A Cowboy's Promise

Chapter Four

I knocked on the front door of the small cabin that sat a field over from Dad's house. It was almost six in the morning and I wondered whether I was too late.

The door created open a second later. "Lee, I swear, if--" Arlen stopped when his eyes landed on me. "Oh, Carter. Is everything all right?" He stepped out onto the porch. He was halfway dressed. Meaning he had pants, a white tank top, and his hat on. He shrugged on a red flannel over his white tank and began to button it.

"Yeah, I just brought everybody breakfast. You weren't at the bunkhouse, so..." I trailed off, holding out a still warm, neatly wrapped breakfast sandwich.

He smiled, taking it. "Thanks, Darlin'." He began unwrapping the sandwich. "What's the special occasion?"

"There is none," I said. "My mom used to do this for everybody. I wanted to keep up that tradition. What's on the itinerary today?"

"Movin' cattle," he replied, his southern drawl stronger on this sentence. I couldn't quite place where he was from. I was guessing Texan, but I wasn't sure.

I nodded my head. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No. I lived in South Georgia till I was seven, then my parents moved us to Texas. Then after me and my sister were out of the house, they moved up here. I hung around Texas after that for a while. Helping out at a bunch of different ranches," he explained as he sat down on the steps. I sat beside him. "I dabbled in bull ridin' for a while. Now, here I am."

"Here you are," I said.

Arlen stood, clearing his throat. He tipped his hat at me, shooting a wink my way. "Thank you for the food, darlin'," he said. "I've got work to get to."

I watched him walk away for a moment. "Hey Cowboy, don't get used to this!"

He turned, smirking. "What? Waking up to you with breakfast ready for me? Don't worry. I won't."

"Good."

***

I was tackled into a hug by my best friend as soon as she got out of her car. Danielle and I had been friends since kindergarten. She knew everything about me. I knew everything about her. We were always there for one another. She probably hadn't been to the ranch for as long as I haven't. She still lived in town, but had visited me in Nashville whenever she could.

"I've missed you so much!" she squealed. We haven't seen each other in months.

"I missed you too." I breathe into her shoulder. She was like a sister to me.

"I knew I heard a girly screech. Told the boys to run for the hills," Daryl remarked as he walked by. "Last time Carter brought friends over Mark left with a broken arm."

"It's not my fault he wanted to impress a girl," I stated. "And that was years ago."

"Oh, by the way, Mark and Leslie are having a baby in five months," Dani whispered.

"Really?" I asked, turning back to her.

"Yeah," she replied. "And Mr. Mason is looking as good as ever," she murmured. As I rolled my eyes, hers drifted behind me. "Holy Hell, who is that?"

I turned to see who exactly she was talking about. I spotted Arlen in the middle of an empty field, tossing freshly bailed hay into a trailer. He must've taken off his shirt because now he was in just the white tank top. The muscles in his arms and shoulders flexed as he tossed another bail into the trailer. He paused, lifting his hat from his head to run a hand through his hair before putting his hat back on.

"Oh, that's Arlen," I told her. "Dad just hired him in the past year or something."

"He is smoking hot."

I chuckled. "He's a cowboy, Dani."

"No, Carter, that is a six foot tall, hot as hell, gift from God himself, in a cowboy hat."

"Cowboys are never a good idea," I reminded her.

"Good thing I've never really had good ideas, huh?" Dani adjusted her shirt, tossed her hair over her shoulder and made her way toward the field.

I shook my head. There is no way this ends well.

I followed my best friend.

She leaned against the fence. "Hey!"

Arlen looked up as he tossed the last bail of hay into the trailer. He held up a hand, gesturing for her to wait a second. He moved to the front of the truck, then climbed inside. He drove through the field, parking just outside of the fence.

He slid out of the truck, making his way over. "Can I help you lovely ladies?"

Dani shot me a look. "Hi, I'm Dani." She held out her hand, shaking his. "Me and some friends were going out to a nice bar tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to come."

That was code for come to the bar with me, then take me home.

Arlen shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe."

"Well, think about it. It'll be fun," Dani said, smiling.

Arlen's eyes drifted to me. "What about you, Darlin'? You going out tonight?"

"Not sure yet," I told him.

"Get your ass back to work, boy!" Daryl yelled at Arlen in A fatherly tone that left no room for arguing.

Arlen quickly ran off, moving toward the barn.

Dani turned to me, smiling like a mad woman. "What happened to   Cowboys are trouble. Cowboys aren't a good idea. Huh? Why didn't you tell me you and Mr. Broad Shoulders had a thing going?"

"We don't," I stated.

"But he--"

"He's a cowboy. He probably calls every woman darlin or sweetheart." I shrugged. "It doesn't mean anything."

"So he's still fair game?" Dani asked.

"I guess."

"I'm serious, Carter," she said. "If you want him, I won't try anything."

I shook my head. "Go ahead, Dani. He's not going to be nothing but trouble."