by RJ Jones
“You’re an idiot.” Alex laughed before his smile softened. He brushed his fingers over my knuckles. My heart thumped in my chest at the touch, but I didn’t move my hand.
Alex’s eyes grew wide and he pulled his hand away quickly, like he’d realized he was doing something he shouldn’t be. “Can you pay the tab and grab the laundry? There’s a couple of things I want to check out in town. I’ll meet you back at Maude in thirty minutes.” He was out of his seat before I could respond.
Thirty minutes later as I was putting our laundered clothes away under the mattress, I heard Alex’s voice in the distance. After lifting the legs and sliding the storage box back into position, I turned to see him walking up the sidewalk with a middle-aged woman with short brown hair and a friendly smile.
Alex was smiling from ear to ear as he approached. “Here he is. Josh, this is Elsie May from the Bar None, a ranch not far from here.” Alex turned his attention to his companion. “This is my best friend and travel partner, Josh. I’m sure he’ll be able to do what you’re looking for.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Josh,” she said, her smile growing bigger as she looked me up and down. “I think you’ll be able to handle the work, judging by the size of you.”
“Umm… work?” I looked to Alex, hoping he’d fill me in on what work I’d be doing.
“Elsie May and her husband run a dude ranch just out of town. One of their regular housekeepers and her husband, who works with the horses, are down with the flu and they need help. We started talking in the fresh fruit aisle in the grocery store and she’s kindly offered us the jobs for a week. Full room and board.” I knew Alex was thinking about not having any expenses for a week, but I never even made my bed at home, so how was I supposed to do it for guests? When I voiced my concerns, Alex looked at me with a shit-eating grin. “I’ll be doing the housekeeping, you’ll be mucking out stables.”
WE FOLLOWED Elsie May’s directions to the ranch, and to say we were awestruck would have been an understatement. Alex stopped the van at the top of a long, winding gravel drive but remained silent.
The large expanse of lush green grass seemed to go on forever. It was dotted with a few deer lazing in the sun or under the shade of a large tree. Some were munching on the grass, probably thinking they’d found heaven.
At the end of the drive was a massive three-story stone-and-wood lodge that appeared to rise out of the earth like it was supposed to be there, just like the massive pine and fir trees that stood proudly at the rear, protecting the structure from the elements. Cozy patios with various deck chairs surrounded the entire structure. To the north was a mountain range with permanent snow glinting in the sun at the peak, and at its base sat a glassy lake with a huge wooden gazebo next to it. In the distance, dotted at varying intervals, were smaller log cabins, which I assumed were for the guests. At the right of the lodge were the stables and a large white-painted corral with numerous horses being ridden by young and old, the sound of their hooves hitting the dirt a dull thud in the distance. I knew Montana was Big Sky Country, but this ranch was something else.
Alex rolled down the window and stuck his head out, the scent of fresh pine filling the van. His smile was huge as he took a deep breath. “Even the air is fresher here,” he whispered.
We followed the driveway to the back of the lodge and found the staff parking. No sooner had Alex cut the engine than two women appeared at his window.
“Hi, I’m Sally May, Elsie May’s daughter. Which one of you two lovely gentlemen is Alex?” Sally May was tall, with mousy brown shoulder-length hair and big hazel eyes.
“Um, that’d be me,” responded Alex.
Sally May smiled widely, turning her attention to me. “You must be Josh. It’s great to meet you both. We can’t thank you enough for agreeing to help us out.” She turned to the blonde beside her. “This is Josie. She will be your go-to person, Josh. She’s one of our senior horse trainers and will set you up with a uniform and explain what’s to be expected here at the Bar None. She’ll give you a quick tour of the ranch so you don’t get lost.” Josie was shorter with curly blonde hair pulled back in a severe ponytail and light blue eyes. She looked like she belonged on the beach, not a horse ranch. Her smile was warm and welcoming and I liked her immediately.
“Hi,” Alex and I said in unison.
