Wishing On A Cowboy

Wishing on a Cowboy Copyright 2012 by Kathleen Ball

Her ankle twisted and down she fell onto the hard, rocky, asphalt. Her hands stung from the fall. Maggie wiped the embedded pebbles from her hands and looked at her ankle. It began to swell. She didn’t have a choice. Maggie got up and limped on.

The pain in her ankle hurt like hell, but not as much as her heart and pride did. It’d been a long day. First, her car broke down about a mile back and now this. She had made the right decision in leaving. She just wish she’d had planned for it. All she had were the few clothes in her backpack, and about fifty dollars in her pocket.

Had it only been three years since she’d left her hometown? It seemed much longer. She remembered the high hopes she’d had and her I’ll never be back attitude. What a mistake. The last three years had been a series of mistakes that had finally led her back to where she started. Well, almost. She still had about three more miles to make it to town, and after that she had no idea.

She could just imagine the talk once she got there. The home coming queen finally crawled home. A very different Maggie O’Leary was coming home. A much humbled, and disillusioned Maggie. She was no longer the shiny young girl with stars in her eyes, and adventure in her heart.

Wincing with each step, she was determined not to cry. She’d done her crying. She’d been injured worse and survived. She’d survive now. Taking the back roads to town had been another mistake. No one traveled these roads.

There were fences and pastures as far as she could see. Texas in the springtime was always special. Most of the heifer’s had given birth and she saw plenty of calves as she walked. It gave her a small sense of hope.

She heard the the rattle of an old truck engine, and turned around. The truck was black and rusted, the norm for around here. She didn’t want anyone to see her like this but she had no choice.

The truck slowed and came to a stop next to her. She froze it was Hunter. He jumped out of the truck, and came around the front. He’d filled out. His sandy hair was still short and his green eyes widened as she saw a flicker of recognition in them.

“Maggie? Wow, long time. I never thought you’d be back.”

She tried to smile, but she just couldn’t. “Good to see you, Hunter.”

“That your car back aways?”

“Yes.”

“Where you headed?” Hunter folder his arms in front of him and leaned against his truck. He studied her, and she felt lacking.

“Home.” Her voice sounded odd to her. It sounded deeper and a bit shacky.

“Your home is gone, Mags. When was the last time…” He stared at her. “Oh hell, Maggie, didn’t you know? Your mom died about a year ago. The ranch is gone. The bank took it for back taxes and some yahoo owns it now.”

“My mother is dead?” Her heart beat so hard, she could hear it drumming in her ears. “I guess it’s a wasted trip then. It’s been nice to see you again, Hunter.” Maggie turned and stepped.

“Maggie what happened to your ankle?”

“It’s nothing. I have to get going.” She continued to walk away.

“I could drive you to where ever you’re going.”

She stopped and turned. His green eyes bore into hers. “I really have nowhere to go. I’ll be fine, Hunter. It’s not your problem.”

He looked angry and he had every right. “Don’t go all stubborn on me Margret Mary O’Leary. You’re coming home with me. Cindy could use the help around the place.”

Her heart clenched. Cindy must be his wife. She’d had her chance. “Thanks, Hunter. I’ll only stay for a day or two until I figure something out.”

He nodded and opened the passenger side door open for her.

She limped toward him, shrugging off her backpack. He helped her climb into the truck and the same old magic was there in his touch. Cindy was a lucky woman. A small dog lay in the middle of the seat. He had one ear stitched up, and a bandage over his eye.

Hunter jumped into his seat. “Meet Jake. I found him on the side of the road a week ago. I was just taking him home from the vet.”

“A spaniel?”

Hunter nodded.

“You were always picking up strays.”

“I guess you could say that.”

Maggie looked out the window as she realized she was just another stray.