Susan stands against the railing and watches the bull rider as he tries to beat the other guy’s time. Her right arm was still hurting her from earlier this morning, when several bales of hay had fallen on her. She had shown-up to work on time like Jake had told her too. She had parked her Cadillac with the other employee’s car and the poor thing looked out of place with their vehicles. Everyone else’s truck or car were rusted, dusty, old and beaten-up. Here she was driving a new SUV and it was nice and shiny.

The men she was working with treated her like an outsider and commented on how much of a city girl she was. They even called her Princess, because of her SUV. She didn’t let it bother her as she did her job. Sure, she made mistakes and took the blame for it, but she was willing to do any job Jake gave her. She was going to prove that she would and could do any job she was given.

“Hey! Princess, you need to go and get the gear ready. Jake wants it all nice and shiny for his ride this afternoon.” Sam had been told by Fred that Jake wanted his gear polish and ready for his ride later. He hadn’t said that the new girl had to do it, but he figures since she is the low man on the totem pole now, she could do it.

Susan looks over at him. Jake had told her she could watch the bull riders, but she knew that when there was work to be done, she was to do it.

“Okay!” Susan walks away from the railing and heads towards Jake’s horse trailer.

She knew how to clean and polish tack. That was the first job she learned when she went to camp. She grabs Jake’s saddle and carries it over to a saw horse and starts checking it out. She notices that some of the stitching was coming loose in some areas. She fixes the stitching and gives the saddle a very good polishing.

“So, this is where you disappeared at. I thought you were watching the bull riding?” Jake comes walking up.

“I was, but Sam said that you wanted your saddle polish for tonight’s ride.” Susan looks up at Jake.

“I do, but I told Fred to do it. You’ve been working hard ever since you got here this morning and I felt you needed a break.” Jake examines his saddle.

“Well, I guess they felt since I was the low man on the totem pole, it was my job.” Susan starts putting things away.

“Well, you did a good job. Where did you learn to fix and repair saddles?” Jake was impress with the work she had done.

“First week of summer camp the guy that taught me, was an old bull rider. I would spend all day with him for the first two weeks learning everything I could about saddles and tackle.” Susan was feeling tired. However, she was enjoying herself.

“Are you hungry?” Jake looks at Susan and could tell she was looking tired.

“Yep, I could eat a horse right now.” Susan hadn’t had breakfast before she left her hotel room.

“Come on, let’s go and put some food in your stomach.” Jake wraps his arm around Susan’s shoulder and escorts her to a nearby vender and places an order for them.

Susan watches as the guy makes their order. He wasn’t holding anything back when he made their lunches. The container he put everything in was barely holding it.

“Thanks George.” Jake accepts their orders and he escorts Susan over to a table to sit down and eat.

They eat in quiet. Susan devours her lunch. She didn’t realize how hungry she was.

“Where you get the Cadillac, I saw you pull up in this morning?” Jake had to admit it was impressive.

“I took it from my husband. We had just brought it a week ago. He wouldn’t let me drive it, even though it’s in my name. So, I decided to take it when I left. I figure it was mine after all.” Susan eats what’s left of her sandwich.

“What type of work does your husband do?” Jake had some ideas, but he wanted Susan to tell him.

Susan looks at Jake “the type that gets you killed. I didn’t know till we had been married for a few weeks. That’s when I found out the truth. I was hoping by me being pregnant, it would make him change. I was wrong on both accounts. It only pushed him harder to sell his drugs and make a name for himself.”

Jake could see it in her eyes, that she was telling the truth.

“So, is that why you decided to leave him?” Jake takes a sip of the beer he had gotten with his lunch.

Susan looks down at the table and then back up at Jake “I think you already know the answer to that question. Make-up can only hide so much.”

“True! It can only hide so much. Like I told you last night Susan, your welcome to work on my ranch if that’s what you want. Are you considering getting a divorce from him?” Jake takes another drink.

