7 comments/ 28231 views/ 24 favorites Palomino Ch. 01 By: LadyRoscoe Wesley whistled sharply to his dogs after checking the cows recently brought down from the high winter pasture. "'ere dogs! C'mon!" The little Corgi dogs raced across the field and dodged between his mount's legs. The horse nickered a bit in irritation and danced backward, snorting as the dogs ran across the main yard toward the barn where they'd get their supper when Wesley was finished looking after the horses. "Easy, girl." He patted the horse's neck gently before guiding her through the gate. A cloud of dust on the main road drew him up. "Whoa girl..." He shaded his eyes and squinted in the direction of the vehicle. None of the hands had gone to town while he was out, had they? Lacey King's Mercedes convertible slowed some on the gravel road as she approached the great expanse of ranch that she had known as a child, when her mother had been married to her natural father, Bill, aka William King, owner of the King Ranch. But he died just a few short months ago, leaving the well-established and well-known ranch in the name of his only heir. Blue eyes looked at the sprawling ranch house that began to take form in the distance behind the shield of dark sunglasses as blonde hair whipped around her face. She had simply come out to tie up some loose ends before heading back to the city. She hadn't been on a ranch in years and didn't know the first thing about owning one, much less running one. Wesley Hardigan had been foreman on the King ranch for six years now. He had six hands beneath him, and he did old man King's paperwork and business deals. It'd been a heart break for the whole ranch when the old man passed. The grief was still strong amongst the workers, but there was work to be done and lots of it. Wesley's eyes narrowed on the convertible thing that clearly didn't belong out here. Some city schmuck probably lost out on the back roads; probably took a wrong turn back at the frontage road several miles back. He clucked his tongue to his horse and turned her head for the main house, urging her into a quick trot. The dogs barked behind him as he hadn't taken his normal route straight to the barn and raced across the lot to "race" the horse and zoomed past her to jump up on the deck of the main porch. Turning onto the long driveway that clearly took her to the main house instead of branching off in the different directions to barns or leading off the property, it was clear that Lacey's convertible was headed for the main house. Waving her hand in front of her face, she coughed a bit, wishing she had come with the top up. She had all but forgotten the dust this road stirred up and muttered over why her father had never paved the roads out here. Turning her head a bit, she could see someone riding up to the old-Spanish style house with the red-tiled roof and smiled a bit at the horse he rode. She had, even though living in the city for the past 14 years, never lost her love for horses. Pulling up into the circular drive in front of the large front porch, she smiled to see the elderly housekeeper, Caroline Lord, step out to meet her arrival, killing the car with a quick grin and wave of her hand. Carol was out on the porch, hushing the dogs' barking racket. Wesley's sharp whistle shushed them immediately and their ears perked as they looked at the foreman. "Sprout! Tick! C'mere, ya mongrels!" Sprout didn't want to listen and jumped off the porch as the car came to a halt, bouncing and barking up a storm, his bobbed tail just wagging frantically. It took Tick a moment to decide not to obey too and went to join the other dog. Wesley growled and grabbed the saddle horn as he stood in the stirrups and stepped down. "Tick! Sprout! Ya mangy mutts! C'mere!" Lacey stepped out of the car, sweeping her wind-blown hair back with a slender hand, the gleam of her watch catching in the sunlight as she beamed up at Caroline. "Caroline Lord! It's been ages!" she gushed, eyeing the dogs momentarily before rushing towards the porch, met half-way by the small, tanned older woman, embracing at the bottom of the steps in a tight hug before Caroline pulled back with a loving smile, looking over the girl that had blossomed into a lovely young woman. "Lacey King ... where have you been all these years? We've missed seeing you around here." Wesley whistled again sharply at the dogs that followed the woman, yapping at her. Finally he got their attention and snapped at them, pointing toward the barn. They lowered their heads a bit at his sharp reprimand. "Git!" The dogs half obeyed, at least shutting up for the time being and slunk up onto the porch to lay down, their tongues hanging out. Had they had longer tails, the tails would've shaken their whole bodies with the wiggles. Wesley dusted himself off and pulled his old beat-in hat from his head, running his fingers through his hair to make himself somewhat presentable. He hadn't expected company or he would've come in earlier and cleaned up some before Carol put dinner on the table. He eyed the old housekeeper. The woman was prone to keeping secrets. This clearly wasn't just some city shmuck lost out on their roads. Both of the women's gazes seemed to move to the foreman at the same time as Caroline interlocked her arm in Lacey's. Lacey was almost a head taller than the older woman but it was clear who was in charge. Caroline was used to telling lots of people what to do and when to do it. Lacey's free hand moved up to remove her sunglasses, pushing them to the top of her head to reveal expressive blue eyes that met the foreman's as Caroline spoke. "Lacey, I don't believe you've ever met Wesley. He joined on a while after you left." She smiled, walking the younger woman closer to the foreman and spoke again. "Wesley, this is Lacey. Bill's only daughter who has spent entirely too much time away from home." Wesley was still agitated with the old woman, his eyes locked on hers a moment too long to make her know just how irritated he was with her. Not that it did any good. Probably the only person he'd accept orders from, other than old man King, was Caroline, and that was because the old woman ruled with an iron fist. After a moment, he regarded the younger woman. He hadn't noticed her when he was reprimanding the dogs to get them to shut the hell up and leave her alone. The blue of her eyes was shocking, the blonde hair, clear skin, general curvature of her form. It took him a moment to find his voice and he tilted his head and removed his hat in cordial greeting. "Ma'am," he said simply as he held his hand out to shake hers. Lacey smiled genuinely, her blue eyes seeming to take in the rugged foreman's tall, lean, but hard frame. He was every inch a cowboy, but lacking the rough, weathered look that sometimes aged men like him way before their time. Yet, she couldn't place his age either. It was obvious that he was exactly the kind of man she had avoided since leaving Wyoming; the only kind of man that truly caught her eye. She was too busy with her job as an up and coming editor of a top-notch modeling magazine to date. Her eyes roamed him once again as she reached for his hand, her smaller one dwarfed in his larger one as she spoke in a soft voice, "Nice to meet you, Wesley." His grip was firm and weathered, very callused from rough work. He squeezed her hand firmly. He nodded and ran his fingers through his hair before replacing his hat now that the formalities were through with. He did this all naturally. "Pleasure's all mine, Ma'am". His voice rumbled deep in his chest. Caroline smiled a knowing smile as she watched the two of them and then retook Lacey's arm as she explained to Wesley, "Lacey works for Metropolitan magazine in New York City. Up and left us years a go with her mother and hasn't had enough good sense to come home until now." She smiled as Lacey laughed and shook her head and then looked at Wesley with a firm but loving frown. "I expect you are going to put that horse up and come eat dinner with us in a timely fashion?" It took a bit of effort to pull his eyes from Lacey. Now that the beauty had a name, he'd been assessing her a bit more. He frowned at Carol's question. "I'm always on time." Caroline smiled and winked at him good-naturedly, knowing she was going to irritate the hell out of him now that she could sense his distraction with her younger charge. "Good ... we'll meet you in the dining room then," she teased before she led Lacey away. Lacey smiled apologetically over her shoulder, having forgotten how downright bossy Caroline could be. Soon enough Wesley had turned the old mare out to pasture after washing her down and watering her. He fed the bossy dogs before going to the water faucet to wash up some. He took the towel from draping over the handle and wet it to wash his face and neck. He unbuttoned his shirt cuffs as he washed his hands and arms of the dirt and muck that clung to his sweaty skin in the day. With one last dust-down he put his hat back on his head and draped the towel back over the faucet. It'd have to do. With a glance to his watch, he noted he was a few minutes late for supper ... so much for being on time. He traipsed across the lot and up onto the porch. Using the boot brush he knocked some of the dirt that clung to the worn leather. Instantly he reached up to take his hat off again as he entered. Carol fussed if the men wore hats in the house. Lacey wandered the house she grew up in as a child as Caroline went into the kitchen to ensure dinner was being put on the table on time. She and Bill and Wesley ate at the same time every night for the past six years. Wesley stuck to their routine after Bill had passed away. It was normal. And he couldn't cook a can of beans if he wanted to. Lacey looked up from a photo of her father and Caroline as Wesley walked in the door, Caroline's voice beating any kind of greeting she might have, "I was wondering if you were waiting on an engraved invitation." Lacey couldn't help but grin at Wesley's irritation as she set the photo down. As much as he loved Caroline, she had a habit of getting under his skin, and she did it so quick and so easy. He wasn't quick to anger, but over the years Carol had mastered the art. He looked at Lacey. He wasn't accustomed to another woman in the household. He hadn't forgotten she was here, but she was out of place. The slight nervousness showed in him as he took his normal chair. Bill's chair was left empty since he'd passed away. Nobody had taken the head of the table. Lacey purposely left her Father's chair empty as they were seated. She did it out of a deep-rooted respect for her father and the love she knew Caroline still harbored for him. Caroline's soft voice prayed, "Father, we offer thanks for this day and the blessings given us in it. Please bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies and we thank you for the safe arrival of our long-lost sheep." Lacey opened one eye to peek over at Caroline with one eyebrow cocked to see if she was goading her on purpose, but only a small smile was noted on Caroline's lips before one simple word followed, "Amen." As they ate, Wesley looked at Lacey a little closer. He didn't seem to be able to pull his eyes from her from the second he'd met her. She was something new, very pretty, and very intriguing. He'd heard Bill talk about his daughter in New York City. He'd seen pictures of her when she was younger. In person she was so much prettier. Caroline's sweet accent filled the silence as she talked about the ranch, catching Lacey up on this and that. Most of it was going in one ear and out the other as Lacey ate daintily, like a city-raised woman would. She felt Wesley's gaze on her and lifted her eyes to meet his, a small smile flirting with her moist, full lips. Caroline chatted away. Wesley was gorgeous, in this rugged outdoorsy way, much different from the men she knew in NYC. There was not an ounce of fat on him, and not because he spent hours in the gym, but because of his continued work outdoors, the way a man should be. There was no one like him in the city and it saddened her a bit to know that she wouldn't get a chance to get to know him better. "... when you move out here permanently," Caroline finally paused for breath. Lacey's head snapped around. "Wh -what? What do you mean?" she asked with furrowed brows. Wesley chuckled at the presumptuous Caroline. He'd listened quietly. He was never a man of many words. Carol usually did all the talking anyway... not that anybody could get a word in edgewise when she got started. "Now Lacey King ... don't you go acting like you haven't a lick of common sense in your pretty little head," Caroline retorted. "You know exactly what I mean." Lacey set her fork down and shook her head, "I think you've misunderstood, Caroline. I'm not staying. I don't know the first thing about owning or running a ranch and you know it!" Caroline snorted as she took a bite of mashed potatoes and then jerked her head slightly towards Wesley. "You have the perfect teacher sitting right across from you. Isn't that right, Wes?" she said, dragging him into the conversation. He lifted his attention, "What?" He set his knife down and reached for a napkin to wipe his mouth. Caroline pursed her lips somewhat irritably and her chest puffed up like a hen. The man was almost as irritating as Bill had been. "Lacey needs to learn about running a ranch ... the ins and outs of what it is all about. You are the perfect person to teach her all about it." Wesley's face blanched at the idea and he took in the city-slicker of a woman. He was no teacher; never had been. He was a do'er... to get things done, rather than dilly-dally with the b.s. of not having it done right. "I'm no instructor, Carol..." he said almost weakly then reached for his glass to down the iced tea. "Nonsense," Carol retorted. "Lacey, you can start in the morning by riding out with the men and get a good look around the ranch again. It's been too long, and like it or not, this place IS yours now," she said. Lacey's jaw dropped. "W-wait a minute, Carol ... I ... I haven't ridden in years, " she replied in a somewhat unsure voice. "Heavens, Lacey ... it's like riding a bike. I'm sure Wes can find you a suitable mount. Besides, you'll enjoy it. You've spent too much time inside." Wesley growled in irritation and set his glass down again with a loud clunk, ice rattling against the glass. "Now waitaminute, Carol." His voice was stiff, tense. One thing he wouldn't stand for is a house keeper bossing around where her nose didn't belong. Anything beyond the barn and the fence wasn't hers to meddle with. Period. That was his and his hands' business. "We've got work ta do tomorra'" Caroline's eyes sparkled mischievously. "You could always use an extra hand ... Lacey's got two good ones. Besides, she needs to know what goes on around the ranch." Wesley growled again and pushed back from the table. He'd suddenly lost his appetite. Carol had crossed a line, and the old woman knew she had. He reached down and retrieved his hat before standing from the table. "We've got work ta do tomorra', Carol." "You're short a hand with Tate breaking his leg a couple of days ago ... you're hurting for two extra hands, and Lacey's got 'em." Wesley couldn't deny it. Caroline's face lit up with a knowing smile. The old woman was pushing too hard. She'd already crossed the line, now she was diving over it head first. "We've got work ta do tomorra'. Checkin' calves." He said it evenly, as if to impress the point on the woman to shut the heck up. Lacey reached over to lay her hand on Caroline's arm, quickly interjecting, "Caroline ... I have a conference call I have to make back at the magazine tomorrow. There's no way I could ride out with them in the morning. There's just not." Caroline's expression darkened the foreman's stubborn nature kicked in. She knew she had to get Lacey to stay somehow and getting her involved in the ranch was the only way to do it. Wesley put his hat on to make the point that he was leaving absolutely clear. It would irk Carol too. Hats in the house were just something she fussed over all the time. He tipped his hat to Lacey. "Ma'am." he said gently then looked back at Carol and nodded to her stiffly. "Goodnight, Carol." He was ending the conversation now, before the woman pushed his buttons and he exploded right there at the dinner table Caroline frowned heavily as she watched Wesley stride confidently out the door. "Want to tell me what that was all about?" Lacey asked, looking to the older woman as she sat back in her chair, one eyebrow lifting. After her anger simmered, Caroline put on a charming smile and reached over to pat her hand gently. "Not to worry, my dear. Wes and I have... an understanding." Lacey laughed. "You haven't changed a bit, Caroline. I get the feeling that you get a perverse pleasure out of irritating the men around you," she teased. But there was this part of her that wished she was going to see the handsome cowboy in the morning, all the same. "Who? Wes? Nah. He's a big softy. Just doesn't show it much. You show up to work tomorrow, he'll put ya to work." She sat back and looked at Wesley's half-eaten supper. "I wish he had eaten more. Stubborn cuss." She sighed and picked up her own fork. "I'll take it to him after we eat. He's still hungry. Never leaves food on his plate, usually." Glancing to Caroline and then Wesley's plate, the words tumbled out of her mouth before she realized what she had offered, "Want me to take it to him?" Carol looked up from her meal. "That's a fine idea. He's in the foreman's house down the way ... big thing. Way too big for one man... but that's just me. I'm usually the one who ends up cleaning it. The man can't clean or cook for nothin'." Once dinner was over and Caroline had packed Wesley's dinner with some extra helpings and covered it with foil, Lacey found herself walking down the dimly lit walkway towards the foreman's house. The Wyoming sky was littered with millions of brilliant stars and she found herself on the front porch with a suddenly nervous sigh, lifting her hand to knock on the door as she balanced the heaping plate on her other hand. A dog barked from inside and there was scratching on the door, whines and whimpers until the porch light was flipped on from the inside. "Hush Sprout." Wesley opened the door to peer out. He'd almost snapped, thinking it was Carol, but he was brought up short when he saw Lacey at the door. His eyes narrowed a bit, then he relaxed and opened the door, pushing the screen door open. Sprout slipped out when given the chance, sniffing at the woman's ankles then pushing against her for attention. "Can I help ya, Ma'am?" Lacey smiled nervously before offering the heaping plate of food. "You forgot something." He took the plate with a grateful nod and pushed the door open wider. "C'mon Sprout ... in the house. Care to come in?" Lacey was tempted to agree to his offer, but then Caroline would be winning at her little game, and offered him a smile and a small shake of her head instead. "You've got dinner to eat and I'm actually on my way out for a walk. I won't keep you from eating any longer than you already have." "Don't get lost walkin' around here. There's no lights to guide ya back," He warned gently. It wasn't an insult, just a plain, fair warning. Lacey miled gently and nodded in farewell as she stepped off the porch and headed towards the barn, feeling his eyes on her backside as she silently chastised herself from walking away from an opportunity to get to know him better. But she wasn't staying ... no, she couldn't stay. She didn't belong on a ranch ... not anymore. Wesley let the screen door close. He reached to flip the light off, then thought better of it. She might need the light when she got turned around. Out here there really were no lights. Palomino Ch. 01 Just land, and God, Bill had always said. He watched the woman probably longer than he should have. She was a nice li'l something to look at, that was for sure. He chastised himself and closed his door, looking down at Sprout who was waggling around, begging for his dinner. "What ya think, Sprout? Think I should take 'er out tomorra'?" The dog just barked and wagged his little bobbed tail, his whole rear end waggling and Wes just chuckled. "Ya just wan' steak. I know you." Palomino Ch. 02 The next morning, Lacey was up at her regular time, dressed in running shorts and a tank top, blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail as she headed out for her daily morning run. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon. She was intent on seeing at least part of the ranch, following the trails she remembered from her childhood days, arriving back at the main house, hands on her hips as she slowly approached the front porch, breathing heavily and wiping her forehead. Caroline met her out front. "Good morning!" Wesley slipped behind Caroline, the storm door clacking lazily closed behind him. He slid his hat onto his head as he stepped down off the porch. He was clean looking for now; newly washed shirt, clean jeans. That wouldn't last long, though, with the day's coming work. He glanced to Lacey and half-smiled. It was a rather crooked smile, like part of his lips didn't want to complete the gesture. He tipped his hat to her "Mornin' Ma'am. Thank ye fer breakfast, Carol. Mighty fine." he said as headed off for the barn. Lacey flushed as Wesley walked by and then offered him a smile. "Morning," she called back before catching a glimpse of Caroline who was jerking her head toward the barn and the retreating form of Wesley, giving Lacey a look like she should follow. Lacey just shook her head quickly in disagreement, thinking she needed a shower, not another attempt to go where she wasn't welcome. Carol's eyes darkened at the girl's stubbornness and put her hands on her hips. "Ye stubborn thing, you. Go change and git yer pretty little behind to the barn. He was just sayin' this mornin' he was short-handed." Lacey sighed heavily as she mounted the steps and stopped beside the older woman and watched the retreating form of Wesley, placing both hands on her hips as her breathing finally regulated. "If he wanted me to help, he'd ask ... besides, what if I just get in the way?" "No... he won't ask. Just the way he is. And ye wouldn't be in the way. Ain't hard to check calves." Lacey warred with herself, but finally resolution took over her beautiful features and she hurriedly ran into the house and bound up the stairs to her bedroom where she donned worn jeans and a pair of boots she had brought for riding, shrugging a long-sleeved shirt on. She washed her face hurriedly and shoved some lip balm into her pocket. She applied a bit of deodorant and a small amount of mascara before dashing back down the stairs, checking her watch to see how much time she had. She could hear Caroline chuckling in the kitchen. This was crazy ... he'd probably be furious that she showed up, but she couldn't help the natural curiosity she had of the ranch, her burning desire to ride again, and if she were honest with herself, she had to see him again. Wesley and three of the hands were saddling up their horses. Two were cutting horses, the other two were just plain work horses. Wes was saddling up a nice tri-colored paint mare. He brushed through her mane and fed her a couple sugar cubes as a treat. When he heard footsteps behind him he turned to look over his shoulder, smiling when he saw Lacey. "Was wonderin' if you'd show up." Lacey smiled genuinely as she stopped beside him and turned her attention the mare, letting her sniff her hand before gently rubbing her forehead and smoothing her forelock. "I figured you wouldn't be happy about me just showing up." Wesley handed her the reigns to the mare's bridle. "'ere. Get on." Had she looked around, she would have noticed five horses had been saddled. He'd saddled one for her too, as if he knew she'd come along regardless of what he said. "She's an old pack mare... Bill used 'er for hunting trips. She'll fall right in behind the herd." Lacey frowned as he handed her the reins and looked at the mare. She could ride better than just an old pack mare, even though it had been a while. But instead of arguing, she rubbed on the mare a bit more before moving to her side and mounted effortlessly as if she had just done this yesterday, settling into the saddle as the other hands looked on curiously. She looked pretty natural in the saddle for a city-slicker, Wesley mused. He pulled her boot from the stirrup and lifted the skirt to adjust the length for her. He'd guessed her size pretty well, but they were still slightly long. "Ye get ridin' lessons in the city 'er what?" Lacey tucked her leg back, giving him room to work as she rubbed the base of the mare's mane just above the withers, giving it an affectionate shake before gazing down at him. "No ... I haven't ridden in years but I used to know every inch of this ranch like the back of my hand," Then added with a soft smile, "from the back of a horse, believe it or not." He chuckled and rounded to the other side, adjusting the stirrup for her and patted her boot. Then he lifted the hem of her jeans and ran his thumb across the lacings and looked up at her. "What are these?" He grinned teasingly Lacey couldn't help but smile down at him as he teased her. Okay, so her boots were in style, but they were still boots, all the same, and her feet were used to them. She knew better than to show up with brand new boots and then not be able to walk the next day. "I thought we had work to do?" she teased back, taking some of the attention off her as she glanced up, seeing the men's stares as they talked quietly amongst themselves and she had no doubt, she was the topic of their conversations. Wesley chuckled and let her be. He turned to his own mount, a beautiful buckskin quarter horse. He pulled himself into the saddle effortlessly and sat lightly in the saddle. The gelding threw his head with a snort. Clearly he wanted to get going, bouncing from one foot to another. He had the saddle on... it was time for work, according to him! Wesley took the reigns and pulled him in a bit. The other hands filed out of the barn, headed for the main pasture. As they rode, Wesley kept back to ride beside Lacey. This irritated his mount. He wanted to be up front. That was his place. He stamped and snorted the whole way, but Wesley kept a firm hand on him to keep him in line. Lacey watched Wesley and the beautiful horse that he was riding out of the corner of her eye as she urged her mare to follow along, her legs gently squeezing before immediately releasing when the mare responded. As they rode, she couldn't stop the smile that stayed on her face. As much as she claimed to be a city girl, it was apparent that she was a natural on horseback. The only thing she regretted was not having a more spirited mount and the ability to just ... go. It had been too long since she had ridden like the wind, carefree and as one with her horse. He rode quietly, until he decided the silence was too much. The hands ahead were chattering to one another and were glancing over their shoulders back at Wes and Lacey. "So... didja drive all the way from New York?" Lacey glanced over at him and smiled gently as their mounts seemed to move together once his settled down some. "No, actually. I flew in and then rented the car. I don't like to drive THAT much." She saw the looks the men were giving her and Wesley and she hoped she wasn't inconveniencing him too much by coming along. "How long have you worked on the ranch?" she asked gently, the question giving her a good excuse to look at him again, her eyes never tiring of seeing the rugged handsome features. "Been nearly seven years now. Started workin' as a hand... then I took the Foreman position when it opened up." Lacey's thoughts turned to her father for a moment, a wistful sigh escaping her lips. It had been years since she had seen him, even though they had kept in touch over the phone. Her mother had conveniently forgotten to tell her about the funeral until it had passed. Reaching up, she brushed back a loose strand of blonde hair that had worked free from her ponytail and then glanced at him again before speaking. "I really have no idea how to run a ranch, Wesley. But my father loved this place and he wanted me to have it. I need you to keep doing whatever it is that you are doing and be patient with me." Wesley chuckled and reigned in his mount again, the animal getting a bit frisky and taking leisure where he found loopholes to boss his rider around. Wes just kept a firm hand on him to be sure he knew who was really boss. "I've practically run this ranch the six years I've been Foreman, Miss King. I ain't gonna let it slip through the cracks just 'cause you come truckin' back into town. Don't you worry." Lacey laughed and nodded, wanting to ride ... to really ride, but she had a feeling that even if she had urged the horse beneath her with everything she had, the mare probably wouldn't do more than trot. The mountains in the background made everything picturesque and much like a postcard. Just like she remembered as a girl. She truly enjoyed being on the ranch again, but knew that eventually, she would have to go back to New York. She absently wondered if the man riding beside her would even notice when she was gone. The herd was in sight now. There was a sharp whistle from up ahead and the two herders moved to fan out to either side. The dogs that ran alongside the group burst into action and fanned wider to the sides to bring in the strays and group them together. Lacey's head snapped back forward as she felt her mare move with the others and she allowed the mare to do what it was that she knew to do, blue eyes looking to Wesley as he pulled away from her to do his job. She chastised herself for even imagining that he would be thinking about her when he had so much to do here on the ranch. Instead of letting her thoughts get away with her regarding the handsome foreman, she instead, threw herself into trying to at least be help instead of a hindrance. The hands didn't hesitate putting Lacey to work. They called to her, telling her what she needed to do. They proceeded, one by one, to cut the half-sized calves from their mothers to check them, to make sure the rings had held and done their job on the little bulls, that the ear tags were clean, and they weren't sick. The mamas didn't seem to care for this much. They argued and tried to bully the cutters into leaving the babies alone, but the men worked with precision and unyielding stubbornness. Lacey worked hard, throwing herself into the task and the beauty of being outdoors and back on the ranch, temporarily forgetting the fascination she felt for the foreman. By mid-day, she had gained the men's respect for her persistence. When they stopped for a short lunch brought to by the ranch cook on the back of a 4-Wheeler, one of Wesley's top hands plopped down next to him lazily. "I was just thinking how much Miss Lacey resembles a palomino ... beautiful AND hard working." Wesley looked at Lance out the corner of his eyes and chuckled. He'd been watching Lacey as she flirted incessantly with the other men, and they persistently flirted back just to keep her going. "Yeah... she's pretty tough fer a city-slicker, ain't she?" Lance chuckled, eyeing her as she sat among the other men and chatted with them. "Not bad to look at in a pair of jeans, neither," he grinned, slapping his friend on the back. Wesley grinned. The same thought had crossed his mind several times. "If only they were a bit tighter and she wore a rodeo shirt and hat, eh?" He winked at Lance and licked mustard from his fingers that had oozed from his sandwich. Lance nodded before adding with a cocky grin, "Or just the boots and the hat maybe." He took a bite of his sandwich and then swept his hat off to smooth back his hair before replacing it. Actually, he wouldn't mind seeing her in a little less, but he knew better than to voice those opinions out loud. Wesley just laughed. If any of them was a charmer, it was Lance. He was the classic cowboy from head to toe. A ladies' man and smooth as butter. "When's yer next rodeo, Lance? Ain't it in Casper?" "Yeah ... this weekend. There's a sweet prize purse that's got my name written all over it." Wes downed his iced tea and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Ya need help gettin' yer cuttin' horse down there, or you doin' calf ropin' this time?" Lance's eyes followed Lacey as she rose and started picking up trash, bending over in her jeans to pick up the remnants the other men had left behind. His eyes ran shamelessly over her beautiful curves as he replied, "Ropin' ... but you're coming, aint ya?" He tore his gaze from the beautiful girl to look at his close buddy and boss. Wes couldn't help but watch the woman as she bent over. "Yea... yeah, I'm comin'. Just know you had trouble with 'er last time. Threw 'er head at the barrier, didn't she?" "Yeah," Lance murmured as they both watched the natural sway to Lacey's hips as she moved to the 4-wheeler, depositing trash, a boyish smile plastered across his face as he adjusted himself through his jeans and shook his head. "Damn Wes ... she's sticking around, I hope." Wes chuckled as his friend shifted, noting the deft adjustment and shook his head. "I dunno. She's a city-slicker, Lance. Editor, CEO, top-cookie sumthin' fer some magazine er another." "Well I'll say this for her. She is MUCH better looking that her old man. I'll ride with her any day of the week!" Wesley's face took on an odd expression. "She came to my doorstep last night... brought supper to me. Carol and I had another fuss. As per usual." Lance shot his friend an incredulous look. "She showed up on your doorstep last night?! You lucky bastard ... I'd give my right arm for her to show up at my door at night! What got Caroline going this time?" "Wanted me to bring Miss King along today. Was adamant about it. You know how I am with Carol bossin' me around. I don't stand fer it well." Lance furrowed his brows as he glanced to the woman and then to his friend. "Okay, yeah but ... uhmm, she's here. Looks like Caroline won that argument ... again." He couldn't help but grin good-naturedly as Wesley frowned. Wesley, stood up, dusting himself off and lifted his hat to smooth his hair back before replacing it again. "Does she ever lose?" Lance looked at Lacey again, giving her another once-over. Realization hit him square between the eyes. "She's trying to set you two up." Wesley rocked back on the heels of his boots as if fighting a gust of Wyoming wind and coughed, rubbing his forehead beneath the band of his hat. "No she ain't. She knows better." Lance laughed, standing up himself and hitched his jeans up some, adjusting the worn Wranglers before adjusting himself again, mostly out of habit, thumping the rodeo belt buckle proudly, one that he had won just a couple of weeks ago. He grinned at Wesley, seeing that his friend's gaze was following the girl once again appreciatively. "It wouldn't hurt, ya know. Why don't you let Caroline work her magic?" Wesley took his gaze from the girl to glare at his friend and shook his head no. He adjusted his hat and pulled the brim down a bit. "I ain't never gonna settle down again, Lance. I've told ya that." Lance rolled his eyes some, hearing the same old excuse come out of his friend's mouth. "Y'er pitiful and blind if you pass up a chance to get to know that woman." He looked at his friend seriously for a long moment. "Caroline might just know what she's doing." Then with another slap to his friend's shoulder, he moved to check on his mount before they continued their work day. Wesley sighed as he felt the slap, the words sinking in a little, despite the walls he'd thrown up. The pain still ran deep after all these years. It'd taken him three years alone to remove the wedding band he'd worn since she'd died. It was only recently in the last year or so that he'd made a habit to go with Lance to his rodeos, to go out with the guys for a couple beers now and then, to cut loose and go to church picnics and barn dances and that kind of thing. To even look at a woman was a huge step for him. Lance was right... Lacey was a mighty fine one to look at ... pretty all the way around, and cute as hell in some good jeans. She'd look cuter if they graduated her to a hat... but if she was leaving, he doubted she'd want to spend that kind of money on a good one that would sit in a closet back at home in NYC. He grabbed the reigns of his mount and threw them up over the back of the horse's neck. The gelding side-stepped and danced around, nickering playfully. Wes snorted and swatted him at the withers. "You stay still, you." He grinned and patted him then mounted up. Lacey glanced up as the men started to mount and followed suit, starting to feel the ache of being in and out of a saddle all day but she was not about to start to complain. The men had not only accepted her, but were downright friendly and even flirting with her. Of course, the one she wanted to flirt had barely spoken to her since the ride up here. Reaching down to pat her mare's neck, she adjusted her sore bottom in the saddle and gently urged her mare to join the others as they rode away from the lunch campsite. Glancing to Wesley, she couldn't help but smile before Lance pulled up next to her with a grin and a tip of his hat. Lance took a long moment to look Lacey over closer. He drew his horse right next to her to where their knees were almost touching. He spoke loud enough to be heard, but low enough that nobody else would hear at the same time. "So... how long ya plannin' on stayin' here?" Lacey glanced over at the blonde-haired cowboy and smiled, shrugging her shoulders a bit as they rode side by side. "I don't really know ... my initial plan was to be here a couple of days and head back, but now that I'm here ..." She let her voice fade off, not really sure what her answer was. Being back on the ranch had brought out a longing in her that she hadn't felt since the time after she had been forced to leave with her mother. She loved it here. She loved being on horseback, and even though her ass and thighs screamed out in opposition, she loved working outside and , as much as she didn't want to admit it, being near the rugged man riding ahead of her. Lance pressed on. "Well... there's a rodeo up in Casper this weekend. Wes and I and a couple of the others are headed out Thursday afternoon if you'd like to come along. You can bypass gate fees by bein' a part of the work