Saved by Love: Finding Love, #14

By Dianne Reed Burns

Jessie Donaldson is a hard worker, loyal, and desperate to keep her family's farm afloat. The one thing she couldn't do. She stood alongside her horse, her seen better days truck and trailer, and her meager belongings watching everything she loved go to the highest bidder.  Determined to not let this destroy her, she heads south, leaving the past behind her, in search of a new beginning.

 

Matt Newman, owner of The Double Star Ranch, is short-handed as he works to make his ranch one of the best in the state of Texas. Excited to interview a much exalted Jessie Donaldson, the last person he expected to walk through his door was a woman. But having been raised by his grandmother who ran the ranch with an iron fist up until her passing, he was willing to give the woman a chance.

 

Matt finds himself attracted to Jessie's feistiness, sheer determination to learn every aspect of ranching, and prove herself to the men. But soon things start to happen around the ranch. Accidents that could destroy Matt's dreams for the ranch and a future with Jessie. A future he hadn't even know he wanted until she walked through his door.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dianne Reed Burns
• Release date: Oct 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201962722

Book preview

Chapter 1

Jessie Donaldson stood as tall as her five foot four inch frame would allow. As she listened to the auctioneer drone on in his monotone voice, she kept telling herself she’d get through this. It had been devastating losing her parents. But losing the farm and the only home she’d ever known was just as hard. The family farm was being ripped from her hands, but it wasn’t for her lack of trying to hold on to it. She just didn’t have the resources she needed to make it work. It had been a long four year struggle before the bank stepped in to foreclose. All she had left was her personal possessions and a few mementos from her mom and dad. She’d survive. It wasn’t the end of the world.

Hi, Jessie. How’re you doing?

Hey, Reed. I’ll be okay. Thanks for coming.

Jessie, you remember Jake Patterson? He’s one of our neighbors.

Sure I do, Jessie said. Your wife is Sally and y’all have a little girl.

That’s right. It’s good to see you, again. Sorry about what’s going on here today, Jake said sympathetically.

Thanks, Jake. It is what it is. Jessie shrugged her shoulders.

That still doesn’t make it easy, Jake stated.

No, it’s not easy. I want to thank you all for what you’re doing, Jessie said. I do appreciate it.

What do you mean? Reed McCourt asked.

We’ve known each other a long time, so don’t play dumb with me. I’ve seen how you two and the others are running the prices up on this old stuff. Paying more for it than what it’s worth.

Reed stared at Jessie for a few moments thinking she always looked a little sad, like she was going to cry. But knowing her for so long, he knew that it was just the way she looked. The shape of her mouth and her intense eyes make her unique. You’re our friend and neighbor, Jessie. We want to help you out. After all this is over, we want you to walk away with something in your pocket.

And like I said, I do appreciate it. Very much. Probably more than you’ll ever know.

What are your plans? Reed asked.

I’ve got a nibble for a job on a ranch in the Hill Country. All I’ve ever done is work cattle and the land. I just hope someone will give me a chance to prove myself.

Anybody’d be crazy not to hire you. If you need anything, call me. You still have the house number? Susan’s there most of the time.

Yeah, I’ve still got it. Thanks again, Reed, for everything. Thanks to all you guys. She nodded her head.

You’re welcome. Take care of yourself, Jessie.

Oh, I will. Don’t you worry about me. I’m determined to land on my feet.

Reed watched Jessie walk away, back towards the old farmhouse. He and Jake both knew she was soon going to be fine in a new job.

Chapter 2

The morning moved slowly into the afternoon as Jessie stood to the side and watched everything she owned sell to the highest bidder. And it wasn’t just the farm equipment. Everything in the house had to go, too. Tears came to her eyes as men loaded up equipment of all kinds, filling the backs of their pickups and trailers. And the women came out of the house carrying quilts, dishes, afghans, and everything else the family had used. As they made their way to their vehicles, she’d hear the wives tell their husbands to make room for a bed, a chair, or a side table.

