The Cowboys Fire

Chapter 7

Lilly POV

I’ve never travelled more than 20 miles from my home in near the Florida Keys. Now I’m traveling on a bus over 2700 miles to start a new life in the vast expanse of Montana. A way of life I have never experienced before but one that might actually be right up my ally. I messaged my online college and they agreed to the change of address. I just completed my latest course so when the next semester begins they will send all my course materials to the Black Ranch.

I have some time before then to properly heal and settle into ranch life as a housekeeper. I hope I don’t disappoint Sybil and Andrew. They are restarting my life in a new and safe place. I will always be grateful to them and never be able to repay them.

I have been watching a changing landscape pass me by. Every stop we make, I’m off and taking the time to stretch my legs. People talk differently every time. Even the air is different, there are mountains on the horizon and the heat has a humidity I have never experienced.

I’m still reeling from everything that’s happened in recent days. I may have been alone most of my life but now I don’t even know anything about where I am. I know nobody where I’m going and that is a very daunting prospect.

I’m not really sure what to expect from Bozeman Montana or the Black brothers. From the stories Sybil has told me they are all very different and yet all full of boyish energy and mischief. I don’t envisage fitting in with them, after all i am coming here as a charity case and an employee. According to Sybil, there is a bunk house where all the hands sleep, she said it has around 16 rooms with 8 shared bathrooms. Apparently they will all be full most of the year so not to worry that I will be bored of things to do, and that as a result I will probably be sleeping in the main house with the brothers.

I must admit I am looking forward to the distraction but more so the moving forward in my life with a plan and an actual chance, where as in Florida life felt like it was constantly spiralling out of control.

It’s midnight on Sunday. We are stopping now, according to the signs, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This is the last stop before arriving tomorrow lunch time in Bozeman. The ranch is apparently a couple of miles out of town and to expect Connor Black to be waiting for me at the stop. Who is apparently the oldest and who I will be spending the most time working with, as he runs the business. I step off and stretch my legs in the truck stop car park. The kitchen seems to be open still so I head that way and see if I can find something warm to eat. Luckily, they are used to the grey hound stopping here and have some great choices that are made with travelling in mind. I get a great smelling Philly cheese steak sandwich for now and they are kind enough to fill my flask full of hot chicken noodle soup for me to take comfort from during the night if I can’t sleep. At best, I’m going to need some pain medication to relax my body enough to try and sleep. Days of driving is not ideal for someone healing from a car accident. I refuse to call it attempted murder even though that is the conclusion the police eventually came to.

Walking back to the bus with my food, I take a deep breath, acknowledging that this the last stop before my new start begins. I wonder what this Connor will be like. I hope he is patient with me, at least in the beginning. Settling in, I unwrap my sandwich and enjoy every mouthful. Who knew you could get such a good Philly cheese steak out of when not actually in Philadelphia. Relaxing my seat back, I try and find a comfortable position and take some pain relief. I close my eyes and do my best to get some sleep.

……………………………………………………………

“All tickets for Bozeman, this is your exit. Thank you for travelling with Greyhound” the driver calls out.

Finally I think. I’m never travelling so far again by coach. I walk down the steps, trying desperately to stretch out without crying out in pain. The baseball cap and hood on my jumper have gone a long way towards hiding my injuries, I refuse to draw attention to them now. I collect my hold-all from underneath and head into the station. Looking around, i seem to be the only person getting off here but there is no one in the station. Hmm I’m sure Connor was supposed to be here. Looking at my watch, I realise we came in a hour later than planned. Perhaps he has returned to the ranch or is running behind. I take a seat on a bench and decide to wait a while before choosing a new course of action, I fight off the wave of disappointment at my new beginning not getting off to the best start.

……………………

Two hours later and he still hasn’t arrived. I don’t have a phone with me so I have no way of contacting anyone. I step out on to the street and spot a nice looking dinner. I’ll see if anyone in there can’t point me in the right direction.

The door bell rings as I walk in,

“Hi there, my names Dolly welcome to my dinner, is it a table for one?”

“Hi there, actually I was looking for directions. I’m a new hire up at the Black ranch and I was hoping you could send me on my way” I ask hopefully.

“Well of course i can sugar, head out here and head left, it’s a straight road right out of town, there’s a big iron gate with Black ranch written on it a few miles down.”

“That’s fantastic, thank you for your help. Bye now”

I turn around, exiting the dinner, pick my bags up off the floor and head that way. It’s been a hot day but since the sun is starting to go down the temperature is lowering as well. I need to be there by night fall if I’m going to have any hope of finding it.