“Actually, I was going to see what the requirements were for getting one here in this state. Because I really don’t want to go back to Virginia, besides his last departing words were, I’ll kill you if you come back.” Susan takes a sip of her ice tea.

“Sounds good, now let’s get you back to work.” Jake finishes his beer and stands up.

“Has any one ever accused you of being a slave driver?” Susan looks at him.

“All the time kiddo, now get up and get back to work.” Jake helps Susan up.

Susan and Jake walk back to where the animals are kept, and she goes back to work with the rest of the workers. By the time Jake let’s her go. Susan is sore, tired and smelly. She takes a shower at the fair grounds and changes into a clean set of clothes and has fun later at the fairgrounds. She stays till about midnight and goes back to her hotel.

The rest of the week for her was just as grueling as her first day. Not only was she doing jobs for Jake, but helping the other cowboys and cowgirls during the week. If Jake didn’t need her for a job or gave her some time off, she would volunteer to help during some of the rodeo events. The other workers she works with kept giving her the crappy jobs and things they didn’t want to do.

One day while she is taking care of the trash, Susan hears a crash and then a pure huge black horse appears out of nowhere and comes running towards her followed by several men. She could see that the horse was spook and scared. As the horse comes by, Susan swings up onto the horse and holds onto his mane and uses her legs muscles to control the horse. The horse starts bucking trying to get Susan off his back.

She tightens her thigh muscles and tries getting the horse under control. The first time she ever rode was bareback. This was nothing new to her. The horse keeps trying to buck her off, but Susan holds tight.

“I don’t think so boy.” Susan tightens her thigh and calf muscles and pulls gently on his mane.

The horse finally stops bucking as Susan tames him. She manages to get him under control. She turns him around, so she is facing every one.

Jake looks up at her like a proud father. The guys that had run after the horse stands next to him looking at her.

“Who would have thought?” The men that Susan works with look up at their Princess.

Susan looks down at the men that had come running after the horse.

“How much do you want for him?” She had a serious look on her face.

“You couldn’t afford him.” A big burly guy comes walking up to where Susan sat.

The horse starts acting aggressive and bares his teeth at him.

“I would say he doesn’t like you. I’ll ask you again, how much do you want for him?” Susan stayed where she was and petted the stallion on the side of his neck.

“It will cost you Forty-Five thousand little girl, non-negotiable.” The guy gives Susan an evil smile.

“Done, you’ll have your money in about thirty minutes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and get you your money.” Susan rides off on the stallion back towards Jake’s horse trailer.

When she arrives, she gets down off the stallion and ties him up at Jake trailer.

“You be a good boy till I get back.” She scratches him near his ears.

She walks out to her Cadillac and gets in it. She was glad for the tinted windows. There was no way any one would be able to see inside the Cadillac to see what she was doing. She goes to the secret compartment in the SUV and retrieves the money from its hiding spot. She’s going to need to go by the bank and set-up an account for the rest. As she walks back to Jake’s trailer, she notices Jake standing by her horse and petting it.

“What do you think?” Susan loved the horse.

“I think he’s taking advantage of you. Other than that, he’s a fine horse.” Jake turns around to look at Susan.

“Does he prefer a check or cash?” Susan hopes it was cash.

“Cash, why?” Jake gives Susan a worried look.

“Because, here is his money” Susan tosses a brown paper bag to Jake.

Jake catches the brown bag.

“Would you mind handling the transaction for me please? Because I think my friend here needs to be pampered some. Also, would you mind if I kept him near your horse?” Susan looks towards her horse.

“I’ll get you a stall. Do I want to know where this money came from?” Jake thinks he already knows.

“It was a departing gift from my husband along with other things. I’ll explain everything later to you Jake, I promise. I’m going to need your help with something I should have done when I first got here.” Susan was thinking about all the weapons she still had hidden in the Cadillac.

Jake looks at Susan “you do know we’ll be leaving in two days?”

“Yep! I can either do what I should have done by then, or when we get back to your ranch. I just know it needs to be done.” Susan walks up to her Stallion and pets him. She had always loved horses and now she had one of her own.

