All Over Again
Chapter Seven
8:45 AM
Dallas Hilton
Outside Suite 923
Bo took a deep breath knocked firmly on the door to Nora's suite. He couldn't help but smile when he could hear the sounds of her scurrying around inside trying to finish getting ready. A moment later the door opened slightly and Bo got a glimpse of her and had to force himself to breath.
Nora stood on the other side wearing a red button down shirt with a white shell underneath and nothing else. The shirt fell to Nora's mid-thigh and beyond that was nothing but long, slender, golden colored legs. His eyes lingered a little longer than they should have and when his gaze returned to her face he found her blushing profusely.
"Since when did you start showing up to things early Bo?"
Bo smiled mischeviously. "Ever since a certain red head wasn't around to distract me anymore. To tell the truth, It's been the pits. Would you like for me to wait out here while you finish getting ready?"
Nora opened the door a little more. "No, you might as well come in and relax. It'll be awhile before I'm ready."
"And why is that Nora?" Bo asked as he walked past her into her room.
"Well, to tell the truth, I was ready an hour ago but I went downstairs to get some coffee and managed to spill it all over the only pair of jeans I brought with me. The hotel is cleaning them for me. They should be hear by 9 at the latest. So, what's in the box?" Nora pointed to the moderate sized box Bo had brought with him and set down on the bed.
Bo picked up the box. "What this? Nothing much. Just a little gift for you."
Nora's eyes lit up as she grabbed the box away from Bo and sat down on the bed. Tony Llama was printed across the top of the box and she furrowed her brow as she opened it up. Inside she found a pair of red ostrich skin boots. "Bo..."
"They're 7 1/2 narrow. Boots sizes run a little different so they should fit."
Nora smiled up at him. "You didn't have to do this Bo."
Bo shrugged. "Sure I did. You can't very well ride a horse without cowboy boots. Your feet would slip right out of the stirrups."
Just then there was a knock at the door and Nora jumped up off the bed and ran to answer it. On the other side was a bellman with her jeans, still warm from the dryer. She tipped the bellman before closing the door, grabbing her new boots and heading towards the bathroom.
"Give me five minutes, Bo."
Bo looked at his watch playfully. "The timer is set Nora."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10:45 AM
Bo turned his red Dodge Ram off the highway and drove through the front gates of the Flying B Ranch. They drove down a gravel path with white fences on either side, green pastures stretching out beyond that. On their left longhorns grazed peacefully and on their right horces frollicked happily.
In the distance stood a three story whitewashed house with dark shutters and columns on the porch supporting the roof. Barely visible beyond the main house was a smaller farm house of the same whitewash and the same dark shutters. And just off to the left were the stables.
Nora looked around in awe. "My God Bo, it looks like the Southfork Ranch on the show DALLAS."
Bo laughed. "Many of the ranches look like this around here. The succesful blending of oil drilling and raising cattle on one ranch has served many ranchers in this area well. The real Southfork Ranch actually borders us to the South."
Bo pulled his truck to a stop from the house. He climbed out and walked around to Nora's side, opening the door and helping her out. They were walking towards the house when a short, slightly overweight hispanic woman with greying hair stepped out on to the porch. She was wearing a denim dress with a white apron over it and waving frantically.
"Master Bo! You're home!"
Bo laughed and ran up onto the porch, grabbing the woman in a fierce hug and spinning her around. "Margarite! It's so good to see you."
Nora smiled. She had never seen Bo like this before. Something about being in his childhood home changed him. Years faded from his features and he smiled a smile she hadn't seen in a very long time. She walked over and leaned against the porch railing watching Bo and the woman talk excitedly.
A few minutes later Bo noticed her standing nearby and took her hand. "Where are my manners? Red, I want you to meet someone. Margarite has been with the family since I was two years old. She makes the best homemade french fries. When I was a little boy I used to sneak into the kitchen in the middle of the night for cookies. Margarite would wake up every time and make me a batch of her fries."
Nora smiled and offered her hand to Margarite. "It's nice to meet you. I'm..."
"I know who you are," Margarite interrupted. "You are Nora. I know because Master Asa tell me about your hair. Master Asa never talk about boys wife until you. I think Master Asa love you almost much as Master Bo."
Bo smiled at the two women. "Margarite, did you make the preperations I asked for?"
Margarite nodded. "Yes Master Bo. The saddlebags are packed and waiting for you in the stables."
Bo kissed her cheek. "Thanks a million. We'll stop back in before we leave. Maybe stick around for a batch of fries."
Margarite smiled. "I'll be waiting."
Bo and Nora watched her walk back into the house before Bo took Nora's hand and led her off the porch and back towards the stables. On the way they passed the smaller farmhouse.
"Who lives there Bo?"
"Oh, that is where Margarite and her husband Ricardo live. Ricardo is the senior foreman on the ranch. They really are like family."
They entered the stables and found a tall hispanic man with chisled features and salt and pepper hair brushing the coat of a massive black stallion. They walked up to him and Bo shook his hand. "Welcome home Bo."
"It's good to see you Ricardo. This is Nora."
Ricardo nodded his head. "Nice to meet you. Your horses are all ready to be saddled up."
"Um Bo, are you actually serious about riding horses?"
Bo looked at her strangely. "Of course. Riding is the easiest way to get around the ranch. Is there a problem?"
Nora kicked some of the hay on the stable floor. "Actually, yes I do have a problem. I'm a city girl Bo. I've never ridden a horse before."
Bo shrugged and then smiled. "That's no problem Nora. We'll just share a horse."
Nora smiled and looked at him warily. "Why do I suddenly get the feeling I've been set up?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thirty minutes later...
Bo and Nora were riding along the creekbed, a soft breeze blowing through their hair. The pastures were a rich green and the smell of sage permiated through the air.
"It's so beautiful Bo."
Bo took a deep breath. "It's the perfect time to be in South Texas. Things are greening up, flowers are starting to bloom, but it's still not so hot you can't stand to be outside."
They rode along a little further when the silence was interrupted by the sound of Nora's stomach growling. Bo and Nora laughed.
"Hungry Red?"
"Actually, yes. That half spilled cup of coffee didn't go very far. Have you got anything to eat?"
Bo nodded. "Give me twenty minutes. I have a surprise for you."
They rode a little further until they came to a huge oak tree. Bo stopped the horse dismounted, tied him up and then helped Nora off the horse. She leaned up against the tree, closed her eyes, and breathed in her surroundings while Bo opened up the saddle bags and set about his task.
When Nora opened her eyes again Bo had spread a quilt across the ground and set out various picnic items. There were sandwiches, patatoe salad, brownies, and even cold rootbeer. Nora grinned and walked over to Bo, hugging him tightly.
"You think of everything don't you?"
"As always. Ready for lunch, my lady?" Bo took her hand and they sat down on the quilt.
"Give me one of those sandwiches. I'm starving."
They dug into their food and soon both were very relaxed. Just enjoying the picnic with the soft sounds of the creek nearby, birds overhead, and with the warm Texas sun beating down on them.
To Be Continued....
|
|
|
|