by Ivy Jordan
“Oh, Jillian, of course, I support you. That’s not what I meant at all. Just because I don’t want to go out into the country doesn’t mean that it’s not a good idea. In fact, I’m probably the one missing out on all these cool experiences,” I said. The last part was a lie. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything, but I wanted to be there for my friend. I knew she didn’t really want to go but that she was only doing it for Thomas.
“Thanks, Harper. I think it’s going to be great. You’ll see, I’ll come back a different person. I’ll be so much less stressed.”
“Actually, that sounds good to me too. I’m tired of being busy. I need a break.”
I worked for a very well-known PR firm in the city, and I spent most of my days jumping from one project to the next. I took a lot of pride in what I did, and I made sure that clients continued to want to work with me in the future. I’d built up a good reputation at the company, but I knew it was only because I put in so many more hours than some of the other staff. I’d always felt the need to prove myself, and I was glad that my hard work had paid off. Jillian worked nearby as a budget analyst. I often referred clients to her and vice versa. Even though we were both in very different jobs, we were equally as busy as one another. That’s why these dinner meetups were important to us. It gave us a chance to step away from work and just unwind a bit.
When the food arrived, we both gasped. As was expected, every dish that was served to us was perfect. The detail was incredible, and it looked like every element on our plate had been attended to. Some parts were almost too beautiful to eat, but each bite proved too difficult to resist, and we ended up finishing off our plates in no time.
“That was spectacular,” Jillian sighed as she looked at her empty plate.
I looked down at mine in sadness. “I wish it wasn’t over so fast. We’ll have to come back here.”
“I’m down with that. Uh, hey, Harper… this one guy has been staring at you for ages. He’s looking now.”
I turned around and saw a good-looking man at a table nearby looking at me. He shot me a smile, and I smiled back politely before looking away.
“Go and talk to him,” Jillian encouraged.
“Are you crazy? I’m here with you. I’m not going to go talk to him.”
“Yeah, but I’m not your actual date. I mean, I love you and all, but I’m not going to sleep with you.”
I chuckled. “Are you trying to tell me that I need to get laid?”
“Well, how long has it been? I’d like you to find someone to date, but if you just want to go out and get laid, I’m fine with that too.”
I shook my head. “It’s been a few months, but you know that I’m not dating at the moment.”
“Why not?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Something about the dating scene hasn’t clicked with me lately. I can’t put my finger on it, but I just don’t feel ready to be with someone right now. I don’t feel like dating anyone or having sex with them.”
“That sounds utterly depressing. Someone as beautiful as you should really have someone. I’m sure that guy over there would be more than willing to take you out. Maybe you just haven’t found the right guy. There’s no way you would feel this way if you met the man of your dreams. You’ve just been hanging around the wrong guys.”
“Yeah, that’s probably it.” I wasn’t so sure. There were a lot of great guys in the city, but my heart just wasn’t in it anymore.
“But you can’t find the right guy without at least trying to find one. You’re going to have to put yourself out there a bit, you know. How are you ever going to find someone if you don’t at least go on a date?” she asked.
“That’s the thing though; I just don’t feel like doing that right now. I don’t feel like going through the process. The last few guys I dated just sort of put me off.” It wasn’t as if any of them had been bad, but they just hadn’t felt right for me. I was yet to find someone that I was willing to go to the countryside with. That sounded like a great deal of commitment and love that I had not experienced yet.
“Sounds to me like you need a change of scenery. I don’t think it’s the men that are the problem then. I think you just need to figure what you want. Hey, maybe you need to go to Texas,” she said and chuckled.
I laughed. “Yeah, maybe I need to find myself a hot cowboy. That would at least be a something different from all the boys here.”
“Hey, why don’t you come with? I’m sure we can still get you in! Come on; it will be fun.”
I looked at Jillian as if she were crazy. “No chance. Anyway, don’t bring me along. This is supposed to be your big romantic getaway. The last thing you need is someone like me as the third wheel.”
“Fine. But if I find a nice cowboy for you, then I’m going to bring him back with me and force you on a date with him.”
I laughed at the thought. “Good idea, Jillian. I dare you.”
Chapter Three
Travis
It always took a while for me to get used to being back at the ranch. I couldn’t help but feel swamped with emotions. When I was back home in Washington, it was easy for me to forget about my past, and to pretend like I’d always been this big-city guy. I always felt so conflicted when I came back to the ranch to see my brother. It was a part of me that felt so much like me and nothing like me at the same time. I loved my life and loved what I did, but I couldn’t help but always feel a little bit guilty that I hadn’t followed in my family’s footsteps. I was sure I wouldn’t feel this way if my parents were still alive, but I couldn’t help but feel guilty now that they were dead. My brother was the good one, while I was the bad one who had run away from home. I knew the feelings would subside in a few days and that I’d settle in soon enough.
