine.” And with that, Andrew pushed the door open and stepped out into the daylight. The sun was still up, which meant they were wasting daylight. Andrew had a rodeo to prepare for and couldn’t afford to waste valuable time and end up having a bad year.
* * *
3
Chapter THREE
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“ She’d be having her first Christmas without
the fragile white flakes … She’d miss that. ”
.
Harmony opened the front door ready to fight the person on the other side. The Stone women had been at the ranch for all of five days and already, men were coming around to ask for Melody’s hand. She’d wanted to chase all of her little sister’s suitors away, but Melody had been good at doing it all by herself. Melody had moped around the house for the last few days. Her thoughts were all for Austin. Harmony sighed with relief when she saw that it was Marie Sitterly, the wife of Roy Sitterly, one of Andrew’s ranch hands.
Marie smiled. She was a woman of average height, but that was about the only thing average about her. She had long blond hair and big blue eyes. “Morning, Harmony. I brought the wives by so you could meet them. Also, we’re planning the Thanksgiving feast, which is normally done here on the ranch. We were wondering if you’d object to the tradition.”
Harmony looked behind her and saw a car with two other women inside. They waved. Harmony waved back and then smiled down at Marie. “No. I wouldn’t want to break tradition.” She gestured the woman into her home and waved the other girls in. There was Alice Emilio and Josephine Sohail. The women were sisters and shared the same red hair and light blue eyes. Harmony greeted the women. “We can plan the meal together and I’d love to hear more about the ranch.”
The women walked into the room and their eyes went wide.
It was Josephine who said, “Harmony, I don’t even recognize this place.” She turned to Harmony. “We might actually be able to have the dinner indoors this year.”
The women laughed.
“Did you do this yourself?” Marie asked.
“Yup.”
Marie shook her head. “Andrew’s got money. You should hire help.”
Harmony looked around the large front room, which had been a dump when she’d arrived, and took pride in her work. The ranch hands had kept everything from saddles to ropes and gloves scattered throughout the house. Harmony, with Melody’s help, had gotten the room cleared out and then went to work on making the place more homey and presentable. The eggshell marble floors and the cherry wood side tables gleamed and made the air smell like lemon. The sofa seats, which Harmony had thought were brown, now r
eflected their true color, a deep granite red. “Well, if you like this, let me show you the dining room.”
The women followed Harmony down the hall. Harmony led them through a high Spanish archway and heard the gasp behind her. The room, like the rest of the house was breathtaking. It had always been covered in such filth before. The dining room was spacious. The off white marble continued throughout the room. The walls and ceilings were the same color as the floor, but were broken up perfectly by large wooden beams that ran across the ceiling. Harmony had had a hard time cleaning the beams and getting all of the pesky critters out, but now, the room was that of a showpiece. The dining table that could seat more than twenty people had been shined and now styled a bouquet of lavender pincushion and yellow pipe stem flowers. A light from a large window on the opposite side highlighted each corner of the room. A few yards away, Harmony saw the men standing around a fenced in area. A horse was running around with a guy chasing him. The men’s yells and the horse’s whines carried at only a whisper into the room.
Harmony said out loud, “This house is immaculate. I can’t believe the men treated it so poorly.”
Marie shook her head. “Austin only built the house this way to impress his father.”
“What do you mean?”
Marie spun around. Her blue eyes went wide. She covered her lips with her hand. “Sorry. Don’t mind me. It’s just… Austin and his father have a sort of rivalry going on.”
“Really?”
Marie waved Harmony off. “I’m sure Andrew will tell you all about it.”
“Hm.”
A louder shout came from the outside. Harmony started towards the glass doors that led outside. The heat touched her immediately and Harmony frowned. It was almost the holidays. No place should feel this way in November. She turned to the women behind her. “You can get started on the menu and I’ll be right back.” She started for the party ahead.
Melody was by the fence, watching the entire show. Roy, one of the younger men, was riding the horse with the reins in his hand, but the beast didn’t seem to like being ridden. The horse bucked and threw Roy off. He hit the ground hard. The horse charged for Roy and tried to stomp him, but Roy was quick. He got up and scrambled over the fence. The other twelve men or so laughed. Harmony stood by Melody and placed her hands on the fence. “What in the world?”
Melody shook her head. She was wearing her hair free like some of the other women in town. The light brown waves laid over her shoulders. “Someone is going to get hurt.”
Carlos came to Harmony’s other side. “Breaking the horse is necessary. It is the only way to tame them for riding.”
“But we have cars now. What are horses used for nowadays?”
“Some people like to keep them as pets, but they are also kept for racing and the rodeo. Andrew runs one of the best equine and cattle companies in California.”
“Who rides the horse during the rodeos?”
“Andrew. He is a very talented cowboy.”
Harmony frowned. “I didn’t know that.”
Carlos smiled. “Yes, well, Andrew can be quite humble.”
Harmony looked back at the impressive two-story mansion begin her. There wasn’t a ranch anywhere around quite like this one. She looked at Carlos. “Humble?”
Carlos laughed. “Okay, perhaps humble isn’t the word.”
Harmony turned back to watch David pull out a whip. She gasped. “Is the taming of horses truly this necessary just so they could be ridden?”
“Got something against horses?” a deep voice asked.
Harmony turned and looked into Andrew’s angry pair of hazel eyes.
