Unbridled

by Fox Brison

  “No, no, my heart is set.” My heart was set alright, I just wasn’t sure what on. Right now I was sat at a Vegas blackjack table unsure whether to stick and enjoy three weeks of uncomplicated bliss with the beautiful creature, or twist and risk everything.

  Chapter 35

  Dani

  Haley had only been sharing the cabin with me for five days, but already it was saturated with her presence. So the fact she wasn’t singing along to the radio, or muttering about the stove being sent from the seventh level of hell to torment her, might have been a welcome respite for this normally insular cowgirl.

  Instead it was just plain weird.

  Today was quiet all round, unusual for a Saturday. We’d all been busy the past week getting the ranch ship shape for the first guests to arrive although yesterday afternoon, Jen, Haley and I had gone for a ride. Let me tell you that was an eye opening experience. The pair of them were so alike, yet also so very different. Nature or nurture? Who knows. One thing’s for sure, even with the haircut I would never mistake Haley for Jen ever again.

  I can’t believe I even did it in the first place. I blame blind panic, huge emphasis on the blind.

  They were chalk and cheese, even down to their mannerisms. Not that I would say it to Jack, but Jen was like a spectral shadow to Haley’s vitality and vibrancy. I know I am biased, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t right. Haley was nowhere near as impetuous as her sister, or, it appeared, me for that matter and I liked that. I liked that she thought through every little decision. And she was smart. Frankie had been an intelligent woman, if you were happy arguing politics all night. Haley however? I would almost call her a font of all knowledge; she must have had a Wikipedia chip implanted because she knew just about everything about anything.

  And that was a real turn on.

  Damn.

  I was trying to steel my heart for when she had to leave, but I had more chance of winning the state fair with my apple pie than keeping my heart from going all in.

  I patted Brody’s head and he whuffed softly. He’d taken to Haley too, in fact talk about a turncoat. He hadn’t been near me all day, too busy following Haley around like a love sick pup, not that I was jealous. Okay, so I was a little jealous. Of my dog. He was the one getting all the strokes and kisses when it should have been me.

  I grimaced when I stretched into the cooler for another long neck. Damn shoulder. I knew I was buying a cartload of trouble ignoring the stiffness and I was struggling to rotate it over half way, but all the doctor would do was prescribe rest and anti-inflammatory medication. Rest was out of the question with a ranch to run and pain meds, which granted provided a nice buzz, wasn’t conducive to riding a horse. No, I’ll stick with Haley and her massages. One corner of my mouth lifted in a smile. They were very good and what they led to was even better.

  Asking her to stay at the cabin was inspired and although I’d mentally prepared a list of reasons why she should beforehand, such as our lovemaking was off the charts, I didn’t need a single one. Seems, like me, she was as keen for this, whatever this was, to continue. I grimaced again, this time from the sense of uneasiness in my stomach. I blew a long, deep breath from between my lips and Brody jumped up when he heard it. I patted his head and he settled only to jump and stare into the darkness.

  “Hey, Dani,” my musing was interrupted by Jack. He walked into the small patch of light at the bottom of the porch steps, carrying a six pack and a plate of cold chicken.

  “Hey, Jack. Where’s Jen and Haley?”

  “They’re phoning their folks. So.” He put his hands in his back pockets and rocked on his heels, a favourite pose from childhood. Normally it was because he’d done something he knew was going to get his backside tanned three shades of red. Tonight he was anxious.

  “So?”

  “Are we okay, Dani? You had every right to be mad about Jen and the whole marriage surprise. I should have thought about how it would affect you. I’m sorry.”

  “I wasn’t mad, not at you, not really.” I frowned. “Maybe a little envious.”

  He immediately stiffened. “Dani-”

  “Idiot,” I muttered. “Not of your wife, envious of your happiness.” I shook my head and pursed my lips as I passed him a beer from the cooler at my feet. This was a tradition I thought might fall by the wayside after his marriage. Most evenings we would chew the fat whilst watching the sun go down. Sometimes Mom and Colin would join us, most days they wouldn’t. It was our time to decompress, to assess, to discuss our dealings with some of the more eccentric townsfolk, those also known as pain in the butts.

