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Sunsets and New Beginnings (di moon & RogTheRake 1x1)

di moon

di moon

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Jan 20, 2019
Daria Beaumont carefully tucked Annabelle into the crib next to her bed in the master bedroom. Claude had insisted she take it over when she came to stay with him. He couldn't go upstairs anymore, and he wouldn't be up there. So, she had slept in it because he'd had a new bed and blankets, and even dressers and tables...If she didn't know better at the time, she would have thought that he had talked to her mother and got a few ideas of what she might like...Come to find-he had. He'd talked to her mother and had the master suite redone before asking her to come see him. And her mother had told her that if she didn't go that she would regret never saying what she needed to. Claude had a lot of regret...Which he'd let her know. He apologized, but he didn't ask for her forgiveness. But she gave it nonetheless. No one knew how to go about life with a perfect plan and he'd decided that for whatever reason-it was better to never have her or her mom around growing up. He'd missed her first words, her first steps, her first competition, and recital. He had missed out on a lot, but her mom had done well for them...Got off the pole, and started working on a more classical stage…But...Daria at least wanted Anna to have met her grandfather, and have a few pictures...Now...The poor girl had a legacy…

Daria brushed those blonde curls and sat back on the pillows. She managed a light nap before her pillow started to vibrate to wake her up. She didn't have a traditional alarm. Anna slept for most of the night so Daria wasn't having to nurse her every two hours, but she was teething and fussy...And no one wanted to wake up a sleeping baby.

She pulled on something comfortable, and made her way downstairs, bare feed padding gently. She had a monitor in her hand in case Anna woke up and started screaming. It was her turn to make breakfast, and...She was still getting the hang of making high carb meals that the workers here seemed to enjoy. Quinoa pancakes were not among the favorite foods of cowboys, so she had started making buckwheat-which went over a lot better...But she was still learning to multitask for so many...She didn't want to make them wait. She worked in the kitchen, making stacks of pancakes, a few potato galettes, sausages, and cheese omelets. By the time the workers started to trickle in or wake up and stumble out of the worker rooms, food was on the table in the dining room, and hot coffee was percolating...Orange juice was waiting for those who were supposedly cutting back on caffeine, but she jad a feeling her city coffee wasn't the muddy concentration they were used to.

Anna started to cry, so she went upstairs to change her and bring her down to eat something solid. She'd fixed the girl a baby food version of everything...Bite sized for the safe foods, and a puree for the stuff tgat was harder to chew. She was all smile while she fed the girl, and she heard someone talking about the Bible and a woman's commandment to be modest. "It also says if your eyes offend you, then pluck them out. Don't get eye goo on my floor when you go about it…" That got some laughs.

"Who is supervising the barn today?" She asked, and someone pointed at Jake. "I was wanting to learn to handle all that so you can have some time off," she said with a smile. "I know you have been helping out a lot with Claude passing away, and when I came, I couldn't do a lot of lifting so I just handled the business side-But I'm healed up, and not having to keep her attached to my hip every hour for a feeding now, so I can set her up a playpen and help out, learn. That way, you can hopefully have a few days off soon." Then again, the man could think shevwould run the place into the ground if he did something like take a few days off.
 
Break-Feast had always been a staple at the ranch Mr. Beumont 'Claude' to Jake or Mr. C to most others liked to have everyone working sit down and get a good meal in to start as there were times it was the ONLY meal of the day with sandwiches and or hard tack for lunch depending on what was going on. The Tripple B Ranch had a small batch of horses in and several 'special guests' on hand to be matched up and breed. So besides Jake there was a staff of eight men and woman sitting around a large table.

The staff seemed to rotate depending on what 'Rodeo' was happening in a 500 mile radious around the place, and therer were a few from town that earned good pay working the place. But no one save Jake was full time for any given year. Jake smiled as he saw the heap of food Miss Daria had put out, he was always the last in making certain that no stragglers tried to duck out of the meal. Mr. C hated that and in truth thought it disrespectufl. Jake did not hire anyone back that ever disrespected Mr. C, and the same would go for Miss Daria!.

Moving to the fridge he found a pitcher of fresh Pineapple Juice, he chuckled as he pulled it out and poured a large glass. Jake did not drink... MUCH, well some whiskey now and then but never enough to get into any trouble. He also hated coffee! Pineapple Juice was a favorite of his after he had been 'educated' in his youth by a barrel rider who had told the much younger man that... 'you stay away from beer and soda, coffee as well.. sweet juices especially Pineapple will make your dipstick cream desirable to the woman and having them cumming back for more' she then gave the boy a wink and a lick of her lips as he could only blush.

Jake shook off the memory BUT hey.. it seemed to be true and the few woman he had been with since that time had commented on his 'natural flavor' so he kept up his routine and in truth enjoyed how healthy it made him feel. Turning to look at Miss Darai he noticed several of the 'hands' giving them a look but he just ignored them. " Yes Mam" he said then stopped , she had been telling him to call her Daria but as his boss it just did not seem right as he picked back up after the pause " No worries and I am just glad there was no balking on any of the contracts..." a sore point that some of the patrons of the ranch had was with Claude gone they were worried things would not be done as usual, Jake had suggested that Daria tell them HE has no plans to move on and would be right there next to her seeing each one was fullfiled to the letter.! " however it is peak season and we have about eight mares that are to be breed and two of the fillies look like they may drop there foals anytime" he turned looking at the hands at the table.. "I want those fillies watched closely and make certain to keep them separate from the others so they are not jostled when in the pen!" he said his voice firm and telling one and all he would brook no comments on the subject.

He had piled a plate high with food and coated it with syrup most of what was on his plate was 'protein' for few carbs. still he lathered on some syrup and smiled down as before he put fork and knife to the food he added.. "Oh and Miss Daria we are also going to mix some of the special feed up for the fillies that we are breeding, and I think 'Sir Jacob MacBey the 4th' (a stallion they were contracted to knock up to prize mares but had yet to get the job done), is now over his tissy fit as I thought it was an issue with what they used to sedate him when they had problems on the plane flight" he shook his head, " Once we got him cleaned out he is right as rain and his nostrels and other 'things' " he smiled a bit a blush on his cheeks for most at the table knew he meant his great big tallywaker horse cock.. " are reacting to the scent of the two fillys stabled on either side of him, Hell a few more days and I worry about him breaking through the barn walls to get at em!" Jake said and all around the table seemed to laugh over it.
 
Daria had grown up around horses. She was a champion equestrian rider with several medals and ribbons to her name. Her horses were sought after for breeding in those circles, but she kept all of that to herself. She hadn’t wanted to upset Claude that someone had stepped into the role of father and taught her things he should have been around to teach her.

Water under the bridge now...They’d both had their say in the matter, and that was that…

But she just grinned. “Well, so long as he’s recuperated from his travels, I’m sure he’ll be just fine in his duties,” she said with her own grin. She’d been around to help with her own horses’ births, and the ones after...Her horses’ foals sold for a hundred thousand or more when she bred them, and the seed from her stallions went for a pretty penny a vial, too. She wasn’t unfamiliar with what they did here-it was just on a smaller scale. She needed to learn to manage things on a larger scale…

“I’m not looking to kick you out for a vacation this weekend,” she said with a laugh. “But at least give you a silver lining that when things calm down, you can take a few days off and relax. I have some vacation properties, if you want to use one for vacation-just let me know. I’ll get you a list. I have some timeshares, and condos on beaches...And I even have a membership at a resort chain so I can use any of their resorts and I can give out so many guest passes, so...You work hard. You deserve to relax…”

And the man would probably have no trouble finding some company, if she was honest with herself. He was good looking, and she had found herself watching him out the window when she’d been sitting with Claude...Part of her felt like she’d been betraying the memory of her late husband, but...He’d been dead months, and she was still young...She had her whole life ahead of her, and while it was a nice thought to think of the handsome cowboy...She wasn’t idiotic enough to think anyone would want a widowed, single mother...When women like her dated-it was with a long-game in mind...Marriage, or just a long-term relationship and someone who could be a father figure for her daughter...A lot of men weren’t up for that sort of responsibility.

“Judy will be by after nine to watch Anna, so I’ll help with mixing as much as I can.” She knew that the feed worked-otherwise there wouldn’t be such a high insemination percentage...The care that followed was what helped make sure so many foals were safely born, but getting the foals in there in the first place was usually the hard part. That feed did a good job of making the fillies fertile and the stallions potent…

“And the vacation offer goes for all of you as a little bonus. You just coordinate with Jake on who can take what, and then come talk to me if you want to check out a beach or something. Save a pretty penny staying in one of the condos or timeshares…” She offered a grin and picked Anna up when she was done eating after she finished eating her own plate. There were things everyone could fix themselves for lunch as they got the time to eat, and dinner was someone else’s job tonight…”We’re going to get ready. Be back down in a few.”