team." Lacey's blue eyes seemed to twinkle and she nodded in agreement, "I would love to go. It's been ages since I've been to a rodeo!" A grin splattered Lance's face. "A'ight then... I'll add you to our plans. Wes does calf ropin'. Won't make a big fuss over it, but he's damned good at it." He added the shameless plug on his friend's behalf. He'd noticed the two hadn't been able to keep their eyes off one another and he wasn't about to step in on something that might blossom for his buddy. She felt an odd excitement well up inside of her at the thought of cheering on Wesley as he rode and shook her head some to stop from looking and acting like some love-struck schoolgirl. Glancing back at Lance she smiled gently and asked, "What do you do?" Lance grinned some. He'd hoped he'd be able to shine his own buckle for the lady, but he didn't want to seem too upfront about it. "Usually depends on what I've got the entry fee for. Calf ropin's my specialty. Wes and I used to do team ropin' together... back in the day. Bronc ridin'... you name it. Tried my hand at bulls, once... didn't care for it much." Lacey caught Lance's enthusiasm to brag about a sport he obviously loved. "You said that you and Wesley 'used' to team rope together ... you don't anymore?" "Naw. He don't compete no more to speak of. Just rides along for the fun of it. Takes care of the stock and watches, mostly." She nodded in understanding. "How long have you two known each other?" Palomino Ch. 02 "Who? Me 'n Wes?" seeing the woman's nod he smiled. "Me 'n him's been buddies a long long time. Worked on the 4-Winds ranch together down in Riverton a few summers. Then met again at Teton Village durin' round-up. He came up 'ere to work for your daddy. I foller'ed soon as I was able. Been inseparable ever since." Lacey listened to him, a wistful look coming over her face as she suddenly realized the fun she had missed growing up in a place like this instead of the city. Not knowing why, she heard herself ask him, "You think I could stay and actually belong on a ranch like this?" Lance didn't know exactly how to answer that. It took him awhile to find words. "Well... your daddy was a hell of a rancher, Ma'am. It's in your blood." Lacey laughed, shaking off the moment and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess only time will tell," she replied, sorry the words had come tumbling out of her mouth. He must think her a complete idiot for asking him a question like that, and she hushed, riding quietly as the group rode on. Lacey sighed gently as he rode off and shifted in the saddle. Good lord, she was going to be sore as all get out tomorrow. Even now she was looking forward to a hot bath to soothe the aching muscles in her lower back, ass and thighs. The others were starting to turn and head back toward the ranch and she didn't want to be too obvious, sticking around behind to wait on the foreman, turned her mare and headed down after them even as her thoughts lingered on the man that would pull in behind them. They spread and fanned out to take one last check on the herd down in the lower pasture and to check fence. All of this could have been done in trucks and such, but old man King had insisted on running things the "old way with man and horse sweat" That's how the ranch had been run for decades since it'd first been settled. "We gotta get you on a different mount tomorra'" Wesley's deep timbered voice rolled over the ears like sweet honey. Lacey looked back over her shoulder and smiled. "Figured out I'm more advanced than an old hunting hag, didja?" Wesley's face darkened. "I ain't never too sure about city types. Last thing I want is to pick you up after bein' thrown in to cactus." Lacey laughed. They rode silently for a long while. She soon forgot about the dull ache in her thighs as they spread out and searched the land, enjoying herself immensely ... being out in open country, the fresh air filling her lungs, the horse moving between her thighs, the laughter of the men. She could see the ranch house begin to appear in the distance and only then did she start to think about a hot bath all over again. Palomino Ch. 03 Lacey sat perched precariously on the top rung of the metal fence that fenced off the back portion behind the grandstand of the booming rodeo. The initial rodeo entrance parade was over and Lance was re-checking the saddle bindings of his mount. She hadn't seen Wesley in a little while. Her blue gaze shifted from the blonde cowboy to sweep across the crowded area behind the scenes of the western phenomenon. There were cowboys of all kinds running around, milling about with horses and quite honestly, she wouldn't know how to pick Wesley out among them. If she didn't stick close to someone in this group, she was going to get lost and quick! Sighing gently, she tipped her boots down, the heels catching on one of the lower rungs of the metal fence to hold her in place. She felt somewhat out of place back here and wondered if everyone thought she looked ridiculous in the get-up Caroline had dressed her up in; almost like dressing one of her Barbies from childhood to match the other girls milling about and hoped she at least looked the part. Wesley dusted off an old black felt hat as he sat on the tailgate of his truck. He'd parked the trailer and he needed some space out of all the hubbub and people. The leather of the hat band was a little worn and cracked. The silver buckle was tarnished. He tucked his thumb into the sleeve of his shirt and rubbed the metal to bring out the shine a bit. It needed some polish. He'd spent a half hour "brushing" the hat to clean it up and make it look presentable. It hadn't been worn in years. For some reason he'd taken it out of its storage place and brought it along. It was about Lacey's size. He gazed upon the pin that'd been put on the hat band. It was a well earned little jewel of a rodeo queen. He was still wondering if it'd seem too presumptuous to loan the hat to the cute little cowgirl in the making. Lacey slid down from her perch on the top railing of the fence, her loose blonde hair falling around her shoulders with the movement. Lance was busy with his mount and she needed a breath of fresh air. The loud noise was taking some getting used to, but she loved every minute of it. She smiled to Lance as he looked up, seeing her start to wander off. "Now don't go getting lost, Miss Lacey," he grinned at her, giving her an appreciative once over with his eyes. Caroline had done a good job transforming her into a cowgirl with the tight jeans and borrowed boots, and even the shirt that sparkled in the rodeo lights. Lacey smiled at him beautifully and retorted wittily, "How can you get lost in a place like this? I'll just follow the smell and be able to find you again," she teased. Lance grunted and chuckled at the girl's wit and nodded. "A'ight. That'll do." He waved her off and turned back to his work, letting her go about whatever had caught her fancy. Wesley hopped down off the truck and reached with one hand to lift the tailgate and slam it into place. He reached and lifted the handle a bit to let the latch slide into place. The thing had jammed ever since Old Man King had bought the thing off the lot. Again he dusted off the brim of the hat, shaping it a bit with his thumb and headed on back for the grandstands. He almost bumped into Lacey as she stepped outside. He didn't look up much to notice it was her and just stepped back, tipping his hat apologetically. "Pardon me, Ma'am." Lacey gasped softly as she almost plowed into Wesley and then grinned, seeing he hadn't noticed it was her. She chuckled softly before answering him, "So there you are ... I was wondering if you had got lost in a herd of horses." He looked up from beneath the brim of his hat and blinked. "Miss King... ah. Yeah... was parkin' the truck." He motioned in the direction of the lot where he'd parked it. He grinned and looked at the hat in his hand. Now was as good a time as ever. He offered it gently to her. "No cowgirl is a cowgirl without 'er hat." She glanced from his handsome face to the hat offered in his hands and a soft smile bloomed across her lips before dainty hands reached to take the hat from him, turning it in her hands. Looking up at him again, she smiled gently, touched by his thoughtfulness, although she had no clue how to wear one of these. "Thank you, Wesley ... what a thoughtful gesture." She turned the hat again in her hands before lifting it up and pressing it down on her head, tucking her hair behind her ears and then looked to him for a reaction on how it looked. "Do I look completely silly?" He chuckled and reached for the hat to lift it off her head and turn it the right way. It fit her well. He knew it would. "Rounded side always goes to the back... buckle up front. And no... ye look like yer daddy's girl." Lacey laughed, blushing as she realized she had put it on backwards and then smiled at his words. "Thanks Wesley ..." She couldn't bring herself to shorten his name like everyone else had. She knew that life on a ranch was a bit different and that certain things, rights, persay, had to be earned. Tucking her hair back behind her ears again, she glanced up at the brim of the hat that was shoved down on her head and hoped that she didn't stick out like a sore thumb before locking her gaze with his. "I think Lance is about to go out. Want to go watch?" He glanced at his watch and nodded, offering his arm to her. "Yea... we prolly should head inside." As they entered the group of people again, he escorted her through toward where they'd left Lance with his mount. There were all kinds of noises and booming speakers and cheers. The horse was a bit spooked. Her ears kept swiveling this way and that, and then were laid back and she'd bare teeth. Once when another horse jerked near her she threw her head and practically yanked Lance off his feet. Seeing this, Wes let go of Lacey and hurried forward to grab the mare's bridle and yanked her head down rather roughly to control her. "Hey! Hey! Whoa girl.... easy." Wesley was a natural with horses. The instant he was there, he had the mare's attention and she calmed down a bit. Again she tried to throw her head and he swatted her right between the eyes. "Now you listen to me, missy. You behave yerself." He kept a firm grip on the bit as she gnashed it between her teeth and tongue, gazing into those big eyes. "Ya hear me?" Lacey was secretly thrilled when he had offered his arm but it was short-lived as they approached where she had left Lance. Watching quietly, she couldn't help but smile as Wesley quickly worked to calm the horse and then shifted her gaze to Lance where he was caught between anger and embarrassment over the whole ordeal, practically ignoring her as he picked up his hat from the sawdust where it had landed, angrily brushing it off and shoving it back on his head as Wesley took control of the hell-bitch. She was his best roping horse, no doubt but she was a bitch, pure and simple, when she wanted to be. Wesley took a stand-off with the horse for a long time. To him, there was nobody there but him, and the horse. He stared into her eyes and held the bit firmly to keep her from spooking or jumping again. When she tried he simply swatted her on the muzzle to make her step back. When he got fed up with her argumentativeness he tugged the bit down against her teeth and tongue, forcing her head to come down with it. "Ya gonna listen or not, missy? I can do this all night." The mare stamped her foot in irritation and she nickered, trying to pull free of Wesley's grip. Each time she tugged, he just tugged her head down further toward the ground, bending her neck toward her withers. If she kept it up he'd eventually force her to lie over. "You gotta choice, li'l miss. Ya listen... shape up, and I let ya go. Or we can go 'round and 'round all night. Ya ain't givin' Lance shit again." Lance moved over to Wesley, knowing better than to interfere. As much as it pissed him off to be caught off-guard and his horse spook like he was some kind of rookie, he knew that Wes knew exactly what he was doing and that with a bit of time, she'd calm down. He glanced over to Lacey watching intently and he frowned, turning back to Wes and the mare. "Fucking bitch ... it's not like we haven't done this hundreds, hell, thousands of times. She's the most ornery horse. Bitching at the most inopportune times. I don't know why I keep 'er!" Suddenly the mare decided to jerk and Wes pulled her reigns across her muzzle and pulled her head down to lay her over. "Hey! Hey now..." He straddled her neck and sat on her, holding her there as she glared up at him with wide eyes, clouds of dust rising from her breath. "Now, missy... we've gotta reach an understandin' here. Ya shape up... or I put ya back in the trailer and we go home. I know you love this work. Why ya balkin' all of a sudden, eh? You an' Lance have been a team since he broke ya." Lacey hated to see when a horse got spooked as much as Lance's mount was but she also knew that in order for the mare to calm down, she had to have leadership and Wesley was demonstrating it. She just hoped the mare was whipped into shape in time for Lance's time. It was coming soon and she saw Lance nervously begin to look at the line of cowboys beginning to dwindle and looking at his watch as he watched on as well. "Fucker ... come on bitch," he half groaned, half pleaded with the mare to get her act together. If she kept this up, the time would be gone and so would the prize money. Wes didn't look up from simply watching the mare, reading her, waiting patiently. Wordlessly he lifted a hand and curled his fingers. "Lacey... c'mere. I want to try somethin'." Lacey's eyebrows furrowed a bit and glanced to Wesley in surprise and then to Lance. Lance just simply nodded and hurriedly waved her closer. "Lace ... please, just do it," he pleaded and she moved closer to Wesley and the mare quickly but with a bit of hesitation as she looked down at the cowboy sitting on top of the mare's neck. Still not looking up, Wes pointed toward the saddle. "I want you to sit on her. Put yer left foot in the stirrup and hold the saddle horn. I'm gonna pull her to her feet with a rider." Lacey blinked and then looked at Wesley incredulously. "Wh-what? You mean ... me?" She glanced to Lance who just nodded and chewed on his thumb, glancing to see that his time was running short and something had to be done quickly. "Now, Lace. We don't have time to put up with her shit. I need to let Lance have control." Lacey looked at the horse and then shut off her nervousness. It was a gift she had; something she had learned in her business in order to deal with high-pressure atmospheres quickly and efficiently. Moving to the mare's side, she cooed gently to her as she crouched down, pressing her left leg over her and hooked her boot into the stirrup. Grasping the horn with one hand, her white knuckles the only indication that she had no clue was she was doing, she shook the mare's mane and stroked her withers before nodding to Wesley with a quick shake of her head. Wesley nodded and stood up quickly. "Hold on, Lacey... I won't let ya fall. Promise." He said as he pulled the mare's bridle to pull her head up, forcing her to rock to the side to get her feet under her to stand "Hup! Easy now... good girl." She seemed instantly calmer with the weight of a rider on her back and she danced to the side to get the weight ratio right as Lacey shifted in the saddle. Wesley grinned as the plan had worked and offered the reigns to Lance. "I'll get Lacey off. You get on." Lance grinned, grasping the reins as Wesley's plan had worked, slapping Lacey affectionately on the leg as she smiled brightly down at them and rubbed the mare's neck. She was definitely calmer and perked her ears towards the entrance leading out to the arena as if she knew it was time to get to work. Lacey glanced to Wesley as he reached up with strong arms and slid down, momentarily caught in his embrace as Lance hopped effortlessly into the saddle just as the Arena Helper waved that it was his time to enter and get set up. Wesley grinned as he caught Lacey, letting her to her feet again. "Yep.... told ya it's in yer blood. C'mon... let's go watch. Hope to God she doesn't balk at the barrier again. She better not. Ran her through drills all week." Lacey felt almost breathless as her hand got caught in his and then jogged into a good position to watch against the railing. She was beaming inside with the accomplishment at hand ... she had slowly, all week, gotten to feel more and more at home on the ranch, even needed at times. And today had just been the icing on the cake. She and Wesley stood side by side, Wesley mumbling about how the hell-bitch better not do this and that as she watched on baited breath as Lance backed his mount into the furthest corner of the box, his lariat on the ready, and the string barrier strung tight. Clasping her hands in front of her face almost prayer-like, she watched, her breath held on a quick intake as she saw Lance quickly bob his head that he was ready. When the barrier was set loose and the calf darted out into the arena, cheers arose. The mare and rider worked in perfection. Wesley looked relieved as the mare darted out of the box after the calf. Then Lance threw his lasso and caught the calf around the neck. The mare worked to faultlessness, halting the instant the rope caught and drug backwards. Lance leaped from the saddle and threw the calf down on its side, tying three legs in a roper's knot and threw up his hands. Wesley quickly looked at the timer and grinned, clapping his hands and whooped. It was the quickest time all night, with only a few ropers left to go. Lance would easily land in the top five for scoring. He jumped down off the fence and reached to grab Lacey around the waist and swing her down, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to head for the gates. "Knew she could do it!" Lacey laughed and clapped her hands, yelling out for Lance as it was obvious from the way Wesley reacted and the crowd jumping to their feet that Lance had done extremely well, and she was elated that she had had even a small portion to do with his success this night. Gasping as she was caught off-guard as she was swung around, her blonde hair streamed out beautifully as she laughed and held on. When she was caught with Wesley's arm around her, she seemed to naturally fit against his side, her arm sliding around his waist as they walked towards the gate. Anyone looking on would have thought they were a couple, and had been for a while. They just seemed to fit together perfectly. When Lance got through the gate, he whooped and jumped toward Lacey as he took his hat off, grabbing her out of Wesley's arms and hugged her tight, kissing her on the cheek. "We did it!" He looked toward Wes and grabbed his friend into a huge hug, slapping his back. "The best damned horseman I've ever met... thanks Wes!" Lacey laughed as Lance grabbed her, hugging him as she tried to get in her congratulations between the two of them slapping each other on the back. She moved to the mare and gently rubbed her forehead, playing with her forelock as the men embraced and whispered to her ear, "You did real good too, sweetie ... and despite what they both say, you're not a hell-bitch at all." She grinned as the horse knickered and shoved her a bit with her muzzle, trying to get more attention and glanced to the guys. "Lance, that was amazing! You've just got to win!" Lance chuckled and patted his mare affectionately before looking at Lacey again. Damn did she look fine in that hat and cowgirl show get-up. Then he caught sight of the pin on the hatband and his eyes widened a bit, though it was hardly noticeable. He glanced at Wesley, who didn't seem to notice the shock register in his friend's face. That hat hadn't been worn, let alone taken out of the box, in years. It'd sat up in Wes's closet along with all of the other memories of the past. Yet, now, he'd loaned the hat to Lacey. Clearly the girl had done something to warm Wesley's heart a little bit. Lacey smiled, catching Lance's glance at her hat and then grinned, suddenly self-conscious, completely missing the shocked look on his face. "Wesley loaned it to me ... what do you think? I hope I don't stick out," she said, rubbing on the mare as Lance just kind of looked at her. "Ah... yea. Looks good, Miss Lacey. Ya fit in with the rest of 'em." He leaned in and whispered as he glanced toward Wesley. "Now we just need to teach ya ta race." He grinned and patted her shoulder gently then looked at Wesley. "'ey, Wes. Wouldya mind if I sent ya on a beer run?" Lacey laughed gently, her blue eyes twinkling in amusement at his teasing. "Uhm, yeah ... me. In a rodeo. Sure. That would be something." She glanced to Wesley as he nodded and clapped his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Sure thing. Beer's on me ... right up until you win that prize money." Lacey slid her hand from the mare's forehead and smiled at the two friends. "Tell you what, how about I go get the beer? You two stay here and wait to see how Lance did." She smiled at them both and checked her pocket for the wad of money folded in there. "What brand do you boys like best?" Wes and Lance looked at one another then back at Lacey. "Coors." they both answered in unison. "We'll meet ya back here, Miss Lacey" Lance said gently as they headed off toward the stalls. When Lacey had left and was out of hearing range, Lance looked at Wesley as they walked the length of the arena. "Wes.... was that Anne's hat that I saw on Lacey back there?" Wes looked at Lance out the corner of his eyes and nodded curtly. "Ayep.... sure was." Lance wasn't sure what to make of it. Wesley had packed all Anne's things, refusing to give any of it up, and just hoarded them all in the house, keeping that part of his life locked up tight as a money box. To see her rodeo hat on Lacey's head was nothing short of miraculous. Lance was trying not to make a big deal out of it, but it clearly WAS a big deal. He reached up and rubbed at the back of his neck before glancing in the direction in which Lacey had gone. "Well she sure looks damn fine in it," he said, biting back the harder questions that were dying to be asked. He wasn't sure Wes was quite ready to go THAT far. Yet. "Ayep... she sure does. Fits her good. Might need to get it resized just a little, but not much." He reached to take the reigns from Lance and brought the horse up as they rounded toward the gates again. If Lance had placed in the top ten, which he surely would, they'd be staying in town for tomorrow's ride. Lance blinked a bit, hearing his friend. Re-sized? It was obvious he had done more than just lend her the hat. Lance lifted his eyebrows for a moment and then just grinned. Maybe his long-time friend was finally snapping out of his hell-bent road to a life alone, and seeing Lacey for the woman she could be in his life. He could only hope. They had been trying for years to get Wesley back into the loop of life and help him find happiness. But up until right now, and the appearance of Lacey King in their lives, he had balked completely at the idea. He started to ask Wes about what exactly he was feeling towards the woman when the speaker crackled and they all stilled as they announced that they were about to call out the top five contenders for calf roping. "And in first place folks, home-grown right here in Wyoming, Lance Finnigan from Riverton!" Cheers arose in the grandstands and Lance whooped, jumping up in his excitement and he turned to grab Wesley into another big bear hug. "Couldn't have done it without ya, Wes." Wesley grinned and clapped his friend on the back as other cowboys milled around, all friends and acquaintances of one sort or another. Lacey heard the announcement as she gently pushed her way out of the beer line, balancing three filled plastic cups and had to dodge a lot of cowboys, her smile lighting up her whole face as she heard Lance's name called over the loud-speaker. She was starting to notice the looks and backward glances from the cowboys around her and blushed, knowing by the looks on their faces that she did, indeed, look good in the outfit Caroline had insisted that she wear. Making her way back past the gate, the "backstage" pass that she wore checked by the security there, she mingled back through the milling cowboys in search of Wesley and Lance, smiling gently to the tipped hats and the appreciative glances of the men as she passed. Palomino Ch. 03 "And there's the girl of the hour..." Wesley chuckled and stepped forward to take two glasses of beer from her well-balanced grasp to ease the load and handed one over in the direction of Lance. "To the best roper there ever was, and his pain in the ass horse." He grinned and raised his beer before swigging down a good portion of it. Lacey laughed gently and then moved to hug Lance affectionately in congratulations. "Congratulations Lance ... that's wonderful. I'm so happy for you," she gushed before stepping back and taking a small sip of the frothy brew. Lance grinned and gave Lacey a bear hug, momentarily thinking about sneaking in a grope but didn't dare with the way things were looking between her and Wesley and took a huge chug of the beer, grateful for the chilled brew. "Well, hell ... looks like we're spending the night," he grinned, eyeing Lacey again and then Wesley, wanting to tease them about sleeping arrangements but refrained from it. Wesley gave his friend a warning glance and chuckled, drinking more of his beer and grabbed Lacey around the waist. He'd grown rather attached to the girl despite everything. She was a hard worker and proved her worth over the last week. "C'mon Lance... let's get 'er settled for the night and go to the dance, what'dya say?" He looked at Lacey with his normal crooked grin. Lance grinned, watching his friend loosen up, and actually pull Lacey close. He could tell by the look on her face that that's exactly where she wanted to be, right in his arms. He nodded, drinking down the beer before crinkling the cup and tossing it into the trash. "I'm ready to party, let's get out of here," he grinned, taking the hell-bitch's reins and walked her towards the stalls that were set up for the horses staying overnight. Palomino Ch. 04 The bar was loud and noisy with cowboys and cowgirls of all shapes and sizes from the rodeo. Hoots and cheers were heard from here and there as celebration was taking place. Lance was immediately grabbed by some cute girl and was asked to dance. Lance just grinned and accepted and was whisked off toward the dance floor. Wesley had distanced himself somewhat from Lacey since they had settled the hell-bitch, but not too much. He was thinking.... just about stuff. All kinds of stuff. The look on Lance's face had made him pull up short a little. Had he been too brash to pull Anne's hat out of its secret place? Had he moved too quickly? Lacey moved through the crowd, squeezing through the groups of cowboys and cowgirls, gently turning down offers to dance and smiling at the looks she was getting. She could see Wesley sitting off somewhat by himself, deep in thought, as she came back from a trip to the restrooms. Stopping by the bar, she leaned over the edge to loudly order another beer for him, the bartender having to lean close to hear her and then grinned, pulling out an ice-cold bottle of Coors for him and a Corona with a lime wedged in the neck for herself. Taking them both, she moved toward where Wesley was sitting, glancing to see Lance dancing with a cute young cowgirl. She couldn't help but chuckle, seeing his hands roam over her curves and shook her head some before reaching Wesley with a soft smile. "Here ya go, cowboy," she chided gently, offering the ice cold bottle. Wesley jumped a little when she neared him and he looked up. Clearly his thoughts had been somewhere far off. He reached for the beer and nodded his thanks with a smile. "Thank ya, Ma'am." He watched her as she sat next to him and he tilted his head toward the crowd. "Whatcha think? Diff'rnt than it is in the city, eh?" Lacey sat down and sipped at her beer. What a question. Different from the city indeed, but in a way that spoke to her, and she found that her time in Wyoming was quickly coming to an end. Just this morning, she had been on the phone with the magazine and they were practically going nuts that she had already been too long. It was time to go back. "Yeah," she sighed, almost wistfully and took another sip of her beer. "A lot different." He set his beer down, looking at the woman a long moment and smiled. "Care to dance?" he said as he stood, offering her his hand. Lacey glanced at the standing cowboy and smiled gently, her eyes seeming to take on a kind of sadness as she realized that she didn't want to go back to the city, or her job, or the townhouse waiting for her. It just didn't feel right anymore. Being here, with him, DID feel right. Slipping her hand into his, she set down her beer and stood as he gently pulled her to her feet. "I would love to," she said with a soft voice. He grinned and leaned in close as he escorted her to the dance floor. "I wouldn't have given you a choice had you said no." He grinned and winked at her before turning her in his arms to take her by the waist and hand. He was a much practiced dancer. It was something that came as naturally to him as did taming a spooked horse. Wesley didn't seem to have to work at much of anything. He was just the way he was. A down home country man. Lacey followed his strong lead well and it wasn't long before Wesley had her doing moves that made it look like they had been doing this for years. She was more relaxed and more refreshed than she had been in ages, even though a bit of sadness hinged around her eyes as the reality of her having to go back to the city was looming in the back of her mind. But for the time being, she held onto the cowboy that had strolled into her life, snatched away her false pretenses of being happy, and replaced them with a longing that she hadn't realized she had been missing until now. When a slow song came on, she could feel Wesley pull her closer in his strong arms and her body seemed to naturally fit against his as their cheeks grazed one another's as they danced slowly in time with the music. His lips grazed her cheek gently as he held her and they swayed to the music. With a smile he gazed into her pretty eyes and tucked her hair back. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were a cowgirl through and through. What kept you in the city?" Lacey tightened fingers on the back of his shirt as she felt his lips and day's bristle growth graze her cheek and leaned back a bit to look at him as their eyes locked. By god, she wanted to stay like this forever, but how could she? She smiled tenderly as his question and shrugged her shoulders gently, "I don't know, really. My mom left when I was 14, and I just was thrown into city life. That's who she was ... who she had always been. My father couldn't quite get the city out of her, and he wouldn't let me stay behind without a mother either." She sighed gently, moving her free hand to rub at Wesley's strong shoulder, her fingertips absently stroking the strong cords of his neck. "I never wanted to leave here, but I didn't have a choice, and I think that a part of me just thought my father didn't want me out here." Wesley smiled a bit. His fingers grazed her lower back and he massaged her palm as they turned and swayed to the selection of slow songs amongst the other dancers on the floor. "He always talked about you, you know. It was Lacey this, Lacey that, Lacey the other thing. He was planning on inviting you out for Christmas last year, but never sent you the letter. He was a good old man to work for. Best boss I ever had." Lacey smiled tenderly, grateful that she had someone to tell her about her Father. She had adored him, but when she and her mother had left, she had felt somewhat rejected by him. "I ... I never knew that," she said, turning her head to see Lance dance by with yet another girl, the grin on his face at seeing Lacey and Wesley pressed together contagious and she smiled at him. She turned her gaze back to Wesley, her eyes roaming his handsome face before she asked the question that she had wondered about for a long time ... ever since she had met him. "I'm surprised a good-looking cowboy like you isn't taken," she said with a soft smile. Wesley's eyes darkened a bit as he heard Lacey's words, then he relaxed again, forcing the pain away. She didn't mean any harm by it. She didn't know anything more than she'd learned in the past week. "I was. Once," he said gently, almost like he wanted to avoid the subject. She was going to figure it out soon enough anyway. Lacey stiffened some in his arms as she saw the look cross his face. It was obvious that she had inadvertently crossed a line that she wasn't supposed to cross and she wanted to kick herself for it. Leave it to her and her big mouth to say just the one thing that probably didn't need to be said. As the song ended, she smiled and affectionately squeezed his shoulder before stepping back, feeling the need to give him some space. "Thanks for the dance, cowboy ... I think I'm going to fight the crowd and try to make my way to the ladies' room." He smiled and squeezed her hands gently to soothe her a bit. He'd sensed the instant tension in her. He hadn't meant to scare her. He just didn't know how to tell her, or what to tell her. Before she slipped away he gave her hand another comforting squeeze. He didn't want to think he was pushing her away. He wasn't. He just wasn't at peace with himself about anything that was going on yet. "Don't get lost, now." As she slipped away he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he moved to take a seat where he'd been and picked up his beer to take a swig. He wrinkled his nose. The beer was slightly warm. He hated warm beer. Lacey inhaled deeply as she moved away from Wesley and felt somewhat confused about the feelings skittering all around inside of her. She didn't quite know what to make of the cowboy that she found herself thinking about more and more as the days passed. The ladies' room line was long and she was somewhat grateful for the passage of time to get her thoughts together and try to sort out what to do from here. She wanted to stay ... stay and see exactly if life on a ranch was where she belonged, and yes, even stay and see if what she was feeling for this cowboy could turn into something more. But she had a feeling that she wasn't going to be able to do either. Lance made his way over to Wesley, a wide grin on his face as he plopped down next to his friend and stretched out happily. "Where's Lace?' he asked, glancing to Wes and then furrowed his eyebrows, seeing the serious look on his face. "What's wrong with you?" Wesley looked at his old-time friend a long moment before taking another swig of his beer. "She asked about Anne." He said it simply, almost coldly. Anne wasn't a subject that was ever breeched with Wesley. If he needed to talk, he talked. But not until then. Even Lance hadn't heard much of anything in all the years she'd been gone. A few words here and there was it. Lance sat upright again, the smile fading from his face. This couldn't be good ... Wes never talked about it, especially with another woman. He couldn't help but wonder what all this meant. Ever since Lacey had showed up, things were changing ... changing for the good, but seeing his friend's face, he couldn't help but wonder if things were going to go downhill from here. God, he hoped not. Wesley needed someone in his life. Even if he would never admit it. "What happened?" he probed gently. Wes shook his head and took another drink of his beer. "Nothin' really. She asked why I wasn't 'taken'. Not in so many words. Kind of broadsided me. Shouldn't be surprised," He grunted and downed the rest of the piss-ass warm beer and set the bottle down, wiping his mouth. Lance glanced around, looking for Lacey. He hoped Wes hadn't run her off. He could be brusque when you least expected it. "So ... where's she now? You didn't scare her off, didja?" he grinned, glancing back at Wes. "She went to the ladies' room. I think I did scare 'er a little. Didn't mean to." Lance rubbed his jaw thoughtfully, something he tended to do when he was thinking. It was always a dead giveaway that he had something up his sleeve. There had to be some way to push these two together, and he felt like he was running out of time. Lacey was exactly the kind of woman Wes needed and Lance wasn't about to let her slip away without Wes even realizing she was gone. "Yeah, okay." He had to think quickly. Looking back at his friend, he half-grinned that sure smile that usually got him what he wanted. "So, can you take Lacey back to the motel? I got this cute cowgirl waiting ..." Wes's eyes narrowed as his friend thought about whatever it was. "Don't you dare, Lance. Stoppit. She don't know no better. Can stay that way." "What? I'm not doing nothin'!" Lance retorted with a grin. "Bullshit...." He watched his friend a long moment, and huffed. "Cute cowgirl, eh? Make sure she's not wearing a wedding band this time. I don' want ta bail ya out of a fight again, ya hear? Go on. I'll get 'er back to the hotel." Lance grinned and stood, adjusting his tight jeans and slapped Wes good-naturedly on the shoulder. "Okay then ... see ya back here in the morning. Try not to do anything I wouldn't do," he teased. He knew he had to get back to the motel before Wes and Lacey did. He had a little business to conduct with the manager. Palomino Ch. 05 Lacey sat in the passenger seat of the old pick-up, staring out the open window as they drove back to the motel. Lance had apparently left with some cute cowgirl and left her and Wesley to get back to the motel on their own. They had booked two rooms earlier, but they hadn't been anywhere near each other. They were on opposing ends of the building, which was probably a good thing after the boot she had inadvertently thrust into her mouth earlier with bringing up something that was clearly painful for Wesley. She was actually looking forward to getting behind closed doors and kicking herself. Wesley drove quietly. He'd had a couple beers, but the hour he'd taken had allowed the alcohol to settle alright to warrant safe driving. He pulled to a stop at an intersection as the light turned red and flipped on his turn signal as he waited. "I didn't mean to spook ya back at the bar, Lacey..." He said