Chapter 4
"Hi, Mom," Kathleen said as she breezed into the kitchen and kissed Sheila on the cheek.
"Been out riding, dear?" Sheila asked.
"I went up to see Jody. The high meadows and the stock are in good shape this year. He's going to bring down a few more horses tomorrow."
Sheila wondered if her daughter had a crush on the foreman. She certainly contrived to spend a lot time around him when she was home. "Good. The new guests arrived a while ago. Two couples, from Virginia. Seem like nice folks. They flew into Durango and rented a car. They'll be here a week. They're going to Mesa Verde and Four Corners, then up to Cheyenne before flying back home."
"Then I'd better help you get dinner ready. What do you want me to do?"
"Peel the potatoes. I baked pies this morning and I've got a roast in the oven. I'll put the biscuits in later. We didn't get a chance to talk before you saddled up and hightailed it up to see Jody. How are you doing in college? Did you pass?"
"Mom, college isn't like high school," Kathleen said with a chuckle. "But, yes, I passed all my courses with high marks. I always send you copies of my grades, like a good little girl."
"I know, dear, but I'm just a plain old country girl. I like to hear it from you."
"You're far from plain, Mom," Kathleen objected quickly. "If I look like you when I'm forty, I'll have to beat the guys off with a big stick."
"You probably already do," Sheila quipped. "Or maybe not. Depends on how much you like men. I'm not sure I even understand what animal husbandry is, let alone why such a beautiful young woman chose that as her future."
"Basically, the study of animal breeding, Mom. I study a lot more things, but that's the gist of it. I chose animal husbandry because I hope to run the Sugar Bush one day, and I need to know all I can about breeding the stock."
"You know the adage," Sheila said. "Be careful what you ask for. You might get it. And it might not be what you expect."
"I usually am careful, and I usually get what I ask for," Kathleen laughed.
"You'll inherit the place when I kick the bucket. I might turn it over to you before that and run away to the Caribbean.
"If you have to kick the bucket for me to get the place, I don't want to think about it. If you run away to the Caribbean, or any place else, take along a young stud to keep you happy. You need a man in your life."
Sheila didn't want to discuss her sex life, or lack thereof, with her daughter. She had gone without any loving, good or bad, so long she could barely remember what it felt like. If she even looked at a cock, she would probably go crazy with desire. A sensuous woman by nature, the lack of sex distressed her to no end. Talking about it would only make it worse.
"Did you see Danny when you came in? I told him to clean the stalls."
"Yeah, he was in the barn, shoveling like mad."
"I'll be glad when Jody gets back. He can keep that boy in line and worry about running the ranch. Since I started taking in guests, I don't have time to do both."
"You saved the ranch by taking in guests, Mom. You raise and sell horses, so you aren't exactly running a dude ranch. Taking in paying guests kept you out of bankruptcy. Not to mention paying for my college and putting away money for Danny and Paula to further their education."
"I know, but it's beginning to get pretty damned boring around here. Now that the ranch is solvent, I've been thinking about discontinuing the guest business. By the way, have you seen your sister?"
Kathleen happened to look out the window at that moment. "Here she comes now. She must have been in the barn." Doing what? Watching Danny fuck Linda ? Hell, he should have sold tickets. He could hire someone to shovel the barn so he could spend more time between Linda's legs! "Mom, what do you think of Linda King?"
"Pretty little snippet. A bit on the wild side, though. Before she went away to college, she hung around here more than she stayed home. I took the broom to her a couple of times, but she kept coming back. She just wouldn't leave Danny alone."
"I'll remind you of an adage, Mom. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Or, it takes two to tango. Whatever. Anyway, Danny must have encouraged her to keep coming back. She seems pretty mature. She wouldn't hang around unless she was getting what she wanted."
"Well, I just hope he doesn't get any stupid ideas about marrying her."
"I think you can trust your son, Mom. He's a normal young male, but he seems pretty levelheaded. No healthy young man will chase away a woman who gives him what he most desires, but that doesn't mean he thinks the sun rises and sets in her ass. No matter how pretty her ass is."
"Well, I don't want him to think she's the only mare in the corral," Sheila said adamantly.
"Somehow, Mom, I doubt you have to worry too much about that! Danny is a real hunk, with good manners and above average intelligence. He can get a lot of women with that combination."
Before dinner, Kathleen took a couple of minutes to check the data sheets the guests filled out when they made reservations. Sheila asked for enough information to tailor a program to suit them, including occupation, age, and such.
Sheila introduced everyone before they sat down to dinner. Danny ate like a typical eighteen-year-old male, speaking only when spoken to. His twin sister behaved and ate demurely, trying very hard to act older and more sophisticated than she was.
During dinner, Kathleen covertly scrutinized the guests. Jerry Hood listed his age as twenty-two. He looked nondescript and acted petulant. Smaller than Danny's robust six feet, he didn't appear to be in good physical condition. He listed his trade as an automobile salesman. Used cars? Probably. He had the look. He struck her as a churlish boor. She wondered how he ever got hooked up with a stunning woman like Donna.
