“Alright, Jack, I’ll talk to you soon,” Rae Matthews spoke into her cellular phone. “I’ll be waiting out front. Yes, alright,
goodbye.” She pressed ‘end’ on the light device and dropped it back into her purse, shielding her face from the brilliant
sunlight and the midday heat.

Looking around her at all the people and then beyond them to some of the more distant and spectacular sites, she
decided that it had been indeed a good decision to come to Wellington. There was a light and happy atmosphere about
the place, despite the large amounts of people hurrying back and forth. They laughed and smiled, chatting happily with
each other while they waited for loved ones and friends to step off their flights and be received with a warm welcome.

She needed a rest. At twenty-three years old she had already done more than most thirty or forty year-olds could claim.
She ran a successful horse breeding ranch back home in Oregon, and was booked every day with business meetings,
paperwork, record keeping…It had all become too much very suddenly, and Rae realized, or was forced to realize,
rather, that she needed to get away from the hubbub of her growing business.

Her best friend Jack Tyler had been visiting her from his home here in Wellington when she had suddenly collapsed while
exercising a young stallion. She hadn’t been seriously injured, but with the doctor’s diagnosis of exhaustion Jack hadn’t
taken no for an answer when he told her to come and visit him on his own property.

Jack, too, shared her love for all things equine, and as such owned a large boarding stable on a substantial amount of
land in the outskirts of town. It was a beautiful place, and she was already looking forward to checking out his herd, she
might even purchase some horses from him and have them flown back home if they would improve her lines at all.

Jack didn’t breed horses for money, though he did make quite a bit out of it. He bred them out of a love for the species,
and had well over one hundred and fifty at his last count, as he’d told her. It seemed he was supplying quite a few of
them for some movie that was being filmed nearby. He hadn’t told her the name of the movie, but he said it was
definitely well known.

Rae shrugged. Movies. Yay. She rarely got the extra time to go anymore, but she remembered them being quite fun
when she was little. Lately, she was much too stressed to even sit back and relax, so much was there to do and finish.
Thank goodness she was so full of energy, at least most of the time, that she rarely ever got bored. Being bored was
something that was absolutely intolerable. She would almost rather be stuck in heavy traffic in downtown Portland
during rush hour than be sitting around somewhere being bored.

Almost.

When her stomach growled, Rae decided she had better find something to eat. Her luggage would be taken care of,
Jack assured her, promising that all she needed to do was wait in the pick-up area for him, and he would find her. That
had seemed simple enough. But now, she was torn between doing as he asked and buying a really large apple scone,
seeming to call her from the counter of a nearby coffee shop window.

Chewing on her lip, she considered. If she did go, she might be able to get back before Jack came looking for her. On the
other hand, if she didn’t make it back, and he came and didn’t find her, he’d probably have the police out on a search in
no time. Maybe it was better if she waited, she decided.

Jack could be extremely overprotective of his best friend. In high school, guys had made fun of her because she was
extremely overweight, despite being pretty ‘popular’ and having quite a few friends. Still, now that she had lost so much
of her excess weight and finally realized that it didn’t matter what she looked like, she could still remember the fresh
insults and how much they had hurt.

One time, a guy had popped off something about “Big bad buffaloo,” and Jack had thrown him up against a wall and told
him precisely what he could do with his smart mouth. The teasing had ended then for quite some time, as Jack was quite
large guy, heavily muscled from years and years of football and wrestling, and nobody really wanted to get him riled up.

Naturally, Rae had learned how to cope with the teasing, but it held lasting effects. She took good care of herself and
wore make-up like many other women, but she was a bit insecure and shy of men. High school had done her in for
relationships, and then, once she’d graduated, got out on her own, started her ranch and gotten busy, she put any
thought of love or marriage, etc. on the back burner. She didn’t need a guy. All she needed was her horses and a good
comfortable saddle, and she’d be satisfied.

Adjusting her sleek sunglass atop the bridge of her nose, Rae waited, willing her stomach to be silent, as the growling
had begun to rage without rest. Tapping her foot, she stretched her neck to the side, relishing the feeling of release
with each small pop. Her simple black slacks and tailored business jacket were paired over a crisp blue cotton button-up
shirt, and the heat was beginning to make her very uncomfortable.

