Chapter 479) And Then They Kissed

Chestnut Ridge
Middle of Nowhere (literally!)

I sit there on the horse, next to me a real-life cowboy on his mount, and both of us gaze upon the stunning waterfall in the canyon before us as the sun sets behind us.

Huh? Aria-Grace on a horse with a cowboy? What am I smoking, you ask?

Yeah, I know. Just some weeks ago I would have laughed till I peed my pants had anyone told me this would be in my immediate future. I am not into simple living, I like luxury and creature comforts and designer brands and fancy houses and big city nightlife and shopping as a hobby …I abhor doing things with my hands, cleaning, arts and crafts, cooking and all that dirty pesky stuff. I am NOT a country girl. Living in Henford-on-Bagley was pushing it, as was Windenburg when I was a kid. But this, THIS where I am at now is regular roughing it.

So, why am I here?

Well, you know I am going through a divorce, basically it’s done except we’re waiting for the actual court date for that and my subsequent name change. We already did the custody thing and once the current school year ends I am getting our daughter, Max is keeping our son. All that was mentally and emotionally draining, more of that ahead, so I had to get away. I just took my car and drove. And drove. And when I got hungry, thirsty and tired I took the wrong turn because my goddamn GPS lost signal and since I have zero navigation skills without a voice from a phone or car audio telling me where to go next, I managed to get myself TOTALLY lost, ended up in some field.

Moments later I heard suspicious stuttering coming from my car.

And this is where my very much not fit for off-roading in rugged terrain car had enough and just broke down, right there, smack dab in the middle of nowhere.

And my cell phone had literal ZERO bars, no coverage. Yes, I did the statue of liberty move up and down the street, to no avail. Not even half a bar. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu …. ck!

After a perceived eternity in the relentless heat, it started getting dark but the heat still lingered, I was wondering what would kill me first, the heat, some snake, a pack of coyotes or heck knows what else goes bump in the night here, when I saw him in my rear view mirror.

Just a silhouette at first so I first I turned and craned my neck in the driver seat, then got out of my car to have a better vantage point – or be able to at least try to run away, if the occasion called for it.

A literal cliche appeared before me. A guy dressed like a cowboy, looking just like a cowboy on his horse and the first thing he said to me was

“Howdy Ma’am. Got yerself some car trouble or just lost?”

Ma’am!?!?? MA’AM?!?!??! I am not even 30 and if anything, I definitely look younger! Ma’am, my ass!

As I was fuming, the cowboy gets off the horse and I get a better look. As mad as I was, I couldn’t help liking the view. My cliche definitely had things women want. At least this woman wasn’t hating it.

Well, the cliche-cowboy pops the hood, digs around in the engine and as he slams the hood shut again he tells me I need a new part.

Then he tells me to gather important things, and when I do, he takes the suitcase and bags from me, puts them back in the trunk, slamming it shut, handing me just my purse.

“You ride?” he asks, pointing at his horse.

“I am an excellent rider. My … umm … I have family who owns horses.” I proudly proclaim, omitting the part where said ‘family’ is actually my soon-to-be ex-husband.

“Hm.” he makes, an unimpressed and unconvinced sound.

“Seriously, I can ride. Why? Where am I supposed to ride to?” I ask.

“Takin’ ya to town. You can’t stay here, this is McCoy land. Once darkness falls they may shoot first and ask later. We’ll talk to Bill, he owns the garage downtown. Purdy sure he’ll have to order your part, he don’t stock for foreign cars. You need a place to stay, there is a hotel on Main. This is gonna take a few days at least.” he explained, and I am soaking up the sound of his rough voice.

“DAYS?! And wait, if I am going to a hotel, I’m gonna need my bags!”

“Bill will get your vehicle towed into town and you can pick them up from him. I can’t tow ya with Trapper, nor will I strap all those bags to him!”

“Trapper? Oh, you mean your horse.”

“Yup. Hang tight.” he said, whistled and Trapper trotted over, the cowboy put his hands on my waist, lifted me up and hoisted me into the saddle, I barely had time to swing my leg over, the minute my butt hit the leather, the cowboy swung himself into the saddle in front of me.

“You steady?” he asks

As soon as I confirm that I was, instantly things got bouncy, so I clung on to his admittedly nice broad back. He smells of horses, hay, fresh air and … something indefinable. Something I rather enjoy.

Well, fast forward. Once at Bill’s – I don’t know what to call this place, the ‘everything’ place maybe, it was part bar, part I think grocery shop, part garage and heck knows what else. I think someone said Bill also cuts hair in the back. Well, Bill is 100% NEVER going near MY tresses, so much is certain!

Either way, Bill had a kid that looked about 15 go tow my car in, which went down shockingly speedy. After a while under my hood, we were told that the car part I likely needed wasn’t gonna be available for at least a week, most likely two. Top those great news off with finding out there was no vacancy at the one local hotel either, because of some horse convention in town, and I was just about to beg my mom to send a car or even a helicopter to get me out of here while talking to her on the phone at Bill’s shop, where I mercifully had between one and two whole mobile phone reception bars. But something made me halt, so instead I told her everything was all right now, and I was staying for a while longer.

