The Legend of Lollipop

by Lisa Prysock

  “YOU’RE NOT GOING TO snore, tonight, are ya, Jed?” Bronson yawned loudly as he pointed the remote at the 85” flat screen television they’d installed last winter into the bunkhouse. It’d been the biggest one he and Bronson could find at the electronics store. Bronson clicked the screen off and placed the remote on the coffee table in the lounge area they’d managed to create. It was now equipped with an L-shaped, brown, leather sofa and two matching recliners.

  Jed looked up from the kitchenette about ten feet away on the same end of the bunkhouse, happy they finally had some decent furniture and a new area rug in the space. Sure, it was an open floorplan with no privacy, but for now, it was home.

  He decided to ignore the comment. If Bronson only knew how often he put up with his snoring. “I think it’s your turn to load the dishwasher and take out the trash, dude.”

  “How’s it going at the bakery?” Bronson stood up from where he’d been relaxing on the sofa, yawned, and then stretched.

  “I guess it’s going all right. The new manager was a little feisty on the first day. She had me wash all the dishes and clean the oven—which took most of the day. To be fair, I’m the one who created all the dishes trying to fill the nearly empty bakery case and the one who baked a cake that exploded in the oven. The place was kind of a mess when she arrived.” Jed sighed and then chuckled, remembering.

  “She was probably stressed on her first day about the condition of the place. Sounds like asking you to clean dishes and the oven might’ve been her way of establishing order,” Bronson pointed out. “I’ve seen what you can do to the kitchen when you try to cook.”

  “That’s what I figured, too. She’s organized and methodical.” Jed took heart in Bronson’s opinion. “Anyway, it’s gone much better since she took over. I’m no baker or much of a cook.”

  “So, she’s kind of like you are about keeping the bunkhouse in order.” His fellow wrangler friend grinned.

  Jed chuckled. “Something like that.”

  “I’ll do the dishes and the trash in the morning.” Bronson dropped to the floor to do fifty push-ups like he did every night before bed and other than his friend counting, quiet overtook the bunkhouse once again.

  Jed finished pulling a load of laundry from the front-loading washing machine and transferred it to the dryer, throwing a dryer sheet inside. He pushed a button and the machine came to life. There were only a few cups in the sink and some cereal bowls, but still, they had to stick to the agreement they’d struck for cleaning or the place quickly grew messy. Thinking about it, he could see why Anastasia felt the same about the bakery. He and Bronson rarely cooked in the kitchenette, preferring Corky and Mrs. Wright’s delicious cooking. They liked having most meals at the main house or enjoying the chuck wagon dinners.

  The bunkhouse wasn’t so bad. He liked the new kitchen curtains above the sink. Jill’s oldest daughter had recently made them out of some red and white plaid material to brighten up the place. She’d received credit for a home economics project at the end of the year, before summer had started. Miss Jackie had also made a matching table cloth for the small table. Last summer, after his trips to Ireland and Oregon, Logan had purchased and helped them install the new appliances, too. Now, the washer, dryer, dishwasher, fridge, and stove all matched. It was refreshing after dealing with the mismatched, outdated stuff.

  There were other issues that bothered Jed and Bronson. For instance, there was only one large closet for hanging clothes over by the rows of bunkbeds. However, the only thing they hung in the closet were their dress clothes, boots, shoes, and ties. There were some small stacked chests of drawers, but they each had only four drawers in case anyone else was assigned to the bunkhouse. There was one closet for cleaning supplies which also functioned as a pantry in the small kitchen. The dishes provided were an odd assortment of whatever they’d been able to find at yard sales and the like, but since they didn’t cook much, it didn’t really matter.

  They’d purchased some flimsy desks and bookcases from the local Walmart, the kind you put together yourself. At least they each had some room for laptops, movies, important papers, personal mail, and a few books. However, the desks and bookcases basically had to fit at the ends of the bunkbeds since there was no other space.