“You mean you’re not going to work in that getup?” One of the boys asked with a grin, getting a smack from one of the older men. “I was just kidding…” Daria didn’t mind some joking so long as it wasn’t outright disrespectful...Lucky for the boy…

She took Anna upstairs and got her cleaned up after breakfast, changed, and in a cute little skirt with a flannel shirt, and some little work boots. Daria wore something similar, only she wore jeans instead of a skirt. She couldn’t help herself, she picked the girl up, and they took a fun little selfie that she uploaded to her social media so her mom and stepdad could see how much their granddaughter had grown. Her stepdad thought it was great she found something to do, even if it was just taking care of the place until she decided to sell it or to keep it in trust for Annabelle and any future kids she had...Her stepdad had set her up a trust fund for if something happened to him, but outside that-everything went to his own kids...And they weren’t happy about the trust fund.

They came downstairs and she offered smiles when the guys whistled. They were just playing around. She had a carry bag with a portable playpen and a diaper bag already packed so she wouldn’t have to go back and forth, and she had a little blanket in case she had to nurse the child while she was working. “Alright…We’re ready when you are Mister JD…” Anna scrunched up her face and leaned over, making faces at the man and giggling.
 
Jake kept his eyes on the 'staff' making certain their words were in fact taken in the correct context and did NOT piss off the boss. The months of having Daria around when Mr. C. was still also around had been a blessing! It had allowed not only Daria and Claude to mend some fences but for everyone here to get a feel of what it was going to be like or could be like once the big man himself was gone.

At first everyone was as twitchey as a roomful of cats and a rocking chair around the woman! But in time she had opened up a bit, and the tension that had been high had ebbed and slowly drained around the place and though it was clear she was city raised, it was clear also she was country breed! In short she had the mix about her and while it would be easy to take her words as someone showing her 'wealth' Jake (and most others) could hear and feel the honest feelings beneath it. THAT she was also drop dead attractive no matter what she wore around the place nor time of day also could have been a major distraction BUT all it took was a look from Mr. C or Jake and the more rowdy of hands was put in his or HER place.

*Sighs* that thought had him thinking of Andie one of the few female rough riders that Claude gave work to from time to time when she passed through following the rodeo circuit. The woman had the mouth of a long haul trucker but her skill with working stallions and the way she was able to handle their massive members for inspection and cleaning was enough to have made JAKE blush when they had started working. Dammed if the woman did not take matters in hand and actually milk prize stallions for the horse semen to be sold or frozen and that was a skill you either were comfortable with or had to grow in to. Horses could sense people emotions and were twitchy enough, hooking a cold machine up to a Horse Cock could cause injury Claude had somehow heard about Andie and after a few test runs... had then slipped a prize arabian some sheik wanted his seed for. The ranch had earned a cool million for each vial of the seed milked and Andie had been able to get five full vials from the stallion during her 'handling' of him. For that she had been given a HUGE bonus by Claude and the Shiek and dammed if she did not say in front of the man... "dam it would take a hooker in vegas her life with her legs in the air to earn this much cash and she would have to do more than just give a big old cock a hand job.. well a double hand job cause that horses cock is one big piece of meat!" as well as a few other words that still brought a smile to Jake face. Luckily the Shiek had a sense of humor and laughed at the comment and it was a genuine laugh.

BUT back to Daria the woman had been a suprise, it was clear she was educated and sophisticated one could be easily intimidated by her intelligence and manners BUT she also had that down to earth aspect about her. As stated she was quit a sight for the eyes as well and her 'titties' GOOD Lord having a baby had blessed the woman even more BUT Jake had to force those thoughts form his head and many a cold shower had be taken while he got used to being around the woman. The stallions at the Triple B were not the only Studs on the ranch, Jake had been blessed at birth and though not as long as any of the horses he sported a girth that any woman he had been with had been down right scared at first sight but he , babies are birthed from that area and his cock was not that wide LOL.

Okay so Jake had over the weeks and months tried to adjust his mind and come up with some sort of idea of how to deal with the attraction he felt for Daria and not allow it to effect his relationship with her or Claude or the workers. At first since Claude was like a father to him he though maybe as a sister but then incestual thoughs sprung up from that (and dreams thus more cold showers) so he pushed that out. Boss was the best idea and true he had some fantasies and dreams on that aspect it was far less than at the start, after getting through the worries that once Claude was done he would be out of work or have to find a new home he now just needed to spend the time binding and fermenting the bond between himself and Daria that he had had with her father over the many years he had worked here.

***********************************

Jake smiled when Daria and Anna returned he knew better then to offer to help with her daughter but he did take the basket from her as he spoke to two of the workers who laughed loudest from the table.. "You two clean up before heading out the door, the rest of you know what needs to get done and know where we will be till Noon. Mr. Donovan's party should be here around 2PM so make certain the area by the receiving barn is all set for us to take a look at the horses he wants us to work with and PLEASE ANDIE " Jake pleaded " If he has his wife or daughter with him let the others do the talking you just check over the Stallion he not embarrass yourself or Miss Daria with any comments this is a good church going sorta patron and we do not need to piss him or his family off" he added as gently as he could much to the embarrassment of the young woman who just nodded and said she would do her best.

With that they were out the door, as they walked towards the barn Jake started a conversation "It was very nice of you to make the offer of the places and all Miss Daria" he said as he walked beside her and a bit behind. "I am certain a lot of them would like to know more but are too hesitant to ask so I guess it is up to me to ask for them " he smiled a wicked smile.. " Lets start with Andie " he chuckled " so which of your properties do you think our prize horse milker would find the best and you would not be embarrassed from letting her spent time at IE any on deserted Islands with no one around to be graced with words elegance?"
 
Daria was the first to admit that the climate here was different from anything she was used to. With her mother and stepfather, relationships with the staff was about as relaxed as one would find in their social circles. Her mother would talk and chat while she was in the room, but she didn’t stop the staff from working. Her stepfather was more formal-you only talked to the staff if you needed something. At work, he kept chatting with his workers to a minimum because everyone was there to work, not make friends, and when people made friends with the boss, it made things complicated later. So, it was best to not get too tangled up, just to avoid confusion later. He only ever talked to people if their work was slacking to make sure that there wasn’t something that could be fixed with some adjustments or training...If someone was having trouble at home, some time off to get things in order with some pay, or a vacation to spend time with the family if that was the issue...He wasn’t a monster…

So, when she’d come to the ranch, it was a different environment than she was used to, so she just hung back and watched how Claude and everyone interacted...She did the same before she went to work for her stepfather...It was how she learned, but some things needed hands on learning before she could do them…

Daria made the offer for vacation property to use thinking it more like a perk...She wasn’t Claude, but they could save some money on needing housing during vacation-which could well be hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on where they would stay...Working for her would have its perks, even with her differences from what they were used to...They were hardly the sort of people she was used to working with, and she tried to not mess with the morale too much...She just didn’t want to hear all their horse-fucking jokes...She figured they could keep those to themselves-she definitely didn’t want her daughter hearing them when she was big enough to start learning to talk…

She was saved having to remind Andie about her language by Jake. While they had different reasons for wanting her to keep a rein on her tongue, the woman seemed to be able to put truckers to shame. Daria’s first exposure to the woman had been her coming in, hands all lubed up while she cursed up a storm about a stallion’s lack of endowment...In much more vulgar words. Even Claude, ill as he’d been, had gotten some color to his face and he was coughing and sputtering that they had proper company and she shouldn’t talk like that. Andie’s face had paled when Daria had been introduced...Even if no one had gotten around to telling Daria about Claude’s plan to leave her the ranch, it had been on the back of everyone else’s minds…

JD took the playpen and she gave him a smile with a murmured thanks. Anna made faces at the man as they walked, giggling and pointing while he talked about everyone’s hesitancy to come talk to her. “You can let me know when you’re planning on putting each person on vacation and I’ll get you a list of what’s available in those windows and you just let me know what they pick-I can handle it from there if I’m too scary for them to talk to about it.” It didn’t hurt her feelings. That was what HR departments were for...People talked to HR, not the CEO about such things, she supposed.

Though, when he mentioned Andie, she raised a brow. “I don’t own any truck stops…” She cleared her throat. “If she’s single, there’s a cruise line that can set up a booze cruise for her to take, a resort in Mexico, one in Florida that is more rowdy than others…” She thought for a moment. “Oh, New Orleans...She might like that during Mardis Gras…She can literally show her boobs and get beads she can trade for free drinks and no judgement. Rowdy enough?” She asked with a chuckle. “It’s even in the French Quarter, so she can hang out on the balcony and not miss one parade. Official or not…” She sighed. “I love the food there, and the nighttime tours of all the haunted spots...There’s a lot of history there.” That was why she’d bought the apartment there...She loved the food, the music, and the history...Though, she didn’t tend to go during Mardis Gras...Too crowded and loud-even for New Orleans.

