CHAPTER ONE
Driving along Highway 80, the warm May breeze rustling through Megan’s long chestnut hair, she yelled, “This is the life.”
Eagles and hawks soared overhead, free and wild. It was how Megan felt from the time she had crossed the state line out of California.
Away from her worries, the smog, and the congestion. Out here there was nothing but open road and open country. The life Megan had longed for since she had left Virginia at the tender age of ten.
Megan saw the sign that read Carlton, Wyoming 20 miles and shouted, “Hurrah.” Only two hours until she reached the Circle M Ranch.
Brett, Megan’s cousin, had started running it seven years ago when his grandfather had taken ill. Remembering the day Brett had left, Megan became sad. It was as if it had happened yesterday. Good-byes were painful and Megan hated saying the word more than anything in the world.
She was losing a friend and a cousin, who was more like a brother. To make matters worse, Megan was envious that Brett was leaving southern California for the rugged country of Wyoming while she was stuck.
“Stuck, as in college,” Megan harshly spoke. “This summer’s exactly what I need to clear my mind of anxieties, questions, and feelings of gloom and despair.”
Megan remembered the day Brett called offering her a job. In the middle of a nervous breakdown she found Brett’s deep smooth voice calming. No thought was given before she blurted, “yes”. And here she was, 18 years old and on the road to freedom.
Honeysuckle tickled her nose as she ventured up the curvy and mountainous roads that lead from Carlton to the ranch. Laughing and beginning to feel more normal, Megan dreamed about winter in Wyoming. Snow covered trees and a white ground. Snowmen, snowball fights, then hot cocoa loaded with tiny marshmallows while sitting in front of a roaring fire. “Sounds heavenly.”
Megan was dizzy with excitement. Suddenly her smile turned to a frown. “Quit dreaming. You’ll be in California dealing with classes. Then again…”
Megan’s thoughts and dreams had carried her the rest of the journey. Circle M Ranch was straight ahead. Megan drove through the open wrought iron fence that had a big M in the middle of a circle. “Why do I feel as if I’m driving into the past?” Megan thought. “I can’t picture Brett, blond, blue-eyed football star who had so many girlfriends that I had to remind him who was who, being a cowboy. Living away from civilization.” Then Megan snickered. “Of course, cowboys did like their women.”
With a deep breath Megan drove down the dirt lane stirring up dust. Having left the roof down on her car, the inside was no longer clean. For once, Megan didn’t mind. She was happy to be here, away from congestion, school, and all her worries.
Despite her happiness and it being a perfect day with blue sky and bright shining sun, Megan was scared. New experiences, especially meeting people, made her uncomfortable. What if they don’t like me? What if I don’t make any friends? What if I do make friends and then have to say good-bye at the end of summer? Am I doing the right thing?
“Enough,” she yelled. “Brett will take care of you. Enjoy yourself.”
After parking her car Megan sauntered to the corral to watch the horses frolic. The smell of horses and fresh-cut grass reminded Megan of the days she had lived in Virginia, before moving to California.
As she watched the men working—feeding horses, cleaning stalls, and repairing buildings, Megan was shocked. The men did their jobs calmly. Their voices and laughter rang like church bells throughout the corral saying that they enjoyed their jobs.
No one was in a hurry to go to a meeting, or rushing home to make dinner and then head back to the office. Everything was peaceful. Exactly the way Megan needed it. Her hectic course load and unanswered questions about her future had Megan crazed like a wild horse that had suddenly been penned in. This summer would provide her with the long break she needed and hopefully answers to her questions. “Being around horses will help me to enjoy the days and put my thoughts in order.”
Out of the corner of her eye Megan spied a grayish white mare slowly moving towards her. Reaching her hand out the mare nuzzled her, blowing warm air from her nostrils onto Megan’s hand. Megan petted her and became one with the horse. Engrossed in this horse and the surroundings Megan never heard the footsteps.
“Nobody makes friends with Misty. She’s a bad one. You must have a special touch, young lady.”
Startled, Megan turned to see who was speaking to her in a deep throaty voice. She knew it wasn’t Brett. Standing in front of her was a cowboy who had stepped out of the old west into today. He was dressed in jeans, a denim shirt, a red bandana tied around his neck, an old brown cowboy hat, and a pair of brown boots that looked to be permanently attached to his feet.
