Dante
“Why does that car look so familiar?”
She didn’t answer me when we pulled up to a building. I had seen the little red sports car before, but it took me a minute to place it. I know that I had seen it before, but where? Then it hit me and I wasn’t sure how to feel.
“Why is Cliff here?”
“He is here for the meeting I was telling you about. I had to meet with him yesterday with some investors. Today we are going over the plan with the bank and more investors. I want you here as my expert.”
I was floored and I could tell by the way she was avoiding my eyes that she knew why I was floored. This was not at all what I expected and it was literally the last thing that I thought would happen. What was I supposed to say to this?
“So you met with Cliff yesterday?”
She nodded her head, still not looking at me and I was a mix of emotions. There was a lot I wanted to say, but now wasn’t the time. Cece was getting out and she had a look on her face like she was asking me silently to be nice. I didn’t want to be nice to such a man, but it had to be important for her to ask.
“Tell me that this is just business?” I don’t think I could have handled it being anything else than that.”
“It’s just business Dante. I would never get back with him.”
“I am just confused why you would have anything to do with him after everything that the two of you went through. I don’t know how you would even be able to be around him. I felt the same way about that woman, but I really can’t understand this.”
I was fuming and I was trying hard not to let it out and let her know that is how I felt. But I couldn’t help it. What the hell was she doing?
“Please let’s not make this a thing Dante. I know that you were going to be mad, but I need you to go in there and pretend that you don’t hate Cliff. This could be really good for the ranch and would take care of all of our money problems.”
I didn’t know that there were money problems and I felt bad that I wasn’t that involved in all of that. I got my check every week and it cleared, so what was I going to say about it now? Now that I knew there was something wrong I could help and as much as I didn’t even like the idea of seeing him again, I knew that I was going to do what was necessary to help, no matter how much I felt like it was going to do my head in.
So the pleasant feelings and butterflies that I was feeling from before were gone. The trip was now leaving a bitter taste in my mouth and I wished that I hadn’t come. The last person that I wanted to see was Cliff. It hadn’t even been a week since she threw him off of the property. I would never understand how she could compartmentalize so much, ranch be damned. I don’t know if I could.
We got into the building and Cliff looked about as happy to see me as I was to see him. He still wanted Cece, I could see it in his eyes when he looked at her. But she was mine now. I had made my mark. It took everything in me not to take the time and pull her to me, claiming her even more in front of everyone. It wasn’t professional, but the only reason that I didn’t do it was because I knew that Cece would not appreciate it at all. So I held back, shaking the hands of the other people in the meeting and ignoring the hand out from Cliff. I was trying to make it an oversight to everyone else, but to him, he should know that it was a slight.
Sitting down, it wasn’t long before the scope of the meeting was clear to me. Cece and Cliff had come up with an idea to lease out our horses for the day or weekend like someone would do a car. I didn’t know how I felt about it, but numbers and projections were being thrown around that I had a hard time ignoring. This could be lucrative and it was the first time I looked at Cece as a business woman. I was there for the horse and handling side of it, but everything else was already played out in her head. She had a handle on all of it and it made me realize even more how capable she was. To be as young as she was, she had really changed the ranch for the better and it looked like she was on her way to doing more of that.
Cliff wasn’t as big of a problem as I thought he would be. Cece basically ignored him unless he asked a direct question and even then she was short. A comment was made about the iciness in the room and she just shrugged and didn’t mention why it was that way. It was because she was far more professional and grown up than I was.
It was a strange meeting, but by the end of it a contract was signed that was going to make Cece and the ranch a lot of money. I voiced some concerns about having someone with the horses at all times, but she wanted to talk about it more in depth when we weren’t in front of people. I took it as the ride home was as good of a place as any to do so. I had so many questions and not very many had anything to do with Cliff. I wanted to know where she had come up with the idea for it.
