Against the Odds A Love Story

Chapter 7

A laugh is as soothing as stargazing. And love can be as subtle as a runaway freight train.

Seven

As the weeks continued to pass, I found myself feeling more and more content with life. I took Caroline's advice and tried to familiarize myself with every aspect of ranching. I even got to know the ranch hands better and occasionally spent time casually observing them in their work. From helping them feed the cattle and horses to watching an injured animal being doctored, it was all interesting to me. I almost felt like a kid being let loose for the first time in an amusement park, anxious to take in everything I could.

There were a few times when Chris, one of the younger ranch hands, even asked me if I wanted to help him in the barn with one thing or another. I always said yes, but I was never with him for very long because Hayden usually came in and told me he or Caroline needed me for something else. After the third time, Chris stopped asking, which didn't bother me too much. He talked and stared more than he worked anyway. It was kind of sweet in a way.

But the most exciting thing for me to do around the ranch was watch Hayden break horses. It was a little frightening sometimes and I feared for him, but I always reminded myself that he knew what he was doing. He told me he loved having me around because it made him feel like he was doing something important, and he joked that he was going to make a cowgirl out of me yet.

Thinking about that always made me smile. Living life on a ranch was never on my list of dreams and aspirations. Of course, marrying an unfaithful man and being divorced at twenty-six wasn't a part of my plans either, but this was my life now. And as crazy as it might seem to some people, I loved it, and I was okay with it.

I grew to absolutely love horses and went riding whenever possible. I loved the feeling of freedom that came whenever I went riding. Every now and then Hayden would even join me.

On one particular afternoon Hayden got his work finished early, saddled a horse, and headed out with me. We rode for a while, then we stopped and talk while the horses rested. Hayden said he was impressed that I had taken to riding so quickly. I told him I went riding a couple of times when I was thirteen. A woman my mother worked for at that time invited us to her home one summer afternoon for lunch. Her fifteen year old son took me riding and I really liked it.

We sat underneath a large tree and Hayden flashed a teasing grin. “So, was it just the riding that was so much fun or the boy who took you?”

I grinned slyly. “Both actually.”

He took off his hat and leaned back against the tree, stretching out his long legs. I casually let my eyes roam the length of him. He had no idea just how incredible he was, and I had no doubt he'd broken a lot of hearts without even realizing it.

“So,” he said, causing me to rein in my thoughts, for which I was extremely grateful. “Tell me about this boy you went gallivanting off with.”

“He was actually pretty cute. He had blond hair and blue eyes. He was nice, and very talkative.”

“I'll bet he was,” Hayden said with a chuckle.

I sighed. “I've never told anyone this, but . . . I received my first kiss that day.”

His brows rose in surprise. “You're joking!”

“Nope. It wasn't that we really liked each other that much. I think it was more out of curiosity. I wanted to know what it was like. I knew he had kissed other girls before me, but I was the first black girl he'd ever kissed.” I chuckled. “I'm sure he bragged about it to his friends once school started again. As for me, I never intended to tell anyone. And I never have, until now.”