  Hey I never said we were angels.

  “Cheers,” he lifted his bottle to me. “I never thought I’d see you shacked up here again.”

  “I didn’t exactly get a choice in the matter,” I said with a wry smile.

  “Hell, Dani there’s more than enough-”

  “I know, I know. I suggested to Mom you guys might want some privacy, she simply took the decision out of my hands.” I assured him it wasn’t a problem. “Besides, once the Lazy Creek is Wyoming’s premier dude ranch experience, you can build your own place near Devil’s Ditch.”

  Jack grinned. “But I don’t want you thinking we’ve pushed you out of your home.”

  “I don’t. We had this discussion when Grandpa died and left us the Lazy Creek. We agreed we wanted to keep it the family and make it work for both of us. It’s gonna be tight for the next couple of years.” I looked at him sideways. “So perhaps marrying Jen wasn’t such a stupid move after all, if she’s as good with money as everyone says she is.”

  “If you’re sure. Aunt Nora and Col did a darned good job fixing it up.” Jack said.

  “That they did.” I looked at the cabin with fondness. Apart from when Jack would come to stay during spring and summer vacations, I grew up a bit of a loner, so being in the cabin by myself was no hardship. Then again five days had proven that, with the right woman, the cabin was a haven for two rather than an escape for one.

  “Honestly, if Grandpa hadn’t taken ill, I’d never have left this place. Although I was thinking about an addition to it. It’s too much like a bachelor pad at the moment. I need an office and a proper bedroom. Might even make the kitchen bigger.” Jack stared at me as if I’d told him I was running away to join ISIS. “What?” I asked.

  “It’s only you’ve never wanted anything other than a place to lay your head. An office?”

  “If the breeding program takes off I’ll want somewhere to work,” I explained. “So you’d give me a hand, right?”

  “You don’t even need to ask. You want to get going on it before Winter?”

  “We’ll check the schedule. Kim and Beth from Rainbow Attractions are coming the twentieth through to the twenty seventh and Mom says we’re already taking bookings for late July and early August.” I was proud with where the ranch was heading.

  “If we get the opportunity, we’ll start on your cabin before fall,” Jack said. “If not, it’ll be the first thing we do come spring.”

  “There’s no panic. I’m not planning on going to Vegas to bag myself a wife anytime soon.”

  “You could,” he said with a knowing look.

  “Nah, it’s the single life for me. The next two weeks with Haley here will no doubt reinforce that.” And there it was again, that feeling in the pit of my stomach. Maybe it was the eggs at supper that disagreed with me, I thought placing a hand on my abdomen.

  “It’s a shame Haley can’t stay longer. It would help Jen settle in,” Jack said after taking a long swallow of his beer.

  “Jen’s settling fine. It’s not the first time she’s been away from home. She’s lived in San Francisco for three years.” Jack’s concerns were unfounded. I didn’t know Jen that well but she seemed really easy going. They actually made a perfect match.

  “I’m worried once winter arrives, she’ll get bored.”

  “Jen isn’t Frankie, Jack,” I said.

  “No and neither is Ha
ley,” Jack fired back quickly. “Do you want to stop beating around the bush and tell me what’s really going on with the two of you? She’s Jen’s sister, Dani. You can’t use and abuse her.”

  “Use and abuse?” I said angrily.

  “You know what I mean, don’t hurt her, Dani.”

  “I won’t, we’re both on the same page, Jack. We’re going into this with our eyes open and I haven’t promised Haley anything more than I can give her. She’s barely out of a long term relationship and I…” I sighed. How could I explain to Jack when I couldn’t exactly explain it to myself? I took a drink of beer. “I guess I don’t see the point of letting anyone get close. It didn’t work out with Frankie and it certainly didn’t work out for my Mom.” I didn’t tell Jack about the nights I’d hear Mom crying herself to sleep. I didn’t tell him about the bruises, both on the outside and inside that she tried to hide from me. The best thing my Pa ever did was lose Star in a bet, because it gave her the strength to leave him. No. The single life was easier. Safer.

