Riding the River (25 page)

Matt’s first impressions were what Sarah had
said – Jeans meeting an expensive designer suit. He smiled and
reached out his hand to shake Robert’s.

“Mr. Hughes?”

“Yes.”

“Matt Garth.”

“I know who you are and it’s nice to meet
you, Matt.”

“Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“Have a seat?”

“Thank you.”

Matt sat by Robert at the table and took off
his cowboy hat. He set it on the table, brim up which made Robert
smile.

“So...”

“Sir?”

“… So you’re the love of my daughter’s life,”
he smiled broadly at him.

“I sure hope so, sir.”

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Whatever you’re having.”

Robert spoke to an assistant at another table
who got up to get the drinks.

“Sarah’s not here right now. She and her
friend, Abby, are running late. It appears we have some time
together.”

“All right.”

“If I may be blunt, what is it that you want,
young man?” Robert thought Matt to be a handsome young man, polite
and to the point. He could see why Sarah liked him.

“… I want to marry your daughter, sir, if
she’ll still have me.”

“I don’t doubt that, son, but what took you
so long to get here?”

“I was being an idiot…” Matt smiled at
him.

Robert laughed. “Well, we’re all fools in
love, Matt. I was the same around her mother.” He was quiet for a
minute as they looked at one another. The assistant brought a
couple of martinis over and placed them in front of Matt and
Robert.

“You two haven’t known each other for very
long.”

“How long is long enough?”

“… Good point. I proposed to her mother after
two weeks myself.” Matt smiled again at him.

“So do I have your permission, sir?”

“I have a few questions for you first.”

“… Certainly.”

“You’ve bought your ranch in Nevada?”

“Yes, sir. It’s not far from my grandfather’s
ranch, up by Wells.”

“So you’ll be raising horses?”

“Horses and cattle.”

“You’re a cattle rancher then.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you think that’s the kind of life my
daughter wants? As a rancher’s wife? Look around you. This has been
her home for twenty-five years.”

“I mean no disrespect, sir, but her home’s
with me now, in Nevada.”

Robert looked hard at him, taking him in. He
scratched his chin…

“I do believe you’re right, Matt. She never
fit in here very well, although she tried hard. And she drove me
nuts watching all those Western movies. Has she told you about
Gregory Peck yet?”

Matt got a big smile on his face. “Yes, I’ve
heard about Peck…”

“Pretty brave of you to step into the lion’s
den, as it were.”

“… I should have stepped sooner, Mr.
Hughes.”

“Call me, Robert, please, if you’re to be my
son-in-law.” He shook his head. “I always knew she was a small town
girl.”

“We’ve discussed what’s involved with
ranching, Robert. I bought the ranch before she had to leave and
we’ve been working on the house together.”

“Have you moved in?”

“Not yet. I couldn’t do it without her.”

Robert’s eyes misted. It hit him that his
beloved daughter would be leaving him to make her own home, her own
way in the world – and with another man. It’s a tough moment for
any father and Matt knew it. It occurred to Robert that he was
actually standing in their way.

“All right, Matt. I give my blessing for your
marriage.” He reached out his hand to shake Matt’s.

“Thank you, sir.”

Robert then saw his father coming their way.
“…Listen, you’re back on stage again. Here comes her grandfather.”
He smiled at him. “Good luck, son.”

He raised his glass to him and Matt picked up
his to do the same. They both took good swallows and then her
grandfather was standing by their table.

“Matt Garth, may I present Governor Henry
Hughes,” said Robert. Matt stood to shake hands.

“That’s former Governor,” Henry said to
him.

“Pleased to meet you, sir.” They both had
strong handshakes.

“Same to you, Mr. Garth.”

“Matt, please. I’m glad to see you’re feeling
much better.”

Henry came around the table to sit down by
Matt.

“What are we drinking, Robert?”

“Martinis…”

Robert signaled to his assistant again who
rose to fetch another round, while it was Henry’s turn to ask
questions of Matt.

“What do you do in Nevada, son?”

“I’m into horse and cattle ranching,
sir.”

“I understand you’ve just bought your own
ranch…”

“Yes, sir. I’ve been working towards that
goal for several years now. I had some luck with some good
investments, plus some capital that my grandfather loaned me.”

“Your grandfather lives close?”

“Ten miles away. We’re going to blend the
ranches because I will inherit his ranch someday.”

“I’ve done some research. You have good
grazing and water?”

“Yes, sir. That’s why the ranch purchase is a
good one. It’ll add more grazing for our cattle and I’ll have the
water rights I need as well.”