Being from Oregon, she didn’t really get much heat or sunlight. The climate was very mild there, with quite a bit of rain
and humidity. She had been under the impression that New Zealand was the same way, but apparently today was an
exception. The picturesque beauty of the place, however, was more than enough to make up for it.

“Rae!” a voice called, and she jerked around, scanning the crowds of people for Jack’s familiar face. She found him
between a man and woman, who were arguing good-naturedly over something. Smiling, she hurried over to him, and he
swept her up in a tight hug. “Bug!” he said excitedly, using her nickname. He’d christened her bug after a trip to a
shopping mall when they had been trying on sunglasses. Rae had come up with a huge pair of white round frames, and
Jack had sworn she looked just like a bug with big bug eyes. She didn’t buy the sunglasses, but the name stuck.

“Jack!” she said, “I’m so happy to see you!”

“Well, I can’t help it that women fall over themselves for me,” he said with a roguish grin. Rae shook her head. “Oh,
please. The only women who fall over themselves for you are the ones that don’t listen to their mothers’ warnings about
strange men.”

Jack looked hurt, and then grinned widely at her. “No matter. Whatever works.”

“You are incorrigible.”

“Yeah, that would pretty much sum it up!” he joked, leading her to his big truck. “You wait here, and I’ll go get your
bags. Ticket?” he said, holding out his hand. Rae dug in her purse for her luggage ticket, and placed it in his hand. He
smiled and unlocked the door of his Dodge Ram, helping her up into the cab. “There’s a coffee and a Danish there for
you,” he said, smiling. “Your favorite.”

Rae beamed at him. “You are a lifesaver,” she said gratefully, opening the little white pastry bag.

“Thank me later! Eat, woman!” he said, closing her door, and starting off back toward the terminal.

With a sigh, Rae leaned her head back against the comfortable seats and closed her eyes.

This might shape up to be a great vacation after all.

Chapter 2: The Ranch

Jack looked over at his long-time best friend; sound asleep in the cab of his truck. She looked very young to him then,
and quite alone. He had always hated seeing her without a relationship, without someone to turn to for love and
support. Her family was made up of wonderful, kind people, to be sure, but she didn't have anyone to hold her and tell
her everything was going to be okay when something went wrong.

Himself, he'd never felt anything but brotherly love toward the high-spirited young woman. In high school he had tried
his best to keep guys from taunting her, as she had been a little on the heavier side. They had been too blind to see
past all that, to see the wonderfully bright individual that she was. Luckily, his eyes had been opened when she'd
walked into his life, and they had been best friends since that first day he'd met her, on his first day of class at Riverview
High.

He remembered her walking in, head held high, smiling. Despite the few guys who teased her she was never lacking for
friends, and many of them greeted her enthusiastically, joking and laughing about many things. The teacher had
assigned her seat right next to his and, it being his first day and all, she'd said hello politely and went about her
business.

After that, they had gradually begun to chat. First he asked to borrow a pencil, then he asked if she would be going to a
football game that he would be playing in one of the nights that week, and their relationship progressed from
acquaintances to casual friends, and from casual friends to best friends in record time. They would sit up for hours in her
parents' living room, watching comedies and eating peanut butter ice cream for what seemed like ages on the
weekends, laughing about nothing in particular, but being unable to stop.

Some had speculated that there might be something more than friendship between them, and there almost was once,
but it hadn't worked out. Their relationship, they found, was perfect the way that it was, and it was foolish to try and
improve upon perfection. Since then, however, he became fiercely protective of her and her feelings, how others treated
her. Any guy that approached her was watched carefully, as though he might try to kidnap her at any second.

It was strange behavior, he knew, but he hadn't cared. She had grown to be a sister to him, like the one he never had,
and everyone knew it.

And Rae had never been one to gossip with the girls. She had been completely disgusted with make-up in high school,
opting instead for a fresh plain face. She tanned easily in the sun, and he remembered many trips to the beach on the
very rare, hot summer days that were bestowed upon the rainy coastal towns, such as Newport, Depot Bay, and Coos
Bay. On days like those they would take a cooler full of soda and water, a volleyball, and a car full of friends and stay all
day on the beach, playing volleyball and having a great time. Then, when the sun went down, they would bundle up in
sweats and sweatshirts and drive to a distant point on the beach, where they built a large bonfire and sat for hours and
hours, just laughing and enjoying each other's company.

