Whatever, Cowboy.

The Ranch_3

My eyes begin to tear up as I think of all the issues I'll have when I get home after this morning's events. Why'd I have to go to that party? The battered Ford Ranger pulls into a long forested road as I wipe my tears away. Tyler drives so calm, his skinny yet muscular hands grip the old steering wheel carefully, his other hand ready to block the passenger from falling forward in case of an accident. The stick shift clicks into the park, and Tyler removes the keys from the ignition.

"Let's go, Austin." He says sweetly, smiling at the sight of his mom on the porch. We parked in front of a massive stereotypically red barn that diverges into multiple different pens, a sheep pen, a pig pen, a cow pen, and a horse pen.

I wonder which one is Jackson. I catch up to Tyler when he is standing on the porch after giving his mom a welcoming hug.

"I am going to shower and change into work clothes for the day." Tyler explains to his, barely noticeably middle-aged, mother before kissing the top of her head and stalking inside.

Silence between his mother and I drags on. What is she holding? A kid? A piglet? A lamb? What is it?

"Do you want to hold him, son?" The mother asked slyly, holding out the carefully wrapped lamb in a cool white cloth.

"Oh! Uh-sure. I'm Austin, by the way." I explained awkwardly, taking the lamb slowly and smiling as I looked down to see its tongue sticking out and its eyes sealed shut.

"Malorie. Malorie Evans and that little angel is named Charlie, just birthed him today." She explained happily. Now I see the similarity in Tyler and Malorie. "As for you, you fixing an eye on my son, Austin? 'Cause that no good Evelyn isn't ever around here no more; too busy with the soccer team I tell you what. My poor baby, he'll be heartbroken when he finds out. Ya'll would look just delightful together."

Her words flustered me as I somehow understood them through her thick Southern accent. "We-uhm, we aren't together. It was just one party!" I retorted, trying to save myself any embarrassment possible.

"Ah, don't lie to me, boy! You known him for much longer than that graduates party. He used to come home every day sayin' 'Momma! Momma! A boy named Austin was looking at me today! Can we bring him over to see ol' Dasher'?" She explained happily, passionate that someone would listen. It made me smile to hear old stories about Tyler and the impact I had on his youth years. "Now he's got ol' Jackson who's breathing his last breath anytime this week. Damned beast won't stop running off, and then he suddenly comes back every night."

Tyler finally came out from his room, hair messy but damp, overalls being the only thing covering his chest, and a cap that reads YOU AIN'T COUNTRY IF YOU AIN'T WORKIN' it looks cool but seems a little offensive for today's age of people. "Bye Momma, I'm gonna go find Jackson. Will you be with me today?" Malorie and I exchanged glance as if having a conversation.

"No, I've gotta run down to Jerry's and repair his AC. It broke again and his little boy won't fix it. Austin can help though." Malorie offered, my face turning red in denial and embarrassment.

"No-no! It's okay, I can clean up around the house or watch the newborn animals. You need help too, don't you?" This tactic earned a daring glance from Malorie to which I subdued, still holding the lamb carefully. "Okay, let's go."

"See ya, boys!" His mother yelled from behind as we walk down the field to the pens.

As we near the pens, we haven't said a thing to each other yet. I've been staring at his smooth but dreamful back and he's been trying to find his animal husband. "Your mother said-"

"I know what my Momma said." He sounds angry... "I also know what you said." His tone softened, his eyes did as well; looking back at mine as they cool the summer air. "I'm surprised she said somethin' bout Eve though. Momma doesn't like talking 'bout them city girls who 'walk all over me."

I'm going to have to find a Southern to Northern slang book for him. What is this crazy handsome cowboy talking about?

"Alright, now if I were Jackson the darkest knight, where would I run off to?" He asked himself, propping his leg up onto the lowest wooden spoke that acts as a fence.

"What other -" sh. "You did not jus-" shh. "You have other jobs to d-" Tyler covered Austin's mouth with his hand quickly, waiting to hear any noise related to Jackson. No luck, the other horses, on the other hand; they were being loud. Very-very loud. Tyler still hadn't removed his hand, so I bit the chewy part of his palmish thumb area. He moaned! How does that make a grown young adult groan? Tyler shocked himself and was now staring at his hand in disbelief.

"I am so sorry 'bout that. That's never happened before."

"Hold the lamb." I said embarrassingly. He took the lamb in his arms, and I climbed the fence. Sneaking up on a horse like I was invisible, and then... I jumped and got my leg over! I'm riding a horse!

"Get off of Saph. She ain't a riding horse."

"Yes, she is. Look at her. Aren't you a riding horse? Yes, you are. Yes, you are!"

"Would you quit sweet talkin' her. She's still a youngin." Tyler complained.

"Then who can I ride?" My eyes widened as I heard my last statement leave my mouth, Tyler's lips curling up to a smile.

"Well, according to my Momma-"

"Whatever, Cowboy!"