Dirty Sweet Cowboy

“And mama, would you please tell Hawk to stop trying to give that woman all of my favorite clothes on purpose so I have nothing to wear for the next month but college sweatshirts and leggings ?”

Candy throws her hands in the air. “That’s it! I’ve had it with you two! You’re acting like a bunch of spoiled, selfish little animals and I can’t deal with it. I’m going to go make lunch. Parrish, you handle them. Once you’ve figured it out, we can all eat at the table like a normal, functional family .”

Hawk scoffs. “That’ll be the day .”

Candy turns on him and shoots him a death stare that we all know very well. He takes several terrified steps back and hides behind Anna .

“Hawk, when you’ve sorted yourself out, go find your father and tell him to come in for lunch. And find out what that reporter eats. I don’t want to be accused of starving her too.” Candy walks out of the room and into the kitchen. “Honestly. Behaving like a bunch of out-of-control children,” she mutters as she walks out. I pick up Gracie from the floor and walk over to them with a sigh .

“Anna, honey, your mom is right. It’s on us to make this month as easy as possible, and acting like spoiled brats isn’t going to get us anywhere. If she was the same size as me, I’d give her some of my stuff, but you’re the tall, skinny one. So, I’m afraid this is your burden to bear. I’m the one who will have to show her around and deal with all of her questions. I had to give up my house. Gracie had to give up her room. Just consider this your contribution. You can borrow my sweaters if you need to in the meantime. Hawk, stop giving your sister shit. She’s not used to sharing anything with anyone, even me. You can’t expect her to learn overnight .”

For a second, they look like twins. Their shoulders droop in exactly the same way, they pout in exactly the same way, and they huff in exactly the same way. I’d laugh, if I didn’t feel like I was punishing kids .

“Now, Anna, just… go upstairs and give her whatever you can spare. Hawk, go find your father for lunch. And Anna, send Simone down here so I can find out what the hell she actually eats .”

Neither of them says a word; they both just turn on their heels and disappear out of the family room, leaving me with Gracie. I turn to my daughter and kiss her on the cheek .

“Never be a pain in the butt like your aunt and uncle, okay Smallfry ?”

“No, mama,” she says with a giant grin, and I don’t know if she’s disagreeing, or agreeing with me. But for now, I’ll take it .

I set Gracie back on the floor as I hear Simone lightly pad her way through the dining room and into the family room .

“You wanted to see me?” she asks, her arms crossed over chest .

I dig down as deep as I can and summon up my biggest, friendliest smile. “We’re just about to get lunch started. What are some of your favorite foods? Is there anything you don’t eat ?”

Simone brushes her hair from her eyes and looks up at the ceiling like she’s pre-cataloguing a list. “Well. I don’t eat red meat. Or pork. Or sugar. Or gluten. Or fried foods. Or dairy. Or grains. Or anything made with palm oil, saturated fats, or corn syrup. Oh! Or corn .”

My jaw drops. “Okay… so… I can steam you some broccoli and chicken? Bake you a potato ?”

She snaps her fingers. “No potatoes either! No nightshades at all, actually .”

I run my hands over my face, unable to hide my exasperation. “So, the ribs and homemade fries I’m planning for dinner are out. I will, um, do the broccoli and chicken for lunch and then we can go to the store and figure out some things for the rest of your time here .”

“Are the broccoli and chicken organic? I only ask because …”

She doesn’t have a chance to finish because Candy comes back in, and I can tell by the look on her face that she’s heard everything. “Well, hey there, honey! Aren’t you just the p

rettiest thing I’ve ever seen? I’m Candy McCormick. It’s wonderful to meet you. Now, I overheard you from the kitchen, and I can promise you. The vegetables in this house are grown in my very own garden. Only the healthiest foods for my family! And the chickens come from a farm right up the road. Humanely raised, not a lick of the horrible stuff you get from that grocery store stuff. So, don’t you worry your precious little head. I’ll take care of your lunch, and why don’t you go back upstairs and collect your clothes from Anna? Everything will be ready in a two shakes of a lamb’s tail !”

Simone smiles sweetly and disappears back up the stairs. Once she’s out of earshot, Candy turns back to me .

“You’re right. I hate her.” Then she walks back into the kitchen without another word, leaving me laughing hysterically in the family room .

Hawk

T he sound of the cement mixers rumbling on the edge of the property are more soothing and less of a nuisance than Simone jabbering in my ear .

“Now, can you tell me about the reasoning behind the new farm?” she asks with her tape recorder jammed in my face .

I take a deep breath and try to smile. “Well, as I’ve mentioned, we aren’t a farm. We’re a ranch. We breed horses, and enter competitions. We’re one of the foremost horse ranches in the country, and place third nationally when it comes to cumulative medals and prize winnings.” I try to ignore her when she waves a dismissive hand at me .

“Okay, fine. So, why the new… whatever it is you’re building ?”

I can feel my jaw clenching. “Stables. It’s a new, state-of-the-art stable. My father is merging our ranch with another, smaller ranch in the hopes of breeding some real champions. The goal was to create an updated environment where they could thrive, while still keeping a bit of that down-home charm .”

“You’re quite the idea man, Hawk,” she says, batting her eyelashes at me .