Chapter 11: Hay and Happiness

"Okay, Mac push the hat a little lower…no…higher. Okay, that's perfect, twirl the straw around in your mouth…left…no right…right! Good! Girls gather around him, no, Rachel you go in front. That's better."

"Can we put a piece of straw between my toes?" Mac asked and all the models snickered.

"Whatever makes you look more like a cowboy!" Dani replied, rolling her eyes at his antics.

Gretchen did the honors for him. "Maybe if he was actually on a horse and roping a fiery steed like Jonathan did yesterday, he'd be a believable cowboy!" She chided him, and got a hair full of straw.

"Don't worry, those are the next shots. Gretchen hold the banjo on his knee…"

Dani trailed off and broke into a fit of laughter when she caught Jonathan's amused expression from across the wagon as he carried out a tray of lemonade. She brought the camera to her eye and her models began doing their thing and playfully posing. By the end of the segment they were tossing the straw over one another. Billie started sneezing loudly not a moment too soon after Dani called a break for lunch.

"I'm sorry, Dani, I forgot how badly I get allergies. It's not often we get to hang out on a buggy." She whined, blowing her nose.

"I know what you mean, Billie, don't worry, we are so done with the hay."

The Beery drama at last behind them, Dani and her crew were back to work. Jonathan gave her full use of his cozy and charming ranch house and the land around it. Dani fell in love with the warm, pale yellow and white home and the inside was just as pleasant. Jonathan's furnishings were large, comfortable and crafted with pure wood of various kinds. They were all delighted to stay there for the remainder of the trip. With the photo shoots finished, Dani was going to send all the pictures overnight mail to Dupree for the magazine spread and just enjoy the rest of her vacation with Jonathan. She even managed to snap the photos he had jokingly proposed she should, vibrant shots of him riding horses and chopping wood. Dani couldn't deny their blossoming romance any longer. He made her feel secure and happy, more than she had been in a long time.

All but Mac climbed down and shook the hay off their dresses and hair. The girls ran to the vanity to prepare for the next sequence of photos and grab some food. Mac felt completely content and lay with his arms behind his head. He stared at the fluffy white clouds that floated across the expanse of the crystal blue sky. Gretchen lingered beside the wagon and then climbed inside and rested next to him.

"I see a train going through a tunnel and an alligator."

"I see clouds…a bat…and a man and woman kissing." He rolled closer and pointed.

"Where? I don't see that?"

"There." He pointed again. "See his head? His lips?"

"Not seeing it."

"Okay, how about here?"

Mac grabbed her closely and smothered her with kisses until she laughed loud.

"Oooh, that, I can't miss!" She drew her arms over his neck and they lay on their sides, gazing at one another.

"You know what I just realized, we've been here nearly two weeks and nobody mentioned the show Dallas! Not one 'Who shot J.R.?' joke did I hear! Imagine that?" Gretchen asked comically.

"Oh please, like we really needed to hear it. This whole case was like Dallas, or., I don't know, Magnum, P.I."

"Not quite, I don't see any Hawaiian shirts and short shorts around here!"

"Okay, we'll leave that to Tom Selleck."

"True, he does have those long, hunky legs for them, like Sheriff Floyd." Gretchen teased him.

"GRRRR! You know, I wouldn't be surprised if they made a show based on Outriders. A handsome male model is really a secret agent in disguise!"

Gretchen rolled her eyes. "Now that's a concept, but without the right lead, it would definitely sink."

"Well, I know someone who could pull it off." Mac mused.

"Who, you?" She winked.

"No, silly! John Schneider."

"He is too busy in Hazzard right now!"

"What about that new guy from CHiPs?"

"The one who replaced Larry Wilcox? Bobby? Ehh! No way! I'm going with David Hasselhoff, he's dreamy."

"Good choice! But too bad, Kitt would get jealous! Hey, are you well rested, my love?" Mac suddenly asked in concern.

"For the most part, but my ears are still ringing."

"Me too, I hope I don't get tinnitus from all this."

"Well, every time you decide not to pay attention to me, at least you'll have something to blame." She giggled, running her fingers through his hair. Mac smiled deviously.

"That's a great idea! I can use it on Dani too."

They both laughed and he turned onto his back again, taking her with him.

"Oh, I love zee rhol in zee hay!" She mocked a German accent.

"Gretchen, don't get started with the Young Frankenstein zingers, please."