it softly, apologetically. Lacey glanced over at Him, hearing the tone of his voice and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't upset. That much was clear, at least. "Please don't apologize, Wesley. I'm clearly the one at fault here. I'm so sorry." "Nah... was my fault for getting defensive. I didn't mean to. I just don't talk about it much is all. You don't know no better. I shouldn't'a got upset." He lifted his hat and tucked his hair back. The light turned green and he waited for a passing car and turned left on the street that led to the hotel. Lacey smiled a bit and reached over to gently squeeze his hand that rested on the stick shift protruding from the floorboard between them. Whoever the woman was that hurt him had been lucky to have a man that clearly still had very strong feelings for her. But Lacey wasn't about to broach that topic. She had already done enough to keep him away from her, probably the remainder of her trip. Drawing her hand back, she began to think that maybe she should head back earlier than the scheduled Sunday morning flight out. He pulled the truck to a stop as he parked it and flipped the headlights off. He got out of the truck and rounded the front of it, opening Lacey's door for her and offered her a hand to let her step out. Lacey slipped her hand into his momentarily as she stepped out of the truck and smiled as he closed her door. They entered the building. Their eyes met for a long moment when they stood before her hotel room, and then she smiled, pulling the key from her pocket. "Well I guess this is good night," she offered. Wesley's mood darkened a bit. He didn't want a good night with a lady ending on a sour note. He'd enjoyed the outing, the dances, and the talk. His reaction back in the bar seemed to muddle it all up. "Yea.... I guess. G'nite then, Miss King." He tipped his hat. Lacey glanced at the cowboy one last time, a look of longing crossing her face that couldn't be hidden before she smiled gently and closed the door between them, pushing the bolt into place before leaning against the door with an exasperated sigh. "Good god, Lacey. Can you be any smoother?" she chastised herself before pushing away from it to head to the bathroom, gently setting the hat upside down on top of the television. At least she had tonight, part of it anyway, to remember. Wesley stood outside the door for a long while, just staring at it as he turned his hat over and over in his hand. He half hoped she'd open the door again, just so he could see her, to be sure she wasn't going to run away on him. When nothing budged, he turned away and walked down the hall, silently cursing himself for his poor performance tonight. He pulled his room key from his pocket and slid it into the lock in the door, opening it and tossed his hat onto the bed, ruffling his hat-flattened hair and flipped on the TV. Lance walked out of the bathroom right on queue with nothing on but a towel wrapped around his waist and a grin, followed by a gorgeous little redhead toting the same brand of towel. "Hell Wesley ... you don't pay attention to 'do not disturb' signs, do ya?!" Lance's eyes twinkled in merriment ... time to launch Plan A. Wes looked up from the TV screen and blinked at his old-time friend, arching a brow as he saw the good looking gal behind him. "Thought you were goin' with her?" Lance chuckled good-naturedly and picked up Wesley's hat and shoved it back against his friend's chest. "You thought wrong buddy," he grinned, jerking his head a bit towards the gal. "You don't mind ... you know ... getting another room for the night, do ya?" Wesley grabbed his hat with a soft snort and put it back on his head, glaring at Lance, rather irritated. "Fine... but you're payin' fer it." He looked to the girl and tipped his hat to her. "Ma'am." He looked back at Lance. "Lance. G'nite." He turned and stalked out the door. It closed with a slam behind him. Boy! Lance had the nerve sometimes to just irritate the living daylights out of him. He walked down the hallway toward the main lobby. Lance tried hard not to laugh as Wesley stomped out of the room and both he and the girl ran for the window, peeking carefully out of the closed curtains at Wes' retreating form. "Boy, is he gonna be pissed when he finds out he can't get another room tonight," Lance chuckled softly before grabbing the giggling girl next to him and easing her onto the bed. "How long do you think it will take him to head to Lacey's room to ask to borrow her shower before telling her he's gonna sleep in the truck?" The girl laughed as she rolled over on top of her long-time friend and occasional sleeping partner. "How much you wanna bet that she refuses to let him sleep out in the truck when there are two beds in her room?" They both laughed at Lance's brilliant plan before getting lost in a searing kiss. Wesley growled and glared at the receptionist in the desk. "Ma'am... when I made the reservations this very afternoon there were all kinds of rooms open. You tellin' me they've all filled up in the last eight hours?" The woman behind the front desk made a brilliant show of checking her computer again, the hundred dollar bill burning in her pocket as she shook her head and gave him the best "I'm so sorry, Sir" look she could muster. "With the rodeo finals tomorrow and the monies up for prizes, we always fill up this time of year, Sir. I am so sorry. I can suggest some other nearby motels and call them for you to check for vacancy, but at this time of night, I'm afraid all of them are going to be in the same situation that we are." Wesley's face hardened, his eyes flashing with irritation. Damn that Lance. All he wanted was a hot shower and a bed. He had work to do with that bitchin' horse tomorrow. "No Ma'am. Thank you." He tipped his hat and stalked away. He'd just sleep in the truck... but he needed a shower. Damn Lance! He cursed under his breath, glaring at the door as he passed it. Finally he made it to Lacey's door and he took a deep breath, removing his hat from his head and gently knocked on the door, half-hoping she wouldn't answer, the other half begging that she would. Lacey stopped mid-motion of drying her still damp hair, the hair dryer flipping off as she turned her head a bit to look at the door. Her eyebrows knit together, and she wondered if she heard what she thought she had heard. As the second knock followed with a call of "Miss King?", she blinked, recognizing the voice. What the hell was Wesley doing back here? She quickly looked at her reflection in the mirror and quickly tried to make herself half presentable. Here she was dressed in cotton short-shorts and a tank top, freshly showered and shaven and glowing from both the tan she had received from a week of being outdoors, and the heat of the shower. Crossing the motel room floor, she unlatched the dead bolt and pulled the door open with a welcoming smile. God, he was gorgeous, and she wanted more than anything to pull him inside and throw herself into his arms. "Wesley. What are you doing here?" "Lance kicked me out of my room," he said grumpily as he smoothed his hair habitually, still ticked off at the brash man, and the receptionist that had nothing to do with all this, but she was a good thing to be angry at. "Can I use the shower?" Lacey glanced down the hallway towards the direction of Lance's room and then shrugged her shoulders with a soft laugh and stepped out of the way, opening the doorway wider. "Yeah, sure ... are you gonna have to get another room?" she asked as he walked in. "Already tried. They're all full." He looked from one bed to the other, figuring quickly which one she was sleeping in and set his hat down on the other as he loosened his collar and unbuttoned the top button. "I just need a shower. I'll sleep in the truck. No biggie." Lacey blinked, hearing his words. "The truck?! No way! You can't sleep in the truck! That's ridiculous. I have an extra bed right here," she said, closing the door and pushing the bolt into the lock once more. His eyes narrowed a bit at the idea. "I won't invade a lady's space. No. The truck is fine." He unbuttoned his cuffs and peeked into the bathroom to see if there were dry towels available. He could smell the aftereffects of her shower earlier, smiling at the soft breezy scents. Lacey placed her hands on her hips as she looked at him looking into the bathroom. "Wesley, stop being so stubborn. There is no way I'm letting you sleep in that disgusting truck when I have a perfectly empty bed right here!" He eyed her again. She was as irritating as Lance had been. The man had been a sneak. Whether this was a planned encounter on his part or not... it'd worked. And if it was planned, Wesley was gonna whoop his ass. With a huff he sat down on the bed and pulled his boots off. "I'll be fine." Lacey watched him as she sank down on the bed opposite him. Fine! If he wanted to be that way, then let him sleep in the damn truck. She could feel the sting of his rejection strongly though. It was obvious that he didn't want to be near her and wanted to get out of the room as quickly as possible. She glared at him a moment before rising and went to finish up drying her soft long blonde mane, running a brush through it as the air blew the remaining dampness out of each strand. He watched her a long moment, almost entranced by the simple movements. She acted just like Anne did when she was upset with him. He chuckled to himself and got up off the bed. He closed the door to the bathroom behind him, and soon enough running water could be heard as he enjoyed a hot shower to wash away the day's work. After shutting off the hair dryer, Lacey saw the keys to the truck laying on the bed right beside his hat. Chewing on her bottom lip for a moment, she suddenly acted without really thinking what the consequences might be for her actions, but there was no way she was letting him sleep in an old beat-up truck. Taking the keys, she hid them under her pillow, and grabbed her book to bury her nose in it as if nothing had happened, trying to keep her heart from racing, knees up to look as relaxed as possible. He was probably going to kill her, but hey, he wouldn't be sleeping in a shitty truck all night. Wesley grunted as the door stuck a bit and then squeaked open. He glared at the joint. He'd found a large beach-sized towel down in the cabinets and his lower half was currently wrapped up in it. Suddenly he realized he had nothing more than the clothes he'd brought with him that were on him. He really didn't want to sleep in those dirty things that smelled of horse sweat and dirt. "Fuck..." he cursed quietly and ducked back into the bathroom momentarily. Lacey glanced up at the door squeaked open, her heart racing a million miles a minute, and then breathed a sigh of relief as he ducked back into the bathroom. Taking her chance, she grabbed his keys and pulled open the drawer beside the table and tucked them inside next to the Gideon Bible laying there, and pushed it closed once more as she rolled over onto her stomach with her head at the foot of the bed, she waited for the explosion to come when he realized that he wasn't going to sleep in a stinking truck all night. Muttering under his breath he stepped out of the bathroom again. The towel was wrapped tightly around him and he looked thoroughly irritated with the world as he huffed and sat on the bed. Lacey glanced over at him, seeing that he was already irritated and hadn't even noticed that the keys were missing. She could only imagine what he was going to be like in a few moments. She smiled tenderly at him as she laid down her book innocently and asked, "Feel better now?" "Hmm? Oh... yeah." He ran his fingers through his damp hair. "Thing is I have no clean clothes. And I sure as hell ain't puttin' horse sweat back on. I rather like being clean 'less it's round-up." He muttered more under his breath. "That son of a bitch...." With a sigh of defeat he leaned back against the pillows, looking at Lacey across the way by means of the mirror on the dresser. She was cute without being all dolled up, too. He liked to see her all natural. That's the way a girl should be 'less she's showin' off in the arena. Lacey glanced over at him as an idea stuck in her head. "Well I can go down to Lance's room and pick up you some clean clothes ..." She stopped for a moment before adding, so that he would get the whole hint. "In the morning." His face darkened at the idea. Disturbing Lance now would be pointless. If he was busy with some gal, there'd be no way in hell he'd answer the door. Wesley sighed and leaned his head back some. "Did ya'll plan this 'er what?" He chuckled good-naturedly and reached for his hat to dust it off and set it over on the little dresser between the beds. Then he realized there was something missing. "'ey.... where's my keys?" Lacey was about to deny vehemently that she had planned nothing right until he mentioned the keys, and quickly glanced down at the book in front of her, hoping he would just let it drop. Hearing no response he shrugged. Probably left them in his jeans when he thought he'd laid them on the bed with his hat. That reminded him. He'd simply left his clothes in the bathroom. He rose from the bed again, keeping the towel securely around him as he walked back into the bathroom. He came back out with a handful of clothes and he deposited them onto the floor near his boots, kicking them under the bed a bit. Lacey glanced over at him, unable to keep from staring at his muscular form or the outline of his firm hips and ass in the damp, tight towel. 'Good lord, he's trying to kill me' she thought, absently licking her lips as she glanced back at her book, the words all blurry before her. And when she could focus, the damn book was at a steamy sex scene. Slamming the book closed, she tossed it aside with a sigh. 'Just stop it Lacey ... don't even go there,' she kept trying to warn herself silently over and over. He sat down on the bed again and nestled against the pillows at the headboard. His eyes glanced over to the cover of the book she was reading and he chuckled. "Bodice rippers, eh?" Lacey glanced over at him, seeing the amusement on his face and that half-cocky grin that she loved, but at the moment, despised. Damn Lance! She had a feeling he had done this on purpose, and then she had added to it with trying to be nice. Now, with his words, all she could think of was him ripping something off her. She glanced to the book and then to him with a shrug of slender shoulders and rolled over onto her back, bending a leg to pull it towards her as she inspected her toenails, making sure they were still painted and looking cute. "Yeah, well ... it's a girl thing, ya know," she tried to laugh it off. He grinned. "Anne had loved 'bodice rippers', she called them. She'd read them all the time. I have shelves of them, if you'd like to take a look sometime." He smiled wistfully at the memories. At least they didn't hurt as much anymore when he thought back. He was able to grasp onto all the good things. Again his focus turned to the pretty girl across the room. "Guess we're stuck, eh? Lance sure did a number this time. I'll whoop his ass in the morning." Lacey couldn't help but chuckle, deciding she might as well confess she was going to make him stay anyway as she turned onto her side to face him, propping her head up with a bent arm. "Well, it's not like I was gonna let you sleep out in the truck, you know." He muttered something about stubborn women and rolled over to fluff the pillow to lay his head on it. He could never sleep too well in a hotel. It just wasn't his bed. He looked at Lacey with that crooked smile. "You wouldn't, huh?" She smiled mischievously and shook her head, soft blonde waves sliding over her arm as blue eyes regarded him. "No ... I wouldn't." She couldn't control the way her eyes roamed over him just laying there in a towel and then decided that she better do something fast, or he was going to see her lusting after him. Turning, she crawled up towards the headboard and got beneath the sheets, covering up before wiggling out of her little shorts, just leaving the tank top and skimpy little panties on underneath. Fluffing her pillow she settled down to try and get some sleep, even though the only thing on her mind was the half-naked man lying on the other bed. He pulled back the blankets and wiggled down under them. He lay on his stomach with his arms folded beneath his head and his pillow. He couldn't help but watch the gentle rise and fall of the sheets as she breathed. He smiled wistfully. She really was a decent gal, for a city-slicker. It wouldn't take much to whip her into shape if he had the chance. He probably wouldn't, he reminded himself. She would be leaving soon. He'd accidentally heard part of her conference call in the morning when he'd picked up the phone to call the hotel they were now staying in. He'd heard that she was leaving the day after tomorrow. "Y'know...." he began gently, testing to see if she really was trying to sleep. "I really didn't mean to scare ya... back in the bar." Lacey's soft voice could be heard even though her eyes remained closed and her breathing patterns pretty much stayed the same, "I feel horrible for doing anything to upset you, or cause you pain." She turned her head to gaze across the small space that separated them, their eyes locking for a long moment. The smile on his face was very forgiving, very comforting. "It's not yer fault, Lacey. Honest." He sighed. He should probably tell her now, even if he didn't really want to. "That hat you were wearing tonight... was my wife's." Lacey just looked at him for a long moment, sensing that the pain that went along with the story that he was about to tell her ran deep, and she smiled gently, tucking her folded hands beneath her cheek as she rolled to her side to regard him. She was afraid to say anything ... that it would stop him from opening up to her. "I... never talk about her much." She nodded gently in understanding, her blue eyes locked with his as she softly spoke. "You don't have to now either, if you don't want to Wes." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Everybody else knows.... ya need to know too, if yer gonna stick around at all. Can't dance around it forever," he met her gaze gently in the dim light. This was going to hurt, but she did have to know. Lacey just looked at him quietly, lending him her silent support. His words struck a cord with her, though. "if yer gonna stick around at all". Was she? How could she? But in the same breath, how could she leave? "Her name was Anne. Great little gal. From Cheyenne. One of those love at first sight things in your books." Lacey smiled gently at him as she listened quietly, watching the way his eyes glowed as he spoke of the woman. "We married young... she was 18. Were married about four years. She moved with me up here when I took the job at yer daddy's ranch. Worked there 'bout three years 'r so. 'Bout three years ago... she was drivin' up from Cheyenne back home. Was dark. I'd stayed home durin' that rodeo for some reason or another. She'd gone down with Lance. The roads were slick." Palomino Ch. 05 Lacey's eyebrows furrowed as she could only imagine what was coming next. "Her truck was draggin' a trailer with her two horses in it. The trailer jackknifed on a patch of glass on a bridge and drug her off the road into the ravine," he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, gripping the sheets beneath his fingers. Just seeing the vision of it all again ripped at his heart. Lacey wanted to reach across the distance that separated them, just to hold his hand. She hurt for him inside ... for what that must have done to him. She watched him relive it, and she couldn't help it. She couldn't just lay here. In a quick breath she was sitting on the edge of his bed, her soothing hand on his bare back as he continued to speak. "She died instantly, is what I was told. The horse that managed to survive, I put down myself. Why they hadn't done anything about it by the time I got there, the hell I know." "I'm sorry Wes ... I'm so sorry." Lacey was at a loss for words. "She was three months pregnant." Lacey couldn't help the soft gasp as the news got worse and gently rubbed his back and tears stung her eyes. She hurt deeply for him and wished there was something she could do to make it all better. Tears stung his eyes and buried his face into the pillow, shuddering as he relived the most terrible moments of his life. "She was the damndest rodeo queen ya ever did see, though. Took state and regional titles several times over. Never did achieve her goal of taking nationals, though." Tears slipped down Lacey's cheeks as she wished there was something she could do. Leaning down, she hugged him as best as she could, her chest pressed to his back as her lips gently caressed the back of his head as he kept his face in the pillow. "Oh Wes, I'm so sorry," she murmured softly, holding him close. After a long while, Wesley spoke again. "I want you to have that hat. But it stays here. To wear when you're here. I've got her work hat too, that ya can have." She pulled back a bit, her face showing her shock at him giving her the hat and she looked down at him laying on the bed beneath her and could only nod in agreement, her fingers gently smoothing his still damp hair. "Thank you," she murmured softly. "I promise I'll take good care of it." He looked up at her with a slight smile, his eyes damp and reddened, and rolled over onto his back. He reached to take her hand gently and kissed the backs of her knuckles. "I know ye will." She gazed down at him as he rolled onto his back and she was lost in his gaze as his lips caressed her knuckles, turning her hand to gently stroke at his tanned and slightly weathered face, a soft smile appearing. Without thinking, he reached up to gently grasp the back of her neck and pulled her down toward him to kiss her gently, caressing her neck just below her hairline. He'd ached to do it all weekend. Why, he didn't exactly know. Especially with the story he'd just told her. Lacey was surprised when he pulled her down for the kiss but she couldn't control her response to him as her other hand joined the first one on his face, gently caressing as their lips met in a soft, yielding kiss, seeming to explore and memorize the other pair as her body was forced to press intimately against his. After several moments he released her, their eyes meeting. That same crooked grin appeared on his face. He hadn't intended to go that far, but it did feel good. The feel of her lips against his still tingled across them. Lacey smiled tenderly down at him before slowly lifting up off him some. Her lips were still slightly parted and her whole body tingled with the feeling of being captured momentarily in his arms and tasting his kiss. She smiled, brushing his lips with her fingers before pulling those away as well. "I ... I guess I should get back in my own bed," she replied somewhat sheepishly. "What if I don't want you to?" he whispered gently, watching her. Lacey looked down at him as her heart began to beat wildly within her chest as his simple words. She smiled tenderly, almost teasingly at him as she tried to remain cool and collected despite the burning desire she had to just crawl beneath the sheets with him and pull off that damned towel. " Are you saying you want me to stay in your bed, cowboy?" she teased gently. He grinned that same, crooked grin. One side of his mouth just did not want to respond to whatever it was going through his mind. His thumb traced gently over her knuckles and the back of her hand as he contemplated. "Would it be too awkward in the morning if I said yes?" Lacey knew that getting involved with him was only going to make things more difficult when it came time to leave, much less her decision on whether she belonged on the ranch or in the city. But she had never been drawn to anyone the way she was drawn to him. There was not one thing within her that told her that this was wrong; that being with him wasn't where she was supposed to be. In fact, everything was in complete opposition. She leaned down to gently feather a light kiss across his lips before drawing back just enough to whisper, "Why don't you ask me that in the morning?" He grinned against the kiss and wrapped her in his arms. He hadn't wanted to seem too abrupt, too needy, but this felt right. His body responded to her feminine shape. Lance was right. He did need somebody. And that somebody was right here. If he could manage to make her stay. His fingers slid under her tank top gently as he rubbed her back, their lips meshing to one another's. Lacey's fingers slid over his chest, trapped beneath their bodies as she was pulled into his arms, a soft sigh of released breath brushing over his lips as they kissed. She couldn't take her eyes off him and even as they kissed and gently stroked the other, their eyes remained locked, as if they both wanted to make sure the other one wasn't going to simply up and vanish. He pulled back gently to speak before either of them got too fired up from the touching and stroking. "...I don' wan' this to seem like... like you're a... I don' know how ta say it..." He'd wanted the girl ever since he'd laid eyes on her. He hadn't allowed himself the luxury of thinking he'd ever have her. Lacey pulled back some, a soft smile appearing as he struggled to find the words that she herself had wanted to say. "Shhh," she softly whispered, pressing a single finger to his lips before sitting up, crossing her arms before her to grasp the tank top in her hands and lifted the shirt up and over her head, exposing, for the first time, her ripe, perfectly formed breasts to him. Tossing the shirt aside, the only thing that kept her from him was the skimpy string bikini that she wore, and the towel that barely covered him anymore. "I feel it too," she murmured softly, putting to rest any fears he had about this just being a roll in the hay for either one of them when clearly, it was not. He moaned softly into her lips as she hushed him and he just held onto her. His hands roamed over her smooth curves, feeling the flesh she'd bared to him to see and to touch. He wanted to memorize every inch of her before he let her go on that plane on Sunday. If he couldn't have her for good, he could at least have her tonight. After awhile he gently rolled her over onto her back. By now the bed was an absolute mess. Everything was haphazard and scattered. The only things that mattered, though, were him and her. Lacey was lost in the overwhelming sensations that she was feeling in his arms. There was an intense joy and a feeling of calm that she had never felt with any man, but there was also this underlying feeling of sadness, or need, between them as if they both knew that this could be their only time together. She pulled him close as he rolled her over, wanting to show him with every touch , every kiss, every shift of her body against his that he already meant more to her than whatever waited for her back in New York. She had to go home. That part was inevitable. But the part that still hung precariously, was if she would stay in the city, or pack her things, say goodbye to a life that didn't feel like hers anymore, and come back to him and life at the ranch. He pressed his body against hers intimately, settling between her legs that wrapped around his waist. He still couldn't take his eyes off her as she settled beneath him. He suddenly regretted not having a condom handy. He hadn't even thought about it. This wasn't something he had imagined even in his crazy mind. "I.... I don' mean to ruin the mood any, Lacey..." he began gently as his callused fingers continued to work magic between her legs, stroking her lustfully, "You on any contraceptive?" Lacey moaned, arching up to his touch, her whole body on fire for him, as suddenly his words permeated her foggy mind. She blinked a moment and then shook her head, her words stammering a bit "N-no ... I ... I'm not," she said, a tremble snaking down her spine. Good lord, she hadn't had time to date seriously, much less get involved with anyone, and now, she suddenly wished she was! "Y-you don't have any ... any thing?" she stammered, feeling panic rush through her, mingling with the passion he had aroused in her. He didn't draw back or stop anything he was doing. He didn't want to make her feel like he was casting her aside. Gently he shook his head at her question, regret clearly etched on his face. "I didn' even think 'bout it, ta be honest." Lacey blinked a moment before a soft moan erupted from her lips as he continued to stroke her, her body moving hotly beneath his and her hands pulled him closer. She wanted to throw caution to the wind and beg him to finish what he started but she knew that he was much more cautious than that. Damn Lance! She gazed up at the gorgeous cowboy above her, passion and regret etched on her face as well. "We should go beat down Lance's door ... I bet HE has something!" she teased even as a soft sigh of disappointment was released from her lips. He grinned and kissed her lovingly. He shifted a bit to lie beside her and continued to stroke her. He didn't want to take the chance with absolutely no protection, but that didn't mean he couldn't finish her off by other means. He nibbled along the length of her neck and over her collar bone as his fingers worked magic over her soaked slit, stroking and urging her gently. Lacey moaned, pressing against Wesley as he continued to stroke her. She knew he was being thoughtful, but damn it, she wanted to feel HIM! She rolled towards him, her leg moving to lie over his hip, opening her up completely to him as her own hand snaked between them, sliding lower to tease and stroke at his hardened manhood. She gasped to feel his length and width of his girth as her fingers encircled him, gently pulling and stroking in time with his own magical fingers as the both began to writhe and shift on the bed. He moaned hotly against her neck as he was stroked and loved on, shifting within her grasp. "Oh yeah... just like that Lace." He shuddered hard in her grasp as she returned the favor of their lustful bond, quite enjoying the sensations racing through him. Lacey's hips moved on their own accord, meeting his fingers as they began to thrust into her more than willing body and her own fingers closed a bit tighter over his cock, stroking him in time with the fingers making her cunt pulse and tremble in want. His words made her moan and shift against him, crying out his name softly as they pressed together as much as possible. "Oh god, Wes ... I want you so much," she moaned, trembling uncontrollably against him. He cooed gently as he stroked her deeper and harder with his fingers, his thumb pressing against her clit as they rocked together. He was a bit disappointed that they weren't able to bond completely, but this would do, and it felt damned good. He moaned as she stroked on him, his cock jerking and swelling in her grasp. She moaned hotly against him, jerking as his thumb on her clit sent her over the edge. Her body bucked, coating his fingers with her hot, sweet nectar as her fingers circled him even tighter, stroking him harder in a desperate desire to feel him cum and coat her belly in his seed as she writhed against him, her head pushing back into the pillow as she orgasmed against him. He shuddered as he pushed her over the edge and he smiled, continuing to stroke her. Suddenly his whole body seized up for a split second and he grunted hard, jerking against her as pleasure raced through him, his whole body quaking as he came. He panted, struggling to keep his focus on her as pleasure threatened to shatter him. Lacey clung to him, whimpering again as he jerked and exploded across her hip and belly, searing her skin with his thick cum. Her nails grazed the strength of his upper arms and back, pulling him closer as she jerked and came once again over his fingers that continued to stroke and push deep into her, her sex muscles clenching around his fingers. She cried out, trembling against him. He grinned, satisfied, proud that he still had the effect on a woman he once had and he gently coaxed her down with gentle caresses and kisses, wrapping her up in his arms. Lacey gasped for breath, clinging to him as he wrapped her up in his strong arms and pulled her close, responding sluggishly to his kisses until she was able to gather her wits about her some. Then her fingers slid up his arms to tangle in his hair, pressing slow, intimate kisses against his lips as they slowly caressed each other, holding each other tightly. After awhile of post loving cuddling and touching, and they were both relaxed again Wesley pulled back enough to rest against the pillows and reached for the towel that had been discarded to clean them up. He pressed his lips to hers again, loving the sweet taste of her lips. Lacey couldn't help but chuckle and tease him some as he cleaned her, helping with the mess that he had made against her flat belly and rounded hips. "My word ... you sure know how to make a mess," she teased, gently nibbling on his lips as her fingers tenderly caressed his face, blue eyes twinkling as they locked gazes with his again . She knew, in that moment, that she would never tire of looking deep into his eyes, or touching him tenderly. "Mmhmm... I sure do. Comes with the territory," he winked in play as he stroked her belly, wiping her clean with the towel. "Next time I'll remember a condom. Promise." Lacey laughed gently and then curled up next to him, lying in his arms as her cheek pressed to his shoulder as they relaxed in the bed. "You better," she murmured, a soft smile plastered on her lips as she held him close. She didn't want to think about Sunday, or the time that she would have to walk away from his smiling face. She just wanted to think about here and now and the way he made her feel. "Still mad at Lance?" she asked with a grin. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head as she cuddled and he reached for the crumpled blankets to semi cover them. It was a hot night and they wouldn't need much, but the blanket was more of a comfort shield. "I'm starting to think the scoundrel planned this." She murmured softly as the excitement of the day and then the thrill of tonight caught up with her, closing her eyes as her arm drifted around his waist. "Mmmm ... probably," she managed to say before falling asleep in his arms. She hadn't been this comfortable or this settled in a very long time. Sleep had never come easily for Lacey before tonight. Palomino Ch. 06 In the morning Wesley woke up early and it all slowly came back to him through a slight haze. He looked down at the sleeping gem in his arms and kissed the top of her head tenderly before carefully untangling himself from her grasp. He tucked her in gently to let her continue to sleep. He got up and grabbed a fresh towel from the bathroom and wrapped himself up in it securely. He was going to go see Mr. Lance, the scoundrel. He glanced back at the sleeping form of Lacey and smiled again fondly. On the pad of paper found in any hotel room he scribbled a small note and tucked it on top of her personal items in her bag, where she'd find it. "Lacey, I went to go see about clean clothes. I'll see you soon. Love, Wes" With that, he left quietly and hurried down the hallway to pound on Lance's door. Lance yawned and stretched in his now empty bed. Cindy left in the wee hours of the morning, having a job that she had to get ready for. Opening one eye, he looked at the door before grumping out loudly, half a mumble, "Come back later ... I'm still sleeping!" Wes growled and pounded on the door again. "Lance! You rogue! Open the damned door!" Lance's laughter could be heard on the other side of the door. "Hell no! First tell me where you slept, and if you're in a good mood first!" Wesley scowled and glared at his friend through the door. So it WAS planned. The bastard. He snorted. "Fine! I'm standing here in a towel. I slept with Lacey. Now open the fuckin' door. Before I beat it down." Lance grinned, wrestled on a pair of jeans as he staggered to the door and opened it before his best friend caused a major scene and got them kicked out of the place. "Slept with Lacey, didja? How'd that happen?" he smirked, opening the door wide. Wes glared at him agitatedly. "I knew it was planned. You bastard. Move." He shoved Lance aside. He wasn't about to give the man the victory he wanted. He grabbed the small tote he'd brought along for the weekend and plopped it on the bed, and unzipped it to pull out a fresh set of clothes. Lance laughed at he staggered back and watched Wes move across the room to gather his things. Closing the door, he plopped back down on the unmade bed and couldn't help but ask, "So ... how mad are ya? Or are ya really happy, and not just wanting to admit it?" Wesley glared at his friend. The encounter between he and Lacey had been a good one. Having it all planned on Lance's part irked him. But... the good shove had worked. He snorted and unfolded his shirt, laying it out on the bed. "I didn't think about bringing anything, and she's not on birth control. That answer your question?" Lance tried hard not to laugh but failed. "Oh shit ... you gotta be fuckin' kidding me!" He laughed and then tried to stop, failing and fell off the bed in the process. "Oh man, I'm sorry! I didn't even think about that shit." "Eh... it was alright. Just not exactly what either of us wanted," he couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's response. So he'd expected the intimate encounter, the sneak. Lance grinned up at Wes from the floor. It was obvious that whatever had happened had been good. Wesley was as radiant as a man can get. "I'm glad I could help," he grinned and pushed himself off the floor, stretching and yawning. "You needed it. Hell, you wanted it ... you just didn't know it." Wesley eyed Lance again and just snorted in response. Lance grinned and moved to his own bag and rummaged around for a minute before tossing a couple of wrapped condoms onto the bed and Wes' things. "Now, you've got no good excuse," he grinned and plopped back down on the bed, stretching out with a yawn. "What time is it? I'm sure it's too early for you to be here, leaving her in that hotel room all alone." Wesley looked at the condoms and chuckled. "Thanks Lance." He tucked them into his bag, along with his clothes again. "It's four thirty. Woke up with a dream. A good dream for a change." Lance rubbed his eyes and then looked over at his friend. "A dream huh? What kind of dream?" He zipped up his bag. "Not sure, exactly. Jus' had this feeling of... I dunno how to say it... completeness? Somethin' I haven' felt in a long time." Lance grinned and then waved to the door, knowing that if he continued to push his friend for more answers than that, he wouldn't be able to figure it out for himself. "Git yer ass outta here and back down to that gal. I got some beauty rest to catch up on so I can look perty for tonight's finals." Wesley lifted his bag and grinned at his friend again. "Thanks Lance." And he left it at that. He was still in a towel... but that was alright. Hardly anybody in their right mind was up at 4:30 in the morning. And if they were, they deserved to see a half-naked man scurrying down the walk to Lacey's room. He hated to wake her up, but he hadn't thought to grab the room key and he knocked gently. Lacey shifted in the bed, reaching for Wesley. When she didn't feel him, her head popped up and she looked around. Okay, did she just dream last night? As the second knock came, she peered at the clock. 