Camille's Arrival

CHAPTER

Willy watched him go.  His graceful strides ate up the distance to the house.  Dirty or not, she couldn’t understand how anyone wouldn’t be impressed with Lee.  Once he turned on his charm he was hard to resist.  She knew she shouldn’t care who Leland had handpicked for Lee, but curiosity made her hurry to cool out the horses and put them away.

She hustled up to the big house hoping she didn’t miss the introductions.  Seeing the ranch pickup already parked in front of the house, she quickened her pace.  She arrived in time to see Troy, his usual jovial expression drawn into a frown, open the passenger door for their guest.  Willy stood on tip toe to try to see the woman around Troy and the truck, but all she caught was a side profile and a wealth of blond hair as the woman turned towards Lee who stood on the porch step. 

Willy saw Lee’s expression change from polite interest to appreciation when the woman turned to face him.  Willy continued around the truck and watched as Lee stepped forward.  He’d barely got out of the shower in time to greet this woman. His damp hair looked almost black. He hadn’t had time to shave and the start of a shadow darkened the line of his jaw. Sprinkles of water decorated the gray Henley he wore. The sleeves of his shirt were pushed up to expose tan, brawny forearms. Willy’s eyes narrowed as she watched him gently take the woman’s hand in both of his.

“Hello, Ms. Landin. Welcome to the Box Double L. I’m Lee Glover. My father, Leland, wanted us to make you welcome here. Unfortunately, I do need to tell you that my father is quite ill at the moment.”

“I’m so sorry! Has he been sick long?”

“He was diagnosed with lung cancer a couple months ago.”

“Is he here on the ranch? Can I still meet him? My daddy has told me so many stories about the things they did when they were young.  It’s done my father a world of good to get back in touch with your father.”  Her voice was the exact sound of soft wonder, excitement, and concern. 

Willy almost snorted.  It appeared Leland had picked well.  Camille’s concern for Leland, whether feigned or real, gave her brownie points with Lee who thought his dad walked on water.  Willy’s opinion of Leland didn’t differ much from Lee’s, but she still waited on judgment of Camille’s personality.  It took more than a pretty blond with a sugary breathless voice to impress her.

 “Yes, he’s here- for now. I will introduce you at dinner, Ms. Landin.”

“Thank you. And please call me Camille.”

“Camille,” he rolled the name off his tongue in his rich baritone.  “Why don’t you come inside, and I’ll show you to your room. I’m sure you’d like to freshen up.  It’s a bit of a drive after a long flight.”

“You there, bring my cases.” She barked at Troy without a backwards glance.  The black man snapped back as if he’d been slapped. When he didn’t instantly respond, the woman gave him a haughty once over. “You work here, don’t you?”

Willy gasped. If that was the way she’d treated Troy on the drive over it was no wonder that he wasn’t smiling. In the two years they’d worked together, Willy had never seen Troy without his cheerful smile.  A glance at Lee told Willy that his attention was centered elsewhere, perhaps on the cleavage that Camille displayed openly in her sleeveless gauzy top. Willy laid a calming hand on Troy’s arm and stepped up.   

“I was going to welcome you here, but I think I’ll give you a piece of advice first.  No one on this ranch ever addresses anyone in the form you did.  We may work here, but this isn’t a dude ranch catering to guests.  If you’re smart you won’t do it again.” 

She glanced at Lee to find him frowning at her.  She lifted her chin and looked him in the eye.  She held his gaze for a moment and then skirted her eyes away from him.  He had the ability to make her feel like a child without even trying hard. Growing up she’d always looked up to him.  His disproval stung.  

“Camille, I’d like to introduce you to Willy.  Please excuse her straightforwardness.  She speaks from the heart.  She’s very protective of her friends and family.  However rude she may have been to address this openly,” he let his eyes sweep over Willy who chose to look at her boots.  “She speaks the truth.  We treat everyone around here equally and fairly.”

 “I need to apologize.  That wasn’t like me.  I tried to pull off a joke and it came out wrong and sounded bad.  I’m tired…and nervous.  I’m sorry, Troy, and uh…Willy.” 

Willy didn’t believe Camille’s apology.  While Troy murmured his acceptance, Willy seethed.  Quietly to Troy she said “Come on. I’ll help you get this baggage unloaded.”

Troy’s face broke into a grin.  He understood that Willy wasn’t talking about the suitcases when she mentioned baggage.  Willy grabbed two powder blue and pink suitcases.  Troy retrieved the handful of smaller matching bags.

