frankly, so do I.”
It was a funny admission from a man who had recently threatened to pack up and head south. The upward twist of his lips told her he recognized the irony himself.
“You okay?” he asked.
It was his first reference to what was going on with her and Wes. Mattie nodded, suddenly afraid to speak in case sobs came out instead of words.
“I’ve been at Bishop Stable for almost forty years,” Jake said, his tone slow and thoughtful. “Wes’s folks, Garth and Jude, were all about the business. They cared about the horses, but even more they cared about their reputation and doing things right. They weren’t what you’d call warm. They treated Wes just fine, the same as they did the horses, actually...”
His voice trailed off and Mattie was left to her own thoughts of the Bishops. She’d been worried about impressing them when she first started dating Wes, but they’d been so hard to read that even today she wasn’t sure if they’d liked her or not.
They’d moved into town after she and Wes were married, but Garth had continued to come out to the ranch most days of the week and Jude had kept up the garden and put away her preserves every fall.
Jude had been the first to pass away, ten years ago now, from ovarian cancer. Garth had died five years later. Mattie had been surprised and saddened by how little they were missed by Wes and the twins.
“The Bishops built this ranch and established a first-rate reputation for the horses. But when you moved in, Mattie, you made this place a home. Those girls of yours laughed more in one day than Wes did his entire childhood.” Jake sighed. “What I’m trying to say is, whatever happens here on, you should know you did good work here.”
“Thanks Jake.” Montana ranchers didn’t do compliments. Which made his words all the more meaningful to her. But how much did he know? “Has Wes told you about—his plans?”
“Not yet. But I know that boy. Stews over problems in his head, makes up his mind and only then does he talk.”
Yes. That was Wes all right. “He’s left me, Jake. And he wants to sell the ranch.”
Jake’s sidelong glance didn’t reveal any surprise. “His interest in the horses has been slipping for years. But your marriage—that I didn’t see coming. I’m sorry, Mattie.”
She leaned over the fence, resting her head. Jake’s hand settled on her shoulder, warm and solid.
“Makes me wonder what I’ve been doing the past twenty years when I thought I was investing in my family.”
“That’s exactly what you did. And you were successful at it. Some people think that if something isn’t permanent, it doesn’t count. But everything changes in this world. You’ll still have your family Mattie—and good memories besides. Keep them close. You earned them.”
For Jake, it was quite the speech. Mattie straightened her back. “You’re a wise man, Jake. Makes me wish you were more of a talker.”
He chuckled. “Me a talker? Not likely.” He pushed away from the fence. “Better get back to work. You got time for a ride this afternoon? Valley Girl could use some work.”
Mattie nodded. The fresh air and exercise would be good for her as well as the horse. Of course no one understood that better than Jake.
“Make sure you take your phone with you,” Jake cautioned.
It was Mattie’s turn to chuckle. “Never thought I’d hear you say those words to me, Jake.”
“Change, Mattie. Happens to all of us.”
* * *
A fter lunch Mattie worked Valley Girl in the arena for half an hour, taking her through her paces, before heading out on one of her favorite, and shorter, trail rides, following Chatterbox Creek up into the low hills, then running along the crest of Ponderosa Hill before returning along the lake-side slope which offered one of the more picturesque views of Bishop Stables.
Mattie took her time showering, drying, and grooming Valley Girl, crooning to the horse as she worked, the radio playing softly in
It was a funny admission from a man who had recently threatened to pack up and head south. The upward twist of his lips told her he recognized the irony himself.
“You okay?” he asked.
It was his first reference to what was going on with her and Wes. Mattie nodded, suddenly afraid to speak in case sobs came out instead of words.
“I’ve been at Bishop Stable for almost forty years,” Jake said, his tone slow and thoughtful. “Wes’s folks, Garth and Jude, were all about the business. They cared about the horses, but even more they cared about their reputation and doing things right. They weren’t what you’d call warm. They treated Wes just fine, the same as they did the horses, actually...”
His voice trailed off and Mattie was left to her own thoughts of the Bishops. She’d been worried about impressing them when she first started dating Wes, but they’d been so hard to read that even today she wasn’t sure if they’d liked her or not.
They’d moved into town after she and Wes were married, but Garth had continued to come out to the ranch most days of the week and Jude had kept up the garden and put away her preserves every fall.
Jude had been the first to pass away, ten years ago now, from ovarian cancer. Garth had died five years later. Mattie had been surprised and saddened by how little they were missed by Wes and the twins.
“The Bishops built this ranch and established a first-rate reputation for the horses. But when you moved in, Mattie, you made this place a home. Those girls of yours laughed more in one day than Wes did his entire childhood.” Jake sighed. “What I’m trying to say is, whatever happens here on, you should know you did good work here.”
“Thanks Jake.” Montana ranchers didn’t do compliments. Which made his words all the more meaningful to her. But how much did he know? “Has Wes told you about—his plans?”
“Not yet. But I know that boy. Stews over problems in his head, makes up his mind and only then does he talk.”
Yes. That was Wes all right. “He’s left me, Jake. And he wants to sell the ranch.”
Jake’s sidelong glance didn’t reveal any surprise. “His interest in the horses has been slipping for years. But your marriage—that I didn’t see coming. I’m sorry, Mattie.”
She leaned over the fence, resting her head. Jake’s hand settled on her shoulder, warm and solid.
“Makes me wonder what I’ve been doing the past twenty years when I thought I was investing in my family.”
“That’s exactly what you did. And you were successful at it. Some people think that if something isn’t permanent, it doesn’t count. But everything changes in this world. You’ll still have your family Mattie—and good memories besides. Keep them close. You earned them.”
For Jake, it was quite the speech. Mattie straightened her back. “You’re a wise man, Jake. Makes me wish you were more of a talker.”
He chuckled. “Me a talker? Not likely.” He pushed away from the fence. “Better get back to work. You got time for a ride this afternoon? Valley Girl could use some work.”
Mattie nodded. The fresh air and exercise would be good for her as well as the horse. Of course no one understood that better than Jake.
“Make sure you take your phone with you,” Jake cautioned.
It was Mattie’s turn to chuckle. “Never thought I’d hear you say those words to me, Jake.”
“Change, Mattie. Happens to all of us.”
* * *
A fter lunch Mattie worked Valley Girl in the arena for half an hour, taking her through her paces, before heading out on one of her favorite, and shorter, trail rides, following Chatterbox Creek up into the low hills, then running along the crest of Ponderosa Hill before returning along the lake-side slope which offered one of the more picturesque views of Bishop Stables.
Mattie took her time showering, drying, and grooming Valley Girl, crooning to the horse as she worked, the radio playing softly in
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