The Actor Ep. 01

Seeing the small creek a couple of hundred feet from the front door, she remembered her Dad teaching her how to fish in it when she'd last visited with her parents when she was 14. Of course, that brought up painful memories of their passing two years ago, and she wiped a little tear from her eye. She'd loved coming here with them, and it had always been her favorite vacation with her parents. She hoped that this experience would be as good as that one, but the way Chad was acting she had her doubts.

Breaking her out of her thoughts, several large men dressed in cowboy attire approached the group. "Howdy, ya'll, welcome to the Bar G Ranch. We're here to help you cowpokes with your bags," one of them said. As the men began grabbing bags, the loud, boisterous one who'd welcomed them approached Jamie and Chad. His tall and lanky body moved with such ease and confidence that Jamie was sure he'd been a cowboy all his life. His weathered face gave away his many years outdoors in the sun, but his kind, gentle eyes and warm smile instantly put Jamie at ease. "Just these two bags, Ma'am?" he said while looking deep into her eyes. It felt as if he was staring into her soul... and her knees went weak.

"Yes, just these two."

"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere? You look really familiar," Chad said while tucking his cell phone into his pocket.

"I... ummm... I don't know, pardner. Maybe? Say, you folks know we don't have a bowling alley, right? How many bowling balls did you bring?" Jake shook one bag; it clanked loudly and looked noticeably heavier than the other.

"That's his bag," Jamie laughed. "He likes to work out with his special kettle weights."

"We have a workout facility on-site, but okay."

"I do a lot of special exercises," explained Chad. "Progressive stuff, you know. You boys probably don't know much about real workout routines up here."

"You're probably right, my friend. We just lift hundred-pound hay bales all day. Welcome to the ranch." He extended his hand, and Chad shook it. He felt like a vice was crushing his hand. "I'm Jake, by the way."

"I'm Chad, and this is my girlfriend... Jamie."

"Fianceé," she corrected.

He gently took her hand in his. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am."

She loved his bright, warm smile and his friendly blue eyes. "It's nice to meet you too," she whispered.

They followed him into the lodge, which had a huge great room that bustled with activity as all of the guests were checking in for the week. Her eyes traveled to the large fireplace that featured stacked stones all the way to the ceiling, and she fondly remembered roasting marshmallows with her parents. The walls were constructed with giant logs that were tastefully adorned with large paintings of cowboys and the scenic Montana mountains and countryside. She loved the rustic, bucolic ambiance of this place. Again, it brought back so many cherished memories of the happy times that she'd spent here with her parents.

"A little over-done, isn't it?" Chad said.

It took everything in her power not to cut her eyes at him. "No, it's beautiful, it's perfect. Look at that spectacular view!" She pointed at the wide picture windows that rose to a peak in the center of the great room.

"I'm glad you like it, Ma'am," Jake said."You're on the second floor if you'll follow me, please."

They walked up the beautiful wood stairs, and once they got to the second floor she took a moment to lean up against the wood railing and look down onto the great room. A few more couples were in the process of checking in and one of them had their children in tow. She studied them fondly as their mother doted on them. She'd always wanted a baby. However, Chad disliked children, but he had promised her that he'd give her one after his inheritance came through. She remembered that he said not to expect any help from him because she'd be doing most of the work raising the rug-rat, as he put it. She was confident, though, that once he saw the beautiful life they'd make together he'd change his mind and become a good father.

She quickly caught up with the men as Jake opened the door to their room. A large rustic four-poster bed sat in the center of the room with beautiful white lace draped from each post. A small wash station stood near the bed, complete with a porcelain pitcher and basin, and a large attached bathroom that had a massive shower and old-fashioned claw-foot bathtub gave the room both an old-fashioned yet modern ambiance at the same time.

"I gotta drop a deuce, do you mind, old man?" Chad said while fidgeting beside them. It looked like he was seconds away from soiling himself.

Jake's eyes widened, and Jamie's face broke into a mortified crimson hue at her fianceé's uncouth behavior. "Right over there, pardner," Jake responded embarrassedly. He'd seen some real winners before, but this guy took the prize.

