The Next River

by Neviah Wohl

  "I take it this is more of a male-dominated field huh?" Charlene replied, eager to move on.

  "Kind of? Not like we're hauling beef to Chicago or anything. So, no reason women can't work out here," he replied as well with a shake of his head. "No, there's Chevy, she's the lunch lady. Mostly just reheats leftovers but will cook you anything if you ask and pay for the ingredients yourself. Darlene, she's one of the ranch hands. And another vet who mostly deals with the birthing of the cattle. Kind of a midwife breeder kind of person. Mostly otherwise it’s about fifteen guys give or take, so you'll be getting hosed down with testosterone most of the days."

  She nodded as she stood there. "I sort of figured when I signed up for this." she replied, sighing as Charlene brought another hand up, once more brushing through the strands of her hair. "Do you know which way to the housing blocks, so I can get my room?"

  His own smile returned and he slowly sat up further in his seat. The sheen of sweat on his bald head shining from the fluorescent lighting above, despite the cooling power of the air conditioning, freezing all manner of workman’s heat the moment they walked in. His hands, deftly, pulling down to the filing cabinet beside him as he abandoned all pretense of slacking to fulfill his job.

  A moment later, a finger in the air to signal his course, and he pulled out what appeared to be a folder that he placed down on the desk. "Yea, soon thing. We just need you to fill in some filing work so we know you arrived and got settled in, statements to your current living conditions, and then we can start you in on salary. Technically, for the next six months, you're working almost all the time, and will be on call all the time."

  She pursed her lips. "No rest?"

  "Mandatory by federal law, and because of the Ranchers Union, of course. But as a veterinarian, you’ll be on call to see to it the animals are healthy. Especially if they get sick or break any bones. Most of the time you’ll just be overseeing the herds when they rotate in to look for signs of distress.”

  She nodded and settled aside her bag as she slid across the immaculately cleaned table the folder and opened it.

  Basic paperwork. Contracts, references, a copy of her resume she had sent in, as well as a basic outline of the medical history—the parts that really only matter such as allergies and the like, as well as the surgery from several years back - and other such statements to how she'll be staying on the premise of the Big Bob Ranch's miniature apartment complex for the next six months. As well as a copy of the salary, and the costs she'll be deducting for her time here. Minimal, comparatively.

  Quickly, she inked in her signature, including her old one, to seal the deal that would make any lawyer squeal, and sighed. Leaning her tall frame back up as she frowned. Her eyes looking from it to the desk man as he smiled and slid the envelope over toward himself.

  "Thanks, Miss Murphy. We'll get this to the legal department down the road a little ways and send a copy into town to be mailed." he replied, looking up slowly toward her as he smiled once more. "And don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. Both professionally, and because it’s the twenty-first century and that sort of stuff isn't my concern."

  She sighed. relieved to know at least someone out there won't tell. "Thank you. Where's the direction of the women's apartments?"

  "Just head out the door and take a left. You'll see a path that takes you by the harness shed and machining garage and you can't miss it.

  She nodded in appreciation, reaching a hand out toward her bag once more as she hefted its weight up onto her shoulders. Relieved, still, at his words as she smiled softly, feeling less jittery than she had before. "Thank you."

  "Ahh, you don't have to thank me." he waved her off. "Welcome to Big Bobs Ranch."

  "Might I know your name at least?" she asked, turning around on her heels as she gazed back over her shoulder.

  "Princeton. Alfred Princeton. Hope to see you around. Gets a bit boring in here when there's nothing to do all day," he replied once more with a chuckle. Patting the top of the older computer in front of him.

  She made a mental note to do that; a reward for being the first friendly face she saw on her arrival here as she stepped forward to make way to the building that was described.

  Another jingle of the door, the coolness of the office building rushing out in tingling little tendrils wafting away as the oppressive Utah heat bore down once more atop of her, and a moment to gather her thoughts later and she looked upwards. The blue sky above parting the clouds that lazed on by to give the sun more room to maneuver its humid gaze down on the earth as she shouldered her pack on and collected herself.

