Falling For The Silver Fox Rancher

Maya stood in the aisle of a grocery store on a late evening Friday. It was two weeks after she left her cheating boyfriend, Nolan. She had gone to get some groceries for the weekend. Karen, her best friend who she was staying with for the meantime, had gone home to Austin for the weekend.

She had wanted Maya to come with her, but Maya had refused. She knew she wouldn't be any good company to her friend in her state of mind. So she refused. Maya moved along the aisles with her eyes scanning the shelves for the best deals.

She picked a can of beans, a box of pasta, and moved to the shelves stacked with different brands of tuna. Her fingers traced the grooves of the labels, searching for the cheapest option. Knowing she had to be cautious about her expenses until she could get a job.

She picked four cans of the cheapest brand and added them to her cart. She wheeled around, picking other items here and there, and then went to the checkout point.

Nolan used to be everything to her; the love of her life. He had taken her under his wings the moment they started their relationship over two years ago.

He changed her life completely. He stopped her from working as a waitress at the restaurant where they met. She had enjoyed every good thing money could buy in the last two and a half years of her life. She had Nolan to thank for that. The only problem she had with him was his cheating.

He always promised to change, but he never did. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she remembered the good times they had together. She had to take the hard decision to leave him because her life was already in danger. The rich girls he was cheating on her with would always come to threaten her. Sometimes they would beat her asking if she thought Nolan, a billionaire heir would marry her a poor orphan like her.

Maya beat down a sigh and went to pay at the checkout point. Clutching her bags of groceries close, she walked the short distance back to Karen's apartment.

It was getting dark by the time she got to Karen's apartment ten minutes later. A hand grabbed her from nowhere before she got to the front door.

She knew whose hand it was. "Leave me alone, Nolan," she shouted. "What do you want from me?"

"It's time you come back home," he growled with anger. "I have given you enough time to cool off your anger. Let's go home."

She wasn't surprised at Nolan's attitude. He was one spoiled rich kid who liked to have things his own way at all times. And being the heir to his parents, he always got whatever he wanted. "But not this time," Maya thought to herself. She'd had enough.

"No, I am not going back with you," she tried to push him away. "It's over between us. I am done with you, Nolan. Go back to your rich girlfriends. I can't do this again, you are constantly putting my life in danger."

"Bullshit!" Nolan smirked. "You know you can't survive without me. If you don't come now, I won't take you back when you come begging later."

She kept on struggling, "leave me alone, I'm not going with you. I will survive without you."

He kept dragging her. She was no match for his strength as she struggled fruitlessly with him.

"Help!" she yelled, desperately. "He's trying to hurt me!" But no one came to her rescue.

"No one is going to save you," Nolan mocked her.

Suddenly, a shadow walked towards them in long strides. "What is happening here?" The man asked.

"None of your business, buddy," Nolan spat back. "She's my girlfriend."

"No...no," Maya protested. "I am not your girlfriend anymore. It's over between us."

"Leave her alone," the stranger pushed Nolan away. "You heard the lady."

"What if I don't leave her, old man?" Nolan shouted.

"Then, 'am going to call the police. He brought out his phone from his pocket and held Nolan by the pants. "What do you say, young man...?"

Nolan looked into Maya's eyes, "this is not over. I will come back for you, Maya. Trust me." He said angrily and shuffled back to his car, muttering under his breath.

"Thank you...," Maya said with relief flooding over her features. "I don't know what would have happened if you didn't show up."

"It's fine," the man gave her a reassuring smile. "Do you live around here? Let me walk you home."

"That's my apartment," she pointed to Karen's door. "But...but..." She was still afraid she wouldn't put it past Nolan to come back in the middle of the night to drag her away.

"I don't think I can stay here tonight," she said, gripping the man's hand.

"I understand," he said. "Where do you want me to take you to...a friend's house or your family's...?"

"I don't have anyone," she burst into tears. "My friend traveled. That's the only person I know."

The man thought for a moment and asked, "would you mind coming with me? I stay in Sawyer Ranch, it's just about twenty-five minutes' drive away. You can stay there until your friend returns."

Maya looked up into his eyes with a flicker of doubt.

"You know what?" he put his hands in his jeans pocket. "Call your friend. Let her know where you are."

Maya nodded slowly and did what he asked her to do. He also spoke with Karen.

"Now, go pack a bag," he said after the phone call. "I will wait for you here."

Maya's legs, still heavy with fear, walked to the door, opened it and went inside. She dropped the shopping bags she had with her on the cabinet in the kitchen and went ahead to pack a bag for the weekend.

The stranger was still there when she walked out with her little bag.

"Here let me have that," he took the bag from her and they both walked to where he packed his car.

"My name is Hank, by the way," he said, smiling at her after he put her bag in the back seat of his car and opened the front passenger door for her. "Hank Sawyer."

Realization dawned on her. Her knight in shining armor was the owner of the nearby ranch.

Her eyes widened in astonishment, and she said his name, "Hank Sawyer." She couldn't believe that a big man had come to this shanty part of the town today of all days and he had rescued her. "Thank you so much once again. You didn't know me, but you came to rescue me from that monster." She claimed into the car.

"It's okay, and you are welcome." He flashed her a smile. "I heard your shout of distress and I couldn't just drive away. I came here to see one of my ranch hands who is sick." He closed the door.

Hank turned around and went to the driver's seat.

"So, what is your name?" He asked as he fastened his seatbelt.

It was then Maya took a close look at him. He wasn't a young man. She put his age between late forties to early fifties.

"Maya Delgado," she replied. "I am a student of the nearby Greenville College."