Authors: Jaime Stryker
Two Spirit Ranch (8 page)
“There was something I wanted to ask you though,” he said, his voice a little shaky.
“Sure.”
“Um...well...this may sound kind of corny to a big city gal like you, but there's the MontanaFair happening not far from here this week. There are all sorts of events and a lot of good fried food. I'm off tomorrow, and wondered if maybe you'd want to check it out,” he said, feeling a sense of relief for finally getting the question out.
“That doesn’t sound corny at all, Jake. Sounds like a fun way for a lady to lose her figure, but if it means going with a guy like you, I'd be delighted,” she answered, showing off her cute smile.
A flood of relief swept through Jake's body and he broke out into a huge grin.
“Great. Would nine in the morning be too early to head out?”
“I'm a morning person. So, make it eight-thirty.”
He chuckled and said, “You got it, ma'am.”
Jake started to head back to the Jeep with a little spring in his step and even he knew his face was still beaming.
Terri closed the door behind after Jake left, and even though it had turned into night, she felt like she was floating on sunshine. She let out a little gleeful cry. She was going out with Jake!
She headed into the kitchen, took out some ingredients to make a small salad, and then went searching through the kitchen drawers looking for a corkscrew to open a bottle of Merlot. She came upon a small photo album with ragged edges in the back of what appeared to be Uncle Bud's all purpose junk catch-all drawer filled with matchbooks, screwdrivers, old newspaper items, etc.
She felt a rush of sadness. Uncle Bud. Why didn't she take more time to spend with him these last few years? She knew why.
Her career.
Before Tom and after her transition, she had made her career everything. She mistook having a career for having a life.
Terri opened the photo album and saw a snapshot of Uncle Bud and Sally on what appeared to be a mountain top somewhere. She found it curious that he never mentioned her. What else hadn't she known? Even those we know the best can still surprise us, she thought.
She turned the page, and she immediately sucked in a breath. It was a picture of her. Actually, it was a picture of
him
or who people knew to be Terrence. Fifteen years old, arms and legs too long for the body, a pimply face, sitting on a park bench but an actual genuine smile. She then remembered it was taken on a trip to Vermont with Uncle Bud. Despite the awkward growing pains, it was one of the few happy moments from her teenage years.
Terri felt a quick sense of dread. Doubt and fear crept into the back of her mind. What was she doing going out with Jake tomorrow on what was obviously a date to him? They were from two completely different worlds. Should she be upfront with him now? She pondered the thought of having to have
the talk
, explaining her transition from Terrence to Terri. But all she really wanted to be tomorrow was a girl on a date with a nice guy. Hell, she needed it. Why complicate things? What was the harm in a simple date? Her therapist had always told her to enjoy the present. After all, there could never be a future with Jake. Could there?
Jake dragged a large tree branch to the back of the diner while Sally followed him, excitedly yakking the whole time about that day's weather excitement.
“Swear to you, Jake, I thought I was going to have to bend over and kiss my own ass goodbye when I heard it coming from yonder. Mindy dove under the counter, but then the sound drifted off,” she said, one hand on her hip and smacking gum in her mouth. “I'm glad to hear Terri was okay. I tried calling her back. I was so worried about that poor girl all out there by herself.”
“She's fine and so’s the ranch. I just checked on her again, too,” Jake replied.
He picked up the huge branch with his husky arms, like it was a piece of paper and tossed it in the dumpster.
“Ya did, did ya?” Sally said, cocking her head.
Jake felt his face redden. He gave away embarrassment way too easily. He knew now the barrage of questions would begin. If Sally sensed a new piece of gossip, she could be like a hound dog with a meaty bone. She wasn't going to let up on that for anything until she was satisfied.
“Just wanted to make sure she was okay,” he said. He flipped the top back over the dumpster.
“And…?” Sally said, digging deeper. “What's going on there with you two?”
“We just met!” Jake protested.
“So, what's that got to do with the price of potatoes in Idaho? I can tell when two people have some...tension, and I mean the good kind between them.”
Jake relented. She would find out sooner or later once he was spotted at the fair with Terri the next day. World travels fast in a small town. There were no secrets.