It seemed there was no time to waste, and as soon as we’d exited the van, Josie led me away from Alex and Sally May, giving me a quick tour of the main area of the ranch and what was to be my room for the next week. It was like being back in college, a long hall with rooms on both sides and communal bathrooms at both ends. Obviously not as big as college, though.
“These are the quarters for the seasonal staff,” Josie said, leading me down the long corridor. “We have an influx of tourists leading into summer, so we hire more staff from late April to October. This is where most of them stay if they don’t have family in town. All meals will be provided for you as long as you show up on time to the staff kitchen. If you’re late for any reason, you may be able to sweet-talk the chef into making you a sandwich, but I wouldn’t count on it.” Josie finished with a giggle as she unlocked a door.
“This is your room. It’s not much, but the beds are comfortable. There’s a common room and small kitchenette at the other end of the dorm to help wind down at the end of the day.”
“I’m sure the bed’s fine. To be honest, I’m looking forward to sleeping in a normal bed; we’ve been sleeping in Maude for weeks.”
“Maude?”
“Sorry, the van.”
Josie laughed. “Elsie May told us you’ve been traveling together. How long have you been on the road?”
“A couple of months now; we plan on getting to California before the end of fall. Our goal is to not see snow for a year.”
“Wow, I can’t imagine what that would be like. It snows pretty heavily here but I can’t imagine being without it. Where are you from?” Josie tilted her head like she was trying to figure something out.
“Fort Wayne, Indiana. I’ll probably miss the snow too, but I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the country.”
“I thought I recognized the accent. We have visitors from all over the world come here and I like listening to the way they speak. You have a nice voice, Josh.”
“Thanks.”
After I had put my gear in my room, Josie set me up with some uniforms. They consisted of navy blue polo shirts with the ranch’s emblem over the breast pocket, boots, navy heavy-duty pants, and a hat. Once I stowed those, Josie took me to the stables and showed me where everything was, then gave me my instructions for the morning.
Josie constantly smiled and waved to the guests and staff alike. She was kind and didn’t look at me like I was an idiot when I asked stupid questions. Her permanent smile was easy to reciprocate.
“Come on,” Josie said as she led me from the corral after watching some kids horseback riding. “It’s almost supper time. Let’s get in there before the rush.”
Josie led me to the staff dining room, which was set out like a buffet. There was a serving line to my left with hot food steaming away in stainless steel and glass enclosures and four long wooden tables with chairs. I looked around for Alex but didn’t see him. I had seen him intermittently during the day but had only been able to wave from a distance as Sally May led him around, seemingly from cabin to cabin.
“We’ll start you off with something easy,” Josie said, placing her tray next to mine and taking her seat. My inexperience with horses must have been obvious. “Have you ridden before?”
“Not since I was a kid, and it was only a handful of lessons,” I replied before digging into my dinner.
“That’s okay, we won’t have you working the trails or anything. We’ll get you to muck out the stalls, put away the tack, and maybe lead the ponies around the arena for the younger children. Sound good?”
“Yeah, sounds easy enough.”
MY BACK hurt. My arms, shoulders, an
d legs followed suit. I had blisters on my hands and feet. I smelled like sweat and horse shit, and not for the first time, I wondered what sweet hell Alex had signed us up for. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. Mucking stables was not easy. It was hard freaking work and I realized how out of shape I’d become since being on the road.
I hadn’t seen Alex the previous night so I assumed he’d had a late dinner. Josie had said we were early, so I stayed up watching TV in the common room and talking to some of the other staff as I waited for him to finish for the day, but I never saw him.
The bed wasn’t as comfortable as Josie had said it was, and I tossed and turned most of the night. Something was missing, but I couldn’t figure out what.
I saw Alex briefly the following morning at breakfast, but we didn’t have time to chat. Apparently mucking out stalls waited for no man.
