It was only nine o’clock when they left the Town Club. Belle had suggested going to The Cowboy Saloon in Townsend to dance. “I’m game if a fight isn’t going on when we get there,” Colt said. “What do you say, Ava? If you’re tired, we can get you home instead of –” Hawk began. “No way,” Ava interrupted. “I haven’t had this much fun since . . . the accident. Let’s go.” Hawk grinned. “Great. Maybe we can finally have that dance.” Ava smiled. “I’m up for the challenge, Mr. Calhoun.” Thirty minutes later they waltzed into the saloon. It seemed like everything was fine and everyone was having a good time. It was really crowded – a lot more than last time. They grabbed a booth and ordered beers. They talked for twenty minutes until a line dance song began to play. The Cowboy Hustle. Ava was happy to learn a new line dance. She was beginning to like country music – or she was getting used to it. A
Jesse Steele laid flat on his back in bed as Connie rode astride his crotch. She was a little hefty – a good size sixteen, but as long as the tits were big he didn’t mind a woman having a little extra weight. And Connie’s tits fit his criteria. At an earthquaking size DD, Connie’s breasts swayed and bounced as she did. Her nipples were the color and size of nickels. The other thing that made the sex out of this world with her was that her pussy was tight and juicy wet. “That’s it. Keep going, honey,” Jesse groaned as the bed squeaked. He had been meaning to get a new box spring but he had been busy. Truth was he was putting it off because he had come to like the squeaking when he was fucking. It was like a gauge telling him how fast he was going. Some of his girls liked it, too. Two of them had said it was like having soothing music in the background during the act. What wasn’t like music was his cell ringing. “Damn it,” he said through
“Put that thing away before someone gets hurt,” Ava ordered harshly. She couldn’t believe Ray pulled a gun on them – or rather Hawk. She knew that’s who he was aiming at. “What the hell are you doing on my property at this time of night, Calhoun?” Ray asked, while aiming the shot gun at him. “Ugh, hell,” Colt groaned as he and Belle came out of the darkness. “Just escorting a lady to her door, Steele. No harm done,” Hawk answered coolly. For a man who had a gun pointing at him, he was cool as a cucumber in the refrigerator. “Well, she’s at her door. Time to go,” Ray said nastily. His jaw was hard as stone. “Hawk, his property, his rules,” Colt said cautiously. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Hawk slurred as he put his huge hat on. He turned to Ava. “Goodnight, Miss Ava. It’s been a real pleasure. Hopefully, we can go out again soon.” “I hope so,” she whispered. This was so embarrassing. As
The next morning . . . Ray could and couldn’t believe he lost control last night – again. He couldn’t help it. Ava had looked so damn tantalizing in a mini skirt and a tight as hell white T-shirt. Then again, she looked tantalizing in almost everything she wore – even sweatpants. As Ray showered, he remembered the sweet smell of Ava’s sex. It made him so hard that he had to lube up with soap to get a quick release. It was hell working a ranch and attending to other responsibilities with blue balls. With his mind clear and his body clean, he exited the shower, dried off, and got dressed – a long-sleeved, dark blue shirt with thin white stripes and blue jeans. When Ray got to the living room, he smiled. He could always smell what Ava was cooking by the time he got to the living room. He kept walking until he got to the kitchen. Jesse was gracing their table this morning. Tom was chattering away about a new boy scout badge he wa
Ava had an idea as soon as Ray told her he wouldn’t be back for lunch. She could take him and the boys lunch out on the land. She had seen that on the Food Network. A woman named Ree Drummond and her family had a ranch – and a cooking show. Ava had watched it a few times to get cooking ideas and tips. Ree had taken lunch out on the land to her family and ranch hands on the show. There were times Ree had surprised them with lunch. Ava could do that, too. Ava waited until Ray left – with Tom surprisingly. Ava learned from Dax that Ray had asked both boys if they had wanted to go with him today. “How come you didn’t want to go with your father?” Ava asked as she stood in the door way of Dax’s bedroom. Dax was laying on his back on the full size bed. He had an IPad in his hand and off to the side as he looked at her. “I didn’t want to spend my entire Sunday around cattle. If it was only for a few hours I might have gone.” “Mmm
Ray waited for Jesse to dismount his horse. Tom had gone off with the hands to help them with some work. He was trying to earn some sort of badge for Boy Scouts, and every once in a while he liked coming out on the land. He was old enough to help out now. “Came out to make sure I didn’t screw anything up,” Jesse said. “No.” Jesse have him a pointed look. “I trust you, Jesse, but I just had to take a look at her myself.” “Uh huh.” “But since we are talking about her. What do you think?” “I think if we don’t want to lose the calf or her and we should call a vet out here to look at her,” Jesse answered seriously as they began to walk away from the noise of the mooing cattle. “I think the same,” Ray agreed. “I can call him after lunch. Hopefully, he can get here before night fall. If not, hopefully, first thing in the morning. Either way, we shouldn’t leave her out here whether the
The next day . . . Ava had gotten the boys off to school an hour ago. Ray wasn’t at breakfast this morning. He had texted her last night before dinner saying he wouldn’t make it for dinner and he wouldn’t be at breakfast this morning. That pregnant heifer was really worrying him. Ava had placed a plate in the microwave last night for him. Her burner phone rang. “Hello?” “Hey, beautiful. How is this morning treating ya?” “Hawk,” she said as she laid down on the bed in the guesthouse. “So nice of you to call.” “I wanted to check on you. Ray was fit to be tied the other night, and I was checking to see if he took it out on you.” “He tried but I gave as good as I got.” Hawk laughed. “That a girl. Do you mind me asking what happened?” “Well, you weren’t entirely wrong about Ray learning about us going out on the town as you had put it. Obviously.” “Yeah.”
