Shep licked his lips and Beau pulled off a little bite of pancake, which the dog took from his master’s hand. Beau poured on the thick maple syrup and dug in. Charlotte sat down at the end of the table and rested her chin in her hand, and watched him eat. He paused, his fork in mid-air. Syrup drooped from the pancake. He looked at his old friend and raised his eyebrows.
“What?”
“What, what?” Charlotte asked, raising her own eyebrows in an attempt at innocence. She didn’t succeed. They had known each other far too long.
Beau stuck the fork in his mouth and talked through the pancake, “What do you want?”
“What makes you think I want something?” Charlotte countered.
“You never give me extra pancakes without me asking unless you want something.” He leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach, “You usually tell me to cut back.”
“I guess there’s no sense in beatin’ around the bush,” she said. He waited for her to go ahead and say what was on her mind. “OK. Beth
has tickets to go see the opera in the City tonight. She was supposed to go with her ex-fiance, but he had to work. She’s been on the phone all morning trying to find someone to go with her and nobody can go.”
“So? What do you want me to do about it?” he asked, chewing.
“I want you to take her,” Charlotte said. Beau choked, coughing and wheezing. Shep woofed.
“You don’t mean that,” he said as he recovered. He wiped a tear from his eye with his napkin.
“I most certainly do.”
“I don’t do opera.”
“Listen, that poor girl moved out here to save this ranch. She hasn’t had any culture since she came out here, and it’d do you good to have a little culture in your life.”
Charlotte stood up to slice and juice the oranges lined up on the counter. “I’m not asking you to go spend the weekend with her. I’m not asking you to join no doggone opera. I’m asking you to do something nice for John’s daughter.”
Beau pushed a bite of pancake around on his plate, considering his options. He had no desire to go listen to some stupid fat lady. It was silly to pay money to hear somebody sing when you couldn’t even understand the words. And he certainly didn’t like the idea of being that close to his boss for an extended period of time. Just the car ride there and back would be difficult, sitting close to her, talking to her.
After that botched kiss last night, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. He should’ve stopped as soon as he realized he hadn’t grabbed Katie, but he didn’t. Beth kissed back. Had she known it was him right from the start?
Charlotte prompted, “So?”
On the other hand, Beth had given up a lot to take over her father’s ranch when the old man died. He watched his old friend rub the oranges on the juicer, and contemplated whether or not he should tell her why he had reservations about going on what might be considered a date with his boss.
Charlotte mumbled, “Beth was so desperate, she called Gina from the scrapbook store, but she’s tied up with the fair board meeting tonight and can’t miss it. Gina called me and suggested I see if you’d take Beth.”
“Oh?” He poked the last of the pancake into his mouth and chewed.
Charlotte put the juice pitcher in the refrigerator, then turned to face him. Her brow was bunched up frown. “Do you not want to go because of Katie?”
His fork fell to the table with a clatter. “What?” He snatched it up and frowned at his plate.
“I know you’ve been seeing her. Are you afraid she’ll be mad if you go out with Beth?”
“No, it’s just a casual thing. Katie’s too young for me.” But Beth wasn’t. One night wouldn’t be that bad. Surely he could control himself for one night, and not make a total fool of himself. He tossed back the last drink of Charlotte’s specially brewed coffee. “Fine, I’ll go talk to her. If she wants me to go with her, I’ll go.”
Charlotte beamed, “Thank you, Beau. She’s in the library.”
Beau swiped a napkin across his mouth with the back of his hand and pushed away from the table. Shep followed him into the hallway. Just as Beau lifted his hand to knock, the door swung open and he and Beth were face to face. She blinked.
“Were you looking for me?” She asked, pink coloring her cheeks.
“Yes. Miss Charlotte told me that you’re in a bind tonight?” The words tumbled over each other in a rush.
“In a bind?” she asked as she tilted her head to the side and looking up at him with wide eyes.
“Do you want me to go with you?” he said, sounding more impatient than he intended.
