Yellowstone: Love and Cowboys

Happy Birthday

Coralee Dutton sat on the fence watching as Travis Wheatley and his outfit put the reining horses through their paces. Uncle John had said she could have one for her birthday, but Travis had brought along five instead of the three he had requested. She wanted to pick the right one and now Travis had made the decision harder.

Travis was trotting up to her when she heard Beth's Mercedes coming up the driveway. She was glad that her truck and trailer were parked next to the barn. She didn't trust that Beth wouldn't run into her just for spite, especially if she succeeded in damaging her trailer. It wouldn't accomplish anything if she did, but Beth liked to do things like that. Beth was just plain mean.

They had hated each other for as long as they'd been alive. Coralee wondered why. It wasn't like her father had inherited the ranch instead of Uncle John. Her father Benjamin was a corporate lawyer and good at it. He loved the ranch, but he wasn't a rancher and knew it. He didn't begrudge the fact that his younger brother had inherited the Yellowstone. Beth seemed to think that all that was a lie and Uncle Ben would grab the ranch the moment the opportunity presented itself.

The fact that she was prettier and younger than Beth didn't help matters. Uncle John had told her more than once that she was the very image of Elsa Dutton who had died tragically when the Duttons were establishing their ranch. Beth resembled her mother Evelyn who had been attractive but the fact that her father would tell her cousin she resembled the beautiful Elsa made her feel jealous. She would try to take her frustrations out on her physically, but Coralee was more than a match for her.

She heard the front door of the lodge slam shut as Travis came up to her, trotting on the horse he had just put through its paces. Showed off was more like it. Travis was a shameless flirt and the fact that she was purchasing a horse to show off her skills made her more attractive. It's not that he wasn't good-looking, or smart, he was not husband material. Travis was a playboy at heart and would never change.

"Well, darlin', have you made up your mind? If I were you I'd choose this one," he patted the neck of the bay quarter horse he sat on, "Between his earnings and stud fees you could pay your uncle back in a year. Save your money and find yourself a little spread and you could start raising your own horses. Marry the right man and you could have quite the outfit."

"Why do I have to marry someone for that, Travis? This horse is a birthday present from Uncle John, I don't have to pay him back, but I intend to. I majored in animal husbandry for a reason. I want to raise show horses, I want to do what you do and get the right people to show them with me. I've loved horses since I was little, Dad used to take me for rides before I could even sit up in the saddle."

Beth hated horses, she was afraid of them. No one would speak of how their mother had died, but Beth bore some responsibility. Had her mother been more patient, it probably wouldn't have happened. Benjamn had taken the horse that had rolled over on Evelyn. It's not the horse's fault, he told his brother and John agreed to let it go.

"Well, Corry, have you picked one out? I'm sure Travis is going to point you to the most expensive." John Dutton put his arm around his niece. Of all his nieces and nephews, she was his favorite and he spoiled her.

"Yes, he did, I decided on the horse I want. I'm going to pay you back, slowly. Between rodeo and reining exhibitions I can manage it, I think."

"He's booked for stud for this season," said Travis, "That will go in my pocket but next year you should have no problems. This horse is a good investment."

"Okay," said John, "If she wants this one this is the one she gets. Say, Travis, we're having a little birthday celebration for her, why don't you stay for supper."

Travis looked at her, "Don't mind if I do, John. Can I clean up in the bunkhouse?"

"Go ahead," John replied, "We'll meet you inside."