"Ride 'em, Cowboy!" whooped Terry as he leaned against the fence with the rest of the ranch hands, twirling an invisible lasso in the air in his excitement. "Yee-haw!"

"You got this, amigo!" yelled Leroy, leaning over the fence railing enthusiastically.

On the other side of the fence, a palomino mare bucked in a frenzy trying to dislodge Jason - also known as Cowboy by the ranchers - from her back. Red dirt was flying from under her hooves and swirled in the air, covering the clingy rider in its departure. Snorting, stomping, and kicking, the mare raced around the corral doing whatever was within her power to throw Jason off.

Hanging on with all his might, Jason held his ground. With every crow hop and kick the mare made, pain radiated through his legs and back. He had been doing this all day with the other green horses, and was plumb worn out. Sore as he was, he refused to get bucked off. He could feel the mare tiring and knew it wouldn't be long. There was no way he was going to lose his seat now, not when he was so close to getting her under control. But contrary to his plan, a series of sudden, violent bucks sent him flying whether he wanted to or not. He went one way while his Stetson went soaring the other.

A collective gasp arose from the row of onlookers. They looked at each other in surprised disbelief. As unlikely as it had been, Jason had been thrown.

Struggling to his feet, Jason rubbed his face. "Aw, shoot! Where'd my hat go? That was my favorite one," he grumbled, limping toward the now-still horse like a mud-smeared pig. "Have any of y'all seen it?"

The wranglers hooted at the dirt speckled, hatless Jason. Jeering at him, they joked amongst themselves without answering the question.

Leroy shook his head with a chuckle. "Cowboy, you get bucked off a caballo and the first thing you're worried about is your hat? You're loco, amigo."

Jason jammed his thumbs behind his belt buckle, and sent a glance heavenward. Running his fingers through his wavy, sweat-dampened hair, he gave a dry laugh. "Been loco all my life, seems to get worse with age. Now, did anyone see where my hat went?"

"It's over yonder," Terry, the thinnest ranch hand of the bunch, spoke up. He pointed at the mare, who pounded another stomp on the Stetson for good measure. "And just sayin' Cowboy, I don't think that horse likes you."

Jason sighed, moaning inwardly as he hobbled to the palomino. Whether she liked him, or not, he was getting his hat back. Bending down, he swiped his Stetson from under her hooves.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but I need that," he muttered under his breath as he slapped his hat against his knee to clear away some dirt. Taking a glance at the smiling buckaroos, he hopped into the saddle. He tensed, preparing for a fight, but was sorely disappointed. All he got out of the mare was a snort. Walking her up to Leroy, Terry, and the others, he dismounted victoriously.

"Did ya have a nice trip?" Terry asked, spitting out sunflower seed hulls.

Jason chuckled. "Best one I ever did have! How 'bout y'all, did ya enjoy the show?"

Leroy nodded, answering for them all. "Sure did. Cowboy, you put on a right good one indeed."

Jason smiled, his teeth a flash of white on his grimy face. With a grimace, he swung his leg over the fence. Once successfully out of the corral, he looked up at the sky. If he was going to get cleaned up real good before making his way to the Harden's, he needed to get busy. Heading straight inside, he grabbed a towel and a fresh change of clothes, and walked out.

"Where are you goin', son?" his mother called from the kitchen where she was busy fixing their own supper.

"To the stream to get a bath," he answered shortly.

She frowned at the worn out clothes bundled in his arms. "Surely you ain't gonna wear that over there."

Jason grinned. "No, Ma, I ain't. These are to put on once I'm done. Don't want me walkin' back in my birthday suit, do ya?"

"Heaven's no! Jase, get your tail on outta here!"

Jason ducked out the door, laughing so hard he stumbled down the steps. With a merry heart, he made his way down to the sparkling stream to wash away all the grime of a hard day's work. He had a woman to impress.

****

Dixie moved away from the scented water in the tub, slipping into a flowy gown and checking her reflection in the mirror. The long frock, with its rosy hues, flattered her well-built frame. She gave a twirl, the satin dress swirling around her like silk mist. The image the mirror reflected reminded her of a princess going to a ball in a far-fetched fairytale in the books she'd read as a child. She looked down at herself.

Am I too dressed up? she thought as she tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear. She shrugged her shoulders. Even if she was, it wouldn't really matter. There was a man to impress.

A loud knock on the bathroom door startled Dixie from her thoughts. "Yes?"

"Hunny," her father's voice rumbled from the other side of the door. "Tavin wants to see you. He says it's important."

Dixie laughed. "Tavin? Important? Well, I wonder what's gotten into him."

"Heaven knows, dear, but he did seem real serious and urgently requested that you come and see him."