  It’d be nice to settle down in a place all his own someday. He’d been saving most of every paycheck with this in mind for nearly two years. He finally had a sizeable nest egg, but frankly, he hadn’t met the right woman to settle down with, and wanted to wait until he could choose with his future bride, wherever she was. By September, Bronson and Tory would be married, and then he’d have the bunkhouse all to himself. Deep down, he knew the Lord had someone for him also, and now he knew who.

  As he settled into his bunk for the night and Bronson flipped the lights off after taking the trash out, he closed his eyes and thought about Anastasia and her beautiful smile. For the first time in his life, he knew who the Lord intended for him. He’d only known for a few days, since the moment he’d walked up to the bunkhouse to retrieve his guitar. That’s when God had spoken to him and told him Anastasia was the girl he’d marry, the one He had chosen for him. Jed was sure he’d heard the Lord’s voice correctly.

  However, she hadn’t taken him up yet on his offer to look for the horses she loved so dearly, and tomorrow was his last day at the bakery. He had to ask her out tomorrow before the end of his shift. Maybe she’d say yes, even though most girls turned him down flat. He’d had the worst luck with girls, but now he knew it was all about to finally change for him. Not that he believed in luck. He knew everything happened for a reason. Soon, the fiery red-head with the heart of gold would be his. The Lord had told him so, and he knew from experience, when the Holy Spirit was talking, you could count on Him. He’d never let you down, but you had to be real quiet and listen hard to hear His voice.

  He closed his eyes, thanking the Lord for His many blessings. The Lord had been preserving him all of this time for the right girl. Morning couldn’t come fast enough. He could hardly wait to hear her answer. But where would he take her? Whip’s Steakhouse, maybe? Patio dining at Bubba’s Burgers, by the waterfall?

  Then he remembered the Saturday night dancing and cookout on The Sweetwater schedule for the week. He hadn’t had a date in ages. Would he even remember how to treat a lady? Flowers. He’d need flowers and candy. He’d wear his best suit. Naw, overkill. He’d wear a clean pair of jeans and a shirt with his best cowboy boots and hat. Dear Lord, please let her say yes, he prayed. And help me to remember to open doors for her.

  “MORNING, JED.” THE redhead had both hands inside a large mixing bowl as she turned over a large lump of dough. Maybe it was for a huge batch of pies or cookies.

  “Good morning.” Why did he have a lump the size of that ball of dough in his throat? His hands were sweating and his heart beat a little faster. As he turned to hang up his hat, he thought now would be a good time to find the words to ask her to the dance, before Caroline arrived. Give me the courage Lord!

  “So, my sister, Trisha, from Halston Staffing, finally found someone for the assistant’s position and a cashier for me. They both start Monday. I found out last night.”

  He turned and looked at the redhead as he put the long work apron on. Those curvy lips of hers he longed to kiss were speaking words he hardly heard. She had beautiful legs that went on for miles, and long dark lashes hid her beautiful brown eyes from his, so he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. How was it he was already missing her and the day hadn’t ended yet?

  He cleared his throat and the only thing he could seem to hear were his boots scuffing the floor as he crossed to the prep table to be near her. “I guess today’s my last day,” he heard himself manage. He knew he’d miss having her ask him to wash more stacks of dishes, but couldn’t imagine or understand why, except he liked being close to her.

  “We’ll miss having you here, but I know you can hardly wait to get back to wranglin’ and cowboy stuff.” She kept turnin
g and mixing the dough as she talked, putting her whole body weight and concentration into what she was doing. A stray curl fell across one cheek and she tried to blow it out of the way and burst into giggles when it wouldn’t move.

  “Here, let me...” His voice faded away as he tucked it back in place somewhere in her auburn locks. She grew quiet, her eyes refusing to look into his.

  “The thing is, I’m actually going to miss this place, especially you.”

  “You are?” She glanced at him, but kept mixing the pie dough. He wanted to reach over and pull her into his arms.

  “I am. Especially you askin’ me to wash the dishes.” He’d meant it in a serious way, but it cracked her up into more giggles.

