Cowboy Candy (3 page)
Authors: C C Blaze
Maddy was thoroughly enjoying her day.
The sun was shining. The
weather was perfect, and she had no particular destination in mind. She
decided to fill the Mustang’s tank at Mabel’s and go for a drive. The
community here definitely made a favorable impression. It sure beat the
hell out of Springdale, Tennessee. Smiling to herself, she hopped into the
front seat, buckled up, and headed to wherever the road took her.
Main Street led to the center of town. She passed a feed and hardware
store, a beauty salon, and a small bakery. There was a movie theatre and a
library.
She gazed over at quaint houses with neatly trimmed front yards with
rose bushes bursting with fragrant blooms.
It was the proverbial white
picket fence kind of town. She passed a charming ranchita . . .
She chuckled to herself.
“Wonder if the little wife own’s a sexy French Maid’s getup?”
As she drove through town, the houses became further apart and before
long, farmhouses
began
to
dot
the
countryside.
The
foothills
and
mountains provided a romantic backdrop to the picturesque valley. The air
was filled with the intoxicating scent of sweet grass and clover.
A large
estate appeared on the horizon.
She imagined the owners had to be wealthy. Pristine whitewashed fence
lined the entire perimeter of the place. The fence stretched as far as the eye
could see. Curiosity getting the better of her, she continued towards the
massive home on the hill.
on either side of the entrance.
Horses and Black Angus cattle were grazing in lush, green pastures.
The home looked to be nestled among mature stands of Douglas Firs,
towering pines, and majestic Red Cedars. Wild roses of every imaginable
color lined the fence on either side of the long driveway. There had to be
hundreds of them.
She pulled to the side of the road and got out of her car. Stretching, she
sat on the hood and breathed deeply.
She grinned and raised her face to the sky.
“I love the feeling of sunshine on my face.”
She sang along with Willie Nelson . . .
Take the ribbon from your hair, shake it loose and let it fall. Laying
soft against your skin, like the shadows on the wall. Come and lay down by
my side, till the early mornin’ light. All I’m takin’ is your time. . .help me
make it through the night.
I don’t care who’s right or wrong, and I won’t try to understand. Let
the devil take tomorrow, cause tonight I need a friend.
Yesterday is dead and gone. . . and tomorrow’s outside, and it’s sad to
be alone. . .help me make it through the night.
The lunch crowd had thinned out considerably, and Maddy had her
chance to speak with Miss Mabel alone.
She was sitting at the counter
thumbing through the help-wanted ads in the local newspaper.
Miss Mabel was busy stocking the countertop with jars of home-made
pickled Jalapenos.
Simply looking at the jars made her mouth begin to
water.
“Miss Mabel, what is that? It looks absolutely amazing!”
Mable grinned and wiped her hands on her apron.
“What? . . .why it’s my signature appetizer, famous in these parts. I call
it Cowboy Candy . . .won some blue ribbons at the county fair with it.”
“Really, well mind if I try it?”
“Course not . . .but I gotta’ warn ya’ . . .this is not for the faint of heart.”
Maddy opened the lid and smelled it then dipped a spoon in and took a
bite.
“Heaven’s sakes Maddy . . .I tried to tell ya’ . . .”
It was tangy and savory sweet at the same time. Before long, she was
“Wow . . .that sure packs a punch, but delicious,” she laughed.
Miss Mabel smiled.
“That stuff can be pretty addicting, it’s one of my top sellers.”
“Mabel, can I ask you something?”
The older woman stopped stacking the jars and turned around.
A
concerned look washed over her face.
“Why sure, whatcha' need hon... is everything alright?”
“Oh, everything is great. I just wanted to pick your brain about what it’s
like to live here in Grand Valley,” she explained.
“Oh? So you’re thinkin’ of putting down some roots here, are ya?”
Mabel smiled.
“As a matter of fact, yes. . . I went for a drive today and really feel at
home. It’s beautiful here, and everyone has been so nice to me."
Mabel walked around the counter and had a seat next to her.
“Well, I can tell you this much, people here look out for each other. We
always have, and we always will.
“If the town folk didn’t like ya’, you can bet your bottom dollar that you
wouldn’t feel so welcome. Oh, and we can all be a ruthless bunch if need
be,” she chuckled.
“Well, I’m glad I made a good impression, and I’m sure you had a lot
to do with that,” Maddy replied.
“Oh, I just call it like I see it,” Mabel laughed. “Mabel, do you know of
any rentals in the area? How about jobs," she wondered.
