Rachael thought she saw Travis laughing as he drove past them. She glanced in her sideview mirror and saw he was turning around. He caught up to them, of course, since they couldn’t be driving any faster than fifteen miles per hour. Rachael could see him grinning at her in her sideview mirror.
“So you’ve met Travis?” JJ asked with a sideways grin.
Rachael got a clear view of his chew, some spit getting ready to run down his chin, and nodded a quick yes.
“Could you han’ me one of those spit cans, Miss Rachael?”
“Sure.” She found a nasty-looking tin on the seat beside her filled with dark brown spit-like stuff.
I think I’m going to throw up. Okay, so I’m not into guys that dip. She had heard of girls who dated guys who dipped, but it certainly wasn’t her thing. If Colten started chewing tobacco tomorrow, I might have to rethink our whole relationship.
Rachael handed JJ the can. In an attempt to focus her attention on something other than snuff, she asked, “I was wondering what the Honcho on the side of your truck meant.”
After he spit, he grinned even wider. “Well, Miss Rachael, what you’re ridin’ in here is a genuine piece of American culture. This here Jeep Honcho is a 1978 J-series, J10 pickup truck.”
“This interior,” Rachael said, rubbing the seat, “is it really denim?”
“Why, yes it is. Part of the upgraded manufacturer Levi interior. That there CB radio was part of that upgrade too. In case you wanted to know. Yes, this vehicle is a real classic. ‘Honcho is Mucho Macho.’ ”
“What does that mean exactly?”
“Don’t know. It was the ad the year I bought it, but now it’s my CB handle. Mucho Macho Honcho. That’s me.”
“Really.” Rachael stifled her laugh.
“CB still works. Wanna give it a try?”
“No. That’s okay, JJ.”
Then they pulled into his long driveway and up to a beautiful, pale yellow Victorian farmhouse. She and JJ got out but didn’t go far.
Travis stepped out of his truck and strode toward them. “Good mornin’, Mr. JJ. Did ole’ lonesome George get into your field again?”
“He sur did. Miss Rachael here has cum to lead ’im home.”
“She did?” Travis said with obvious surprise.
“Yep. Sur’ did,” JJ responded. “Well, let’s get ’er dun.”
The three walked out back to a barbed-wire fence where Rachael saw a beautiful field of tall grasses. There were two types. Both had tall green stems with a V-shaped seed growing on top. It had to be the Millet and Bahia field JJ had referenced earlier.
“Well, ther’ he is.” JJ pointed.
Rachael about passed out. She could only assume the enormous bull standing in the pasture was ole’ lonesome George! This is Aunt Margaret’s pet?
“That’s ole’ lonesome George?” Rachael asked in a near hysterical voice. “Oh. No way am I leading that beast back.”
“Are you skeered?” Travis teased.
“Ah, yeah.” Rachael made no attempt to conceal her apprehension.
“You don’t have to be, Miss Rachael. He luvs women. Jus’ go say hi.” JJ said this as if petting a one-thousand-pound animal was an everyday occurrence for Rachael, and it certainly was not. But she had come this far, and she didn’t want to look like a “Hoity-toity city kid” in front of Travis.
She took a deep breath. Here goes. And then she added, Lord, please forgive me for all my sins. She decided she’d better seek absolution in case she died. Walking over to the barbed-wire fence, she hesitated. Should she go through it or over it?
Travis came to her rescue. “You hold the bottom wire like this and then climb through.”
When Rachael stared at him, he smiled. “Here. I’ll do it for you.” Striding toward the fence, he held it down with his boot and muttered, “Redneck Debutante.”
Rachael’s head snapped up, and she shot him a quizzical look.
“Eventually Maysie tells me everything. We are twins after all. There isn’t much we don’t share.” Travis smiled.
Rachael hoped that by everything, Travis didn’t mean Maysie had shared the news of her family’s situation.
As she climbed through the fence, ole’ lonesome George lifted his head in acknowledgment of Rachael’s presence and sniffed the air.
