Escape to the West
When Luke Thompson left the strident clamor of the city streets, he never intended to be hurled into the biggest scandal in a small western town’s history. He only desired a simple place to start over and set up his art studio, pursue his passion for painting, and find the perfect atmosphere to guide his creative hand. But then he met Emma Reed. Luke arrived in Morris, Montana the first week of June. His younger sister, Sarah, was a loyal sibling and avid researcher who, after months of digging her brother out of rock bottom, vowed to get him out of the city and into a world both of them belonged in. So she used her in-depth research skills to encourage their migration to what she concluded was the best part of the country for an artist to live. Together, they left for the west, where the green and yellow grasses of the prairie met the yawning slopes of the Rocky Mountains and the divine Montana sky stretched infinitely above it all. “Where beauty and inspiration are everlasting,” Luke droned from the passenger seat of Sarah’s Volkswagen as they passed Morris’s welcome sign. “We made it!” Sarah cheered. “Get excited! Luke, why aren’t you excited?” Her enthusiasm was infectious, as always, and Luke grinned as he pushed his disheveled brown hair back from his forehead. 1 LOVE UNDER THE STARS “I am excited, Sarah. I’m just not a twenty-two-year-old girl like you,” he teased. “Well I’m not a moody thirty-year-old like you,” she replied, mocking his dull tone. Luke rolled down his window and looked out at the undulating prairie of dancing grass that appeared to expand for an eternity. The air was clean, the sky was cloudless, and Luke finally felt free. Sarah noticed her brother begin to relax and smiled, relieved. She always empathized so strongly with him. If he was upset or anxious, she was upset or anxious. Granted, she had different coping mechanisms. Luke was introverted and stone-cold silent when he was worried, while Sarah had always been the extroverted one and became quite the upbeat chatterbox whenever either of them felt distressed. Despite the eightyear age gap between them, they had always been close. A troubled past with detached parents will do that. “I love you. You know that, right?” Sarah asked. She put her hand on his knee and gently squeezed. “Wouldn’t be here without you,” Luke answered. They both knew he didn’t mean in Montana. When they arrived in town, they glanced at each other, sharing the same thoughts. “What year is it here?” Luke asked jokingly. The town looked like it was copied and pasted out of an old Western photograph. The streets were roughly lined with dusty cobblestones, the buildings were wooden and weathered with faded, peeling paint and crooked signs, and there wasn’t a single stoplight in sight. Despite its dated and slightly eerie atmosphere, the town of Morris had a vivid charm to it. The pedestrians strolled the sidewalks with happy faces under the bright blue sky and a sheriff on a horse smiled and tipped his hat at Luke and Sarah as they dawdled down the road. “Hey there, newcomers!” They heard him say as they rode by in the 2 CHAPTER 1: ESCAPE TO THE WEST opposite direction. “How does he know we’re new here?” Sarah wondered. “Sarah, how many people did you say live in this town?” Luke asked. “Well…I don’t know the exact number,” she stalled. “Roughly,” he pressed. “Roughly…less than three hundred,” she said, tilting her head. Luke laughed and shook his head. “Well, I’m sure the recovering addict artist and his kid sister driving the big old van will be a welcomed addition to the community.” “I’m not a kid!” Sarah protested. “Maybe not, but you’re barely over five feet tall,” he laughed. They continued through the town square where they passed more people - some staring at them with furrowed brows, but most pointing and smiling. A giant, bronze statue of a cowboy on horseback stood directly in the center of the square. Sarah drove the van through the roundabout, brakes indiscreetly screeching, resulting in more stares from the locals. “Are we almost there?” Luke asked, suddenly self-conscious. Sarah checked her phone that had fallen into her lap during the sharp turn. “Yes!” she exclaimed. “The GPS says we just keep going straight on this road and it will be on the left.” The street went on for a few more minutes, leaving the activity of the town behind as the buildings grew more and more sparse. Their journey ended at a bumpy, unpaved parking lot next to a vacant, twostory building. Sarah put the van in park. They looked at each other and smiled. “We made it,” they both said. “Jinx!” Sarah belted out in a singsong voice. “You owe me a beer!” She unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door, and jumped out of the van. “If they even have a bar here,” Luke muttered as he followed suit. 3 LOVE UNDER THE STARS Their new home was a rustic loft filled with natural light and exposed brick walls above a vacant shop. Sarah had used her savings and signed a lease for both levels as a packaged deal. The plan was for Luke to live and work in the loft and use the shop downstairs as a gallery to sell his best pieces. Sarah would live with him until she could find a job and save up for her own place. After two hours of hauling all their things inside and roughly arranging items where they seemed to belong, they took a break and soaked in the view from the broad window that expanded across the back wall of the apartment. Luke whistled at the attractive scenery. “Wow,” Sarah breathed. “Where beauty and inspiration are everlasting