“Well, I did ask her to go to MontanaFair with me tomorrow.”
“Hot damn!” Sally said, clapping her hands. She then playfully slapped Jake on the back. “It's about time you got your motor running again. You are just a too damn good looking man not to!”
Jake just shook his head, too embarrassed by the compliment to respond. Trying to change the subject, he said, “You know something? Bud never mentioned a niece when I worked for him. Only a nephew.”
“Hmmm...” Sally said, thinking about it for a moment. “He only mentioned his niece to me. Never a nephew.”
“Just seemed a little odd to me. Maybe he fell out of contact with the nephew,” Jake wondered.
“Maybe,” Sally said. “I'm just glad to hear you're dating again.”
“Let’s not start booking the wedding chapel, Sally.”
“I can't help it. I worry about you, son. You're a good man, Jake. You would make any woman happy. And she would be lucky to have you. What happened with Sherilynn...it just wasn't your fault, honey. It was an accident.”
Jake nodded, but his facial expression betrayed him. He still wasn't convinced that he didn't play a part in what happened to Sherilynn. If only he had been more insistent. If only…He truly loved her, but he knew instinctively he had to start moving on. Life is for the living, as his grandmother always told him. Maybe, just maybe, Terri, the beautiful stranger from the big city, would remind him what life was all about.
Chapter 8
As Jake and Terri headed down the winding Montana highway in his Jeep, Terri, wearing a sleeveless pink blouse and jeans, took a deep breath of the crisp, clear mountain air and let the warm sun kiss her shoulders. She looked over at Jake and thought how handsome he looked in his cowboy belt and tight in all the right places dark blue jeans.
To while away the time during the drive, he asked about her life in the city and her work. She spoke a little of all the corporate litigations she'd been involved in over the years.
“Work for the big guns then?” Jake said. “Impressive.”
“Not always. I do some
pro bono
work for a local nonprofit,” she said.
“What kind?”
“Human rights organizations. But let’s leave work at work and just have fun today, okay?” she said trying to nip discussion of the details of her work in the bud. The time and place was not yet appropriate for
the talk.
“Roger that,” Jake said, looking at her curiously before his eyes went back to the road.
“Thanks.”
Terri took another deep breath of air and decided that today she would just focus on having some innocent fun with a dreamy guy.
MontanaFair, Terri came to learn, was a big deal around those parts. The fair is the region’s largest event with attendance of nearly a quarter of a million each year. The fairgrounds were spread out just out the outskirts of Billings and included an arena, an expo center and a racetrack.
“This place is huge,” Terri marveled, after they finally found a parking space after driving around for twenty minutes. “I'm pleasantly surprised. Who says there isn't anything to do outside of New York?”
“You just wait, city girl. Montana is full of more surprises,” Jake said, opening the passenger door for her. “Let's go get our tickets.”
After they entered the fairground, the smell of corn dogs and BBQ, corn on the cob, ‘Vikings On a Stick’, fresh lemonade, and beer gardens. Also, the sounds of hi-speed rides and competitive games filled the air. As they walked through the grounds, occasionally someone would yell out a “Hey, Jake” from the crowd. Jake would wave hello or tip his hat and give the person a big smile. It seemed to Terri that he knew half the people around.
One older gentleman, wearing overalls and a huge grin, greeted Jake and said, “Hi, Jake. Why your lady friend here, she's prettier than a glob of butter melting on a stack of wheat cakes!”
Terri couldn't help but giggle. That was one compliment she had never heard before. Montana definitely had its regional charms.
“If you haven’t figured it out yet, everybody kinda knows everybody around these parts,” Jake said. “Being sheriff, I probably know even more people that most.”
“It’s a little different in New York,” Terri commented. She thought back on the mass of strangers she passed every day with no one making eye contact as their paths crossed for brief seconds in the thriving metropolis.
Jake pointed off in the direction of an enormous Ferris wheel in the distance.
“Feel like a ride?” he asked.
“I haven't been on a Ferris wheel in ages,” Terri confessed.
“Well, I think you're overdue then,” Jake said, taking her by the hand and leading her off in the direction of the ride.
