Chapter 46

"Mandy!! You're back early!!" Jacob exclaimed, as the two young women stepped into the kitchen. He opened his arms as the small blonde practically knocked him down. "Hey, there…easy, honey." He hugged her tightly, looking at Lex over her head. Seeing the bruise on the dark-haired woman's mouth, he frowned. "You two okay?"

Amanda stepped back slightly, looking up into her grandfather's concerned eyes. "We're fine, Grandpa." Feeling his callused hand gently trace the bruise on her face, she smiled. "It was pretty exciting, actually." She looked around the kitchen. "Where's Gramma?"

"Right here, sweetheart." Anna Leigh called from the doorway, where she had an arm wrapped around Lex. "Goodness! You two look like you've been in a fight." She led the rancher over to where Amanda and Jacob were standing. "You are going to tell us why you look like this, right?"

"Sure…" the young blonde rubbed her jaw. "It's really quite a good story, too." She winked at the rancher. "But do you mind if we raid the refrigerator first? I'm starving." Amanda stepped away from her grandfather, and pulled Anna Leigh into a hug. "I really missed you, Gramma."

The older woman smiled, and held her granddaughter tight. "We missed you too, Mandy." Pulling away, she laughed as Amanda's stomach took that moment to growl. "Okay, I can take a hint. We'll feed you, then you get to tell us all about your trip." Looking back at Lex, she smiled warmly. "And also tell us what kind of trouble you two got into."

Lex laughed. "Don't blame me…trouble just seems to find her!" she pointed at her lover, and then started backing up as Amanda stalked towards her. "Uh, well…it's true!" She held her hands out in front of her, trying to ward off the pending attack.

"Just you wait, Slim…" Amanda teased, seeing the tall woman blush. "I'll take care of you later, when you least expect it."

Jacob laughed, as he pulled several items from the refrigerator. "You two sit down…hope a sandwich sounds okay to you."

"Let me help you with that, Mr…um, Jacob." Lex offered, maneuvering quickly around the giggling blonde. She pulled some of the things from his large hands and placed them on the table. Looking over at Amanda, she teased, "You gonna join us, or are you going to sit there smiling all day?"

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"And then Lex ropes the guy with a kid's jump rope!" Amanda exclaimed, waving a potato chip to emphasize her point. "The police officers said she looked just like John Wayne, or maybe even Roy Rogers," she grinned at her partner's embarrassment. "Then she sat on him, and the two cops had to pull her off."

Anna Leigh put a hand on the rancher's arm. "Goodness, Lexington…that was a very brave thing to do…is that how you got hurt?" She studied the quiet blue gaze, as Lex looked down at the table.

"Uh, no…he didn't touch me." She looked up at the older woman and gave her a small smile. "And it was pretty stupid, actually. I just didn't think." She glanced across the table at Amanda. "But I tend to have that problem around your granddaughter."

The blonde woman giggled, then realized what she had said. "Hey! Wait a minute! What did I do?"

Jacob shook his head and chuckled. "Okay, so now you've explained how Mandy ended up looking like she does…but what happened to you, Lex?" he didn't miss the exchange of guilty glances between the two young women. "Oh, c'mon…it can't be that bad, can it?" Then a thought occurred to him. "Mandy…you didn't do it, did you?" He knew his granddaughter had a fiery temper, and had been known to explode quite easily when angered.

Lex shook her head. "No, sir…she didn't. Her father did." Hearing Anna Leigh's gasp of shock, she turned to face her. "It was pretty much my own fault - I kinda pushed him into it."

"That's the biggest load of bunk I've ever heard!" Jacob growled. "There's never an excuse to hit a lady…"

"I'm no lady, Jacob…" Lex argued, "And I really did keep at him until he lost control."

Amanda put her hand on the older man's arm to try and calm him, but looked at Lex. "You did no such thing, Lex…you were just trying to protect me."

"Protect you?" Anna Leigh was still in shock over the revelation that her son could strike a woman. "Dear god, don't tell me he was going to hit you, too."

Lex took a deep breath. "No ma'am…I had gone into his office last night to find out why he was so…hostile…towards our relationship." She looked over at her lover with sad eyes. "She never said anything, but I could tell it was tearing Amanda up inside." Turning back to Anna Leigh, Lex swallowed hard. "Anyway, I asked him if it was because I was a woman, and he said no, that he was pretty much used to the idea that Amanda," here she paused. I really don't need to bring that part of the conversation out, do I? "Well, that she was gay. So then, I asked if it was because I worked for a living - that kinda set him off." She gave the older couple a gentle smile. "He thinks that I'm after Amanda's money."

