Free Love on the Buchanan Ranch (A Romance Story) by Elizabeth Nelson Page B

bored with the whole affair. Stacey was figuring out quickly that this was not her type of crowd, even if she were to fit in.
     
    Nate seemed to be having a great time. He talked to everyone, and reminded Stacey a little of a politician. He seemed to spend the evening shaking hands and slapping backs. Stacey had the feeling that had there been babies present, he would have been kissing them.
     
    She stuck it out for a few hours, but then grew tired of watching these people all play the political games that rich people do. Nate was over at another table, talking with a much older couple. When she was able to catch his eye she beckoned him over.
     
    “I’m very sorry; Nate, but I have a terrible headache. I think I will call a cab and go on home now it you don’t mind too much?”
     
    Nate’s expression was hard for her to read. She didn’t know if he was angry or sad that she wanted to leave. He didn’t say anything for a few moments, and then said, “Are you sure you want to go? I could probably have one of the staff find you some aspirin or something.”
     
    “Thank you, Nate. I appreciate that, but yes, I’m sure I would rather just go.”
     
    “Well then, I’ll take you home,” he said
     
    “Oh no, please. I wouldn’t want you to have to leave early. I can call a taxi. It will be fine.”
     
    “No way are you going home in a cab. I brought you here, I will drive you home.” he said firmly. “Let me just go say goodbye to the Dentons.”
     
    “Of course,” Stacey said, and before she could offer to go with him and do the same, he was gone.
     
    Stacey waited for him to come back for over half an hour. When he didn’t, she finally fished her phone out of her purse and called for a cab. She told the dispatcher that she would meet the cab at the end of the driveway. She asked the older woman at the table to let Nate know she had gone home, and she left.
     
    Stacey’s cell phone rang when the cab was about half a mile from her house. It was Nate, asking why she hadn’t waited for him.
     
    “I’m sorry, Nate. My head was just hurting so bad, and you had been gone for a while. I just didn’t want to wait any longer.”
     
    Nate told her he understood, but didn’t sound as if he really did. Stacey thanked him again for taking her, and to be nice, told him she’d had a good time until her headache had come on.
     
    “Maybe we can do something another time?” he asked.
     
    Again, to be polite, she said, “Sure, that would be nice.”
     
    As the cab was pulling in front of her home, Stacey caught sight of a horse and rider out of the corner of her eye.  She stepped out and turned around to pay the driver, and when she turned back around, there was Owen on his horse.
     
    “Oh my goodness!” she said, “You startled me.”
     
    Owen laughed, “You startle a little easy, don’t ya?”
     
    “You just seem to keep popping up in places where I’m not expecting you,” Stacey told him.
     
    “I was riding by and saw you drive in. Just wanted to say, hey.”
     
    “Hey then,” Stacey said with a smile.
     
    “You look awfully fancy tonight.” Owen said.
     
    “I went to the Cattleman’s dinner…with your brother,” she told him.
     
    Owen laughed again, but didn’t say anything.
     
    “What’s so funny?” she asked.
     
    “Nothin’, just wondering why my brother would let a beautiful lady take a cab home from their date.”
     
    “It wasn’t a date!” she said, and then, “And it was my idea to take the cab. I wasn’t feeling well and I didn’t want Nate to have to leave early.”
     
    “Didn’t cotton much to all those snobs, huh?”
     
    Stacey smiled, “My head just hurt, that’s all.”
     
    “Well then, I best be gettin’ on so you can take an aspirin and lie down.”
     
    He started to turn the horse around, and before Stacey could stop herself she said, “It’s actually feeling a lot better now. I was thinking about making some coffee. Would you like to