Lucy had slept in for the first time, so she arrived at the stables
late. Kevin had several horse saddled up. "What's going on?" she asked.
"I have a group coming to ride. And Ben did make it home. Late. If you care."
"Oh, well that's good. Ya know, you 2 are nothing alike. There are similarities but you're driven and purposeful."
"Is that right." Kevin leaned against the railing and eyed her.
"And both of you have that goofy sideways grin."
Kevin became uncomfortable and turned to finish saddling the horses. "I kept Aldebaran for you to ride."
"Well actually I'm going into town today. Unless of course – she have him her most sincere smile – you'll saddle up Destiny."
"Nice try." He smiled, showing off his straight white teeth. His expression wasn't smug, but slightly amused and genuine.
She frowned and went to the door. She looked over her shoulder and he was till looking at her. He was watching her with a look she didn't understand.
Lucy went to her room and gathered her finest paintings. She walked down to Juniper Falls and found the fine arts gallery. Ms. Walker looked over and studied her painting. She agreed to sell them and they would split the profit 50/50. This would be the first independent thing she had done in a long time; and she was proud. If the paintings sold, she would be able to make a living. The ranch could be her home.
She quickly walked back to the ranch. If this was going to be her home there were things she needed. Clothes, better art supplies – but mainly clothes. She just needed transportation. She walked past the kitchen and saw Ben sitting in the chair hunched over. She walked over and he took her hand. "I'm so sorry that you had to walk home last night."
"Well you're lucky I'm in such a good mood. I have a favor to ask."
Kevin walked into the kitchen and poured himself some lemonade.
"Anything" Ben said.
"Can I borrow your car?"
"Not that" Ben replied.
"C'mon Ben you owe her after last night" Kevin broke in.
"Please I need to do real shopping. I need clothes and high quality art supplies." She looked at Kevin. Maybe she should have asked for his truck.
"Well why don't I drive you."
She didn't want that. "Ben please."
"I love you honey, but you can't take the car. So I'll just drive you."
Kevin quickly added, "Just make sure she doesn't have to walk home this time Ben. Be a gentleman."
Ben rolled his eyes and suddenly grabbed her hand. "Let's go now."
They drove for what seemed like forever to Lucy. She didn't think she could stand much longer to be in the car with him. Although Denver was nice, it wasn't that great. Ben seemed to sense her reaction and said, "It's not New York baby."
They finally found at art supply store. Lucy bought a lot of supplies, because she wasn't sure if she would be able to come again. Then they drove to the mall and 4 hours later she handed Ben another bag and was heading to the next store.
Ben caught her arm, "Lucy don't you think you've shopped enough? I think I've repaid my debt. Why don't we go eat dinner and then go to a movie?"
She saw the earnest look in his eyes and panic overcame her body.
"Lucy, I'm sorry I wasn't that much of a gentleman last night. I really am. You are such a wonderful woman and it won't ever happen again. I promise. Since we're here why don't we just enjoy ourselves? Don't you think I deserve something for all of this?"
She shrugged him off and started for the doors.
"Okay, we'll compromise. How about we stop at a place on the way back to Juniper Falls. I know the perfect place."
"BBQ ribs to die for?" she mocked.
"No, authentic Italian food. I'll be on my best behavior, scout's honor."
Against her better judgment Lucy said, "Okay, we'll make an evening of it."
"Great, now get into a dressing room and put on this stunning dress. I have slacks and a jacket in the car. I'll see you in 10."
She sighed. "Fine." She found a dressing room and put on the dress. It had a scoop neck that showed more than she intended on Ben to see. It fell just above the knee. She pulled a blouse out of one of her bags and put it on. Much better. Not perfect, but it would have to work. She walked out to the car and saw Ben waiting.
"What's with the blouse over the dress?"
"Do you like it? Good. Let's go."
They arrived at the restaurant and they ordered the night's special. While they were waiting, Lucy told him she would be right back; she was going to the lady's room.
"Lose the blouse while you're there."
She smiled at the comment and left. She stood in front of the mirror and took off the blouse. It was really all about trust. Her pulse throbbed. After staring in the mirror, she put it back on. Ben would be disappointed.
They ate their dinner and began the way back to Juniper Falls. They arrived at the ranch and Lucy turned and smiled. "I had a nice time with you Ben."
"I had a nice time with you too Lucy."
She got out of the car, grabbed her bags, and went to the porch and climbed the steps. Ben stopped her at the door. "What's the hurry Miss Camden?"
She knew the routine. She knew what he was expecting. "Well I'm really tired and would like to get to bed. Thank you for driving me Ben. Would you mind opening the door?"
He laughed. "Sure anything for you Lucy."