Jacob looked at her quizzically. "YOU? After Mandy's money?" he burst into laughter. "Oh, that's too funny!"

"Really, sweetheart…" Anna Leigh was smiling as well. "Did you enlighten him, dear?" She covered the rancher's hand with her own.

"No, ma'am, I didn't." She shrugged. "I didn't think it would do any good, because he'd just probably just think I was lying…but I did tell him that I loved Amanda, and no amount of money could change that." She touched her mouth with her free hand. "That's when he kinda lost it and hit me."

Amanda nodded. "I opened the door to the office and saw Daddy grab Lex and push her back against the bar - he hit her before I could stop him." She exchanged a tender look with the rancher. "I'm glad we decided that we were going to leave this morning, instead of tomorrow - I don't think either one of us could have handled another day there."

Jacob sighed. "I thought we raised him better than that…I really want to turn that boy over my knee." He looked at Lex. "I'm sorry about that, child…I hate the fact that you were hurt by someone from our family."

"I don't blame you, or your family, Jacob." Lex looked at the older man with respect. "Amanda and I talked about it last night. Even though he's her father, you and Anna Leigh are a whole lot more of a family to her than they are." Smiling at her lover, she continued, "And speaking of families, that reminds me of something we need to tell you, right, Amanda?"

"Hmm?" The blonde asked, then her face lit up in understanding. "Oh, yeah…that's right!" She gave the older couple a brilliant smile. "Umm…well…Lex asked, and…I…" she began to stammer.

Feeling sorry for the young woman, Lex stood up and circled around the table until she was standing directly behind Amanda. Placing her hands on the blonde's shoulders, she shook her head. "What my friend here is so eloquently trying to say, is that I asked her to move into the ranch house with me, and she accepted."

Anna Leigh clapped her hands in delight. "That's wonderful, isn't it Jacob?" she smiled at her husband. "We were just discussing that very thing this morning."

"You were?" Amanda was hard pressed to keep her jaw from hitting the table. She raised her hands and covered Lex's. "It's really not that far from town, and we'll still visit with you often."

Lex laughed. "Honey, I think it's okay." She gave the older couple a happy grin. "And you know that you have an open invitation, right?"

Jacob stood up. "We'll be sure and take you up on that offer, young lady." He helped his wife stand away from the table as well. "Now we've got some errands to run…why don't you two go on upstairs and get a little rest? You both look completely worn out."

"Good idea, love. We'll see you girls for dinner tonight?" Anna Leigh asked, as her husband wrapped an arm around her.

Amanda smiled and stood up as well, letting Lex wrap long arms around her. "Wouldn't miss it." She stifled a yawn. "But I think you're right about needing a nap. We'll see you guys later, I think." She blushed as her grandfather winked at her, just as they left the room. "God…they're too much, sometimes." She muttered.

"What was that about a nap?" A sultry voice whispered in her ear, causing chills to chase down the blonde's back.

"Nap? Who said anything about a nap?" Amanda turned around in the tall woman's arms. "I didn't say nap, did I?" She pulled the dark head down for a gentle kiss. "Umm…let's go upstairs, okay, honey?" Grabbing a large hand and pulling Lex towards the stairs.

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Dinner last night, Lex mused, was interesting, to say the least. Jacob knows some pretty good tales on Amanda. She chuckled as she tossed another bag into the back of the truck. And I had no idea that she was such a hellion when she was a kid.

"What's so funny?" Amanda asked, bringing the last bag with her, and handing it to Lex. "You're still thinking about those stories Grandpa Jake told last night, aren't you?"

"Yep…I had no idea you were such a…scamp, growing up." The rancher teased. "Remind me not to let you anywhere near the cattle, unsupervised." Jacob had related a tale of a young Amanda using the neighborhood dogs as dolls for a tea party - complete with clothes and hats.

Amanda groaned. "God…I'm going to have to find some way of getting even with him for telling that one, aren't I?" She took another step until she was wrapped up in warm arms. "Mmm."

Lex enjoyed the embrace. I don't think I will ever get enough of this, she sighed to herself. "C'mon…Martha's expecting us for lunch." She kissed the top of Amanda's head, and then released her.