She turned away with tears streaming down her cheeks, unable to watch her life being torn apart, piece by piece. Jessie started walking towards the corral where her faithful mare, Shelby, stood watching her approach. At the fence, she stepped up on the bottom rail and leaned over, hugging the top rail with one arm. She reached forward with the other arm and ran her hand gently over the horse’s nose, jaws, and ears, while talking to her softly. She’d get to keep the mare, her old pickup, and the rusted one-horse trailer, because she needed them to make a living for herself.

Hey, Jessie, Carmen Gutierrez said softly, not wanting to startle her best friend.

Jessie turned her head towards the sound of the other woman’s voice. Hi, Carmen. It’s good to see you. Thanks for coming.

You know I wouldn’t let you go through this alone. I wouldn’t be a very good friend if I did that.

You’ve always been a good friend. There are just some things you have to do alone, and for me, this is one of them.

Jessie—

Please, Carmen, just let it go. It’s happened, it’s done. Once it’s over, I’ll walk away with my memories. The bank can’t take those from me, Jessie stated.

Carmen climbed up on the fence next to her friend.

What have you decided to do? Carmen asked, laying her cheek on her crossed arms resting on the top rail. Still going to interview with that ranch down south?

Yes. It’s the only one that’s contacted me and showed any interest in my add.

I still can’t believe you put an ad in a farm and ranch magazine for a job, Carmen chuckled, shaking her head.

What was I supposed to do? Jessie quickly came back at her words. Farming and ranching is all I know. It’s all I’ve ever done. I never went to college to learn anything else.

I told you, you could find a job in town. You could work in either Haslett or Plains Point. You’re smart, Jessie. You could do anything. Everyone around here knows what a hard worker you are. Someone would hire you in a heartbeat.

I can’t do that. A nine to five job would kill me. And this, she said, sweeping her arm wide, is all I know.

And now it’s gone. This is your last night in the house. Leave tonight. Come stay with me and Joe at our apartment. That is if you can stand to be around my crazy brother. We have that spare bedroom with my old furniture in it. We’d love to have you. Then you can look for a job and not worry about a place to stay.

Jessie began shaking her head.

Please come stay with us. It’ll do you good to get away from the country. You might even…find someone, Carmen stated.

Like you have? Jessie asked, looking at her sideways. I shouldn’t have said that. Sorry, Carmen. But, no. No to all of it. I’m staying here one more night and in the morning I’m heading to the Texas Hill Country and my interview. In order to be happy and feel like I have self-worth, I have to try to find a ranch to work at. There are lots of them down south if this one doesn’t pan out. Besides, I’d suffocate living in town. I wouldn’t last a day.

How do you know until you try? Carmen ground out, with tears in her eyes.

I just know, Jessie bit back. I know in my heart what I have to do to survive, and I have to go find a new place for me. A new job. She stepped back off the fence.

And that job can’t be in town? her friend asked hastily, turning her head to watch Jessie.

No. Jessie turned to walk towards the house as the last few buyers carried items to their vehicles.

I’m sorry for pestering you about staying, Jessie. Carmen hopped down off the fence and followed her friend.

Jessie stopped at her words. Don’t be sorry, Carmen. You’re a good friend and I know you mean well.

I’ll miss you, Carmen admitted. So much.

I’ll miss you, too, Jessie agreed.

The two old friends hugged before a voice intruded on their time.

Jessie?

They parted and Jessie turned towards the approaching visitor.

Hi, Gordon. You about finished here? she asked.

I think so. Again, I’m sure sorry this happened to you.

Thank you. It was bound to happen sooner or later, she said to the auctioneer in charge of liquidating her belongings. The drought has been hard, and it’s even harder on a dry land farm.

That’s for sure, he agreed.

Carmen came up beside Jessie and touched her shoulder. I’m going to leave now. If you change your mind, you know where to fine me.

Thanks, Carmen, but I won’t. I’ll drop you a line when I get settled, Jessie promised.

