Victoria laughed as the couple started in again, playfully bickering back and forth.She felt a slight pain in her chest.She wanted this one day.She wanted to have a man who stood beside her and helped her get through the tough times.She’d never had that before.
Trisha tried to ignore her husband as she pulled Victoria over to a small group of men.
“Guys, I’d like you to meet Victoria.She’s kind of new around here.”
“What do you mean, kind of?”one of the men asked.
“She used to come visit her uncle a few times a year.She’s Lester Robertson’s niece.That’s how we met and became friends.”
Each man held out his hand and introduced himself.All three were real cowboys, from their dusty boots to their cowboy hats.Victoria thought each one was appealing in their own way.All three were handsome, well-built, and looked very nice.
“Guys, can you take care of her for a bit?My husband’s calling for me.”
“Absolutely.It would be our pleasure.”
“What are you going to do with the ranch, Victoria?”the tall blond man who looked a little like Robert Redford asked.
Victoria glanced around nervously.She wasn’t used to being the center of attention, much less surrounded by three large, good-looking men.
“I’m going to run it.”
All three looked at each other.Another man spoke.“Are you sure you want to try that?It can be extremely dangerous for a man, let alone a little thing like you?”
Victoria would have been insulted if she hadn’t seen the genuine concern on their faces.
“I won’t try the heavy-duty jobs because I know I can’t handle them, but I can keep up the yard and take care of the chickens and goats.If we get a motherless calf, I’ll take care of it, so the men don’t have to.”
They still looked worried.
“Chicken can peck at you and break the skin and very easily get infected, even a calf can kick hard, and goats bite and will butt you with their heads.”
“I’m careful.”
“Why don’t you have a man to help?”
She still didn’t feel insulted, although many of the women she knew would have been.She’d found out the men down South tended to have the need to protect women, and frankly, she liked being treated like a woman.
“I just moved here, and I’ve been so busy with the ranch, I haven’t had time to socialize.”
The man with kind eyes smiled.“Well, I’m glad you came tonight.”
Victoria smiled.“I am, too.”