Jake steps close to Susan “What is it that you need to get rid of?”

“A cache of weapons, Jake. I got rid of that stuff when I learned it was in the Cadillac and I was transporting it. It’s part of some farmers fields right now.” Susan gives him a smile.

“Weapons!” Jake kept his voice low. “What type of weapons are we talking about Susan?”

“Handguns, AK-47’s, sub-machine guns one or two repeating shotguns. It was my husband’s side business, next to selling drugs.” Susan was petting her horse.

Jake stands there for a second and thinks “look, I know a gun smith that might be willing to buy them off you, no questions ask. He can either use them for parts or destroy them for you. Don’t do anything till we get back to the ranch, alright?”

“Okay!”

“So how are you going to get your horse back to the ranch?” He pets the Stallion as well. He was a fine Andalusian horse. A little underweight, but he would be well taken care of when he got back to the ranch.

“I was wondering if you could transport him back in your trailer. I notice it’s big enough for two, if not, I could rent one and drive him back.” Susan hopes Jake would do it. She had never driven with a trailer attached to the Cadillac before.

“I’ll do it. One more thing you’ll be staying up at the main house with me and my family as well. I don’t think it would be a good idea of having you stay down at the bunk house with the other guys. There not use to having teenagers who are of the female gender staying with them. Plus, my wife thought it might be safer and better for you up at the main house.” Jake had called his wife and explained things to her about Susan.
She even thought it might be better if she stayed up at the main house as well.

“Thanks” Susan had a smile on her face.

“You’re welcome. I better go and pay for your horse, because your time is almost up.” Jake walks off with the brown paper bag in his hand. He knew the guy Susan had brought the horse from and knew he would hold her to the thirty-minute time limit she had said.

Susan turns her attention back to her horse.

“So? What should I name you?” Susan borrows Jake’s horse brush. She was going to have to buy her own and a saddle for him.

Susan gives him a good brushing and attention. She could see scars where he had been abused by his former owner. She may not have grown up around horses like most of the people around her have, but she did spend a whole summer working on a horse ranch learning about horses and how to treat and care for them.

“You were impressive.” A woman Susan had helped a few times during the week comes walking up to her.

“Thanks.” Susan continues to brush her stallion.

“Where did you learn to ride like that?” Elizabeth had seen how Susan had swung up on the Stallion and controlled him with just her leg muscles.

“My mentor Greg Summersong taught me. He said if I wanted to learn how to ride a horse, I’ll learn bareback first.” Susan pets her horse.

The stallion just rumbles from the attention he was getting from this young girl.

“Well, I have to say you did well. I was impressed along with several other people I spoke too. Why don’t you join me and a few friends later tonight when you get off?” Elizabeth wanted to know more about Susan. She already knew that she was sixteen years old and had just started working for Jake Meadows. She knew Jake would look out for her. He was a good man and a good boss to work for. She had worked for him for many years, till she got her own place. Elizabeth had seen the SUV the girl had driven up in and wonders where she got that type of money. Plus, when she had told ole’ Garrigan he would have his money in thirty minutes for the horse.

“Thanks. I don’t remember your name.” Susan couldn’t remember this woman’s name. She knew her from helping her couple of days ago, but had forgotten it.

“Elizabeth Cunning. I own Buzz Woods Stables; it’s a small ranch down the road from Jake’s.” Elizabeth sticks her hand out for Susan to shake.

Susan accepts it “Mines, Susan Hensworth.” She returns the shake and then let’s goes.

“Sure, I would like to join you and your friend’s later Elizabeth.” Susan couldn’t believe she was making some new friends and she had only been here for a week now.

“Okay! We’re going to be over at the barn.” Elizabeth points out the direction towards a huge barn near the fairground that has been used all week.

Susan looks over towards it.

“I should be getting off in about an hour or so. Jake’s letting me get off early today, since I stayed late last night.

“We’ll when you’re done, come on over. Everyone is going to be there, and it should be fun.”

