Matthew watched her steering her horse over towards the filly and then stood by the gate of the round pen, while Mattie approached the nervous looking filly.
“Easy girl,” Mattie coaxed. “Okay, Pache, do your stuff,” she whispered to her horse, and Apache worked the filly against the fence line, bringing her down to the gate, not allowing her to break through when she tried to bolt past him.
Matthew’s grin was spread across his face as he watched Mattie working the filly to the gate and then he opened it for the confused filly to rush in.
“So far so good,” he called to her.
She dismounted grabbed her rope from her saddle and then went through the gate after the filly.
“Hold my horse,” she smiled up at him as she passed and he tilted his head, causing his hat to cast a shadow over his eyes.
“Sure thing, kid,” he grinned as he slapped her on the behind.
What was that for? She almost tripped over her rope as she looked back at him over her shoulder. What the hell. She’d show him. He didn’t’ think she had it in her to wrestle down a spooky filly, she thought, as she absently rubbed the place he had swatted. She might not get hired but at least he would realize she knew her business.
Matthew watched her rub her behind and wondered why he had impulsively swatted the kid. He shrugged. Maybe because his behind looked so much like a girl’s behind, he reasoned.
Mattie took her rope, swinging it over her head to make the filly run against the edge of the fence.
“You gonna rope that horse or just play with it?” Matthew asked.
“Oh, both,” Mattie said, as she swung the rope faster, making the filly pick up speed. When she saw the filly had broken out in a good sweat, she lassoed it. It strained at the rope, starting to rear up, but Mattie just started swinging the end of the rope at it and got it to run again. As it galloped around the ring, Mattie tightened the rope enough so the filly knew the rope was on her. When she slowed, Mattie gave the rope a jerk and then brought it around her back, leaning against the rope, threading the rope around her waist, as she pulled the filly to her. She reached out her gloved hand, giving the horse a rub against its head and then letting out the rope again, swinging it over her head, causing the filly to run again. She did this several times, and the filly was breathing hard each time she coaxed it to her.
“Where’s the halter you want me to use?” she asked Matthew.
He tossed it to her.
“Have at it, kid,” he said.
She caught the halter, and the next time she drew the filly to her, she rubbed the halter against her head, as the filly snorted in fear, but had to stand still until Mattie let the slack out in the rope. After a few rounds of this treatment, Mattie tried to put the halter over the paint’s head, but she only tried to rear up. As soon as she did, Mattie let out the rope and swung it over her head, making the horse run even faster than she had been making it go before.
“You gonna make that horse drop?” Matthew asked, while his father watched with a smile on his face.
“If I have to. She may be lying face down on the ground, but that halter is going on her,” Mattie informed him.
Matthew laughed and his father slapped him on the back.
“That is some little wrangler,” Daniel said. “Where did you say you found him?”
“The kid just showed up at our gate, looking for work, he moves like a girl, don’t you think?” he told his dad.
“What?” his father asked.
“Look at that butt, would you? You ever saw a butt like that on any boy before?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Guess I can’t say I have, but I’ve seen a lot of strange things in my life, and a girly man isn’t that unusual,” he said.
“Maybe.”
Matthew removed his hat, scratched his head, and then replaced the hat again.
“So what do you think? That kid knows horses, and wants to work here.”
“We can’t put him in the bunkhouse with the men,” Daniel said.
“Sure, why not? He’s gotta learn to be a man someday. The guys may rib him for his girly ways, but I bet he is used to it. I mean, after all, he doesn’t mind being called Mattie.”
“What if he gets scared off? I’d like to keep him around, not only because of the way he handles horses, but I want to find out why he’s on his own like this,” his father admitted.
“I’ll keep an eye on him and won’t let him take off,” Matthew promised. “Hire him on. He needs a roof over his head, and we can use that kind of talent around here,” Matthew insisted. “I just hope the boys don’t tease him too much. You know how they like to hassle kids, especially feminine kids like him.”
“Keep ‘em in line, Matt. We don’t want him getting hurt, angry, or upset. I feel sorry for the kid. He seems to have a lot of gumption, and seems pretty sure of himself, around horses, anyway.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep ‘em in line,” Matt said. “Well, look at that, he has the halter on that filly and is leading her around the pen like she was a pup.”
“Well done,” Daniel called. “Consider yourself hired. Matthew will show you where to put your things.”
Mattie glanced at Matthew’s eyes. There was a strange look in them like he really wasn’t sure of her, and yet they were hiring her. Maybe she hadn’t had enough faith in her own ability, she thought, and shrugged.
“Where do you want this filly?”
“We call her Patches. Now that she is leading, you can take her into one of the smaller paddocks, and later, she will be your project horse. It’ll give you a chance to show us what you know beyond bridling a horse.”
Mattie smiled.
“Apache should be a good example,” she said and gave a whistle. Apache pricked his ears, pulled the reins out of Matthew’s hands, went to the gate, lifted the latch with his nose, trotted out, pushed the gate shut, and took the latch in his teeth, putting it back in place. Then he trotted over to where Mattie was standing with Patches in tow.