"Oh fine! You never let me say my favorite line about the enormous Schwa…"

"Gretch!"

"Mac!"

"Put zee candle…Bak!"

They laughed heartily and Mac slid from underneath her and jumped off. He dusted his jeans and held out his arms. She fell into them with a sigh of pleasure and he hugged her, dragging her around without letting her from his grasp.

"You know you are going to be joining me in this therapy thing Henry and Dani keep insisting on, and she's gonna sit in too. At this rate, we all need it!"

"Maybe we should just start our own therapeutic sessions, Henry and Mildred can be the psychiatrists, you know she loves to give advice."

"Ahh, lovely Mildred, she's the classic case of secretary loves boss."

"And clueless boss pretends not to notice! I have a feeling there's romance in the air, but Henry's being all diplomatic and discreet about it."

"You girls are always playing matchmaker." Mac groaned.

"Mildred is sweet, remember she gave me that gray sweater last year."

"Oh yeah, the one that made you look like you've been walking around dead for six weeks and everyone forgot to tell you? Redheads and grays, I don't know."

"Mac, you said you liked that sweater."

"I did, but not on you, it washed ya out."

"Oh, like you're an expert on clothes, Mister I own one pair of jeans, gnarly tan boots and one polo shirt! I already see a hole in the back pocket forming. Or maybe that's just your wallet trying to burn its way out and escape!"

"Hey!"

"There's plenty of it right here!" She dumped a small sprinkle of hay upon his head.

Mac tickled her until she doubled over in hysterics and ran away from him. "Last one to the lunch table is a rotten egg!"

-Oo-

It had been three days since the oil refinery explosion and the city was still clearing up the mess. It turned out that Roland Beery did not perish within, but managed to escape with a few third degree burns. This was much to Mac's chagrin, but Henry assured him that there would be no trouble over his taking the Cadillac to save Gretchen and himself. Roland was recuperating in a private hospital and thereafter going straight to prison along with his wife, Sabrina, Heather Floyd, and Tim. Beery had fallen into a state of nervous breakdown, calling the banks at all hours of the day about his money. Money that he no longer posessed.

The D.A. finally made serious investigations into the murder of Mike Floyd and Sheriff Berkeley and the evidence of Heather and the Beery's involvement was falling into place. Whispers of the death penalty made Jonathan Floyd both satisfied and saddened. At a local ceremony the weekend after the explosion, the Mayor awarded Jonathan a plaque of heroism. It was in honor of his swift and lifesaving decisions made in regard to the explosion and the townships around the area. Jonathan later told Mac that he deserved one as well, but Mac just shrugged it off humbly.

"I'm a covert agent, Jonathan. It's all for the greater good and nobody has to know about it. I already make enough fanfare for myself as one of Dani's models."

Jonathan surprised everyone by treating them all out to his favorite haunt, 'Hog and Heifers.' They put a bunch of tables together and he ordered them hearty plates of baby back ribs and fried chicken and tasty side dishes. As they all ate, Dani and Jonathan got up and he taught her a few line dances, like Elvira and everyone joined in on the 'Cowgirls twist' to the oldies song, Rockin' Robin. Mac stole the show with his impressive kick steps, spins and swiveling hips. He capped off the dance with a smooth back flip and everyone cheered him on. Afterward, the lights dimmed and soft music played, the girls quickly found interested partners and Mac and Gretchen drifted off to a private corner.

"This is the sweetest song, I will always love you is so romantic!" Gretchen swooned. "Mac, look at those two, I think Dani has found her man."

Mac's gaze traveled to the center of the dance floor. Dani and Jonathan were locked in an embrace, her head was on his chest and they were silently stroking each others backs. Mac swallowed hard and a flicker of worry clouded his eyes. He was beginning to make a mental countdown of the days when their partnership as Outriders would come to an end. He smiled wryly.

"Mac, what are you thinking?" Gretchen asked gently.

Mac blinked back to attention and stared at the woman he loved. "I'm thinking…normalcy, Gretch. It's creeping up on all of us whether we like it or not…and I'm not afraid of it anymore."

"I've never been afraid of it, but then, we come from different backgrounds."

"That's true, but I know what I will strive to keep in the forefront."

"What's that?"

"My love for you. I know the waters have been testy for us lately, but that is one thing I am sure of. We'll work it all out, Gretchen, in time."

Gretchen smiled and kissed him delicately on the cheek. "I love you too. If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that Mac Harper always finds a way."

The End.