Page 22 of One Heated Summer

“You really like her.”

It was a statement not a question but I answered her anyway. “I do.” I wasn’t about to admit loving Harlyn to Virginia before I told the lady herself.

“She likes you a whole lot too, and from the way she spoke the other day, I think she loves it here enough to stay.” Virginia took a large pull of her drink. “You two are meant to be together, Jensen. I can see how much you care for one another in every look you share.”

“I guess time will tell. What about you? I know you’re very young but has any man caught your eye?”

Virginia’s cheeks pinked and she lowered her eyes…a dead giveaway I’d hit a nerve.

“Ginny?”

“I’ve been out twice with Gary Bedlow from over at Circle J, but…”

I inclined my head, waiting for her to say more.

“He’s eighteen years older than me and I’m not sure he’s interested in anything serious with someone my age.”

“Age is bullshit. If you like each other and there’s a chance you’ll develop deep feelings down the track, go for it. But if you feel it’s too high a barrier to cross, or he might only be using you for the obvious, there are plenty more men out there. What do your parents have to say?”

Virginia blushed.

“You haven’t told them.”

“No, please don’t say anything to Dad when you give your weekly update.”

“How?” I waved a hand in the air. “Never mind.”

“You honestly didn’t believe Mom wouldn’t tell me about the chats you have with Dad? He’s hoping I fail and crawl back to Austin to work with them.”

“Yeah, I get the feeling he’s not happy about me giving such glowing updates. Look, I’m going to tell him on Sundaynight that I won’t be taking his calls any more. If he’s digging for information to make you go back, he won’t get it from me. I don’t understand why any father wouldn’t want their daughter happy.”

“Oh, Boss…The last thing my father wants is for me to be happy. He doesn’t want me anywhere other than under his thumb so he can dictate what I can and can’t do. If you decided tomorrow I was no longer needed, I’d look for a job on another ranch. Frankly, I’d see Dad in Hell before I worked for him.”

Virginia was becoming heated and her eyes shone with unshed tears. I reached out and put my hand on hers.

“First of all, I have no intention of letting you go. Secondly, I totally agree with you…your father has no right to interfere in your life now you’re an adult.” I squeezed her arm. “As for Gary, can I give you some advice?”

“Please.”

“Take it slow. Gary is a damn good man and I don’t believe he has any ulterior motives such as only wanting to get a young, beautiful girl into his bed, but…”

“I need to be sure there actually is something.”

“Yes.” I stood and gathered our dishes, depositing them into the dishwasher. “Back to it.”

Virginia joined me as we made our way back outside and headed to the pasture for our horses. Jackie, looked up from where she’d been munching on grass. I whistled and she trotted over, standing calmly while I hoisted the saddle onto her back.

The day lasted forever, the relentless Texas sun beating down and making every task feel like a Herculean effort. Even when the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, the heat still clung to the air like a stubborn blanket. I felt every grain of dust and sweat on my skin as I walked Jackie back to the stables after giving her a swim in the cool creek. Virginia and the men walked alongside me with their mounts. Man and beast…We were all exhausted.

“It’s fucking September, when are we going to get a break from this heat?” Max complained.

My other hands all joined him in grumbling but it wasn’t all about the heat, their concerns extended to the ongoing drought and the fact our stock needed to be driven to the railhead in two weeks—a distance of ten miles. If the heat continued, with no moisture to soften the ground, the stock would lose too much condition and the price we made at auction would be lower than we wanted.

“Isn’t there some way of seeding clouds?” Sunny asked seriously.

Briggs pointed to the sky. “Which clouds do you plan on seeding?”

We all looked up…There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

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