By that time Daniel was laughing, and Matthew was climbing through the fence rails, over to where Mattie was.
“That was some trick,” he laughed. “I have a feeling old Apache knows a lot more of them.”
“You better believe it,” she grinned. “Come on, Pache,” she said, as she led Patches to the paddocks. “We got ourselves a job.”
Matthew smiled. He had himself a handfull, he thought, as he watched the kid’s cute little behind walking away from him with Apache on one side of him and Patches on the other.
CHAPTER TWO
Matthew showed Mattie where to put her horse and saddle, and Mattie took her backpack from her saddle horn and followed Matthew towards the bunkhouse.
“The rest of the crew won’t be back until Monday,” he told her. “On the weekends they go to town to blow off steam, being cooped up here all week with nothing but horses for companions. They get a hankering for skirts if you know what I mean. No women here. My mother died when I was a kid and our cook is a man. Women are just a bunch of bother anyway,” he told her smiling at the frown on her face. “You will have the bunkhouse to yourself until they get back. Looks like you could use a shower. How long did it take you to ride here?”
“Too long,” was all Mattie said.
“Well, you got the weekend to rest up, seeing as how this is Friday. We let the boys off early today and I just got back from town when you rode up. I was going to head back, but that would leave you all alone in a strange place, so I guess I could stay and keep you company.”
“No matter. Do what you want,” she said, eyeing him and wondering why he swatted her behind.
“Oh, I don’t mind staying. We can get better acquainted that way,” he grinned. “How old are you anyway?”
“Old enough to know better and young enough to take a chance,” she said flippantly.
Matthew laughed. “What kind of chances are you willing to take?” he asked.
“More than you know, mister,”
“It’s Matthew, and I am not old enough to be a ‘mister’ to you. I’m twenty-one. Just old enough to drink and not get in trouble for it,” he laughed, and Mattie noticed how the laugh lit up his eyes.
“I don’t drink,” Mattie said in a rush. “My daddy was a drunk. Died of over drinking,” she told him.
“Is that so? Must have been a bad experience for you, having him die like that. What about your mother?”
“She died when I was little,” she told him truthfully. “Daddy missed her so much that it sort of messed up his brain. I had to keep my distance.”
She thought that was true enough.
“So you struck out on your own? What about the horses you were raised up on?”
“Daddy drunk them out of existence, except for Apache, who I had to protect with my life.”
And that was the truth as well.
“So it was just you and Apache, then?”
“Pretty much. Never had many friends. Daddy always kept me busy with the horses, and then later….well, I’m here aren’t I?”
“Sounds like a hard life, but you sure know your way around a horse,” Matthew praised.
“I love horses. About the only thing worth loving,” she said.
“Really? When you get older, you might change your tune,” he predicted.
“I doubt it. It’s just gonna be me and my horse from here on in, and whatever other horses you have to throw at me,” she grinned.
“Doesn’t seem like much to look forward to,” he said, trying to read the true reason Mattie was saying those things by looking into those full, dark eyes.
“For now, it will have to do,” was all she said.
Matthew had brought her into the bunkhouse and he motioned to a bunk.
“Take your pick, the whole bunk is empty,” he told her, patting the bed. “You can put your things in the cupboard there.”
He pointed to a nearby cupboard.
“Showers are in the next room, along with the toilets. Nothing fancy. Not much privacy, but maybe enough to suit you,” he said.
She looked around indifferently.
“It’ll do,” she said.
“You sure?”
“Why not? The others like it, don’t they?” she asked.
“I guess you’re right. If you like it okay then everything should be just fine. You hungry? We are going to be eating pretty soon. No one is here so you could come in the house after you get cleaned up. We let all the boys come and eat in the kitchen with us anyway. We are one big happy family that way.”
“Sounds cozy,” she said.
He could see Mattie’s eyes drooping and thought about how far the kid had ridden and how long it must have taken him. Then that work out with Patches was added on top. He shook his head.
“Why don’t you take that shower,” he told her. “I’ll come get you when the food is ready.”
“Thanks,” she said.
He patted her shoulder.
“Listen, Mattie, if you need anything… If you need to talk, whatever, I will be right here to help you out.”
She stared blankly at him.
“I don’t need anyone to talk to,” she said. “I got my horse. He’s good enough company for me.”
Then she turned and started rummaging in her backpack.
“Gonna take that shower now,” she said and headed into the room he had indicated, leaving him to stare after her.
Matthew shrugged. That kid was a real loner and had some sort of chip on his shoulder. Maybe it was the drunk father, he thought. That probably screwed him up enough to hate humanity. He took one last look at the door, where Mattie had departed, and then left the bunkhouse. It wasn’t going to be easy to get that kid to open up to him, he thought, but time would tell.
A half-hour later, Matthew entered the bunkhouse to get Mattie to come to dinner but when he came inside he saw that she had climbed up onto the top bunk, pulled the blanket over her and fallen asleep. He came up to the edge of the bunk and studied her sleeping face. The kid looked pretty young, he thought. Maybe thirteen or fourteen, but he looked softer than he was acting. Matthew had seen that kid working Patches and knew he had muscles in those arms. He brushed a curl off of Mattie’s forehead and almost jumped away when she suddenly hissed, “Get your drunken hands off of me!”