  “Your Pa was a jackass.”

  “For sure. Look, Jack, I like my life how it is. Yes, I asked Haley to stay but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s nothing more than a fling for both of us.” And yes we were the living embodiment of the worst kinds of lesbian stereotype but I didn’t give a hoot.

  “You asked her if that’s how she sees it?”

  “No, I haven’t. But what do I have to offer someone like Haley anyway? She has a good life in England and doubtless a better one since she’s ditched that ex of hers.” I snickered. “I’ll have to show you the video on YouTube of Haley emphatically ending things. Priceless.”

  I had Haley in my life for two more weeks and I wasn’t going to waste my time with her trying to make it into something it could never be.

  No matter how much I wanted to.

  Chapter 36

  Haley

  “So what do you wanna do for the next couple of weeks?” Dani asked as we lay entwined in the darkness. She pulled the blanket over us and I snuggled into her.

  “I thought I’d continue to do what I have been doing. Help around the ranch, get things ready for the first guests arriving,” I whispered into her ear and was satisfied when I felt her body tremble. “Make love with this gorgeous rancher I know.”

  “You can’t spend your entire vacation working and if you insist, I’m going to insist on giving you a wage.”

  I turned over and rested my leg on top of her. “Oh yeah?” I waggled my eyebrows.

  “I mean it, Haley, I’ll pay you.”

  “Dani,” I said quietly, “what you’ve given me is something money can’t buy. You personally took me on a trail and camping; how much would something that tailored usually cost? I like helping, I like spending time with you. Please let me.” I kissed her shoulder.

  “Fine, but only if I can take you away for a few days, my treat. I thought we could visit Yellowstone and take a drive up to the Rockies. Stop at Pryor Mountain and see the wild mustangs.”

  “Oh my God, Dani, that would be amazing. Are you sure we can take the time? We’ve got so much to get ready here.”

  “I’m sure Jack and Jen could spare us for a few days. Heck, it’s the least Jack can do after he went missing for over a week.”

  “You are incredible,” I kissed her again. “I’ll thank you again properly tomorrow with a candlelit dinner. Your Mom promised to teach me all of her family recipes and we’re starting tomorrow with your favourite meal.” I chuckled. “Cutthroat trout and mashed potatoes.”

  “You know what she’s doing, don’t you?” I shook my head. “She’s making sure you know how to look after her baby.”

  “Oh really? Did the last two hours not prove I can more than take care of you, baby?” My voice dropped to a husky whisper.

  “Yes you sure did. In fact, I think I was praising your skills to God and all his angels.” She was quiet for a moment. “Haley, if Mom gets too full on please tell me and I’ll get her to back off,” she said seriously.

  “She’s fine, honestly.” I’ll admit Nora could be quite a handful but it was sweet how much she wanted Dani to be happy.

  “Really? She can be like a herd of stampeding cattle once she gets an idea into her head. I love her and I know she loves me more than anything in this world, but she can get a little overbearing when she sees something she thinks I need.”

  “You need?” I whispered into the darkness.

  “Yeah,” her voice was a husky salutation. “Yeah, I need.”

  Was she talking about us?

  I shook myself. I couldn’t keep using the us word. This place, in two weeks’ time, would be a memory I could look back at affectionately, but a memory nonetheless. Apart from Dani I had no reason to stay and I promised myself I’d never completely turn my life upside down for a woman ever again, it had to be a two way street. Compromise and change only worked if there was an equality about it.

  And with Dani, as with Dawn, it would only be me, definitely not we who was making those sacrifices.

  ***

  I waited outside the stables for Amy who was making her way across the drive towards me. “Hey, Haley. How’s the proud momma?”

  “Hi, Amy. Dani’s great,” I winked and she chuckled.

  “I’m surprised she’s not sleeping out here with her babies. I got the results back. Good news, Stormy should be fine with the course of antibiotics I prescribed. You okay to keep injecting them?”