“I’ll be there.” Susan gives Elizabeth a friendly smile as she watches her walk off. She knows Elizabeth had to go and check on some animals she brought earlier today.

Susan goes back to work, cleaning out the trailer and laying down a light dusting of new hay for it. She cleans and checks everything. They were going to head out in two days. She had already packed up her hotel room and settle her bill. She had two days left on her bill that were paid for.

Susan doesn’t hear Jake as he approaches.

“Looks good and you’re the owner of a full-blooded Andalusian.” Jake holds the paper work out for Susan to look over.

She smiles when she reads the name they had put on his paper work. It read Midnight Chao’s.

Susan looks up at Jake “I would say that name suits him really well.”

“I have to agree with you. I got you the stall next to mine. That way we can see how your horse will do with strangers around him. Are you sure you’re ready for this type of responsibility?” Jake gives Susan that fatherly look he has taken towards her.

“Yes dad. I’m sure. I do have some experience with taking care of a horse.” Susan just shakes her head. She had notice that Jake treats her more like a daughter, instead of an employee.

“Did Elizabeth come over yet to invite you to the barn dance taking place tonight?” Jake had asked Elizabeth to invite Susan. She had been working hard this past week and he wanted her to have some fun, before they left.

Susan looks at him “Did you put her up to it?”

“Nope she had been looking for you earlier to invite you. You had been doing the trash when she came over looking for you.” Jake was lucky he had an excuse.

“Yes, she did. I thought I would go.” Susan figures she would enjoy it.

“Well, have a good time. My wife and daughter are coming to town and I am going to spend the night with them. You remember no alcoholic drinks for you.” He points his finger at Susan.

“Yes dad.” She steps on her tip toes and gives Jake a kiss on the cheek.

Jake just shakes his head and walks off with her ownership papers in his hand.

“I’ll put these in my files for you, till you get one of your own.”

“Thanks Jake.” Susan goes back to what she is doing and then goes to check on her horse, to see how he was doing.

“Hey boy” Susan walks up to the stall he was in.

Midnight Chaos sticks his head out for her and nudges Susan’s shoulder.

“I hope you are enjoying your accommodations boy. Once we get back to Jake’s ranch, you can run around with the rest of his herd.” She scratches on his nose and holds him to her cheek.

“You’re going to spoil the dumb brute.” A fellow Susan hadn’t seen before comes walking up to her and Midnight Chaos.

Susan watches as her horse bares his teeth at the stranger.

“I think you better step away from him. He seems to not like you at all.” Susan wonders why her horse didn’t like this guy. He was kind of cute and had that country accent to his speech.

“Well the feeling is mutual. I don’t like him either.” He looks at the horse. He had hoped that the dumb beast would have fetched more money, than they got for him from this girl. He knew his father had tried to pull more from Jake when he came to pay him, but Jake wouldn’t budge, plus they had all the witnesses around that would back Jake on the price and conditions his dad had settle on between him and this girl here.

“Do you know him?” Susan wonders who this fellow was and why her horse didn’t like him.

“Yep, he used to belong to my father.” He looks at Susan.

“Oh! Well that would explain everything then. I hope your father is happy with our arrangement. I think he is worth every dollar I paid.” Susan places a kiss on her horse nose.

Clarence looks at the girl standing before him. She wasn’t bad looking. He could see her fading black eyes. He wonders who she was. He had seen her around the fairgrounds and the rodeo helping. Some of the men had mention that she was sixteen years old and lived on her own. He knew she worked for Jake as one of his hired hands.

He wouldn’t mind getting her in bed and see how wild and tight she was. The last teenage girl he had, has left him wanting another one. Too, bad he had to beat the crap out of the last one.

“Well, you can have the dumb brute.” He gives the horse a sneer and walks off.

“What a jerk.” Susan looks at her horse “I don’t think you’re a brute.” She scratches his ears and gives him another kiss on the nose.

“Well I’m off Midnight. Wish me luck tonight.” Susan heads off towards the barn to have fun.