Her hand flew to her mouth and she stifled a laugh. “To the opera? Somehow, I just can’t picture you at the opera.”
“Frankly, neither can I, but that’s not the kind of thing you’d want to do by yourself. And you deserve a night out. A nice night out.” He closed his eyes, and willed himself to quit babbling like some stupid kid. When he opened his eyes, Beth’s lips were pursed as she regarded him.
“Really? You’d do that for me?” She pushed a stray curl out of her eyes and looked up at him with emerald green eyes that reminded him of new grass in the spring.
“Sure. I mean, the opera isn’t my idea of a great time, but I guess going on a hay ride wasn’t your idea of a great time either, right?” He immediately regretted bringing up the hay ride. He felt his neck redden at the memory, the passion, of that kiss.
Stop!
“That most certainly was not my idea of a good time,” Beth frowned. “But I do appreciate your offer to go with me to the opera. You might enjoy it. It’s Don Giovanni.”
“I’ve never seen him. Is he any good?”
“Don Giovanni is the name of the opera. It’s about a ladies’ man, and how he gets his comeuppance.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you sure Katie won’t mind if you go?”
Beau’s mouth dropped open. “Katie and I have just gone out a time or two. She’s just a kid.”
Beth pointed out, “She’s not a kid anymore.” The gray tabby darted between Beth’s legs, stopped to hiss at Shep then ran down the hallway with his tail held high.
“So, do you want me to go with you or not?” Beau pressed. He felt foolish for offering to go with her. She’d probably already lined up someone to go with her. And even if she didn’t, she’d probably prefer to go by herself than with some rough old cowboy like him.
“You know, this is nice of you,” Beth dropped her hands to her sides. “If you really don’t mind going, I would appreciate the company.”
“It’s settled then.”
Several hours later, Beau was in his cramped bathroom. He examined himself in the little mirror over the sink as he used the electric shaver the old man had given him for Christmas last year, then ran his fingers through his thick hair. He wished there’d been time to visit Howie at the barber shop.
Charlotte told him two days ago that he needed a trim, because the hair was starting to poke out over his ears, but he’d been so busy with the mustang and the hayride, he hadn’t gone into town.
Oh, well. That was the advantage of a cowboy hat. He’d leave the hat on until it was time for the opera and then it’d be dark and Beth wouldn’t see what a mess his hair was.
He wore his only suit, a black western style suit that he had worn when a friend got married two summers ago. He hated the tails, but that was what made the stupid thing dressy. He buttoned his white shirt all the way to the top and slipped his only bolo over his head and adjusted it so it was tight, but not choking him. He snatched his black Stetson off the counter and settled it on his head. Beau smiled at his reflection. Pretty classy, even if he did say so himself!
Back in his room, he examined his dress boots. He polished them to a high shine before he dressed. They had a few scuffs on them, but not too bad. He tugged them on, then checked his wallet to make sure he had cash.
Thank goodness Charlotte had thought about money. If she hadn’t had cash to loan
him, he would’ve been up shit creek. He checked his watch. No more stalling. Time to head for the main house and get this show on the road.
The front door opened before he reached the top step. Beth was framed in the doorway, and the sight stopped Beau in mid-stride. Her fiery red curls were tamed in a loose bun, with tendrils curled around her porcelain skin. Her green eyes sparkled as much as the diamond studs in her ears. A single diamond hung from a delicate gold chain around her neck, and it drew Beau’s eye down to the plunging neckline of the black dress that clung to her curves. The dress ended a
few inches above her knees and Beau admired her long, lean legs. The high, black heels were the perfect touch.
“Wow,” Beau said, shaking his head in disbelief. He’d never imagined that the woman he found sexy in jeans and tshirts or sweats – and who rarely wore makeup – could look even better.
“Thanks.” She grinned. “You look pretty darned ‘wow’ yourself.”
“Thanks,” he said as he took a deep breath. He turned slightly and offered his arm. “Shall we?”
