The Cougar and the Cowboy

Collier looked straight ahead. “This is the Will you were married to?”

“Yes. One and the same.” Camille explained their relationship the same way Will had explained it to Maggie. “I know it’s hard to believe, Collier but this is the truth with a capital T. We are good friends…nothing more. We had a stormy marriage but once we divorced, we became friends. There’s never been any intimacy since the divorce was final.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “You’re asking me to believe something I’m struggling with.”

“I can’t force you to believe me. That’s your choice.”

When they reached their destina

tion, they sat as they had the first time…contemplating the beauty spread out in front of them.

“Do you remember what I said about my faith the last time we were here?”

“Yes,” Camille said. “I do and I envy you. I’d like to have a faith like that.”

“You can. It’s not something you buy at the mall…it’s in your heart.”

“My heart is a mess right now. Did I mention at the memorial service, if you can call it that, I met my father? I’m fifty-six years old and just now met him…surreal, isn’t it?”

“I can’t even imagine but how did that go?”

A half smile teased her lips. “What can I say? We were both at a loss for words. I mean, think about it…what do you say? ‘Hi Dad, nice to meet you. Want to have lunch some time?’”

“The humorous thing is we did have lunch. He described the Barbara he knew when they were young. She was the one who set the boundaries and refused to allow him to see me. She didn’t want or need him or his money. When she knew she was dying, she contacted him and asked him to meet me and check on me occasionally. Just so I would know I wasn’t an orphan. Still trying to be in control…dead or alive.” She shook her head slightly. “She was a manipulator, extraordinaire.”

They spent the next few hours discussing their lives, their likes and dislikes and their differences.

At one point, Collier asked what kept her from actually spending the night with some of the men she dated for her articles.

“My first response was going to be that I was a writer, not a slut but I know that’s not what you were implying. My answer is in another one of the columns for my readers to see and I believe their responses are indicative of most ‘cougars.’ We have fears tied to our insecurities about ourselves and our images. It’s much easier to make love to a man the same age as you because you’re most likely in the same physical condition. But when the female is older, she thinks of things like: will he notice my breasts aren’t exactly perky any longer or how do I hide this roll around my middle or will he notice the scar I have or the stretch marks on my belly and a myriad of other thoughts. You get the idea. The strange thing is most older men don’t think about similar things when they’re with a younger woman.”

Collier started laughing. “I’m sorry but I can’t imagine thinking those thoughts about someone I loved. If I wanted to make love to her, I wouldn’t care about any of that.”

“That’s good to know, Collier.”

CHAPTER 42

“TELL ME WHAT you think when you’re done eating.” Will told Maggie as he set a plate containing a perfect omelet in front of her.

He sat down next to her while she devoured it. “I was thinking that maybe The Branding Iron should offer more in the way of selections than just bar food.”

She didn’t answer but continued eating.

“You know, maybe not breakfast but perhaps a few steak selections or a pasta dish or two.”

She wiped her lips with her napkin and asked, “And who is going to prepare these dishes? The omelet was delicious but steaks are a whole different ballgame.”

He smiled. “I told you I was a fry cook while I was in college but I neglected to tell you I spent several years as a sous chef at a prestigious restaurant. I decided I could make more money in the stock exchange business so I changed careers.”

“You need to discuss this with Jace, not me. Personally, I don’t think our kitchen is big enough to accomodate the kind of equipment you might need, but what do I know? I’m a bartender.”

“And the best in the country.” Jace said as he walked in on their conversation. He glanced at the empty plate in front of Maggie and raised his eyebrows. “Are we serving breakfast now or just to special people?” he asked as he looked at Will.

“Sit down Jace. Will has something he’d like to discuss with you.”

“That’s good because I have something I’d like to discuss with him.”

***