Randa (3 page)

Finally, the emcee announced that there would be a 20-minute intermission and then the winners would be announced. Randa, Taylor and their families all thought that they had an excellent chance of winning the categories they had entered. While the girls were talking to their moms, a sophisticated and distinguished looking man approached them.

“Hello, I’m Michael Marks, a producer with Blue Moon Records,” the man said as he handed each one of them a business card. Randa and Taylor’s jaws dropped! Blue Moon Records was a newer and lesser known, but growing record company who was known for signing artists who were fresh and spirited up-and-comers.

“Taylor, I wanted to compliment you on your singing and your performance tonight,” Mike said.

Somehow, Taylor managed to keep her composure. “Thank you, Mr. Marks!”

“Please call me ‘Mike.’ Taylor, would you be interested in exploring a record deal with Blue Moon Records? You have such a beautiful and unique voice and you are quite the entertainer.”

Taylor looked at her mom who nodded and smiled at her. “I would love to discuss that idea with you. Mike,” she added.

“Wonderful then, please call my secretary on Monday to set up an appointment.”

“Great! Thank you,” Taylor replied.

”I do have to ask you though, where did you come up with the song, ‘Hitching?’ It’s an original, isn’t it?”

Taylor threw her left arm around Randa’s shoulder. “Yes, it is and my best friend, Randa, is the songwriter. She’s written other songs too.”

Randa’s heart stopped as Mike studied her for a moment.

“Randa, I absolutely loved the lyrics to your song and I want to buy it,” Mike said.

Almost in a state of shock, it took a moment before Randa could say anything. Finally, she thanked Mike properly and agreed to make an appointment and meet with him the next week.

The emcee resumed the program and was about to announce the winners. Everyone started taking his or her seats. Randa was still in shock over the record producer wanting to buy her song. Of course, she had thought about trying to sell some of her songs, but graduating college had been her priority for the past four years. She had finally graduated the previous Saturday and now she was going to be a professional songwriter! That was her true passion, but it had never seemed realistic, at least to her parents.

“Randa Dean for ‘Hitching,’” the emcee announced. Everyone around her started clapping and cheering. She was lost in thought as she clutched her good luck piece, the Thunderegg half that she kept in her pocket. Once again, it had brought her good fortune Randa thought as she realized that her entry had just won the best song lyrics category. She stood up, walked up to the stage, and accepted the award and envelope, which held the cash prize. Everyone congratulated her and hugged her when she got back to her seat. A short time later, the best song winner was announced and ‘Hitching’ won! Both Randa and Taylor were called to the stage, since they both played important parts in bringing the song to the talent show. The very last category was overall talent winner/performer. Taylor’s name was announced. She was super excited and literally floated up to the stage. It was the biggest award of the evening and Taylor was the best performer by far and deserved to win it. The emcee asked Taylor if she wanted to say a few words. Obviously, he didn’t know what a talker Taylor could be. Randa could only laugh when a full ten minutes later Taylor was still giving her ‘acceptance speech’ and the emcee had to interrupt her, so that he could end the program.

The girls’ parents took them out for a celebration dinner. Between the awards, the prize money that they won, and the potential lucrative contracts they both might be signing with Blue Moon Records, the night was unbelievable.

Arriving home, Randa took the Thunderegg out of her pocket and put it back in the special keepsake box that her Mom had given to her so many years ago.

That joyful laugh! John was enthralled by it. The delightful sound felt like an appeal to his soul. When he heard it again, he slowly turned and looked. What he saw was a stunning woman whose raw beauty stole his very breath. Her flawless, porcelain skin was offset by her long, silky, cocoa-colored hair which was blowing ever so gently in the light wind. He simply couldn’t take his eyes off her. The man didn’t believe in love at first sight, but he knew that this must be the next best thing.

The captivating brunette was still engrossing John when Fox walked toward him, handing him an ice-cold beer.

“Aren’t you glad to get off of the Slope for a while Johnny?”

John never took his eyes off the distinct beauty. “I sure am,” he replied. Fox followed John’s line of vision. He spotted his goddaughter, Taylor, and her best friend, Randa.