“How long is she staying?” 

“I’m not sure, but I can’t believe I lasted a whole hour and a half without strangling her!” Troy confided as they tramped up the stairs loaded down with the woman’s luggage.

“After hearing Papa G singing her praises I thought he intended Lee to marry her!  She’s not what I expected, but I can’t believe she’s what he’s been waiting for!”

“I couldn’t tell you, Will. All I know is I’m not impressed.”

They dumped the suitcases unceremoniously on the floor of the spacious back bedroom.  Willy took a second to look out the large picture window overlooking the mountains in the distance. She wasn’t thrilled that Leland had asked Maria to prepare this room for Camille.  She felt a bit betrayed.  This had been her room for fifteen years.  She remembered lying on the bed and staring off into those hills contemplating what life would’ve been like had Leland not taken her in. 

She reminded herself that because of her own desire for independence she’d given the big house up.  After she’d gotten her associates degree in early childhood education she’d been at an impasse.   She couldn’t decide what she wanted to do from a job standpoint, and she knew she didn’t want to leave the ranch. 

She knew she couldn’t stay at home forever, so she convinced Leland to let her move into the apartment over the garage and pay rent while she continued to decide if she wanted to tackle more student loans or find a job.  It’d been easy for her to just continue working at the ranch.  It was her home, and because she had it she didn’t feel pressed to do anything else.  Deep down, she secretly hoped she’d be swept off her feet by a handsome man.  She couldn’t wait to be married and have children, but the pickings were slim in town.  She hadn’t met the right man yet.  Content with her life she patiently waited for her next inspiration.

While she loved her independence and solitude she still missed the big house and the gorgeous view from this window.  Looking out the window it felt like coming home which was strange because she’d never truly ever left.  Shrugging off her melancholy mood, she followed behind Troy as they made their way downstairs. 

 

 

After Camille’s comment Lee intended to speak to their guest privately to explain how employees were handled on the ranch, but Willy had hastened that.  Now he was torn between his anger at Willy for her tactless reaction and his pride in her for standing up for Troy.  Giving Troy and Willy time to cool down while they hauled the cases upstairs, he kept Camille talking out on the big wrap around porch that dominated the front of the house.   

 Lee held opened the door and directed Camille into the foyer.  Camille glanced around the room, and Lee wondered what she thought.  By local standards the house was large.  His father had added onto it a couple times over the years, so the house rambled on in several different directions.  A small, separate wing off the side of the house had been added for the resident housekeeper nearly thirty years ago.  Another addition had been added nearly twenty years ago to provide a private master bedroom suite when his dad remarried.  His second wife had done a lot of remodeling when she moved in, but nothing had changed in the fifteen years since her death.  The grandest part of the house was the foyer with its crystal chandelier.  The remainder of the house contained comfortable rooms decorated in tans and creams that didn’t show dirt easily.

Willy and Troy traipsed back down the stairs.  There they paused in the foyer.  The space became smaller with the four of them there.    Lee thanked them for their efforts.   Lee frowned when Troy shrugged indifferently and headed out the door without another glance. Willy hesitated a moment longer. 

The two women eyed each other like spar partners on a mat, and Lee gave up hope that the two women would be friends.  In the back of his mind, he’d imagined that Camille’s appearance would give Willy the female companionship she’d lost when his stepsister, Michelle, had gotten married.  Neither woman looked like they’d be inclined to make friends. 

Camille should’ve been the more alluring of the two women.  The petite blond wore a pretty flowing navy blue skirt that showed off a flash of pale leg.  Her sleeveless white top highlighted a broad expanse of creamy flesh and ample cleavage.  She’d expertly applied makeup that gave her incredibly long lashes over rich brown eyes and pouty red lips. 

Despite Camille’s womanly look, it was Willy’s lean dusty body that caught  his attention.  Her anger and attitude stood out like an aura.  He glanced at her, his eyes raking over her  long length of legs in dark blue jeans.  The side slits on the jeans highlighted the pink tops of her cowboy boots.  She wore a simple black checkered flannel shirt but the pink sleeves of the shirt she’d layered underneath stood out on her arms.  Her pixie cut hair stood at odd angles after having its dark tresses tossed by the wind.  She stood with one leg cocked and her hands on her narrow hips as she stared down Camille. 

“I’ll see you both at dinner.”

Her words were simple, but Lee would’ve been a fool to ignore the challenge in them.  Things were going to be ugly, he thought as she turned and walked out the door.