  “Now I know you’re not going to miss us.” She laughed and shook her head. “I’m sure you felt like a fish out of water this whole time, but I really appreciate you helping me to a good start during my first week.”

  “No, I really mean it. I’m going to miss you, Anastasia. That’s why I wanted to ask you to the dance on Saturday night here at The Sweetwater.” There! He’d finally said it. He’d finally asked her out. “And of course, playing my guitar for you.”

  She pulled part of the dough out of the mixing bowl, sprinkled some flour on the table, and plopped the doughy mixture onto the flour. Shaking her head, she looked at him, biting her lower lip. “As tempting as it sounds, I can’t. For several reasons. First of all, my Saturday is booked solid. I promised to have my nails done in the morning with Trisha. Afterwards, I made arrangements with Jill and Logan to take my 4-H group for some pony rides and camping. My sister’s helping me out. There’s seven of them, ages five and six.”

  “Camping?” Jed repeated.

  “Well, we’re not really staying overnight. They’re much too young for something like that without their parents. However, we’re going to teach them how to set up a camp. We’ll make a campfire, roast some hotdogs and marshmallows, set up some tents, tell stories, sing songs, that kind of thing. There are boys and girls in the group. They can be a real handful, but we have a lot of fun together.”

  “You’re a 4-H leader?” He leaned in to hear her response.

  “Yeah, I’ve been volunteering with them for a couple years, ever since we returned from England. We were over there on and off, but I feel like it has given me a way to continue to minister to kids since my parents have retired and they don’t usually go on many mission trips anymore.”

  “I see,” he commented.

  “And the other thing is, I just want to be friends. I’m not ready to date anyone, though I think my sister, Trisha, needs to find someone and settle down. I need to focus on my career.” She sprinkled a generous amount of flour over the rolling pin.

  “I understand. So, it sounds like you could use some help. I could go camping with you.” He quickly added, “As friends, of course.” He did believe every relationship needed to start out first as friends.

  “Hmm.” She paused from rolling out some of the pie dough into a circle. “Well, I guess if you brought a male friend along it’d be okay, but only as friends. Then there’d be plenty of chaperones to help with the pony rides and tents. Know anybody who might like my sister?”

  “I might know someone.” He grinned, thinking he could give Landon a call. His friend was probably ready for something to do other than riding trails or handling whatever business had brought him to Lander. He had a hunch from reading the papers that maybe he was scouting for those wild horses. According to the papers and Anastasia, the horses were pretty special. In any case, maybe he’d like to join them to meet Trisha. His friend didn’t seem himself since his wife had walked out on their marriage and then had a fateful death in a car crash, not to mention the tractor accident which had claimed his father.

  He’d heard Logan and Jill had turned away a bunch of folks looking for lodging on The Sweetwater to track Bridie Jane and her filly, the one Anastasia had named Lollipop. What a whimsical name! He kinda liked it. Others scouting for the horses would have a hard time getting close to them without trespassing various properties if they were still in the area, but he knew how much it all bothered the spunky redhead. After she’d nearly passed out right in his arms, he had an idea of how much she loved those horses. Thankfully, there weren’t any empty cabins or rooms left on the place, and they hadn’t mentioned the bunkhouse to any lodging seekers. He’d heard the few hotels in Lander were nearly full as well. He guessed most strangers would have to drive to Casper to find somewhere to stay nearby.

  Trisha looked happy to hear he had a friend who might be willing to come along with potential for her sister. “Great! Why don’t we meet at the barns for the pony rides at about quarter after two tomorrow afternoon? The parents are dropping them off around that time, so it will take us a while to walk up there, unless we can catch one of those wagon rides. They come back to pick them up at seven o’clock. I guarantee, we’ll probably be tuckered out by five, but the best part is, you’ll get to meet Riley.”

  “Riley?”

  “You’ll see,” she grinned. “She’s an adorable foster child who loves 4-H, but she can be a handful. Caroline is going to man the bakery with Mrs. Wright. She said Corky could handle things up at the main house for one day.”

