Happy Cow Ranch

What Was I Thinkin'?

I panic as I lead him to the kitchen, smoothing my dress and fixing various items in the house on my way. I can feel Mr. Dutton's amusement as he watches me, but I can't stop from adjusting a pelt on the top of the couch.

"You nervous?" He asks, his voice deep and sultry. I tense and whirl around, stepping back into the kitchen. He takes off his hat with a smug smile.

"No! Not at all!" I lie, fists curled into tight balls at my side. I quickly regain my confidence and straighten my back. "I'm not nervous. Just excited to have my first guest!"

Mr. Dutton snorts, nodding like I'm a little kid.

"You're cute, kid. So tell me, what is it that you're going to do with Elijah's land?" He gets straight to the point, but I can't help but blush. If I'm gonna gain his respect, he has to see me as an equal, not a baby.

"I will tell you all about it... as soon as I get a plate in front of you," I smile, clasping my hands together. I pull out a chair for him, and he obliges, looking up at me before his eyes go wide, falling on the wide assortment of options. "I, ah, didn't know what you'd want, but I figured beef would be involved."

Warm steam drifts up from the burgers, meatballs, rolls, and various vegetables. He keeps his head angled down, but his eyes find mine.

"This is from one of your cows?" He asks, and I immediately cringe and shake my head.

"No! No, I wouldn't kill one of my cows!" I exclaim, and immediately am met by confusion. Straightening up and clearing my throat, I sit down. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I don't want to kill my cows. I want to run a leather and dairy farm and raise goats and chickens, but I don't want to slaughter them. That's why I'm not your competition."

"You will always be my competition. No matter what you do or how you do it. You own a ranch; you're taking customers and possibly workers from me. Good cattle. Good horses. Just because it isn't the same product doesn't mean we're allies." His expression is dark, and so is his tone. That gruff voice is less of a comfort now and more of a threat. Finally, however, he looks me over, sees the startled expression I'm trying to hide, and his eyes soften. "The fact that you respected my land and me and asked me for advice is what makes us allies."

I can feel a soft blush rise to my cheeks as I look down and away, smiling.

"So, what'll you call this 'happy cow' ranch?" Mr. Dutton teases, his words muffled by the cheeseburger he took a bite of.

"I, ah, actually hadn't thought of a name yet, but that's perfect!" I beam. Mr. Dutton looks up, confused, still eating the burger. "Happy Cow Ranch. 'The cows are happy, and so are you.'"

He raises his eyebrows at the name and the slogan, then looks down at the table.

"Y'know, speaking of stealing employees, who's your chef? I might have to poach 'em and have 'em work with Gator," He sits up, frowning slightly. I shake my head with a smile and look away. "Really, who is it?"

When he asks a second time, I look back at him.

"I... I don't have a chef. I made it. I don't have any employees, actually," I laugh nervously, rubbing the back of my head. Mr. Dutton frowns, seems to get an idea, and wipes his mouth with the napkin he had laid across his lap.

"I'll have Rip scare you up a few ranch hands, but then you have to find your own. Understand?" His eyes bore into me, and I feel a little nervous as I nod.

"Yes, yes, sir. Thank you for your help, Mr. Dutton. You're on my list for free milk for life," I grin at him, and he smiles, standing up. I notice that the cheeseburger is gone. Was it really that good? I wonder as he looks down at the rest of the food.