“Well Cliff was telling me about a few of his friends that were invited to the rodeo, but couldn’t find a horse in time or the one they were using had an injury. Since horses are fairly expensive to maintain, one is enough for many. We have all of these wonderful horses that are ready to go and it seemed like we just needed to put the two together. So when I was at the rodeo last week, I did some talking to some people, gave out some flyers and the phone has been nonstop ever since.”
It was a strange way to come about it and I didn’t like that Cliff was involved. “So how did Cliff get involved?”
Cece was just looking at the road and didn’t let on her emotions. “I don’t know, this was happening before we had the falling out. He called me the next morning to see if I was still going to go and I decided I was. It is a great opportunity for the ranch. It will get our name out there and the extra revenue will go a long way to a remodel. There are many things that need to be replaced. Not to mention I will be able to pay you all a better wage. You will be getting a raise this next week, since you will have new duties. But no more mending fences for you. I think this is going to keep you busy.”
“I think it is a great idea, but what about the horses? I don’t know if I am comfortable leaving them with some stranger. They have to be taken care of. It’s our duty to make sure of it.”
She pondered it for a moment and agreed that it was dangerous to just let it go. “You are right Dante. We will have to find someone else that can go with first timers that lease one. I know that you are particular about who works with the horses, so you are more than welcome to pick a couple of handlers. I would rather you pick out from who we got. We can trust most of them and hands are easier to find. This is going to be a good raise for whoever you choose.”
I was a little flabbergasted that she was giving me so much more responsibility. It meant that she believed in me and I was glad for it because I knew that I would never do anything to ruin that trust that she had for me. I really did respect her and want nothing but to help her. We were feeling more and more like a couple. Was this because of what happened the last couple of nights or was this the plan all along?
“How long have you been planning this?”
“Not too long. A couple of weeks. I didn’t even know if it was going to go through. That is why I am just telling you now. That meeting was the last of them and I knew that it would be better with you there. You are going to have a major role here with the ranch. Are you sure you are up for it?”
I nodded my head and told her that I was. “I am not going anywhere Cece.”
“Good, because I need you.”
“In more ways than one I hope.”
She smiled at me and there was a faint look of lust in her eyes, most likely something that she was trying to hide because just as quickly it was gone. But the look had done its damage and when we stopped for something to eat at a small diner by the interstate, I was sick of waiting around. I pulled her into a bathroom and took her against the wall.
When we walked out, her hair was messed up and her clothes were crooked, but she had never been so beautiful to me before. I absolutely loved the way she looked after she had found pleasure. The fact that I was the one that was giving her that look made it all the better. I didn’t know how else to describe it but it was pure perfect. It seemed that everything about Cece I found perfect.
Back in the truck, I drove and she leaned against my shoulder. Even before all of this, I had enjoyed the way she felt leaned up against me, but now I got to rub her while she laid there and it made it a hundred times better.
When she fell asleep, it felt like all of the stars had finally aligned in my life. It wasn’t a feeling I was used to having, this grip like feel over my heart, but lord help me I did. The woman curled up against me was perfect and I loved her.
It was one realization of many for the day. I had likely always felt this way, but now it was impossible to ignore. Cece was what I had been looking for this whole time. Now that I knew it, I was never going to do anything to mess it up.
At the ranch I shook her awake and she smiled at me. It was better than the old reaction of embarrassment.
“Sorry I went to sleep. I swear you are like a sleeping pill Dante. I always sleep better after we are together.”
It was one of the best compliments that I had heard in a long time and it really made me smile. There was just something about the way she looked at me and the way that my heart melted when she did.
“Are you coming over or am I going to you?” I just wanted to make it clear I wasn’t done with her yet.
“Um, I think you should come to me. The walls aren’t very thick over at the hand house and I am already getting looks.”
I waved her off and kissed her before we went our separate ways. It was hard to say goodbye to her, even though I was going to see her rather quickly. I just couldn’t get enough of her. This had to be the love that I always heard about. I had never felt it before, but I knew that with Cece this was what it was.