4:30? What the hell? She pulled herself out of bed and found that she was naked. Blinking a little, she realized she hadn't been dreaming, but Wesley was nowhere to be seen either. Grabbing a sheet, she drew it up in front of her as she padded to the door, drawing aside the curtain right next to it and saw Wesley standing there in a towel and holding his bag. Grinning, she unlocked the door and opened it wide. "I was starting to think last night was just a dream." He grinned and stepped inside, tossing his bag to the bed and he wrapped her up in his arms to plant a firm kiss to her lips. "Left ya a note in case ya woke up. Jus' went ta go git my clothes." Lacey's arms enfolded him close as their lips met again and she murmured softly against them, running her fingers up his back to tangle in his hair. "You didn't kill Lance, did you? Do I need to help you hide a body?" He grinned and guided her back to the bed to enjoy the early morning cuddling he'd almost missed and tucked her hair back from her face. "Nope. Close call, though. He's bleeding from mortal wounds." Lacey laughed as the fell onto the bed again, pulling him close with a soft yawn. If this was his normal schedule, she had a lot of adjustments to get used to. "Hopefully he'll make it," she murmured as she cuddled up next to him, pressing soft kisses to his neck as her body pressed against his. He murmured in pleasure as she nestled against him, and he held her close, letting her cuddle and drift back to sleep. He was too awake, and his mind was moving too fast, and too many directions to fall back asleep. How could this feel so right? He'd hardly known the girl a week. It'd only been three years since Anne. Lacey drifted back to sleep again, nestled in his arms, a soft smile on her lips as one hand rested on his chest, her soft breathing almost in time with his and a slender, smooth leg tucked between his, slightly bent at the knee. She seemed to fit perfectly against him and she slept soundly as he lay awake holding her. 'Oh Anne... God I miss you.' he thought quietly as he held another woman in his arms, feeling somewhat guilty about it. He knew he shouldn't, but it'd been only three years. Was three years enough? The fear and ache pulled at him as me mulled things over in the early morning light. Finally, his troubled thoughts turned to last night and the wonderful feelings he'd felt at the hands of this woman. He couldn't let her go tomorrow. As Wesley lay there wrestling with his feelings, a hazy apparition seemed to appear in the mirror. It didn't take long, though, to figure out who exactly it was, that same familiar smile on her face that encouraged him as Anne's face was clearly found in the mirror, gazing lovingly at Wesley and the girl laying in his arms. Pain tugged at his heart. Wesley reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes as he saw Anne appear. She often did in his daydreams and his dreams when he slept. She had appeared less often in the recent past as he had begun to heal some. She just smiled at him, her eyes drifting from his handsome face to the girl in his arms. Her mouth never moved but he could hear her voice clearly in his ear, "Shhh my Love. It's time. Time to let go." 'I can't, Anne...' He argued softly, more tears appearing in his eyes and he wiped them away. 'I can't forget you.' His voice was pained and his heart torn. The guilt of holding another woman was eating at him too. 'But I'll always be here. Don't you feel me in her? She's the one. I have brought her to you.' Anne's eyes met Wesley's through the mirror and then reached to touch the sleeping form of Lacey in the reflection of the mirror with a tender smile. 'It's okay to love again.' 'I miss you...' he said gently as he sat up a bit, wiping tears from his eyes again in irritation. He hated crying. It burned and it agitated him. 'I love you... what if she doesn't stay? I can't lose another. Not again.' His mind was tumbling over itself like it always did, thoughts that he's mulled over spilling out all at once. Anne reached to touch the reflection of Wesley in the mirror and he could see her stroking his reflection's cheek with her fingers. 'She's going to finish all that I started. Don't worry ... just don't let go, my Love. Don't let her go ...' The apparition was slowly beginning to fade in the mirror, her voice still softly murmuring in his ear 'If you love me, let me go ...' And then only the soft hint of her perfume was left hanging in the air as the morning light softly streamed in through the cracks in the curtains. Wesley reached up to touch his cheek where he could still feel the small, tender caress. 'Anne... don't leave me. ...Please.' He pleaded. He reached for her as she began to fade, seeing her shake her head as she drew away. The woman, even dead, was still as stubborn as ever. He sighed as only her voice was in his head. Her words sinking in. Was it really okay to let go? Anne said she'd brought Lacey to him... was it true? Was it okay to love again? He turned to look out the window, seeing the morning light spill through as he opened his eyes. He'd fallen asleep with Lacey in his arms. It'd been a dream. Lacey inhaled deeply, stretching in the early stages of waking up, her cheek rubbing against his chest and her leg shifting against his, the soft skin in contrast to his hard, somewhat weathered one. Her hand drifted up his hard belly to rub at her nose as it twitched, his chest hair tickling at it some. He looked down at the girl as she stretched and smiled. "Mornin' doll." Lacey's eyelashes fluttered and then she smiled as she realized that last night wasn't a dream at all, shifting so she could look up at him without raising her head. "Mmmm ... morning," she murmured softly. He tucked her hair back from her face tenderly and traced his thumb over her lips before leaning in to kiss her gently in morning greetings. Lacey smiled tenderly, her lips parting beneath the soft caress of his thumb and then met him halfway in the soft kiss, her hand drifting up to gently touch his face, brushing her fingers lightly across his cheek. He stilled a bit as he felt the familiar touch to his cheek. God... she was Anne reincarnated... as a blonde. He muttered in his mind about fates and how, even dead, a woman can tweak strings as he pulled Lacey closer, kissing her deeper. He shoved his thoughts aside. She murmured softly into his mouth as he pulled her closer, her tongue drifting out to tangle lightly with his as he deepened the kiss, her fingers stroking down from his cheek to his neck and then sliding to the back of his head to pull him closer. He murmured into her lips, relaxing in her arms. It'd been the first time he'd touched a woman in a long, long time. It felt good, and it felt right. Hell, Anne had told him it was right... yet he still couldn't help feeling a nagging fear at the back of his mind. What if she did leave? Had Anne really said it was okay? Lacey gently pulled back with a soft smile, blue eyes looking over his handsome face as her fingers brushed over his lips and across his cheek. "I ... I wish I had words to express what I feel when I'm with you," she softly said, trying to put into words the unexplainable connection she felt with him. She could only hope that he felt it too. Gently he put his fingers to her lips. God he hoped she wouldn't say the 'L' word. He wasn't ready to hear that yet. He just wanted to feel and enjoy what was here with the time they had. "Don't.... please. Don't try. I know." She smiled gently and kissed his fingers as they pressed to her lips and then gently pulled his hand away to kiss at his neck and down his chest, her fingers sliding along his sides, down towards his hips. If she couldn't put it into words, maybe she could show it to him instead. He murmured softly and relaxed as she kissed and caressed, thoroughly enjoying her movements. His fingers curled in her hair and he rubbed the back of her neck gently, just relaxing with her in the sunlight that was beginning to bathe the bed. Lacey pulled the sheet away that covered them, giving him an unobstructed view of her body as well as his. Nibbling down his chest, her fingers lightly scraped at his chest and across the hard nipples before following the path of her mouth across his belly, her breath hot against his groin as she shifted lower on top of him. He stiffened a bit as she moved lower and lower, her hot breath was against his groin and he stiffened more. "Ooo.... god. Could wake up to this every morning," He almost purred, relaxing back against the bed as he watched her, his fingers curling in to her hair. Lacey glanced up at him as his body stiffened beneath her, giving him a sultry smile as her fingers tickled up the insides of his thighs, gently brushing against his ball sac before dipping her head lower, her tongue darting out to sweep at the swollen head of his sex. His fingers curled tighter to hold her hair back and he moaned hotly, his hips shifting there on the bed. It'd been a long time since he'd felt anything this good, and damn did it feel good. His whole body quivered as she teased his cock, the shaft stiffening beneath her administrations. Wrapping her fingers around the base of his girth, she gave him a gentle squeeze as she nibbled around the mushroom shaped head and then licked at the sensitive ridge of skin that attached the head to the shaft, sucking on it lightly before nibbling down the vein that pulsing more and more blood into his cock, making it swell and pulse in her hand. He shuddered hard and arched in her grasp. His hands moved up to grab the headboard and he couldn't help but move in rhythm, his hips gyrating in the air against her tantalizing tongue and lips. Lacey grinned against the underside of his cock, watching his reaction to her mouth. She had been told once that she had a special talent for making a man scream, but of course that had been a long time ago, when she had a steady boyfriend. It made her feel good to know she hadn't lost it. Dragging her tongue back up that thick vein, she teasingly raked her teeth against the swollen head before capturing it in her mouth, suckling lightly and then more strongly as her fingers began to slowly stroke him in rhythm. He shuddered as he moved with her rhythm, his cock twitching and jerking in her grasp as he arched, panting hard with very little effort on her part. His knuckles turned white on the headboard. Taking a bit more of his thick cock in her mouth, she began to swallow him, her throat making swallowing motions like she was slowly drinking a tall glass of water, her fingers tightening on his girth as she slowly stroked him, making twisting motions with her hand. He should cum long and hard in a few short minutes with this technique that she inherently knew he had never experienced. He trembled hard and gasped for air as she made him experience a whole new realm of oral. He struggled to find his voice, and couldn't, and just moaned helplessly, gripping the headboard as if for dear life. Lacey glanced up at him, blue eyes twinkling as she knew he was close to blowing, and managed to turn it up a notch, her hand stroking him faster with twisting motions as she continued to 'swallow' his cock with tightening and sucking motions of her throat, his cock-head going into over-sensitized overload. He groaned deeply and quivered. "Oh god..." he managed, breathless as he surged forward. He jerked as he came hard, unable to control or stop it, crying out her name. As he surged forward, Lacey's hand splayed out across his belly, just above his groin, pushing in to make his orgasm that much more intense and pulled back just enough to keep the head locked between her lips and began to swallow, steeling herself for the blast of cum that suddenly erupted in her mouth, struggling to not miss a single drop. "Oh my god..." he gasped as he melted back against the bed, panting hard, sweaty from those few short minutes of ecstasy and near torture. Lacey gently pulled off him as he sank back against the bed, her hand still gently applying pressure just above the base of his cock as she smiled and kissed her way up his body, her fingers gently reaching to push back sweaty strands of hair from his forehead "Mmmm ... good morning," she purred, a soft chuckle lifting from her lips. "Mornin'..." he managed breathlessly, struggling to catch his breath again. Finally he was able to pull his grip from the headboard and wrap his arms around her to kiss her gently. Palomino Ch. 07 Lacey was trying to not think about anything except the task at hand. She had a job that was screaming at her to get back, and responsibilities that needed her attention. No, she hadn't made a final decision as to what she was going to do when she got back to New York, but she had to return. There was no getting around that. Steeling her jaw, she moved to the closet to take down the last of her things, carrying them to the bed and slowly began to take them from the hangers and roll them to place into her suitcase. Caroline stopped at the open door and knocked softly, a coffee cup in her hand. "Lacey, honey? Need any help?" Lacey glanced up to see Caroline standing there and shook her head as she continued to roll the garments and place them into her suitcase. "No, I'm just about done actually. I could use the company, tho?" she added with a small wistful smile. She was going to miss Caroline. Caroline beamed a bright smile and stepped into the guest room, offering Lacey the coffee she brought up. "Thought you might like to enjoy some real coffee before you suffer that watered down stuff they do on the plane." Lacey laughed softly, placing the last rolled garment into the suitcase before reaching for the coffee cup and took a small sip, her fingers wrapping around the warm cup as she sank down on the edge of the bed. "Mmm ... you always did make the most delicious coffee," she said, glancing up to her with a small smile. Caroline pulled the stool out from the vanity and sat, watching her a moment. "Y'know... it was good for the men here to work with a woman for awhile." Lacey glanced at Caroline over the rim of her cup, having a feeling she had more on her mind than just to comment that Lacey had worked well with the men. Taking a slow sip, she lowered the cup some as she commented, "I actually enjoyed it. I'm just glad I didn't get in the way." Silence ensued for a little while before Caroline took a deep breath then began in again. "I've been the only woman on this ranch for three years, y'know.... once in awhile Lance or the other boys will bring one in for a bit. Gets pretty lonesome." Lacey felt her jaw tighten in unison with her chest at Caroline's words and looked down into her cup as they both sat quietly. "I have to go back," she whispered quietly in explanation, not sure if she was trying to convince Caroline, or herself. "I can't just up and leave without a word or an explanation to anyone. I have a townhouse, a job, responsibilities ..." she trailed off as her thoughts turned to Wesley. They hadn't really had a chance to talk since yesterday morning and quite honestly, she had avoided seeing him this morning because she wasn't sure she could handle seeing him, knowing she had to go. Carol sighed and looked out the window. The boys were out throwing hay. "Ever since your daddy died, things have all become routine. Then you come into our lives for two weeks, and everything changes. The boys seem more alive. You make me smile every time I see you in that silly get-up you jog in every morning. And just seeing you again just warms my heart. Whether you remember or not, you were my little girl. I don't care what anybody says." Lacey's fingers tightened on the coffee mug as unshed tears stung her eyes and she set the cup aside before moving off the bed and knelt on the floor before Caroline, slipping her arms around the older woman's waist as she hugged her. Her cheek was pressed against the woman's bosom, much like a little girl would hug her mother, and she couldn't stifle the soft sob that erupted from her throat. "What am I supposed to do, Carol?" Carol smiled and ran her fingers through Lacey's hair gently. "Love that boy with all you've got," she said gently. Carol was a natural bossy busy body, usually, but the woman had a sixth sense when it came to her "children", and all of them were hers, whether they liked it or not. "Your daddy always wanted you happy. That's why he sent you off with your momma. He didn't want you stuck here as a rancher's daughter with nothin' and nobody. Now it all depends on what you want, 'cause, there's still nothin' here, but there is somebody." Lacey felt something break inside of her at Caroline's words. She sobbed, tightening her arms around the older woman as her slender form trembled uncontrollably. It was all about Wesley, and this undeniable connection she had with him. It had only been a week, but she knew that she was falling head over heels in love with him, and with life here on the ranch. "I ... I love him, Carol but I'm not sure he's ready, and it would kill me if he can't move on. I'd be better off in New York City." Carol kissed the top of her head gently and held her close as she cried and rocked her quietly. The girl was arguing with herself. That much was clear. "Then I'll help you pack your things, honey. It's alright. He'll be alright. Forgive yourself." She hated to see something that could be so good for both of them die simply because one was a rancher, and one definitely wasn't. But, that's the way things would be. Routine would become the normality again. --- Lance pitched another bale of hay half-heartedly, glancing over to Wesley. The man was throwing himself in to the job and had been working his ass all morning and not said a damn word. Everyone knew what today was, and it was like someone had died, and a death toll was settling on the ranch. Lacey was leaving. It was killing him to watch it, too. Shoving his pitchfork down into the dirt, he leaned against it some and just looked at his best friend, somewhat of a glare on his face. Wesley grunted as he hefted one of the thrown bales from up top of the barn, re-stacking it lower at the bottom for better access where they'd been tearing a cave into the mountain throughout the winter. They were now filling the cave before the top gave in. He'd been distant all morning. He'd hardly eaten his breakfast, and he was working harder than he really needed to at the rather simple tasks. Wesley bent down again, easing his gloved fingers beneath the twine to heft the bale up and throw it up on the tier he was building. When Wes didn't even notice that Lance had stopped working, he pulled the pitchfork back out of the dirt and turned it so that he was holding the fork side in his hands. Stepping closer to Wesley, he drew back and then pulled the blunt end forward to smack Wesley smartly across his ass. With a shout Wesley turned to grab the stick that'd struck him, glaring heatedly at Lance. "What the livin' hell was that for?" He tossed the stick back, making Lance take a step back before he turned back to his work, righting the bale up top. Lance stumbled back a bit and then took up the pitchfork again, stepping forward and smacked his best friend across his ass again, this time harder. "What the fuck are you doing?!" he shouted, rather matter-of-factly. Wesley exploded when he was hit again and he grabbed the pitchfork and yanked it out of Lance's hands before his right fist swung around to hit him square in the jaw to knock him back. "Stop fuckin' hittin' me! Damn it!" he growled and flexed his fist, breathing hard. Work had come to a complete standstill in the barn. The other hands pretended to work to keep from irking Wesley anymore but were more watching than anything. Lance stumbled back from the blow, but he had expected it. Wesley needed to let it out. Rubbing his jaw, he quickly came up at his best friend, his own right fist connecting with Wesley's jaw, sending him stumbling back, then bent over some to catch his breath. If it took fighting his best friend to knock some sense into him, then so be it. "Answer my god-damned question! What the fuck are you doing?!" he growled back, up righting himself to prepare for the second attack he knew was coming. Wesley snarled, hurling the pitchfork into the hay as he reached up to wipe blood from his lip. Instead of answering, he launched himself at Lance, grabbing his shirt to yank him down. Wesley usually wasn't a fighting man, but when he got really worked up about something, he was quick to blow the fuse and simply explode. Again his fist connected with Lance's jaw, then Lance's kidney, rolling violently with him on the floor of the barn as they fought it out. All that Lance could really do was try to keep Wesley from doing too much damage as the enraged man's fists kept connecting, but Lance managed to block most of them and wrestle the bigger man off. The two men rolled on the floor of the barn as the other hands gathered around to watch. This kind of thing NEVER happened on the ranch, especially involving their foreman. Loud grunts, panting breath and curse words continued to fly from both men as the grappled in the barn, boots flashing and hats long gone. Finally Wesley managed to best Lance, pinning him on his back with his neck twisted and face pressed to the dirt. He snarled and panted, then got up to dust himself off and let Lance up. "I ain't gonna fight you no more, Lance. I'm doin' my fuckin' job. Leave me the fuck be." He turned and limped to the side to grab his hat and dusted it off to put it back on his head and wiped blood from his nose and mouth. Lance sputtered, rolling half onto his belly as he fought the urge to throw up and then pushed himself up, staggering a bit as he glared at his best friend. He reached up to wipe blood away from his nose and mouth before spitting a wad of it onto the barn floor. "I ain't leavin' you be, until you fuckin' git off yer stubborn ass and do something about her leavin'! What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Wesley stopped half-way out the barn and turned to look at Lance again. "She belongs in the city. She said so. Let it go." He tipped his hat pointedly to the other men watching who instantly turned back to their "work" as Wesley walked away toward the stables. Lance swore loudly, swiftly kicking his hat across the barn floor before using the back of his arm to wipe off the blood running from his nose. "God damn, stubborn sonofabitch," he mumbled before stalking off in the opposite direction. Lance bent over the water faucet outside the house, coughing blood. Wesley wasn't usually a violent man, but he'd managed to do some damage. He growled at himself and splashed cold water on his face, trying to calm his nerves. "Goddamn sonofabitch... if a rattlesnake fuckin' bit him he wouldn't budge." He tested to see if his nose was still bleeding, seeing it had at least slowed. Lacey was in between trips, taking her luggage to the car, having refused to let Caroline help. She wasn't due to leave for the airport just yet, so she had a bit of time to kill. She refused to follow her heart and go in search of Wesley. It wouldn't change the fact that she still had to leave. His dogs had somehow managed to get away from him, though, and were now following her around the corner of the house. "Come on Tick," she said softly, patting her thigh and then the dog's head as he caught up with her, wagging his tail happily until he saw Lance. Barking, the dog bounded ahead to jump up on Lance as he bent over the faucet. Lance grunted as the dog jumped on him and stepped back, scratching the dog's head with a wet hand. "Hey Tick..." he said rather huskily. Then he looked up to see Lacey and his eyes widened. God what a sight he would be. Blood was all over his shirt and his face probably wasn't much better. Lacey gasped and bolted to where Lance was, her arm going around him and she stared at his face. "Oh my god ... Lance! What happened?" she cried, gingerly reaching to move his face so she could get a better look. If he was about to fall over before she got there, he nearly did as she caught him around the middle. He protested a bit, reaching up to remove her hands from him. "I'm fine... honest, I'm fine." He pulled his head out of her grasp and stepped back. "A filly threw me." THAT was an all-out lie if he'd ever heard one, and it probably wasn't too convincing either. Lacey's eyebrow shot up as he outright blatantly lied to him. "What's going on?" she asked, grasping his chin again to turn his head and get a good look at the damage. "I supposed she kicked you right in the eye too, huh?" "Ow... ow. Hey! Easy." He reached up to loosen her grasp on his chin. He hurt everywhere. If Wesley had intended to make him sore until next week, he sure managed it. His ribs and kidneys were flaring in agony too. "There... there was a fight. Back in the barn. I'm fine." Lacey's brows furrowed together in concern as she started to walk and help him to the back porch. He needed to sit down and she needed to get Caroline. He was hurt more than he was letting on. "A fight about what? Who all was involved?" she asked, forcing him to come with her or else hurting him in the process. He grunted when she first pulled against his ribs and he moved reluctantly toward the steps and sank down. The woman was as stubborn as Wesley was. He wiped blood from his nose and lip again, looking up at her. "I started it... was jus' me 'n Wes." Lacey blinked as she carefully helped him sink down onto the porch. "Wh-what? You started a fight with Wesley? ...But why?" Lacey felt dread sink into the pit of her stomach as she reached for the roll of paper towels that stayed on the back porch, pulling them from the wall to lick at one corner and lift it to wipe some blood from his eyebrow. He winced and reached up to take it from her but when she shoved his hand down, he growled and glared at her. This was why he never settled down. All of 'em were too much hassle and too stubborn to handle. "He's lettin' you leave." Lacey stopped mid-movement as she dabbed at the cut on his lip, blue eyes meeting his as the dreadful feeling took hold of her hard. Sighing heavily, she continued to wipe at the blood as she blinked back the tears she could feel welling up in her chest. "Lance... please don't. Don't fight him because of me. It's my decision. I have to go home." Lance looked down sadly. Though he was a well-grown man, he seemed like only a boy at the moment. A boy who's best friend was closing off to something that could be real good for him. "I haven't seen Wes so happy in years. I mean it. Years. The last time I saw him smile like that was.... well... was when he heard the news that Anne was pregnant." Lacey's chin trembled as she drew back her hand from his cut and swollen lip and simply stared at the bloody paper towel in her hand. "I ... I don't know what to do, Lance. I've got to go back. Even if I decided to stay, I'd have to go back and tie up loose ends. Who knows how long that would take. What the hell am I supposed to do with a ranch? I don't know anything about it. I'm not a cowgirl. I don't know how to rodeo. I'm used to getting my nails done every week, and the hardest work I do is in the office, typing." She reached up to wipe the tears formed in her eyes and turned her face away from him so he couldn't see just how painful this was for her. "Besides, can you honestly say Wesley is ready to move on?" She sniffed before turning her head back to the best friend of the man she had fallen in love with, her eyes filled with large tears. "He could be. If you helped him. But seems both of ya are runnin' scared. Have a safe trip, Ma'am." The last sentence came out rougher than he intended. He stood from the porch. It took him a moment to gain his balance from the sudden rush of blood to his head, but he managed to hold back the nauseous feeling and walked across the yard back toward the barn. Lacey watched him stagger off, the tears running down her cheeks before she reached up to cover her face with trembling hands and sobbed. This wasn't fair. It just wasn't. "Oh Daddy, why did you do this to me?" she cried out softly. "Why am I here?" Palomino Ch. 08 "Lizzy! You can't be serious! You can't stay... where are you again? Wyoming. Right. Where is that anyway? Never mind." the girl was adamant on the other end of the line. She'd sat through a half hour of some sob story of Lacey being swept off her feet by some cowboy or another. She couldn't stand to be quiet anymore. "You've known the guy what... a week? Be practical Lizzy. Nothing happens in a week. God. If it did, I would've been married a dozen times over by now. Listen. Get on your plane, come back home, and we'll sort all this out, okay? We'll sit down over Starbuck's and ham sandwiches and we'll discuss... oh, I don't know. Ad layouts. You'll be fine." Lacey nodded, choking on her own tears and sniffled into the phone. "I know ... you're right. I don't know what's gotten into me. Maybe my dad's death is just catching up with me ... I don't know ... maybe it's this place. I swear to God, there's nothing out here, much less a Starbuck's." She closed her eyes, shaking her head. Tyra was right, this was insane. It had only been two weeks ... if she was back in the city, she would NEVER fall for a guy this quickly. She must have lost her mind. "You'll pick me up at the airport, right?" she said into the phone, her voice cracking. "Yeah.... I'll pick you up. What time do you land? Wait. I've got your itinerary right here. 6:30. How about I take you to dinner? We'll have some wine and it'll calm you right down, okay? Oh sweetie. Don't cry please. If you're gonna cry, cry for the right reasons, okay?" Lacey tried to still her tears. If this was so wrong, then why did it hurt so much?? "Yeah ... okay. I need something to take my mind off this. I feel like I'm going crazy, Ty. This is ridiculous ... I'll see you tonight and I'm sorry I called you with this shit. Love ya toots" Lacey flipped her cell phone closed and just looked at it before tossing it into her purse with a sigh. She hated this feeling. She felt like she was going to be sick; literally sick. Moving to her final bag, she put the last of her personal items in it, her eyebrows furrowing as she saw a piece of paper stuck in between her bottle of shampoo and conditioner. It was the note that she had never seen from Wes that night in the hotel. She read it, tears slipping down her cheeks and crumpled it in her hand. Tossing it into the trash, she picked up her bag and flung it over her shoulder before picking up her purse and headed out the door of her bedroom. But then on second thought, she turned, entered the room once more and pulled the crumpled piece of paper from the trash and thrust it into her pocket before heading back out once more. Caroline would be waiting for her on the front porch. Carol wrapped her up in her arms and kissed her cheek then dabbed at her eyes with her apron. "Oh gosh I'm gonna miss havin' you around Lacey. You take care now, ya hear? Drive safe. If you get lost, just head for those mountains over there. It'll take you into town no matter what road you're on. Send me one of your magazines, alright?" Lacey hugged the older woman tightly, refusing to give into her tears ... refusing to allow herself to throw down her bags and run for the barn in search of Wesley. She inhaled deeply, trying to still her emotions that threatened to run wild on her and pulled back with a brave smile, "Thank you, Carol. For everything." She wanted to tell her to take care of Wesley but she didn't. Casting a longing look towards the barn, she sighed gently and released Caroline. He hadn't even come to say goodbye. With only a nod of her head, she moved down the steps of the porch and tossed her last bag into the backseat before sliding into the front seat and shut the door. "You can do this Lacey. Time to be strong. This isn't real." She started the ignition, waved to the woman that she loved as a mother and slowly pulled away, blinking back tears as the ranch house slowly shrank in size in her rearview mirror. --- Wesley Hardigan sat astride his cutting horse on one of the high hills of the ranch that looked down on the main road and beyond. He leaned on the saddle horn as he watched the little red car drive away in a cloud of dust, the sunlight gleaming on it, making it look like a little jewel in the water. He sighed deeply and reached again for the reigns to turn his head some. "I told you she wouldn't stay, Anne." He said softly into the wind, his voice almost cracking. Palomino Ch. 09 Lacey sat beside the tall plate glass window, thousands of yards high into the sky, simply turning the wine glass in her hand as she stared out the window into the brilliant night sky, ablaze with bright lights and the bustle of the city below. She hadn't touched her wine, barely played with her food and hadn't said a word in the last ten minutes to her dining companion across the table. Tyra set down her fork and blotted her lips with her napkin. "Lizzy! Stop drifting on me, honey. I can't help you unless you talk. Is it him again? Honey... he's a cowboy. If you want a man in boots and a Stetson, I can go find one, or five for you right now down on the street." Lacey's mind barely registered that Tyra was even speaking to her and she slowly turned her head, blue eyes seemingly blank as she simply stared at her a moment before blinking, coming back to the here and now temporarily as confusion settled across her troubled features. "Hu - huh? I'm sorry, did you say something?" "Okay. Yeah. We're getting out of here. You need to unwind." she flagged down the waiter for their bill and handed him her credit card. "C'mon chicky." Lacey set her wine glass down and stood, almost forgetting to grab her purse as she started to follow Tyra and then turned back to retrieve it. It was as if she had been uprooted from her body and was merely a spectator watching from afar. She shook her head and tried to snap herself out of it but she felt so empty inside. Pinching the inside of her left arm hard, she winced and followed Tyra, reaching up to smooth back her long blonde hair as she tried to think of anything ... anyone but HIM. Tyra walked with her friend arm-in-arm down the street through the hustle and bustle of the city night life in attempt to get Lacey somewhat back into the flow of things. "Now, tell me honestly Lacey... did you sleep with him?" Lacey sighed gently as her arm looped in Tyra's. They had been best friends ever since before Lacey's climb to the top at Metropolitan magazine. She was the only true friend that didn't try to stab her in the back as she applied for and then received senior editor for the magazine. "Well, kinda," she admitted, thinking back to her encounter with Wesley in the hotel, a small smile flickering at the corners of her mouth. She could almost see him again in that towel, swearing as he came out of the bathroom, laying on the bed in tears as he revealed his past to her, the whites of his knuckles as he grasped the headboard. "Kinda? How can you kinda sleep with a man? Wait..." she shook her head. "Never mind. Don't tell me. Damn Lizzy! No wonder you can't get him out of your head, honey. Let it go. You're home now." Lacey sighed heavily as she turned her head to look at her friend, her footfalls slowing and then stopping as she turned to face her. "That's just it though, Ty. I don't FEEL like I'm home. Something happened to me there. Something I can't explain and I don't quite understand. It's not all Wesley." She sighed, pulling her hand from her friend's arm and rubbed her temples as she started to walk again. "I don't know what's wrong with me, but I hate being here! And it feels like I've been in the wrong place for years, and now I'm stuck. I'm just stuck!" Tyra hurried to catch up and hooked her arm with Lacey's again. "No you're not! Silly. You make bank with your job, you've got me, and what about Kenny? Are you two seeing each other anymore? Look. We'll have a girl's day tomorrow. I'll take off work, and we'll go to the spa. Get all dolled up, okay? I have a gift card from my mom." Lacey laughed and stopped walking again, pulling her arm from Tyra's. "You want to know the weird part? I don't WANT to get all dolled up. I don't want to go to a spa. I don't want to shop, or get my nails done, or see that idiot Kenny anymore. You know what I REALLY want to do?" Lacey's eyes lit up and she laughed, truly laughed, for the first time since being with Wesley. "I want to put on a pair of jeans and go to a fucking rodeo!" Tyra reached to feel her friend's forehead. "Honey... that place really messed you up. I'll pick you up at 8. We'll go out for a little something, then hit the spa, and do all the girly things we do. Get a good night's sleep, and after tomorrow you'll feel like a brand new woman. You watch. You'll forget all about whatshisname." Lacey reached up with her hands and ran them down the length of her face before pressing them together prayer-like in front of her nose and pursed lips, looking at Tyra for a long time. She knew she must come across as some kind of idiot to her best friend, but it was as clear as a bell to her all of a sudden as she stood amid the twinkling lights of the city and listened to the hustle and bustle around them. "No ... I'm going into work tomorrow, and I'm going to quit my job, " she announced quietly, lowering her hands as determination set in her face. "This city stinks and I want out." "No! God no. No