Too bad those days were gone, he thought wistfully. Rae's work, though amazingly successful and on the brink of being
one of the best quality ranches around, had managed to bury that carefree young woman that she had once been.
There were circles under her brown eyes, and she was thin, thinner than he liked to see her.

She insisted, when he had asked her about it, that her losing weight was simply because she wanted to get in better
shape and get healthier. Jack wasn't bought off so easily. She had become thin because she pushed herself too hard,
didn't eat well, and got no peaceful relaxation time. Rae's worst flaw of late was not in her body or her lack of pride in
herself, but her unwillingness to simply sit back and let things happen how they were meant to.

He had brought her here, to this place of unimaginable beauty, in hopes that the majestic sprawling hills and bright
green grass would calm her spirit a little, allow her to simply enjoy herself for once, without worrying on meetings, and
bills, and snobby rich people who fancied themselves experts on lineage and conformation.

Jack shook his head at himself, marveling at his actions. When she'd fallen from that horse he'd nearly lost his mind with
fear. It was doubtful that the poor EMT's would never again be the same; so fierce was the verbal lashing he'd given
them when they had simply said she'd `be fine.'

He'd made them take her to the hospital, where the doctor had informed her that not only was she on the brink of a
physical breakdown, if she kept up the pace she was she'd have a stroke before the age of thirty.

That was what had made up his mind.

The instant he'd gotten back to her large ranch house he'd called and purchased a ticket to Wellington, New Zealand,
his home now. He had it in hand when next he saw her, and told her that under no circumstance was she getting out of
taking a vacation. She had cussed and fumed and been mad as hell, but in the end Jack had won, and she'd grudgingly
agreed to visit for one month, long enough to give her mind and body a chance to recuperate and forget the strain it
had been under for so long.

Trying to avoid bumps in the road, he smiled as his own home came into view. A large log cabin, built to resemble his
favorite homes from Oregon, was nestled amongst tall green trees, yet getting ample sunlight and warmth. It was his
pride and joy, this house, built with his own blood, sweat, and tears over the course of a year. He had help, naturally,
and had made many new friends in the process.

He put the truck in park and contemplated Rae once again. Her long brown hair was in a French twist at the back of her
head and secured with a large wide-toothed comb. Already several wisps had escaped and hung haphazardly about her
face, and he knew the rest would soon follow.

She never had been able to do anything with that unruly mane of hers. He'd used to tease her and tell her that she was
half horse, which had earned him a sharp glare and a very interesting hand motion. He still thought it was funny as hell.

Same hair, same face, and same heart, but buried under a tough, professional exterior, he knew that once she relaxed
and rid herself of all her stress that the old Rae would surface.

"Rae, come on, darlin' wake up." Jack nudged her shoulder and she opened her eyes, blinking in the bright sunlight.
"What?" she asked groggily, pushing a thick lock of hair from her face so that she could see him.

"You fall asleep there and I'll never move you," he teased, coming around and opening her door. He pressed a key into
her hand and helped her down, pointing her to the door off to the side of the house. "You can go in that way," he said,
and continued on when she gave him a blatant look of confusion. The double doors were just as convenient, and
located on the front of the house rather than around the side. "I've got a meeting due soon, and they've probably
already arrived. I thought I would spare you the introductions so that you can take a long hot bath and get something
to eat before we go riding," he explained.

"Riding? You've got to be joking," she said, her mouth dropping open. "I thought that's why you brought me out here!
To get me away from the ranch."

"To get you away from your ranch," he corrected her, "and the chaotic bull that you've been putting yourself through."

She looked like she might argue and he laughed, pushing her off in the direction of the door. "Go. I'll grab your bags and
be right behind you," he promised.

Rae nodded, too tired as of now to argue. All she wanted was a bath and a bed, and she'd be fine. Food would be
good, too.

She did as she was told, and wondered silently at the simple but striking décor of his home. It was very masculine,
obviously, since Jack was quite a masculine kind of guy, more comfortable in the mountains on horseback than in a
business suit dealing with lawyers for breeders.

Jack pulled her bags from the back of the truck and instructed her up a large staircase, where she turned to the right
and opened a door on a guest room, one of four that were set at distant places from each other in the large house.