A/N: Please review! I'm getting ready to go to a new student conference for college and I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update, so please bear with me :)
"I have a group coming to ride. And Ben did make it home. Late. If you care."
"Oh, well that's good. Ya know, you 2 are nothing alike. There are similarities but you're driven and purposeful."
"Is that right." Kevin leaned against the railing and eyed her.
"And both of you have that goofy sideways grin."
Kevin became uncomfortable and turned to finish saddling the horses. "I kept Aldebaran for you to ride."
"Well actually I'm going into town today. Unless of course – she have him her most sincere smile – you'll saddle up Destiny."
"Nice try." He smiled, showing off his straight white teeth. His expression wasn't smug, but slightly amused and genuine.
She frowned and went to the door. She looked over her shoulder and he was till looking at her. He was watching her with a look she didn't understand.
Lucy went to her room and gathered her finest paintings. She walked down to Juniper Falls and found the fine arts gallery. Ms. Walker looked over and studied her painting. She agreed to sell them and they would split the profit 50/50. This would be the first independent thing she had done in a long time; and she was proud. If the paintings sold, she would be able to make a living. The ranch could be her home.
She quickly walked back to the ranch. If this was going to be her home there were things she needed. Clothes, better art supplies – but mainly clothes. She just needed transportation. She walked past the kitchen and saw Ben sitting in the chair hunched over. She walked over and he took her hand. "I'm so sorry that you had to walk home last night."
"Well you're lucky I'm in such a good mood. I have a favor to ask."
Kevin walked into the kitchen and poured himself some lemonade.
"Anything" Ben said.
"Can I borrow your car?"
"Not that" Ben replied.
"C'mon Ben you owe her after last night" Kevin broke in.
"Please I need to do real shopping. I need clothes and high quality art supplies." She looked at Kevin. Maybe she should have asked for his truck.
"Well why don't I drive you."
She didn't want that. "Ben please."
"I love you honey, but you can't take the car. So I'll just drive you."
Kevin quickly added, "Just make sure she doesn't have to walk home this time Ben. Be a gentleman."
Ben rolled his eyes and suddenly grabbed her hand. "Let's go now."
They drove for what seemed like forever to Lucy. She didn't think she could stand much longer to be in the car with him. Although Denver was nice, it wasn't that great. Ben seemed to sense her reaction and said, "It's not New York baby."
They finally found at art supply store. Lucy bought a lot of supplies, because she wasn't sure if she would be able to come again. Then they drove to the mall and 4 hours later she handed Ben another bag and was heading to the next store.
Ben caught her arm, "Lucy don't you think you've shopped enough? I think I've repaid my debt. Why don't we go eat dinner and then go to a movie?"
She saw the earnest look in his eyes and panic overcame her body.
"Lucy, I'm sorry I wasn't that much of a gentleman last night. I really am. You are such a wonderful woman and it won't ever happen again. I promise. Since we're here why don't we just enjoy ourselves? Don't you think I deserve something for all of this?"
She shrugged him off and started for the doors.
"Okay, we'll compromise. How about we stop at a place on the way back to Juniper Falls. I know the perfect place."
"BBQ ribs to die for?" she mocked.
"No, authentic Italian food. I'll be on my best behavior, scout's honor."
Against her better judgment Lucy said, "Okay, we'll make an evening of it."
"Great, now get into a dressing room and put on this stunning dress. I have slacks and a jacket in the car. I'll see you in 10."
She sighed. "Fine." She found a dressing room and put on the dress. It had a scoop neck that showed more than she intended on Ben to see. It fell just above the knee. She pulled a blouse out of one of her bags and put it on. Much better. Not perfect, but it would have to work. She walked out to the car and saw Ben waiting.
"What's with the blouse over the dress?"
"Do you like it? Good. Let's go."
They arrived at the restaurant and they ordered the night's special. While they were waiting, Lucy told him she would be right back; she was going to the lady's room.
"Lose the blouse while you're there."
She smiled at the comment and left. She stood in front of the mirror and took off the blouse. It was really all about trust. Her pulse throbbed. After staring in the mirror, she put it back on. Ben would be disappointed.
They ate their dinner and began the way back to Juniper Falls. They arrived at the ranch and Lucy turned and smiled. "I had a nice time with you Ben."
"I had a nice time with you too Lucy."
She got out of the car, grabbed her bags, and went to the porch and climbed the steps. Ben stopped her at the door. "What's the hurry Miss Camden?"
She knew the routine. She knew what he was expecting. "Well I'm really tired and would like to get to bed. Thank you for driving me Ben. Would you mind opening the door?"
He laughed. "Sure anything for you Lucy."
A/N: Please review! I'm getting ready to go to a new student conference for college and I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update, so please bear with me :)