  “Sure am,” I drawled and she giggled. “I know, I’m going native. What would you say about putting them in the corral for a couple of hours late evening?”

  “Sounds good. It should be cool enough by then.” Amy tried to sound upbeat but looked completely down in the dumps.

  “No grandfather today?” I said trying to be subtle.

  “Nope. Dani kinda upset him.” I was about to defend Dani, but Amy stopped me with a shake of her head, “It’s fine, Haley, Dani was right. My Gramps has to realise he’s not as young as he was and his memory is worse than Dory’s these days.” She smiled. “I wish you were staying longer, like forever. I’ve learnt so much since you’ve been here. Have you ever thought about going into teaching?”

  I was flattered but I think she was over egging the compliments. “Not formally, though we had interns and students both at the stables where I used to work and at the practise. It’s only experience, Amy. You’ll get there.”

  “Maybe, but I’m thinking that’s gonna be hard to do without any clients. A coupla old timers have already told Gramps they’re gonna go somewhere else when he calls it a day.” She sounded so resigned that my heart went out to her.

  “Because you’re a woman?” I asked.

  “Nah, because I’m green. I get it, Haley, I do. It just sucks. I really need a partner, so I’m gonna run an ad in the local paper, then try further afield if I have to, maybe see if I can get someone from out of town to come and work with me, even for a year whilst Gramps pulls back. We sank a lot of money into the buildings back at our homestead a few years back. We even built a separate clinic for the small animals ‘cos more folks were bringing in their cats and dogs.”

  “Adjusting to small animals can be difficult, especially if you grew up working with cattle and horses. When I bought into my practise back home I wasn’t looking forward to that part of it, but it’s actually really rewarding. I had this case a week before I came on holiday. Little girl called Lucy brought in her tiny tom cat, Jake. He was gorgeous and such a character, but he’d been butchered by another ‘vet’,” I used air quotes because I still wasn’t sure of her competency or qualifications. “Only one of his testicles had dropped and she’d opened him up twice trying to find the other. She left him in a right old mess. Once the infection cleared, I operated and found the elusive testicle. It was tricky, but any vet worth their salt should have been able to perform the procedure successfully.”

  “So let me get this straight, it took a lesbian to find the testicle? Talk about ir
ony!” Amy chuckled.

  “I know, right? The thing is I felt like a hero that day. Lucy came in and gave me a picture she’d drawn and a huge hug. The look on her face is something I’ll never forget, Amy.” The memory was a warm one and reminded me why I chose this profession.

  “So not only horses but small animals too? Jeez I wished Jack had married you, you’d have been perfect.” With that Amy headed back to her truck and with a honk and a wave she was gone. It reeked like a month old egg that here was a gilt edged opportunity to have everything, but it was thousands of miles away from everything I knew.

  But her final words lingered.

  Chapter 37

  Dani

  I waved to Amy as she passed by and headed towards the barn. We weren’t expecting anyone else today, so when a Mercedes drew up outside the barn and a man wearing a suit and tie that probably cost more than my pickup stepped out of the vehicle, I got a twitchy feeling in my stomach. “Can I help you?” I called. Taking off my hat I wiped my brow and shielded my eyes from the sun at the same time.

  “I hope so, ma’am.” He was softly spoken and not from these parts; I put his accent at back East, New England, perhaps. “I’m here to speak to the heirs of Ethan Miller. I left a message on Friday to say I’d be stopping by.”

  “I’m sorry, Mr?” I cursed our ancient answering machine which I’d been meaning to replace for the past year. It was older than the ark and should have been left on dry land with the unicorns and dragons.

  “Richards, Jeff Richards.”

  “I’m sorry Mr Richards, my cousin, Jack, isn’t here at the moment. He’s the other heir.”

  “Then I’m assuming you’re Ms Danielle Robbins?” I shook his hand in acknowledgement. “If you don’t object I can fill you in and then you can pass on the information to your cousin. I work for First National Bank in Jackson Hole.” He straightened his tie, a nervous action. “Is there somewhere private we can talk?”