“I have a few all-inclusive resorts I belong to for the boys who still owe their wives a honeymoon, or are due a second one,” she said with a chuckle. “Just don’t get too rowdy…”

They made their way to the barn, and she found a spot where she could keep an eye on Anna from almost any vantage point and set up the playpen for the child before putting her down in it with some toys. She laughed when Anna grabbed one of the little balls and threw it at JD. “Alright, where do you want to get started?”
 
Jake laughed and shook his head at the woman his boss "Oh No Miss Daria it is not that you are too scary it is more they are scared and some feel a might bit embarrassed by their simple words and your proper one's " Jake said a smile on his face and an ease to his words .. he hoped. "Time... time it what it will take AND I think the idea of that swear jar, well BARREL we put in plain view is going far with all the hands especially Andie. " It also helps that you put that list up for Andie to start to consider using in place of some of her more colorful words, and she understands especially with little ears around." he said glancing over at Anna and his face seeming to glow.

He took his time and listened to her suggestions, they had a good crew here and God knew that some of their clients pushed the limits at times. If the boss was willing to offer incentives he was certain willing to help her help them earn them. Out of the all he suggested for Andie 'New Orleans' especially if she kept up the work with the Stallions Seed. "That is a task I do NOT want to try and find another person to be able to handle for us Miss Daria, let me tell you Claude and I had a hel.. " he paused , coughed "heck! of a time finding Andie and it may be true that some of our clients might not care much HOW the seed is ummm extracted but being a male myself .. well nuff said.".

By the time that chit chat was done they were at the barn and the playpen was all setup, he smiled and reached back into a pocket for his CELL/PDA and clicked on an APP. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the ball coming and grabbed it in one hand and tossed it underhand back into the playpen careful to not hit the little girl but give her a chance to snatch it. "Okay I am going to grab some of the feed and bring it out to the main table we then need to do the main mix and work on separating and adding the essentials for our various guests." he smiled going over the first item in HIS to do list.

Jake did not allow anyone else to mix the special feed and grains that would be fed to the various 'guests', he also had notes sent to him from the two vet's they hand on staff and he grinned. "Well well it looks like Mistress Dukes is going to be a momma" he handed her the Cell/PDA with the tests results the Vet. had sent him. " That's a cool 225K for the ranch as soon as that oil guy from Texas has his own Vet flown in to confirm." Jake said and could not help the shit eating grin on his face. The fool had been trying for years and has spent supposedly millions on getting the filly knocked up, they should have been his first resort not last and it had taken them over a year to get the fear out of the poor girl before she was able and willing to consider being properly mounted. They did not rush it and Claude in fact had offered a money back guarantee so certain was he of his people. NOW instead of it costing them 225K plus the additional costs of boarding etc... they would have a huge pay out! BUT more than that a fine bloodline would continue on.

Jake left his PDA/CELL with her as he went to get the supplies "You'll also find my notes on there Daria" he said his back to her, dropping the Miss for the first time ever possibly " check them over as I think it's time for YOU to do the mixing this morning." He was gone out of view for a few minutes and returned with a car full of grains he then moved a large table and started to set up. With Daria helping him they had everything laid out, this needed to be done daily as most of what they fed their guests came from the various pedigree's as well as their physical conditions. Weight , age, size , etc..

While they were setting things up one of the hands showed up with a basket filled of fresh various fruits that would also be cut up and added to the feed and meal. With Jake guiding Daria it took a good hour and a half, he asking and answering any question she might have had as well as taking a few small breaks to pay attention to Anna. When they were done he went over and picked up the little girl and gave her a check, yup she needed changed and without being asked Jake took her over to the side, Daria had done most if not all the mixing per his verbal guiding and nudging her hands thus were a bit dirty.. Jake just needed some sanitizing wipes .. and as he grabbed the bag and the blanket he laid Anna on he used on hand to open the bag , extract the wipes clean his hands... hold the giggling smiling child on the clean blanket... he undid her jumper and within minutes he had her clean and in a fresh diaper and buttoned back up. Lifting her up he twirled her around a few times much to her glee and turned to look at her mother his boss. "So you ready now to feed our guests?" he said.
 
She didn’t judge people because they had a different background or education from her. She knew that if her mother hadn’t met her stepfather, her life could have been very different than it had turned out. She could have ended up working on a pole on her eighteenth birthday rather than riding equestrian competitions. She didn’t mind their simple words, but she knew it would just take time for everyone to get to know her better. She’d been hormonal and grieving...She’d just lost her husband, she was pregnant...A 21 gun salute and a folded flag didn’t replace one’s husband...Especially when you knew your daughter was going to grow up without ever having met her father...She knew her stepdad would be a great grandfather figure for little Anna and spoil her rotten...Claude had gotten to meet her before he passed away...So there was that, at least…But her being grieving, hormonal, and coming to terms with meeting her estranged father...It hadn’t made for a sterling introduction but she’d done her best to be nice and try to get a feeling for how things went at the ranch…

“Well, I’m glad everyone is being mindful. I really don’t want to get a phone call from preschool when she starts talking that she dropped a color f-bomb in the middle of play time.” She chuckled. Really-Daria knew that some foul words could drop when the situation warranted it, but every other word was not warranting it. “But between you and me, I was just going to use the money to throw a little cookout for the workers when it got full,” she said with a chuckle.

He let her know he didn’t want Andy going on vacation before the stallion milking was done, and she laughed. “Hey-I put you in charge of who gets to go on vacation when. So you can handle all that,” she joked with a chuckle.

Anna was settled, so they set to work. Daria made sure to pay extra attention to everything, and she took her own notes just in case she needed them while Jake went on vacation. She knew that he needed a break. Everyone did. They had taken things as easily as they could after Claude had passed, but it was time to roll up their sleeves and get to work double time so everyone could take some vacation and relax without worrying about money.

“That’s great news,” she said, looking up from the task at hand when he talked about Mistress Dukes soon having colts. It would be good money. More if there were twins, but time would tell on that one. “I can follow a recipe,” she assured him when he said he needed to go out for a bit, and it was time for her to start mixing everything on her own.

Anna giggled and squealed in delight as she rolled the ball back and forth and chased it across the playpen. She would stop when Anna managed to toss the ball out and she caught it and tossed it back. She made sure to cut everything up just like Jake wanted, and Anna started to get fussy. “Let Mommy wash her--” But Jake was already on it, getting her and changing her. “Thanks,” she said. They needed to feed the animals, so she double-checked everything and started to go down the row, feeding the horses while her daughter made fun little noises and the general ma-ma-ma-ma as she learned to form words.

“I know it’s talking longer with making sure I’m doing everything right. I’m sorry. I’ll get better with practice,” she assured him. Last thing anyone needed to do was be worrying themselves about work while they were supposed to be resting and relaxing.

“So, tell me some about yourself, Jake. I feel like everyone knows everything about me, and I’ve just been able to skim the surface.”
 
Jake sighed and shook his head.. "Listen Daria" there is was he did it again dropping the Miss from in front of her name, " Your doing find, he.." he stared stopped.. "Heck better than most if not all of the others I have tried explaining this to and it is important.. " Jake stopped his speech and made certain eye contact was there between the two of them, he starred into her eyes like he would any other worker, well almost as looking into her eyes were a lot more pleasant than looking into Pablo's or George's then went on.. " VERY Important for what we do around here and who we are doing it for and why."

His smile was genuine and her request had him thinking of his own life, and some of the pain behind it. Claude knew his past, but almost no one else around the ranch or in town did. "There's not much to it Miss Daria" he stared as the two of them moved to return the items back to the feed shed and then head back in towards the house. " I do not have much family to speak of your father found me when I was around and was hired me on to 'help' his breeder, but after a few years your father realized I had a much better touch and hand. I never need a prod, but welll " he blushes at these words " I sorta set the mood as well as make certain both parties are 'healthy' and many a foal has been born this way to give great fame to the ranch and your father's name." he finishes adding "As for family save for my sister that lives in Australia and an Uncle up in Canada there is not many more our parents passed in a car accident and we were raised by my Uncle he chuckles now.. Uncle Bret is a bit unusual as he owns some land and yes raises horses but he also has this 'Mine' not gold or silver but some minor precious gems.. Julie 'My Sister' took to his ways and with my Uncle's help bought some land and is trying to find more precious stones.. Diamonds to be exact but so far no luck, she has some nice emeralds and a few other stones but she has this itch to find diamonds " he says and shakes his head. "I well for me it has been and I guess will always be horses."