The room she was to take was one of the more feminine ones. It was painted a light buttery yellow, and a cherry wood
four-poster bed stood in the middle, covered in yellow sheets with a thick fluffy down comforter. The curtains were a
matching shade and the carpet was so thick and lush that footfalls made no noise.

"Wow. This is a nice place, Jack. Better than the pictures," Rae said, taking in the view from the window. She sighed,
wishing she could stay here forever.

"Take a nap if you want," Jack offered, setting her bags down on the floor. "Bathroom's just down the hall. Take as long
a shower as you want, there's plenty of water. I'll have Madeline bring you up some tea and a sandwich before dinner,
or you can come down and raid the kitchen. I'll be in this meeting for a while," he added apologetically. "They're filming a
movie nearby and they asked if they could hire my horses." His mouth twisted upward at the strange notion.

Rae's mouth dropped. "Filming? Here? That's odd."

"Not so much, really. This place has some of the best scenery in the world, and most people don't even know it exists.
I'll see you later, Bug. Sleep. Eat. Bathe. Though not necessarily in that order." He smiled and closed the door on her
raised eyebrow.

Chapter 3: The Beach

Rae opened her eyes slowly. At once she knew she had fallen asleep. How long? There was no clock in the room,
and she wondered if perhaps that was not a coincidence. Jack was awfully adamant about her getting rest and
relaxation while she was visiting him, and she certainly wouldn’t put it past him to remove any clocks that might
make her hurry or feel as if she were lagging behind schedule. He could be impossible at times, but since his
intentions were good she let him get away with it.

Rubbing her fingers across her eyes to clear them from their sleep-fogged haze, she looked around. The sunlight
through the window had dimmed considerably, and she figured it was early afternoon, probably about three. She
had been sleeping for quite some time, then. Likely, she needed it, if her body would simply give up on her as it had
that day back home when she’d collapsed in the arena.

Everything was still hazy about that day, to her. She remembered running, and frantic voices. But most of all she
remembered Jack, always by her side, demanding information of the doctors and nurses even though there was
nothing new they could tell him. Exhaustion would cause collapse and fainting in anyone, they told him, and all she
needed was a long period of rest and recovery from the stresses she had every day.

And then Jack had created his mission. Good Lord. What next? She probably ought to feel lucky that he didn’t check
her into some kind of old folks home or something. That put things in a whole new perspective.

Sighing she stood and stretched, feeling strangely relaxed already. Just outside her window a herd of horses stood
grazing, tranquil and calm in the balmy breeze that fluttered through the land and the trees. Every now and then
one of the mares would lift her head and sniff the wind, arching her proud neck and perhaps prancing lightly about.
The younger foals, yearlings really, frolicked about, tossing their heads and whickering happily.

It was no small wonder the people who were producing, or directing, or whatever they were doing, wanted Jack’s
horses. They were magnificent, and he had several different breeds. So far she knew that he had large numbers of
Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Andalusians, Morgan’s, Quarter Horses, and a few select Friesians he had recently
purchased. He told her he hoped to breed a magnificent cross between the Arab and the Friesian, which would
hopefully catch on and become popular, at least locally.

Arabians held a spirit and a fire, and the Friesians were so majestic, kind- hearted, and noble. However, Rae
wondered if the size difference might cause some conformation problems with offspring, but she decided to keep
that to herself. Jack had enough money to spare that if things didn’t work out as he planned he wouldn’t be out too
much. It certainly wouldn’t set him back any at all.

Jack’s horses were always under constant demand from farmers and ranchers, as well as those who rode for
pleasure that lived on the outskirts of the bigger cities in New Zealand. Their lines were not all of Grand Champions,
though some indeed were, but he had an eye for breeding and good stock, and that made up for anything else.
Aside of that, the people around that were buying didn’t want to pay twenty thousand dollars for one colt that only
a child would ride. It wasn’t practical, and Jack certainly was. People respected him, and in return he gave them
good business and good quality mounts.

But how would they respond to a camera? Likely they would only be used as extras for large herd shots, but it
would be interesting to watch. She wondered if whoever was making this film and doing business with Jack would
let her come along to see how it was done.