  A moment later, a turn of her heel and she walked down past the office on the open cobblestone path beneath her feet. Her eyes adjusting the glare of the sun bouncing off of the aluminum siding of the freshly updated building units all around her as the white-sided barn; replete with several trucks bustling to and fro in a revving frenzy, welcomed her in the distance behind barbed and chain linked fencing. The sound of mooing giving Charlene the idea of where she'll be needing to report tomorrow.

  The building beside that, however, was what she assumed to be the female housing. Several square homes, no bigger than perhaps a hotel room, sat side by side one another. White aluminum siding and a small porch making them homier than she thought they'd be. In fact; they looked positively cozy and not at all like the rundown dump she expected it to be.

  But on she went, her eyes scanning all along the property as she became more and more impressed by the moment to the professionalism and the atmosphere of the ranch and its taciturn culture. Each person being where they no doubt needed to be.

  But her eyes continued on as she wandered by a small square shed; it's siding and shape the same general shape of all the other buildings and giving it a clean appearance. A man sitting by what appeared to be a picnic table, grunting, focused in and deliberate. His shirt pulled off, hanging from a nearby post while the outline of a hat sat opposite of him. In all appearances, he seemed to have been working for several hours.

  But in that moment, he felt a presence and a stare, and he looked up toward Charlene's direction and smiled. His eyes were as blue as the sky above.

  Charlene froze to stare.

  Chapter 2

  ***Eyes as Blue as the Sky

  She looked toward him for a moment as he sat there on the bench, tending to the tools in front of him on the open picnic table. His brown hair, slicked with sweat, stuck to his forehead while strands flew off to obscure his vision. Blue eyes peering from his dust-covered face as his square jaw clenched up, and the corner of his lips rose up with a bit of a smile. His shirtless form, glistening with the afternoon heat rolling off of him, hung the smell of dirt, work, and cheap cologne in the air as he slowly leaned back, and reached for the cowboy hat beside him. His pouty lips parting, calling out in a catcall of sorts to Charlene.

  "Hey. New girl huh?" he called, and Charlene blushed, catching herself staring at the lines of muscles that formed down along his pectorals down toward his belly; Her eyes trailing to the small tuft of hair beneath his belly button, looking down in a happy trail to the hemline of his jeans before she—

  No, she shouldn't look too much. She needed to remain professional. It was only her first day here after all and she wanted to make a good first impression as she shook her head somewhat to clear her mind of carnality. Just because he was a handsome man, wet with sweat and work, and smelling of dirt and wind wasn't a good enough reason to flirt.

  He was a coworker, and as she told all the animals she worked with; you don't eat coworkers.

  "Yes, I am,." she replied, finally turning in his direction as she put on a smile that was half genuine, and half professional. Walking over toward the man as she held her bag in front of her, arms looped through the cords all around her wrists and forearm, defensively keeping it crotch downward to keep herself at a safer distance, not wanting to let her eyes wander too much.

  He grinned, and shook his head free, one hand risin
g to put his hat on, the other rising up and motioned for her to sit. "Ahh hell, heard some new people were coming out this way, and that Big Bob got some new crew members. Didn't realize any of them were as cute as you."

  She blushed further, slightly taken aback by his suddenness in flirting, barking out a laugh as a response to him as she settled in on the bench opposite of him. "A little improper sir? I just got here and all."

  "Ahh hell, it gets boring out here ma'am. No harm done. People flirt with each other all the time to stave off the quietness when things aren't happening like now. Besides, my pa always told me to tell the truth."

  "Sounds like your pa was a wise man," she retorted, feeling somewhat emboldened to flirt back.

  "Wise enough for my ma. So tell me, you got a name?"