Chad hurriedly reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change and a single dollar bill. "For your trouble... sorry... can't wait..." He put the pittance of a tip into Jake's open hand, sprinted for the bathroom door, and then slammed it behind him.

Jake studied the change in his hand. Not even $1.50, pathetic, he thought, and he tried not to shake his head in disgust. Then he gave Jamie a warm smile. "I hope you enjoy your stay, Ma'am." Just as he started to turn and head for the door, she stopped him.

"No, please wait, Jake," she said. He turned, and she stared into those beautiful big blue eyes. She reached into her clutch purse, pulled out two twenty-dollar bills, and handed them to him.

"Ma'am, that's too much; I can't accept that."

"Please take it... you've earned it, every cent of it. And call me Jamie, okay?"

He gave her a big handsome smile. "Okay, Jamie." For a couple of brief seconds, her delicate, smooth fingers touched his rough, calloused ones, and she felt a little spark. Had they had a moment? She couldn't help thinking that they had as she closed the door behind him.

About a half-hour later she'd gotten all of their clothes put away in the antique oak dressers. Chad was still on the toilet, and she could hear him talking on his cell phone again to someone as he attempted to push his penny stocks. His absence didn't really surprise her, though. For the most part, she waited on him hand and foot. I'll have no problem taking care of a child, she thought; it feels like I'm already raising one most of the time.

When he finally emerged from the bathroom, a funk followed him that she was sure would peel the varnish off the wood. Instantly, she breathed through her mouth as the smell accosted her olfactories. He saw the look of revulsion on her face.

"Yeah... ummm... sorry about that. That thing was at least a ten-pounder, a real masterpiece."

She quickly walked over to the window and opened it. The fresh mountain air gave her a welcomed respite from the horrible smell. "You could have taken pity on me and done a mercy flush. You know that, right?"

"Ummm... yeah... about that... I think I plugged the shitter."

Because of the horrid smell Jamie hadn't moved from the window, but now she felt like jumping out of it. "I guess I can... you know... call someone."

"Yeah, that's the great thing about being on vacation; someone else has to deal with this," he said gleefully.

I'm the one dealing with it most of the time, she thought disgustedly. If she had access to a plunger she'd be taking care of it now too. That would be much less embarrassing than having someone come to their room. Unfortunately, she didn't, and she'd have to call someone to help.

The friendly woman on the other end of the phone promised someone would assist them directly, and a few minutes later there was a knock on the door; it was Jake.

"Problem with your toilet, Ma'-- I mean... Jamie?" His eyes were already starting to water as the horrible funk assaulted his nostrils. He quickly discovered that it wasn't that easy talking to her while trying to hold his breath. The entire room smelled like the horse barn before he shoveled two tons of shit from it.

"Yeah... ummm... it's plugged," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Not by me."

"No problem, it... (cough)... happens all the time."

Chad was in the corner of the room, sitting at the small table, and he'd already pulled his cellphone out again. Jamie quickly shut the door so the stench wouldn't spread into the hall, then she returned to the window to get some more fresh air. A few minutes later Jake emerged from the bathroom. Again, she was mortified. His face had taken on a green tint, and his eyes were watering. "Come stand over here by me; it's safer over here," she suggested.

Jake broke into a big smile while wiping the tears from his eyes. "I'm going into the hallway if that's okay with you." To his surprise, she followed him and closed the door behind her. He easily recognized the embarrassed look on her face and attempted to comfort her. "Hey... listen... it happens all the time, no big deal, okay?"

She heard Chad through the door while he attempted to push his worthless stock on his unsuspecting prospect. "I'm really sorry about this. I feel horrible," she said while reaching for her clutch purse so she could offer him more money for his time and trouble.

"I refuse to accept any more of your money," he said playfully. "But... that doesn't mean that I'm not going to ask you to settle up with me."

Already, she loved his sense of humor; it was something that Chad didn't possess. "Really, now? And just how are you going to make me pay this bill?" she teased.

"We have a big dance tonight that all of the guests attend shortly after supper. You like to dance, right?"

"I love to dance," she said excitedly. "But... I'm more of a city girl. I like to do the bump-and-grind thing." She paused for a moment. "I'm not really a country dancer."

"What? You've never done the two-step? You've never line-danced?"