Beth stepped forward and tucked her arm in the crook of his. They walked to the truck in silence.
He opened the passenger door for her and helped her in. He smiled when he realized her dress was tight enough she couldn’t hop in like normal. After he got in and they buckled their seatbelts, he adjusted the heat and flipped on the radio.
Once they were on the road, Beth broke the silence by asking Beau about his mustang. “How’re things going with the new stallion?”
“Fury is doing great. He’s got great conformation, and a really deep chest. I think he’ll be good for the herd.” His face lit up when he talked about the horse.
“Great.”
She’d been furious with him when he got the wild stallion. He glanced at her, “I know you don’t like that he’s not got papers, but he really is an amazing animal.”
She kept her focus forward. “So, you don’t think we’ll dilute the stock with him not being registered?”
“No, I think most cowboys want a horse that performs well, regardless of what a piece of paper says. He’s intelligent and learns quick.” Gentling the horse had been a challenge, but a challenge he enjoyed. His voice warmed when he talked about the mustang. “He’s going to take a lot of work, but it’ll be worth it.”
“He seems to really respond well to you. I’ve watched you work him. Are you going to break him to ride, or do you think he’ll just be for breeding?” She seemed genuinely interested in the progress he was making.
A wide grin spread across Beau’s face, “Oh, I’d like to ride him all right, but I don’t want to rush it.”
“Just be careful,” she warned. “You gave us all a scare that first day.”
He glanced over at her and winked, “I promise.”
They talked about training and breeding, then grew quiet and listened to the local country music station. After a while, Beau glanced over at Beth, “You can change the channel if you want.”
She stretched forward and pushed buttons until the stereo landed on a classic rock station. She glanced at him. “How’s that?”
He nodded and smiled, a little surprised at her selection, but was pleased with her choice of music.
After nearly two hours, the skyline of the city appeared on the horizon, and Beth perked up at the sight. As they continued into the city, she pointed out various landmarks and directed Beau on the best way to get to the theater, which was downtown. He cringed when he thought about driving downtown, but Beth was a good navigator. She was confident and her enthusiasm was contagious. She was looking forward to this night out. He had to admit that the lights of the city were beautiful, like the stars on a clear night.
She pointed at a dark hole in a big concrete building. “There! That’s our parking garage.”
He drove into the darkness, taking it slow. The height guide swung inches above his truck. He frowned. “This makes me nervous.”
Beth leaned forward as she looked for an empty space. After passing several that looked too tight for the Chevy, they found a parking place where the Silverado fit with a comfortable margin.
She reached for the door handle, but he touched her leg, his fingers brushing her bare skin for the briefest of moments. “Oh, no, you don’t. Wait right here.”
He jumped out of the truck and jogged around to the passenger side to open her door for her. He took her hand in his as she slid out of the truck. She giggled with excitement and anticipation when she landed, so close to him he could feel her. He again offered his arm,
and she tucked her hand in, giving his arm a little hug as she guided them towards the elevator. Beau glanced to the left of the elevator and saw the entrance to the stairwell.
“What do you say we take the stairs?”
Beth laughed, “Why?”
He blushed and stammered for a moment, then admitted, “Elevators make me nervous.”
Beth gave a nod and said, “Okay, then. Stairs it is. But you’ll have to walk slow. These heels don’t go fast down stairs.”
He was relieved she didn’t make a big deal out of it. He felt bad for her taking the stairs in high heels – they couldn’t be easy to walk in on even ground, much less stairs. But he didn’t think he could get in that little metal box held up by a single skinny cable.
Beth glowed by the time they reached the lobby of the theater. She produced their tickets from her beaded black purse clutching in her hand. When she handed the tickets to the usher, Beau noticed her fingernails were bright red. He glanced down at his own nails and groaned inwardly when he saw dirt under them. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and hoped she hadn’t noticed.
