A Cowboy In Love
Chapter 7

-How do you do, Miss Blake? Welcome to my home, you can stay as long as you like.

-Thank you very much Jack. But please call me Megan. This is my friend Melisa.

-Nice to meet you, Melissa. -Nice to meet you.

-Thank you, Mr. Jack. -Thank you, Mr. Jack.

-Then why don't we go inside and cool off with a cold lemonade. -Come on in. Come on Rodrigo, you must be thirsty. Grisell invited them. The women continued inside the house while Rodrigo and Jack unloaded the suitcases.

-Only these two? He asked astonished, he was expecting an arsenal of suitcases.

-Surprised, wasn't he, what a spoiled city girl? Laughing out loud.

-You're an idiot! How the hell was I supposed to know she'd be a grown woman, Grisell always talked about her like she was a child.

-It's because she's his grandmother! What did you think?

He thought everything but that she was very beautiful, that she was just a young city girl and not that girl with the most beautiful brown eyes and such a sweet and innocent look. He was beginning to feel worried about the idea of her staying too long at the ranch, she could distract the employees from their work, he even thought that she could distract him and that did not seem good to him.

-It is better that we go in at once. He said to Rodrigo.

-Of course, I'm interested in knowing more about Miss Me....

-Wait a minute! I don't want you hanging around like a crow, are we?

-If I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous. He stopped halfway across the road with his arms crossed.

-Jealous? The sun is scorching your brain. I don't want any problems with Grisell, besides she will be leaving soon so don't get your hopes up or get distracted.

This last one should apply to himself....

-Very well, but I doubt that I have problems with Grisell because I was referring to Melisa, not Megan. He told her, narrowing his eyes.

-The warning is for both women. Hell, he had reacted like an idiot thinking that his foreman could like Megan, although any man could like that porcelain-skinned woman. - You better spread the word, I don't want men parading around my house. -Understood, boss.

Once inside the women were sitting in the kitchen drinking lemonade with chocolate chip cookies that Grisell had prepared that morning, while they laughed and chatted animatedly.

-I'll take your bags upstairs. Grisell, I don't know which room you have prepared for them.

-Oh yes, the one at the back is Megan's upstairs, and as I didn't know that Melissa would be accompanying my granddaughter later, I will prepare a room for her. For the moment put them in Megan's room.

The back room? But that was next to her own room. He swallowed hard, he would have that woman a few meters away from him, and he couldn't do anything about it, if he made any comment the guests might feel offended or uncomfortable. While Rodrigo had installed himself next to Melisa, ignoring her warnings, he poured himself a lemonade and made conversation with the women.

-So, Grandma, tell me what you are doing here in South Texas. I've been looking for you for months in Atlanta but I haven't had any luck and I can see why!

-When I left home I worked in many restaurants in the city, but I knew I could run into your grandfather at any time, so I decided to come all the way down here. In San Antonio I worked in a café and I met Jack's father and he liked the way I made breakfast so he gave me a job in his house and I stayed.

-What a life, Grandma. Did you have a hard time?

-No, my child, not at all. My life has been very good. I missed your father and you especially, but I couldn't stand your grandfather and that life he said was the best.

-I understand you grandmother, it took me so long to replace you, I had asked my father to look for you but he refused. When he died I decided to do it and here we are.

-I'm so glad you did it, my child. Forgive me for never contacting you, but if I did, I was afraid that your grandfather would replace me.

-Don't worry, grandmother, now we are together and no one will separate us.

It was clear that he was planning to take Grisell to Atlanta, and since she was an older woman, she would surely accept to go with her only relative, Jack thought at the foot of the stairs. He cleared his throat and entered the kitchen. -Oh Jack! Come and sit with us so you can learn more about my granddaughter.

-I don't want to seem rude ladies, but Rodrigo and I have work to do in the field. Besides you guys might want to catch up, we're just in the way here.

-No problem Jack. Megan told him with a half smile.

-Well, thanks for the Grisell cookies. See you later ladies, Melissa. She touched the brim of her hat and they left.

They left together for the stables, he hadn't lied about the job they had to brand some cows and check on the cow that had been hurt a few days ago. It wasn't because he was intimidated by Megan, of course not. -Stop flirting with that girl Rodrigo. His boss warned.

-So what's going on? It's my business, boss. Maybe we like each other a lot.

-She's a city woman, she has no place here and you know it, she wouldn't fit in.

-That's what you say, but I think they're simple women who can adapt.

-Adapt? You think that's going to happen. What they'll do is convince Grisell to go back home to the city.

-I doubt it! Grisell loves it here, he won't leave, besides those city girls seem to be fascinated by this field, they even asked me to teach them how to ride.

-What about you? He stopped on the road with a frown on his face.

-Well, I offered to help them, there's nothing wrong with that. He shrugged and kept walking.

He couldn't believe that woman wanted to ride a horse, let alone liked the countryside. No matter how simple she dressed and appeared to be he was sure she wouldn't last a week at the ranch, when the heat, the dust, the insects and the smell of cattle and horse overwhelmed her she would run away to take refuge in her mansion surrounded by her dozen servants.

She had to forget the matter of the visit and dedicate herself to the important thing, which was her ranch. He had promised his father that he would take care of him since on that ranch, his mother and father had spent their best years of marriage and even he himself had grown up on that ranch. At some point he would have to settle down and follow Grisell's advice, the ranch could not be left without an heir and he could not be alone for the rest of his life, he would have to marry and raise a family as his parents had done. But at the moment that idea did not seem very good to him.

-Grandma, this house is beautiful! I didn't expect anything like this.

-Yes it is, when I came here the lady was gone. Jack told me that his mother had remodeled it to her liking, he said that in spite of living far away from everyone, it was not a reason not to have a luxurious house.

-I see, it's very beautiful, and it's cool in here. Outside the heat is unbearable.

-You'll soon get used to the heat, my child.

-And the master?

-Jack's father died three years ago, he was a very good man. That's why I told you that Jack was the owner of everything, he's an only child.

-Oh, too bad for him! My investigator didn't mention he had a son. Are you sure we didn't make Jack uncomfortable?

-Not at all, Jack is a very nice boy, he has no problem, he already told you that when he welcomed you.

-But isn't he married? Or maybe a girlfriend who doesn't like two more women staying at his house.

-Married? Grisell laughed out loud. -That boy doesn't want to be tied down, but I'm going to give him a little push to change his mind.

-Grandmother, you shouldn't interfere in that, he will decide who to marry or not!

Her granddaughter scolded her... it was like a family thing to meddle in other people's love affairs.