  Another smile to her face, eliciting a response of her fingers as they brushed back through the dirty blonde hair, letting it settle in against her shoulders as she looked to him, eye to eye. Charlene noting that he stood there, eye level with herself. The fifth thing she perhaps noticed, after blue eyes, brown hair, hunky pectorals, and strong arms. Her mind coursing with ideas, and thoughts; all hoping that he was at least as tall as herself when he stood. She wanted that much at least if she was going to enjoy her time with him.

  "Charlene," she spoke, biting at her bottom lip almost absent-mindedly. "What about you cowboy? You got a name or should I just call you that till my contract is up?"

  He gave another little laugh as he pulled back on the various harnesses that he was fiddling with and cleaning. "Jaden. Jaden King. So tell me, Charlene. What's a pretty woman like yourself doing out here in the middle of a rich man’s wasteland? Certainly not to rustle up cattle or anything like that I take it?"

  "Something like that," she spoke once more, her own strands of hair falling in front of her face as a chilling breeze blew between the barn and shed, cooling her frame from behind as goosebumps form all along her shoulders; both from it, and Jaden's words.

  He continued on. "Something like that huh? No offense. Don't look like sort that can go toe to toe with the other ranch hands, except maybe Darlene. But the only thing you two have in common is similar sounding names. At least you're better looking than all of them though."

  She gave another little laugh, one that matched his own as she slowly trailed her finger out along the top of the table. Caressing across each little inch of the wood beneath her touch as her eyes moved from his own strong, rough palms. Her finger following up, poking at the muscle of his forearm, across a thickened scarred cut that healed. "I assure you Mr. Jaden. I'm a lot more man than any of them out there can handle. I look pretty, but I'm still tough."

  His smile slowly dipped more toward a mischievous grin as he looked down to spy her finger. "Well, that I can agree with. You make a compelling argument. So what are you here for?"

  "I’m the new vet looking over the cattle."

  He nodded his head. "Well, that explains it. We kind of have been in need of a specialist out here. Got a few with old maid remedy sense in their heads out here, but you know. Nothing good. Lost a few steers to a sickness some odd months back."

  She pressed her tongue along the inside of her cheek in thought before Charlene continued. "And what do you do here?"

  "Other than being a smarmy cowboy hitting on the new help?"

  Another laugh from her. "Yes, besides that."

  His grin only deepened, following through with his luck as he slowly leaned back from the woman. His hands slipping from the table to reach back behind his head as the front end of the white, wide-brimmed hat sat more upon his skull. Tendrils of curly tipped brown hair poking from beneath, dried in the shade of the hat as his broad chest expanded with the movement, eliciting more of a heated thrum of thought from Charlene as she tried to focus.

  "Other than being the resident pretty boy Miss Murphy, just a cowboy out here in charge of the tools. My job to make sure that everything is working perfectly fine and dandy. That the saddles, the tools, and everything else is clean, and then to wink at the lunch lady for an extra slice of pie for dessert. Nothing that professional really."

  "I see," was all Charlene could think to say as she looked down slowly from the man to the table. The shadows of the evening stretching out quicker than she anticipated as she looked back up to see the sun dipping down closer toward the hills in the distance. "Maybe I'll see you around Mr. Jaden? I have to be getting to my room before it gets to be too long."

  "Don't mind me tagging along for a bit to tell you about the place, give some advice, and ask you for coffee at the end of it huh?" he asked eagerness in his voice.

  She hesitated as she looked to him. He was attractive, that much was obvious, and she tried to hide her own level of attraction toward him; not wanting to get too involved with him for fear of him finding out anything about her that could be used against her in the future.

  But he seemed so friendly, so eye-catching and she already made one friend today. What was the harm in making another one?

  So she nodded, and slowly rose from her seat as she reached for her bag once more. "I can agree with that then Mr. Jaden."

  "Can always just call me Jaden, Miss Murphy. After all, I'm not exactly the most professional out here on the ranch." he replied with another eager smile to his face. Rising up to stand upon his booted feet as he reached for his shirt to put on; bringing the pale blue thin fabric up around his shoulders as he buttoned it up carefully. Charlene noting first his height now that he stood. Toe to toe with her, and eye to eye. With her as well. A welcomed sigh.