“It’s been far too long,” John continued. “I always miss being on the ranch, but I don’t have to worry about it as long as you are here, whereas the Slope needs more of my attention, since Dad is spending less time there and more time in Anchorage.”

“Buck deserves to slow down a bit, so that he can savor life.”

“Yes, he does and I’m glad that he is. The sad thing is that when he and Mom were married, he was a true workaholic on the Slope, but since they divorced, he is realizing that there is more to life than work,” John said as he glanced at Fox and then returned his gaze to the perfect, heart-shaped face whose luminous radiance felt like velvet on his jagged soul, tenderly swaddling the rough, broken edges.

“It’s not totally his fault. That’s the way life challenges you. You have to work so hard when you are young to build something for yourself, so that when you are older you will have some assets and be able to grow old gracefully,” Fox reminded him.

“I know,” John replied solemnly.

Fox looked over at him and changed the subject. “I see that you’ve spotted my special guests. Would you like to meet Taylor and Randa?”

John grinned broadly and Fox thought that he detected a twinkle in the young man’s eye. Fox caught Taylor’s attention and signaled to her. She nodded enthusiastically.

“Fox, how do seem to know
everyone
?” John asked in amazement.

Fox just grinned. “You know I’m legendary in these parts Johnny Boy.” And it was true. Fox was a legend. Even though he was only 5’8” with a slight build, but a very confident demeanor, Fox was a huge man when it came to strength and character, though it hadn’t always been that way. He was one-quarter Cherokee Indian. His blue eyes were a standout from his dark coal-colored hair that he kept neatly cut right below the ears. His clothes were always immaculately pressed. Impeccable manners were his calling card and no one had ever heard a curse word come out of his mouth. He hadn’t always been polished though. Fox began riding bulls when he was ten. By the time he turned sixteen, he was winning rodeos all over the region. Once Fox graduated from high school, he hit the rodeo circuit full-time and his desire for women grew as strong as his drive to stay on bulls for eight seconds. No female could ever tame the wild cowboy though, no matter what feminine wiles were tried. Fox’s rodeoing buddy, Chris Taxen, married a girl named Michelle that Fox had slept with. Chris didn’t know about the incident. Six months after the wedding, Fox watched in horror as a bull named Freight Train threw Chris to the ground, turned, and stepped on his chest, stopping his heart from ever beating again. That is when Fox’s behavior and outlook changed for the better. He knew that it could have just as easily been him being crushed by the bull. He retired from bull riding after winning the regional championship for the third year in a row.

Six weeks after the tragedy, Chris’s wife gave birth to a baby girl who she named Taylor. Fox helped to support the baby until Michelle could get things settled for the two of them. Fox and Michelle actually became good friends. After Fox went to Prudhoe Bay to work, Michelle married a man that she was dating, though not before naming Fox as her daughter’s Godfather.

Taylor walked up to Fox and gave him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. John couldn’t take his eyes off Randa. She was aware of his engaging stare. She couldn’t help but peek at him, though a bit of shyness prevailed and she quickly looked away.

Fox made the introductions. “John, I would like you to meet Taylor Taxen. Taylor, this is John Williams who you’ve heard plenty about.”

“Yes, I have,” Taylor said laughing. “It’s very nice meeting you John.”

“Thank you. It’s all my pleasure Taylor”

“And John, this is Randa Dean. Randa this is John.”

The rest of the world seemed to slip away as John turned and focused on her.

Randa looked up directly at John and said, “Hello John! It’s wonderful to meet you!” in a very open and exalted manner.

Their eyes met and suddenly there was so much energy in the air between them. It was palpable and it jolted his senses. John could feel it course throughout his body. He was completely silent. Gosh, have we met before? He asked himself. John was sure that he would have remembered her. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they already had met or that they were connected to each other in some ambiguous way.

“Hello Randa,” were the only words that came out of John’s mouth as he continued to look at her. Fox and Taylor stepped back and observed what was happening with looks of wonder on their faces.

