My East Coast Cowboy

Nathan could not help but notice the look of pure pleasure on Mindy's face and he wanted her all the more convinced that her husband must be a fool.

"Well Mindy, what do you think?"

Mindy took another small piece of his and then a small piece of hers and then ate them both together.

"I'm thinking chocolate covered strawberries, specifically dark chocolate covered strawberries. They are my absolute favorite dessert, and yes both Napoleons are delicious but so is this coffee, I never drink it black."

"They buy the best coffee beans, roast them on premises and then grind the beans slowly per cup to keep the oils from evaporating. It is brewed with boiling hot water to extract the full flavor and then served immediately at its peak of flavor. Sure it's expensive and labor intense but you get what you pay for; the best for the loveliest."

"Are you sure that you don't mean the best for the best, Nathan?"

"You are a lovely, discriminating woman Mindy and you fascinate me. I am taken by the way you dress. If I were Superman with x-ray vision I would see the silk undergarments next to your skin, am I right? I am also taken by the way wear your hair not to mention your knowledge of American History. I applaud your community activism and good works and I thank you for your involvement in the Historical Museum & Preservation Society. I have read your articles in various magazines and your letters to the editor in the newspapers but to meet you in person... you inspire me to verse."

"Blue sapphires rare pale to Mindy's eyes ...that's haiku"

"No it's not" She said laughing "You are a charmer Nathan, I'll give you that. But if you read about me in the newspaper then you knew who I was before you caught me in the mall."

Reaching over Nathan put his hand on hers

"That is true, but the newspapers refer to you as Mrs. or Ms. Melinda Robinson and if you will pardon me for saying so Melinda is rather stuffy and doesn't fit while Mindy is more in keeping with your youthful countenance. Charming, perhaps, but I can also be blunt and brutally honest. You have beautiful eyes, Mindy and you are a delight to talk to. If I were your husband I wouldn't let you out of my sight let alone allow you to have coffee with a strange man. My gut tells me that your husband is an inattentive fool"

"Nathan, will you sell me the drawing?" She asked, changing the subject and tingling all over... tingling! "How much do you want for it?"

She was fantasizing about making love to him. This was all well and good but actually doing it with him was another matter entirely and she was a little frightened at the feelings that Nathan was stirring in her.

"I want you to model a painting for me, Mindy."

"You are joking of course"

Mindy stated, while unconsciously reaching over to take another piece of his strawberry Napoleon and putting into her mouth before she realized what she was doing. She was not only intrigued; she was glowing with pleasure at his serious genuine offer and tingling all over and....

"No, I'm quite serious. You have a classical profile, particularly when you wear your hair up. My brother and I are partners in small winery on the Niagara Escarpment that specializes in ice wines. I'm the silent partner for the most part but I draw and design the labels for our wine bottles. If you consent I will give you the drawing in exchange for half a day of modeling."

"Then my picture will appear on a wine label?"

"Yes, that is correct, it will grace our bottles."

"Will I have to pose in the nude?" she asked, certain that she was blushing.

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure, but no you will be wearing a stola and a palla.

"Such as worn by the lady holding the torch for the Columbia Studios logo" Mindy asked.

"I'm impressed although not surprised that you are familiar with these simple yet elegant garments and yes very similar. Your hair will be pinned up, your feet will be bare and you will be holding a small basket of grapes."

Nathan was indeed impressed and was thinking "beautiful and smart, I must have her".

"I accept" Mindy said smiling and holding out her hand for him to shake.

"Is that all I get, a handshake?" Nathan asked, while hoping for more...much more.

"Let's see how the painting comes out first, Cowboy"

Mindy replied teasingly and wondering if she had made the right decision and whether it would it lead to something else. Did she want it to lead to something else?

"Fair enough, I suppose those two luscious kisses will have to suffice for now. Here is my card, please call me after you check your schedule and I will make myself available.

Nathan replied, while taking both her hands now and looking into her sapphire blue eyes.....