Get a cell phone before you make the trip in that old truck. I’m going to worry about you if you don’t.

Now, that’s something I may look into.

Good. We’ll talk later, Carmen promised.

Okay, take care. The two friends hugged each other one more time before Jessie watched Carmen turn and leave.

She’s right, you know, Gordon agreed. You don’t need to be traveling by yourself without some sort of communication. You really should see about a cell phone.

Thanks for the advice, Gordon. So, what now? she asked, hands in her back jean’s pockets. Where do I stand?

Everything’s been sold. Down to the last coffee cup. Some things still need to be picked up. All buyers have five days to do that.

Okay, well, I won’t be here to see the end, she said, fighting back more tears in her naturally sad looking eyes. She lifted her ever present cowboy hat off her head by the crown and ran her hand through her long blonde wavy hair, before returning the hat to her head. I’m leaving in the morning for central Texas.

After you see about a phone.

She eyed him skeptically at his words. Okay, yes, after I see about a phone, she said, with her fingers crossed behind her back.

Good, he said, sounding relieved. Ramona Jessup told me you’re staying in the house tonight.

Yes, that’s my plan. Then I’ll load up in the morning and head out.

I see. Ramona and Larry bought your bedroom suit. They pretty much bought the whole room.

I can make a pallet on the floor for the night. I’ll be fine.

You won’t have to do that, Jessie. They left the suit for you to use tonight. They wanted you to be comfortable your last night here.

That’s awfully nice of them. More tears sprang up in her eyes. She took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. They didn’t have to do that. Please tell them thank you, for me.

Ramona also bought the quilt on your bed.

Jessie nodded her head in understanding. Unable to hold them back any longer, tears slipped out the corners of her eyes.

But, she knows the story behind it and wants you to have it. As a going away gift from her and Larry.

At his words, Jessie truly broke down and sobbed. Gordon stepped up to her and wrapped his arms around her, giving her what little comfort he could since she didn’t have a mother or father to do that for her.

After a few moments and more tears, Jessie lifted her head and stepped back away from the older man and his embrace.

Please tell Ramona I appreciate her thoughtfulness. My mother’s mother made that quilt as a wedding gift to my parents when they married. Losing it was going to be as hard, if not harder, than losing the farm, she admitted.

I’ll tell her how much you appreciate the gesture. Now for the legalities of the sales.

Chapter 3

H ow did the sale go? Jessie asked, untying the kerchief from around her neck. After wiping her tear stained face, she stuffed it in the back pocket of her jeans.

I have the final sales contract that lists everything that was sold and how much it brought. I’ve subtracted everything you owe from the amount, according to the list you and the bank compiled. I’ll give that money to the bank to settle all your outstanding debts.

Okay, where do I sign? Jessie asked, running a quick eye over the list.

That’s not all. You understand that the bank will sell the farm for what’s owed against it, to wipe out that debt.

Yes, I understand that. Today’s sale will take care of the utilities, feed bill, equipment, the veterinarian, things such as that. She nodded in understanding.

Yes, so, Gordon said, turning to the next page, that leaves you with sixteen thousand four hundred seventy-two dollars and ninety-four cents. If you’ll sign right here, I’ll hand this check over to you made out for that amount. He showed her a sealed envelope in his hand.

What? she asked, disbelievingly. I can’t have come out with that much. Maybe the four hundred and seventy-two dollars, but not as much as you quoted, she protested. There has to be a mistake, Gordon.

These are your friends and neighbors, Jessie. They care about you. We all do. I threw in my commission on the sales, too. Me and Norma want you to have it.

I…I don’t know what to say, she croaked.

Don’t say anything. Just sign this paper and take your check.

With tears once again blinding her vision, she blinked hard and put her name at the bottom of the agreement. Gordon handed her the envelope and pulled her in for another tight hug.

Thank you, Gordon, for everything. And please thank everyone again for me when you see them. I really appreciate each and every one of you. I’ll miss y’all.

