He looked surprised. “Like what?”
“Like a heart condition or something like that.”
He grinned. “No, nothing like that. She has just been pushing herself since Missus Buckle left. We’ve been trying to get her to slow down. I’m just surprised that you managed to so quickly.”
I smiled grimly. “She was asleep on her feet.”
Jesse piped up. “Yeah, she said she was going to sleep for a whole year!”
When Mr Johnson came back, he and Luke and a couple of the other men all went off to talk about plans for the days ahead. The rest of the men slowly drifted off back to the bunkhouse after I refused every offer to help me get moved in.
My days settled into a whirlwind of activity. I was up at four am to get breakfast on the table at six, lunch at twelve, coffee breaks at mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Supper at six. I was cooking for sixteen people but it felt more like thirty the way those men shovelled it in. In between, I cleaned, baked, and took care of my sons. In the evenings after they were asleep, I went out to the garden and weeded until dark. Then I would fall into bed and sleep most nights without nightmares and tears.
Rose recovered quickly and went back keeping herself busy. She did all the shopping and running around for her husband. If anything broke, she was sent to get new parts. She was the sweetest natured person I had ever met. She never got mad at anything. On the worst of days, she would just laugh and throw her hands up in the air and then get back to work. She had endless patience with my sons. I could see that they were becoming very fond of her. It caused me a moment or two of concern – what if they became too fond of her? What if we had to leave?
LUKE
I had been there about a month when Luke finally made a move. I was getting worried that I would have to take the lead and seduce him. It happened just as I was leaving the garden as dusk fell. I had now completely weeded the whole thing and it looked real good. I turned to shut the gate and saw him standing at an upstairs window watching me. I lifted my hand in salute and turned toward the cabin. He was at my side before I reached the door. I stopped and turned to face him. He looked kind of worried and nervous. I smiled and put my hand on his arm. “It’s okay, I won’t bite—hard.” I said softly. I saw the surprise and pleasure leap into his eyes. He grinned and put his big hand over mine. “I won’t mind. You bite as hard as you want.”
I laughed and walked into the cabin, with him following me closely. I led him straight to my bedroom and started to undress. He stood just inside the door and watched me. I could hear his breath rasping in and out from across the room. When I dropped the last of my clothes, I sat at the small old dresser, undid my hair and picked up my brush. He came up behind me, took it from my hand and gently but thoroughly brushed my hair. I smiled to myself. No horse ever got such a thorough currying. I leaned back and found my head resting against his solid bulk. He dropped to his knees behind me and slowly ran his hands all over my naked form. He cupped my breasts in his hands and dropped his head beside mine.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered hoarsely.
I turned my head and looked at him. “Take off your clothes. I want you to spend the night with me.”
He looked into my eyes with a very serious expression. “And tomorrow night?”
I shrugged. “We’ll see. Let’s just take this one day at a time.”
I think he had his clothes off before I finished speaking. He lifted me quickly in his arms and carried me to bed. He laid me gently on my back and stretched out at my side. I relaxed and let him have his way. It was real good. I had been worried that he was a virgin but he sure wasn’t. He knew exactly what to do and where to touch me. I had three orgasms before we finally fell asleep.
When I opened my eyes the next morning, he was gone. All that remained of our night together was the smell of satisfied lust.
He came to my bed a lot after that. Each time, he had a question in his eyes but each time I just shook my head. I wasn’t ready to commit myself yet but I enjoyed his strong willing body to no end.
FACE OFF
I guess I always knew that sooner or later Brad would find us. I was real pleased that it took him six months. One day I was busy digging up the last of the potatoes when a strange car pulled into the yard. I straightened and watched as it slowly drove past the house and then came to a stop beside my van outside my cabin.
I felt a terrible fear flow through me like ice when Brad stepped out of the car and looked around. I swallowed my fear and went towards him. At that moment, I was overjoyed that Rose had taken both my sons with her. The men were cutting firewood and she had taken them coffee and cookies. I knew Luke and his father were in the house. They were getting ready for the buyers to come for the yearling steers.
Brad saw me and started my way. I saw him hesitate and glance up and down my frame. Yes, I thought, I’ve lost it all and then some. I’m slimmer now than I’ve ever been in my life. He stopped a short distance away and I could see him struggling to control his anger. “Well, Judy, so this is where you’ve been hiding.”
I raised my brows at him. “Hiding? Not really. I’m working here to support my sons.” The fear was fading as quickly as it had come. He was just a rather ugly man with a cruel twist to his mouth. I knew that he could never hurt me again.
When he didn’t speak, I demanded, “What do you want?”