When I rejoined my cliche-cowboy the topic of lodging came up, he grimaced while Bill told us that everyone who had a spare room rented it out to the out-of-towners who are here for the horse show, leaving not a free room for miles. With a deep breath my cowboy then told me his name is Jack – I introduce myself as just Aria, leaving out the ‘Grace’ and my last name, as either Cromwell or Cameron could ring a bell with people even in this one-horse town. Jack decides that lacking other options I could stay with him. Bill instantly adds that he would have that kid drive up my luggage to Jack’s place later. For some reason I agree, so I end up staying with Jack in his one-bedroom cabin. No, it’s not safe. No, I don’t know what I was thinking. First night I insisted on me sleeping on the couch, demonstratively laid down on it, to which Jack huffed, picked me up, carried me into a tiny room then dumped me atop his bed.

“My momma raised me better than letting a lady sleep on the couch. I am taking the couch and that’s that.” he tells me on his way out of the room before shutting the door behind himself, while I lay there feeling some sort of way as I process what just happened along with imagining Jack’s ‘momma’, who evidently taught her son not to let a lady sleep on the couch, but that it was okay to unceremoniously toss her onto the bed. Country folk for ya.

Somehow, I can’t lie, I liked the way he behaved, and I have no reasonable explanation why. Under normal circumstances I abhorred men behaving like Neanderthals, especially when making decisions for me over my head, but nothing was normal at the moment. Including myself.

From then on, Jack and I butted heads a lot, which is surprising considering Jack is NOT a talker. He reminds me of my Aunt Fallon’s husband ‘Bear’. They don’t look alike but have a similar disposition. We all know I am the epitome of the young adult version of a spoiled brat, while Jack is the no-nonsense type and if he talks, he is brief and painfully honest, which is shocking sometimes and definitely inconvenient, but also refreshing. I never have to wonder where I stand with him. Without even trying, he teaches me a lot about myself.

One night sitting by the fire, something gets to me and I burst out into tears without warning. Sobbing into Jack’s shoulder I eventually tell him about some my drama, a very censored version, carefully leaving out my real identity and that of the people I am related to, my kids, any celebrity or nobility references and the part where I had been violated by my brother-in-law. So basically, I whine about a breakup with a spineless dud of a man. Jack is gentle and sweet. He is close to me without feeling like he is too close. He never even tried to sneak a feel or come onto me. Yet, he is all around me.

After that night, I looked at him through different eyes and he involved me a lot more in his daily routines.

We ride out often, he teaches me things about horses I didn’t know, Cromwell Stables were maintained by staff, all we ever did was show up, sit on the already saddled horse of our choosing and ride, then drop it back off with one of the stablehands. Jack has no stablehands. He does it all himself.

And so did I. I bet people would pay money to see ViVa’s daughter, former Princess Aria-Grace Cromwell shovel horseshit or wrangle a damn saddle onto an uncooperative horse. Saddles are deceptively heavy! And they have way too many straps. So many straps. Ugh.

One day I found out Jack’s laughter was contagious. We were fixing to … oh my god, listen to me. Fixing to. Seriously? I am starting to sound like Jack. If Max could hear me … anyway, Jack and I were about to ride into town again when he held me back, and stepped in front of me, shielding me right when Trapper reared up. That stallion had been terribly obnoxious all morning. While Jack’s preferred mount was never as calm as the mare I usually rode, this was unusual and just goes to show you that horses have moods too. Trapper needed another coffee or a Snickers bar, cos he was way off from normal.

Trapper started being awfully attentive to Sorrel, the patient mare with the sweetest disposition, who I usually rode, and when I went over to saddle her, Trapper suddenly nudged me out of the way, I tumbled to the ground with that dang heavy saddle while Trapper mounted Sorrel, bit her neck and they, well, they … started making foals, right there in front of us! Uncensored. Free biology lesson.

My face must have been priceless, as Jack nearly fell to the ground from laughing so hard. Eventually I got over my shock and laughed too, when both horses were done, Jack just preceded with the originally scheduled program, so I did too.

On our previous rides into town and this time again too I couldn’t help but notice that I definitely stuck out like a sore thumb in the way I dressed and with my hair always styled and my 20-step-make-up routine. People preferred the natural sunkissed look here.

The next day Jack took me into town again, while he went to order feed and farm supplies, I told him I needed to run some personal errands and went to a clothing shop I had spotted when we came here last time. Once back at his cabin I scrubbed my face clean, put on only sun protection, mascara, a simple brownish pink lipstick, which I also rubbed on my cheeks for a flushed glow, put on the dress and the boots I had bought earlier, topped with the hat Jack had given me days ago, then I went out to show Jack, who watched me twirl in front of him with honest surprise. Smiling, he told me to hold that thought and disappeared in the bedroom. When he resurfaced, he too, had changed into what I am going to assume are his fancy jeans and denim shirt. He even smelled of cologne. Cheap cologne, but A+ for effort. Then we rode into town again. He took me dancing!

The dancing was unlike anything I had ever done. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be caught dead at a Country & Western barn dance, dancing with my cowboy when not line dancing with a bunch of strangers, but here I was, laughing and having the time of my life. Was this a date? Or just a courtesy?

My question would be answered eventually, surprising, as Jack is incredibly hard to read. The day after the dance, we rode out, mainly to the vet to get Sorrel checked to confirm a pregnancy. According to Jack they had done the deed a few times before I got to town. I don’t know why I was so excited when we found out she was indeed expecting, but I cheered, hugged Jack and told him I would love to be there for the birth and meet the little foal.
After the vet visit, instead of home, Jack lead us a different way, up an incline until we arrived here. At the canyon overlooking the waterfall.

So here we are now, watching the sun set over the canyon with the waterfall when suddenly Jack dismounts, then helps me off the horse.

He looks deep into my eyes as I look into his

… and then we kissed.