Jacob and Anna Leigh met them at the front of the truck. "You two will be back over for Jacob's birthday next weekend, right?" the older woman asked, giving Amanda a hug.

"We wouldn't miss it for anything," Lex replied, shaking Jacob's hand. She reached out to Anna Leigh, but was surprised when the older woman wrapped her arms around her and squeezed tight.

"Thank you for making our little girl so happy, Lexington." Anna Leigh whispered in the tall woman's ear. Pulling back slightly, she said in a louder voice, "Welcome to our family, dear." She felt the rancher return the hug enthusiastically.

Lex held the older woman close, a lump in her throat. "You…" she had to stop and clear her throat, "both have always made me feel like part of the family…thank you for raising such a wonderful granddaughter." She stepped back and ran a hand across her face. "Umm…yeah." Taking a deep breath, Lex smiled. "Thanks for everything…" she felt Amanda snuggle close. "Well, ah…see you next weekend, right?" The rancher knew she was quickly losing her composure. We gotta get out of here before I start bawling like a baby.

Amanda could feel the fine line Lex was treading, and decided it was time for a retreat. "We've got to get going…Martha is probably getting ready to call out the National Guard by now." She joked, giving her grandparent's a wink.

"You two go on…we'll see you Saturday, if not sooner!" Jacob teased, as the two young women climbed into the truck. He pulled his wife to him happily. "Those two are something else, aren't they, sweetheart?"

Anna Leigh looked up into his eyes lovingly. "Yes they are, my dearest. Let's go into the house and discuss it, shall we?" She gave him an impish grin.

Jacob laughed. "Why do I have the distinct feeling that we won't be doing much talking?" he led his wife into the house, and allowed her to pull him up the stairs.

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The drive to the ranch was unusually silent, both women deeply engrossed in their own thoughts. Lex was worried about her partner, and how she would take the life they were about to embark upon together. The fact that Amanda's parents disapproved didn't matter to the rancher, but she knew in her heart that the younger woman was devastated by their hateful words. Looking sideways as she drove, Lex noticed the slight smile on her companion's face. "Penny for your thoughts?" she asked quietly.

Amanda turned away from the window absently. "Think you can afford it, Slim?" she teased, reaching over and pulling Lex's hand into her lap. She noticed the concern etched on the older woman's face. "Actually, I was just thinking about how happy I am right this very moment." She watched as several emotions flitted across the strong planes of the older woman's face.

"Really?" Lex wanted to be reassured, wanted to know that Amanda was happy with her decision, happy with the opportunity to start a life with her. "I was just thinking, if you wanted, we could always build a house in town, if you don't like living on the ranch." She braced herself for the answer. God, Amanda…I'll go anywhere, be anyone, just for the opportunity to be with you. I hope you know that.

The blonde woman studied her lover carefully. "But you love living on the ranch." What on earth is going through that complex mind of hers?

"What good is the ranch without you?" Lex pulled the truck to a stop, just before they got to the old bridge. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned sideways, so that she could give Amanda all of her attention. Pulling the younger woman's hands towards her, she smiled. "I love you, Amanda Cauble…and I want to do everything in my power to make you happy. If that means living in town, fine." She pulled the small hands to her mouth, and gave them a light kiss. "If that means pitching a tent in the middle of the woods, that's fine too."

"Lex…"

"No, wait…please. I've got to get this out now." The dark-haired woman blinked, a tear falling down her face. "I'm not real good with stuff like this…but I want you to understand what a difference you've made in my life. I love you, and I hope we can have a long and happy life together." Lex looked deeply into Amanda's green eyes, seeing a strong love reflected back to her.

Amanda gently pulled a hand free, and wiped the tear away with her thumb. "I love you too, Lex." She looked around outside, and smiled widely. "Kinda fitting that we should start our life together here." The younger woman reached over and opened her door. "C'mon…let's stretch our legs for a minute, okay?"

Lex followed her lead, and soon both women were standing on the shore of the creek, looking down at the peaceful stream of water flowing beneath the bridge. "Full circle, huh?" The rancher mumbled, feeling the compact body tucked against her side nod. She felt at peace for the first time in her life - the woman next to her made her complete, somehow.

"Full circle, love." Amanda whispered, as she lifted her head up and pull Lex down for a loving kiss.

The End