“What, I…” but he saw that Mattie was still asleep.
The kid must be dreaming, and him touching the boy had sparked something from his dream, he figured. He had said his father was a drunk. This troubled Matthew. Maybe Mattie really had to keep his distance from that drunken father, he thought. The thought disturbed him. He wondered if he should wake Mattie. He put his hand on the sleeping kid’s shoulder.
“Daddy, I’m warning you!” she snapped. “if you ever touch me again…” and then she was mumbling something he couldn’t understand.
The poor kid had been through something unpleasant with his father, and it didn’t take much of an imagination to figure out what, he thought. The man was a drunk. He probably beat his son.
“Mattie. Wake up. It’s time to eat,” he said.
She stirred. Her eyes opened a little and then they closed.
“You are one good-looking man,” she whispered and smiled a little, snuggling back under the blanket.
“Are you awake, Mattie? Come on. Wake up now. I know you are tired, but you are probably hungry as well.”
“Mmmm,” she said, rolling over to face him with her eyes still closed. Her mouth was a little puckered and it caught Matthew off guard. When that kid was sleeping, it made his features look even more feminine, he thought. That was something else the kid had to live down, he suspected. He didn’t want to touch Mattie again because when he had done it before, it seemed the kid just would go into some frightening dream about his father. Things Matthew didn’t think Mattie needed to relive anymore.
“Mattie!” he said a little louder, “Come on sweetcakes, open your eyes.”
Her eyes flew open.
“Sweetcakes?” she spat. “You called me sweetcakes?”
“Did I? I think you are dreaming,” he said. “Wake up and come eat. I had a heck of a time waking you. You kept talking to me.”
“I did? What did I say?” she demanded.
“Oh nice things, how you think I am really good looking, things like that.”
“I never!”
“And I never called you sweetcakes either,” he grinned.
He realized it was just as tempting for him to tease the kid as he figured it would be for the boys.
She glared at him. She didn’t know if he was serious or not.
“Well, I guess you are good looking,” she said at last. “I am sure all those ‘sweetcakes’ in town fall all over you.”
He laughed.
“Most do. But like I said, women are too much bother. Nice to play around with from time to time, but you just can’t let them get under your skin,” he said.
Mattie nodded.
“I could understand that,” she said, as she sized him up with her eyes. “Some men don’t like women in their lives and others treat them with disrespect, sorta like my daddy treated my mama. Maybe a man could be too much of a bother to a woman as well,” Mattie pointed out.
Matthew chuckled and the crinkles deepened around his eyes.
“You might have a point there, kid. Come on, sweetcakes,” he grinned, “it’s time to feed your face.”
And he pulled her down from the bunk, putting his hands around her waist and setting her steadily on the floor. She stood for a moment catching her balance, as she placed a hand on his shoulder, looking up into those blue eyes that were, she could swear, looking right through her. She jerked her hand away.
“You don’t think I can climb down from a bunk?” she asked, pushing him away from her.
“Sure, I know you can, but I just wanted to give you a hand,” he teased, “sweetcakes.”
“Stop calling me that!” she burst out.
“Don’t worry. I won’t say it around the boys, but I am just breaking you in a little on some of the teasing they might give you,” he told her and sauntered from the bunkhouse with her on his heels.
Now he was really starting to bother her because she wasn’t sure how much he guessed and how much he really knew. She looked down to make sure her boobs were flattened enough, and then shook her head. Maybe she wasn’t experienced enough to pull this off. Only she needed a place to stay and she needed money to support herself, so she would just have to hang in there, she thought with an inner groan.
She grabbed his hand to stop him.
“What’s that supposed to mean? The teasing I’m gonna get from the boys?” she asked.
He laughed.
“You are just too cute for your own good, kid. The boys are going to rib you about…hasn’t anyone teased you about how feminine you look?”
He stopped and looked Mattie over.
“No one called me sweetcakes, before,” she admitted, which was the truth.
“Sorry. I will try to refrain from insulting your manhood, but I don’t think the guys are going to be as considerate,” he winked at her.
“I guess they are the kind of men that are a real bother,” Mattie smirked.
Matthew threw back his head and laughed and Mattie noticed how straight and white his teeth were and how hearing him laugh made a warmness flow over her. She realized that she kinda liked this man.
“Well, when you put it like that, you may be right. Just hang in there, kid. You are spunky enough to handle them, I am sure. Just treat them like you did that filly out there. Give them some rope and keep them guessing, then reel them in and gentle them down.”
Mattie grinned at him.
“Man, Mattie. You even smile like a girl,” Matthew breathed. “Maybe you should try keeping a straight face.”
“Yeah, maybe I will do that,” Mattie agreed, as she continued to follow Matthew into the house.
She had never eaten such delicious food in her life. Well, not for a long time, anyway. She had practically lived on pop tarts and potato chips on her way out there and hadn’t remembered when she had actually had a real meal. Pot roast with potatoes and carrots, along with gravy and a green salad, was something to die for.
Mattie Page 2