Randa extended her hand out to John as if to shake his. John saw her hand and he reached forward with his right hand and put it in hers. The softness and warmth sent a powerful surge directly to his heart. John leaned over and Randa watched him place a sweet, gentle kiss on her hand. The chivalrous deed melted her heart. John looked up at her and smiled because he somehow knew with much certainty that this incredible creature before him was the one woman who could capture his heart and captivate his soul. He reached out his left hand and covered the bare part of Randa’s hand. Time seemed to stop as both of their hearts beat wildly.

After a moment, Fox stepped forward as if to break the contented silence and asked Randa if she had ever attended one of Wade and Noel’s parties before. John released Randa’s hand quickly, but did not move a step.

“No, I haven’t Fox. This is my first one and I am having a terrific time,” Randa said glancing at John. “Thank you for having Noel invite Taylor and me. She and Wade are just as delightful and as down to earth as they can be. Plus they certainly know how to make sure that everyone is having a great time.”

Wade and Noel Anderson’s parties were renowned in northeastern Oklahoma, but they only recently bought the ranch neighboring Buck and John’s ranch. Buck still owned the ranch, but he never came back to it after the night that he confronted Claire. It remained John’s home because Buck wanted to make sure that his only son continued to have that stability in the wake of their divorce. Claire moved off the property when John graduated from high school. Fox continued to run the ranch and John considered it home even when he was on the North Slope.

“You are very welcome Randa. Noel asked me to invite some friends and the very first person I thought of was Taylor. You know how I adore her,” Fox replied. Even though he and Taylor did not get to see each other very often, they always stayed in touch.

“Taylor is definitely adorable,” Randa said as she laughed and looked at her friend. Taylor stepped up beside Fox and laid her head on his shoulder. For a split second, Randa thought she saw an odd resemblance between the two, but she didn’t know what it was. She thought about mentioning it when John spoke.

“Taylor, I must tell you how much I love some of your songs. There is something so genuine about them.” Taylor was a Grammy award-winning singer who currently kept America on its knees pleading for more chart toppers. Many of her songs were upbeat and her fan base ranged from the very young to senior citizens.

“Thank you John! Just in case you don’t know,” Taylor grinned, winking at him, “Randa wrote “Hitching” and two of my other top 10 hits.”

John smiled at Taylor said, ‘Wow!’

Taylor said, ‘Yes!’

John looked over at Randa, simply speechless. He gazed into her beautiful chocolaty eyes as he reveled in the feeling of a deeper connection to her. “That is so impressive Randa,’ John told her.

“Thank you! I am very proud of that song!”

“Did Fox show you and Taylor the rooms you’ll be staying in while you are here?”

Randa answered, “Yes, he did, thank you John. We appreciate you letting us stay in your home. Even though the drive home would only take a few hours, it’s so nice to get away for the weekend.”

“You are very welcome. It will be nice to have some female presence around here, especially as beautiful as you two ladies are.”

The band started playing and Fox asked Taylor if she would like to dance. She accepted and they strolled to the makeshift dance floor.

Randa replied, “thank you,” and then she looked at John and scrambled for something to say. She didn’t want him to walk away. Unfortunately, she didn’t know that he couldn’t have been pried away from the spot he was standing on.

“Fox said that you work on the North Slope in Alaska most of the time.”

“Yes, I do. My father started a company there before I was born and he has turned more and more of the responsibility over to me. The first summer I went there, I was thirteen years old and I fell in love with the serenity there. I’ve went back every summer and I’ve been there full time since I graduated from college.”

“Goodness! Don’t you miss things here in Oklahoma or at least the things that we take for granted here in the lower 48?”

“I usually come home about four times a year and that seems to take care of any needs or wants that I might have. Arctic Circle living is definitely a less complicated way to live, even though it includes lots of hard work in extremely cold weather. I love life on the ranch also. At some point in time, my dad needs to decide whether to keep the company or to sell it.”

John didn’t want to bore Randa. “Would you care to see the rest of the Anderson ranch? There are some magnificent gardens and a flowing creek behind them.”

Wanting to spend more time with John, Randa eagerly accepted his invitation.