  She reached out, taking his hand to shake. "Only if you call me Charlene then, Jaden."

  He winked and reached out to take her hand within his own. Strong, rough, but gentle as he held her. "Or doc, if you prefer."

  She winked, and just turned, continuing on the path that had been disrupted earlier when she turned to meet him after she stopped to stare.

  He followed, much as he said he would, his hands fiddling with his shirt still while his eyes looked upon hers. walking path along asphalt roadway that was meant for the large trucks that constantly came, crossing over its cooling top while Jaden found his voice after spending his time dressing himself up.

  He nodded first to a large squat building that rested between the Barn and the Apartments. "That's the mess hall and the laundry room. It’s not much to look at inside. Just a kitchen, concrete floor, and tables. Has an electrical fireplace and some chairs though, and a pool table if you like to relax in the evening and it's cold. Otherwise, it's just where you go to get food."

  She nodded, her eyes looking from it, down the road that led off to the large barn area as she heard the shouting of instructions off in the distance. "That's the barn?"

  His body turned to follow her as he stepped in line with her own pace, eyes scanning off in the distance for a moment before he reached up mid-step to adjust his hat. "One of them. It's not the place where the animals go. In fact, that's the storage barn. Feed, supplies, stuff like that. The horse barn where the ranchers and other cowboy's horses is on the other side of the property, closer to the men’s apartment. The cows really don't have a barn to go into unless they're sick or birthing. Pigs and all are close to the horses, but they're minor in comparison to the cattle population."

  "Informative. You’ve been here long?" she asked, her eyes looking down along the rows of apartments now that she stepped to the little village like row of the houses that lined the side of the asphalt roadway.

  Jaden could only smile and shake his head. "Three years. I actually live in town. Grew up several towns over, moved out when I got the job."

  She turned and smiled at him, stopping in front of the house that was assigned to her. Number five, right in the middle. "Well, I guess this is my spot. I'll see you maybe tomorrow?"

  His smile never faltered. "I hope so. You're rather fun to talk to. Everyone else out here talks too tough like they have something to prove. So it's nice to get to know someone who can
take some flirts, some jokes, and relax a little bit."

  She smiled back in return. "Good night Jaden."

  He winked. "Night beautiful. See you around," he said and turned to leave. Charlene watching him for a moment as he turned, waiting to see if he'd turn around to look back in her direction.

  He didn't, but that did little to stop that hope before she turned with a sigh and opened the door to her new apartment; leased to her in six-month chunks.

  Inside, it was much different than she expected. The heavy door swung open with a squeak, revealing an interior that was by and large cozy, and comfortable. Thin carpeting, neutral in a gray color, went wall to wall. The plaster of the room a yellowing white that looked clean with several decorations on the walls in the form of cowboy photos and such. A small electric heater in the corner of the room, three windows that could be opened to allow air within and a doorway she was sure led to the bathroom were all that were within. Indeed, her opinion of them being the size of a hotel room was justified in that instant.

  But it looked comfy, and that was all that mattered as she made her way over toward the bedding and ran a finger along the soft cotton fabric. Dusty, but serviceable for now.

  And then she turned and sighed. Falling backwards to land against the bed as the pillows hit the back of her head. The sun slowly falling down into the horizon, settling the world into a comforting darkness.

  And she fell asleep, dreaming of the job that she now had, and the friends she made. Jaden most of all, with a jolt of heat forming in her belly.

  Chapter 3

  ***Woman Life Complications

  Several weeks had passed since the first encounter with Jaden that day and the settling in at Big Bobs Ranch.

  Most days were pretty much the same for Charlene since she awoke on the first full day there. Wake up, shower, dress, go out to the mess hall, eat, and talk with whoever was out there. Go to the office to receive her assignments, go to the barn, walk the grounds, look up the animals, and for the most part, be on call.