“He’s jus’ windin’ yu. Go on,” JJ reassured Rachael.
“Okay.” Rachael walked forward slowly and extended her hand to ole’ lonesome George. When he moved toward her, she became suddenly even more nervous and stood still. He stopped just short of her hand and reached his nose out to sniff her.
“See, he likes yu,” JJ added. “Now gently pet his face and then scratch his neck.”
“Sure thing,” Rachael said sarcastically.
Rachael was amazed. Ole’ lonesome George seemed to really like her. She petted him and scratched him. Within minutes she forgot he was this amazingly giant animal! Next, going on instinct, she gently picked up the lead rope and asked, “Where to?”
“Why don’t you lead him home through our ranch?” Travis suggested. “It will be much safer than leading him out on the main road.”
Rachael nodded. She saw a metal gate in the back corner that led out to a large pasture where other cattle grazed in the distance. “Through that gate?” She cocked her head in the direction of the gate.
“Yep. Here, I’ll open it for you.” Travis climbed through the barbed-wire fence with agility and ease.
“I thought he didn’t like men?” Rachael asked.
“No, just other men. I gave him to your Aunt Margaret when he was a calf. I’ve known him his entire life. He likes me. I’ll walk you home.”
“Oh.”
Travis told JJ he’d be back for his truck later. While they were walking, he said, “I was on my way to your house this morning to pick up Levi for my aunt and uncle when I passed y’all on the road.”
“Oh. He and Michael are still sleeping. They were up playing video games until really late last night…or early this morning, rather.” She chuckled.
“Then it’s a good thing I stopped to help you. That way they can sleep in.” After a brief pause Travis added, “I hope I didn’t offend you back there. I was joking about the Redneck Debutante thing.”
“Oh. That. No, I just wondered what else Maysie had told you.”
“Only that your boyfriend is coming to visit this next week. That sounds exciting.” Travis glanced at Rachael.
Rachael was relieved it wasn’t about her family’s financial ruin. “Yes, I’m excited. I’ll only see him every four weeks once the school year starts.”
“Oh. That’s no fun.”
“No. But I’ve made some good new friends. That makes it a little easier.” A few steps later, she inquired, “Do you mind if I ask you about Misty?”
“No. Ask away.”
“You guys only broke up a week ago?”
“Actually nine days ago now.”
“You’re keeping an exact count?”
“I guess I am.” Travis laughed. “We went out for a really long time. In the end, I realized we’re two totally different people who wanted different things out of our relationship. That’s all.”
“Maysie said she’s spoiled and self-centered.”
“She is. I didn’t want to be with someone like her long-term. That’s what dating is for, right? Getting to know someone? Seeing if you are compatible? If not, you end it.”
“I guess. That sounds so businesslike.”
“Not at all. We went out for two years. Breaking up wasn’t an easy choice. How long have you and Colten been together?”
“Six months.”
“So you’re just getting to know him. Really getting to know someone takes a long, long time. My parents have been married for eighteen years, and they’re still getting to know each other.”
“You must really be close with them. I thought I was close with mine, but I’ve never had that conversation with them.” She ponder
ed whether she should have that type of talk with her mother too.
Then Rachael noticed Travis was wearing a ring on his left ring finger. It was beautiful—white gold with a wide, tapered band. It had a rugged cross at its center on top with a simple circle around it. She’d noticed that Maysie also had a similar ring, but hers was more ornate. It had diamonds and a cross as well. What did those rings mean?
Travis smiled. “Caught you. You’re staring at my ring.”
“Oh, sorry. I was wondering if it was from Misty.”
“Hardly.” Travis laughed.
“I saw your sister has one too, but hers is different.”
“You’ve never seen a purity ring before?” Travis asked skeptically.
“Not really. I’ve heard of them. It’s some sort of agreement.” Rachael felt herself majorly blushing. She never would have asked about the ring if she had realized what it was. She certainly didn’t want to know about Travis’s purity agreement with his parents and God.