“Oh, it doesn’t matter, Rae. Get off your lazy butt and go take a bath.” She was talking to herself again. Oh Lord.
She shook her head and moved over to her smaller bag, which was filled with toiletries, cosmetics and other such
things. Tossing it over her shoulder she went into the bathroom, and stopping only for a moment to marvel at the
elegance and simplicity of it, turned on the water and prepared for her bath.

When she finally slid into the bubbly hot water she sighed and rested her head against the rim of the porcelain
claw-foot tub. Her muscles clenched and relaxed in the heat of the water, and eventually she felt as though she
should get out. Her fingers had gone wrinkly, a good sign that she’d spent more than enough time. Picking up a
large fluffy towel from the counter she ran it over her body, and pulled on her green satin robe. It hit her just above
the knee, and was quite comfortable. Next she drew two thin, long, black sticks from the bag and wound her hair
up, sliding them through it to hold it secure.

She thought perhaps that she could sneak through the house without being spotted. At least to the kitchen. Her
stomach rumbled, and she realized she’d croak if she didn’t eat something now. Right now.

Slipping on her fluffy puppy slippers, she opened the door and peeked outside. All clear. Whew. Good, now she
could head downstairs for some grub.
 
 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
 
 

Jack found her later at his dining room table, picking off chunks of a large fresh bagel and stuffing them into her
mouth. Also at her side was a large mug of steaming coffee, and he knew that she’d found her way around his
kitchen quite well. “Find everything okay?” he asked loudly, laughing when she jumped and put a hand to her
collarbone. “Jesus, Jack, warn someone would you!? You nearly scared me out of my wits!”

“Sorry. I couldn’t resist.” He went to the coffee pot and poured himself a generous cup, passing over the sugar and
cream nearby. With a grin he saw that she’d discovered the flavored liquid creamer’s he’d bought for her, as the
Chocolate Raspberry still lay open on the counter.

“Did you get a bit of sleep? Shower? Hopefully?” he asked, teasing. She bestowed a glare upon him and continued
eating her bagel. Jack just laughed and seated himself across from her. “So, how do you feel about going riding
later? Say…on the beach?”

Rae’s eyes widened. “The beach? From here? Isn’t it a bit of a drive?”

“Well, it’s not that far. And we have horse trailers. Come on, it would be fun. And the beaches here are twice as
beautiful as the ones in Oregon.” He watched Rae as she chewed this over in her mind. Her knees were drawn up
to her chest, and he could just see the fuzz of her infamous puppy dog slippers. She’d been wearing those things
for well over three years now. It was a wonder they were still in one piece.

“Alright. I’ll go riding with you, Jack. When do you want to go?”

Jack beamed at her and looked at his watch. “I would say right quick, actually. The sun will be going down before
we know it, and you don’t want to ride on the beach at night, if you can help it.”

Rae finished the rest of her bagel and took her coffee cup to the sink, rinsed it, and stuck it in the dishwasher.
Wiping her hands off on a kitchen towel, she shook a stray lock of hair from her face. “I’ll go get ready then. Meet
you back here in ten.”

“Sounds good. And wear a hat!” he called to her retreating back, then left the kitchen to change his own clothes.

Upstairs, Rae pulled a pair of heavy blue jeans and a butter yellow long- sleeved shirt from one of her bags, along
with a black baseball hat. Scuffed brown cowboy boots were in another bag, this time full of shoes. Quickly, she
changed, drawing a pony tail through the opening in the back of the hat. She had always loved to wear her hair this
way, though she didn’t know why.

The only make-up she bothered with was a swipe of clear gloss on her lips to keep the sun from frying them and,
satisfied with her appearance, she headed back downstairs.

Jack was waiting by the door, jingling a set of keys in his hand. “Toro’s already loaded. You need to go pick a horse.
Come on, I’ll show you to the barn.” He pushed open the door, and Rae saw several trucks and cars parked about.

“Where did they come from?” she asked curiously.

“They’re here to look over the herds for that movie. They’ll begin using them next week. Would you like to come
along with me to oversee them? They want me there just in case there’s any trouble.”

Rae grinned. “I’m there! Besides, I’ve always been a bit curious as to how they set things up like that. It should be
fun!”

“Let’s hope so. Ah, here we are,” he said, throwing open one half of a large set of doors. Inside, the lighting was
soft, but bright enough that she could clearly see several large heads and craning necks. Whickers met them as
they entered, and Rae was caught up in them at once.