“Oh, rents in these parts are pretty cheap, if you can find someplace
decent.
Jobs are here, if you look hard enough.
All depends on what
you’re lookin' for. There's plenty of seasonal jobs at the local ranches for
anyone willing to get a little dirty.”
“Well, I've never been afraid to dig in the dirt,” Maddy smiled.
She took a sip of coffee and tried to find a delicate way of asking who
that cowboy was. She decided to come on out with it.
“Mabel, I've just got to ask . . .who was that handsome cowboy in here
this morning?”
Mabel furrowed her brow and removed the corncob pipe from her
mouth.
“Cowboy, Which one?”
She rubbed her chin and furrowed her brow.
“Well, since
you
mentioned “handsome”
that
narrows
it
down
considerably. I'm guessin' your askin’ about the dark, handsome, tall drink
a' water that was at the bulletin board?"
Maddy blushed, "Yep. That's the one. Who is he?
Does he live close
by," she quizzed the old woman.
"Slow down just a minute and I'll tell ya'”
Mabel smiled.
"That ain't no ordinary cowboy, hon. His name's Dusty Cash, and he's
one of the most eligible bachelors in Grand Valley," she paused.
Maddy could barely contain her excitement.
"Eligible bachelor," she sighed.
"Yep, he sure is a fine specimen of a man, ain't he?
I can see the stars
in your eyes, girl. Got your sights set on him, then?" Mabel teased.
“I don't want to Mabel, really I don't . . .
There's something about him . . .”
Mabel’s chuckle broke into her thoughts.
"Hon, all you have to know is he's handsome. He's a gentleman. He's a
cowboy, and oh, yeah; he's rich... did I forget to mention that?"
“Rich? Oh really Mabel, I've never been attracted to a man for his
money.
I can stand on my own two feet. If I find my prince charming
someday, all I ask is that loves me and appreciates me,” Maddy confessed.
“Don't you think I know that, hon? Look at you, cute as a button and
all by yourself. You had to go runnin' away from some worthless excuse of
a man who abused you. I can tell by your car, your clothes, hell, by the way
that you carry yourself that you're not no gold-digger.”
“I just thought I'd mention it so you wouldn't be so surprised. He ain't
no regular run of the mill cowboy. His daddy is Walt Cash, one of the most
respected ranchers in Grand Valley. His mama is a saint. Name's Grace
and she got hurt real bad when she got bucked from a stallion.”
“Oh, was she crippled," Maddy asked with concern.
“Yep, partially. However, she fought back, and I hear that she's doin'
better than the docs said she would. I know one thing. She raised that boy
right. He's a complete gentleman and a hard-worker. It's too bad that good
for nothin' Janie left him high and dry for one of the ranch hands. It seems
that cowboy's been all by his lonesome for months now. Sure, he's dated
some, but nothin' serious. Guess he's heartsick.”
“My. Oh, my. How could any woman in her right mind leave someone
like him,” Maddy wondered aloud.
“You’re not kiddin, Maddy. That there boy is special. Sexier than a
hot pistol but sweet on the surface.
Nearly every woman in the valley
wonders just how hot he is in the sack, bet he’s a real firecracker.”
Maddy laughed.
“So, why’d she leave him, then?”
Mabel shook her head.
“She never gave any reason, but I hear it's because he worked such long
hours. Plus, he's devoted to caring for his mother. I’m guessin’ her pea
brain couldn’t wrap itself around that. She was a spoiled brat in my
opinion...guess she didn’t feel like number one, so moved on. Can you
believe that . . .” Mabel let out a whistle.
“No, I sure can’t. You’d think she’d be grateful to have a man who
works hard and cares about family.”
“Well, hells bells. That’s for sure,” Mabel grinned.
Maddy smiled.
“Mabel thanks for the lowdown, but I'm sure he’d never give me the
time of day, anyway. Just as well, I’m sworn off men for good. I can't take
another risk of being hurt, ever again. I won’t . . . I can’t.
I've been
dragged through hell and back with Jack. I’m finally free to do as I wish,
not what someone else tells me to do. My main goal is to find a place and
get a job. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Something simple, that's all
I want,” Maddy sighed.
“Well, then you came to the right place, then. If you check up on that
board over yonder, you'll see a job posted for a caregiver. It seems there's a
handsome cowboy who's lookin' for someone to help care for his mama,”
Mabel winked.
“What?”
Maddy whooped as she hopped off the stool and headed for the
bulletin board. It was full of thumbtacks and index cards. There were cows
for sale, mares too. Tractors for sale, houses for rent . . .
