The Elephant Gate

His telephone woke him up the next morning. "Mmm…hello?" he mumbled after fumbling for it on the night stand. The low chuckle caused instant wakefulness. "Rose?"

"I didn't mean to wake you up. It's 10 am, and I wanted to see if you were up for a little adventure."

He rolled over until he was sitting up. "What kind of adventure?'

"I have to head out to my stables and check on my horses, and I didn't know if you wanted to join me. If the trails are decent, we could even go riding. That is, if you know how."

Kevin had a vague memory of riding horse as a child, but it was wispy at best. "It's too cold, and I just flew in last night. Some other day, perhaps."

"Well, okay, then." Disappointment was clearly in her voice. "I'll chat with you later."

"Wait!" he called, changing his mind even as he refused. "Give me a half hour and a cup of coffee. I'll tag along."

"Great!" She said happily. "I'll be by your place in a bit!"

* * *

He was finishing his second cup when his doorbell rang. He eagerly headed for the door, but schooled his features into friendly neutrality before opening it.

"Hi." He was rendered momentarily speechless at her simple greeting. She wore well-worn jeans on her generous curves, scuffed brown English-style riding boots, and a blue and black checked flannel shirt. Her cheeks were slightly reddened from the cold air, and her eyes sparkled.

She held up another drink holder. "I thought you would like the good stuff."

For her part, it was all she could do to swallow a feminine hum of appreciation. His outfit was similar to hers: jeans, cowboy boots, grey hoodie, fleece jacket over one arm. And it sparked her hormones right up. She opted for casual, though.

"Are you ready to go? It's about an hour from here." He nodded and turned to locked the door, and she took the moment to eye his perfect b.u.t.t and have an illicit thought or two.

* * *

The drive was nice, as the busy streets around the metro area gave way to the rolling hills of V.i.r.g.i.nia.

"They are near Manassas and just outside the battlefields," Rose explained. She had explained her parent's farm; enough acreage for some horses, farming, and anything else her father like to do.

"Be warned; my father is someone of an eccentric, and he likes to dabble in different things. Right now he is interested in olallieberries." At his puzzled look, she continued. "It's a hybrid of different berries and primarily grown in California. Dad wants to see if it can be a sustainable crop on the East Coast."

A brief time later, and they turned onto a crush-and-run road, past two massive brick gateposts. A bronze plaque read "Su Ka Tee".

"What does that say?" He asked.

She replied, "It's the name of their ranch. It's Thai for "Gateway To Heaven."

The ranch buildings were small and neat, cl.u.s.tered near a Colonial Revival-style home. She pulled the big truck around the circular driveway, and parked just past the front door. The door opened, and two completely different people stepped out to the portico.

The man was tall and broad shouldered, with red hair liberally sprinkled with grey. The woman next to him was small and slim, almost boyish, with inky black hair twisted into a messy bun.

"Ma, Da!" Rose called out before hurrying up the steps into the man's outstretched arms. The woman stroked her daughter's hair before turning her attention to Kevin, walking slowly up the stairs.

She greeted him in the same matter as the restaurant owner the night before. He returned the gesture.

"Welcome to our ranch, Mr. Hunter. Rose has already spoken of you." Her foreign accent was strong, but he could easily understand her.

"Thank you, ma'am. Mr. McEwen." He reached out and his hand was enveloped in what seemed like a bear paw.

Rose still under his other arm, the older man welcomed him. "It's not often our Rose brings anyone out this way. Soo, are you two….?" Rose punched her father in the stomach.

"He's a colleague and the writer of my next production, Da. Don't read any more into it." He smiled at his daughter, but his eyes were more speculative when he met Kevin's eyes.

"Now, Thad, don't frighten him." She laid her hand on Kevin's arm. "Come on inside and we can have a nice long chat over tea, and you can tell me what you think of our daughter."

"Ma, we're going to go check on Sundial and Mouse first. I promise you both will have time to grill him, but later, 'K?" With that she gently extricated him from her parents, and led him back down to the truck. Once there, she waved gaily at them. "See you in a couple of hours!"

Bemused, all Kevin could do was climb back into the still-warm truck and wait as Rose clambered into the driver's side. "My parents are always embarrassing," she muttured. He laughed.

"Parents are parents the world over."