“Which one do you want, Rae? All of these are well-trained, though some of them are a bit old. We keep them for
when the kids come.”

She glanced at him. “You have children come here?”

“Sometimes, parents will bring their kids out to see the herds when they’re interested in buying. The older mounts
are for them, so they can ride along.” Jack didn’t seem to realize how generous that was, but Rae knew that was
simply in his nature. He never really was very boastful of the kind things he did, but everyone knew, nonetheless. It
was one of his very best qualities.

She passed several horses. Some gray, some brown, quite a few bays and chestnuts. All were magnificent animals,
but none caught her eye.
 
 

And then she found him. A black Andalusian, large and magnificent to behold. His neck was thick and arched, and his
mane was silky and curly, long enough to reach the point of his shoulders. He pranced and arched his neck further
when she came near, and Jack laughed. “This one fancies himself a bit of a ladies’ man, I’m afraid.”

“Well, I think he’s fascinating, Jack. This is the one. I want to ride this one.”

Jack looked doubtfully at her. “Alright, but he’s a handful…”

“You don’t think I can handle him?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Yes, you did. It was in your face.”

“In my what?”

“Your face.”

“Oh, please. Just remember, I gave you fair warning. Here.” He tossed her a halter. “His saddle is on post number
sixteen, along with his bridle. I need to go talk to the foreman for a minute, but I’ll be right back. He loads just fine,
but if you have any trouble, ask one of the hands to help you.” Then he strode from the barn at a quick pace,
leaving Rae standing in the middle of the barn.

“Thanks for telling me what his name is,” she grumbled to herself as she slid open the stall door. The large black
horse tossed his head and pranced, coming close enough to lay his head on her shoulder. “Oh, come on now! Let’s
go, boy.” She slipped the halter up over his muzzle and over his ears, gently bending them so as not to make him
uncomfortable, and buckled it securely. The long lead line was already attached, and she led him out into the
walkway, closing the stall door behind her.

Down at the other end of the barn was the tack room and, just as Jack had said, his saddle and bridle were on post
sixteen. “Don Juan,” she read to herself, then laughed out loud. “My, my, but you do think you’re a ladies’ man! You
and Jack must get along.” The horse snorted, causing her to laugh again.

It didn’t take her long to get him saddled, and she left the bridle off for the ride in the trailer, and left the cinch a bit
loose. Outside, she found the gleaming white horse trailer with the back already open, and a massive Bay gelding
tied already in the front end. Rae tied Don Juan in behind him and patted the horse’s rump. “You know, I think I’ll
just call you Donnie. How’s that?”

Another snort.

“Well, too bad,” she laughed, “because I’m going to call you that anyway! You’d better get used to it.”

Jack came back just as she finished latching the gate, and they both climbed into the cab of the new Dodge pick-up
truck.

She was silent for most of the drive, until Jack slipped in one of his country CD’s. She sang along with the Dixie
Chicks for half the CD, and Jack pretended to groan and moan and be in severe pain until he finally realized that she
didn’t believe him. They had always sung together in the car, and he ended up singing along with her, though he
kept forgetting the words.

It was a long drive.

“Alright, brat, we’re here. No more Dixie Chicks. Thank God.” He switched off the CD player and turned off the
ignition. “We have to take that trail down to the beach,” he said, indicating a wide sandy path that led down to the
beautiful sand and sparkling water. All about her people were parked, but there was no sign of overcrowding on
the vast beach. “Wow, Jack. You weren’t kidding when you said these beaches were prettier than the ones back
home.”

“I know. Being right all the time helps.” Rae rolled her eyes at this, but he just smiled and ignored her, unlocking the
back gate and backing out Donnie. She took the lead line from him and went about putting on the horse’s bridle,
while Jack did the same for Toro, the large Bay. “He’s half Thoroughbred, half Quarter Horse,” Jack explained. “And
he also has a stubbornness issue.”

“Hence the name Toro,” she finished, raising an eyebrow. Jack nodded and waited as she slipped up into the
saddle. “Okay, then, we’re off. Don Juan likes the water. You’ve been warned.”

“Lead on, Fearless Leader,” she teased.

“You know it,” Jack replied, always needing to have the last word.

Some things never changed.