Jake went on to recount he rode (still rides) rodeo he has won buckles and trophies for 'bareback riding' as well as saddle bronc riding. 'Bull Riding is for idjits' and though good with a rope he never took to the competition side. He has had a love of horses from an early age and is also a bit of a 'Horse Whisperer'. He was found by your father arguing with a man who wanted to use an electric prod. on a young stallion who was having issues breeding a prized mare. Jake asked the man how he would like the electric prod up his ass while he was fucking a filly and almost came to blows.. Your father liked his spirit and broke in asking him how HE would get the stallion to mount the mare. Turning to your father he shook his head and said 'No male be it horse or man is gonna refuse to slip there pecker in a fine warm wet welcoming hole and that filly wants to be filled. There is something up with the Stallion and that needs to be fixed first.. " stopping and adding.. 'SIR" at the end. Later your father learned it turned out that there was a BURR stuck in the stallion foreskin small but painful and after a few days of healing the Stallion was mounting the mare day and night, and Jake had take on a new light in the older man's eyes.

"You know it was because of that Stallion your father rewarded me with a bit of land of my own way out on the back 80 part of the place" he said absent mindley " He noticed I did not wander out much and he wanted me to have a place to call my own away from the ranch and all HELL he used to force me to take time off, to get my head on straight and all that..." Jake said his eyes not on you but far away in memories..

By this time you both are back and a beeping alerts you both that YOU have guests arriving to meet with and discuss how some of their horses are doing and Jake has calls to make and other work to get done for the day.
 
Daria looked up from her work when he told her to listen to him. It took her a moment to hear what he was saying just because he had some of the most intense eyes she had ever seen. They were easy to get lost in, and the cadence of his voice...She almost blushed, and gave a little nod. He was looking at it as a job-he was there to take care of helping make sure the horses were in tip top shape for breeding. She was there to try to preserve Claude’s legacy and make sure it was thriving for when her daughter could take it over. With everything that had happened...Her late husband hadn’t had a chance to leave much more than a life insurance policy and a few little keepsakes for their child...Her mother would leave her money, but there wasn’t really anything but pictures to pass on...Some money...And her stepfather had set her up a generous trust, but there would be nothing else from him because he had his own children…

She just gave Jake a soft smile and a nod, turning her attention back to the work, listening as Jake told her about his life, and how he’d come to be at the ranch. “I know he said that if I decided to sell the place, then he had money set aside to survey out a particular section of land back there for you and make you out a deed for it.” She’d honor it. It wasn’t like it was cutting the ranch in half, and Jake could always decide to sell the land to the new owners if he didn’t want them as neighbors.

But she hadn’t decided to sell yet. As of right now, she wanted to keep everything going for Anna and let her decide if she wanted to keep it or pass it on when she was older. She would have hated it if she grew up with a love of horses, and felt disappointed because her mother had sold the ranch before she was old enough to remember being here.

Phones began to beep, and she checked to see that some of their boarders’ owners were here. She put a sling on, and tucked Anna into it before she went to show them to their horses, and went over everything they were doing with them. Anna kept giggling at the horses as they leaned over their stall doors to nuzzle at her offered fingers. She let the girl have a few bits of fruit to give them for a treat, and she squealed in delight as she felt their lips pull the fruit away.

She had someone appointed to them to help them out if they needed any help while they took their horses out to exercise and ride them a bit since they ended up with an afternoon free, and Daria left them to enjoy their horses as she took Anna back to finish cleaning up after getting things ready for feeding the horses. There was always work to do, and she set her daughter back into the playpen as she set out to muck stalls, and check shoes to make sure there weren’t any splits or new shoes needed. One had a loose shoe, and she made a note of it in the computer so that it could be corrected, and that was when Anna started to get fussy again…

“Alright, alright,” she said with a laugh, and got everything packed up to head back into the main house. She had an office there she could work in, and Anna had a generous amount of space to play in. Daria wasn’t working for an hour when the soft purring sound drew her attention, and she saw Anna sprawled out in the middle of her play area, her stuffed horsey hugged close. She put a blanket over her, and let her nap while she worked. Daria finished up what she was doing, and then kicked off her shoes, lying down next to Anna and grinning as she combed her fingers through her curls-and she dozed off, too…

A knock at the door was followed by one of the ranch hands poking his head in, and seeing the two curled up on the floor had him quickly closing it, and going to tell Jake about the cute sight upstairs. “Didn’t have my phone or I’d have taken a picture.”
 
When Jesse came and told Jake anout Daria and Anna he smiled and shook his head at the woman.. "Now now taking pictures of the boss could be a bad idea without her permission" he then smiled and sat back in his office chair. Jake had been also working on 'the books' and going over various order forms and request for material as well as request from the hands for time off for various rodeo's passing through in the coming weeks/months.

He would need to talk to Daria about those requests and get her feel, she had attended a few of the events with her father over the past year BUT this year it would be her show and well, as owner of the ranch it would be up to her to handle some of the special events that were also sponsored for a few of those rodeo's. His mind going back to the comment on the picture
BUT I think if you had, you might have gotten a raise .. " he said his mind thoughtful.. " I mean a pic like this is one in a thousand or a million and I am certain Daria would have cherished it instead of being mad.." the woman his boss after all did not have anyone around to take those pics, no husband or boyfriend or family and now thinking of it he sat a bit straighter his mind working.

In a way he and the hands here at the ranch were her family now, as such Anna was also family and they needed to be more than just 'employees'' for their boss. He stood up and grabbing his phone off his desk he did not say a word but passed Jesse and moved quickly to Daria's office.. he stopped a good distance away and took off his boots.. and moved carefully up listening before he oh so slowly opened the door just a bit and peeked in.

Sure enough Daria was still curled up on a blanket on a big old bear like rug on the floor, both she and anna still seeming asleep, but then he noticed Anna turn her head and smile.. he child looked at him and made a motion with her hand ... opening and closing it she reached out and took hold gently of a finger of her mother who in her sleep smiled and shifted.

Jake had his phone in hand and was taking pictures as Anna looked to him wonder in her eyes and giggled.. the light coming in the window seemed to silhouette the two on the floor mother and daughter as Daria shifted some her breasts moving under her top as it opened slightly, cleavage could be seen as well as the bra she wore under her large full breasts straining against the material and as he took few more pics he thought he saw dampness appear through the top over where her nipp..

Jake stopped and slowly quietly closed the door and backed quickly up and out. a blush to his face as he moved on socked feet. He saw Jesse behind him and in a whisper said "Ummm you saw nothing and we will not talk about this.. " his face was beat red as he grabbed his cowboy boots and made it back to his office.

Inside he closed his door and sat down behind his desk, his phone was still in hand and he had take a couple dozen pictures BUT now he was wondering if what he did was wrong, really wrong and he sat there glancing at them as he pondered if he had crossed a line that should not have been crossed?
 
“Ma-ma-ma…” She heard, pulling her from her slumber right before--

”Owwww!” She gasped when Anna latched on. “Helping yourself, huh?” She chuckled, and moved so she was more comfortable. “You get teeth-not more milk unless it’s from a bottle,” she sighed and moved so she could scoop the child up and hold her until she was done. “Crap...I soaked through the shield,” she sighed.

She took her daughter to the room they were currently sharing and changed her before she changed her bra, top, and tucked in fresh shield. “Mommy’s going to have to see if they heavy flow pads like women-problem pads have,” she said with a chuckle. She’d live. It wasn’t that big a deal. So she’d have to do a little more laundry...Big deal. Still...She seemed to be producing more than her daughter could drink-she was going to have to talk to the doctor about it, just to make sure everything was fine. At least make her feel more at ease.

She pumped, and had the extra milk in some bags-labeled for freezing as she made her way downstairs, Anna in one arm and the baggies in the hand of the other. They were added to the organized bin, and looking at the dates, she knew that her production was way up compared to a couple of weeks ago. Anna was gaining weight, so she knew the girl was eating enough…”Guess I can donate what you can’t get around to drinking before it expires,” she said with a kiss to the girl’s head before putting her in the high chair.

She put together a quick message to Jake since she wasn’t sure where he was. About to make some lunch. If you’re hungry, let me know and I’ll fix enough for you, too. Once she had a reply, she set about fixing something that sounded good to her. Jake knew by now that if he didn’t like what she made, then he could fix himself something else.

Daria made a berry and goat cheese spinach salad, along with some salmon and asparagus. It might not have been considered cowboy food since it wasn’t deep fried and carb loaded, but it was on the list of things her nutritionist told her to eat. And it wasn’t a quinoa salad, so she hoped that got her a little leeway on her choices for lunch. And she had some chocolate chip cookies cooling on a cooling rack, waiting for some ice cream.

