Chasing Cinderella (Book one of the Cinderella Series) (Completed)

Chapter 32 (Edited)

That morning, I didn't go to Dean's like I normally did. I wasn't hiding... more or less... from him, I just... had work to do around the farm, well ranch.

Delilah wanted us, the other hands and I, to move the cattle from one pasture to another on the other side of the ranch.

Of course, she wanted us to take the long way just so that the "smell" of cattle would not take up her precious breathing air. So, the gang and I had to leave early, leaving me with about three hours of sleep.

I shook my head awake and watched the other guys whistle and push the cattle towards the field. I was in the back, making sure that there were no stragglers or cattle that didn't want to be with the group. My horse, was a palomino pinto mare named Butterscotch, and she was one of the best cow ponies that I have worked with.

Just watching those velvet ears prick forward and keeping an eye on the cattled told me that. She even ignored the dogs barking and the couple of yells from the men around her. Her soul purpose was to make sure that the cattle stayed together, and she would sometimes be able to do stuff before even I told her.

I smiled and shook my head before seeing a calf starting to get away from it's mother. "All right girl," I said. "Show time." I dug my heels into her side, causing her to jump into action.

The calf, startled by the fact that she just jumped up and started to run toward it, mooed softly before running in the opposite direction.

"Really?" I asked, rolling my eyes. I took the rope off of the horn and kicked Butterscotch even faster. Besides racing horses, I loved the feeling of running after an animal and being able to rope the said animal. It gave me such adrenaline that I couldn't even imagine.

Sure, there was some other way of getting cattle back to their herd, but this, this was the way that my ancestors had done it. Even though, most had moved more western than where my great grandparents had resided.

I grabbed hold of the rope and swung it over my head, leveling my breathing. My gaze was trained on the stowaway, and I knew that I had to count a small bit before I let go of the rope.

The calf bellowed while the circumference of the rope rounded around it's neck and tried to go further. HOwever, it couldn't because I tied the rope around the saddle horn before hopping off.

"Easy," I crooned, causing the calf to stop in it's fight and look at me. Big brown eyes stared at me, and I could see the uncertainty in them. "It's alright little guy. I'm not going to hurt you." I moved a step closer, causing the calf to back up. I stopped about midway before crouching down.

My eyes were trained at the ground, and I made it look that I wasn't a predator but a friend. I reached my hand out and just waited for the calf to come. Sure enough, the calf came after a few hesitant minutes and nudged my hand.

I couldn't help but smile and scratch behind the calf's ears. "See? I'm not that bad." I chuckled when the calf mooed and nudged my hand when I finished scratching him. I huffed, teasingly. "All right, I'll scratch you some more, but you have to be on your best behavior getting back to the group."

I whistled softly to Butterscotch, causing her to short and walk towards the gang. I stayed by the calf, knowing that he would try to run again. I kept my hand on his withers and guided him along, scratching every so often.

"Ye know, Lass," a voice said causing me to look up and grin when I saw Red looking at me. THere was a sorrow filled smile on his face, and that made me frown a bit. "Yer going to be a great mother."

I shrugged. "Ya, I think so," I replied. "But that has to mean that a male wants a bruised and battered female, living in the basement with an older woman because her step mother kicked her out of the house above." I rolled my eyes. "And who would want to do something like that?"

"That Dean fella would, Lass," Red said. "I mean, ye've seen the way that he looks at ya."

I shrugged, frowning. "I don't think so," I replied. "Why would someone like him like a low life girl like me?"

"You are cutting yourself short, El," another person said.

I looked to my other side and saw that Reece was there. "And how am I doing that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Recce shrugged. "You're pretty," he said. "Beautiful, hot." He grimaced. "Must I say the rest of the words that you are. It's kind of making me want to throw up."

I rolled my eyes and smirked. "What because I'm not those things?"

"No, because I love you like a sister, and a brother thinking of his sister as hot..." He shuddered, causing me to laugh.

I scratched the calf again before taking the rope off of his neck and sent him off to his mother. "Ya, ya." I walked towards the saddle and hopped on again. "Come on, let's get them to the pasture and then see what else needs to be done."

"And you can tell us all about the dance." Reece wiggled his eyebrows. "Maybe dancing..."

My face paled and looked at him. "How did you know that I had a dance with Hollywood?" I asked. "I didn't tell you."

Reece and Red looked at each other and smirked before looking at me. "I didn't," he said. "You just told me."

I groaned and shook my head. "Yes, I danced with Hollywood. Yes, it was fantastic. And no, I am not in love with him."

Reece and Red looked at each other again and gave a knowing smirk. "Sure, you don't," he teased. "You do go over there every so often. Why not add some randevueing into it?"

My face turned a bit red, and I scoffed. "I work there, not randevuing with someone from Hollywood." I cleared my throat. "Let's just get the cattle going." With that, I dug my heels into Butterscotch and rode away from two hoots of laughter, my face probably red as a tomato."

***

"Come on, why don't you admit it, El? I know you," Reece said.

I rolled my and led Butterscotch from the wash rack and towards her stall. We had finished putting the cattle in the pasture, and Reece had been bugging me about Dean. "There is nothing to admit, Ree," I said. "I am not in love with- Hollywood." I was shocked to see Dean leaning against the barn his cellphone in his hand. "What are you doing here?"

"I will take Butterscotch and let you two talk," Reece said. He took her reins from my hand, leaning close to my ear. "No babies until you are out of college." He laughed when I shoved him back and walked away from Dean and I.

"Boyfriend?" Dean asked, probably seeing my redden cheeks.

"More like annoying brother who thinks he is funny," I said. I moved a hand through my hair and cleared my throat. "Why are you here?"

"To check up on you when you didn't come to work," Dean replied. "Are you alright?"

I frowned. "Red said that he called your dad to tell him that I wouldn't be able to come in today. I had to move cattle from one pasture to another one. That took most of the morning." I glanced at the sky and noted that it was almost two in the afternoon. "Why? Did you think something happened to me?"

"Well, I tried your cell, and it just went to voicemail," Dean replied.

I hummed and nodded my head. "Ya, my step mother didn't set any more minutes on my phone just yet. I didn't have on me."

Relief filled his face, and he nodded his head. "All right." He cleared his throat and moved a hand through my hair. "I have to go. I'll see you at school tomorrow?"

"Why the rush?" I asked. "I've never seen you this distracted or something." I glanced him up and down, worried about his sudden change in behavior.

"You'll find out tomorrow," Dean said, his face tinting a pinkish color. "I... got go." With that he left the barn with me feeling slightly hurt.

"Ok, then," I said, confused at his behavior.