Innocence Lost (Lone Mountain Ranch Book 1)

Chapter 14

Kylie watched Tony walk towards Jax. Tony approached Jax and the bleach blonde woman he was chatting with. A bolt of jealousy spread through Kylie's body. It seemed like Tony had a soft spot for Jax, everyone seemed to. He went over to help diffuse the situation between him and the blonde, who seemed terribly protective of Jax and seemed to charm her way out of the conversation with Tony.

Kylie looked down into the bottom of her empty glass. She debated whether it was time to go home, but opted for another cocktail instead. She was enjoying the vodka numbing her mind after another embarrassing kissing incident. She got up to get another one. How many of these have I had already? She wondered as she felt a little unsteady with her steps. She looked down at her boots to steady herself.

Kylie stood at the bar and ordered another one. No one else was waiting in line for a drink, so Kylie turned to the bartender and remarked, "Great song, right?"

"Yes, the band is awesome. They are my favorite part of working the hoedowns at the ranch. Them and seeing the regulars who come back every year. It's nice to see familiar faces. I'm Matt."

Matt was an All-American boy through and through, with medium brown hair and eyes, tanned skin and a permanent smile across his face. He was the kind of person that was truly happy with their life and could want for nothing more.

"Hi, Matt. I'm Kylie. I can see why people return here. Everyone has been so welcoming. I don't ever want to leave!" She repeated her praises about the ranch that she had said to Tony moments earlier.

"That's why I love bartending at these events; you get to experience the best of the ranches. I've lived here my entire life. I work as a bartender at a bar in town and pick extra events at the ranches. They are very welcoming and invite us out to the barbeques, to ride the horses when it is the slow season, participate in the yearly branding festivities, and cattle herding parties. It is great!"

"It sounds exactly like the town where I grew up," Kylie's eyes lit up when she said it.

"Everyone around here knows everyone and what they are up to. We are one big family," Matt said.

"It does feel like a family here. It is a really special place," Kylie responded, repeating Tony's words from earlier.

"Here's your drink."

"Hey, I have a question for you, Matt"

"If I can, I will answer it."

"Who is the woman over there with Jax and Tony?" Kylie said, motioning her head in the direction of where they were standing.

"That is Mrs. Warren. She is a long-time guest of the ranch, along with her husband who is a rich CEO of some company. I don't know which one. I never pay attention to those details. She loves to ride and has been all over the world to dude ranches. Apparently, she was a rodeo queen back when she was a teenager."

"Oh, I could see that. She is very beautiful and has quite the presence. She stopped the room the second she walked in this evening. She appears to be very fond of Jax. He seems fond of her as well."

"Yes, she met Jax over at a ranch in Europe. I think it was in Andorra on the Iberian Peninsula, which is famous for their Andalusian horses. Man, I would love to ride one of those horses one day. They are such beautiful creatures. Anyway, Mrs. Warren thought he was the best wrangler she'd ever encountered and lobbied Tony to bring him to Lone Mountain. She flew him out for the interview and everything."

"Wow, I had no idea."

"You should ask him about living over there. He has a lot of great stories."

Kylie looked down at her boots. Jax told her a little bit about his experience in Andorra with the Andalusian horses, but he obviously left out the part about Mrs. Warren. Jealousy ran through Kylie's mind. What do I have to be jealous of? Jax is not interested in me anyway, she thought.