Donna Hood was stunning. Silver-blonde hair that might come from a bottle, but no dark roots showed. A deep tan that made her hair look even lighter. Excellent skin tone. She listed her age as twenty-nine. Kathleen thought she probably fudged by a couple of years. On the low side. She had drawn a line through occupation. Bust a little smaller than her own. She still had enough to stretch the front of her denim shirt, which she left open halfway to her navel. Tan skin all the way down, so she sunbathed topless. Or nude. Either way, she would draw a crowd in the middle of the ocean at midnight. About five-feet, three-inches tall and about a hundred-ten pounds. She liked looking at the woman, even though she had no sexual interest in women.
Her eyes drifted to Abby Corso, an equally stunning woman in her own way. Naturally dark skin that went well with her jet black hair and expressive doe eyes. A tad taller than Donna. Maybe a couple of inches. A little heavier, too. About five pounds, at the most. Probably all in those firm boobs sticking out over the top of the table. Her aureoles showed clearly under her sheer silk blouse. She had an aura about her that took Kathleen a moment to define. Provocative! She fairly exuded sex. Kathleen felt strangely drawn to her.
She looked at Tony Corso. Trim, well-conditioned body, about Danny's height. About ten pounds lighter. He listed his age as 28, four years older than his wife, and his occupation as research engineer. Whatever that meant. Good-looking, more rugged than handsome. Black hair and deep brown eyes. He and Abby looked as if they belonged together.
Tony looked at Sheila and said, "How do you want your guests to address everyone, lovely lady?"
"Flatterer," Sheila muttered under her breath. "Why don't you call me Sheila and the kids by their given names? We're pretty informal around here."
"Okay. And everyone please use our first name," Tony said. "I wandered around earlier. Looks like you run a regular ranch. If I can be inquisitive without being offensive, why do you take in guests?"
Kathleen thought she detected a complaint coming and jumped in with both feet. "We have a regular dude ranch program laid out for you, Mister Corso. Mother keeps the two businesses separate for the most part. We use the horses we raise for sale for the trail rides, of course. Otherwise.. . "
Tony held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, no offense! To tell you the truth, we don't really want you to treat us like dudes. Or even paying guests, for that matter. We just want to get out of the rat race for a few days and relax. We came here so we could have a comfy atmosphere and home-cooked meals. Motels and restaurants are so dreary and impersonal. I asked only because I'm a curious guy." He flashed her a bright smile. "And, if you don't call me Tony, I'll pick up my marbles and go home."
"I'm sorry," Kathleen mumbled. "I shouldn't be so defensive. One couple who came through last fall bitched the entire time they were here. They seemed to expect us to wait on them hand and foot, and wanted everything done the way they did it at home."
"Apology accepted," Tony said. He patted his stomach. "I already like the place. If every meal is like this one, I'll have to fast for a month to take off the extra weight. Serenity such as this can be bought, but it's damned expensive."
"I don't mind answering your question, Tony," Sheila said. "I started taking in guests almost by accident. About ten years ago, my husband and I bought the place to raise horses. A year later, he suffered a massive heart attack and died instantly. We started on a shoestring and guts, so he let his life insurance lapse. Kenneth didn't tell me, however, so I was suddenly faced with a load of debt, three children to raise and educate, and a ranch to put on a paying basis.
"If you raise cows, you have steers to sell in a year, two at most. There's not much of a market for yearling horses. I wanted desperately to keep the ranch, because it meant so much to me and the children. I couldn't make the place pay without at least one hired hand, and I didn't have the money to hire him. I got behind on the mortgage and faced foreclosure. I couldn't even afford hay to winter the herd. Fortunately, our bank is still locally owned and the president takes a personal interest in people. We worked out a plan to take in guests. Sort of a quasi-dude ranch. Those who wish can help with the chores and play cowboy. Except we don't have cows. I like to eat beef, not raise it."
"You have to get along with Jody if you want to play cowboy," Kathleen snickered.
"Jody is my right hand man," Sheila said. "I call him my foreman, but he actually runs the ranch. He's been with me for four years now. A mite crusty, a little rough around the edges, but he knows horses."
"He's surprisingly well-read, Mom," Kathleen said. "You should get to know him a little better. He can help you pass the time on long winter nights."
Sheila caught Kathleen's hidden meaning and gave her daughter a dark look. "I know Jody pretty well, dear."
"Well, it all sounds very interesting," Tony said. "I think we're going to enjoy our stay. We might even take a few rides, if the opportunity presents itself."
"Oh, I'm sure it will," Sheila said. "We have good mounts, as docile or spirted as you wish, and we even give you a choice of saddles."
Sheila had no idea her words might have a double meaning to guests who had their own unique way of looking at life. Donna looked at Abby, winked and smiled.
"I don't like horses," Jerry grumbled. "If I can't drive from one place to the other, I won't go."
"We only offer diversions," Sheila said. "We don't force you to play."
Donna chortled. Abby grinned. Tony lifted one eyebrow.
"I think we came to the right place," Donna said.