I was sitting with my brother and his wife over a big family dinner. Allison was a great cook, and it was always the thing I looked forward to the most. I’d been a bachelor for a very long time, and even though I was old enough to be married, I still ate like I was in my early twenties. It was just easier when you lived by yourself. And anyway, who really had time for big fancy meals? Although, with a scrumptious roast chicken sitting in front of me, I wasn’t sure if I had my priorities right. I missed this kind of food.
“Allison, you are amazing. This food is so good.”
She smiled. “I’m glad you like it. I love cooking for people that love food. We once had guests over where everything had to be fat-free and this free and that free. It was a nightmare. Eventually, I just lied and told them that everything was healthy even when it wasn’t.”
I laughed. I liked Allison. She was a very sweet and down-to-earth woman that always made me feel at home. I could easily see why my brother had fallen for her. I had a funny feeling that she ran things around the ranch though even if it didn’t seem like it at first glance. She had a very soft way about her, but she was firm when it counted. She was one of those silent leaders that everyone looked up to.
“Oh, I’m definitely not one of those people. I’ll eat anything you put in front of me. But I know good food when I taste it, and this is amazing. You’re one lucky man, Mike.”
Mike grinned at his wife and then back at me. “I sure am. Why do you think I have this belly now? I’m not lazy and all the work around the ranch is better than a gym workout, but I simply can’t stay away from this food.”
“Oh, you boys flatter me. It’s good to have you here, Travis. We’ve missed you. I was so happy when Mike said you were coming to spend time with us again.”
“I’ve missed you too,” I said. “Not Mike so much though.”
“Whatever, you’ve missed me. That’s why you’re here for a whole month. You’ve simply missed me too much, but you just don’t want to admit it to anyone.”
“Oh yeah? Is that what you really think? Nah, I’m just here for the cooking.”
“Well, you’ll be getting lots of it, that’s for sure,” Allison said. “So, how’s work going at the moment? Sounds like y
ou’re keeping busy.”
I nodded in between delicious mouthfuls of chicken. I was eating too fast but the food was so good. At this rate, my plate would be cleaned within minutes. “Yeah, it’s so busy,” I said and told her all about the course I was teaching at the college as well as the think tank stuff and the book. She seemed impressed, and that pleased me. I didn’t like to sound pompous but I sometimes even managed to impress myself.
“You know,” Mike interrupted, “it always amazes me that you make so much money doing what you do.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?” Not that I was surprised by this comment. My brother had never taken too kindly to the fact that I hadn’t stayed on the ranch like he had. I wasn’t sure why he had always taken it so personally though. I didn’t care what he did so I don’t see why he cared what I did.
“You spend all day just talking about voting and stuff, and you get paid. I wish I could get paid to talk.”
“Are you kidding me? Did you not just hear what I told Allison? That’s not what I do. I do a whole lot more than just talk. There’s more to political science than just that,” I insisted and went on to discuss the merits of the job. I had a good deal of these speeches ready to go whenever I needed because I was used to trying to persuade my own students that they had chosen the right career path. But Mike didn’t seem to be listening much at all. Everything I said looked like it was going in one ear and out the other.
“That’s why I like it out here,” he said. “The choking air of the city is too much. Here we do real work. Work that matters. And we don’t spend all day just talking about our problems. We actually do something about it.”
“Are you shitting me, Mike? Are you being serious or are you just trying to rile me up? Because it’s working if you are.”
Allison stood up, scraping the chair back so loudly that we were both forced to look up at her. She was a tiny woman, but she managed to command a lot of respect. We both went quiet as we saw the look on her face.
“Now come on, you two. You need to stop this. I was looking forward to a nice meal as a family, and you’re ruining it all. I know the two of you do very different things in life, but it doesn’t mean that either one of you is better than the other. There is a need for all sorts of jobs in this world. Imagine what would happen if we all did the same thing? Also, your parents were so proud of both of you. Travis, you have no idea how much your dad respected you for going out there and doing what you wanted to do. I was lucky enough to get to know him, and he used to go on and on about how proud he was of his boys. So, please, have some respect for each other.”
I looked at Mike and gulped. I felt chastened at the mention of our deceased father, and I could see that Mike felt the same.
“You’re right. Sorry, Travis. I was just messing with you. I didn’t mean all that,” he said even though we both knew that he really did mean it.
“I’m sorry too,” I said. I was about to say something more when Mike’s phone rang, and he went out the room to answer it. I looked at Allison and apologized for the stupid argument.
“Nah, I know you’re not the one who started it, but try not to take what Mike says so personally, otherwise the two of you are going to be at your throats this whole month. Like I said, I’m happy to have you here, but I want us to have a good time together, otherwise what’s the point? You of all people should know how Mike would try and get your goat no matter what the job was. It’s mostly just a joke, and a lot of it is him just trying to be an older brother and proving a point. You know what he’s like.”