"Alright, Pa, I'm comin'," she relented with a smile, loosely braiding her slightly wet hair. With a final glance in the mirror, she opened the door, coming face-to-face with her father.

His eyes widened in surprise and awe. The barest hint of a tear shimmered in his eyes. "Dixie. . . ."

"Yes, Pa?"

"You. . . that's. . . ."

"Mama's dress," Dixie supplied with a smile. "One of many, to be exact."

"This was always my favorite," Pa nearly whispered, rubbing his hand up and down the fabric on her arm. "It holds one of my fondest memories of your mother."

Dixie's smile deepened into a thoughtful look. "Why is this one your favorite? I thought her weddin' dress was."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, darlin', that one is also a favorite. But you see, this was the very dress your mother was wearin' when I went to eat with her and her parents for the first time. That was the day I knew I was in love with her. . ." he trailed off, staring at his feet. "Well anyhoo, better go see what your brother wants."

Dixie looked down at the dress. Maybe she could convince Jason Archer of the same thing. She sure hoped she could. Whether she would or not was strictly up to God. She left her father's side with a flair of her dress and a loving smile.

"About time you showed up! Did Pa tell you it was important? Never mind about that, have a seat," Tavin said, waving his hand at the bed as Dixie walked into his room. "This very well may cause you to faint."

"Me? Faint? It'd have to really be somethin' special for me to do that," Dixie protested as she sat on the bed. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she inhaled the comforting scent of her brother that rose from the sheets.

"Well, hunny, this is somethin'," he affirmed, standing in front of her. He had something concealed in his big hands.

Dixie sat on the edge of the bed in unsuppressed anticipation. She tried to peek through his fingers to see what he was hiding, but had no luck there. She would just have to let her brother reveal it himself. "Heaven's to Betsy, Tae! What is it?"

With a childlike grin, Tavin opened his hands. His bright eyes reflected the small, intricate hair piece laying in his palm. Pushing it around gently, he smiled as he admired its golden, pink-jewel-embedded, vine-like swirls forming a heart. "You remember this, don't you Dixie?"

Dixie gasped as a memory flashed before her eyes so vivid it could have happened yesterday. "That was the very piece I begged Pa for the year the school closed! But how did you get it?"

"Right as always. After Pa said he couldn't get it, someone bought it and gave it to me to give you. You see, I put this pretty thing behind my favorite belt buckle and ended up losing both somehow. Well, as I was looking for somethin' a few minutes ago, I found my buckle and this."

"Who?" Dixie practically begged. "Who bought this for me?"

"Jason."

"Jason," she breathed. Her heart seemed to speak his name.

Jason. Jason. Jason.

A tingling warmth spread from the top of her head to the sole of her feet and she gave a little shiver. She felt as if she would burst from happiness and. . . love? Yes, love. That had to be the feeling she was experiencing. She knew she needed to say something, but words seemed to have escaped to another part of the world. There was just one burning question. After a deep breath, she stuttered, "H-how did. . . how d-did he know. . . ?"

An air of secrecy slid across Tavin's face. "That is somethin' I'm not allowed to tell. Figured you'd be upset since I never gave it as it was intended."

"Goodness no." Dixie shook her head, willing her heart to slow down. She would almost bet you could see its thundering through the dress. "How could I be mad at you? This. . . Good Lord have mercy! This has me anything but upset at you. I just never knew he even noticed me."

"Trust me sister dearest, he noticed you. Why do you think he came over all the time? It sure wasn't just to see me. It nearly killed him when they had to move farther away so they could be closer to the doctor and he wasn't able to see ya like he wanted. And then, with his Pa fallin' more and more ill, he never had the chance to come back. His heart's been a'hurtin' ever since. Annalyn will testify to it." Tavin grinned before rubbing his face. "He'd probably want to shoot me dead if he knew I told you without askin' him first. He wanted to tell you himself when he came to court you. But seein' he didn't when he was plannin' on it, it shouldn't make no difference."

Dixie's head swam. There was so much to take in. "When did he want to. . . to court me?"

"When he was eighteen. But you was only fifteen and all and a lot of things came up."

Pushing herself up, Dixie stood to her feet. She needed time to soak up all her brother had revealed. She searched for a reason to go. "I need to fix my hair before he gets here. Oh, I hope I have enough time!"

"Don't worry sister. If you ain't done when he comes, I'll run out there and distract him. But you're not takin' this with you." He closed his hand, concealing the hairpiece. "I want the honor of puttin' it in for you. Besides, I have to. I promised I would, and y'know I'm a man of my word."

"I'd have it no other way," she agreed, leaving her brother and his room. Actually, she thought with a smile, I'd rather have Jason put it in. Oh but maybe one day. . .