Pushing his hat off his forehead he said, “Howdy. I’m Charlie Watson, foreman at Circle M. You must be Megan. Brett’s told us a lot about you.”
“Great,” Megan groaned. “I can imagine what he said.”
“It was all good. I assure you that, ma’am,” he said with an exaggerated western accent.
Megan tried her hardest not to laugh, but this was the first time she had seen a “real” cowboy up close. Charlie was only a few inches taller than Megan, had a furry mustache which covered most of his upper lip, and his dark brown eyes danced with laughter.
Megan felt that she’d enjoy working with him, if she lost some of her shyness. Clearing her throat she said, “Where’s Brett? I’d like to say hi and get settled.”
“He’s probably in the kitchen bothering Tracy. She’s my wife of twenty years and the best biscuit shooter in these here parts. Brett’s constantly stealing food. I’m surprised he still has fingers after all the times Tracy has smacked him. But she loves him like a son.”
Megan looked to the house and Charlie said, “Go around the left side and you’ll find a side door. Go in and you’ll find Brett with his fingers in the pot on the stove. If I were a betting man I’d put a wager on it.” He tipped his hat and headed towards the barn.
“Biscuit shooter? Howdy? Ma’am? I think I have stepped into the old west.” Megan shook her head. “Actually I could get used to this.”
Megan smiled as she took another look before walking to the house, which was a rustic log house with cedar shingles, dormers, and a wrap-around porch. Log furniture and a porch swing invited weary riders to relax and enjoy the shade while sipping on a cool glass of lemonade. Plus a place to sit and watch the millions of stars overhead.
No one understood why a hard working and ambitious girl wasted time staring at stars. Megan never tried to explain, but in her mind she always replied, “It’s my way of relaxing. A time to think about all that has been happening. They don’t understand that I don’t wish on stars. I gave up on that many years ago. Just like believing in Santa Claus.”
Megan started feeling blue when she suddenly spotted Brett walking towards her. Her mood lifted higher than the soaring eagles in the sky. She was amazed to see her cousin dressed like a cowboy. He was wearing an old Stetson, faded jeans, which fit his rugged muscular body very well, a denim shirt, and cowboy boots. Everything looked like Brett except the hat and boots.
Megan never found him all that attractive, but dressed like this she could understand why women threw themselves at Brett.
“ ‘Bout time you got here?” Brett yelled. “Trip okay? Any problems? How were Mom and Dad when you left? Better call and tell them you made it. So, what do you think of Circle M?”
“Geez, Brett. No hug or hello before the twenty questions?” Megan playfully glared at him. Same old Brett, she thought. A cousin who acts more like an overprotective brother.
“Sorry.” Brett grabbed Megan and gave her a bear hug. “Now, what do you think?”
A little kid in a grown man’s body. Megan hoped he never outgrew his childhood. “It’s super. Better than I ever imagined. I could live here the rest of my life and never grow tired of it.”
“Yeah, right. By the end of August you’ll be so grateful to go back to college. The easy stuff. Because as I already told you it’s not easy working on a ranch. Don’t think because you’re related to the boss that it will be easy. If anything I’ll be the toughest on you.” Brett winked at Megan.
Megan nodded, having already accepted the fact that the work would be tough. But she needed it and wanted it. Then she’d know which path to take when summer came to an end.
As the two walked around and Brett showed Megan the guest quarters that were like mini log cabins and the bunkhouse where the ranch hands slept, Megan asked, “Where did you find Charlie Watson? He’s quite a character.”
Throwing his head back and laughing Brett said, “Grandpa found him. He was the son of a friend and always getting into trouble. Grandpa hired him and straightened him out. When Charlie graduated high school Grandpa hired him full time. He’s the best foreman Circle M has ever had. Hope he never leaves.”
Megan noticed a far off look in Brett’s silvery blue eyes. He must be thinking about his grandfather. Wish I had met the man, Megan thought.
They walked a ways before either spoke. Taking in the beauty was overwhelming, and Megan felt her senses come alive. She became intoxicated as the crisp clean air pushed out the smog embedded in her nose. When she heard the animals she looked to see if any were standing beside her. The vast openness and majestic landscape caused Megan to have goose bumps despite it being a warm day. This was nothing like Virginia or California. Wyoming was a place all its own.