Tonight was the Halloween Party at the community center for the pre-teens and teens. Ava got into the Halloween spirit by dressing in a sock hop costume. It only cost her thirty-five dollars at the holiday shop in Helena. It was an A-line silhouette. The white T-shirt had a scoop neckline with short sleeves and the letter A largely stitched in black over her right breast. Her red swinging skirt came to her knees. A five inch black belt was around her waist. A black, sheer scarf held up her ponytail. One of the ranch hands drove her and the kids to the center. Jesse and Ray wanted to look over the pregnant heifer who was no longer pregnant. She had gone into a rough labor last night. Both mother and calf were weak. The brothers had said they would meet them at the party. Tom was dressed as the Mad Hatter. The costume was rather clever and fun. Tom wore a white broadcloth with a collar with a black ascot around the collar. The vest was orange and brow
“Darling, are you sure you’re alright?” her mother asked as she and Ava walked into her hotel room at the Doubletree Hilton in Helena. The room’s décor was all white for the exception of the dresser, bed backboard, and table. It was pretty plain for a hotel room by Hilton but Helena wasn’t the bustling metropolis New York was. Ava had the room all to herself. Her mother and father had separate rooms. “I believe so. I’m just curious about something,” Ava said as she sat on the bed. “How did you and Daddy find me? I’ve been missing for half a year.” “Oh, your father hired multiple private investigators. This last one had gotten a lead but what really sped things along was Lillian Steele.” “What!’ Ava shouted. Her shouting startled her mother, making her jump a little. “Sorry. Lillian told you and Daddy where I was? How does she know you two?” “She doesn’t. Through some P.I. work of her own, s
Ray and Ava were silent for at least a minute before one of them spoke.“You okay?” Ray asked as kept standing close to the doorway.“Physically, yes. The other part feels a bit disoriented. Just thirty minutes ago, we were coming from the movies, having a good time and the next minute - wham. Not only does my past come rushing back to me, it’s in the driveway. Ray, I . . . it just all clicked when I laid eyes on Daddy. My therapist warned me it could happen – all my memories coming back all of sudden but . . .”“You didn’t think it would actually happen that way,” Ray finished for her.“Yes.” Ava took a deep breath. She looked up at her love. Wait. Did she still love him? Now that she was whole – mentally, she wasn’t sure. Ray Steele wasn’t her type – usually. He was rich but he was much older than her and his lifestyle wasn’t what she was accustomed to for herself or in a man she dated. Then another thought struck her. “Oh my god, I got money.”“Yeah, that’s obvious.”“N
Lillian Steele had provided more information to Lester and Whitney on the Steele family on the way to the Hilton in Helena. They were one of the richest families in Montana – billionaire status in their own right. They just lived . . . they way that they do. It was strange to Lester but nonetheless he was going to address the patriarch like an equal. He wasn’t inclined to disrespect the man on his own property an in front of his family unless it was absolutely necessary. The Steele family watched Whitney guide Ava to the back of the house. Ava looked over her shoulder at them. Lester raised his hand to her, waving, letting her know everything was going to be all right. He turned his attention back to the Steeles. “Which one of you gentlemen is Raymond Steele?” “I am,” the tallest of the bunch said. “I’m Lester Bartholomew. And as I’m sure you have figured out by now I’m Ava’s father. And that was her mother, Whitney Bartholom
Within the hour, the Bartholomews were heading to Townsend. Whitney had contacted her former doctor in New York on advice on how to handle Ava’s condition. He had said that if she was working with a therapist some things might have come back to her by now. All Ava might need is a reminder of her past – like seeing people she knew from before in person. “Are you sure you’re alright, Lester? You haven’t used your wheelchair since we’ve landed,” Whitney said. He snorted. “I have to say I don’t think I’ve heard such concern for my welfare from you in years.” “I know it’s quite disturbing,” she said flatly. They both looked at each other. Then they smiled. “I’m fine. I guess it’s the adrenaline running through me. The only thing I regret in this moment is us not having some time alone together,” Lester said as he continued to look over at Whitney in the seat next to him. “The last time we had private time alone – I hav
The next day . . . December 30th “My god, what a ghastly place,” Whitney Bartholomew said as she looked out the limousine window. “It’s not that bad. The streets are clean and it seems like a good economy here,” Lester said as he looked out the other window. “Yes, but what is going on with the fashions here? At least ninety percent of the men are wearing cowboy hats. Even some of the women are wearing them.” she said with her nose turned up. Lester chuckled. “I guess that’s the fashion here. Despite Helena being a city, it’s rather rural.” Whitney grunted.The photo the woman had emailed his butler was legit. It was definitely Ava. She was standing in what looked like a downtown area, waiting to cross the street with what looked like a pre-teen boy wearing a cowboy hat.The Montana P.I. was still making progress but it was slow. When Lester had gotten the call it was the break he had been hoping for.