We know you do, honey, we know you do. We’re gonna miss you, too.

When Gordon drove off, Jessie went and sat on the top step of the old porch looking over the area. There were still a couple of men down by the barn and equipment area with trailers, loading up their purchases. Everyone had cleared out of the house about thirty minutes earlier. She didn’t know how long she sat there gazing and thinking until she realized the sun had almost gone down on the flat land of the Texas plains.

The two men waved at her as they drove away. It had gotten too dark for them to continue loading the items they’d bought. She knew folks would be in and out for the next five days picking up their purchases. After that, the item and the money was forfeited unless other arrangements were made. If an item was forfeited, the bank had the right to sell it again.

Jessie leaned back with her elbows on the top step, her head thrown back. She looked up at the night sky. The moon was full and the stars had popped out so quickly that now she could see thousands of glowing and twinkling lights above her, keeping watch over the South Plains of the Texas Panhandle. She swore the stars didn’t shine as bright anywhere else on Earth as they did right here. There was also nothing like the cloud shows above the flat prairie when a huge thunderstorm rolled in from eastern New Mexico.

She breathed in deep, closed her eyes, and committed the sounds and smells of the country to memory. She knew she’d been right in telling Carmen she couldn’t work a confining job in town. She knew for a fact that if she didn’t have a wide expanse of land and sky, she’d surely die. After another few minutes, Jessie pushed herself up and went into the only home she’d ever known for one last night.

Chapter 4

Inside the farmhouse, Jessie went into the kitchen where the refrigerator still stood. She opened the door hoping there was something inside to eat. She was pleasantly surprised. There was a covered plate of Bar-B-Que from the food truck they had brought in for the sale. She read the note on top of the plastic wrap and smiled sadly. Dear sweet Norma had left it for her so she wouldn’t go hungry.

Jessie opened the styrofoam box and the package of plastic flatware. She grabbed the bottle of water that had been left next to the takeout box on the top shelf of the appliance before closing the door. Not bothering to heat the food in the microwave, she carried it all to the empty living room and sat cross-legged in the middle of the floor. As she ate, she looked around the empty space remembering happier times.

Once finished, she rose and carried her trash to the half-full trash can still sitting next to the backdoor. Jessie washed her hands and dried them on her jean clad legs before heading to her old bedroom. Stepping through the open door she breathed a deep sigh of relief.

At least this is still the same for now, she said quietly, looking around the room. She made her way to the three boxes marked not for sale, and the two suitcases stacked in the corner. She opened them up, rummaged through them, and came up with a bar of soap, a bottle of shampoo, and an old frayed towel. She also pulled out a faded t-shirt and a pair of boxers to sleep in after she took a shower.

When she was done, she left everything in the bathroom until morning and went to her old comfortable bed. Jessie crawled under the worn sheets and the old quilt pulling them tightly around her seeking comfort and cried herself to sleep.

With her internal clock as the only alarm she’d ever needed, she woke up promptly at five-thirty. She stretched and yawned before the reality of the day flooded her memory. She had to rise, dress, and get on the road. She had to face her destiny, head on.

Within two hours, Jessie had dressed, tied up the trash, and packed her old truck with her meager belongings. She hooked onto her rusted horse trailer and loaded her little mare inside. Once she’d checked and re-checked every last thing, she said good-bye to the old homestead and locked the door from the inside, pulling it to. She’d already turned the keys over to Gordon, so all she had to do was lock up and walk away.

She walked around her rig once more and checked to make certain all was secure. Once she was satisfied, she climbed into her battered, well-used truck, started it up, and headed across the countryside to the highway. She arrived at her destination in just under seven hours with a handful of stops along the way. As she drove through Rough Camp, the small Texas Hill Country town closest to the ranch where she was to interview, she decided that so far she liked what she saw. Now she hoped she’d get the job and settle in the area. Driving down the main street, she glanced at her wristwatch and saw that she had a little over two hours before her interview with Matt Newman, the owner of The Double Star Ranch.