It was dark when she pulled into her driveway and she noticed something was wrong with the front lawn. Before she got out of Jeep Wrangler Mindy removed her black aluminum police flashlight from the glove box and shined it on the lawn as she was walking towards the house. They were definitely deep tire ruts in the water saturated front lawn leading from the driveway on an angle up to the front porch. When she opened front door she saw dirt and muddy footprints all over her nice clean floors. On further inspection the furniture was moved about in jumbled disorder and much of it was missing, all heirlooms from David's side of the family, but not his broken down food stained recliner.

Mindy then went from room to room, upstairs and down and found more items missing, all things of a personal nature and most his clothes. None of her clothing or jewelry was missing and her great- grandmother's sterling silver flatware was still in the breakfront; nothing of hers was taken only David's....he must have returned after she left. The fishing trip was a ruse. He and his buddies must have backed a rental truck up to the front porch and then moved him out while she was gone.

"Did David know about Nathan?"

Mindy quickly dismissed that thought because it was obvious that the move was well planned and executed, in and out. Nathan just happened today.

She didn't get any sleep that night. Instead she changed her clothes and then went room to room straightening furniture and then aggressively cleaning and scrubbing away all remnants of her soon to be divorced husband.

"Good riddance and to hell with him" she thought as she dragged that lousy recliner to the curb, the last of the garbage he left that she had carried there.

When she was done cleaning she went online to check their savings and checking accounts and found that exactly half the money was withdrawn with the accounts open and in good standing. All their mutual funds were in order and nothing was touched. Did he intend to give her half of everything as a divorce settlement? Upon further investigation she found that their utility bills were paid six months in advance as were their school and property taxes.

All the important insurance papers and documents were in the hidden floor safe in the basement although she was sure that he made copies. Half of the savings bonds were missing leaving her with two hundred thousand dollars worth upon maturity. She felt a little better about things because for all of his faults David was an honest man in his business transactions and his honesty was a hindrance for future promotions. David was an unhappy man....unhappy much like she was.

Actually she felt relieved for if nothing else it probably wouldn't be an acrimonious divorce, no ranting and raving and perhaps he did her a favor doing it this way because she was guilt free. It was too early to call Marge and she wasn't about to deal with her mother yet. She wasn't about to beg or take David back; what was done was done. Her mother would insist that they reconcile because in her mother's mind divorce was scandalous and unacceptable.

She could hear her mother now "How can I never show my face in church again? And "If you had stayed home more like a proper wife he wouldn't have left you."

Mindy realized that after all those years instead of being upset with David or her mother she was relieved, content and at peace...how strange, just like that! She was also tired, so very tired and suddenly so very sleepy from all that had happened. She was too drained to even walk upstairs to her bed after horsing the recliner and everything else of his out to the curb and sanitizing her house of all vestiges of him. Mindy lay down on the couch just for a short nap until she could call Marge and then....

Mindy woke at mid-afternoon to the sound of the telephone ringing and getting up she sleepily stumbled to answer it and before she could say hello...

"Mindy, it's Marge, I so sorry but my brother called and he has all the paper work."

"What are you talking about Marge? What do you mean you're sorry, what paper work?

Mindy asked, starting to become awake and guessing before Marge told her.

"About the lump leaving you, I can't imagine how upset you must be or what's going through your mind."

"I'm fine Marge, what's done is done. Did David send the divorce papers to Phil?"

"Are you sure that you are alright, I mean, did Phil call you first? He promised to wait for me to tell you and soften the blow."

"What blow, Marge? Actually I'm relieved that David is gone and Phil is the logical choice for me to choose as my lawyer."

"But, David left you for a man, proclaiming that he is gay and has moved to Canada!"

"Good for him, so far David has left me half of everything."

"I didn't think that you were going to take this so well, Mindy?"

"Well, I'm fine for now; let's see what a few months will bring. You are my best friend, Marge. Will you go with me to see your brother?"......

Two months had passed and Mindy's divorce settlement was more than fair and equitable, especially since David signed off on the house as a peace offering in consideration for her signing and then filing the divorce papers post haste. Mindy agreed to 25% of his future pension instead of 50% and was again using her maiden name, Mindy McConnell.

