Chapter 47

Lex had made a short check of the horses, then moved quickly into the maintenance barn. The little Mustang was still sitting there, waiting patiently. She slipped off her coat and hat, and stepped into the greasy coveralls that she had left hanging by the door.

An hour later, Lex was certain the little car suffered no serious damage due to the flood. She put a couple of gallons of gas in the tank, and then sat down in the drivers' seat to turn the key. The engine grumbled, then finally sputtered to life. " YES!!! " she yelled outloud, pumping a hand into the air in triumph. Leaving the engine running, Lex walked over to the telephone that was hanging on the wall.

Two rings later, Martha answered. " Walters' residence, Martha speaking."

Feeling mischievous, Lex lowered her voice to a rumbling growl. " Hey, baby…you sound hot. Whatcha wearing? " she covered up the mouthpiece, trying to control her laughter.

" Oooh…you sound absolutely marvelous. What are you wearing? " the housekeeper countered, recognizing the voice immediately.

Lex lost it. Laughing hard, she replied, " Greasy overalls, sweetie…"

Martha laughed as well. " Hmm…a little too kinky for me, I think…but let me ask my friend in the other room - I think she's into nutcases like you! "

" Wait! " Lex yelled. " Don't get Amanda, just yet. I need you to do me a favor." She used her best pleading voice on the phone. " Ask her to stand at the window in the sitting room, looking out the front. I want to show her something."

Martha chuckled. " Got it running, did you? " She knew how much the young blonde treasured the classic car. " She's going to fall to pieces, you realize that, right? "

Lex smiled. " That's okay…I'll pick them up." She began stripping the coveralls off, using one hand. " I should be up there in about 5 minutes, okay? "

" Okay, sweetheart…I'll make sure she's ready." Martha hung up the phone, then went in search of the young woman in question.

While Lex was busy getting the Mustang in running condition, Amanda had gone into the office to call her grandparents.

" Hello, Grandpa Jake." She greeted the deep voice that answered the phone.

" Hey there, Peanut! How's everything going? " Jacob chortled, thrilled to be speaking to his favorite granddaughter.

" Great! How are you feeling? Is your leg still bothering you? " she asked, remembering how badly Jacob would limp, barely able to walk on his newly healed leg.

" Not bad at all now, sweetheart. I'll be back on the jogging track in no time! " he chuckled, then another voice broke in on the conversation.

" I'll second that, Mandy…your grandpa has been chasing me all over the house! " Anna Leigh laughed. " How's Lexington feeling? "

Amanda laughed as well. " Much better, Gramma…she's gone out to check the horses right now." She took a deep breath. " Once everything gets back to normal, I'd like to invite her home for dinner, if that's okay with both of you."

Anna Leigh crossed the living room, sitting next to Jacob on the sofa. " Does this mean what I hope it means? " she asked, feeling her husband grasp her hand gently.

" Yes, I think it does, Gramma. I've never felt like this with anyone else before…" she paused, " She completes me."

Jacob chuckled. " Wonderful! I've always liked her…especially after the way she took care of my Anna Leigh during that whole escapade with the Taylor house…"

" Oh really? Guess I'll have to get her to tell me all about that, huh? " Amanda laughed. " Anyway, I just wanted to call and let y'all know that the bridge work should be finished sometime tomorrow…so I'll probably be home in the next day or so." Cutting off any other questions, the young woman continued, " I told Lex I wanted to stay out here for another week or so, just until she's healed up from this past week's activities. I just want to pick up a few things, and see both of you."

They spent the next half-hour or so talking about inconsequential things, with Amanda promising to bring " her" rancher to dinner in the next couple of days. They sound almost as thrilled about all of this as I am…I wonder if that's possible? I wonder what my own parents will think? Uh, don't think I want to know right now… Her grandparents had always been very supportive in her life's choices, even when her parents couldn't seem to comprehend what she tried very hard to tell them. She always felt more loved and happy during the summers of her childhood, spending them with the two most important people in her life. Jacob and Anna Leigh had treated her as their own child, with all the love and support she had been missing at home.