Jessie spotted a little cafe at the end of the main street with a good sized parking lot. She pulled in, made a big sweep, and parked next to a pickup pulling a stock trailer loaded with two saddled horses. She smiled as she turned the ignition off. Yep, she said out loud, I think I’m going to like it here.

After crawling out of her truck and locking it, she walked the area and inspected the hitch and chain on the trailer. She checked on her mare, promising her she’d soon be out of the trailer and eating some tender golden hay. Once finished, Jessie made her way inside the cafe and waited to be seated. She smiled as a waitress flew by carrying two plates of food.

Welcome, honey, the middle-aged woman said. Have a seat anywhere you like, and I’ll be right with you. The woman was dressed in worn jeans, a t-shirt bearing the name of the eating establishment, and cowboy boots. Her hair was mousey brown and pulled up into a high ponytail. Her face was void of makeup. Jessie thought she could be friends with this woman.

Thank you, Jessie said, moving to the nearest booth. She sat down, picked up a tattered menu and decided on a burger with fries. She gazed around the room studying the patrons. She’d bet the two cowboys sitting behind her where the waitress had just left the plates of food were in the new truck pulling the stock trailer, she’d parked beside. She was straining to hear what the two were talking about, shamefully eavesdropping.

Hi, sweetie, she heard the waitress say. My name is Mary Beth. What can I get you?

Startled, Jessie looked up at the woman with a pencil and order pad poised in her hands.

Oh, hi, sorry. I want a burger with fries, Jessie said quickly.

Everything on it? the waitress asked as she wrote.

Can you cut the onions?

Sure thing. Mary Beth made a note on the pad. Do you want anything to drink?

Yes, Jessie chuckled, distracted by the conversation behind her. Sweet tea will be great.

Coming right up. The waitress turned to go back behind the counter and place her order as Jessie once again tried to listen to the two men talking behind her.

So, what are we going to do, Jed? It’s getting hard to keep up. First, we’re short handed, and second, some of the hands we’ve got are such greenhorns that when they come to work for us, they don’t even know how to saddle a horse, let alone ride one.

I don’t think it’s quite that bad, Glen, but you’re right. We could use one more hand and some of the newer guys haven’t been working cowboys for long. They want to be, and they’ve got heart, but we just don’t have the time to train them. We need to have them hiring on, ready to go. I sometimes feel that the working cowboy is a dying breed. I’m getting too old for all of this. I can’t do the work of two or more men anymore, said the older man of the two, sitting directly behind her.

Oh, hell, Jed, don’t say that. Me, you and Matt do most of the hard work, the young man said.

How’s that again, Glen? Who does most of the work? We do have a few, longtime, seasoned cowboys working.

Okay, there’s a lot of work going on, and I’m learning. I try hard and I’m getting better, Glen whined.

I’ll agree to that statement. We have a lot of hard workers on the ranch. It’s not just you, me, and Matt.

Jessie’s ears perked up at the name Matt. She was supposed to meet with a Matt Newman for that interview. She hoped this was the Matt they were talking about and that he needed a seasoned hand as badly as she needed a job.

Matt told me he has an interview today about five-thirty for a new hand. The guy’s coming down here from the Texas Panhandle. He’s supposed to be an experienced farmer and rancher.

Well, that sounds promising for a change. Maybe we can get somebody in here to help with part of this workload that knows what the hell they’re doing.

Jessie smiled as she listened to the words being spoken. She hoped she was who they were talking about, but unfortunately they thought she was a man. Her name had caused more than one incident of confusion in her lifetime and when she answered the inquiry to her add, she didn’t specify she was female.

He seems to be old-school, though, the older man continued.

What do you mean, Jed?

Matt said he pretty much did everything by mail. Hand wrote everything out. No computer, I guess. No cell phone, either. Matt said he left a message about the interview on an answering machine and sent a reply in the mail. He never heard back, so he hopes he shows up today. If not, it’s back to square one.

"Well, damn. That’d be our luck.