Andrew was casually leaning against the fence post, but there was nothing casual about his face. Harmony opened her mouth to speak, but Andrew cut in. “Horses are what puts food on the table. Horses will give you the luxuries that a lady requires.” He got up and stood before Harmony. “What? You think I should just give up my livelihood for you? Is a rodeo man not good enough for you?”
Harmony’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t say that—”
Andrew turned and stomped off. She watched him as he walked across the dusty ground and towards the house.
Harmony frowned. “All I did was ask a question.”
Carlos sighed. He took up the space that Andrew had occupied. “Don’t mind Andrew. He’s not mad at you. He’s mad at his father.”
“Yes,” Harmony began. “Marie told me that, but she never explained to me the issue they have.”
Carlos looked down at the ground. “Andrew’s father is Billy Pitch. He’s a very successful rancher, like Andrew, but better. His company always wins the winter rodeo competition.”
Harmony shook her head. “I still don’t understand why my question would upset him so much.”
Carlos looked back up into her eyes. “I’m going to tell you, because eventually, someone is going to tell you anyway.”
“Tell me what?”
“Billy is married to Andrew’s ex-wife.”
Melody gasped. “His father stole his wife.”
Carlos nodded. “It’s always been a competition between the two men since Andrew’s mother died. She was the link that stopped the two from... killing one another.”
Harmony sighed. “So, I’m still not completely sure why my questions offended Andrew so much.”
Carlos shrugged. “Maybe, because your question could be interpreted as you saying that… perhaps, Andrew isn’t a good enough man for you.”
Melody interjected. “But that’s not what Harmony said.”
Carlos shrugged again. “Well, I am not in Andrew’s head. I can only tell you what I know.”
Harmony started for the house, ready to apologize. She shook her head. “This is childish,” she muttered to herself. “That’s not even what I said.”
Andrew looked at the ledger in front of him on his desk again. He was trying to balance his budget, but couldn’t see a thing on the paper. His mind was elsewhere. A knock came to his office door. It opened without his say so. Harmony walked in. Her pale hair was piled on her head. Her eyes seemed more blue than gray at the moment. She closed the door behind her and then stood in front of his desk.
Harmony crossed her hands in front of her dark blue dress. “I am sorry if my questions offended you.”
“Fine,” Andrew said, “and I apologize for… yelling at you earlier.”
Harmony nodded her head and then began to look around the room. The small office was silent, except for the sounds of the men and the horses outside. Andrew got up and went towards the window. His office was located on the second floor of the house and overlooked most of the common workspace. Roy was back on the horse. Andrew kept watching the show. “You got an issue with horses?”
“No. I haven’t been on a horse since I was a little girl.”
He turned to her. “How old were you?”
Harmony shrugged. “I don’t know. Five. Six. After my father died, we had to sell, Betty.”
“Betty?”
“The horse?”
Andrew nodded. He turned back to the window.
“Carlos told me about your father.”
Andrew turned back to her. “What did he tell you?”
“About your father and your ex-wife. I didn’t know you’d been married before.”
“It was a long time ago.”
“I also didn’t know you participated in the rodeos yourself. Will you be riding again this year?”
Andrew looked at her. “Concerned for my safety?”
Harmony smiled. “Well, I may not know about your world, but I know it’s dangerous.”
Andrew sighed. “It can be if you don’t know what you’re doing.”
Harmony ran her hands over her skirt. “Will you be riding?”
Andrew smiled. “Why do you wish to know?”
Harmony rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Perhaps, I’d like to know whether or not I’m to be a widow soon.”
Andrew chuckled. “Would
you miss me already?”
“No, I simply would like to make sure I put the right flowers by your tombstone.”
Andrew laughed.
Harmony smiled. She took a seat in front of Andrew’s desk. Andrew went back to his own chair. Harmony began to talk once he was in position. “Have you ever been hurt before?”
“During a rodeo?”
“Yes.”
Andrew shook his head. “Not anything serious. A scrape here and there, but nothing that required a doctor.”
“What is the point of it?”
“The point of what?”
“The rodeo? Why must you men ride an unmanageable horse?”
“Or bull,” Andrew interjected.
Harmony’s eyes went wide. “Surely, you’re not going to get on the back of a bull.”
Andrew smiled. He leaned forward on the desk. “I think you’re worried about me, Harmony.”
Harmony scuffed and ran her hands once more over her skirt. “If you’d brought me all the way across the country just to watch you die, I’ll let you know that I will not entertain your idea.” She brought her eyes up to meet his.
“I’ll be riding the bull.”
Harmony narrowed her eyes. They were like cold steel. “Why? You’re the owner. Surely, there is someone else who can ride the animals.”
“I’m the best rider in the city.”
“Does your father ride in the rodeo as well?”
A swift heat coursed through Andrew’s blood. “Why? Plan on cheering him on?”
Harmony crossed her arms. “I’ve never even met the man—”
“But you want to.” It was a statement. Andrew stood. His hands balled into fists as he leaned over the table and looked down at Harmony. “You like your men with more age?”
Harmony stood, causing Andrew to lift his eyes towards her. She was breathing hard and her face was red. “What is the matter with you? I asked a simple question.”
“Ain’t nothing simple about you, Harmony.” Andrew shook his head. “Women are all calculating creatures.”
Harmony gasped. “Apologize.”
“For what?”