“Aha!,” Maddy cried as she removed the index card from the board.
She began to read it out loud.
“Help Wanted. Caregiver needed for full-time employment. . .Firstaid a must . . .
Benefits include cabin, utilities paid, and a generous salary
for the right person. Inquire at the Mountain Rose Ranch. . . The Mountain
Rose ranch," she whispered.
She waved the card and ran back to the counter.
“Miss Mabel, I just drove past this place today!
It's beautiful.
You
mean...Dusty owns the Mountain Rose Ranch?” she gasped.
Mabel winked and spit some chew into the spittoon.
“That'd be the one!” she laughed.
Mabel's was packed, with hardly a place to sit down. Dusty managed to
find a stool at the counter and sat down.
“Why look who's here,” Mabel grinned . . .
“What can I get for ya’ handsome?”
“Oh, don't know, really. How about a nice big steak with fries and
coffee?”
“One T-Bone, rare - comin’ up,” she announced with a wink.
“Bet you didn't think I remembered your favorites, now did ya'?”
He gave her a dazzling smile.
“Miss Mabel, you sure treat me good.”
As Mabel poured coffee into empty cups and made small talk with all
of her customers, Dusty scanned the room discreetly. He was looking for
that luscious little lady
whom he'd been dreaming
about. “Shit,”
he
mumbled. “She’s nowhere in sight.”
Dejected, he nursed his coffee, hoping she'd come in.
No such luck.
"Dammit" he frowned.
Mabel placed a big platter of steak and fries in front of him and refilled
his coffee.
One thing he could not complain about what Miss Mabel's
cooking. She was the best in town. Watching the clock, he ate his meal
slowly while he lingered in the diner like a love sick puppy. The crowd was
thinning out and before long, he and Miss Mabel were nearly the only two
left in the place.
“Wanna’ tell me what’s on your mind,” she asked.
Dusty chuckled, “How'd you know I had something on my mind?”
She smiled.
“Well, you don't get to be old as dirt and not learn a thing or two about
folks. . .Besides, you hardly ever come to town to eat, so I figured you
either loved my cookin’ or you got more serious matters on your mind . . .
Say . . . a gorgeous young woman who wears pink slippers?”
“Well, I'll be,”he grinned. “You sure are perceptive Miss Mabel. What
gave me away,” he asked.
“Let's just say I've got a sixth sense about these things,”she replied.
“You should bottle up that sixth sense of yours and patent it, Miss
Mabel.
I have to confess; yep. . .she's the one I came looking for.
I
thought I might find her eating dinner tonight. No such luck though, I’m
afraid to say,” he smiled.
“Dusty, I think I may be able to help your predicament. That little filly
is staying here at my place, and just blew into town two nights ago. You
couldn't ask for a prettier, nicer person than that one.”
He gulped hard.
"So, she's staying here?
Tell me, do you know
anything else about her," he asked hopefully.
“Of course I do! Her name's Maddy. . .Maddy Cassidy to be exact. She
drove that old Mustang parked out back all the way from Tennessee. I can
tell ya’, she hasn't had it easy.
It seems some son of a gun back there
mistreated her somethin’ awful,” she informed him.
“Mistreated, you mean he hit her?” Dusty said, enraged.
Mabel nodded her head.
“That's exactly what I mean. She’s coming out of her shell, but you
might be out of luck if its romance you have on your mind. She’s sworn
off men. . . can’t say I blame her. She’s been walkin’on eggshells, if you
know what I mean.”
“Just my luck,” he groaned. “Anything else I should know before I go
and make a complete fool out of myself,” he asked.
“You
should know
that
she's
plannin'
on
stayin'
in
these
parts,
permanent.
She's twenty-eight years old, not a kid.
She's independent,
intelligent, and don’t let those good looks fool ya, she’s as beautiful on the
inside, as she is on the out,” she smiled.
Dusty put some money on the counter, grabbed his Stetson, and and
gave the old woman a kiss on the cheek. He didn't know what to do. He
couldn't just barge his way into her life, now could he? He figured she was
still skittish about men, probably why she ran away from him this morning.
However, he couldn't just sit idly by and let some other cowboy snatch her
up.
"Ahem!" Miss Mabel cleared her throat.
Dusty turned to look at her. "Did I forget something," he asked.
"If you're thinkin' of introducin' yourself to Maddy right now, your shit
out of luck.. . .She went into town to do some shoppin' - seems she's
lookin' for a job.”
