Page 47 of The Devil in Blue Jeans
He brushed his mouth across hers. “Just...this.” Then he sealed his mouth across hers and lost himself in her sweetness.
Twelve
Midmorning the next day, the fluffy clouds scattered the sky, casting long shadows over the bustling crowd around the ranch. Charly stood near the auction ring, taking it all in. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the air, mingling with the aroma of smoky barbecue wafting from the nearby food tent. The atmosphere was electric, pulsating with excitement and she saw what the fuss was all about.
The auction wasn’t only about selling horses, it was about tradition. Every person who talked to Jaxon seemed like they’d known him for his entire life. There was a certain type of magic there, where people were celebrating Montana ranch living and the beauty of horses.
She settled in next to Gunner at the fence line, who stood beside Eli, and asked, “This is kind of his thing, huh?”
“Yeah,” said Gunner, watching Jaxon as he shook a cowboy’s hand. “Always been. He’s good with a crowd.”
“It’s what made the bar successful,” Eli added. “People like him.”
She became trapped in Jaxon’s smile as he spoke with the cowboy in front of him. She got it. She liked him too, even though everything in her head was telling her she had no business liking or kissing anyone so soon after her last relationship ended.
A dark horse was led into the round pen set up in front of the stage, where the auctioneer stood behind a podium.
His voice boomed through the speakers. “Look at this filly. She’s got all the chrome. Let’s start the bidding at six thousand.”
Bidders leaned in, their eyes fixed on the horse, studying every line of the horse’s body and demeanor; clad in cowboy boots and hats, they shared animated conversations and hearty laughs. Charly couldn’t help but be drawn to their contagious enthusiasm.
As the bidding escalated, she watched as one bidder had determination etched on his face. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the bidding war unfolded. Until the gavel struck, sealing the deal for eight thousand dollars as the final bid.
The victorious bidder’s face lit up with an ecstatic smile, their eyes sparkling with a mix of pride and excitement. They exchanged high fives and hugs with their friends, who cheered them on.
“Good grief,” Charly said. “I had no idea horses were so expensive.”
Eli chuckled. “In the horse world, Charly, eight thousand is pocket change.”
But as she glanced from face to face it became clear that this went beyond the business of the auction, this gathering was a celebration of the profound connection between humans and horses, and what Timber Falls Ranch stood for in this world.
The thought had stayed with her for the rest of the day, even when she finally arrived at the bar to work, as did thoughts of all that Jaxon stood for. Blind faith had gotten her heart broken before, but she couldn’t help but see that beneath Jaxon’s shield was the pain he secretly kept hidden. Buried beneath layers of responsibility not to tarnish his father’s legacy and to see the ranch continue to succeed. Most of all, she saw his red flags evaporating. It became glaringly obvious that Jaxon was an honorable man. A good man. One worthy of being given a chance.
“What are you thinking about?” Aubrey inquired, bringing Charly back from her trancelike gaze out the bar window.
“Oh, I was just thinking about how everything seems so different since I had my little stint as a cowboy,” she explained, glancing at Aubrey, who wore a cute flower-patterned sundress with ballet flats, with her hair in a fishtail braid.
Aubrey gave a tender smile. “You definitely look different after your stay at the ranch...happier too, certainly.”
Charly nodded in agreement. She understood that during these last days her defenses had dropped, and she’d finally allowed herself to embrace what had been happening between her and Jaxon without resisting it anymore.
Although the fear of vulnerability still lingered beneath her skin, she decided to push it aside and let the feelings take over. She was done trying to carefully think out every situation and trying to determine the correct decisions. She didn’t want to dive headfirst into anything with him, but she also wasn’t pushing away what was beginning to build between them either.
“Not only that,” she eventually responded to Aubrey, “but I think we got it right here too.”
It wasn’t even happy hour, and the bar was completely packed. After she talked with the cowboys about the bar, she’d sent the girls a text about their wishes. While Charly was at the ranch, Willow and Aubrey made some changes. They brought a couple pool tables in and a dart board. They also rearranged the schedule. From Monday to Wednesday, they would hold party nights to help with heartaches and celebrate successes, but the rest of the week now belonged to the town. They brought in live music and tonight had been their busiest night yet, filled with line dancers and partiers looking for their match, or just to dance the night away.
The country music competed with the loud voices and laughter throughout the space. And the place was full of locals.
Aubrey scanned the area and give a firm nod. “Well, one thing is for sure,” she said, meeting Charly’s gaze again. “Everyone seems happy.”
“They do,” Charly agreed.
Willow came from the back carrying a box of beer and knelt by the fridge, restocking it with a half dozen different kinds of craft beers. “I can’t believe how busy it already is,” she remarked.
“We were just talking about that,” Aubrey said, handing Willow the bottles from the box. “Seems like tonight might be when we get it right for this town.”
“We owe that to Jaxon,” Charly noted, knowing her time at the ranch gave her insight into the truth about the locals: they loved their ladies, live music, and good beer. Add in a pool table and dart board, and they would never complain.