Amanda hung up the phone, a bittersweet pang in her chest. Her grandfather's recent accident had reminded her of their mortality, and she always became a little sad after these types of thoughts. Stop it! Don't dwell on the bad things, just think about all the good things! She repeated her grandmother's mantra, which kept her sane during those long nights at the hospital.

Amanda was still drifting in her thoughts when the phone rang. Martha must have picked it up immediately, because it only rang one time. A few minutes later, the housekeeper bustled into the room, a big smile on her face.

" Amanda! I'm sure glad I found you! Lexie wants you to look out the front window - she has a surprise for you." The older woman grasped her arm, and led the blonde into the sitting room.

The room was…delicate, Amanda mused. Queen Anne furniture, and a beautiful baby grand piano stood proudly in one of the only rooms she had not been into. The large bay window had delicate lace curtains, and soft watercolor paintings graced the room.

" Martha, it's beautiful! " she whispered, looking around the room in awe.

The housekeeper sighed, a sad look on her face. " This was Mrs. Walters favorite room… I remember when she used to sit at the piano and play for little Lexie…" she wiped an errant tear from her cheek. " Lexie used to sit in here for hours, practicing…she was really good at it, too - until her father told her it was useless to play the piano when she should spend her time learning how to run a ranch." Taking a deep breath the housekeeper continued, " She still comes in here, every once in a while and plays… I think it relaxes her."

" Lex plays the piano? " Amanda was somewhat surprised - the rancher didn't seem like the type to spend time with something that had to be done indoors.

" Oh, yes…she even used to write compositions when she was in school…" Martha's face took on an angry tint. " But that no-good father of hers teased her until she quit." She was about to comment further when a honk in the front interrupted her.

Amanda rushed to the window, then gasped. " Oh my God! " she rushed out of the room and through the front door before the housekeeper could say a word.

Martha peeked through the window, seeing a light blue Mustang sitting in the front circular drive. " I'll be damn…" she muttered, then laughed and headed towards the kitchen.

Amanda stood on the front porch, tears streaming down her face. Lex had stepped out of the vehicle, and was standing on the driver's side, door still open. The young blonde walked slowly down the steps, unable to say a word.

The rancher smiled. Oh, this was definitely worth a few sleepless nights… she barely had time to brace herself before Amanda wrapped her small body around the taller woman.

" I can't believe this! I though it was lost forever! " Amanda murmured, her faced tucked securely in Lex's shoulder. " Was this what you were doing all those nights? "

Lex buried her face in the soft blonde locks. " Yeah…surprised? " she smiled when the younger woman squeezed tighter. " It's got a small dent on the left rear panel, and the upholstery needs to be cleaned, but other than that it's okay." She pulled away from the small blonde momentarily, reaching into the back seat. " I found this in the front floorboard." She handed over a purse and briefcase, dotted with dirt, but reasonably intact. " I didn't look at anything, but I laid everything out on a workbench to dry."

Amanda looked at the items, then back at Lex. She grabbed the tall woman around the neck, kissing her soundly. " Thank you! " she couldn't begin to explain the emotions thrumming through her. " You have no idea what this means to me! " she began to cry.

Lex held her close, kissing the top of the blonde head. " I have a pretty good idea…I know that you and your grandfather found this car and rebuilt it together - yet you never complained when you thought it was gone."

The younger woman stepped back, looking her directly in the eyes. " The car is very important to me, that's true…but as long as I was alive, I knew that things always have a way of working themselves out. My grandparents taught me that." She framed the strong face with her hands. " And as long as I have you, nothing else matters." Amanda leaned up and placed a soft kiss on Lex's chin.

Lex closed the car door, and led the young woman back towards the house. " I'm just glad you dropped into my life." She opened the front door, then handed Amanda the keys to the car. " Here…we'll take your car into town tomorrow." Lex locked the door behind them.