you're not. Stop that." she grabbed Lacey's hand and drug her toward a night club they visited periodically. "You're partying with me, then sleeping late into the morning and we're going to the spa tomorrow. That's the plan. Okay?" Lacey shook her head, trying to pull her hand out of Tyra's as she practically drug her into the nightclub. "Ty, stop it! I haven't lost my mind, I swear to God!" She winced at the loud music as the bass thumped out the beat so loudly that it made the sidewalks outside vibrate. She had to raise her voice to be heard, "I'm quitting my job tomorrow, and that's final!" "No you're not!" she thrust a martini she'd grabbed from the counter into Lacey's hand and plopped her down onto a stool. The lady she'd taken the martini from was about to start something, then didn't, noticing who it was, and just laughed, signaling for another. Palomino Ch. 10 Wesley looked at the hat as he pulled it down off the hat rack. It'd hung there for well over two months, the silent prayer hanging in the air that the girl he'd loaned it to would come back. But as it stood, it had been nearly three months. He ran his thumb across the buckle on the hat band and sighed, tucking the hat back into the box he'd dug it out and put it back up in the closet where it'd been for years. Even in the three months she'd been gone, Wesley couldn't get Lacey King out of his mind. He'd wrestled many restless nights with an empty bed and pillows. He'd woken up many mornings, tasting her sweet kiss on his lips. He sighed sadly as he closed the closet. Wesley had invited everybody over for a cook-out tonight. The hands and everybody would be over soon. Lance told him he'd be over early to help get things on the table. The cook sure enjoyed the night off. If there was one thing Wes was good at, it was grilling steaks. He made the best meat in the west, according to a lot of cowboys. Lance kicked the door once to act as a knock before barging right in, his arms full of paper plates and napkins and what not that Carolyn had sent down from the big house. "Hey, how 'bout a hand, pardner?" he said, glancing up just in time to see Wesley putting the hat he'd given Lacey back in the closet. "Oh... yeah." He reached to take the cups that were about to topple off the top from the pile, also taking the bag of silverware Carol had packed up all nice. "Thanks for doing that. Was about to head up there myself." Lance looked at his friend and then back at the closet, jerking his head a bit towards it. "Giving up?" he said gently, not wanting to start an argument but simply curious. He and Wesley had argued about Lacey many times over since she had driven away. Lance had always prodded his friend to do something, anything, call her, hell, even go after her, but Wesley never would. Wesley just smirked. "Puttin' it away." He pushed past his friend to open up the swinging gates that mimicked the old-time saloons into the kitchen, showing him the table he'd put together with a nice table cloth and such. Lance followed him, casting another glance back towards the closet, and then set the items down, letting the whole topic of Lacey rest for the night. He just nodded and turned towards the table with a grin. "Not too bad for a cowboy," he said. "What do you need me to do?" "Set the dishes on the island there. There's potatoes in the oven, and Carolyn's bring over God only knows what. She was fussin' 'bout needin' more. I just lit the grill a little bit ago." Lance chuckled and moved to set the dishes out, not sure if he was doing it right, but not really caring either. Hell, everyone was going to be digging in so fast it wouldn't matter where the plates were, or in what order. "Sounds good ... what struck you to do something like this?" he asked, glancing over at his friend. His spirits were higher than they had been in a long time. "Some special occasion?" He scratched the back of his head. Now that was a good question. "I dunno, really. Just wanted to do somethin' nice." The truth was, he missed the cook-outs they'd had when Anne was around. She'd always hold a party of some sort every weekend for the hands during the summer whether it be their grill, a church social, or just tuna sandwiches and chips around a fire. It made everybody feel like a family around here, and he missed it. But there was something else. Something that had been nagging him for weeks and he couldn't put his finger on it. Lance looked at him a moment and then shrugged, taking a look at the handiwork he had done on the table. "Eh, it's the best you're gonna get outta me," he said with a lopsided grin. He rubbed his nose and then sniffed, following the delicious scent of meat cooking out onto the back deck just as another knock sounded. "Yoo hoo!" Carolyn waited patiently by the doorway, two cake containers balanced on top of one another. Wesley went to the front door and pushed the screen open. Tick came running through the house yapping up a storm, wiggling all over as Carolyn walked in. Wes reached to take one of the cakes from her. "Carolyn... you shouldn't have." Carolyn laughed and brushed past him, "There's a lot more of that in the car," she said. She stopped long enough to peck his cheek with a twinkle in her gray-blue eyes. "Gimme that one back and why don't you head out to the car to get some more?" He muttered at the old biddy and handed it back to her. "There's only seven to feed, woman. What are you thinkin', we're feedin' an army?" Carolyn laughed and walked towards the kitchen, calling back in her loving but irritating sing-song voice, "You just go on out to the car now," she urged, glancing back at him with a grin. "I got something special out there just for you." He grumbled and scratched his head. The woman was rather irritating sometimes. "C'mon Tick... let's see what ol' Carolyn's got this time." He swung the screen door open and stepped out onto the porch with the dog zooming past him half across the yard, then bounding back up on the porch, having a grand old time. Carolyn's car was parked just to the side of the front porch, kind of in the shadows, but it was easy to see that someone was pulling something out of the trunk before it slammed shut. The silhouette stopped for a moment as Wesley came out onto the front porch, holding a large casserole dish in their hands as they seemed to just look in Wesley's direction for a long time before moving forward and into the light that was cast from the front porch light. Tick barked for a long moment and then began to wiggle all over, an excited whine reaching Wesley's ears before he bounded off the porch to run towards the figure stepping closer into the light. Wesley stopped as he saw somebody already helping the old biddy out and he held the screen door open for whoever it was. The sun was starting to cast an orange light everywhere as it sank lower in the sky. Lacey stepped into the circle of light, her long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, giving him an unobstructed view of the soft smile kissing her lips as she drew closer. She had arrived earlier this afternoon, surprising Carolyn and now, Carolyn was surprising everyone else in return. She stopped before Wesley, blue eyes locking with his as uncertainty and every fear flashed in her eyes, unsure of what he would think about her suddenly being here after all this time. "Wh-where do you want this?" she asked softly, never breaking eye contact with him. It didn't take any time at all to recognize who it was and a lump rose in his throat. He wasn't sure how to react to her. He rubbed the back of his neck then pointed in the house. "Ah... on the island in the kitchen, if you would please." Lacey watched him for a moment and then nodded, gently brushing past him, the hint of her perfume tickling his nose. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves as she stepped into the house and moved towards the kitchen. What had she expected him to do? Grab her and kiss her and act like he was overjoyed to see? Yeah ... she did. And disappointment stung in her throat, but she knew she had expected too much. Stepping into the kitchen, she smiled gently at Carolyn as the old woman looked at her and then looked past her for Wesley, her eyebrows furrowing some in agitation. Damn that man. He was going to be stubborn again it seemed. Wesley didn't even have to call Tick in. The dog was bounding along behind Lacey right at her heels the whole way down the hall. He sighed and let the door shut softly, rather than slam like it had the habit of doing. Not soon after, the noisy trio came meandering in, hanging up their hats and dusting their boots as they filed into the Foreman's house. Wesley stepped into the kitchen and grabbed a pair of oven mitts to pull the potatoes out of the oven. Lance had taken over the cooking part, it seemed, and once that man got started in on a grill, it was hard to stop him. The only thing was to watch out for fire if he got carried away. As Lacey stepped out onto the back deck, excitement erupted as Lance grabbed her up and swung her around, the rest of the men lighting up like a long-lost sister had rejoined the family. "Damn Lacey! I didn't think you could look any finer!" Lance gushed, pushing her back to give her the once over, whistling sharply as the rest of the men greeted her and pulled her into a hug one by one. Questions were firing left and right about whether she was just here for a visit, or if she had come to her senses and was coming home. Wesley could feel Carolyn's cool glare on the back of his head as he bent toward the oven, digging the potatoes out. She'd be standing behind him with her hands on her hips, looking at him with those beady little eyes and that.... look. He knew it. Instead of acknowledging it, he put the potatoes on a plate and shoved them onto the island with the rest of the food. "I take it you didn't like my surprise," Carolyn asked, moving closer to the island so that Wesley was forced to acknowledge her. "What am I supposed to do, Carol? Pretend nothing happened?" He stepped toward the fridge to pull out beer that had been chilling all afternoon and popped the tops off the bottles so he could serve them to the fellas. Carolyn crossed her arms as she just looked at him. "You are, without a doubt, the most stubborn man I've ever had the displeasure of knowing. How about showing some kind of emotion, Wesley Hardigan? How about listening to your heart for once, instead of that damned, play-by-the-rules head of yours?" Carolyn glanced toward the door leading out to the back deck and then to the cowboy standing in front of her. "She's back for good. Sold her townhouse and quit her job so she could come back here and be near you. It took this long to get all her shit straightened out, and you act like you barely know the woman!" "Well... it's true, Carolyn. I barely know the woman." The news of her being back for good was rather shocking. He didn't expect anything from her, but he'd spent hours staring at the phone on the kitchen counter wondering if it'd ring, and it be her on the other end. He offered a beer to Carolyn. "She left. What was I supposed to do?" Carolyn ignored the beer he offered and just glared at him. "Well, you did exactly what you're doing now," she accused. "Nothing." She turned to go, and just before she walked out the door to go out onto the back deck, she turned around and walked right up to Wesley, shoving her index finger into his chest to poke at him, dramatizing her next words, "Keep it up, and you are going to be alone, and miserable, for the rest of your life." Then she turned and went out the back door, letting it slam behind her. Wesley growled at the presumptuous woman. What did she know about anything? What if he WANTED to be alone and miserable the rest of his life? Hell... that's all he'd wanted for the last three and a half years. Why he'd lived, and Anne didn't, was a question that nagged at the back of his head, always. Ignoring the fury that boiled through his veins, he scooped up the bottles and carried them outside, offering them to the cowboys chattering up a storm out back. His eyes gazed on Lacey as he offered her the last beer in his hands other than his own. Their eyes met a long moment. It was an uncomfortable moment. One filled with indescribable confusion and heartache. Lacey sat perched on the top railing of the deck, close to the grill where she and Lance had been chatting and catching up until Wesley had appeared with the beers. Lance gave her a wink and a jerk of his head towards Wesley before taking a beer and moving towards the other hands chatting to give them a semi-private moment. She reached out to take the beer bottle from Wesley's hand, her fingers gently grazing his before pulling the bottle close with a gentle smile. "Thanks." She could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't sure how to react to her. and it stung. But there was no turning back now. She had come back, and the moving van was on its way with her things. "It.... it's nice to see you again, Miss King." he said gently, his voice cracking with nervousness as he took a swig of his beer. He hadn't expected to see her again, let alone just have her show up on his doorstep. "If I had known you were comin' I would've baked another 'tato and thrown more meat on the grill." Lacey couldn't help but smile, lifting her own bottle to take a sip before lowering it to look at him again. He was just making small talk to avoid the real conversation that they needed to have. "Don't worry about it ... I'm not really hungry, to be honest." "Ya sure? I can whip another out of the freezer quick. I make the best meat in the west, according to these guys." He grinned a bit. The moment was becoming more comfortable as he saw her smile and the light in her eyes. She was back. Carolyn said for good. What he was going to do with her, heno idea. Lacey smiled gently as she saw him relax and reached out to capture his free hand in hers, slender fingers gently stroking over his knuckles as she just looked at him a long time. "I'm sure," she said softly, knowing one of them had to make some kind of move or they would forever be stuck with polite manners and unanswered questions. He stilled when she grasped his hand and he gazed into her eyes with a soft half-smile. "So I guess you're the big boss lady around here, eh?" Lacey chuckled softly as her fingers continued to gently caress his knuckles, shrugging gently as she answered his question, "I guess so ... know a good foreman that could teach me a thing or two?" She knew that her question had a hidden double meaning but she wanted to see what kind of reaction she would get from him. She hadn't been able to get Wesley Hardigan out of her mind for one moment since leaving Wyoming. There hadn't been a night that she hadn't reached for him in her sleep or a day that she didn't long to kiss him once again. "Yeah... I think I know one. Don't know if he's much of a talker, though. Keeps to himself a lot." His fingers tightened around hers as if to signal a bit of forgiveness for what she'd done, or hadn't done. "He's goin' with his best friend down to Cody for team ropin' next weekend... in the market for a hot date, if she's willin'." Lacey smiled, turning her fingers some so that they interlaced with his, pressing their palms together and she nodded. "I think I know a blonde from New York who finally came to her senses about where she really belongs. Seems she's been aching to get back into a pair of jeans and going to a rodeo for some time now ..." Lacey could only hope that the gentle banter was the beginnings of healing the time they had been apart without a word from either one of them. Pride had gotten in the way for far too long. He squeezed her hand gently before releasing it as he heard Lance's call that the medium-rare steaks were done and who wanted one. Most everybody except Carolyn raised their hands. Wesley looked back at Lacey with a small smile and pulled her close, placing a soft kiss to her forehead before he went to go get food. Lacey held him close for a moment, her fingers tightening into his shirt before he moved off and she watched him go, relief flooding her as she grinned and sipped happily on her beer. Lance grinned as Wesley walked over this huge, shit-eating grin and just looked at Wesley a moment before glancing to Lacey and then back to Wesley again, shoving the turning fork into his hand. "I saw that!" he teased, passing out steaks to the men crowding around. "No you didn't." Wesley said with a wink as he passed plates to the men and they filed into the house to go get the other fixings for a huge meal. Palomino Ch. 11 The crowd started to thin out as the night grew late. There were chores to do early in the morning and Carolyn had just left. It took some effort, but Lacey convinced the old woman she wanted to stay and help clean up, because by the looks of the men bugging out before they had to do dishes, Wesley was going to be left to do it alone. Lance was the last one to get ready to go as he finished up in the back, scraping the grill. Wesley put the rest of the food away, organizing the fridge. He'd have to open up to Carolyn during the week to keep the stuff from going bad. The dinner was good, and healing. It was like old times. Everybody enjoyed themselves, especially with Lacey's return. She'd been given quite the joyous welcome. Lacey stood at the kitchen sink, an apron tied around her waist as she washed and dried the last of the dishes, picking her way through the kitchen expertly as if she already knew where everything went. Lance walked through, brushing his hands on his jeans and walked up to her to hug her from behind and kiss her cheek. "Welcome home, Lace," he said before moving to Wesley and slapping him on the back as he stood up from where he had been bent over to put things in the fridge. "You kids have fun now," he said with a grin and nonchalantly shoved a couple of condoms into Wesley's back pocket while Lacey's back was turned. Wesley eyed his friend as he left and chuckled as he felt the "gift" he'd left and shook his head. That man was always prepared everywhere he went. How he did it, Wes didn't really want to know. "Thank you fer helpin' clean up Lace... ya didn't have to." Lacey took one last look around the kitchen to make sure she hadn't missed anything, and then turned with a soft smile to face Wesley, drying her hands on the apron before she reached behind her to untie it. "I wanted to, Wes. Tonight was great. The food was delicious, and it was a lot of fun." She folded the apron and set it carefully on the counter before her gaze fell on Wesley once again. He cleared his throat rather nervously and scratched the back of his head. Now what? They were alone in his huge ranch house that had only him and his trusty dog for years. "I could show ya the house if you'd like. It's... pretty big." Lacey smiled and nodded gently, pushing away from the counter to take a step closer to him. "That would be nice," she murmured softly. Clearly she didn't want to go quite yet. "Well, this is the kitchen. And that over there is the den." He motioned toward the room that opened up past a bar counter. It was fully furnished with leather couches, and an ottoman, but looked unused. He took her hand and led her back to the main hall "There's two bedrooms and a bathroom down here on this floor. Anne wanted babies. Yer daddy had the house built fer us." He then took her up the stairs, seeing she was going slow to take a look at the paintings and pictures on the walls. Anne had fixed the place up real nice, and he hadn't changed a thing except for taking down any pictures with her in them. Lacey held onto his hand, her fingers absently stroking his as he led her through the house. It was real nice and decorated with the style that she would imagine a cowboy would enjoy best, but with a touch of class. Even though it was nice, and furnished well, it obviously lacked "life". She smiled, listening to him tell about it and the plans that he had once made, ducking her head into the rooms as they slowly passed. "It's beautiful," she murmured, truly meaning it. Wesley showed her the empty room at the end of the upstairs hall he'd never gotten around to furnishing, and just hadn't after Anne died. It could've been used as another bedroom, or a play room for kids, or even a real nice office that any Foreman would need. Wesley had just made a habit of using Old man King's office in the main house for his work. He then took her hand and showed her the rest of the house on the top floor. There was an open common area at the other end of the hall where a big picture window opened to the scene of the Rocky Mountains and the south pasture of the ranch. There was a cushioned bench and a big open space that could be used for a study, or a woman's room. On either side were two more bedrooms and a half bath. They'd passed the master bedroom and bath at the center of it all. This wasn't just a house. It had been intended to be the center of operation. It'd just never blossomed into that. Lacey beamed and oo'ed over the beauty of the house, loving the upstairs scenery and tightened her fingers on Wesley's. "Wes, it's beautiful ... truly breath-taking," she cooed, a soft smile lighting up in her eyes. Wesley smiled rather proudly. Being in the big house all alone bugged him, but it was his home. He'd slept in one of the downstairs bedrooms for a long time after Anne died. He didn't have the heart to sleep in his own bed until just about the last year or so. He was a slow healer, but he was getting there step by step, whether people really noticed or not. "Anne designed it.. yer daddy hired the contractors. Then he had all the hands' houses re-done." Lacey smiled tenderly, letting go of his hand temporarily as she walked over towards the big plate-glass window. New York's skyline paled in comparison to the millions of stars that twinkled above the mountains. She could make out the shadows of horses grazing in the pasture beyond, and the moon never looked more bright. She couldn't even remember if she was able to see the moon in New York. She looked out for a long time before she spoke, her voice quiet but strong enough to be heard, "I missed you, Wesley. I'm sorry I just up and left." Wesley stepped up behind her and his arms wrapped around her waist, his head resting against hers as they shared a quiet, healing moment. After several minutes he kissed the top of her head. "It's nothin' that can't be fixed." Lacey smiled gently, closing her eyes momentarily as she leaned back against him, her hands tenderly caressing the strong arms around her. Then she opened her eyes again to take in the beautiful scenery stretched out before her as she shared this time with the man that she had fallen in love with it. It relieved her to know that she hadn't lost him completely in her stupidity and confused moments. She turned slowly in his arms, her blue eyes looking up, searching his face as her arms slipped around him to draw him close. He gazed into her eyes gently. "It might take awhile.... but it can be fixed if we try." He pulled her closer, running his fingers through her hair. "Jus' depends on if we wanna try." She was lost in his gaze as she felt his fingers slide into her hair and her own fingers caressed the small of his back as her lips seemed to part slightly as she gazed up at him. "I want to do more than try, Wesley" He leaned down and kissed her gently for the first time since she'd come back. He'd wanted to kiss her ever since she left him. The moment was long and passionate. He held her close like he'd never let go, almost like he was afraid she'd vanish again. Lacey clung to him, a soft whimper escaping her lips as they kissed. She had dreamed of this moment ever since she had pulled off the road that had led to the ranch and now that it was here, she was almost afraid that she was dreaming. He pulled back to gaze into her eyes. "There's one more thing I want to show you." When he pulled back, Lacey's eyes were glistening with both passion and relief that she had found her way back into his arms. She smiled gently at his words and simply nodded her head, wanting to see whatever it was that he wanted to show her. He took her hands and turned down the hallway to the center and the double doors they'd passed. He pushed them open and led her inside as he flipped on some of the lights. The master bedroom was probably the grandest room in the whole house, aside from the kitchen. There was a huge picture window to the west with a matching padded bench to the one in the hall. Across from that, there was a big king sized bed. Above the bed was a big western style swag lamp. On the side of the room that didn't seem used much, there was a big vanity and a walk-in closet that connected to a large master bath with a big bathtub and full shower. There was no doubt all this was designed by a woman, for a woman. It wasn't just a house. It was a showcase. It was made to make an impression to whatever big business would come to the house. Lacey gasped softly, glancing to Wesley before gently releasing his hand and wandered further into the room. It was gorgeous! It looked like it stepped right out of a magazine! Lacey walked through the room, touching things almost reverently, walking into the bathroom with a soft smile. Anne had thought of everything, right down to the his and hers sinks. It was perfect. When she came back out, her gaze met Wesley's and she smiled beautifully. "It takes my breath away." "It's been photographed... fer magazines. The whole house has been. Yer daddy wanted it to be the base of operations. It just never got there. I'm glad ya like it." Tick came trotting in then and looked between the two people and snorted in his little Corgi way and waddled on over to the dog bed Wesley had set beside the master bed and he curled up in it, huffing as if in irritation that the two hadn't gotten any further than this. Lacey glanced to the dog and smiled gently before turning again to take in the room. "It's gorgeous, Wesley. I absolutely love it." She walked to where Tick was curled upon his little bed and crouched down beside him to rub and scratch on his head. "What's wrong with you, Tick? Wanting me to get out of your bedroom so you can sleep?" "That dog is so spoiled. Anne ruined him. His brother isn't near so pushy." Wesley sat on the end of the bed and started to kick his boots off. Lacey grinned, rubbing on Tick a bit more and then glanced up to where Wesley was sitting on the edge of the bed. She realized that the hour was growing late, and he was probably exhausted and had an early morning coming up. She stood, rubbing her palms on the front of her pants and then smiled, somewhat sheepishly. "I'm keeping you both from getting some sleep. I should probably head back to the main house." Wesley rose from the bed and closed the door rather pointedly before Lacey could leave again. "It's dark. And you might get lost." Lacey watched him close the large double doors and felt her heart begin to thump wildly in her chest. She fought the small smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth and tried to think of something witty to say, but all she could think of was helping him take off more than his boots. "Oh, that's right ... there aren't any lights, are there?" she said gently, remembering the first night she had shown up on his doorstep with a plate full of food. "Nope... there sure aren't." He flipped all the lights off except for the swag lamp over the bed and turned to fold down the covers before unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it off. He did this like he'd done it a million times before with her around. He seemed comfortable and at ease. Things weren't fixed, but she'd agreed to try. The fences were on the mend. Lacey watched him, her legs feeling somewhat like jell-o as she watched him begin to disrobe. She had imagined this moment countless times, and now that it was here, she seemed rooted to the spot. She had almost royally screwed things over with him, but here he was, preparing for bed like she and he had done this countless times together. She glanced to Tick who seemed to be looking at her like "what 'cha waiting for?" and she smiled, clearing her throat gently and gingerly took a step toward him as her confidence grew until she was standing before him, her fingers sliding down his chest to the first button on his jeans. "Need help with that, cowboy?" she asked gently, daring a glance up at his eyes. Without answering aloud, he leaned in to kiss her, his arms wrapping around her a bit as he felt the buckle of his belt loosened, then the button on his jeans popped. His fingers slid beneath the blouse she wore, pulling it up slowly. Now that she was here, and they were alone, he couldn't keep his hands off her. He half thought he should put the brakes on a little, but the notion evaporated as he felt his jeans tugged down. Lacey only stopped as she felt him pull her silk blouse upwards, his jeans loosely hanging low on his hips as she lifted her arms to aide him, revealing a lacy white bra that lifted her breasts up beautifully, giving him a enticing view of her cleavage. Once the blouse had been tossed aside, she pulled her lips from his with a sultry purr, glancing up at him once more as her fingers worked his jeans lower until they fell to pool around his ankles. She could feel her whole body respond to him, shivering in need as she pressed against him, her fingers sliding up his thighs, stroking the hard flesh. He moaned softly against her lips once he managed to get her clothes off and bent her back over the bed. It'd been years since he'd had a woman in his bed. In fact, Lacey was the only other woman to touch this particular bed. She was back, and she was back to stay. Now all Wesley needed to do was figure out how to fall in love with her again, like he had before. He had a feeling this weekend would either give them a good nudge in the right direction, or it'd make the point clear that nothing was supposed to happen. Lacey pulled him close as they fell gently onto the bed, their legs tangling as their bodies pressed intimately together as one. She kissed him passionately, her whole heart in each movement of her lips, each caress of her palm against his backside. She kept thinking back to how Lance had told her that Wesley would be ready to move on if he had her help. As her leg gently wrapped around his hip, drawing him closer, she vowed to do everything she could to ensure that she had a permanent place in his heart and his life. Wesley pressed intimately against her, their bodies grinding, their hands driving one another crazy. After awhile he could hardly stand it anymore and he gazed into her eyes with a playful grin. "I've got condoms this time... respects to Lance." Lacey's breath was coming in quick and her hands couldn't get enough of him, stroking and grinding against him as she wrestled with her own passions threatening to burn out of control. Laughing huskily, she arched up to lick at his lips before giving him a playful grin of her own, "Good ole' Lance ... we can always count on him." "He's always been there. Even if he is irritatin' as all get out when he wants ta be." He chuckled and ripped the foil package with his teeth, taking a few minutes to apply the condom. Lacey watched him hungrily as he applied the condom, stretching it over the swollen head and then down his length, unrolling it as it smoothed around his girth tightly. He settled against her again, catching her lips in a searing kiss as their bodies bonded as closely as humanly possible. When he rejoined her, her legs wrapped around him, arching up to meet him half way as he pushed deep into her for the first time. He moaned as he pushed inside her, feeling her stretch around the girth and he grunted, pushing again deeper. Lacey gasped, a bit overcome with the intense feelings she had for him, as she pulled him closer, pressing her face against his neck, her lips closed around his flesh, suckling gently as her walls clamped around him. He shuddered hard atop her as he pushed deeper with every thrust. His head tilted back as she suckled his neck, sending tremors down his spine. He grunted as he settled inside her to the hilt. After a few breathless moments, he pulled almost all the way out of her only to work his way back in inch by inch, teasing her as they kissed and touched and loved on one another. Suddenly he drove his cock deep and hard inside of her, grinding a bit before pulling out to move back into her slow again. Lacey's hands slid down his back to his hips, her nails digging in as she arched and writhed beneath him, crying out his name between moans of pleasure and whimpers of delight. Even imagining it every night, nothing compared to having him inside of her. She encouraged him with her words, her hips moving in time with him, loving every sweet torturous movement of his cock as he slowly made love to her, her body trembling beneath his as the walls of her sex tried to pull him in deeper. He growled deeply against her chest as he took her again and again, harder. His instincts drove him to take her, his hands groping every inch of her with abandon. It'd been a long time since he'd made love to a woman, and he needed the release more than anything. "I won't last long..." he whispered, almost apologetically, as he grunted and rutted with her deep and hard. Lacey beat him to the punch, her body unable to take his long, strong strokes without the release of months of wanting him, needing him. Arching up, her nails scored his hips and back as they dug into his flesh, her cries echoing through the large room as her legs locked around his waist, her spasming walls flooding his cock with cum as she orgasmed hard over him. He shuddered hard as her orgasm rocked over his stiff cock and he cried out, twitched savagely. His back arched as he pulled up off her, his head leaning back in a moan of ectasy as his cock jerked deep inside her, releasing. His hips ground in to her, claiming her as his own. Lacey's manicured nails clawed down his back to his hips as he rose up some, her own back arching as she felt him pulse inside of her, and she wished that he didn't have the condom on so she could feel his hot cum coat her insides. Gasping for breath, she sank slowly back down onto the bed, deeper against the soft mattress as her eyelashes fluttered and she gazed lovingly up at the man above her. It took him a moment to catch his breath, and when he did he collapsed against her and curled into her, holding her in his arms. When he found his voice he spoke. "I haven't felt this good in ages." Lacey held him close, murmuring softly in his ear, her fingers gently stroking his back as he lay on top of her, a soft smile kissing her lips as they lay like that for a long moment. When she heard his words, she closed her eyes, savoring the moment before speaking again, "I know what you mean." What she really wanted to say was 'I love you', but saved it, hopefully, for the day he was ready to say it back. After several minutes, he finally pulled out of her and discarded the condom. Tick raised his head and gave him a look like "'bout goddamn time, boss". Wes glared a bit at the dog and muttered as he flipped off the light and crawled back into bed with Lacey. "Cheeky dog." Lacey chuckled, catching the dog's look and Wes' comment, curling close to the man she had been in love with since the first time she had laid eyes on him. Laying her cheek against his shoulder, she slipped an arm around his waist and nestled close with a soft, contented sigh. She wanted to do this every night for the rest of her life. Only time would tell if dreams really did come true. Palomino Ch. 12 The wheels screeched as the brakes were put on and everything jerked. One of the horses screamed as the trailer was drug off the road and the railing was torn off with it. A woman screamed helplessly, and as soon as the truck hit the bottom of the ravine, everything went black. --- Wesley jerked awake, panting hard. A cold sweat covered him from head to foot. He'd knotted his hands into the sheets. He felt movement beside him, and looked, wide-eyed. For a moment he thought it had all been some horrible nightmare. Then he saw a wisp of blonde hair, and it all came back to him. No... what had happened had happened. It was Lacey King lying next to him. He felt a sinking feeling of disappointment, but then chided himself. He hadn't been bothered by the dreams for quite some time. Why had they suddenly come back? He heard thunder rumble in the distance. Lacey stirred gently in the bed beside Wesley, his movements causing her eyelashes to flutter momentarily before shifting and curling closer to him. She murmured softly before the rumble of thunder permeated her light sleep and she opened her eyes, wondering momentarily where she was as the unfamiliar room loomed around her. She glanced around before her gaze settled on the man next to her, somewhat confused, before a smile of recognition crossed her face. But then she saw the look on his face and pushed herself up somewhat, propping up on her elbow. "You okay?" she asked huskily. Wesley frowned a bit. "Yeah.... yeah, I'm fine. I didn't mean to wake you." he said as he rolled onto his back, attempting to disentangle himself from the blankets he'd been wrestling. All he could see was what he'd seen the night of Anne's wreck. He could still hear the scream from the dream ringing in his head. Lacey watched him for a long moment, a sinking feeling beginning in the pit of her stomach. It was obvious what had happened, and she couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for the nightmare he had obviously had. Maybe he wasn't ready to move on. Maybe he never would be. She gently inhaled deeply and then offered him a soft smile before slipping out of the big bed. "Try to get some sleep. I'll be right back," she said, standing and taking a sheet with her, wrapping it almost protectively around her nude form as if she wrapped it tight enough, it would protect her heart too. She stepped away and disappeared into the large bathroom and out of sight. Wesley sighed and rolled to his side. He ached inside. He wished desperately it hadn't happened. Why tonight? Why, when he'd felt so good just a few short hours ago? Why, when things seemed to go so right, he was slapped hardest? He hadn't had a dream in months, and now it was like it happened yesterday. He shuddered and buried his face into the pillow. He hated what this was doing to him, an to Lacey. God... what would she think? Would she run