He looked surprised. “What do I want? I want my wife to come home where she belongs.”
“What about your sons?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Well, I hardly expect you to come home without them.”
I realized that he did not have even the slightest bit of feeling for his own children. “You really don’t care, do you? You would be happy if they never came home, wouldn’t you? No more competition for my time, huh?”
His face took on that petulant, pouting shape I had become so used to. “Don’t be rude. Now, get packed. We’re leaving.”
I turned away, shocked that I had ever found this man attractive. That I had, in fact, loved him at one time. I knew for sure now that the feeling was gone. I turned back to face him.
“No, we’re staying here. You’re leaving. I’m not coming home. What I am going to do is file for divorce and, if you’re smart, you won’t contest it. I don’t want anything from you. Not support for me or my boys. I just want to never see you or hear your voice again.”
His face went a dark ugly red and he seemed to swell. “You are coming home,” he shouted.
“Get packed or I’ll beat the shit out of you!” He raised his hand and started toward me. I stepped back into the garden and slammed the gate in his face. I turned and sprinted for the house.
He bellowed in anger and came after me.
I slammed the kitchen door behind me as Luke came through from the other side. He looked at me in alarm and then Brad came crashing through the door behind me. I went to duck past Luke and he caught my arm.
“Wait a minute, Judy. Who is this?” he asked in a calm conversational tone. I stopped dead and turned around. “This is my ex-husband, Brad,” I answered shortly. Mr Johnson came through the door. “What is going on?” He looked at Brad for a long minute. “Who are you and what are you trying to do to this young lady?”
Brad had stopped at the sight of the two very big men and stood glaring and panting at them both. They were each of them much bigger than he was, and I could see him hesitate in fear. The anger faded from his face and he assumed a hurt, bewildered look. “I’ve come for my wife and children,” he said with a sob. “I just want them to come home again. I miss them so much.” The tears spilled over and flowed down his cheeks and his shoulders started to shake. I saw Luke and his father exchange a startled look. Mr Johnson turned to me. “Well, Judy?
Do you want to go home with him? Are you ready to forgive him?”
I shook my head. “No, there is nothing to go back to. I have no feelings for him except disgust and I will never let him near my sons again.”
Brad st
arted to sob wildly.
I turned and looked at him coldly. “Knock it off. I know your tears are all fake. You’re like a spoiled child. They aren’t going to do you any good this time.”
Brad’s face darkened with anger, the tears miraculously vanishing. “You bitch! You’re screwing these two, aren’t you?”
Mr Johnson straightened himself to his full six-foot-four height. “Now, you listen to me,” he ground out. “You will leave my property and you will leave my employee and her children alone.” He turned to his son. “Luke, escort this man to his car and then follow him until he is on the highway. If he stops or argues, you know what to do.”
I saw the crafty expression flit across Brad’s face. I turned to Luke. “Take a loaded gun and keep it close beside you. I’m sure he has one in his car.”
Luke and his father looked at me in surprise and missed the expression of loathing that Brad shot me. I smiled grimly back at him. “If you even attempt something, I’ll go to see Sergeant Thomas. I’ll make sure he acknowledges all the filthy rotten things you have done. It will cost you your career.”
REAL LOVE
I left my sons with Rose the very next week and went into town to find a divorce lawyer. It took a few hours but we finally worked our way through all the paper work. He was shocked that I didn’t want any support, but I was adamant that I would not have any more contact with Brad. He filed the papers on my behalf and Brad, wisely, didn’t contest them. I made a brief appearance before a judge and that was that. I was divorced.
I didn’t know what the future held but I knew I could face it with my sons. I also knew that Luke was more than just fond of me, and I was definitely falling in love with him. I could see it in his eyes when he came to my bed and at other times when he didn’t realize that I was looking. I could see it in the gentle way he carried Sam around while Jesse clung to his hand. The three of them were almost inseparable.
I smiled and went back to kneading bread. Rose looked at me and lifted her brow. I grinned and nodded. She smiled and walked out of the room, humming happily to herself. We both understood each other perfectly. I was soon to become her daughter-in-law and she was about to gain two more grandsons. We were both completely happy with that turn of events. We both knew it would take Luke a while to come to the same realization and then a little longer yet to act on it.
But I was in no hurry.
The End
About The Author.
I, like Judy in my story, experienced a horrific scene at my sister in law’s wedding. I caught my husband fooling around with the maid of honor. Not quite in such graphic detail as in my story but bad enough that I should have left him. But I didn’t. I stuck it out for a few more years.
I first wrote this scenario as a means of healing on the advice of my counselor, but then went back to it recently and saw the potential for a very touching love story.
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