They entered the Kauffman Center and Beau took it all in – the red velvet draped along the walls, the box seats above to his left and right, the punched tin ceiling, the ornate chandelier. They found their seats and settled into the plush red velvet cushions. A white screen hung high above the stage, which reminded Beau of the old screens his teachers used to put up when they showed a film in class.
He pointed to it and asked, “What’s that screen for?”
“The supertitles. The performance is in Italian, so they put the English words up on the screen, so it’s easy for everyone to follow.”
“In Italian?” Beau asked more sarcastically than he intended.
Beth frowned as she scanned the audience. “Yes, Italian. And if you’ll forget you don’t want to be here, you might enjoy it.”
She was right, he didn’t want to be there. But he didn’t want to ruin her night. He leaned towards her and whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. Do you speak Italian?”
“No. I took Spanish in high school and college, but that’s it for my foreign language knowledge.”
“So you don’t speak Italian?”
“No, but most of the time, I don’t even read the words on the screen, I just watch the performers.”
She flipped through the program, and pointed out performers she recognized from previous performances. Several people acknowledged her as they made their way to their seats.
He glanced at his watch, anxious for the performance to start – so it could get over and they could head back to the ranch. A rather large man scooted down the aisle, taking the seat right next to Beau.
The smell was bad. Beau could hardly stand it. He glanced at the man, who was dressed nicely, but smelled. Beau leaned further towards Beth and held his finger under his nose. Beth giggled and elbowed him.
A couple moved into the seats right in front of Beau and Beth. The woman took the seat in front of Beth. Beau couldn’t believe how big the woman’s hair was. He supposed that was high style, but it made it kind of hard for the person behind the hair to see. Beth shifted in her seat in an attempt to see the stage.
He leaned close and whispered, “I’d offer to trade places, but this guy stinks to high heaven.”
Beth laughed out loud, but chided him, “Don’t be rude.” She shifted a
gain in her seat and leaned towards him. He felt her arm against his on the armrest, and her hair brushed his shoulder. He turned slightly towards her and breathed in her scent. It was a warm, sweet smell that reminded him of honey. Then the guy next to him flipped open his program, wafting his strong scent in Beau’s direction.
The lights dimmed and the curtains opened. Just as Beth had promised, the English translation made the opera easy to follow – which must have been a rough translation, because the performers sang a lot, but only one sentence appeared on the screen.
Beau recognized some of the words, names in particular. He enjoyed the antics of Leparello, and actually laughed out loud a few
times. Frankly, he enjoyed the performance. Before he knew it, the lights came up and it was intermission.
Beth took Beau’s hand in hers and led him to the lobby, where everyone milled around. A table filled with wine glasses sat to the side, so he excused himself and got wine for them. When he returned with the drinks, she was talking with a man in a well-fitted gray pinstriped suit. With her heels on, she looked the man directly in the eye. The two leaned towards each other, gesturing and smiling. Beau was surprised to feel a stab of jealousy as he made his way through the crowd, careful not to spill any of the red wine she’d requested.
“Thank you, Beau!” Beth said as she accepted the glass of wine from him. She touched the other man on the arm. “Jackson, this is my ranch foreman, Beau Frakes. And Beau, this is Jackson Steele. He is the executive vice president of FirstBanc.”
Beau offered his hand, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Steele.”
“Call me Jackson. Nice to meet you, too. I’d better get back to my seat.” He leaned towards Beth and whispered loudly, “I’m babysitting one of our clients and you know how demanding those old women can be!”
“All too well, Jackson. Good to see you,” Beth said warmly.
“Don’t be a stranger, Beth,” Jackson winked at Beth, then directed his attention to Beau, “You take good care of your boss and make sure she comes back to us in one piece.”
The man’s final words echoed in Beau’s head. It occurred to him that Beth might return to the City once she served her one year term at the ranch. And why wouldn’t she? She was a successful, sophisticated lawyer at one of the most prestigious firms in Kansas City. What was there to keep her at the ranch? What if she finished out the year, and then sold the ranch?
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