away? "Anne.... I can't do this. I can't..." he muttered into the pillow, fighting the intense sting of tears. He wasn't doing this tonight. Not again. Again thunder rumbled over the sky. A storm was moving in over the mountains. Lacey stopped before the mirror over the large vanity table that sat in the bathroom, the moon's light filtering in through the glass cubes over the large garden tub and just stared at herself for a long time. What had she been thinking? She shouldn't have stuck around last night after dinner. She shouldn't have come up to his bedroom. She shouldn't have slept with him. Not on her first night back after almost three months apart. He wasn't ready. Now, maybe she had inadvertently made the damage worse. She sank down into the vanity chair and covered her face with her hands as her thoughts turned to Anne and what she must have been like. She wondered if she could see what was going on, and then vaguely, wondered if she could give Lacey some kind of sign what she was supposed to do. Brushing away a tear, she ached inside. She needed help and didn't know where to turn to get it. When Lacey looked up again, Anne was reflected in the glass. Her spirit was felt everywhere in the house, and had been for years. She sat there, gazing gently upon Lacey as she worked things over in her mind. The woman had long dark hair and a genuine smile. She was all around pretty and gentle. Lacey startled for a moment, jumping up from the seat and backed away, her hand covering her mouth as unshed tears slipped down her cheeks. The moment of fear passed quickly as Lacey suddenly realized who it must be, and wondered momentarily if she was losing her mind. Blinking uncertainly, tears rolling silently down her cheeks, Lacey stepped forward once more as she gazed at the woman in the mirror, her heart feeling like it was being torn in two. Sinking back down into the vanity chair, Lacey just looked at Anne's reflection for a long time before gingerly reaching out to touch the mirror with trembling fingers. "Anne?" she whispered softly, the sound barely audible. The reflection nodded and smiled comfortingly Lacey drew back her fingers quickly, gasping as her other hand covered her mouth and then once again reached for the mirror, touching the reflection gently as her tears flowed freely. "Oh god, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help him. Or if I'm supposed to help him. I'm so sorry for being here. I'm not trying to take your place, I swear." The soft words were tumbling out of her mouth, not making a lot of sense as her fears seemed to just explode and come out in scattered, confused voices to her thoughts. She sobbed softly and crossed her arms on the vanity table before her and tucked her head down, crying softly as she hurt for Wesley inside, ached that she had walked away, and feared what tomorrow would bring. Lacey felt a soft caress to the back of her head, like fingers through her hair, but it was wispy and light. "Don't give up on Wesley, Miss Lacey King. He's a stubborn man." there was a small pause, and it sounded like laughter. "You're not here to take my place. You're here to take another place. Just love him. I will do the rest." Lacey glanced up at the reflection in the mirror, her eyes brimming with tears as she regarded the woman looking back at her. "I ... I do love him, Anne." She reached up, slender fingers brushing away the tears and swallowed past the lump in her throat, looking down a moment before looking back at the reflection in the mirror once again. "I need your help Anne. I can't do it alone." The reflection just smiled and nodded again. "Just love him, no matter what. Don't lose heart when things get hard. I will be here until I am no longer needed." Lacey nodded gently, wiping her tears with her fingers as they slowly subsided. "I will ... I promise. I won't let go." She sighed gently and shifted her gaze back in the direction of the bedroom, her heartache lightening up a bit as Anne's words permeated her heart and mind. "Now go... he needs you." the voice was fading as if the spirit was pulling away, leaving it to the living to do what they needed to do. Wesley was asleep again. Or at least partially. He'd managed to close his eyes and relax. The images from the dream had subsided, and his fears were silenced by pure will. He couldn't break down. Not now. Not when things were going so well. Lacey watched quietly as Anne's image filtered away and she was left alone once more in the huge bathroom and for a moment, she wondered if she had just imagined it. But her heart was at peace, and she knew, despite how unlikely it might seem, that she had had a comforting encounter with Wesley's wife's spirit. Smiling gently, she whispered softly, "Thank you," before she rose once more and padded quietly back out to the bedroom. She stood for a long moment by the bed, watching as Wesley laid there, Anne's words tumbling around again and again in her head and heart before she quietly let the sheet slip to the ground and slid into bed beside him. She moved close to him, spooning up against his back as he lay on his side and gently laid an arm around his waist as she pressed a soft kiss between his shoulder blades. He shifted a bit as he felt the warm body pressed against his back and he moaned softly, turning over to see her and he gazed into her eyes gently. "Are you alright?" Lacey shifted back as he moved until they were laying face to face and she smiled gently, nodding a bit as her hand reached up to gently caress his cheek with the back of his fingers. "Are you?" He lowered his eyes, relaxing against her touch and he murmured softly in pleasure then nodded. "I had a bad dream was all. I'm sorry I woke you." Her fingers gently brushed over his cheek again, and then towards his ear, brushing over the edge and then toying gently with the hair that curled slightly there. "Don't apologize. I'm a light sleeper," she said with a soft smile, her eyes watching his face. "Want to talk about it?" she asked softly. His face darkened a bit at the question. He'd never talked about it much. Even to Lance he'd hardly had half a conversation about it in the three years that had passed. Before he could over-think anything, he spoke. "I saw Anne die." Lacey's fingers moved gently in his hair over his ear as her eyes never broke contrast with him, their blue shade comforting as she gently prodded him. "In your dream?" He stiffened a bit at being prodded but he didn't close off. He stayed relatively relaxed, though there was a pained expression on his face. His eyes were closed. Mostly to avoid having to look at anything in particular. "I only saw the wreck later. Lance was the one who watched it all happen. He's the one who called me." Lacey gently stroked his hair, lying before him, their faces just inches away from each other. She watched him quietly as he slowly opened up to her, feeling Anne's touch, and remembering her words as she simply lay with Wesley, being there for him. "There's nothing you could have done ... nothing Lance could have done. Some things happen for reasons we just don't understand." She kept thinking about what Anne had said about Lacey not taking her place, but instead, filling in another place. His grasp tightened on her a bit. It felt good to be able to open up about it, but at the same time it hurt like hell. It was like admitting to himself that Anne really was dead, that she'd never come back. "They didn't want me going near the accident. Treated me like I wasn't able to handle it. I finally pushed through and went over to where it'd happened. That ravine was easily 250 feet deep." He shuddered softly, struggling to keep his voice and breath even. "The trailer had hit the side and been torn from the truck... it'd landed on its top. Its front was crushed in. The truck was further down. I could hear the screaming of one of the horses...... I asked why they hadn't put it down. They said because they weren't prepared to deal with the scene yet. They had to wait for a highway trooper to clear it." Lacey sighed gently, her fingers moving to the back of his head as he pulled her closer, tighter as he spoke. She knew it hurt him. She could see it on his face, hear it in his voice. But she also knew that he was carrying around guilt, and had been for years, for something he had no control over. "You can't blame yourself Wesley." She lifted her other hand to gently touch his f ace, as if trying to get him to look at her and understand what she was saying. "It's not your fault. And if you had been with Anne, she'd still be dead, and you would be, too." Her fingers gently caressed his face, brushing his cheek lovingly with the back of her fingers. "But you were spared for a reason, just as she was taken for one. And it's no one's fault. Especially not yours." He shuddered softly as he held onto her. She could feel his tears against her chest where he'd found a haven to hide his face as he slowly opened up. "I used to wish I was with her when it hurt real bad, and I was in this big house alone. I couldn't understand. I still don't. When I asked the officer how far away the trooper was, he said easily half an hour with the weather. I couldn't stand hearing that animal suffer anymore. How they'd let it scream for two hours without relief I don't know. I went to my truck and got my rifle. Lance tried to stop me, but I was already headed down into the ravine. I shot the poor beast. I wanted to go to the truck to see what happened to my wife, but I didn't. I tore myself away from it and crawled back up top. The last I had seen her she was as beautiful as ever, showing me her new rodeo outfit she'd gotten. I wanted to keep that." Lacey drew him closer, one arm enfolding him close as he found a safe haven with his head against her chest, her other hand gently stroking his head as he spoke. She lowered her face, burying it into the top of his head as her lips gently caressed over his. Lightening was zigzagging through the night sky, lighting up the room as she held him close and thunder rumbled close by. It all seemed to fit with Wesley's horrendous story, and she did all that she could do to protect him from it all, laying entwined with him in his bed as he finally, after years of keeping it bottled up, let it all out. He shook softly in quiet sobs, but they weren't pained tears. They were all very healing as he let go of the pain he'd bottled up inside, the heartache and the loss. He held onto her tightly, unwilling to let her go. It seemed he was through talking and he just needed to be held as he cried himself into an exhausted sleep, cuddled close in the arms of the woman he loved. Palomino Ch. 13 The next morning, when Wesley woke up, the sun had yet to come up but, its morning rays were gently starting to warm the night sky. The earth had been refreshed from the night rain, like a healing had come over the land. It seemed to fit all together so perfectly, his opening up, and the tears going hand in hand with the opening of the skies, and then the healing rain that seemed to refresh the surrounding country. As he turned in the bed to reach for Lacey, she was gone. All that was left, as a reminder that she had been there, was a fresh cut daisy from the garden out back, and a little note that simply said, "Out for a run. Meet you at the barn." Wesley grunted softly in disappointment as he just found the empty bed beside him. His fingers wrapped around the daisy and he read the note and muttered, burying his face into the sheets. The woman was insane. Last night had been a long night. Getting out of bed was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment. After several minutes of arguing with himself, he finally disentangled from the bedclothes and went to the laundry basket to get clean clothes. It was obvious a woman hadn't lived in the house for some time. Wesley lived like a bachelor through and through. There was cereal in the pantry, and he kept his clothes in the laundry basket. At least this time he'd bothered to bring the basket upstairs, rather than leaving it down in the laundry room, like he normally did. Not half an hour later, Wesley seemed semi awake as he wandered over toward the barn. The fact was he was still half asleep, but that's the way life was. Chores always came first. Lance wandered into the barn from the opposing open doorway, a styrofoam cup of coffee in his hand, and a huge yawn on his face. Stretching upwards, he scratched at his face and yawned again, the sound echoing through the barn before he caught sight of Wesley coming in. Then suddenly he seemed to be wide awake as his eyes lit up and he yelled out, "So ... how'd it go last night?" Wesley half looked up at his friend and just grunted in response. Last night would be difficult to explain. He rubbed his eyes then scratched the stubble on his chin. He knew Lance's wiley ways, and how sooner or later he'd get it out of him. "Get the keys and drive the feed truck in here. Need to get those cows hay and cake." Lance looked at his friend for a moment and took a quick assessment of the look on his face. Okay, he wasn't unhappy but he WAS serious, so something big must have happened. Downing his coffee, he crumpled it up and grabbed the keys hanging on a peg just inside the small tack room, and wandered back out to get the truck. He could see Lacey jogging up the road, coming in from the mountain trail past the southern pasture. He grinned and wolf whistled, calling to her as she went by, admiring the way her little shorts and sports bra hugged in all the right places. "Hey sexy! Git yer fine ass over here and give me a morning hug!" Lacey pulled up for a moment, jogging in place as she glanced around and then smiled, seeing Lance and simply waved before continuing on her way toward the main house. Lance frowned heavily and called after her, "Fine! Be that way," before he grumbled and slid into the work truck and backed in into the open doorway of the barn. Wesley was ready with bales of hay, and he threw them up on the back. Then he threw three full gunny sacks of cattle cake up and crawled up to dump them into the feeder that would allow the driver to distribute it without having help. He sat down on one of the bales and patted the top of the truck to give the signal it was okay to go. Lance grinned and gunned the truck for a moment, knowing it would catch Wesley off-guard and send him lurching back. It was a bit of a game they played every once in a while. Pulling out of the barn, he turned and headed towards the pasture, drumming his fingers on the window frame as the morning breeze blew in, whistling softly to himself. The weekend was coming up quick, and he was looking forward to the rodeo. Wesley had decided to take up team roping again, and they had done pretty well with building up points in the last couple of months. He wondered vaguely if Lacey would come along this time, and then his thoughts turned to last night and he itched to know what happened. Wesley deserved happiness, and Lance, along with the rest of the ranch, was hoping that with the return of Lacey, so would Wesley's smile. Wesley grunted as he was lurched back in the truck and he fell off the bale as it turned underneath him. He growled and smacked the back window. "Goddammit, Lance! Behave." He grumbled as he righted the bale again and sat down, pushing open the back window of the truck. "You tryin' to kill me 'er sumthin'?" Lance chuckled, ducking naturally as the back window slid open and he glanced back at his friend with a lopsided grin. "So, come on, spill it ... how'd it go last night?" Wesley crossed his arms over the back and leaned in to avoid the wet wind whipping him in the face as he rode the back of the truck to be sure they didn't lose any of the bales as they went over the rocky, bumpy ground. "It went alright. Showed 'er the house. Went alright fer awhile. Woke up with a bad dream." Lance glanced back at him as he expertly avoided the potholes and puddles in the ground as they made their way toward the cattle pasture. "I thought you were over those?" he questioned before turning back to the path. "I thought I was too, but seems not. I scared 'er bad. She left awhile. I musta fell asleep, but she came back. We hadda long talk." As Lance brought the truck to a halt, Wesley jumped down and walked around to unlatch the gate to let the truck through into the upper pasture and waved him through. Behind him Wes latched the gate again and crawled back into the truck to take his seat again. Lance slowly started down the worn tire path towards the herd that was grazing further down, taking back up the conversation. "What'dya mean you scared her? She left where? The house?" He glanced at his friend through the rearview mirror. "She just wen' to the bathroom. Was in there awhile. Could hear 'er cryin'. Then I musta fell asleep 'cause I didn't hear anythin' else 'till she came back." Lance glanced at his friend through the rearview mirror as the herd came into view. "So everything's cool? I know you don't talk much about everything that's going on inside, but if you ask me, she came back for more than just the ranch." "We hadda long talk. I told 'er everythin'." He said it quietly. It didn't carry the painful connotations it had even a week ago. It was like that huge painful weight had been lifted, or at least been changed into something else. Acceptance. Lance could see the change in his buddy's face as the truck came to a stop and he turned around to face Wesley as the cows started to amble over, knowing it was breakfast time, but Lance knew that Wesley had made a huge shift last night, and he grinned, clasping his friend's arm. "Good ... you needed to get it out. You been carrying that guilt around for way too long." Wesley smiled and grasped his friend's hand and squeezed it firmly. Lance had gotten over the guilt a lot sooner than Wesley had. Why, there wasn't any answer. Anne was very dear to both of them, and Lance had watched it all happen right in front of him. Why the healing process was so much different between the two of them was unexplainable. Wes just nodded his silent thanks and chuckled as he felt a cow prodding his butt to get him up off the bale he was sitting on. He stood up and pulled his pocket knife and cut the strings, wrapping them around his hand. "Alright fellas... alright. C'mon. Hey! Hey..." He swatted a bossy one smartly, glaring at him. "Ya'll get your share. Patience." He shoved the bale off the side of the truck to let it break over the ground and hopped down after it to break it apart and spread it out as the cows crowded around him. --- Lacey came down the stairs of the main house, finishing up with pulling her now clean hair into a ponytail, dressed in blue jeans and a t-shirt, appropriate boots this time on her feet. She had bought them back in New York, and had committed to wearing them every day to break them in. People at the office had thought she had lost her mind. She had always been Miss. Style, the appropriate role-model for the girls coming in and out for fashion shoots. But in her last month there, she had come to work in jeans and boots on a daily basis, and more radiant than she had ever been. She came into the kitchen with a bright smile and moved to Caroline to press a soft kiss to the older woman's cheek. "Got coffee ready? I just need a cup and I'm good to go," she said as she pulled down a bottle of sun block from the cabinet. Caroline dusted her hands off and looked at Lacey with a big smile. "Where you off to in sucha hurry? The boys are out feedin' stock and checkin' the alfalfa. You want breakfast?" Lacey glanced to the woman that she loved as much as her own mother, slathering sun block on her exposed arms and the back of her neck; the light make-up that she did have on had sufficient amounts of sun block to protect her face. "Actually, I want to get out to the barn and see if I can find a decent mount before Wesley sticks me back on that old nag that couldn't find a trot if her life depended on it." "Oh... he putcha on Biddy, did he?" she chuckled and offered over a big cup of coffee with sugar and cream. "Biddy's a good ol' horse. Jus' not cut out for ranch work anymore. Get Gunthar... that's the buckskin you've seen Wes on now and then." Lacey took the cup of coffee and smiled to Caroline with a twinkle in her eye. "Yeah, I'll do that. I'd like to get some riding in this morning before it gets too hot." She sipped the coffee thoughtfully, her fingers holding the cup close before she asked, "Caroline? Do you believe in ghosts or spirits?" Caroline had turned back to making more coffee for the boys for when they got back after chores. "I dunno... depends, I guess. Yea... I'd say so. Why ya ask darlin'?" Lacey leaned against the countertop and looked to Caroline over the rim of her coffee cup. This was going to sound insane but she had to talk to someone about it. "I ... I think Anne came to me last night." "Oh?" she turned back after making her own cup of coffee and smiled. "C'mon... let's go out on the back porch and you can tell me all 'bout it." She hooked her arm into Lacey's and guided her to the back door and onto the deck where she liked to spend her mornings. Lacey smiled gently and took the older lady's arm, carrying her coffee as they walked to the back deck. "Wesley had a nightmare ... he's still living in the past, I think." She sighed gently and sank down onto one of the deck chairs, taking a long sip of her coffee as she gazed out over the pasture and then to the mountains in the distance. Caroline frowned a bit at that and nodded. "I wouldn't doubt that. The man hasn't done anything except lock her memory away someplace where nobody can help him with the pain. Did the same with all her things. It's all still in that house. Now what 'bout Anne visiting you?" Lacey glanced to Caroline and then lowered her coffee, her fingers thoughtfully rubbing the sides of her cup as she spoke. "Well, I had to just step away. It was tearing me up inside. I mean, I almost feel like I'm intruding, and she's not even here, you know?" She sighed gently, reaching up with one hand to rub at her forehead. "Anyway, I was in the bathroom, succumbing to my fears I suppose, and then this, this apparition appeared in the mirror." She looked over at Caroline to see if she thought she was crazy. "It scared the shit out of me at first. I mean, that's the kind of thing you only see in movies, or on those stupid reality bullshit t .v. shows. But there she was, just smiling at me." Caroline just smiled and nodded as if to tell her to go on, quietly listening as she sipped her coffee. Lacey shook her head and then stirred her coffee a bit with her fingernail, watching it swirl around for a long moment before she continued. "She told me that I shouldn't give up on him, that I should just love him, and she would do the rest." She glanced over at Caroline before adding with a wry, small grin, "Oh, and that he was stubborn ... like I hadn't figured that part out on my own!" "Well... she's right. You can't do more than love him at this point. The rest is up to him. Anne is everywhere in that house, but she's nowhere. He kept all her things after she died; all her clothes, all her trophies, boxed them away someplace and hasn't touched them since. If you want my opinion on Anne's ghost, seems to me like you have some ghosts in your own past to get over too." Lacey froze a moment, her fingers stilling on her coffee cup. "Wh-what do you mean? I don't have any ghosts in my past." Caroline met her gaze evenly. "Oh yes you do. Everybody does. Like... why didn't you come back to the ranch until after your daddy died? You and your daddy were close... until your mama took you away. Maybe an old flame. Maybe just the confusion of growing up." She sipped her coffee again, regarding the girl in silence, leaving her to work through things on her own. Lacey sighed gently, turning her gaze back out towards the pasture and the mountains beyond. There was a question she wasn't prepared to answer. Caroline always had a knack of digging into places where people didn't want anything dug up. She lifted the cup and took another sip of coffee before setting it down. "It's getting late ... if I want to get a ride in before it gets too hot, I should go." Palomino Ch. 14 Lacey leaned against the railing of the inner fence back behind the grandstand once again, a small smile on her face as she watched both Lance and Wesley prepare their horses for team roping. She had watched them practice on and off all week, and had even got in a little bit of practice herself on the back of the buckskin that she had been taking out in the mornings, unknown to Wesley. She was actually trying to surprise him by learning a bit more about rodeo and barrel racing while he was busy doing his job on the ranch. One of the other ranch hands, Tate, who had broken his leg and was pretty much stuck close to the main house, had been giving her some lessons while Caroline came out every morning to watch. Everyone was staying pretty much tight-lipped about it so far. Wesley was dressed his best, like every competing cowboy was. He uncoiled his lasso when he found a kink in it and coiled it again, preparing it for the quick ride ahead. Gunthar danced beneath him impatiently. He kept throwing his head to get his boss' attention to tell him it was time to go. Wesley grabbed the reigns and pulled him up a bit. "Easy fella... we'll go soon enough. Promise." The hell-bitch was much calmer with her partner around. She hadn't thrown a fit yet. She seemed as excited as ever, but wasn't spooking, and was behaving like a charm for Lance. That's all that was missing. She was half a team, and she balked at the idea of running alone. Wesley was the foot man. Always had been. Lance had a tendency to drop a leg if he tried. So they'd settled a long time ago who did what. Finally he guided Gunthar into the chute next to the chute the steer would bolt out of in a few seconds. He looked at Lance with a lopsided grin. He loved competing. He never knew until he roped with Lance that first time after three years, how much he had missed it. Lance grinned at Wesley from the opposite side, backing the hell-bitch up into the furthest corner, his lasso on the ready. Damn, if Wesley didn't look good sitting over there! Their team was finally back together and it felt like old times. He glanced over for a moment, seeing Lacey leaning against the railing, chewing on a well-manicured nail as she watched. She hadn't ever seen Wesley compete. She was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers. Turning his gaze back to the hell-bitch beneath him, he saw that she was ready and he glanced back to Wesley one last time before nodding his head quickly to show they were ready. Wesley pulled his hat down and nodded. The chute opened to let the steer out and the barriers broke. The horses bolted like they were made for the sport and raced after the steer. Wesley didn't even have to tell Gunthar what to do, but he held the reigns for show as he watched Lance's lasso thrown. The instant he saw it hit home he let loose of his own lasso and yanked. Gunthar stopped backed up as soon as he saw the rope fly by. The crowd rose up in a great cheer as the steer was stretched for the time allotted then let loose and disentangled from the ropes. Wesley beamed at Lance and they slapped hands as they trotted to the other end of the arena. "Good run, cowboy." Lacey jumped up and down from where she was standing behind the fencing that separated her from the arena, cheering and whistling loudly with her fingers in her mouth. Anyone that would have noticed her among the others would have thought she was a cowgirl through and through. She was wearing tight, faded blue jeans and her ropers that were finally starting to look broke in good, a suede and green vest that showed off her tanned arms and the curve of her breasts with blonde hair swinging free beneath the hat tucked down low over her forehead. Ducking back through the crowd, she jogged down the fence line in the same direction the boys were going. Wesley glanced in the direction he'd seen Lacey as he dismounted and patted Gunthar down to praise him and gave him a couple sugar cubes as a small treat. "Good boy..." he praised, chuckling when the horse nudged him for more sugar. Lacey came jogging around the corner and Gunthar surprised both Lance and Wesley when he momentarily ignored the sugar cubes that Wesley had dug out of his pocket to wicker loudly at Lacey. He wasn't the type of horse that normally greeted anyone, especially someone that wasn't a regular rider on his back. What they didn't know, though, was that Gunthar had become Lacey's favorite mount in the mornings while the boys were out doing chores and had done a lot for her learning of the ways of becoming a barrel racer. This, of course, flew right over Lacey's head as she ran up and hugged both men tightly, gushing praise before rubbing Gunthar lovingly as he nudged and poked at her pockets for the treats she usually brought him. "Oh my god ... that was amazing! You two just HAVE to come in the top five," she said, glancing excitedly to the scoreboard. Wesley hugged her with a grin and kissed her cheek as she turned her attention to the boards. "Whatchu been doin'? Spoilin' mah ropin' horse 'er what? I saw that." He nudged her pockets and eyed her with a chuckle. Lacey glanced to Wesley with a surprised look and then shifted her gaze to Gunthar who was nudging at her pockets and then chuckled, rubbing his forehead. "Who me? Nah ... he's just desperate for someone to give him some treats," she said, giving Gunthar a look like "watch it or you're gonna get us in trouble." Gunthar snorted in irritation as he wasn't getting anywhere and nudged Wesley square in the chest. He laughed and ruffled his forelock. "Quit it! You bossy beast." He glanced up at the scoreboard as he saw a flash of change out the corner of his eyes. When he saw his and Lance's initials in first place his eyes widened. He wasn't expecting THAT good of a run. Lance whooped and jumped on Wesley's back, hugging him tight. "Whooee! Yes! I knew we could do it!" He then grabbed Lacey in a huge hug and spun her around and grinned then glanced to Wes. "You mind?" Without waiting for an answer he dipped Lacey back and kissed her firmly on the lips. Lacey gasped, half laughing as Lance suddenly bent her back and kissed her, clinging to him to keep her balance. When she was up righted, she staggered a bit as Lance started jumping all around the place and laughed, grabbing onto Gunthar's saddle to keep her balance. "My word ... you crazy cowboy!" Wesley grinned and grabbed her around the waist to turn her and kiss her lovingly. "Should put him on a bull, don'tcha think? Then he'd get the jumpin' around out of his system." Lacey smiled brightly, her hands trapped on his strong chest as he pulled her close, blue eyes sparkling with a happiness that radiated from within. She hadn't been this happy since ... since ... Something flashed in her eyes momentarily as the memory of Kenny and what had happened popped into her head. But then the moment was gone and she smiled gently at Wesley before glancing to Lance with an amused expression. "I'd be afraid for the bull." Wesley stilled a bit when he saw the distant look in her eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came, and he squeezed her again, placing another soft kiss to her lips. There was a soft cat call from up above in the grandstands. Another cowboy was bending down over the railing. It was Tyler Roy, the owner of a neighboring ranch who normally teamed up with the King ranch for round-up season. "So Wes! Got yerself another girl, eh? 'bout damned time." When Lacey looked up, Tyler winked and tipped his hat. "Ma'am." Lacey was in the middle of toying with Wesley's hair at the nape of his neck, just beneath the edge of his cowboy hat and leaning in for another kiss when she heard the cowboy's words. She glanced up and then smiled radiantly at the man before glancing back to Wesley with a soft blush to her cheeks. There was no room to think about Kenny, or the past. Nothing like that was going to happen to her again and she was determined not to ever be that stupid again. She could tell that Wesley was about to say something back, so she simply waited, glancing up to the cowboy again as her hands slid down from his hair line to rest on his broad shoulders. Wes just grinned and nodded. "Ayep, Ty. Sure do. Her name's Lacey King." Tyler's brows raised and he had a rather shocked look on his face. "Ya mean to say THE Lacey King?" Wesley just nodded and chuckled. "Ol' Bill's little girl? Can't be." He looked her over. then whistled low through his teeth. "Grew up mighty fine, dincha Miss King? Ya might 'member me," he said, extending a hand. "Tyler Roy of the Roy ranch next ter yer daddy's." Lacey's flush brightened a bit at the compliments and suddenly realized he must be getting a bird's eye view of her cleavage pressed up against Wesley's chest and then chuckled, stretching a bit to the side and up as her hand reached up to shake his, azure eyes twinkling a bit. How could she forget Tyler Roy? They had shared their first kiss at the yearly bar-b-q one year at the dance in the barn after the round-up. "It's been a long time, Tyler. How are you?" "Been well, Miss King. Been mighty fine. Got myself a wife now. Three li'l chillin's runnin' around. You might see mah oldest boy 'round here somewhere. 