“You know, Brett. I thought you were foolish for giving up a four-year scholarship to play football at the college of your choice. But now that I’m here I do believe you made the right choice.” Then Megan thought, if Brett didn’t go to college then I don’t have to finish. So I won’t become a vet. I can still work with horses. What would be so bad about that?
“Earth to Megan. Hello. Is anyone home?” Brett playfully tapped on Megan’s head.
“Stop it. We are not kids, so stop acting like one,” Megan said while trying to hit Brett, but he took off running.
“Last one to the corral is horse manure,” Brett yelled.
Megan knew she had no chance of catching him on foot, but on horseback she was a shoo in. When she reached the fence she said in a ragged breath, “Okay, cheater. Next time we race on horses. Then we’ll see who’s waiting at the finish line.” Megan held her hand out for Misty.
“Hi, girl,” Megan said gently and soothingly so as to not spook the horse. “Good girl. Want a carrot?”
Misty nudged her and Megan took the carrot Brett had been holding. From the side Megan saw Brett looking at her quizzically while Misty ate the carrot out of her hand.
“What?” Megan barked as she glanced towards Brett.
“I can’t believe you.” Brett shook his head. “What did you do? Misty doesn’t like people, whether she knows them or not. She doesn’t get along with the other horses very well either.”
“Looks like we have a lot in common, me and her. She can sense that I don’t get along with strangers either. I don’t expect anything from her or she of me.”
Megan laughed. “Remember the first time we met. I was ten and you were sixteen. Seems like ages ago. Suddenly you were going from only child status to having a cousin living with you. To top it off I was a girl. But it didn’t bother you. Instead of giving me a rough time or ignoring me you welcomed me with open arms. And then in a short period of time you began picking on me, like an older brother.”
“Yeah, well by the time you arrived I had built up sixteen years worth of jokes and teasing. Hope I didn’t scar you for life.”
“No,” Megan laughed, then immediately turned somber like a flick of the switch. She had never attended high school dances, gone to a slumber party, or gone on a date, but Brett had helped her have a somewhat normal teenage life. It had always been easier to distance herself from friendships, just in case she’d have to say good-bye. And there was too much heartache in that. Even though she had tried to maintain her distance from Brett for fear of losing him she couldn’t stay away. He was like a piece of cat hair that sticks to your sweater.
“What’s got you looking sad? Thinking about your Mom and Dad?” Brett asked lovingly.
“Sort of. A lot has been on my mind lately. Too many things to figure out and decide,” Megan said, sighing. “How did you know this is how you wanted to spend your life?” Megan asked, needing to know.
“You’ll laugh. On second thought you’re probably the only one who would understand.” Brett winked. “Every summer from the time I was eight years old I had spent here. Grandpa thought when I was a teenager I wouldn’t want to give up my friends to spend the summers with him. Boy was he wrong. Nothing can explain how I feel when I’m out here breaking horses, helping a mare to foal, meeting all the guests. So many things that don’t seem like work,” Brett said, smiling.
“Do you realize how many hearts you broke when you left for the summer and then for good?” Megan teased.
“Well, there’s a few women around Carlton I chase.”
Same old Brett. Megan laughed, throwing her head back, feeling the warm sun on her face. This was the life she had dreamed of and was now going to experience. Even if it was just for the summer.
Brett continued, “When Grandpa offered me a full-time job after I graduated high school I wasn’t about to turn him down. That’s one reason I asked you to join us this summer; knew you couldn’t resist. Plus you’ll meet Dr. Wrangler, vet. He’s offered to answer all your ten zillion questions. You still need to know everything about everything, right?” Brett lightly punched Megan on the arm.
Shaking her head Megan reveled in what Brett had said. She had never known Brett to be “romantic” in the old west way. He never watched westerns or read books about horses or the west. Guess he wanted the real thing and not some Hollywood version of it, Megan thought.
Brett said his “see ya, later,” and sauntered off to do his afternoon chores. Megan had offered to help, but Brett told her to relax instead. It was the only day she could relax before she returned to school at the end of August.
Megan attached, “If I return,” in her mind. With the way she felt today she might never leave Wyoming
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