What she'd said was true. She loved going out partying and clubbing with her girlfriends in Los Angeles. It was something that Chad had always refused to do with her. He had two left feet and no sense of rhythm. "No, I've never danced like that."

"Well, little lady, my fee for unclogging one toilet is that you allow me to teach you how to line dance. An extra fee for the smell is that I show you how to two-step around the floor."

She gave him what she hoped was her best smile. "I'd love that, okay."

"You know, most redheads have green eyes, or maybe brown. But your blue eyes... they're... enchanting."

She wasn't sure what came over her, but in that spontaneous moment she reached, took his hand, and squeezed it. He gave her a dashing smile and a gentle squeeze back.

"So I'll see you tonight, Miss Jamie?"

"Yes, you will."

Chapter Four

"Where's Chad? Don't tell me he left you alone, all dressed up so fancy like you are!" Jake looked Jamie up and down. She wore an Idyllwind brown-and-white cow-print dress that fell slightly above her knees and featured short, off-the-shoulder sleeves. In keeping with the western theme, she'd also purchased a new pair of brown ostrich cowboy boots.

Jamie smiled, a little embarrassed by the attention. "Yes, I'm here on my own. Chad thinks dancing is dumb, especially line dancing." He was up in their room, on his phone, attempting to persuade his clients to purchase stock. It seemed like his phone hadn't left his hand since they arrived, and she was beginning to wonder why he had agreed to come here with her at all.

She gave Jake a quick once-over. "You clean up pretty nice yourself there, cowboy." He wore a blue-and-white checkered cowboy shirt, a pair of blue Wrangler jeans that were held up with a belt, and a large silver belt buckle that he'd won in a rodeo many years ago. A very clean and very white Stetson sat atop his head.

"Well, he doesn't know what he's missing, does he?"

She smiled. "No, he definitely doesn't."

Jake spent the next several minutes showing Jamie the steps for the Cowboy Boogie line dance. They were really quite easy, and she picked them up quickly. When they heard Brooks and Dunn's Boot Scootin' Boogie begin to play, they made their way to the middle of the great room and were joined by most of the other guests and the cowboys too; they were there to provide assistance and encouragement to the other dancers. As everyone moved around to the synchronized moves, she realized just how much fun this was. Jake was a fantastic dancer, always on the beat and never missing a step. She actually felt a little sad because she would have loved sharing this experience with Chad had he only been willing to take a little risk and try something new.

Jamie learned a few more songs with Jake's help and finally needed a break after the surprising workout she'd received. Jake followed her off the floor. "Can I interest you in getting a drink with me, little lady? Anything you want, I'm buyin'."

She chuckled because it was all-inclusive; she had already paid for her drinks, and he knew it. But she wanted to play along. "Well, that would just tickle me to death, pardner!" she said in her best faux-Southern drawl, which made him smile. He put his arm on the small of her back and guided her over to the bar. Jake ordered a beer and she requested a Cosmopolitan, which wasn't really a country drink but had always been her favorite.

"Cheers!" she said.

"Giddy up," Jake replied. She smiled at his goofiness. "So, where are you from?" he asked.

"I grew up in Glendale, California, but we live in Costa Mesa now," she said after taking a sip of her drink.

"Wow, Los Angeles, way too many people for me."

"Hey, we have cowboys in LA," she said playfully.

"You have urban cowboys, not the same thing at all."

"Yeah, I guess it's not." She paused for a moment. "So, you're telling me that you're the real deal, huh?"

"Yes, Ma'am, I am. I was born in Texas, but really, I've been all around. I've been a full-fledged cowboy for only about twenty years, though. But I've been ridin' since I was about two."

She wished she could have conversations like this with Chad, just simple exchanges without any hidden agendas or overt drama. So much of the time, she had to work at relating to Chad, and this felt nothing like that. "So you can really do all of that cowboy stuff?"

"I can. I can rope, ride, and I love taking care of animals. I guess I've pretty much done it all at one time or another."

"The last time I was on a horse, I was here, with my parents."

There was a little longing in her voice that he easily picked up on. "I hope next time 'round you'll bring them with you."