'Bout waist heigh, acts like he's thirty." He looked over in the direction of Lance, who had found an old flame, as usual, and he grinned. "We were jest headin' to the hoe down. Why don'tcha folks git those horses put up and join us?" Lacey couldn't believe it had actually been that long. Tyler was married and had three kids! God, what had she been doing all this time? She smiled gently and then glanced to Wesley before answering. "Well that would be up to Wes and Lance, of course." Without further ado, Tyler simply handed his beer to his partner and hitched a leg over the railing to drop down into the dirt below. He reached up to take the beers as his buddy did the same. "This is ol' Red." He nudged Red in the chest and handed him back his beer as he chugged his own and tossed the cup in the trash. He hooked arms with Lacey and looked at Wesley. "Still ridin' ol' Gunthar, eh? That horse has gotta be pushin' nine. Ain't he gettin' old for this work?" Lacey smiled at Red, nodding gently as Tyler suddenly took charge and hooked his arm in hers. "Well, I see that time hasn't changed you one bit," she teased. She then glanced to Gunthar and then Wesley, a soft smile on her lips. It was funny how quickly she was becoming accustomed to life on a ranch and the people that worked on them. She couldn't help but suddenly think of her father and what life would have been like for her if he had never turned her away, her smile fading a bit. Wesley just shook his head and didn't say anything as he took Gunthar's and the hell-bitch's reigns to guide them toward the stalls on the outskirts of the arena that had been set up. Tyler was already talking up a storm about his wife Wendy and their three boys and how she was home with two of them, and he'd brought the oldest to show him what daddy's life was all about. Wesley didn't mind Tyler's company, he just had a tendency to talk up a storm and not let anybody get a word in edgewise; Wesley was the complete opposite. He was quite content to be silent. Tyler had basically cornered Lacey and she suddenly remembered why she hadn't been too interested in him after that first kiss. She wanted to laugh and offer to buy him a beer to shut him up, but she simply listened to his stories, nodding her head and glancing to Wesley as he walked away. As Wesley went out of earshot, Lacey suddenly had an idea and turned to Tyler with a look of surprise on her face, like she had just remembered something important. "Tyler ... I need you to do me a favor. You know where I can find a good barrel racing horse without making a big fuss about it and the word getting out I'm looking?" "Ah, yeah! Might know a few places to look. Ya want a gelding er a filly?" he finally stopped talking long enough to actually hold a two-sided conversation. Lacey thought about it for a moment, chewing on her well-manicured thumbnail a moment as she went back over all the training and reading she had been doing lately. "I guess it doesn't really matter, but I'd like to start with a pretty experienced one, but not too old. I'd prefer gelding if at all possible, then I don't have to worry with heat cycles and mares getting all worked up during, well, you get the picture" she said with a soft laugh. He grinned and nodded, taking his hat off his head to scratch at the mop of dark hair beneath. "Any particular breed, or do ya care?" Lacey's first thought was an Arabian. She had always wanted one. But quarter horses were so popular in this sport. "Gosh, I don't know ... what tends to be the best for racing?" "Well.. ya got your quarter horses for short dashes and high speed, then ya got your quarter thoroughbred crosses; longer legs, longer stamina, but not as quick on the feet. It's a give or take situation. Depends on what ya want." Lacey chewed on her thumb again for a moment, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure Wesley didn't walk up on her during this particular conversation. Seeing that he was still tending to the horses, she turned back to Tyler with a grin, "Then quarter horse. I want speed. Stamina isn't necessarily something that is needed for barrel racing... is it?" Tyler nodded and scratched his beard as he thought a bit. "I'll look around fer ya, Miss King. See what I can find. Any particular price range ya lookin' fer? A trained horse will be a pretty penny. Would be cheaper to train 'im yerself." Lacey shook her head a bit before answering, "I'd rather have one that already knows what it is doing. Price isn't really a factor." And it wasn't ... she had plenty of money in a couple of accounts from all the hard work she had done in New York. "Alrigh'.... I'll see what I can find fer ya." He looked over in the direction of Wesley and Lacey's constant peeking, sensing she wanted to keep this quiet from the seasoned rancher. Lacey smiled and then saw him glance in Wesley's direction and laughed gently. "And Tyler ... let's not mention this to anyone else right now, alright? At least leave my name out of it for the time being." "Will do, Ma'am." He brushed the brim of his hat with a wink. Wesley was finally through rubbing down the horses and getting them settled in for the night. He was in high spirits despite the fact that Lance had left him to do all the work. They'd scored first. It was time to celebrate. Palomino Ch. 15 It was a gorgeous Thursday morning, two weeks later, when the call came that a trailer was arriving with a special package for Lacey. Wide-eyed and scared that someone would catch the rig before she did, she dashed out of the main house in the middle of painting her nails and scrambled for the barn, praying to God that Wesley and the boys were still in the south pasture doing chores. The last thing she wanted to try to explain was why an expensive cutting horse was being delivered that he didn't know about. Running full speed, she slid into the barn, gasping for breath, blue eyes going wide as she saw Lance walking in through the opposing open doors. Lance caught sight of Lacey run into the barn then dodge to the side and he furrowed his brows. What had her runnin' scared like a rabbit? He'd been feeding the calves they'd had to bring in from pasture when their mamas refused to feed them anymore. Betsy was always the cow they put lost babies with. She was a good mama and never turned any calf down. She'd never been able to produce her own, but she did damn fine with those that had bitches for a mama. He scratched the back of his neck as he caught the glint off a vehicle coming up the main road. "Miss Lacey?" Lacey cursed just outside the barn door. What the fuck was he doing here? Glancing up, she saw that the trailer was turning onto the main road leading to the barn and she stepped into the barn once more, chewing on her bottom lip before she looked at Lance. "What are you doing here? I thought everyone was out in the south pasture?" "They are.I was checkin' on the calves here. Makin' sure Betsy took 'em alright." He furrowed his brows. Lacey was always a calm and collected girl. "Is there somethin' wrong?" Lacey started to say something when the trailer pulled up, the gears shifting as it came to a halt and then the horn blew to let them know it was here. "Shit ..." she glanced out and then back to Lance and then out again. "Just hold on a minute," she said exasperated and ran out the barn towards the trailer with a huge grin on her face as the driver of the truck and Tyler stepped out of the big rig. Lance stood there rather dumbfounded and he semi-behaved, only walking to the door of the barn to peek out. Tyler Roy hugged Lacey as she came running at them all exasperated like. "Is this a bad time, Lace? We can come back later." Lacey hugged Tyler and then shook her head, releasing him as she walked quickly towards the back of the trailer. "No! I've been looking forward to this for too long." She opened up the hatch where the horse's head would be, the slant-load trailer having room for more than one horse. When she pulled it open, a gorgeous palomino pushed his nose through the open space and whinnied loudly, snorting and breathing hard, eager to get out of the trailer and stretch his legs. "Oh god ... he's gorgeous," she cried softly, reaching up to rub his muzzle. "What the fuck...." Lance muttered. He couldn't stand still any longer. He walked out to join the others. He shook Tyler's hand firmly, then the driver's, then looked at Lacey like she'd lost her mind. "What the hell is that, and why is it here?" Lacey glanced over, hearing Lance's voice and looked both surprised and like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "YOU aren't even supposed to be here! Go away!" she accused before shaking her head with an exasperated sigh. And then her attention was drawn back to the horse, her smile returning. "Tyler, let's get him out. I want to see him," she said, completely ignoring Lance's question. Lance growled. He didn't like being left in the dark, and he KNEW Wesley wouldn't be happy. Another horse meant more food. Tyler rounded the truck and opened the back of the trailer, pulling down the walk. Then he stepped up into the trailer and released the horse from his slant stall and helped him back out a bit before turning him and letting him trot on down the ramp. The horse didn't even have to have a hand on him. He stopped at the back of the trailer and waited for Tyler to get him and he grabbed the halter, walking him around the side toward where Lacey stood. "He loads up nice 'n easy. He's a natural showman. Will put on airs in front of a crowd. Loves bein' watched." Lacey grinned, moving to the horse with soft coos as she let him sniff at her and then rubbed his gorgeous forehead, smoothing the light blonde colored forelock with her fingers before pulling out a treat from her pocket and offered it to the horse. "Isn't he simply gorgeous?" she asked, to no one in particular and then she grinned to Tyler. "Everything go okay? You've got all the paperwork?" "Ayep... got all your signatures. You've got ownership papers and his pedigree. Ya should be good ta go. Glad I could help ya out, Miss King. If ya need anythin' else, gimme a call. I'm just seven miles away." Lacey smiled and nodded, grasping the halter with one hand before reaching out to shake Tyler's hand with her other one. "Don't worry. I'm sure I'll be calling you again sometime, Tyler. Thank you again!" She took the envelope with all of the gelding's paperwork and then glanced to Lance with somewhat of a sheepish grin. "Would you mind grabbing me a lead rope from the tack room ... please?" Tyler chuckled. "He don't need no lead rope. Turn 'round and he'll follow ya. Ya gave him treats. You've got a friend fer life there." Tyler winked and crawled back into the truck and drove away. Lance just kind of looked at Lacey like all hell was going to break loose just any second. Especially when Wesley found out this was done behind his back. "What're you thinkin'? Where we gonna keep that thing? I sure as hell ain't takin' care of it." Lacey led the gelding towards the barn, the horse following just like Tyler said he would, nuzzling her pockets for more treats as she looked at Lance with a sheepish grin. "Okay, look ... if I told either one of you, you both would have been trying to stop me all this time," she admitted, glancing to Lance as he fell into step beside her. She noticed that he was taking in the horse and assessing it quickly with a trained eye. "What do you think really though? I mean, about the horse?" "He's kinda lanky. Needs his hindquarters built up." He stopped the horse and grabbed the halter, tilting his head up to pull on the upper lip to take a good look at his teeth. He then began to pat down the neck and the chest, over the front legs to test startle point. He then lifted one foot and tested the knees and checked the hooves. Slowly he walked around the animal as the horse just stood there, almost leaning to one side as if bored. Lacey's eyebrows furrowed together some as she watched him assessing the horse, watching his every move. "What 'cha mean, lanky? He's gorgeous." "He's young.... patient. Got good eyes. Just needs to be built up as he finishes growing. He broke and everythin'?" Lacey nodded, her smile growing. This horse was far more than just broke. He had a lot of experience under his belt with both cutting and barrel racing, even being as young as he was. She quietly handed Lance the envelope with the horse's pedigree and papers in it. "Take a look, tell me what you think. I need your honest opinion, Lance." Lance took the papers and unfolded them to take a look, then looked at the horse, then back to the papers. "God... no wonder he's tall. His sire was 17 hands." The horse had found refuge with Lacey again. The two had shared an instant bond and he nudged her chest for attention. Finally Lance folded up the papers again and tucked them in the envelope to hand them back to Lacey. "Well, if you're gonna race him, he needs a bit of conditioning. He's been out of the runs fer awhile. Look at his haunches and his legs. Li'l practice will build that right up. He might need leg wraps fer awhile 'till we get those spindles built up some. All in all Miss Lacey, I hope you paid fer whatcha got. Let's go see where to put 'im and see about gettin' you a corral to run in." Lacey tenderly rubbed the horse's muzzle, fingering the soft strands of his forelock and then running her hand back between his ears to shake his mane lovingly. She glanced at Lance kind of wide-eyed as he figured out what she was going to do with him, and then chuckled softly, nodding. "So ... you'll help keep my little secret while I get him in shape? Tate's been working with me every day on Gunthar ..." She and the palomino followed Lance as he led them to a place where she could keep the horse somewhat still a secret, for now. "So that's what ol' Tate's been up to. Now I get it. I knew you been ridin'... can see it in yer legs and back and yer posture. Just the way ya stand. Surprised Wesley hasn't picked up on it. Noticed it in Gunthar too. He seems perkier. Anne used to race him. It took all I had to convince Wes not ta sell 'im. After 'while they became fast friends. We'll keep your fella in here. I'll work on keepin' Wes away if ya want me to. See about leg wraps fer 'im. Don't want 'im runnin' and strainin' anything. I might be wrong 'bout his strength, jus' don't wanna take the chance." Lacey smiled as she listened, and walked the gelding into the corral that Lance had found for them. She nodded and carefully removed the halter to give the gelding some freedom, but he seemed content to stick close to her, nuzzling her and butting her with his head a bit as if he didn't understand why she wasn't climbing up on his back and trying him out. "Yeah ... Tate's been real good about keeping my secret. I want to surprise Wesley with it." She glanced over at Lance for a moment. "Do you really think he's going to be upset that I did all this behind his back?" Lance stood up on the gate and he chuckled. "If he gets upset, it'll be short lived. I dunno what other reactions he might have. Might be good, might be bad. He may be doin' team ropin' with me 'gain, but he still won' watch the races. Ya might break 'im of it though." He chuckled as the horse got bossier and bossier. "Why don'tcha get on up there and trot 'im 'round a bit? Doubt he needs a saddle. Seems tame as a dog." Lacey chewed on her lower lip a bit as she pondered all that Lance had said, but he hadn't said anything that she hadn't already thought of. She knew his reactions could be mixed when he saw her barrel race for the first time, but somehow, inherently, she knew that it would help. Every day that she had been working with Tate and Gunthar, it was as if she could feel Anne encouraging her, whispering in her ear that this is exactly what Wesley needed to help put the past finally behind him. She nodded and smiled to the gelding, moving to his side and rested both hands on the horse's back. He turned his head a bit to watch her, as if he knew what she was going to do and gave her a nudge. She hopped gracefully three times, and then sprang upwards, her body folding over the horse's spine, and then wiggled a bit, throwing her right leg over and sat up, scooting forward once to get in the right place. She could feel Lance's look and didn't have to glance over to see that he was surprised with how much she had improved. "How's he feel?" Lance asked as she trotted around the corral. He was mostly watching the horse's legs and feet. His gait was clean. There was no hitch in his stride, no wavering to one side or the other. He was clean all the way around. "See if he'll back up, Lace." Lacey's hands held lightly onto the horse's long mane that bounced up and down with his smooth trot. She had a natural seat, and seemed to ride straight on her balance point, making it look like she was one with the horse. "He feels good ... hardly any bounce at all," she said, a bright smile on her lips. And then she sat back a bit, her legs slightly moving in a bounce like motion and the horse began to back up without hesitation, blowing through his nose as his head shook a bit, almost like he was showing off. Lance smiled. A horse that would back up that smooth on its own was a good horse. Still his stride was clean. There was no hoof tapping, no confusion, no head-throwing or argument. "Take him into a lope hon.. I want to see how he handles his head." Lacey nodded and sat forward just slightly, her hips rolling and her legs giving him a gentle squeeze. As he started to move, she moved her body in a loping action in which the horse immediately picked up on and went straight into a canter, his blonde mane whipping out from his neck, identical to the blonde mane that whipped out from Lacey's back. He shook his head slightly and snorted, his playfulness contagious as Lacey moved with him, a huge grin on her face. Lance watched the carriage of his head, the way his neck moved in tandem with the rest of him. He couldn't help but notice how the two seemed almost identical in personality and suaveness. She'd picked good. "Well... seems ya have a good horse there, Miss Lacey. Whatcha gonna call 'im?" Lacey cantered in circles around Lance, lost in the movements of the horse before Lance's question sank in. She settled a bit more back, dropping her energy and the gelding dropped into a slow trot and then a walk, blowing through his nose and then jerking his head down a bit to nip at a fly. She glanced over at Lance for a moment and then smiled. "I was thinking of calling him 'Fire and Ice' ... Ice for short." She smiled down at him, ruffling his soft blonde mane as he showed off a bit, prancing and then moving back into a walk. She glanced back at Lance. "What do you think?" "Ice sounds good to me. He seems to like it too. Don'tcha Ice?" He reached over the gate to rub the animal's muzzle as he came to a halt near the gate. He really was a tame showman, a show-off to the hilt, and young and as spirited as the girl riding him was. He seemed just what she needed. "Yep... that's a fine animal you've got there, Lace. Let's get him some food and I'll pull a hose out here and fill that trough. We'll see about gettin' ya barrels ta work with... we'll jest 'ave ta pack 'em away each time." Lacey smiled and slid off Ice, giving him an affectionate shake of his mane and then buried her nose against his skin, inhaling deeply. It probably looked silly, but she loved the smell of horses. Especially one that was all hers. She grinned and then slid through the gate to give Lance a huge hug. "Thank you, Lance ... I don't know what to say." He smiled and hugged her back. "Now don'tchu go gettin' all soft on me. We got work ta do. Lots o' it. If there's any trainer that'll help ya most, it's ol' Tate. I'm just here fer moral support, and ta make sure that animal conditions properly. We're also gonna see about gettin' ya a saddle 'r two. Ones that fit ya. The ones I've seen ya in are all men's saddles, and too big fer ya." Lacey nodded and then glanced to Ice as he walked around the corral, sniffing at everything and walking in circles before lowering himself to the ground and made a big show of rolling, sending up a cloud of dust and ruining the beautiful brush job that had been done on him before he had arrived. Lacey just laughed and shook her head. No doubt that he was a man, having to make a mess when he looked ravishing just the way he was! Palomino Ch. 16 Lance glanced over at Wesley as he hopped in the truck, eyebrows furrowing some as he noticed one less person. "Where's Lacey? Thought she was gonna come see us compete tonight?" he asked, swiveling his head to see if she was walking up to the truck. The slant-load trailer was hitched to the back and both the Hell-Bitch and Gunthar were loaded, ready to head out. "Ah... she says she's not feeling too well. She's got a fever. Wanted to stay home." Wesley scratched the back of his neck. He seemed a bit nervous with Lacey's excuses. They'd been using protection, but still, it worried him. He shifted in his seat and reached for the seatbelt to strap in. "Let's go. We gotta get to the gate by 3." Lance nodded, a slight frown on his face and then shifted the truck into drive and slowly pulled out and headed down the long drive to the main road that led out to the frontage road. Lance glanced over at his best friend, furrowing his eyebrows some as he drove. "You ain't nervous, are ya?" he asked, turning his attention back to the road. THAT wasn't a good sign. "Me? No... I never get nervous." His voice was a bit higher than normal. It almost squeaked and he cleared his throat, still tapping against his thigh. Lance shrugged a bit and then glanced in the side mirror. Lacey and the boys should be leaving about now. He glanced over at Wesley again and hoped that he didn't wind up killing them all after tonight. Seeing Lacey and her barrel horse Ice was going to be quite the surprise. Especially with how good they had gotten. Wesley shifted a bit and rubbed the back of his neck. "Lance... has Lacey been actin' funny lately, or is it just me?" He still had that nervous edge to his voice. Lance glanced over at Wesley, one eyebrow inching up. Surely he wasn't on to the plan? They had been more than careful. Hell, the whole ranch knew about it now, except for Wesley, and they had all worked hard together to keep him in the dark. "Wh-what 'cha mean funny?" he said, clearing his voice a bit and shifting in his seat as he drove, glancing back in the mirror again. "I mean... she has this.... glow about her. She's overly happy. Now this, this... sick... thing." He clearly was nervous, but he didn't seem wise on to uncovering any plan. Lance wanted to die laughing as he caught on to what Wesley was nervous about. He was relieved that he had no clue about what was really going on. He leaned over some and slapped Wes on the shoulder, a chuckle slipping past. "Easy there, fella ... I think you're letting your imagination get the best of ya. Hell ya, Lace is happy ... look at you two!" He shut his mouth quickly before he said anymore. Hell, he was a pro at keeping secrets. Wes looked out the corner of his eyes. He wasn't at all convinced. He'd worked a ranch too long, and had seen the cycles in lots of species of females. All he needed was Lacey pregnant. That would put stress everywhere it wasn't needed. "If you say so." Lance just chuckled and squeezed his buddy's shoulder. "You just need to get in the arena and work that worry outta ya, Wes. Trust me, yer worryin' fer nuthin" Wesley just muttered. "Yeah... I guess. At least I hope so. That's all I need right now." He seemed somewhat more relaxed at Lance's gentle assurance. He stopped the nervous tapping and shifting, but he still stared out the window as the grasslands became a blur as they made their way to the rodeo. --- Lacey watched the guys load up from the bedroom window, hopping on one foot as she shrugged on her tight black jeans with tiny silver sparkles in them. She watched until she saw the brake lights of the trailer disappear. Then she quickly ran for the closet, pulling out her black boots with silver trim, tugging them on then shrugged on her matching silver top, embroidered with sparkles and black trim that Caroline had made especially for tonight. Grabbing her hat and a comb, she dashed downstairs, holding the brim of the hat in between her teeth as she buttoned the shirt and tucked it into the waistband of her jeans, buckling the shiny black and silver belt into place. Caroline, Tate and Tyler waited for her downstairs. Tyler looked the cowgirl over and gave a low appreciative whistle as he gave her the once over. Tate did it too, but wasn't quite as vocal about it. Caroline just grinned and hugged her. "C'mon... get in the truck. The boys should be far enough ahead we won't catch up to them." Lacey grinned appreciatively at the boys and then hugged Caroline, kissing her cheek. "I feel like I'm gonna puke," she murmured, running for the truck, but stopping long enough to check the trailer and rub Ice's nose. "Hey baby-boy ... you ready to go?" Ice snorted and stamped, nuzzling her hand. Tyler wrapped his arm around her. "C'mon cowgirl. In the truck. We gotta get to the gate by 3. Lance and Wes left later than I thought they would. We gotta go." Lacey smiled and rubbed Ice's nose once more before climbing into the truck. Pulling on her seatbelt, she hung her hat on her knee and started combing her hair and braiding it into one long braid down the back as she tapped her foot nervously. "I hope I remember how to do this," she murmured softly, glancing to Tyler. Tyler grinned and nudged her as they headed off down the road. "You'll be fine. You gotta good horse. Just give 'im his head and he'll go." Tyler looked over at Tate. "Ya think Wes is gonna freak?" Lacey glanced over, listening to the guys as she finished up her braid and tied it off and then pulled down the mirror to take a look at her make-up. If only Tyra could see her now! "Ah hell ... yeah, prolly," Tate muttered and then gently patted Lacey on the shoulder. "But just wait 'til he sees this li'l gal in action. I betcha she places in the top five. Besides, it's time Wes got a big push over this hurdle. He can't go on avoiding the races forever." "Took 'im what? Two an' a half years to start goin' to rodeos 'gain? Then another year to get 'im in to competing again?" Lacey played with the hat that Wesley had given her, fingering the hat band and the pin on it. It had faded a bit, but she and Caroline had taken silver polish to the buckle and pin and added a bit of black powder to it, spraying it down with some hairspray and a bit of glitter to make it shine. It could pass as new, and went great with her new outfit. She glanced over at the guys and smiled gently. "You two really think he's gonna be okay with this after the initial shock?" "Oh yeah! He'll be fine. Ya watch." Lacey inhaled deeply and nodded, turning her gaze out the window to look at the side mirror, her smile returning as she thought of her gelding Ice back in the trailer. They had turned into quite the team over the past weeks. Now they just had to prove it in the arena. Tyler grinned and opened the truck as they came to a stop inside the arena. He looked around to make sure Wesley and Lance weren't anywhere around, and he turned around to help Lacey out. "C'mon... let's get that horse o' yours unloaded and git ya where ya need ta be." Lacey slipped her hand into Tyler's and stepped out of the truck, shoving her hat gently on top of her head, the blonde braid gently swaying down her back as she moved to the back of the trailer where Tate was unloading Ice. The palomino gelding seemed very unruffled, nickering friendly-like to Lacey right before he shoved at her with his muzzle for some loving. She rubbed his forehead, tousling his forelock some before taking the reins to walk out the kinks. "Meet you at the gate, Miss Lacey. I'm gonna check ya in," Tate said as Tyler hurried to go park the truck. Lance and Wesley were at the opposite side of the arena, getting ready for their roping event. Lance kept glancing up every now and then as if he were looking for something, knowing the races were coming up not long after their run. There was only a short break for some chuck-wagon racing and he had to figure out some way to get Wesley to watch tonight. Wesley was busy with the rigging and cussed when it knotted on him. He growled and tugged at it to get it to loosen it up and untangled it with deft, sure hands. He lifted the saddle up onto Gunthar's back and lowered the cinch, strapping it in place. He heard Gunthar take a deep breath and chuckled, tickling him behind the forelegs to get him to snort and exhale. "Gotta suck it in buddy. There ya go. That's better." He grinned and patted Gunthar's shoulder and rubbed up his neck, up over his head to his muzzle. Wesley never showed to be too soft on the outside, but when it came to his horses, he was a softy like none other. Lance glanced over at Wesley, checking his cinch one last time before settling the stirrup back down and checked his lasso, hooking it in place over the saddle horn. Rubbing the Hell-Bitch's ears, he glanced to the opposite end of the arena. Lacey and Ice were back there somewhere. He was looking forward to seeing how she ran tonight. With all the practice they'd snuck in, he hoped she'd do well. Grabbing the reins and shoving a boot into the stirrup, he hopped up into the saddle, taking up the slack as the Hell-Bitch shifted and side-stepped, nonchalantly broaching the topic that had to be addressed tonight, "So ... I was thinking. I think it's time you watched the races tonight ... at least for a little bit" Wesley rounded Gunthar's shoulder again and adjusted the length of his stirrup. Somebody had been using his saddle off and on; somebody short. It was rather irritating to have to redo his gear every time he needed on. Gunthar snorted and leaned down to rub his leg. "You were thinkin', huh?" He looked over at his friend and shook his head. "I don't think so." Lance rubbed the Bitch's shoulder and neck, eyeing Wesley as he adjusted the saddle. He couldn't help but grin some, thinking Lacey never did remember to fix that damn thing after she used it, but now she had her own saddle. It wouldn't be a problem anymore. "I wasn't asking," he said, adjusting the reins and leaning across the saddle horn some. "It's time, Wes, and you know it." Once he had the stirrups adjusted. he hooked his left boot up and swung over to settle with the agility of an experienced horseman. Waiting for Gunthar to lift his head again, he leaned over the saddle horn to grab the reigns that had slipped with the stretching of the horse's neck. He muttered as he laid them across the horse's withers again, looking at Lace with a dark gaze. "I don't care if you're asking or not. The answer's no." Lance continued to lean across the saddle horn as he regarded Wesley. He knew that this was going to be like pulling teeth on an old man that refused to give up the last of what he had left, but he was determined. Even prepared to go to drastic measures if he had to. "I ain't budgin' 'til you agree to watch." "Well... you're gonna be standin' there a long damned time then. 'Cause I ain't watchin'." Gunthar was shifting his weight from one side to the other, dancing, ready to go. His head lifted and his ears perked as he watched and listened to things going on. Lance shrugged and swung back off the Hell-Bitch, looping the reins in his hands. Wesley was the major competitor in the team. Lance was the show-off. He knew it would only be a matter of time before Wesley agreed to do whatever it took to get Lance back up on his horse. He glanced out as the team before them shot out of the gate and ran after their calf. "Hmm ... we're next I guess. Too bad I ain't going out there." Wesley growled and glared at Lance. "Damnit, Lance. Get on. We have a show to do." He glared more when he didn't see Lance budge and he reigned in Gunthar, backing him up a few steps. Wesley looked toward the arena. They were being waved in and he growled again, glaring at Lance. "Get the fuck on yer horse and let's go. Now." Lance leaned against the Hell-Bitch's saddle, not making a move to get back up on her. He glanced almost lazily up at Wesley for a moment as one of the arena judges starting walking towards them. "Not 'til you give me yer word that you'll watch the races with me." Wesley snarled dangerously. He didn't want to start a scene with Lance. Not here, not now. "Do you want me to fuckin' withdraw us? I will. I ain't watchin'. Period." Lance scratched at the back of his neck and glanced towards the judge approaching them. He knew that Wesley wouldn't withdraw them, but he also knew that he was pushing some major boundaries. "What's the big deal? It's a race ... it's been three and half years, Wes. You need to do this and you damn well know it." "No! I ain't watchin', damnit!" Wesley's mood was entirely not in the game now. He glared at the judge, then to Lance. Without another word he turned Gunthar's head away and nudged him into a quick canter away from the scene and back toward the stalls, leaving Lance to handle the judge. Lacey was coming back from stretching out Ice's legs in the riding arena back behind the main covered one, glancing towards where she saw Tate leaning against the doorway, watching her. Ice was moving good and had some quick starts. She was looking forward to seeing how well he ran, but she was having a hard time with the nervousness about Wesley. Would he watch? Would he be pissed? Would it help him get over this last hurdle with Anne's ghost? Pulling up to Tate, she smiled gently. "Well, what do ya think? Think Wesley will show up?" Tate rubbed his chin and he just nodded "Yea... he'll show. How kin he not show? How's he doin'? Work that kink out of 'im?" Lacey glanced over Tate's head towards the arena, her eyebrows furrowed some. The loudspeakers had just announced that Wesley and Lance had withdrawn their entry tonight. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously before she glanced back at Tate and nodded, rubbing Ice's withers as he shifted beneath her, bending his head down some to rub at his leg. "Yeah, he feels good ... got quick releases. I think he'll run good tonight." Lance walked the Hell-Bitch back towards the stalls, fuming that his plan hadn't worked. Now, not only did they have to withdraw and lose out on a chance to add more points towards their bid to Nationals, but Wesley was in a foul mood. How the hell was he supposed to get him to watch the races? Wesley was dead silent as he worked. He always got that way when he was angry enough to spit nails. He got down off Gunthar's back and immediately lifted the stirrup to unstrap the cinch and lattigo and folded them up over the seat to avoid dragging them through the dirt as he lifted the saddle from the horse's back, setting it over the top rung of the stall. He grabbed the grooming bucket and retrieved the soft brush to brush Gunthar down. Gunthar looked at Wesley all sorts of confused. They hadn't gone to work. He kept trying to nudge Wesley to get the saddle back on but Wesley didn't even respond with so much as a head pat. Lance stopped, flipping the ends of the Bitch's reins over and over in his hand as he glared at Wesley. "You are one stubborn sonofabitch, ya know it? What's it gonna hurt for you to watch? You don't wanna get over it, or move on, or what? Cuz if you don't, then how come yer stringing Lacey along for a ride that she's never gonna finish?" He knew his words were strong, and would hurt, but he had to get through to his friend somehow. This about more than just a surprise. This was about his friend finally finding some happiness. Wesley stilled as Lance's words sank in. They hurt. They hurt bad. He gripped onto Gunthar's mane to keep from simply hurling himself at Lance and causing a huge ruckus in front of God and everybody. He and his friend had fought too much too often lately. It was starting to become a regular pattern. Once he could breathe again he spoke low and evenly to try to keep his temper under control. "I'm not watching, Lance. End of story." Lance just shook his head angrily. There really was no getting through to him, and at times like this, he wondered if he ever would. He kicked at the lower plank on the railing, cursing and then walked the Hell-Bitch to the other stall, yanking the cinch loose and then quickly hauling it up and off her back. He had to hurry if he was going to catch Lacey's run. Despite his failing to get Wesley to watch, he refused to let her down completely. "Fine, asshole ... have it yer way. But yer fucking up, big time, and ya don't even care." Pulling off the Bitch's bridle, he hung it over the saddle horn and walked out of the stall, closing it behind him as he stalked off to find a good place to watch. "I'm going to watch the races," he called back before disappearing from view. Wesley let out a sob he'd been holding in the whole time Lance had stood there. He leaned against Gunthar, his fingers wrapping in the silken mane. Yeah... he probably was messing up... but there'd be plenty of time to come 'round. Or not. He could probably survive just fine without ever seeing another race. It was just horses and girls circling barrels anyway. After several moments he stood up on his own two feet again and walked around Gunthar's head, removing his bridle and hung it over the saddle horn then rubbed his muzzle "Sorry 'bout tonight fella.... I'll make it up to ya in the mornin'." Lacey watched, feeling the butterflies take flight in her stomach as she watched the racing chuck wagons slowly come out of the arena. They were driving in a truck now to set up the barrels and she glanced around, inadvertently looking for Wesley. "He's not gonna show ... I just know it," she said softly, feeling Tate's hand gently pat her thigh. "You don't worry about that none ... you just git out there and do yer best. Time to show this place that ya really belong on a ranch, eh?" he teased gently, looking up at her. Wesley half-pondered going over to watch the races... the after-effects of the argument still stung bad. On top of what happened, they wasted a night of competition and it depended on if they were high enough in the ranks as to whether they'd be allowed to compete tomorrow night at all. If not, it had been a waste of a 3 hour drive and $150 entry fee. He'd tell the judges that Gunthar had a stitch in his leg and he'd found him unfit to run tonight. It'd probably buy them a little bit of lee-way. Lance jogged up just in time as the truck drove back through, the arena all set up for the races. He grinned reassuringly at Lacey as she caught sight of him, her eyes hopeful. He walked over, shook Tate's hand and then shook his head a bit, patting Lacey's thigh as if to tell her he failed. "I'm sorry, Lacey ... he wouldn't budge." At the disappointed look on her face, Tate stepped up and took hold of Ice's reins to get her attention. "Now you listen to me ... you've worked your ass off for this, and it's not about Wesley. It's about YOU. And Ice. You get out there and do what you've trained to do. You're damn good at it, Lacey, and you love it. I see it every time you get on that horse." Lacey nodded quietly, the sad look on her face slowly replaced with determination. "Folks..." the loudspeakers boomed "Up next we gotta rookie. Miss Lacey King. This is her first run at regional level. First run ever it says here. Born on the King ranch in Riverton, lived in New York City until just a few short months ago! Our very own Lacey King and her gorgeous mount, Ice 'n Fire! Ain't she lookin' fine tonight folks?" Wesley stopped and looked up from the judge he'd been talking to. He waved the judge off "'scuse me..." He couldn't have heard the announcer wrong. He'd heard the name twice. Damn the girl! No wonder Lance wanted his attention on the races. Without a second thought he darted over to the gate and shoved another cowboy over to crawl up to see just as Lacey darted into the ring on a horse he'd never seen before. He couldn't help but shout and cheer with the rest of the crowd. She was perfect. She marked the animal wonderfully as they worked as a well-honed team. Palomino Ch. 16 Lacey's mind was purely on the race at hand and her mount. Ice didn't need any prompting. She just gave him his head and touched his neck at the right time as he rounded the barrels. She could feel her leg barely graze the barrel, soft enough that it didn't even move before they were racing for the next one in a cloverleaf pattern. She could feel Ice's legs churning and only when he had rounded the last barrel, did she give him more encouragement and he seemed to leap ahead, a beautiful blonde speed demon as he raced through and back down the arena hallway and out completely of the building. Only when she was outside, was she able to completely stop him, her heart racing a million miles a minute. She stood in the stirrups some and glanced back over her shoulder with a wide grin as she heard Tate and Lance whooping and hollering along with Tyler as they ran towards her. Wesley jumped down off the gate with a whoop and dodged through other competitors, weaving this way and that as he raced toward the other end of the arena. Finally he made his way down the way and outside. He caught sight of Lance and Tyler. The scoundrels. How'd they hide this from him? Was he really that blind? Suddenly he felt so stupid. His stubbornness and bull-headedness had not only started an unneeded fight, cost him and Lance a night of competition, but he'd almost missed Lacey's debut. At the same time he felt rather cheated that he'd not been let in on the secret. He didn't care all the same. It'd catch up with him soon enough. He was cheering and whooping like a maniac as he raced toward Lacey and Ice. "That was amazing!" Lacey hopped off of Ice, holding the reins tightly as she was caught up in a bear hug by Lance first. Tate was able to catch Ice's reins as the horse danced and snorted, side-stepping quickly as Lance swung her around. "Damn girl ... damn! Where'd you learn to ride like that?!" he laughed and then set her down in time for Tyler to hug her as Tate beamed proudly. "Where do ya think, ya asshole?" Tate proclaimed, his limp almost completely gone as he soothed the horse. Only then did all four of them hear Wesley's shout as he ran up them. They all turned with a startled look, expecting him to furious but instead, saw a transformed cowboy running their way. He pushed Lance aside and grabbed Lacey out of Tate's arms to scoop her up and swing her around. Only when he set her back on her feet did he halt his panting enough to talk. "That.... was just.... wow. I haven't seen a run like that since.... well.... in a long time." He hugged her close with a smile. "Ya done good, girl. And who's this?" He motioned to the horse that suddenly perked in curiosity at this new person around and was stretching his neck to get a better look and sniff. Lacey beamed, feeling like she was going to cry as Wesley swung her around. She felt tears well up in her eyes to know that she had made him proud and hugged him close, unable to speak for a moment until Ice's nickering got her attention. She turned to see Tyler, Tate and Lance grinning like the Cheshire Cat and she rubbed Ice's muzzle and forehead as he stretched a bit more to nibble at Wesley's arm. "This is Ice ... I bought him a couple of months ago," she said with a proud smile and then glanced to Wesley again right as the loudspeaker crackled again. "Alright folks, give us a second ... we've got our scores for tonight's ladies competition." Wesly offered a hand to the nibbling lips and felt warm