“Don’t be embarrassed, Rachael. It’s only a purity ring. It’s where you make an agreement between yourself and your parents before God to take a vow of purity. Some families sign a contract and everything. In our family we just make a promise to our parents to make certain choices and not do certain things.” Travis gestured toward Rachael’s hand. “I see you’re not wearing one.”
Her face warmed further. This certainly wasn’t the conversation she expected to have with Travis when she began this walk. “Nope. Don’t have one. But that’s not because I’m impure or anything.” Yikes! Where is this conversation heading? “Well, here we are. We’re home,” she said, not knowing what else to say. Then she changed the subject. “So, school starts in a week. Are you excited about getting back to school?”
“You are funny, girl.” Travis just smiled. He didn’t answer her question.
Rachael was still blushing. I guess the secret’s out. I’m a virgin. Any girl who couldn’t even discuss a purity ring was definitely innocent. “Thanks for walking us home,” she said in reference to both her and ole’ lonesome George.
“See you around, Rachael.” Travis strutted away. He had a cowboy way of walking that only cowboys had.
Rachael watched him go. As always, he was wearing his cowboy hat. It made him extremely attractive. “I could just die,” she muttered out loud.
“Why?” she heard her aunt ask.
Rachael whirled. She hadn’t known her aunt was standing right inside the barn doors. “Oh, hi, Aunt Margaret. Ole’ lonesome George and I walked all the way home. We’re tired and hot.” It’s the actual truth. And there’s no need to go into the details of my uncomfortable ring conversation with Travis.
“Let’s put him away and go inside to have a nice, cool glass of sweet tea,” her aunt suggested.
“Sounds good to me.”
8
RACHAEL’S MOM HAD LEFT FOR PALM BEACH. Rachael decided in her mother’s absence it would be best if she stayed close to home for a few days. Now that she had formed a bond with ole’ lonesome George, she felt she needed his company as much as he needed hers.
Of course she and Colten talked on the phone every evening before bed. They planned what they would do during his visit next week. Rachael had debated about asking Travis to take Colten air-boating or something exciting like that, but she knew this would be their last visit for a month, and she didn’t want to share her time with him with anyone.
Even Brittany and Ellery had called to ask when he would be visiting. Both wanted to come with Colten on Monday. While it would be nice to see all of her friends, Rachael thought she should save that for another time. Another visit. Perhaps when she got an opportunity to go to Palm Beach.
Rachael spent each day out in the pasture visiting George. She took her iPod and simply sat in George’s pasture, reading a book or talking on her cell.
After several days of this, she fell into a routine. Just her and ole’ lonesome George. Rachael sat one day pondering George’s lonely existence. Why did he feel the need to leave and go eat JJ’s grass? He had perfectly good grass right here.
Sometimes Rachael watched George watching the other cattle grazing far off in the distance and wondered what he was thinking. On occasion, some of the other cows would come right up to George’s fence to visit him.
“What are you doing?” Maysie asked, startling Rachael.
“Hey. I’m just sitting here watching George and pondering his solitary bull existence.”
“He’s a steer, actually,” Maysie corrected.
“A steer?”
“Yes. He is no longer a bull. He was supposed to be ‘food,’ and that’s why he was turned into a steer. Then his mom passed away due to an illness. That’s when Travis asked your aunt if she would like to raise him. She said yes, and well, here he is.”
“Is he still going to be food?” Rachael asked with some hesitation.
Maysie giggled. “Of course not. After your aunt got him, he became so gentle that he became a permanent pet. He’ll probably live to be one of the oldest steers alive.”
“How old is George now?”
“Two years old.”
“He seems lonely. I think he’d like a friend. Maybe a girlfriend. What’s a young girl cow called?”
“You mean a heifer?” Maysie asked.
“Yes, exactly. A heifer girlfriend. Where can I get one?”
Maysie was really laughing now. “I think you better ask your Aunt Margaret first. If she says yes, I can ask my dad or Travis to bring you the next heifer, dobie calf.”
“Dobie?” Rachael asked, intrigued.
“Yes. An orphaned calf.”