Once on the ride, the wheel stopped when their car was at the top, and they could see the beautiful view of the surrounding area. Terri couldn't remember the last time she saw such large areas of lush green foliage.
“This is beautiful country, Jake” she mused out loud.
“Over there are the Bighorn Mountains,” Jake said, pointing in one direction. “ And over there are the Pryor Mountains, the Beartooth Mountains, the Crazy Mountains, the Big Snowy Mountains and the Bull Mountains.”
“It's incredible. Very peaceful.”
“Not as beautiful as you,” he said, taking her hand into his once more.
“The feeling’s mutual,” Terri replied smiling while flicking the hair away from her eyes. She forgot how good the fine art of flirting felt.
He surprised her by making another move and putting his arm around her thin waist. As their Ferris wheel car began its descent, Jake leaned over and boldly placed a kiss on her lips. Terri found his lips warm and sweet. She cradled his rugged face and kissed him in return, deeply and passionately for what seemed like an eternity.
“Time to get off you two lovebirds,” the cranky old ride attendant said, interrupting their romantic interlude while a gaggle of pre-teens waiting in line giggled at them.
As they walked though the rest of the fairgrounds and checked out the competitions in Heritage Arts & Crafts and Culinary, they ran into Sally at a booth wearing a Viking helmet with long light blonde braids coming out of the side.
“Hi, you two!” she said with a smile. “Viking on stick?” Sally held up a large round fried ball with a stick coming out of it.
“It smells delicious. Umm, what is it?” Terri mused.
“Oh, it’s a tradition around here. Just ask Jake. Basically it’s a lightly seasoned baked meatball, dipped in a batter and deep fried to a golden brown. Since you’re a newbie, here’s a free sample! You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted one!”
“What about me?” Jake joked.
“Oh,
pardon mois
, sheriff. Here’s one for you. That’ll be $2.00 for you though,” she winked.
Jake handed over the money to a smiling Sally.
“Who's minding the cafe today?” Terri asked.
“I left Mindy in charge. I always work the fair a few days to help out a local charity. And what do you think so far?” Sally said, cocking an eyebrow.
Terri wondered if she was referring to the fair, the food or the date with Jake.
“So far, I'm impressed,” she answered truthfully.
Sally cut her eyes at Jake and grinned devilishly before saying, “I just bet you are.”
Terri took a bite of her Viking on a Stick and much to her surprise found herself saying, “Oh my God! This is so good!”
“Well, howdy there!” a booming voice called behind them.
Terri saw Sally practically wince at the sound.
Terri and Jake turned around to find Carl, his wife, Dora, and two boys, Emmet and Dylan.
“Cousin,” Jake said, tipping his hat. “How you doing, Dora and boys?”
Terri noticed how haggard and exhausted poor Carl's slightly pudgy wife looked as she tried to wrangle the boys, who looked no older than ten, to stay still for a moment.
“We're doing just fine!” Dora replied. Although, she looked like she was ready to kill both of her children due to some behavior issue.
“This is Terri Lawson, Bud's niece, from New York,” Jake said to Dora.
“So, nice to meet you. We were so sorry to hear about Bud.”
“Thank you,” Terri replied. “That means a lot. Everyone’s been so nice and understanding.”
“Heard about your little storm the other day. Sounds like you have quite a mess to clean up. Might be the perfect time to sell so you don't have to deal with it,” Carl said.
An exasperated Doris elbowed her husband and said, “Carl, can we have one day without business, please? This is supposed to be your day off.”
“Just saying. You’ve got to be ready when opportunity comes along,” Carl said, trying to sound all innocent.
“I'm sure I'll figure out how to clean things up,” Terri responded. The more this guy pushed her to sell her uncle's ranch, the less she even wanted to entertain the thought. She didn't know for sure what she would do with it, but she didn't want her uncle's legacy in this saleman’s hands.
“We best be going,” Jake said. He placed a protective hand on Terri's lower back, and she felt her face become flush just from his touch.
The two young boys ran up to Jake and gave him a hug.
“Can we go riding in the patrol car with you again one day, Cousin Jake?” Emmet asked.
“Sure thing,” Jake said, patting their heads.