horse tongue against his fingers as if he were expecting a treat and he chuckled, rubbing the velvety muzzle. "Sorry fella... don't got any. Got some back with the tack, though. Give ya some when we get back, k?" He reached up to rub between the big brown eyes and smiled. A palamino. He should've guessed. He was gorgeous... and perfect. He knew just by the few seconds of meeting him he was Lacey's twin on four legs. He shushed the nickering with a grin as the loudspeakers boomed with the announcer's voice. Lacey's fingers tightened on Wesley's arm reflexively as they all stilled to listen, her breath caught momentarily in her throat. "We've got quite the surprise tonight ... a tie for first place between our returning champion Cheyenne Lackey and our very own Lacey King! Congratulations to both ladies on a job well done!" Lacey couldn't speak ... she looked like she was in shock as the men around her erupted. Tate looked like a proud papa, grinning and nodding and he rubbed Ice and nodded to the other men. "Well it looks like I better get this champion cooled off and taken care of so he's ready to run again tomorrow night." He grinned and then leaned to kiss Lacey's cheek. "Congratulations gal, I knew ya had it in ya." He winked and slapped Wesley on the shoulder before leading Ice away. Wesley winced a bit at the slap and chuckled, scooping Lacey up off her feet. He kissed her deeply then, holding her in his arms. "Thought ya were sick." He winked with a grin. Lacey beamed, slipping her arms around the man she loved and kissed him, her fingers tenderly caressing the small of his back. "Well ..." she began, laughing softly before Lance sidled up to them with an "Ahem, thought you weren't gonna watch the races?" Wesley set Lacey down again but kept a protective arm around her waist to keep her close. He glared at Lance, his mood changing a bit darker and his grasp loosened slightly on Lace. There was still a big argument that hadn't been settled between the two friends. "You cost us a night of competition, you sonofabitch." Lacey stilled a moment, her gaze shifting between Wesley and Lance and started to speak up in Lance's defense before she saw him shake his head and glare back at Wesley for a minute. "Yeah but it's worth it. You shoulda seen the look on yer face when ya came runnin' up. You ain't looked like that in years." He put his hands on his hips, taking on a lazy cowboy kinda stance as he looked at his friend. "If'n ya wanna hit me cuz of it, then go fer it." Wesley's fist tightened a bit as the offer was made, half-tempted to take Lance up on it. He took a deep breath to steady his temper. "Nah.... can't give ya a black eye fer competition. We're in high enough standin's we kin slide in tomorra' nigh'. Told the judges ol' Gunthar had a stitch in 'is leg an' was unfit ta run tonigh'. " Lance nodded as Lacey looked distraught that it was her fault they were fighting. "I knew we would be .. but if you wanna be picky about it, it were yer fault we missed out on competition cuz yer a bullheaded sonofabitch." Lacey stepped between the two friends. putting a hand on each of their chests. "Okay, that's enough ... this is my fault and you two arguing about which one of you is to blame is just wrong. Please, just stop it ..." Wesley reached up to push Lacey's hand away, catching her gaze for half a second before looking back at Lance again. "Idda rather withdrawn than gone in with a foul mood. Foul moods kill people in this sport. I know better." Lance did the same with Lacey's hand but seemed unruffled by the whole thing. If Wesley wanted to get pissy at him, then so be it but he had only been doing what he thought best. "It wasn't about competing tonight, asshole ... it was about you taking another step in the right direction. But you don't see that, do ya?" Wesley snarled a bit and closed the space that had been between them and glared into Lance's eyes. He put two fingers against Lance's chest and jabbed rather hard. "And ya push too damned hard." Lacey staggered back a bit, blue eyes wide as she watched them, wanting to interfere, but knew reflexively to just stay out of it. Lance pushed back against Wesley, their faces mere inches away from either as he jabbed Wesley back in the chest and replied very matter-of-factly, "Somebody's got ta and that's what best friends are fer." "Ta be royal pains in the asses and cross the line to gettin' their asses kicked? Stop pushin' so hard.... or I'll flatten ya. Again." Wesley snorted and stepped back. He didn't want to get into a fight again. Lance stared at Wesley for a moment, his natural instinct to go at him again but then he brushed off the front of his shirt before tipping his hat to Lacey. "Mighty fine job out there tonight, Lace" and sauntered off in the direction that Tate had gone. Tyler glanced to Lacey for a moment and jogged to catch up with Lance as Lacey rubbed her index finger right along her face just below her mouth and above her chin as she glanced to Wesley, unsure at the moment what she should say. She felt incredible guilt though; knowing she was to blame for their argument tonight. Wesley saw the instant flash in Lance's eyes and he had braced for it. But then he'd turned around and walked away. It was probably wise on his part and good for both of them. Neither of them were in any mood to tangle with one another again. Wesley looked at Lacey rather apologetically. "Pardon fer stealin' yer fire, Lace. Ya done good out there." Lacey smiled a bit and moved to him, tenderly slipping her arms around him to soothe him some as she turned her head slightly so her hat wouldn't knock against him and pressed a soft kiss to his neck. "I'm glad you watched, Wesley," she softly murmured in his ear before pulling back a bit to gaze into his eyes. "Thank you" He smiled a bit and wrapped her up in his arms as she hugged him. He leaned down to kiss her softly, the irritation still surging a bit but not too bad. She'd sapped most of it out of him the second she got into his arms. "You're welcome, cowgirl. Ya should wear that get-up more often. Ya look good." He winked and hugged her again, grateful to have her around Lacey smiled gently, her arms tightening around him as she pressed another soft kiss to his lips. "What? You want me to wear this to bed now?" she teased, a twinkle apparent in blue eyes. Her fingers gently caressed his lower back as she felt him start to relax. She knew instinctively that he just needed some time to cool off and she was just the person to help him with it. Palomino Ch. 17 Wesley chucked hay into the corral for the horse. Lance was caulked a leak in the water trough that had caused a huge mud puddle around where the horses would gather 'round for water. Hoof prints were sunk easily four inches deep. Luckily the afternoon sun had been hot the last few days and had hardened the ground somewhat. Still Lance was covered in mud. Lance squeezed a thin line of caulk along the seam, using a wet finger to smooth it out and then continued along the bottom rim of the trough, having it turned upside down to do so. It had been a few days since the rodeo, and he and Wesley's blow-out. They rode the next night and came in second, despite their cold shoulders towards one another and hardly a word had been said between the two friends since. Lance knew he had pushed too hard, but it seemed like he was the only one that could really get him to see what was sitting right in front of him. Standing upright, he stretched slightly with a groan and popped his neck before pushing off his hat to wipe at his sweat and then shove it back on top of his head again. "I'm just gonna have to break down and get a new trough fer up here.... this is the second leak this summer. Either tha' er drag it into the barn during winter and heat it." Wesley said as he poured oats into the feeder. The sound of the things against the metal would call the horses better than any whistle could ever do. When they heard it, they knew it was food time and they'd come running in. Lance glanced over at Wesley as he up righted the tank again and dragged it to a new place so the ground could dry completely where it had been. "Well not that yer askin' my opinion or nuthin' but I think that's a wise idea," he said, grabbing the hose and turned it on as he sprayed out the tank and checked his work. He glanced up in time to see Lacey's palomino Ice running up with the others. He had enjoyed finally being able to get out with the other horses and be in a herd again. They had had to keep him separated for too long while keeping the secret from Wesley. Wesley just nodded as he pulled the pitch fork out of the hay as the horses came trotting in, pushing one another as if there wasn't enough food for them all. He grabbed the gunny sack that'd held the measured amount of oats before Ice grabbed it and rolled it around his arm as he backed off to let the horses in. He turned back to the barn to put the tools away and tossed the sack on to the pile of empty ones. They'd need to weigh and measure out new bags soon. There was only a few days worth left that had been pre-measured out. He peeked out of the barn at Lance. "'ey.... when you're finished wit that, ya wanna 'elp me measure out feed fer the cows 'n horses? We're gettin' low" Lance glanced up, pouring out the contents of the small amount of water he had used to rinse out the trough and then shoved the hose in deep to let it fill up with water while he nodded and headed for the barn. Walking into the barn he moved to where Wesley was and picked up some of the empty gunny sacks and picked up a measuring can and started measuring and filling up bags. They didn't talk as they worked, measuring a week's worth of oats and cache out so they didn't have to do it later. When Lance grabbed the last sack Wesley leaned back against the big trailer that held the cache up off the ground and kept it fresher and real easy to move if they needed to and he lifted his hat to wipe sweat from his brow "So.... who was that gal you were draggin' around all weekend?" Lance continued to fill the sack, only glancing up momentarily to eye his friend for a minute. He had been thinking about apologizing ... not for what he had done, but perhaps in the manner that he had done it. Hearing his friend start to actually talk seemed to clear the air a bit between them and he grinned a bit, shrugging her shoulders. "Eh, just some girl I met a couple of weeks ago. Wendy's 'er name ... I think." His eyebrows furrowed a moment as he thought about it again. "Wendy? Mindy? Hell, I can't remember." Wesley just chuckled and shook his head. "Ya 'ave too many to keep track of anymore, eh? Funny ya never find one ya like and stick wit 'er," Lance's jaw tightened a bit and he seemed to still momentarily in filling the bag but then continued on, shrugging his shoulders. "There's too many to enjoy. Why settle with one?" He grinned good-naturedly and stood upright, closing the sack and then tossed it over with the rest, shoving his hat back a moment and reached for the bandana stuffed in his pocket and wiped his forehead. This was one topic he didn't want to stay on long. Wesley regarded his friend evenly. "You 'ad one once." Wesley said it gently, but it got his point across. Lance hadn't always been this way. He'd been engaged to some li'l gal from Jackson whose daddy sold big farm equipment. Soon after Anne's accident Lance had broken off the engagement and hadn't talked about the gal since, or why he'd stopped seeing her. Lance shoved the bandana back in his pocket and tossed the measuring can back into the feed room and shut the door, almost as if he were shutting off that line of conversation. "What's next on the agenda?" he asked, feeling his jaw tighten. The last thing he wanted to discuss was the reason why all that had happened and Anne's accident again. That was in the past and he intended to keep it there. "There was a postcard from 'er on the kitchen counter. Theresa was 'er name, wasn't it? Yea.... was from 'er. Didn't read it, but was addressed to ya if Caroline didn't tell ya." Wesley wasn't going to let it drop this time. The girl had been sending postcards every now and then to try to keep touch with Lance. Lance ignored them. Without Lance's knowledge Wesley had interfered and sent cards back to let the girl know Lance was still around and not dead, but that was about all he told her. Lance sighed, his hands resting on his hips as he stood and regarded his friend. "Caroline told me," he said and then steeled his jaw some. "How'd we get on this conversation topic?" "'Cause now it's my turn ta push. That gal deserves somethin' from ya Lance. A card, a call... somethin'. Don't leave 'er waitin' on ya.... 'cause she won't wait forever." "Good. She don't need ta wait," he mumbled, sighing as he looked around the barn, as if looking for something else to do before settling his gaze back on Wesley. "I thought we were concentrating on YOUR love life?" "If ya don't still love 'er... then why 'ave ya not settled down 'gain?" He didn't let the side-stepping question bother him. It was his turn to push. He should've pushed a long time ago and hadn't. Lance just looked at him. He wasn't sure Wesley was ready to hear the real reason, and lord only knew that he didn't want to do more damage by letting it out. "Why don't cha just let it be? I'm having a good time just the way I am." "Yer gonna get yer butt into trouble one of these days and I won' be able ta pull yer butt out of it. That gal this weekend wore a weddin' band. I saw it. Whatchu thinkin' runnin' 'round with other men's wives, Lance? This ain't the only time ya done it neither. I 'member that fight up in Ten Sleep over that li'l indian gal. I ain't fightin' fer ya 'gain. Told ya that then... tellin' ya 'gain now. Next time your ass sits in the can." Lance blew a breath out of his lips and reached up to rub his forehead just beneath the rim of his hat. "Ya know the good thing bout married women? No chance of getting all hung up on 'em and then having yer heart ripped out when something goes wrong." "Yea... then ya get tangled with their husbands when they find out and cause all kindsa problems not just fer you.. but her and the marriage too. Ya ever think 'bout that?" Lance just looked at Wesley for a long time before asking, a pleading look for him to just drop it on his face. "Why are we having this conversation again?" Wesley crossed his arms over his chest and just looked at his friend. "Like I said... it's my turn ta push a li'l. Ya ain't gettin' any younger, Lance. I 'member ya once had dreams o' turnin' that house of yers down the way into a home wit a wife 'n kids 'n buildin' yerself a nice li'l homestead 'ere. Now yer as flighty as a hen in heat. Wha' happened to the man who was ready ta settle down?" Lance sighed heavily and sat down on a stack of hay bales, sweeping off his hat to run his fingers through his slightly damp and sweaty hair. "Okay look, I know I've been pushing ya and I'm sorry fer it, okay? But I ... I just can't git into that right now. Yer not ready to hear it and I ain't ready to face it, if ya wanna know the truth." "Fine. But Old man King 'ad me git yer house re-done first 'cause you were gettin' married, Lance. She was a sweet li'l gal too. Least get hold a 'er an' tell 'er yer not interested. She deserves at least that." Wesley righted his hat and thumbed his nose... it was a habit to keep from sneezing due to allergies and slight hay fever. Lance rubbed the side of his hand below his nose and across his upper lip. Truth be told, he didn't want to completely cross the girl off his list but he was too scared to pick things back up. "I watched Anne die, Wes ... watched her have that wreck and up and die right in front of my face," he said finally, his voice low and his eyes cast down. He hoped that the truth didn't shove Wesley back into reverse but there was something inside that couldn't hold it back anymore either. "Besides you, she was my best friend." He continued to look down and slightly to the left, only the top of his hat and his chin showing as he spoke. "Then I watched what it did to ya ... the way ya shut off everyone and crawled into this hole and ya still ain't come completely out, even with a gal as great as Lacey loving ya, and ya don't quite see it." He glanced up for the first time, a pained expression on his face. "I've lived through it once with ya ... I couldn't do it again with a woman that I loved as much as you loved her. So ..." He shrugged some and left it at that. Wesley steeled his jaw a bit. It stung. It stung bad... but it was true. He'd never thought much what the accident did to Lance. He knew Lance hurt... but he hadn't thought it'd affected him that deeply, or been the cause of him breaking off the engagement. He swallowed a bit and rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't quite know what to say. He couldn't promise anything about not losing a girl. "Ya know somethin' Lance.... takin' the chance of it all is more than worth it. It's better ta love once than not love at all. I've been blessed with the ability ta love twice... most o' us don' ever love even once. There's a nice gal in Jackson who wants ta love ya if you'll let her, waitin' fer yer call or a letter. Not that ya asked my opinion, and it may not hold much water with ya... but I'd give it a try." He said it gently, but it was a hard shove... a shove he should've made a long time ago. He hadn't meant to let Lance waste away for three years with the fear he'd lose the one girl he loved. Lance took his hat off and turned it some in his hands as he pondered Wesley's words. He knew he was right ... maybe that's why he had just let Teresa's letters come and never say nothing about it. He loved the girl, and he hurt every time he heard from her but he couldn't bring himself to do it. "Mebbe yer right ... I guess I could at least call 'er," he said, slowly shoving his hat back on his head, looking up at his best friend. He couldn't help but wonder if Wes had heard his own words. He had just proclaimed to love Lacey in a very round about manner, but Lance doubted he even knew what he had said. ----------- Lance looked at the receiver a long while. He'd been sitting at his kitchen table for nearly an hour, pondering on making the call. He'd gotten as far as dragging the phone to the table. He tapped his finger on the worn cherry wood table, his chin set in his other hand as he just stared and thought. What would Teresa say? What would she think? It'd been three years... and when he'd broken off the engagement he didn't even really have that good of a reason for doing it except to tell her he wasn't ready. He'd broken her heart. He reached into the breast pocket of his shirt and pulled out the postcard he'd gotten well over two weeks ago. He flipped it over to look at the delicate script of a woman's hand. "Lance, I just wanted to say hello. Write me. Please. ~Teresa" was all it said. The girl never did say much on her cards. He laid the card down and glanced at his watch before he picked up the receiver with the other hand, turning the dial to call the office she worked in for her daddy. The phone rang in the western-themed ornate office. Teresa McGill was busy on the other phone with a client so the office receptionist picked it up, her drawl pronounced as she spoke into the receiver, "McGill Tractor Supply, this is Susan. How may I direct your call?" Lance shifted the receiver to the other ear and cleared his throat to keep his voice from squeaking "Ah, yeah... this is Lance Finnigan. Is Miss Teresa McGill handy?" He half-hoped the woman would say no, or that Teresa was sick or something today and wasn't in the office. He was still half and half on whether or not if he really wanted to talk to her or not. He tapped nervously on the table and looked out the window that was over the sink and the glass doors that led out to the back deck. "Just a minute please, she's on the other line," the woman replied before pushing the hold button and turned towards Teresa, motioning towards the phone. Teresa nodded as she spoke into the other phone, jotting down the customer's order. When Susan passed her a note about who was on the other end, Teresa faltered on the phone a moment, her expressive green eyes going wide. "Yes I ... I ... I ..." she covered the phone receiver for a moment and blinked at the name on the sheet of paper before looking at Susan once again, dumb-founded. "I-I'm sorry, could you hold a moment?" she stammered before putting the man on hold and looked at Susan, her face showing complete shock. "Are you sure he said Lance Finnigan?" "I think 'e did. Perty sure. Kinda hard ta mishear that kinda name." Susan just turned back to her work. Lance waited on the other end of the phone, each second ticking by, making him want to hang up more and more. Doubt was creeping into his resolve and he was fidgeting. What if she wouldn't answer? What if she didn't want to talk to him? What if she'd found another man? Wait... Wesley said something about not keeping her waiting.... maybe she hadn't... He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, tempted to just set the receiver down, but instead tightened his grasp on it to keep from doing just that. Teresa sat dumb-founded for a moment and then glanced to Susan. "Would you finish this order for me on line 2? I need to take this call from Mr. Finnigan." When Susan nodded, Teresa handed her the order form she had been working on and looked at the blinking button for line one. Lance Finnigan ... she was both surprised and nervous. She had pretty much given up on ever hearing from him again and felt suddenly foolish for continuing to send him postcards over the past three and a half years. If it hadn't been for Wesley replying back to her, she would have given up all hope. Picking the receiver back up, she cleared her throat and closed her eyes momentarily, pushing the blinking button, "This is Teresa. How may I help you?" God, that came across as really cold and formal sounding but it's all she could think of to say at the moment. Lance jumped. He'd been in a reverie of thought that had been spiraling downward more and more. Hearing a voice had startled him. Oh God... it was Teresa. His heart thumped in his chest and he shifted the receiver to his other ear again. "Teresa? It's Lance." He was normally such a forward sort of guy... had no problem with doing the talking... but his voice was small and rather nervous. "I... got your card." Teresa held the phone to her ear with both hands, her grip tightening around it as she heard his voice for the first time in over three years. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes ... he still sounded exactly like she remembered. Turning a bit so that Susan couldn't see her face, she flicked away a tear before gently asking, her voice not showing any kind of hostility or anger but instead curiosity about what had prompted him to call now, after all this time. "Uhm, yeah ... which one?" "One of 'em..." he reached for the card to pull it over and look at the postdate on it." The one I'm lookin' at was postdated 'bout three weeks ago. But.... I've gotten 'em all.... 'bout every three months 'r so." There was a long silence as he drew his thumb nail over the worn surface of the table, smoothing his fingers over it. "....How are you? I'm not disruptin' yer work am I?" he suddenly asked, remembering he'd called the office. "I kin call back later...." Teresa sat there for a long time as if she couldn't really believe that he was on the other end, her fingers toying with the spiral cord of the phone. She couldn't help but inhale deeply, trying to still her emotions after all this time. No, it's okay ... busy as usual. I'm doing okay." She sighed gently and then softly added, "I've been keeping up with your rodeo'ing. You and Wesley have been doing real well lately." Lance smiled a bit. Teresa always had a knack for lightening a tense situation real well. It was part of her charm he liked so much. "Yea... finally got the ol' scoundrel back in the sport this season. We 'ave a strong bid ta go in to Nationals..." Again there was a long silence and again he was tempted to hang up. He wound the cord around his finger and before he could even think about what he was saying he spoke. "I miss you, Teresa." Teresa's heart jumped at Lance's words and she reached up to brush away fresh tears that stung her eyes. Susan was starting to glance in her direction and she turned a bit more, fighting to keep her voice from cracking. "I miss you too, Lance. I was just starting to give up on you ever getting in touch with me." Lance closed his eyes. She hadn't immediately jumped in to excuses with another man or anything... so that was a good sign. If there was one thing he could trust about Teresa it was that she was always honest and got it all out at the front. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Look... ah... I hate phones. Ya prolly 'member that. I'm 'eaded up ta Jackson here in a few days fer a convention... mebbe I could take ya ta lunch 'r sumthin'?" Teresa couldn't help but chuckle. Yeah, she remembered everything about him and hearing his voice brought it all back vividly. She wanted to jump at the chance to see him again, but at the same time, she didn't want to come off as eager and pathetic enough that she had been sitting around pining over him the past three years and had nothing else to do. "Uhm, yeah ... I'll just have to check my date book and make sure I'm available." Leaning across her desk some, she absently ran her finger over the framed picture that still stood on her desk of their engagement picture. Sighing gently she softly added, "I'd like that a lot, Lance." Lance shifted in his chair. There really was no convention in Jackson this weekend.. he'd used it as an excuse to make the trip. He nodded before he realized he was on the phone and she wouldn't be able to hear his head rattle. He shifted the receiver again. "Alrigh'... I'll be in Friday afternoon 'r so. I'll call ya when I get into town." A long silence. "...It's been nice to hear yer voice 'gain, Teresa... I.... I'm sorry I haven' called 'r written." Teresa was jotting down the day, making another note to take the day off and get a hair and nail appt that morning, nodding habitually herself as she smiled into the receiver. "I'm glad you called, Lance ... I'll talk to you on Friday." Before he could say anything else or before she could blurt out something that she might regret later, she gently placed the receiver back into its cradle and just sat for a moment, looking at the phone. Then after a long moment, her smile reached her eyes and she picked up the phone once again to call her hair dresser. Palomino Ch. 17 Lance seemed in a good mood as he chucked hay up onto the feed truck the following morning. He couldn't seem to stop smiling. Wesley just watched him rather curiously. Something had happened and it was something big. He came back with the keys for the truck, leaning against the back as the cache was being loaded. "What's got you in sucha perky mood, Lance?" Lance glanced up for a moment, wondering what Wesley was talking about. Stilling his work for a moment, he thumbed his hat back and looked at his friend. "Huh? What cha talking bout? I'm jus doin my job ... ya know, work? That thing I'm paid for?" He grinned good-naturedly, his mood infectious as he resumed chucking hay up into the feed truck. "Uh huh.. ya been smilin' like a Cheshire cat all mornin'." He opened up the truck and crawled in, throwing open the back windows as Lance settled and put the key in the ignition. Soon enough he drove out of the barn and around up the hill toward the upper pasture. "So... spill." He looked at his friend through the rear view mirror Lance just kind of grinned as he half sat, half crouched in the back of the truck, hanging one elbow through the open window. Shrugging a bit, he hated to admit that his friend had been right but he couldn't exactly sit here and say nothing was up either. "I called Teresa last night." Wesley just grinned. Lance had moved faster than he thought he would... but it was good for him. "...And?" Lance just kind of shrugged and drummed his fingers along the seal of the open window, catching his friend's gaze in the rearview mirror. "And ... it was good." He sat there for a moment, glancing up over the cab of the truck towards the upcoming gate. "And ... we're gonna go to lunch on Friday." He hopped out of the truck as Wesley pulled to a stop and opened the gate, closing it after his friend pulled through and then hopped back up in the back and settled once again at the open window. "So... in other words, ya need a couple days off work?" Wesley asked gently with a grin, peeking at him in the mirror. Lance laughed and shook his head. "Hell, I doubt Teresa's gonna be THAT glad to see me ..." He rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand for a moment and then added with a chuckle, "But hell yeah, just in case, yeah ... I'll take 'em!" Wesley just grinned as he parked the truck. Already the cows were ambling over for their breakfast. "Ya got 'em then, cowboy." Things had been pretty much mended between the two friends over the last couple of weeks. They'd worked it out in their normal way of just talking it out without really approaching the issues at hand. Palomino Ch. 18 Wesley was in the big bathroom getting ready for a late picnic he and Lacey had planned beneath the stars. Lance was in Jackson with Teresa and he couldn't help but grin, thinking about them. He hoped for his buddy's sake that things worked out. Lance deserved happiness as much as anyone else around here, and Wesley was glad to have had a hand in the two getting together, at least to talk and see where things went from there. Lacey was up at the main house getting ready. Even though they were together a lot, she hadn't been sure about where exactly she and Wesley were headed and this house still was a shrine to his late wife. Even though she had never said anything about it, Wesley was starting to feel like things needed a change. As he was pondering these things in his head, he could almost feel Anne's hand on his shoulder, a light wispy touch as her presence seemed to surround him once again. He reached up to touch his shoulder as if expecting to feel a hand there. Things did need a change, but he wasn't sure where he was going. He loved Lacey, but he still felt a bit guilty letting his heart go to another woman. Thinking about Anne hadn't hurt as much since Lacey had been around. In fact, it was all happy when he thought about Anne... and he'd thought about her less and less, her presence replaced by Lacey in his dreams and thoughts. He wanted to take the next step, but he didn't know how. He'd found himself in a jeweler's shop the other day, looking at rings before he'd caught himself and stepped out. Things were changing in his heart and all around him and he didn't quite know how to handle it. Anne's soft touch drifted to his cheek and she seemed to materialize before him, her apparition transparent but clear as she stroked his cheek lovingly, her eyes tender and reassuring as she simply looked at him a long time. "I want you to follow your heart and live life with Miss Lacey King. I, too, need to move on, my Love. My time here is done. It's time to clear this house and stop living in the past." She smiled gently to him, nodding her head a bit as if it had already been done. He reached up to touch hers, but only felt his clean-shaven cheek. He met Anne's eyes for a moment and smiled a bit. It was a releasing moment, for both of them. It wasn't goodbye... it was a simple acknowledgement that the past was done and would truly become the past once and for all. He nodded in his resolve. Then his eyes flickered to a little girl that appeared beside Anne and clung to her legs. He didn't even have to ask to know who it was and tears sprang to his eyes, but they weren't tears of pain. "I love you, Anne... I always will. ...Thank you." Anne smiled gently and scooped down to pick up the little girl, balancing her in her arms as the little girl beamed at Wesley. "We'll be watching you and that beautiful Miss King, Wesley ... don't let her slip through your fingers." Touching his cheek one last time, she kissed the girl on the cheek and the little girl's laughter filled the bathroom, fading, their images slowly disappeared for the last time, leaving behind a sense of peace and the closing of one door as another one opened for him. Wesley dried his eyes with his sleeve and stood up, grabbing his hat, then the ring box he'd set on the counter and shoved it into his breast pocket before smoothing his hair back to put his hat on. Now was as good a time as ever if he really did want things to change. ------ Epilogue: Lacey smiled, putting the finishing touches on the cake for Wesley's birthday party. Everyone was already out back on the deck where he and Lance had grilled up some of his famous steaks again and were already digging into the homemade ice cream that Caroline had brought over. Lance and Teresa were there, along with their brand new baby boy, just barely six weeks old. They had been married two years now, almost a year to the date after Wesley and Lacey had married on top of the little hill where he had proposed to her that early summer night years ago. She smiled, remembering it and picked up the cake, a secretive smile kissing over her lips as she backed through the screen door, carrying his cake. At her arrival, everyone began singing "Happy Birthday" to Wesley in a hearty bravado. Wesley chuckled as they all sang as out of tune as much as possible. The kids were even joined in on the chorus. The population of the ranch had grown significantly. Life had been brought back. Tate was engaged to a little gal from Cody, one of the other boys had eloped with his girlfriend to the disappointment of everybody else for not being able to celebrate a wedding. Wesley grinned and stood up to take the cake from his wife and set it down on the table. He 'accidentally' stuck his thumb in the frosting and grinned as he licked it off, offering her the rest on his other finger as he picked up the knife to cut it up. Lance, then the others were shouting for the Birthday kiss from the cook. Wesley sighed dramatically and set the knife down, grinning at his wife and wrapped her up in his arms and bent her back in the most dramatic kiss he could muster to the cheers of the rest of the ranch. As he lifted her again to stand he whispered to her "I love you, Mrs. Hardigan." Lacey laughed softly as he righted her once again, gentle fingers caressing his cheek lovingly as she gazed deeply into his eyes. "I love you too, Mr. Hardigan." She smiled as he released her and stepped back a bit as she watched him cut up pieces of cake and pass them out to those that were here. She was starting to feel a bit sick to her stomach and wasn't sure if it was due to the smell of all of the food or the nervous excitement welling up inside of her as time for the presents drew closer and closer at hand. Resting a hand to her still-flat belly for a moment, she smiled secretively to herself and waited, staying busy waiting on their guests until the time was just right. Her gift to her husband would be the last one given tonight, that much she was sure of. Wesley sat with one of the other hand's boys on his lap. The two year old was attempting to help unwrap stuff, but all he was accomplishing was shredding stuff and making a giant mess. Wesley seemed a natural with kids... just like he was with about everything else when it came to ranch life. When the baby stuffed a ribbon in his mouth Wesley gently took it from him and set it aside, handing him a big wad of paper to play with instead. Lance looked over at his friend. It was so good to see Wesley so uncontrollably happy again. Those three and a half years had been rough on everybody, but now it was like another chapter of their lives had begun, and it was wonderful. "So Wes... when ya gonna catch up to us?" He winked playfully as he motioned toward his wife and the baby as Caroline and the other women gushed over him. "I always thought ya'd be first ta be a daddy... now you're runnin' behind." Wesley chuckled and looked up as he set aside the silver buckle Caroline had gotten for him. He'd thank the woman when she wasn't distracted by the rug rat. "Eh... I dunno. Whenever, 'spose." Lacey gracefully moved through the small group of family and friends, cooing over the new baby and then laughing at the antics of the other kids. When she saw the little tyke slip out of Wesley's lap just as he finished up his last present, she made her way over there just in time to hear Lance's question, her smile growing before she slid down into Wesley's lap and slipped one arm around him. Kissing him gently on the lips she murmured softly, "Ready for your last present, Cowboy?" Wesley grinned and wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and kissed her softly. "You're the best present I got, I think." Lacey smiled, her fingers gently toying with the back of his hair as they kissed. "I bet I could think of something that might be better than that," she said, feeling the eyes of their guests on them, waiting to see what Wesley's last present would be. Every year Lacey tended to get him something that he had been wanting, surprising him each and every time. Not to be outdone, she gently took her husband's hand and moved it to her belly, gently pressing it there as she whispered into his ear so that he was the only one to hear, "What do you say we catch up to Lance and Teresa in say ... seven and half months?" Wesley's brows furrowed a bit as he felt his hand pressed to her belly. Then his eyes widened a bit as she whispered. He was going to be a daddy. He felt his heart lurch in his throat as the shock set in. They'd been trying for over a year. "R-really?" he whispered breathlessly, a soft squeak about all he could muster Lacey pulled back from his ear with a bright smile, nodding as her fingers gently caressed his on her belly. "Really," she stated simply, her eyes riveted to those of her husband, shining brightly with the indescribable amount of love that she had for him. Wesley whooped and laughed, hugging her close as he kissed her deeply. Everyone was staring at them, expecting an explanation by the time they let up. Wesley grinned the biggest grin he could before he exclaimed his excitement. "I'm gonna be a daddy!" Everyone either cheered or laughed as Wesley just kissed his wife again. It was the best birthday he'd ever had.