It was moments like this she was most reminded of her late husband, and how alone she was...The edges of her vision started to blur, but she managed to wipe them away before they could leave a trail down her cheeks. “I’m fine,” she said, hoping that the more she said it, the truer it would be. It would take time. She knew that.

Her phone buzzed, and she read the inquiry about what she’d be doing for the rodeo...She was going to have to talk to Jake about that. She didn’t know what had been done in the past, and she didn’t want to accidentally repeat something-and do a shitty job of it. Why am I getting questions about what I’m doing for the rodeo? She sent to Jake, thinking that was a neutral enough way to broach the subject. I thought Claude said he was doing the rodeo last year because he didn’t know if he’d be around for another one… But maybe he just meant he was going a little overboard because of it? She felt awful having to bug Jake so much.
 
(Enter Johnathon and Martha Kent - Hopefully Martha can be a friend to Daria just as Johnathon will be to Jake)
The truck had pulled up outside the large ranch house and the older red headed woman with a slight touch of grey in her hair was about to open her door when the even older looking man who had driven her to the ranch had quickly slipped out his side and hurried to open her door and extend a hand, a smile on his wrinkled face and love in his eyes 'Johnathon!' the woman (his wife) exclaimed and blushed as she took a quick look around and saw some of the ranch hands for The Triple B glance over and wave. Taking the offered hand Martha felt herself pulled... not yanked from the truck and as she slid off the seat she was in her husbands arms and her booted feet dangling off the ground as she felt his arms wrap around her and the 'impish' (or devilish grin) on her husbands worn weathered face as he kissed her.

It was a kiss filled with passion and all the years of love that the two had shared, high school sweet hearts they had married and tried for a family BUT it was not meant to be. Still her sister and her brother-in-law had many children and they came to be almost like her own as they helped tend the Johnathon's families farm. The farm had been in the family for generations and would continue to thrive, and it was because of ranches such as The Triple B who had helped our during the rough spots and had them growing 'special grains and feed' that they would then transport monthly if not weekly to the ranch.

Martha had also agreed to 'help out' in the kitchen as she loved to cook, even if some of the 'Cowboys & Girls' had as strange as ideas of what proper food was these days.

Johnathon for his part, (after the passionate kiss he had given his wife of so many years), could not help but smile before letting her go, his hands slid from her waiste and he fought the urge to giver her still firm bottom a squeeze. It has started as a joke a few years back when he had caught several of the hands eyeing his wife, Martha was much older than most of the young workers but she was still a fine looking woman., and he had moved to her and in front of a group of them had simply place a long and passionate kiss on her lips.. the shock in her eyes but the love also had made any embarrassment worth it. When Martha had exclaimed his name and then touched her lips a full on blush on her dimpled cheeks she had breathly asked 'what that was for'.. his responded was simple.. "When you asked me why I wanted to Marry you what was my reply?" he said in front of everyone and blushing again she had said, ' so you could kiss me anytime you wanted be it in private or public' and they had laughed and held each other for a short time.

*****************************************************************************************************************************

Johnathon had broken away from his wife and went to find Jake, the back of the truck had a load of special grains he had requested as well as fresh carrots.

Martha strolled up the porch and into the house, she smelled something wonderful coming from the kitchen and upon entering it she saw Daria with Anna working the stove and preparing food. 'Oh Dear' she exclaimed and quickly moved to take the little girl from her mother who looked like she was also trying to view her phone at the same time. 'DARIA!' her voice seeming scolding... 'I texted I would be coming over today to help out" the older woman said as the you girl cooed in her arms and wrapped her small hands in her shirt and giggled .

Martha knew that the much younger woman who owned this entire ranch was trying to her best, and that she also hated to ask for help. In a way the two of them were much alike ( or so Johnathon thought and had told her). Seeing the wonderful mean she had made her eyes moved to what had prepared and she hesitated. 'Uh Oh" she said seeing the asparagus Martha knew that Jake and some of the other hands would eat what had been made BUT not enjoy it for 'mental health reasons'. Martha had held off on have 'the talk' with Daria but perhaps it was time.

'Daria' she said (once she was certain she was off the phone and her attention fully on the older woman, she also made certain one else was close). ' When I started to cook for your father and the hands here I noticed that some of my meals were..." she started to struggle for the words than gave up, " well they were not being enjoyed and it bothered me!' she said she then went on to add that none of the men complained and it was just some of the men. It took a few years for her to finally by accident find out why as a Fair and Rodeo in town when a group of 'Buckle Bunnies' started to talk over in a corner as they watched the cowboys prepare for events and some of the names of ranchers were dropped from The Triple B.

*Blushing* a bit Martha went on saying that Jake's name had caught her attention when a Cougar had mentioned that his special diet had been shared but several of the 'boys' still need education and the woman had laughed. "Later I found the woman, she was older and having her speak of Jake bothered me and I did not like it!" Martha stated as she handed Anna back to Daria and started to grab some other items to make to replace the broccoli from the one dish well not so much as replace but offer as an alternative. " The woman who was MY age did not take offense in fact she laughed at me and told me I had nothing to fear! Her encounter with Jake was when he was much much younger and so was she" the simple salad Martha whipped up adding some diced pineapple to it looked strange but she only smiled at Daria 'Daria Jake has this mindset when it comes to his body and food, it has take him a few years but he now knows what items that he puts in may not be pleasing to a woman should they become..." she paused blushed a bit 'intimate' she finished.

Martha then went on as clinically as she could (being a farm girl it was not easy) saying that some though tasting good did not taste good at the right time. *Sighing* Martha then just pulls out her phone and taps on it .. handing it to Daria 'Here this is just ONE article you can find on what I am trying to talk about BUT in truth you just really need to talk to the boys those who say 'They do not care' really mean it ' Those like Jake may say that but then will add things they are 'Allergic too" ( air quotes) ' or special requests' then with a large shit eating grin.. she finishes ' The Pineapple Juice that Jake drinks is not just for his health... in fact he was able to convince my husband to give his 'diet' a go and I have been very very pleased woman over the years'..

*****************************************************************************************************************************

Jake had left the house and was in the Barn when Johnathon had found him, the two of them had moved the items from the back of the truck as well as taken the fresh vegetables to the fridges. Jake had run out of the carrots and needed to give the horses a 'treat' before heading in to lunch. So it was s good twenty to thirty minutes before the two of them showed up at the house.
 
Daria looked up when she heard someone come in, and then the chastisement. “I didn’t get any texts…” So if she’d texted anyone else, they hadn’t passed it on to Daria. She’d just fixed something she wanted for lunch. She had been nice and made enough for Jake since she was working with him so much today...Everyone else could grab whatever they wanted for lunch, and dinner was someone else’s responsibility tonight.

She grinned when Anna decided to not cry. She was getting used to everyone who was a common fixture about the ranch...Provided they didn’t have huge beards...But that just seemed a baby-thing. Babies didn’t like the big beards, and so far-Daria didn’t really have to worry about any of that.

She paused in putting together her plate, and raised a brow as Martha seemed to try to find the words for something that was on her mind, and as the woman found more of her words, Daria’s eyes got wider and wider. This woman did not just tell her she should be careful about what she put in meals she prepared in case the boys wanted to out whoring?! She wanted to have the immediate reaction her mother would have-but Claude had liked this woman, and they did a lot of business with the ranch...And she told herself that Martha was just trying to help...At least-she hoped she was just trying to be nice…

“Mrs. Kent--”

“Martha, Dear. I’ve told you to call me Martha.”

The woman was older than Daria’s own mother, so...That was going to take some time for the adjustment given how Daria had been raised…”Martha--This is what my doctor told me I needed to eat to be healthy and make sure my baby gets everything she needs. I don’t force feed anyone. I’m not being intimate with anyone here except B.O.B.,” who was her battery operated boyfriend, and luckily for her, there was no one else named Bob about. “And B.O.B. really doesn’t care if I have asparagus. If any of the fellas have hot dates, they can always save their appetites for them, or eat something different. I am more than happy to accommodate actual food allergies, but some funky tasting jizz really isn’t on my list of priorities with everything else I have to keep in mind-including the food I eat that my daughter has through my milk.” She found herself setting a skillet down with a bit more force than she’d intended, and Anna started to get fussy because she could sense her mother was upset about something.

“Come here,” she said, taking Anna back, and working with one hand while she finished fixing her own plate.

