Once Upon A Rodeo

3: Summer is Ending Party

Summer is Ending Party

It's been a week since I have apologized to Travis Hillwood, and all though I haven't actually seen him in all that week, it seems as if he follows me everywhere. News about Travis Hillwood working for Bradshaw farm spread like wildfire. It is all anyone can talk about, some brag about catching a glimpse of him or having a wonderful and polite conversation with him, while others talk about how handsome he is and what a great match he will make for somebody's daughter or granddaughter. There is no doubt in my mind that everybody in this town already loves him, everybody that is except me.

Thankfully I haven't seen him since his first night at the Bradshaw's, he has always been too busy with work when I come over, but of course, that doesn't stop the Bradshaw's from talking about how great he is whenever I go over. They all- and most especially Jenna- go around saying things like, "Travis did this" and "Travis said that." I have to restrain myself from rolling my eyes or yelling out in frustration every time they say something about how wonderful Travis Hillwood is.

According to Dan, the cowboy has been doing his jobs really well and picked everything up rather quickly, just as I expected him to. He is also an extremely hard worker and rarely takes any breaks, which is why I haven't seen him around at all. Which I was happy about of course, but a part of me wished that he wasn't such a hard worker so Dan could be persuaded to fire him and he would have a legitimate reason to do so.

As I pulled into my nana's driveway, like I do every Friday morning in the summer, I noticed that Jim Harper's truck was there as well. I groaned, I was hoping that I could get away from all the Travis Hillwood talk, but now that was impossible.

Besides being the local handyman, Jim Harper is a bad gossip. He gossips about just as much as most of the women do. He goes to so many houses and hears many different things there and then fells obligated to tell everybody else what he heard. Most rumors tend to be traced back to him and yet people still hire him because he is the best handyman nearby.

"Nana," I call out as I let myself into the house.

"In the kitchen, dear!"

I walk into the kitchen and see my nana having a cup of coffee at the table and Jim on the floor messing around with the pipes to the kitchen sink.

"Good morning Nana. How are you?" I walk over and give her a hug.

"Good, good. I would be better if my sink decided to work though."

"I'm almost done, Rose. I'm doing the best I can," Jim says and sticks his head back under the sink.

She shakes her head at the man and turns her attention back to me. "You want some coffee?"

"Yes please."

"I figured you'd say that," she says as she places a steaming hot mug in my hands.

"So Annabelle, Jim's been tellin' me about that new cowboy livin' and workin' on the Bradshaw farm."

I knew he would have told her but it still didn't stop me from glaring at him. Thankfully he didn't notice the glare because his head was still under the sink.

I composed myself quickly not wanting Jim to get suspicious and start spreading stuff about me and the cowboy. I had to be really careful with what I say, because knowing Jim, he'll read too much into whatever I'll say. I absolutely hate being a gossip topic and all though I did not particularly like Travis Hillwood, I don't want bad rumors and even more gossip circling around him. I could never wish that upon anyone, and he really doesn't need it considering he has only been here for a week.

"Oh yeah? What did he say?"

"Just that he is there. I was just tellin' Jim that you may be able to tell us more about him."