“You sound like a smart young man.”

“I hope so, sir.”

Henry paused and took a good look at
Matt.

“You remind me some of my father – He was a
real go-getter like you and started the shipping company here in
Baltimore.”

“You’re in shipping?”

Henry chuckled. “I guess Sarah didn’t want to
give you all the family news at once. Yes, I inherited a major
shipping company, which I was hoping Sarah’s husband would take
over.” Matt gave him a quiet look. “That’s probably not going to
happen, is it?”

“Not if I’m fortunate enough to be Sarah’s
husband.”

Henry smiled at him. “I like you, Matt. If
you should decide that ranching isn’t for you, I could use you.
Think about it.”

“All right, Governor, that’s enough
pressure.” Robert looked at Matt. “Do you have any questions for
us?”

“Yes, sir. Where’s your daughter?”

That made both Robert and Henry start
laughing. Robert got out his cell phone to call her when in she
walked with Abby. They looked around for Robert’s table and saw the
three of them sitting and talking. Matt hadn’t seen her yet.

“My God, Sarah. Is that him?”

“Yes,” Sarah smiled. “At long last and
meeting the Inquisition.”

Abby gasped. “He’s gorgeous… Well, I see you
found your Gregory Peck.”

“He does bear a striking resemblance, doesn’t
he?”

“
Wow…”

She was smiling at him when he glanced over
and noticed her. She walked to the table and Matt rose to greet
her. Sarah took his hand.

“Hi…”

“Hi, yourself.” They smiled at each
other…

“Matt Garth, meet my friend, Abby March.
Abby, this is Matt.”

He reached over to shake her hand with his
free one. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”

“… Likewise.” Abby blinked…
Ma’am? Wow
again.

Sarah looked around the table at her father
and grandfather. “Have you asked him all the questions you need to
right now?”

Robert and Henry both nodded at her. Frankly,
they were speechless when they saw Matt and Sarah together. Even
though she wore an Italian designer dress and he wore a Western
jacket and jeans, it was obvious to all that they were a good fit.
You only had to open your eyes to see that…

“Good because we’re leaving now.” Matt
dutifully picked up his cowboy hat

off the table. They all watched him put it on
and he wondered what the big deal was. He leaned over the table to
shake hands with Henry.

“Governor, nice to meet you.”

“You bet, Matt. We’ll get together again at
my place before you leave.”

“Yes, sir.” He reached over to shake hands
with Robert and held his gaze.

“Thanks, sir, for everything.” Robert winked
at him.

“My pleasure, son. See you soon.”

They said goodbye to Abby and walked out of
the convention center together, holding hands. They stole shy
glances at each other.

“… So you came…”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What took you so long?”

He smiled broadly at her. “Stuck in
traffic?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “… Hardly…”

“Could we go somewhere to talk?”

Sarah laughed. “You want to talk?”

Matt laughed too. “… Maybe, afterwards…”

“Lucky for us both, I have a very nice bed…
Maybe we can talk there.”

“Yeah, maybe…”

Once they’d left the building, Sarah went
right into Matt’s outstretched arms. She didn’t even hesitate… And
Matt didn’t hesitate to kiss Sarah passionately -- The heat from
their kiss could be felt thirty feet away. In the big city, people
averted their eyes or smiled as they went around them. Eventually,
Matt and Sarah broke for breath – A familiar pattern with them…

“… Matt?”

“What, honey?”

“… Would you ride the river with me?”

A big smile spread across Matt’s face as he
gazed at the woman he loved.

“I thought you’d never ask…”

The End

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeanne Harrell lives in Nevada with her
husband. They are both long time Nevadans mired in the Old West
spirit. Traveling to different places in the country, especially
the western states, gives Jeanne ideas for her books.

From Jeanne

Thank you very much for taking the time
and having the interest to read one of her stories. I appreciate it
more than you know. There’s not enough love out in the world, so
these are my attempts at adding a little more. If you have any
comments you’d like to share with me, please write on the blog page
of my website –
www.jeanneharrell.com
.
I would love to hear from you.

Jeanne’s next book is entitled
Persuaded.

Anne Barrett and Mike Lawrence fell deeply
in love when they were still in college and had wanted to marry.
After graduation, Mike joined the Navy and had orders to go back
East for medical school. Anne couldn’t leave due to serious
familial obligations and they broke up bitterly.

Four years later, Mike returns on leave to
visit his sister. Now he’s a medical doctor and seemingly not the
man she knew. Anne watches from afar as he dates a friend. Does he
remember her at all? Because she’s never forgotten him…