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glass.
    He popped the top of the coke. "What you've
done with the terrace and living room is amazing. So, tell me about your
day."
    Pleasantly surprised by his question, she
happily detailed her accomplishments and outlined her plans for the next day.
Most people considered the job of running a household a necessary inconvenience.
Not so for Ann, she'd always loved being a homemaker. "I made potato salad.
Would you like me to fix you a sandwich or something to go with it?"
    "No, you're off duty. You should enjoy your
evening."
    "Actually, I would enjoy making you
something to eat."
    Jackson gave her a quizzed look. "Okay,
I'll just shower. A sandwich would be great."
    Ann smiled while she created a sandwich
masterpiece and loaded Jackson's plate with potato salad. When he returned and
she presented it to him, his eyes widened and he grinned. "Oh, yeah,
that's what I'm talkin' about."
    Ann felt a shiver of pleasure at his happiness. "I
guess I'll walk back to the cottage. Enjoy your evening."
    "Wait, have you eaten?"
    "Yes, I ate earlier. I'll see you
tomorrow."
    "Good evening, Annie."
    Ann's pulse always sped up when he called her
"Annie." She smiled and let herself out by way of the mud room. Being
summer, the sun was still bright as she walked back to her cottage. She had an
almost overwhelming desire to skip like a little girl. It had been a long time
since she'd felt so content and carefree.
    * * *
    Jackson took his plate and sat at the breakfast
nook table watching Annie walk to her cottage. She bent over a few times to
pick up rocks and toss them like a child. Damn, but the woman turned him on. He
sighed and glanced around the kitchen. It felt—homey. Enjoying a bite of potato
salad, he allowed himself to feel something he always kept at bay—contentment.
He'd often wondered if his dysfunctional upbringing by an alcoholic father had
forever scarred his psyche.
    After Annie disappeared into the cottage, he took
his plate of food to his office to finish eating. Turning on his computer, he
checked emails and the latest stock market reports. Mark Johnson, an investor
he'd become friends with during his days at Mitchell Brokerage, had emailed him
the latest trends. Next, he called up his portfolio and made adjustments.
Although Mark managed his investments, Jackson still enjoyed tweaking them. He
was good at calling long shots and he'd had his eye on a little company based
out of Colorado Springs. They had some innovative ideas about alternative
energy products and he wanted to get in on the ground floor. Tomorrow, he would
purchase enough shares to put grins on the faces of the board.

Chapter 7:  Changes
     
    Sage watched Julie perform the last of her vaulting
tricks with her horse, Precious Pudding. Every year the Lazy M Dude Ranch
hosted a dozen children from his favorite charity, the Big Bro and Big Sis
Organization. Seeing the joy it gave the kids, ranging in age from seven to seventeen,
more than made up for the extra work. Remembering the campfire by the river the
previous night made him smile. Most of the kids were city dwellers, so roasting
hotdogs and toasting marshmallows was something they would remember the rest of
their lives. Of course, listening to Newt's ghost stories wasn't something they
would easily forget, either.
    "Hey, mister." Sage felt a tug on his
Levis and looked down at the youngest child of the bunch, seven year old
Lester. He squatted beside the freckle-faced, copper-headed boy that asked at
least twenty questions a day.
    "Les, what can I do ya?"
    "Do you think I can be a cowboy when I grow
up?"
    Sage pushed back his Stetson. "I definitely
think you can be a cowboy. In fact, I'm positive you'd be one of the best
cowboys ever."
    Lester grinned, showing off the gap where his
front tooth used to be. "I kinda thought the same thing. Okay, I'll come
back and work for you when I grow up."
    Sage laughed and looked up at Lester's big bro, Orville.
Orville joined in the laughter and scuffed Lester on