I had shoveled so much crap, I was sure the horses came back into the barn just to shit. Once each stall had been mucked out, I put down fresh hay as instructed, then moved on to the next one. I discovered that hay isn’t light. It might look light, but once you got a load on the end of the pitchfork for the hundredth time, it felt like lead. I hadn’t known horses shit so much.
Just as I finished throwing hay in yet another stall, Josie popped her head over the top. “You want to take your lunch break now, Josh?”
“God yes.” I straightened up and stretched, reaching my hands toward the ceiling, trying to get the kinks out of my back.
“You’re doing a good job, by the way. Keep it up. I’ve got a trail ride in fifteen minutes so I’ll catch up with you at supper, but one of the other hands will check on you a little later.” Josie waved as she hurried away.
I stretched once more before trudging up the small rise to wash up before heading to the staff dining room. Grabbing a tray, I looked around the room and saw Alex sitting next to Sally May, their heads close together in conversation. Their table was full so I took my tray to a spot in the corner near the window. Alex didn’t look up or notice me, too engrossed in Sally May. My chest felt tight and I took a sip of soda, hoping to ease the pressure.
I DIDN’T see Alex again that night. He wasn’t at dinner and I stayed up late, waiting in the common room again, but he didn’t show. Was he avoiding me? Why would he? We’d barely seen each other since arriving, so I knew I hadn’t done anything to upset him. I tried to put it out of my mind as I worked. I’d talk to him tonight at the dinner and wagon ride. Hopefully.
“Hello.”
I was brought out of my musings by a little blonde girl, about four years old with big blue eyes and pin-straight hair. She looked up at me eagerly.
“Hello.”
“Is it my turn?” she asked.
“I’m pretty sure it is.” It was my job today to lead the ponies around the corral for the smaller children. We’d had a constant stream of kids all day, but there was never a long wait for a ride as there were three of us walking the ponies. Although I was out of the stable, it was boring walking in a circle all day. “Would you like me to help you up?” I asked her.
“Yes, please.”
I helped the little girl into the saddle and made sure she was seated properly, as I had been shown, and set off around the well-worn track at an easy pace.
“My name’s Elizabeth. What’s yours?” she asked in her squeaky little-girl voice.
I turned my head and smiled. “I’m Josh. Pleased to meet you.” I couldn’t meet her gaze for long since I was leading the pony and had to look where I was going. Some of these animals had a mind of their own and I’d already fallen on my ass once, to the delight of a dozen small children laughing at me. Not my finest moment.
“I’m going to be five in twenty-seven more days,” Elizabeth said proudly.
“Wow, that’s halfway to ten.”
“I know!” Her high-pitched squeal pierced my eardrum. I resisted the urge to stick my finger in my ear just to make sure it was okay.
After a few minutes of silence, Elizabeth said, “I have two mommies. What’s this pony’s name?”
Talk about changing gears. I answered the question, choosing to ignore her first statement. “This one is named Apples. I’ve been told she’ll do almost anything for one. I think that’s why she’s got such a round belly because she eats so many of them.”
“Have you seen the big van that’s parked in the back parking lot?”
Another gear change. “Which van would that be?”
“The big indigo one. It looks like my Barbie camper, except mine’s crimson.” Not pink. Seemed Elizabeth was a color connoisseur.
“You mean the purple one?”
“No, it’s indigo,” she stated matter-of-factly, and I wondered if she’d been talking to Alex.
I chose not to argue. “Yes, I’ve seen it.” I slowed my pace, turned my head, and stage-whispered dramatically, “I even know who owns it.”
Elizabeth squealed again and almost came out of the saddle. “You do?”
I stopped Apples and made sure Elizabeth was seated properly again before resuming the walk. “Yes,” I told her, as I headed to the second corner. “My friend Alex and I own it. We’re traveling around the country in it together.”
“Is that Alex over there?” She pointed toward the main gate where the adults were talking, waiting for their children to finish with the ponies. Alex stood there, dressed in his uniform, one foot on the bottom rail and his arms resting on the top. I smiled as I saw him. My chest felt light and I wanted to run to him and talk about all the things I’d done over the last two days. Alex smiled and waved as our eyes met, and I waved back, my grin getting wider.