I smiled. “Yeah, you’re right. I guess we just haven’t seen each other in a long time and we’ve forgotten how to just tease and not fight.” I wasn’t entirely convinced of that though. Despite promising not to take things so seriously I was starting to remember why I always avoided coming back home. Ever since my parents died, my brother had been pretty hard on me, and the two of us didn’t really see eye to eye. But I was only here for a month, and I was going to have to just keep my thoughts to myself. At least for Allison’s sake.
When Mike came back in, he looked worried. Whoever was on the phone had obviously caused a reaction out of him, and it did not look like good news.
“Mike, what’s wrong?” Allison asked.
He sighed. “There’s been an accident, and two of the ranch guys were hurt. Thankfully they are all fine, just a bit banged up, but it means they won’t be able to come back to work for a least a few weeks. I have a feeling it’s going to be more like a month though.”
“Oh no. Well, I guess it’s good that they’re at least okay though,” Allison said.
“Yeah, but what are we going to do? We have that group coming soon, and we’re going to need some extra help around here. There’s no way we can do it all by ourselves. Do you think you could call Peter up and see if he could help out?”
Allison shook her head. “I wish I could, but Peter is away. Remember he said he’s going on that big trip? He’s only back in a few months. What about Angelo?”
“He’s working with his father now, so I don’t think he’s going to be looking for work again. Shit. This is so last minute as well. It’s not like we even have time to find anyone.”
“Uh… well… I guess I could help,” I said and instantly regretted the words. What was I thinking? I hadn’t planned to come here to work. But I felt so bad seeing them looking so helpless, and Allison had been so nice to me. Also, a month of her food was probably going to cost her a fair bit, so it was the least I could do. If I didn’t offer, I would just end up looking like a right bastard. I’d lived here most of my life, and even though I’d been away for so long, I still remembered most of it. It was ingrained in me whether I wanted it to be or not.
“Really?” Mike asked, clearly surprised by my offer.
“In exchange for Allison’s food of course,” I said and smiled to show them that I was actually being serious.
“Do you even remember how to put boots on?” Mike said.
“Mike! Seriously? Are you really going to mock the one guy who has offered to help us get out of this jam that we’re in? Really?”
Mike looked shamefaced. Yep, Allison definitely wore the pants around this house. He looked at me and smiled. “Well, thank you. I’d be very glad for the help. Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Nah, I don’t mind. It gives me something to do,” I said. Perhaps it was a good thing that I’d be kept so busy. It would hopefully mean that this month at the ranch would go quickly. But it would also mean that my trip was not going to be as restful as I wanted it to be. I also wasn’t sure if I’d have any time to work on my book. I just hoped that the guests weren’t as annoying as my brother.
“Thank you, Travis. This is such a big help,” Allison said.
“Ah, the things I do for good food.”
Chapter Four
Harper
Life had been so chaotic lately, and I’d spent most of my Saturday working. I had decided Sunday was going to be all about me. I would sleep in, eat breakfast in bed, watch movies. Maybe even get my hair done. I always felt better after a visit to the salon. It didn’t hurt that my hairdresser was right in the middle of a busy mall and that I always did some shopping while I was there too. New hair simply had to be paired with a new outfit. It was imperative. My Sunday was supposed to be blissful. But I’d been woken up by a message coming through onto my phone very early, and instead of ignoring it I’d decided to see who was messaging me so early. It was Jillian, asking me to please come over the moment I got the message.
For a brief second, I thought of just acting like I hadn’t gotten the message yet, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to relax knowing that my friend needed me. Jillian had been there for me so many times before, and I could never just leave her hanging. It also wasn’t like her to message me so early so I knew something must be wrong. I was almost certain that it had something to do with Thomas. He was the only one that seemed to cause the problems in her life. So I quick
ly got out of bed, took a shower, and headed over to see her. She stayed next to this wonderful café, so I stopped in to get us some blueberry muffins and some coffee and then headed up to her apartment. She opened the door in her pajamas and looked at me through teary eyes. Jillian had a way of crying that always made me want to protect her. She was a pretty crier, the type that made you feel instantly sorry for her.
“Oh, Jillian. Don’t cry,” I said.
She saw the coffee and muffins and smiled. “Thank you for coming and for bringing treats. I’m sorry it’s so early and that I look like such a mess.”
“Don’t be crazy. You don’t have to say sorry. Come on, let’s sit and talk.”
We made our way to the living room and sat on the floor with our food and drinks out in front of us, and I told her to tell me all about what had happened.
“It’s Thomas,” she said.
I nodded. I knew it would be. “What happened?”
“Things were going so well, and then last night we just had the worst fight. It was by far the biggest fight we’ve ever had. And the whole thing was so stupid. It started off about barely anything at all and then just blew up like an explosion. I don’t even know how it got so bad. Soon we were both saying things to each other that we both knew we were going to regret. I feel sick just thinking about it. You know how much I hate fighting.”
I smiled at my friend. Jillian really did hate fighting, but that was all she seemed to do with Thomas. “And how did you guys end things?” I asked even though I assumed it wasn’t going to be anything good.