“I only meant--”

“I know you didn’t mean any harm, Martha. If I had thought you meant some harm, I would be screeching at you to leave. I know that things were done a certain way for a very long time, and everyone wants to complain about small changes I make, but no one wants to give me any credit for anything, so if you’ll excuse me…” She took her plate, and Anna up to her office…

*****

The look on Martha’s face told him that she was feeling guilty about something. “What did you do?” And as he looked over what was set out--He realized…”Please tell me you did not go telling that woman she shouldn’t have made asparagus, Martha…”

“I just--I thought I’d just let her know some of the boys don’t care for it, and why…”

“Martha-she lost her husband while she was pregnant, and lost Claude not long after getting acquainted with him. Maybe this was her late husband’s favorite meal, and she was missing him, or maybe she had another reason for making it--”

“She said the doctor said she needed to eat it for the baby...I just--I didn’t mean anything bad by it. She was really upset. I was a little nervous about going up. I don’t know her well enough to know if I should or not…”

Johnathan didn’t think that Jake would let Daria refuse to do business with them without a fight, but...They needed this business. “I’ll go talk to her…Jake-get yourself something to eat. Avoid the greens,” he said with a chuckle and went to go find the new lady of the house. He knew where to find the office, and he gave a knock. Hearing her say to come in, he cracked open the door, and offered a grin. “I just wanted to apologize for Martha-she feels awful she upset you.” He could tell the woman had been crying, but she’d obviously quickly wiped her tears away when he’d come knocking. “She didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I know…I told her if I thought she meant anything offensive, I’d have screeched at her to leave.”

“Well, I appreciate that. She’d helped Claude look after these boys on delivery days for years. She just needs to learn your way of doing things, and talking about the boys’ personal preferences like that wasn’t really something she should have done. At least not yet.” He let his gaze move about the remodeled office, and grinned. She’d kept some of the things that Claude had been proud of while making it her own. He could see Claude’s old bearskin rug right where her daughter was playing. Looked like it had been freshly cleaned-which shouldn’t have surprised him, Daria seemed the sort to be a little protective of her daughter.

“It’s fine. The boys don’t want to eat it, they don’t have to. They weren’t afraid to be vocal about not liking my pancakes the first time I made them, so if they have a problem with me not cooking other things they have mouths, and I know they know how to use them.”

“How are you doing?” He asked, trying to change the subject. “I mean-with everything. I know you’ve had a lot of loss this past year…”

“Suppose I’m handling things about as well as can be expected. I didn’t sell everything off to the highest bidder, and I’m not running things into the ground-so things could be worse.”

Anna crawled across the floor and around the desk. He chuckled when he heard the Mum-mum-mum that was common amongst small children. “Not even really talking yet, and trying to be the boss, huh?”

“Yeah. She knows she’s the boss,” Daria said with a chuckle, disappearing behind the desk for a moment before she was sitting up with the kid in her lap. She reached over and grabbed some of the salmon and put it in her mouth. “Seems to be a bottomless pit, too. There’s plenty to eat downstairs, so you and Martha feel free to help yourselves. Was Jake able to place an order with you? I know we were running out of carrots, but don’t know if there was anything else.”

“He’s got all that covered. Don’t worry. I should probably go save him from Martha. She is going to have him all kinds of anxious with talk of what she might have said to you,” he said with a chuckle. “He knows what they say about shit flowing downhill…”

He went downstairs, and grinned. “She’s not firing any of us, so that’s good,” he said with a chuckle. “Though, you did make her cry, Martha...Jake-you know what kind of desserts she might like that Martha can make for tonight to attone?”
 
Jake had come into the house and seen how anxious Mrs. Ken 'Martha' was, it had caused him to stop in his tracks and look around then back at her and the look on the older woman's face told him just about everything he needed to know, he leaned his head back and let out a deep and long *sigh* as he crossed his arms and took a deep breath then looked over at Martha.. "Okay I am ready... start at the beginning and walk me through just how possibly bad this may be..." Jake said..

As he stood there Jake listened to what Martha was saying, he stopped her and asked her a few questions asking her to be more specific on what she said and then he did a face palm and shook his head.. "Mrs Kent!" he said and sighed.. Jake had already spoke to Miss Beaumont a bit already there was no need for her to share as much as she did especially as it looked like what Daria had prepared was more a small meal for herself and maybe one other not for the staff.

He then gave a hard stare at the older woman an idea forming in his mind as he started to speak it out loud he stopped as Johnathon showed up and made his comment... Jake noted the blush on Martha's face and he shook his head "Mrs. Kent you were not trying to match make again were you?" he said as he moved past her and her husband watching her 'fish mouth' a reply and heard Johnathan chuckle... "I am going to go up and check in with the boss" he said and left the two of them in a quiet personal conversation behind.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Jake headed over to Daria's office and stopped to knock on the door before entering, "Hey Boss it's me Jake you got a few moments?" he said and waited for a reply..
 
Daria watched the door close, and grinned as Annabelle held up a piece of fish for her to try. “Thank you, Baby,” she said with a smile and took a bite. “Mmm.” She chuckled and mashed up some of the asparagus so that Anna could try it. The girl was not the biggest fan if her face was anything to go by, but she’d be alright. “Can’t wait for you to get big enough to try sushi!” She said, tickling under her chin and making the girl squeal.

“Mommy’s trying her best. I know you don’t have your daddy around, but she’s trying…” She leaned in and gave her a kiss on her head. “Go play. Mommy needs to eat.” There were kisses, and Anna crawled back over to her toys, scooting across when her arms got tired. “Lazy bones,” she joked…

That was when she heard Jake’s voice come from the door. “Come on in,” she said, piercing some fish with her fork. She hoped he wasn’t walking around with a glass of pineapple juice after what Martha said-she just...It was too soon.

“Is there a problem?” She had the feeling he was here to try to smooth stuff over after what happened with Mrs. Kent. “If you don’t want to eat the asparagus, then don’t. I made some for you since we were working together and I didn’t want to be rude, but don’t feel obligated.”
 
Jake came into her office and after entering he closed the door and stood, not meaning too but a force of nervous habbit he leaned a bit on one leg sticking out his chest and placing his hands behind his back into his back pockets as he paused to look at the mother and daughter and then smile.. "No.. no.. " he said stopping.. " at least I do not THINK there is a problem " he started...

Jake went on to apologize again for Martha, even though he knew Johnathon had been up here doing just that for his wife he was still the... well the second in command of The Ranch and it was his job of sorts to be the go between between employee's and THE Boss " she meant well in a weird sorta way Daria and I think over the months you two have been talking and hanging out she forgot you were 'The Boss' and was being just a might bit tooo gossipy and nosey" he said yet that did not mean that she should have said what she had said.. " The going on's and doing's of your workers should not be any issue unless it effects The Ranch or in some way how others see us and I just wish to assure you that IT Does Not!" he said plainly and honestly.. " adding as an after thought " well Andie's vocabualry aside that is " he finished with a smile.

Taking a breathe he felt better and decided to add one last thing, " I.. " he stopped re-started " WE all also know it was hard for you to come out here after the loss and then add to it Claude and Anna " he said real emotion in his tight voice as he looked at the little girl in wonder ... " Some times people forget what is what and get TOO comfortable and especially older farm folks who should not be trying to 'Perhaps' match make" he added his face turning a bit red.. " Especially NOT with their boss, and especially NOT when they have no idea said boss does not need match making.." Jake added and took his hands form his back pocket running one through his hair.

He himself had no idea that Daria was already starting to see someone, 'Bob' or Robert he was certain must be either Lord Robert Quimby who owned the race horse from last year or maybe Robert Duval some 'Hollywood' actor who had bought a stallion for show.. " Your personal life is no never mind and should be just that but for what it is worth Daria myself and the rest of your workers just want to do a good job for you .. and Anna and see you happy and if 'BOB' or Robert makes you happy and brings a smile to your face so be it.!" he said ending his speech and standing their a smile on his face hoping he had settled the matter.
 
“Alright-for the third time,” she said, trying to make sure that Jake knew she’d let the couple know there wasn’t really any hard feelings, “If I thought Martha was trying to be anything other than helpful, everyone would have been hearing me shout like I was raised here, and don’t know what an inside voice is, alright…” She had to keep a rein on her temper. Jake was just trying to smooth things over, but she just…

She wasn’t even going to let herself think about what she wanted or needed-because in plenty of ways, it wasn’t ever going to happen.

“I don’t think any of the boys want me having those sorts of details about them. The only time I need to know anything about workers getting laid is if two of them are dating and I want to avoid any accusations of favoritism or a sexual harassment claim,” she pointed out. She figured everyone would probably just prefer it that way.