“He’s been watching you the whole time,” Elizabeth whispered to me like she was telling me a secret.
He has?
“Are you two married?” she asked, just as quiet as before.
“Um, no. We’re just friends,” I whispered in return.
My chest got a bit lighter and my head spun a little at her statement. I tried to concentrate on leading the damn pony and not letting my mind wander; I didn’t want to fall on my ass again. But before I could analyze the unfamiliar feeling, it dropped away as I saw Sally May coming down the small hill, beckoning to Alex. Alex turned and saw her, then looked back to me, his smile gone. He walked up the hill to her, then turned and looked at me for a long second before trudging after Sally May.
THAT AFTERNOON, I saw Alex briefly and he promised to save me a seat on the wagon. Tonight the ranch was putting on a ride along the trails, ending at a clearing near the lake where they had a cookout for the visitors. Alex and I were invited to go along as guests since neither of us had to work that evening.
After a quick shower, I made my way to the beginning of the trail where about half a dozen open wagons stood waiting. They were hitched up to two horses each and people were starting to climb aboard.
I saw Alex immediately, sitting in the rear of one of the wagons by himself. When our eyes met, he smiled and waved for me to hurry up. He’d had to work late that afternoon so he was still in his uniform pants, but he’d changed his shirt so he could blend in with the other guests.
I climbed onto the wagon and sat next to Alex, my smile wide.
“Hey.”
“Horse.” Alex’s answering smile and the warmth in his eyes made my heart skip.
“Where have you been lately? I haven’t seen you around the dorm at all,” I asked him, still a little miffed.
“Sorry, Sally May has me working in the kitchen after dinner for cleanup as well as housekeeping, but I’ve missed you. How’s it going with the horses?”
I grunted remembering the first day and how sore my entire body was after mucking out the stalls. I still hadn’t fully recovered. Alex laughed and nudged my shoulder with his. “C’mon, it can’t be that bad.”
“Remind me to kill you when I have the strength.”
“Like you would.” Alex smiled at me, his light blue eyes filled with humor.
The wagon start
ed with a jerk, throwing the passengers forward slightly, and Alex grabbed hold of the bench seat between us, his fingers brushing mine. The tiny touch tingled, but I didn’t move my hand as our pinky fingers jostled next to each other with the movement of the wagon.
The ride was slow and steady as Alex and I caught up with each other. We talked like we always did, and I sensed he’d missed me as much as I’d missed him. Sure, we’d spent time apart before, during family vacations and such, but we’d always spoken on the phone. Since being on the road, something had changed, though. The last couple of days apart felt like a lifetime—for both of us, I think.
We talked and laughed, sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with the guests on the wagon. As we made our way slowly over the trail and through the pastures, our fingers touched the entire time. When one of the wagon wheels hit a rock that had us bouncing violently in our seat, I grabbed hold of Alex’s hand. I can’t say why, but it was an automatic reaction, not one I thought about. His eyes went wide before quickly softening, a small smile playing on his lips. I let go of his hand and placed mine back on the seat between us. Immediately, his hand was next to mine again, our fingers brushing.
My chest felt light with the touch, and I wanted more. I wanted to hold his hand but didn’t know why. Would Alex let me? Elizabeth’s whispered words from earlier in the day floated through my mind. Did he really look at me like… that? I didn’t want to think too hard on it, but I knew I wanted more. Not knowing how much Alex would allow, I lifted my pinky and placed it over his.
Alex looked at me with a confused expression, but when I started to move my finger away, he wrapped his pinky around mine, entwining them. I smiled slightly, and Alex’s answering grin was small but held a ton of warmth, and it hit me in the chest.
We arrived at the clearing near the lake and there were numerous tables and chairs spread out around the large grill, as well as a few picnic blankets dotting the outskirts.