Every day after her divorce she looked at Nathan's business card and thought of him and the feelings that he stirred in her. She could still taste Nathan's lips and wanted to feel his strong hands around his waist again. It now was the end of June and almost three months had passed. There was only one thing to do, call him...but she didn't want to appear desperate...on the other hand honesty was always best course of action. Mindy dialed the cell phone number on the card and got his voice message "This is Nathan, please leave a brief message and I will get back to you" and then the canned beep.

"Nathan, this is Mindy McConnell. If the offer is still open, I will model for you."

No sooner then she closed her cell phone when then it rang.

"Mindy, this is Nathan. Nothing would give me greater pleasure. I hadn't heard from you and I wondered if you had changed your mind or if I had scared you off?"

"I have had a lot of changes in my life lately."

"I hope that I am one of those changes?" he quietly offered, having picked up on the McConnell instead of Robinson, thinking

"She didn't say Robinson. With any luck is now separated from her inattentive fool of a husband or better yet they are divorced. Sapphires rare pale to Mindy's eyes....why am I so fascinated with this woman? Is it her appearance, her passion for the good causes that she champions? I love the way that Mindy kept touching my hand when we were in the coffee shop together and how her eyes would light up while seeming even bluer when she spoke about those subjects that she was so passionate about."

"Do you want to be, Cowboy?"

Mindy was tingling all over hearing at his voice again while imaging what it would like to make love to him.

"That's the second time that you have called me Cowboy, is it my hat?"

"Of course and that was a lucky guess." She answered, enjoying the back and forth.

"As we are on the subject of guessing, I'm guessing that you are now divorced.

"Lucky guess again, Cowboy."

"Excellent, then there will be no encumbrances and nothing to stand in our way.

"None whatsoever" Mindy said and meaning it.

"I'm further guessing that you will be having dinner with me this evening. The place I have in mind is rustic, but they serve slow cooked hickory smoked ribs, prime cut steaks and a variety of fresh seafood. "I will ride my horse to your house if you can you be ready at five?"

"Will you really ride a horse?" She asked laughing and she was delighted with their playful conservation, but then again so was Nathan and Mindy was thinking, "I'm so glad I called him."

"No, I will not really ride a horse. Will you settle for my Chevy Van with a horse blanket on the seat?"

"Things are moving so fast, what if I said no?" she asked, although she didn't mean it because she had wasted enough time in a loveless marriage.

"I'm guessing that you want things to move a little fast and that you won't say no. But if you did, I would stand outside on your porch with my guitar and serenade until you come out."

"And if I called the police?"

"You need not bother because when I start playing they will show up soon enough......."

Nathan was a half-hour early and didn't knock or ring the doorbell to announce himself. Instead he sat on her porch swing and played his guitar while he was waiting.

"Nathan plays well" she thought" as she opened her upstairs bedroom window to listen "mostly folk music, blue grass, country and somehow that music seems to fit him."

Mindy was always a punctual woman and today was no exception. Nathan said rustic which translated to casual or semi-casual, therefore semi-casual it was. Mindy choose a strapless silk blend paisley summer dress in bright colors of aquamarine, red, yellows and blues. Her long hair was fixed in a ponytail tied with a red ribbon to hide the elastic tie and her makeup was lightly applied to be barely noticeable. Mindy was wearing heels and carrying a small clutch purse and a white linen lace and cashmere shawl in case it was chilly later in the evening. Perhaps she was a bit nervous at first; after all she hadn't been out on a date in 20 years...well here goes.

When she opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch Nathan stopped in the middle of the song. The look on his face told Mindy everything as he leaned his guitar on the railing while not taking his eyes off of her and then stood up to take his hat off. It was a white straw western hat with a narrow woven black and gray horsehair hatband. He was also wearing blue jeans, black wellington boots and a white long sleeved shirt with the sleeves partially rolled up. Mindy put her shawl on the railing along with her purse and she wasn't disappointed. Looking into her eyes, Nathan took her hand and kissed it not letting go.

