They made it back to Molly's ranch before Jennifer had made it back from town. To save on time, Jake got off first and helped her off again. She noticed he lingered for a few seconds this time before he let go of her and stepped away.
"If ye can still walk, I'll see ye tomorrow mornin', crack o'dawn," he told her.
"Actual crack of dawn?" she asked to check, dreading to think how early that would be. There was no way she'd be able to get up for that time.
"Fahn, 8am it is," he conceded, allowing for her city ways, before he got back on Maximus. "See ya Molly," he gave her a small wave as he turned the horse towards his own ranch.
"Bye Jake," she waved back, trying not to stare too much as she watched him leave. She couldn't help thinking about how close he'd been sat behind her, or the fact he'd kept his arms around her the entire way home, even if he did seem to try to keep from touching her. Once he'd made it onto his own ground, she turned to head back into the house, already feeling her leg muscles ache. "Ugh, this is gonna be fun," Molly sighed to herself as she unlocked her side door and headed in. She got rid of her note to Jennifer, as it now didn't matter anymore that she'd been out and made her way stiffly back to her room. "Bath, that might be a good idea," she decided and set about drawing one.
Jake glanced back over his shoulder, seeing her turn towards the house now. For a city girl, she wasn't actually bad to hang around with. She just needed some work to get used to country life.
He took his time to ride Maximus back to the ranch, giving himself time to think before he came across Beth. She always knew straight away when he was thinking about stuff and there was no way he wanted his sister anywhere near any of these thoughts. As much as Molly had frustrated him earlier, he couldn't help but like her. Sitting behind her might not have been the smartest idea, as he kept having to stop himself from leaning in closer. Whenever she jostled a little because of Maximus's movements, he felt her breast brush against his arm, and he had to try not to hold his arms even further away from her. Being that close meant he could smell her floral shampoo and perfume. Girls round here sure don't smell that good, he thought, trying to hold on to the memory of her smell. He sighed to himself. Don't get ahead of yerself Jake. A girl like that ain't gonna think twice about a guy like me, he berated himself. He was happy with who he was and how he lived his life, but a city girl like Molly would never give it a second's consideration. And thinking she might was making him as nervous as a pregnant jenny.
"Jake, stop burnin' day light 'n get in here, these here horses ain't gonna ride 'emselves," his father's voice hollered out of the stables. He must have heard the horse's hooves as he came closer.
"Ah'ite pa, wash off yer war paint, I'm comin'," Jake called back, spurring Maximus on for the last bit now, hoping to shrug off his thoughts of her swaying hips as she walked away from him.
"Where ye been?" Duncan Rodgers demanded when he came in leading Maximus to his bay to brush him down.
"Jus' ridin'," his son shrugged casually. "Checkin' the fence out back." The older cowboy continued watching him work for a minute, to try and find out if he was telling yarns. "Have ye seen the new neighbors?" he asked as he pretended to get back to work himself with one of the other horses.
"New neighbors?" Jake feigned innocence.
"Well... old neighbors. Keith 'n Jackie's girls have moved back. 'n they sure be grown up now," Duncan continued with a chuckle.
"Oh?"
"Uh huh. Jennifer 'n … well what's her name, the young'un?"
"Molly," his son answered without thinking, cursing himself immediately for shooting himself in the foot. But hoping his father wouldn't pick up on it.
"Molly ey?" Duncan asked him curiously.
"I jus' met her once a few days ago," he tried to save himself, hoping the flush on his cheeks just thinking about her didn't give him away.
"Uh huh, sure."
The two men didn't speak again as they focused on their chores, but the older cowboy had made his point – he knew his son had noticed the new girl and knew that perhaps he hadn't been alone out riding today. Duncan was focusing on the horses' hooves and gear as Jake got one of the younger, wilder horses ready to expend some of his energy.
Jake had just brought one of their older horses out of its bay when Beth came bounding in.
"Hey Bethy, how was school?" he asked, smile in place straight away. He loved hanging out with her, unless she was being particularly annoying. Their age gap was close to 7 years, which was big enough for her to look up to him rather than be in direct competition with each other. Jake had also only just moved back two years ago after their mother had left. He'd been in his first year of college, but without Cynthia helping around the house and with Beth only being eleven at the time, his father needed his help.
"Fahn," she nodded, walking over to her horse Comet. "Did pa tell ye about the neighbors?" she asked, not very subtly. She'd tried to set him up with one of her new teachers last year.
"He did. Ain'tchya got homework?" Jake turned the conversation, seeing straight through her attempts. That last experience had been a complete disaster. Terri-Ann had been very nice and very pretty, but he'd found it hard to hold a conversation with her that didn't revolve around her pageants or her diet. Already he found Molly a whole lot more interesting and he felt a pull he couldn't explain, one that could get him into trouble. So obviously he wouldn't mind going on a date with Molly, but he didn't want his little sister to know or try to set them up.
"I'll do it later," she promised. Her brother looked at her from where he was stood to give her a look. "Promise!" Beth almost exclaimed when she noticed.
"Sure, sure," he gave in with a chuckle. He glanced over again as she prepared her horse to go for a ride. She had their mother's mousy blond hair but their father's brown eyes and big smile. He found it hard to imagine ever leaving her for good without keeping in touch, which meant he was probably harsher towards Cynthia for leaving than she was. Jake couldn't remember the last time he'd voluntarily spoken about her or even called her 'ma' when he referred to her. "Hurry up, I'll come with ye," Jake told her now, finishing tying the saddle around the horse Sunny.
"Ah'ite, two minutes," Beth said enthusiastically as she grabbed Comet's gear.
"Come on slow poke," he goaded her as he got on and headed out of the stables.
"Yer so annoying!" she called after him, doing her best to get Comet ready without making any mistakes. She heard him laugh at her which only spurred her on more. She pulled herself onto Comet's back and charged him out of the stables, passing her brother as he stood waiting for her.
"Hiyah!" he spurred Sunny on as he chased after his sister.