Tacoma Falls: Home and Heart

Choices

Mary

Patsy took off like a big bird, hauling ass away from the Shaw ranch. I finished my work and climbed into my car.

Beau approached my opened window. "I'll pick you up at seven."

"Why don't I meet you there?" I smiled sweetly at Beau.

"Because I know you. You either won't show or bolt when you don't like what you hear."

My smile vanished like a poof of smoke. "Fine. But you better make it worth my time." I started the engine and drove way before I ran Beau over with my car.

I would rather deal with rattlesnakes than sit with Beau in a restaurant. We're not at that point to have a nice meal without me shooting daggers at him. Beau has a lot of work to do before the ice around my heart thaws.

I arrived home, showered, and changed into dark slacks and a lovely floral top. I refuse to wear a dress for Beau Shaw. The less skin he sees, the better.

I stomped down the steps in black pumps, catching my folks' attention, who were sitting on the sofa.

"Going somewhere, Lambchop?" Pa asked me.

"Beau is forcing me to have dinner with him." I put my hand on my waist and threw my arm aside.

"Well, a nice meal after a hard day's work is good," Ma said.

"Company excluded," I huffed.

"It's just dinner, Mary. No one says you need to run down the aisle."

"Not in this lifetime or the next." I put my hand up. It would be a cold day in hell before I allowed Beau to drag me down the aisle. He's lucky I'm having dinner with him.

Beau arrived promptly at seven when he knocked on the front door. Pa answered it and waved me to Beau. Why wasn't Pa questioning Beau's intentions? He was sending me to the slaughter.

I strolled past Pa and Beau and stormed to the truck. I didn't wait for Beau to open my door. I climbed inside and slammed the door shut. If Beau thought this was a date, he was sadly mistaken. He was forcing me to have dinner with him so I could listen to his lame ass excuses.

Beau got behind the steering wheel, cranked the engine, and drove us to town. "You look beautiful, little lamb."

"Don't think sweet talking will earn you any favors, Beauregard." I sat with my arms folded and stared out the window.

"I wouldn't dream of it. But you look beautiful. You always do even when you have mud on your face, and you have your hair piled on your head."

"Then you need glasses. No man considers a woman beautiful when they're a mess."

"I do. I prefer my woman to be more natural and do what she loves over that fancy hair and makeup. Growing up on a ranch, you always get dirty."

Beau wasn't lying. Ranch life was dirty. Wearing fancy dresses and shoes didn't work around mud and dirt. Jeans and boots are more ideal.

"Give me a woman in jeans and cowboy boots over anyone in a dress and heels any day."

I glanced at Beau as he smiled while driving. I didn't understand why he would wrap himself up with Dixie. She was far from the ranch life as you can get.

"What's with the look?"

"How did you ever date Dixie? The snake has never worked a hard day in her life. She doesn't even like animals or farms."

"Dixie put on a good show, claiming to love the ranch. She even wore fancy cowboy boots and designer jeans. I should have realized it was all fake when she screamed at a cow."