“Sounds great.”
“So how are you? Shannah and I haven’t heard from you in several days, and we were worried.”
“Oh. I’m fine. It’s just that my mom is out of town. She went to see my dad back home, and I haven’t wanted to go anywhere because of my brother.”
“I was hoping I could interest you in a game of tennis. Jason is over at our house with Travis. They’ve been swimming all morning. I thought if you came, we could play a doubles match. What do you think?” Maysie asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to leave Michael all alone.”
“Don’t worry. I have the perfect plan. We can pick Levi up on the way. He’s been begging to play with your brother. They can swim and play at our house.”
“Okay. Sounds like a good plan and all, but what about your brother? I thought he said he didn’t want you to hang out with Jason? Right?”
“How can I help it? I didn’t ask him to bring him over to our house. I live there too, you know.” Maysie smiled sweetly.
“Yes. But there’s something you don’t know. Your brother asked me to play tennis when we were air-boating. I suggested he invite Jason over to play doubles with you, and he insisted on Adam. He was adamant. Won’t it look like I went behind his back and set this up so you could play tennis with Jason anyway?”
“How could it? I didn’t know about that conversation, and this is all my idea.”
“Okay, but if Travis gets angry, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Oh, pooh. Let’s get going, and don’t forget your suit and tennis clothes. Besides, you need to get out. You’re sitting here talking to George and pondering his lonely existence. Talk about lonely.”
Rachael laughed. “You’re absolutely right.” She turned to George. “Bye. See you later.”
“See. That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”
The girls went inside, and Rachael grabbed her swimsuit, tennis clothes, and racket. She told Michael about their plan, and he got excited. In a minute he’d grabbed his swimsuit and put on some flip-flops. They were all ready to go. They stopped by and picked up Levi on their way.
When they got there, Travis and Jason were still in the pool. It looked like Gabe had come over to join the party too.
“Hey, ladies,” Gabe said. “Where’s Shannah?”
“I t
hink she’s at home. She was over yesterday,” Maysie answered.
“Is she still miffed at me?” Gabe asked.
“I think a little,” Maysie confided. “You did kick her after all.”
“Kick her?” both Travis and Jason asked in unison.
“Not like that, guys. We were sparring,” Gabe confessed.
“Oh, no, you didn’t?” Jason jested.
“Yep, I did. And she figured out I actually have a Third-degree Black Belt and was pretty ticked at me.”
“I hope she kicked your butt.” Travis laughed.
“Pretty much,” Maysie teased.
“Come on, Maysie. Call her and ask her to come over. For me. Pleeaassee,” Gabe begged.
“Oh. I’ll call her and ask her, but I don’t think she’ll come.” Maysie took out her cell and dialed Shannah.
“Hey. What’s up?” Shannah asked.
“Well, I just picked up Rachael, and we’re getting ready to go swimming and play doubles. Want to join us?”
Rachael caught Travis’s glance when Maysie said the word doubles.
Uh oh. He’s onto Maysie’s plan.
Shannah evidently asked who else was there, because Maysie answered cautiously, “Oh. It’s just Travis, Jason, Rachael, her brother, Michael, Levi, me, and Gabe.”
A wrinkle of her nose and a short pause later, Maysie ended the call and announced, “Sorry, Gabe. She says it’s a no go, especially after that kiss thing the other day.”
“Ooohhh,” the other two guys said in unison.
“I hope there’s a rematch. Now she’ll really kick your butt,” Jason said.
“No. She likes me. She just doesn’t know it yet,” Gabe replied confidently.
Travis jumped out of the pool and headed over to where Rachael was standing, by the outside bar. Maysie walked inside to get changed into her suit. Jason and Gabe were roughhousing in the pool.
“Doubles?” Travis asked, grabbing a soda.
“Not my idea. Talk to your sister,” Rachael shot back.
“Sure it wasn’t.” He popped open the can and took a sip of soda.
“No. Seriously it wasn’t.” Rachael was annoyed. She would never lie, especially about something so stupid.
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