"They passed away in a car accident a few years back," she said. She could feel her eyes get misty as she thought of them.

He quickly reached out, took her hand, and squeezed it. "I'm truly sorry about that, Jamie," he said sincerely.

"It's okay. This place brings back so many good memories. I've wanted to get back here for so long, and I'm glad I finally got the opportunity."

There were about a million more questions that he wanted to ask about her life, but he held back. She was a guest, after all, not to mention engaged, and he decided not to overstep his bounds. They'd finished their drinks, and the song that was playing ended. "So, now that you're a seasoned pro with line dancing, you ready to try the two-step?"

"You bet. Lead the way, cowboy," she said jubilantly.

He spent the next couple of minutes teaching her the two-step; she picked it up even quicker than the line dances. They danced to three more songs as he led her around the dance floor. There were a few times when they did a promenade that reminded her of tango dancing she'd seen on TV, and her body pressed into his, which sent little tingles through her. They did a double twirl at the end of each song where her large breasts sensually crushed up against his muscled chest.

The DJ announced the night's last song, and Stand by Your Man began playing. There were a few moments of awkward silence. Of course, this was a slow song that meant a slow dance. Even though he didn't know it, this was her mother's favorite song, and she desperately wanted to dance with him. When he extended his arms, she quickly slipped into them. She loved being in his big strong arms and feeling his body against hers. They moved effortlessly, seamlessly together, in perfect unity, as one. He made her feel so safe and protected. She got a bit lost in the romantic moment and rested her head on his chest for the song's last minute. He made her feel alive and roused emotions that she hadn't felt in years. All too soon, the song ended, the DJ thanked everyone for attending, and the couple reluctantly disengaged from the embrace.

She quickly glanced at her watch. It was only 9:30, and she didn't want this perfect night to end. Fortunately, neither did he. "Would you like to get another drink?" he asked.

"I'd love that," she whispered.

He guided her to the bar, his hand resting on the small of her back. After ordering their drinks, they sat across from each other at a small table. "I think you've been lying to me, little lady." There was such a stoic, stern look on his face she didn't know what to make of it at first, but then he broke into a big grin. "I think you're a natural country dancer."

She gave him a warm smile. "I had a good teacher."

They each took a sip of their drinks, but she wanted to continue their conversation. "So what do you do around here besides unclogging toilets?" she teased.

"I guess I'm a jack-of-all-trades. Mostly I do maintenance work, sometimes tend the animals, anything they need me to do, really." He paused for a moment before directing the same question at her. "And what do you do?"

"I sell jewelry in a shop in Newport Beach."

"Well, I'm always in the market for a new belt buckle," he quipped.

She played along with his little joke. "We don't have many cowboys coming into the store, but I could always order you one."

He laughed. "So, what're your plans for tomorrow?"

"We signed up for the morning horse ride and lunch. Chad says he's ridden a lot, so it should be nice."

"That's great. The Trail Boss, Darryl, and one of my friends, Calvin, are leading that."

Her heart sank just a little. She hoped that she'd be able to see him again, but obviously, that wasn't going to happen. Jamie looked into her martini glass, swirling the last bit of it around before she finished it, and she chastised herself. I shouldn't care what Jake's doing, anyway. I need to refocus myself. "What do you guys say up here, 'time to hit the hay'?"

"Yeah, me too. I'll... ummm... see you to your room."

They stood up and walked towards the large wooden staircase. As they climbed the stairs, Jake again rested his hand on the small of her back, which sent little tingles through her body. When they reached her door, she unlocked it, opened it, and saw that Chad was in bed, asleep and snoring. Jake quickly scanned the hallway, ensuring that there were no other guests. Then she turned around and faced him. "I had a wonderful evening. Thank you so much for the dancing lessons."

He looked into her longing, sparkling-green eyes. "You're welcome, little Miss." He wasn't sure what to do next, so he extended his hand. In that sensual moment, she got caught up, lost in the entire romantic evening that they'd shared. She leaned in, slipping into his arms, and they shared a little kiss, their lips briefly melting together. Just as he leaned back, breaking their passionate embrace, he felt her tongue momentarily brush against his.

"I hope that I see you around, Jake," she whispered.

"I'd love that, Jamie."