Then Jake said something that made her blink...And then-Alright, it was absolutely ridiculous. She couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing, and kept laughing and laughing, and the tears welled up as she fell out of her chair into the floor and had to gasp for air. When she thought she had a grip-she tried to form words to explain-and it happened all over again…

“At the risk of TMI-B.O.B. is short for Battery Operated Boyfriend,” she managed before she fell into a fit of giggles again. At least she wasn’t crying from feeling hopeless or like a failure this time. She figured that was an improvement to an hour ago. “I’m not dating anyone. When do I have the time?” She finally managed to get out, wiping her eyes and taking deep breaths. “I wake up before any of you, take care of Anna, do office work, breakfast, then I’m learning to fill in around the ranch, and errands, and everything else...What little bit of free time I might have I spend with my daughter.” There was an hour she kept blacked out on her calendar once a week, but that was so she could talk to a therapist because she was worried about postpartum depression on top of so much loss...But that seemed more embarrassing to her than admitting she had a vibrator.
 
To say Jake was stunned would have been an under-state-ment to the nth degree, to say he was also more than a bit embarrassed would also have been an understatement but not as much as the being stunned part and then when Daria started to laugh well... after a few moments seconds... Jake also could not help but start to laugh and the hell of it that wee bit of confusion seemed to help a hell of a lot and removed a good deal of the stress and strain.

He also saw Anna giggling along with Momma and throwing her hands in the air the humor infecting the air, however it was Daria's statement that really hit Jake hard, it did NOT wipe the smile off his face but it did cause him to move and take a seat in a comfortable chair across from Daria, something he did not do often in HER office. "Hell Daria why didn't you say something to me sooner about all that?" he asked as he looked at the woman his boss.. then stopped and emphasised.. 'I mean the time thing not B.O.B." he spelled the word wanting to make certain she knew what he was speaking about.

"Hell's Bells The Ranch is doing good , better than good and your father made certain everyone knew it would be business as usual and smoothed the path..." he added his hands on his knees as he leaned in, " and half the shit on your plate is items that SHOULD be delegated to the ranch hands!" he stated leaning back now, "Hell 1/2 the shit on my plate also should be being delegated BUT I did not want to seem like I was slacking off and your about killing me trying to keep up with everywhere you are at once during the day..." he laughed and shook his head.. " You are the OWNER of the Ranch Daria that means you over see the people you hire or that is to say you pay me to do that and report what is what to you, the important or most important job you have is with our clients and well " he smiled and looked over at Anna, " and that bundle of wonder you made over their.. all the rest is just well the everyday shit that ain't gonna stop if you are not there to see it's going"

"Also those words ain't meant to be critical so don't take them as such, PLEASE the way I see it we both just figured out we been walking on pins and needles and we need to stop doing that to each other so how about we go over our schedules and share where YOU think I need to cut back and I will share those things that do not require the everyday overview by you and both of us can get some of those 'lazy assess' you pay good money working to earn that good money." he said hope in his eyes then he stopped ' Oh sheep crackers how many times did I just forget to not swear in front of Anna' he asked looking at the little miracle bundle as she sat giggling with a mischievous look in her oh so young eyes..
 
Daria shook her head, and did her best to catch her breath before pulling herself back up into the seat. She listened as Jake told her she was doing too much, and admitted he was in order to try to keep up with her. She felt a little guilty about that, but Claude had asked her to make sure things ran well after he was gone-until she decided to keep or sell the place...He just asked that she do what felt right. What felt right was showing everyone she was willing to put in the work if they were…

“A lot of what I do is working on integrating what Claude had set up with the digital age,” she said with a wry grin. “He was fairly old school with everything.” Hard copies were smart, but it took forever to do things by hand, and to search through everything. She’d started when Claude was still able to get up and about, but after he’d gotten to where he couldn’t get out of bed, she’d stayed with him most of the time...Didn’t work on bringing the books into the digital age.

“I can run this better if I have an understanding of all the work-which is what I’m getting into now,” she said with a wry grin. “I can fill in where needed if someone gets sick, or people have emergencies pop up...Want to go on vacation…” She chuckled. “No one is going to take me seriously if I don’t know things from the ground up-I’m just a rich girl playing rancher…” Jake grew up with all of this-she didn’t. He likely wouldn’t understand that…

“But if focusing on just doing the administrative part will get you to take things a little easier for yourself, then fine. I can do that…” For now. “Do we need to work on picking which duties we’re going to delegate so we can hold each other accountable?”
 
.oO ( She is so much like her father) Jake thought when she started to explain her reasoning, the fact that she had been at it for over a year did not mean a thing to the woman, however he saw that if she thought that her working too hard OR over working caused him to over work she was willing to work with him and if her taking it a bit more easy meant that HE also had to take it easy .. (( ** Mental Sigh ** )) .o0( why do woman's have to be so complicated? ) he added as an after thought.

He nodded and leaned forward in the chair .... "I would say No but in reality I think we should I mean some of them we really also should do together like 'The feed thing' " that was a duty he was not about to give up... still "Of course " he sighed and then leaned back " Gosh darn dang it!" he said as he could almost hear the ghost of Claude laughing at him, the old man had told him he needed to work on training or hiring a person to train and trust to 'Work the Feed' as he called it. " I am just as bad as you are?" he said and tried to figure a way out of his own word trap.. " I mean I start with the feed, then we have the 'Seed' (horse sperm), then there is the clients, and then... and then... " he opened his arms and laughed then stopped and thought " You know you talked about recording the way we do some things and I worried that if you did that well, those video's could get out and then you told me I was being silly but you humored me and we have NOT been video any of the stuff we do special..." he paused looking at Darai watching her as he spoke, " Or have we?? " he added waiting for her to response.

She had told him that trying to take notes was complicated if she could just video or tape and record some of the aspects of The Ranch it would help not only HER to learn but them to train others to fill in should they need help. He had not liked the idea and they had argued and she had given in to him, but some of the things she had learnt over the months... it was like she had had help and a video of him or him and her she could watch over and over.. " Miss Daraia?!" he said waiting for her to speak...
 
She was picking at the rest of her food, working up the gumption to finish it. Her mother had taught her early to not waste food, so she would get around to it sooner or later. She was listening to Jake, but he was just reiterating what she already knew. They both probably did far too much and needed to learn to delegate. She didn't know what Jake's reasons were, but Daria knew she found keeping busy took her mind off of her grief.

She looked up when he mentioned her suggestion about the videos, thinking he'd finally come 'round. But he just got a paranoid look on his face and started to raise his voice. That was when Anna pulled herself up using his jeans for a handhold and hit his knee with her little fist-her baby babble easily conveying she wasn't happy about his tone. "You upset the Little Boss-Uh oh," Daria said with a laugh as she came around the desk and plucked the girl up to sit on her lap. Anna was immediately pulling on the neckline of her shirt. "No, wait until after Mommy eats. You're fine."

She lifted Anna up so the girl didn't flash Jake her mother's chest and raised her brows. "You said you didn't want recorded, but I can see you working via the security cameras. Claude would talk about what you were doing when he couldn't get out there himself. And you had detailed notes. I just converted them to something more understandable for a newbie to understand because that's what I was. Calm down."

Anna was fussy enough, she might crawl across the desk and bite Jake for upsetting her mother, and being the reason she couldn't have a drink right that second. "She's starting to teethe, so she's been getting fussy fast. Once those fangs come in, I think I'm going to wean her…" Breast might be best, but Daria didn't want the blood bit out of her either.

"But training videos would be a good idea," she felt inclined to point out. "And you could even trademark the method and make extra money selling it, but it is your method and I respect it. My father wasn't the only Old School method person, I see."
 
Jake knew when he was beat and as he did his best to NOT stare at Daria's ample chest .o0(dam luck kid) he thought as he forced his eyes to Anna " I am sorry Princess " he said then to Daria " I am sorry also to you as well and the method is not mine to trade mark " he said standing up, thinking it was time for him to leave the two of them alone. " Claude let me work on it, but if anyone owns it The Ranch does with your Dad D I would have had a very rough life.." Jake said.

It was plain that Daria was not the only person who was feeling the grief at the loss of Claude though he normally did better to hide it, and he had never thought of the video surveillance system that had been put in years back! Why had he argued about her filming when the dam place ranch was on a 24/7 system already .. .o0(stupid cowboy) he thought. "and yeah I guess I have changed my mind starting now about the video stuff " he said as he started to move towards the door, "But I think that is a conversation for another time as the little princess seems to be ummm.. hungry? " he said his eyes dipping to her breasts than back to her eyes as his cheeks flushed " and I do not want her to starve" .o0(how that can happen with tits like her mother has I have no idea) " so how about we continue this conversation later " he was moving towards the door.. " You know on second thought how about we BOTH take the rest of the day off to consider what we spoke about and talk more tomorrow afternoon " he amended at the door.. as he opened it to head out " Unless you want to talk tonight you are the boss and I am at your beck and call Mam" he joked letting her reply before heading out he did ask one last thing "Oh ummm well Martha and Johnathan did ask me a last question something about what your favorite dessert is " he said " I think she wants to make it for dinner tonight to make up for well.. nuff said we beat that donkey good and it is well tanned and done."
 