The next day, Lillian went to Helena and deposited the check Jesse had given her last night and to check in to another hotel there. It was another Super 8. She didn’t want to over spend while she was in Montana. She needed the money Jesse had given her to keep her condo in L.A and keep up her lifestyle there. In truth, Luke and Lillian had broken up three months ago. Without his money, she had to spend wisely. She had gone to L.A. to try to make it in the entertainment industry there. She had been an extra in a few movies and TV shows but nothing that led her to getting a real break. In Nashville, she had been featured in a few country western bars and clubs but she couldn’t get an agent. Luke had paid for her to record a single but it barely sold a hundred downloads. So, when she and Luke split up, she had thought she could make it in Hollywood. It was harder than she had expected it would be – and way more expensive. Lillian wasn’t lea
Ava and Jesse rode to the Super 8 in Bedford. It was almost ten in the morning. Ray had gone to work on the range. Dax had taken Tom with him to see Lana. Jesse had told Ray that he was driving Ava into town to do some shopping. Ava hated lying to Ray but what choice did she have? Dax had been right. In this case, Ray needed to be protected. The boys themselves needed to be protected. They didn’t say a word during the ride. Jesse didn’t speak until they were walking down the hall at the Super 8. “I still don’t believe it. I won’t believe it until I see her with my own eyes,” Jesse said. They stopped at room 203. Jesse knocked on the door. It didn’t take long for someone to open it. Lillian. “Son of a bitch,” Jesse said through gritted teeth as he stared at her. “Nice to see you, too, Jesse,” Lillian said with twisted lips. “You may as well come in. I don’t want to have this conversation in
It was almost bedtime when Ava went to Tom’s room. He was in blue plaid pajamas, sitting on the edge of the bed.“Darling, I want to talk to you about something,” Ava said as she closed the door to his room.“What is it?”Ava walked to the bed and sat next to him. “Forgive me for bringing this up but . . . we never talked about your mother.”Tom physically shuttered but kept his eyes on her. “I don’t want to talk about her.”“Are you sure? You don’t want to talk to me about any . . . feelings you may have about her? I know what it’s like to have your own mother hurt you.”“You do? You remember your mother?” Tom asked with bewilderment. “You don’t have amnesia anymore?”“No, darling, I still have amnesia but I remember things from time to time. It comes sporadically.”“What does sporadica . . . ly mean?”“It means occasionally. I had a memory of my mother . . . doing to me what your mother did to your father.”“You had a husband?” Tom asked with furrowed brows.“No. He was my boyfrien
Two days later . . . It was still morning. Ava went into Tom’s room to change the sheets on his bed. As she was doing so, she noticed what looked like a set of new drawing pencils on Tom’s new drawing desk that Ray had bought him for Christmas. At one time, Ray had called Tom’s art meaningless doodling a young man needed to grow out of. But, now, Ray supported Tom’s talent to draw. I wonder when he got those? I don’t remember him buying them the last time we went shopping. Ava continued to make the bed. That’s when she noticed a brown case under the bed. She pulled it out. She had never noticed it before. The boys were out with Ray working the range so they wouldn’t be back till lunch. Ava unzipped the case. There were a few drawings in it. One was of a woman who looked to be standing next to a SUV in the fog . . . or snow. Ava wasn’t quite sure. She shifted to the other picture. A blonde, who looked very beautiful, but she had fangs. Bl