"Forgive me for staring, but I hadn't thought it possible because you look lovelier then the last time that I saw you. That was the charming Nathan, now for the blunt, what you see is what you get. I am a gentleman most of the time and I want to kiss you now. You fascinate me, everything about you fascinates me. I don't snore, I bathe regularly and I seldom curse or get angry and I want to kiss you. We have much in common in our shared interests and I want to kiss you now. I would like to see you often and if you agree we may go as fast or as slow as you like."

He then let go of Mindy's hand, moved closer and then bent forward to kiss her mouth and said

"Marvelous, absolutely marvelous, dessert before dinner and twice as sweet"..........

When they arrived at the restaurant there was no place to park in the parking lot and they had to park up the road a ways and then walk. The place was packed. People were waiting outside, some sitting in or on the hoods of their cars or in the foyer and the bar area was full of even more people waiting for tables.

"See, I told you the food was good here."

"I never doubted you, Cowboy, did you make reservations?"

"They don't take reservations here, it is first come first serve and they only accept cash."

"But we will be standing in line forever!"

"No we won't, trust me."

Nathan took her arm and they went around the back and entered through the steel fire door leading into the kitchen. Mindy noticed a large man about six-seven and whipcord thin wave to them from across the kitchen with a big happy grin on his homely face and then the giant walked over to greet them.

"You must be Mindy and Nathan has told me so much about you! If you had walked in without him I would have recognized you by your eyes alone. Nathan is right; words can't do justice to your beautiful eyes. You must be a very special lady for him to bring you here because he always comes alone although that wasn't always the case. I've known Nathan since kindergarten, Deanna too."

Mindy was wondering who Dianna was.

"I used to beat him up on a regular basis. I was always a big lug and then one day I made an inappropriate remark to him about Deanna and then he cleaned my clock and I mean really cleaned my clock; we've been best friends ever since. He used to be my conscious so to speak and kept me from going to jail for that's where I was headed once and now I know Nathan like the back of my hand."

He added shaking Mindy's hand gently in his huge ham hock of a hand.

"Make that ex-best friend, pal, you talk too much" Nathan said, scowling. "Just keep it up and we will have to excuse ourselves and then retire to the parking lot for ding-ding round two" and Nathan was now grinning back while Mindy looked at the two of them thoughtfully.

"Please excuse my bad manners and his."

The best friend said with his grin getting even wider while pointing at Nathan with his thumb.

"My name is Bill Rogers and I own this chuck wagon."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Bill, and your kitchen smells wonderful! Nathan played his guitar for me on my front porch while I was getting ready. Can he sing as well as he plays?

"He did... well, ah perhaps I've said enough for now."

And Mindy was sure that Bill's voice was starting to crack. He then turned his back to her and said

"Excuse me Mindy. Nathan, give me a hand, you know where everything is."

Nathan and Will disappeared into a back room and a quickly returned with a round table and two chairs and Mindy followed them into the crowded restaurant to a far corner in the back. As if by magic a waitress appeared and removed the folding screen that was there placed to block the empty corner that apparently was reserved just for them. Another waitress appeared from a different direction with a table cloth and someone's order followed by another waitress with a round sheet of glass. This was followed by yet another waitress with a wheeled cart containing cloth napkins, coffee mugs, water glasses, a pitcher of ice water, a dish of freshly cut lemons and then a wicker basket full of every condiment imaginable, well, maybe not every but a lot.

Bill pulled out Mindy's chair for her to sit down while handing them both a menu that included the restaurants drinks and desserts and then the gentle giant announced that he would be their waiter this evening. To say that Mindy was pleased didn't do justice to her feeling. And it seemed to Mindy that everything occurred in a blink of an eye and the last thing to appear on the table was a large lead glass cut crystal vase full of fragrant yellow roses.

"Do you always give a lady dozens of yellow roses on a first date, Cowboy?" She asked while squeezing his hand.

"You are only the second little filly that I have given yellow roses too" he answered squeezing back and looking at her with a serious look on his face; only two special ladies in a lifetime and then so far apart."