"If it wasn't for the fact she's never known her dad, I would say she needs to self-soothe, but…" Her throat tightened, and her voice cracked, "I feel awful telling her no for that," she managed to get out before clearing her throat. "I waited nine months to hold her, and she waited that long to be held so I don't complain about all the hugs and cuddles, and she's starting on soft foods, so...Not much longer for that kind of bonding," she said with a chuckle.

He suggested they both take the rest of the day off and think...She gave a nod. "Well, her bedtime is seven, do if you want to talk after that, we can. Don't know if you have a hot date-wouldn't want to intrude," she said with a chuckle-she knew the workers liked to go to the bar after their shifts were over.

"As for dessert-I love a chocolate and vanilla Chantilly cake, if she knows how to make it "
 
Jake nodded and smiled then chuckled TRUE he did sometimes join the guys and gals when they headed to town, but that was more to let them know he was NOT above any of them in fact.. " You know Martha and Johnathon have asked or offered a time or two to watch Anna if you ever wanted to join us in town some night " he said " however I do not think there is an event tonight and I mostly head in when there is " he quickly explained about the dart tossing and or pool shooting that he did not and then. " as for a hot date Daria" he said his voice trying to be light but sounding a bit serious, " I... I'm not really seeing anyone I think that was one of the reasons for Martha's words earlier as wrong as they may have been.. But again skinned donkey or water under the bridge and Chocolate and Vanilla Scantily.. I mean Chantilly cake " though he had no idea what Chantilly cake was exactly.

*********************************************

Exiting Jake headed down, he had been gone a good twenty minutes or more and both Martha and Johnathon were waiting for him, all he said was it's all good then added the bit about the Chocolcate and Vanillas Chantilly cake.. Martha also was not certain but that was what google was for.. after a bit of time the three of them found what they thought would be best and Martha sent Johnathon off to get what they did not have .. CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHANTILLY Martha had also found a recipe for a fruit version so she decided to make both Moist and Fluffy Berry Chantilly Cake. With the desert planned she started to figure out what to cook for the meal and ushered Jake out of the house and kitchen so she could get to work on that.

Jake for his part decided to heed what he had told Daria and headed to his office in the main barn, when he got there he kicked back and pulled out his guitar and took some me time thinking over what he and Daria had spoken about as he strummed and started to think about the day and the days that had happened since Darai had shown up... smiling he started to play and sing as words came to him..

A Different Kind of Knight and as he played some of the ranch hands stopped and listened it had been a long long time since they had heard 'the boss' pick up his guitar and they smiled and went back to work soon enough, everyone who heard the song feeling his personal healing in his words..
(( another video same song A Different Kind of Knight ))

"Different Kind Of Knight"

Can I cut in on a dance?
You ain't gonna find what you're lookin' for
In that little Mexican.
You can't mix your tears
With those from an agave plant,
You see I've danced with him myself
And he's never been a friend.
You go believin' in your Lancelot
Well it's all in vain
And you're chasin' picket fences,
There's always hell to pay.
I met many a girl in here
With the same story line-
All them boys on those white horses
Don't know how to ride.

But I got a paint outside with enough giddyup
To be free.
I got a faint smell of cheap perfume
And a hint of gasoline.
See I'm a different kind of knight,
You're gonna find your fairy tales are lies.
I don't have a white horse
But you can come along for the ride.

She said, "I'm tired of living life in a romance book
I think chivalry's dead
And I ain't gonna look
For them roundtable boys on the white horse
That can't get the story right."
I said, "as luck would have it
I was tossed by the throne
I let my Marion down
Some years ago
And I traded my coat of arms
For a guitar and some broken yellow lines."

But I got a paint outside with enough giddyup
To be free.
I got a faint smell of cheap perfume
And a hint of gasoline.
See I'm a different kind of knight,
You're gonna find your fairy tales are lies.
I don't have a white horse
But you can come along for the ride.

She kinda shifted in her seat a little bit
The thought of every eye on her bee-stung lips
And she raised that glass and the lime
And she kissed him goodbye.
She said, "promise me you'll take it slow
And swear no talk of tomorrow
And when you feel me tighten around you
Well you can let the hammer down."

And I got a paint outside with enough giddyup
To be free.
I got a faint smell of cheap perfume
And a hint of gasoline.
See I'm a different kind of knight,
You're gonna find your fairy tales are all lies.
I don't have a white horse
But you can come along for the ride​
 
She'd actually tried to take up that offer when she had still been pregnant, and Claude told her to go out and have fun. A couple of the workers had less than nice things to say about her, and they hadn't realized she had walked in and overheard them saying things. She'd just pretended she hadn't heard them and claimed Claude had asked her to come pick him up some bourbon-and luckily the bartender knew what kind Claude liked when he had bourbon and sent her home with a bottle to give to the man. She'd lied and claimed it just hadn't been her scene, but she had been made aware that workers needed their safe spaces to vent, so she figured the bar was fine enough for that...They didn't need her lurking about their hangouts...She just grinned and told Jake she would keep the invitation in mind, but she preferred movies, plays, and ballets.

"Well, tell Martha that you have a mouth to use if you want to ask someone out," she said with a chuckle.

Since Jake thought they should take the rest of the day off, Daria nursed Anna while she finished up the email she had been working on, then she turned the computer off and took Anna for a little hike. It was warm, so she had fun with her daughter, splashing in the creek with her and making some mud castles. She did miss a lot of things like the theater, upscale dining, and the convenient shopping-but this place had its own advantages and charms. Cleaner air, outdoor space to hike and play, and more of a chance for Anna to be a kid. Made it worth it…

She heard Jake somewhere singing, and she sang along. Everyone would be shocked if they knew how often she went for a walk and overheard things they said or did. Annabelle somehow managed to make her little babble-sounds along with the tune, and the pitch seemed good, too. “Are you going to grow up to be a little singer?”

She made sure to take a lot of pictures, and some video...And when they returned, Anna was ready for a quick wash up before dinner. “Smells good,” she said to the Kents who both smiled. “Steaks?”

“You bet. Gotta feed these boys good, you know?” Martha said with a nervous smile.

“Martha, it’s water under the bridge. I just don’t need to know that much about the boys’ personal lives. If they want me to know something, they can tell me. And if you’re trying to matchmake-I think it would be inappropriate for me to show that kind of interest in the employees. They might feel pressured to accept my attention when they don’t want to, and I don’t want them to feel that way. If any of them want to ask me out-they have mouths, and voices-I know they know how to use them.” Hopefully that would save everyone some awkwardness.

“Going to go wash this little creek-goblin up for dinner. Get her a bath afterwards…” Daria needed to wash her hands, too...Probably make sure there wasn’t any muddy sand dried to her face from Anna making things go splat…

She made sure the both of them were mud free and she put a little smock dress on Anna so she wouldn’t be all dirty at the table. “Martha, do you think that you could watch Anna for an evening later this week? Jake has pointed out I work too hard, so I told him I’d delegate more if he did. We’re going to discuss training videos later, but…”

“I’d love to. We think of her as a granddaughter of our own, you know?” Martha looked like she was about to cry. “I hope she likes pretty dresses and dolls as she gets older,” the older woman chuckled. “I want to dress her up and have lots of tea parties.”

“Maybe. I’m trying to raise her to decide what she likes and go after it. So if she likes dirt bikes-if you can get her to wear a princess dress-more power to you,” Daria said with a chuckle.

“Hope you don’t mind, but I made her up some puree of what we’re having for dinner,” Jonathan mentioned, and pointed to some bowls.

“That’s great, thank you,” she said with a smile.

“I did my best to make that cake Jake said you liked. I’ve never made it before.”

“I’m sure it’ll be great,” Daria assured her. “My mom used to always buy me one for my birthday before she married my step dad, and then every time I was sad or upset, he would have the chef whip one up as a surprise at dinner,” she said with a chuckle. “Always puts a smile on my face. Even a first attempt.”

She got Anna settled in her high chair, and started feeding her. She had warmed up some breast milk in a bottle, but it was tossed to the floor every time Daria tried to get the girl to use it. “You are going to be a nightmare when I get around to weaning you,” she said with a chuckle.

“Not going to do the whole Let them go til they’re done or whatever it’s called?” Martha asked.

“Thinking once she starts biting, it’s gonna be a nope, but we’ll see. Maybe she won’t bite. But she’ls going to need to get used to a bottle now and then for when I’m not with her.”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Martha assured her, and sat down, leaving a chair between them. Daria noticed that Martha was quick to shoo everyone away, and she called out to Jake-telling him she saved him a seat when he walked in.
 
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