  “Okay. I’ll see if I can have the wagon pick up the kids in the parking lot around that time.” Jed smiled. “Kids love wagon rides. You and Trisha might wanna bring your dancin’ shoes, just in case. There’s a country western band you might like, if we’re not too worn out, that is. They’re just getting warmed up at about seven-thirty, after dinner.”

  “Trisha might really like that, especially if she likes your friend. We’ll see how we’re feeling after the parents pick up the kiddos, but I do happen to know my sister adores country western live bands. If they play half as good as you, she’ll probably want us to join the fun. However, the last time we attempted an outing like this, after five hours chasing five and six year olds, we were ready for bed.”

  Jed chuckled. “Sure, we’ll play it by ear and see how we’re feeling. It’s been a long week.” He didn’t want to push too hard, but at least she’d agreed to let him go along with her on the camping excursion. He turned away, a little happier than when he’d first arrived. It was a start. Not much of one, but he heard the Lord’s whisper as he washed his hands at the employee sink, despise not the day of small beginnings.

  Chapter 10

  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

  ANASTASIA AND HER SISTER waved good-bye to the last parent to drop off one of the club students as Jed and Landon pulled up in the wagon. They were even a few minutes early. It was almost two o’clock. She’d arrived with her trunk and the back seat to her car loaded with supplies, and the day before, she’d received all of the emails with copies of signed permission slips. They were all set, other than saying good-bye to Riley’s caseworker, Mrs. Stevens. “Thanks for bringing Riley, Annemarie. We should be all right. I have plenty of help today.”

  Annemarie smiled back at her. “All right, sounds good. You have my cell if you need anything.” She turned to give the foster child a hug good-bye and knelt down to embrace her. “Have a fun time, Riley!”

  “You know I will.” Riley grinned, her rosy cheeks and dark springy curls with reddish-golden highlights shimmering in the sunshine. She had American Indian and Hispanic naturally good looks and Anastasia felt a special pull toward her. “See ya!”

  Annemarie chuckled and then stepped back into her car and drove away, waving at the group. Jed, Landon, and Trisha stood behind her, looking a little lost, but waving to her with the other children. She decided she’d introduce the kids to them first.

  “Okay, kids. Line up here in a straight line and let me introduce you to my friends, and if you do it quickly, you can have a ride in the wagon after.” The kids cheered and lined up immediately. “Girls in front, boys
at the end of the line, because it’s ladies first, remember kids?”

  The boys nodded agreeably and the girls proudly took their place at the front of the line. “We remembered our manners, Miss Stay-juh.” One little boy with two front teeth missing grinned up at her.

  “Very good, Frankie.” Anastasia’s heart warmed at his adorable smile.

  Landon elbowed Jed and nodded in their direction, chuckling. “Hey, she’s really good at this.”

  Jed grinned. He wasn’t the least bit surprised after the week in the bakery. Anastasia didn’t do anything that wasn’t organized.

  “All right everyone, this is Allie, Riley, Michelle, and Lori. The boys are Frankie, Luke, and Eddie. Kids, can you say hello to my friends, your chaperones for today?” Soon, she’d introduced everyone and discussed a few of the rules. Then Jed and Landon swung the kids up and into the back of the wagon.

  “Allow me,” Jed smiled politely, swinging Anastasia up into the back of the wagon with the kids.

  Landon observed Jed helping her, and he turned to Trisha. “May I?”

  Trisha nodded wordlessly and his strong arms swung her up into the back of the wagon, too. At first, Anastasia had been a little nervous to see him arrive on the wagon with Jed. She recognized him immediately from the newspaper article, but since he was Dalton’s friend, she decided to give him a chance. If he captured her horses, she’d have to deal with that then. For now, he was just Jed’s friend and she decided to leave it there. Besides, she doubted the good Lord was going to let anyone near her horses, even if they were a media sensation. Her prayers counted for something in heaven.

  The kids were all smiles as Jed climbed into the front seat with Landon and the wagon jerked forward. Before long, they were at the barns where Jed had the ponies waiting in one of the corrals with youth saddles.