indeed,” he mused. “Sarah, this place is beautiful. It’s perfect. Thank you.” They shared a wordless, emotional moment only siblings who had been through what they had been through would understand. “You’re going to find happiness here, Luke,” Sarah said, giving him a hug. He gave her one more quick squeeze, then tousled her hair and said, “I still owe you a beer.” They found a public parking area next to the town square. Luke got out of the van and shielded his eyes from the sun to observe the cowboy statue. It was quite an impressive piece of work with intricate details from the realistically sculpted muscles on the horse to the design on the pistol in the cowboy’s hand. The horse was galloping at full speed and the cowboy held the pistol straight out in front of him. The statue conveyed a feeling of haste like the rider was running toward a great enemy, dueling for his life. “Okay, the map says we just stay on Main Street and the bar will be on the left after two blocks,” Sarah said, looking down at her phone. “What’s the bar called again?” Luke asked. 4 CHAPTER 1: ESCAPE TO THE WEST “The Dusty Saloon,” she replied. The bar was aptly named. Underneath the sign were old-fashioned swinging saloon doors. Sarah pushed them open. “Ha! Of course, they’re squeaky,” Sarah laughed, amused. Luke instantly liked the place. It was the perfect blend of a small-town dive bar and a dimly lit, smoky saloon from the Wild West. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol, tobacco, and dust, and the wooden floor creaked underfoot. There was even an old piano in the corner. The bartender gave them an upwards head nod and said, “Howdy.” Luke and Sarah both replied, “What’s up” and “Hey” at the same time as they approached the bar and sat on the worn leather stools. “I’m Jasper,” the bartender said, putting a mug of beer on the bar in front of a grisly-looking older man a few seats down from them. “What can I get for you?” Despite his brawny and brutish appearance, Jasper’s tone of voice was warm and friendly, and the smile on his bearded face grew wider when he looked at Sarah. “I’d like a beer please,” Sarah said sweetly. “I’ll have to take a look at your ID, please, Miss,” Jasper said. Prepared, she whipped it out of her wallet and handed it to him. “Alright, Miss Sarah.” He handed it back to her and smiled. “What kind of beer are we having today? We have-” “Whatever is your favorite,” Sarah interrupted with a giggle. She seemed nervous in an excited way and Luke wondered what had gotten into her. “Well, that would be a mug of our stout beer,” Jasper chuckled. “Bring it on!” she exclaimed, smiling. “I don’t think you’ll like that,” Luke intervened, but Jasper was already pouring one out of the tap for her. “Here you go, Miss Sarah,” Jasper said, smoothly sliding the mug down the lacquered wooden bar toward her. She cupped the hefty mug 5 LOVE UNDER THE STARS in both hands and smiled at Jasper as he winked at her. “You can just call me Sarah,” she said, blushing. “I’ll just have a light beer, please,” Luke said. He pulled out his wallet and tried to hide the depression that crept over him as he realized he hardly had any money left to his name. Before moving here, he had worked in a coffee shop where he would occasionally sell one of the paintings he’d hung on the wall, but after giving Sarah the little he had to help with the down payment on their new place, and all the gas it took to get here, his wallet was pretty thin. He didn’t want to disappoint or embarrass his sister, though, so he paid for the beers and told Jasper to keep the change. “So, where are you two from?” Jasper asked. “Raleigh, North Carolina,” Luke answered, wiping his top lip. Sarah clapped him on the back a little too forcefully. “This is my brother, Luke.” “Ow,” Luke said under his breath. “Oh, your brother!” Jasper clearly favored this news. “What brings you all the way out here?” “Luke’s an artist looking for beauty and inspiration,” Sarah replied. Jasper’s booming laugh startled Luke into spilling some of his beer. “Well, you’ve come to the right place!” Without looking away from Sarah, Jasper pulled a towel out of his back pocket and wiped the spilled beer, his smile never breaking. “It certainly is beautiful,” Sarah said coyly. “And what about yourself?” Jasper asked her. “What do you do?” “I used to be a server at a restaurant, but I haven’t applied to any places here yet.” “Well, would you want to work here?” Jasper asked. The abruptness of his question caught Sarah off guard. “Well, I-,” she started. “I know it’s not busy right now, but this place sure gets crowded at 6 CHAPTER 1: ESCAPE TO THE WEST night. I need a helper since it’s almost summertime. I can have you trained and making good money in a week,” Jasper said with a smile. Sarah looked at Luke, who was already smiling at her with his eyebrows raised. She laughed and said, “I’d love to, thanks!” “Great!” Jasper exclaimed. “Cheers to that,” Luke said. He raised his mug in a toast. They stayed for another round that Jasper offered on the house as a welcome gift, as well as a dozen buffalo wings and fries. “Employees eat for free,” he declared as he pushed Sarah’s credit card back across the bar. He wrote something down on a bar napkin and handed it to her. “Here’s my number. Looking forward to working with you, Sarah.” When they got up to leave, Jasper noticed how short Sarah was and joked, “Uh-oh, I hope you can reach over the bar!” “Ha ha,” Sarah giggled. “I like him,” Luke said to her as they walked toward the entrance. He pushed the saloon doors open enthusiastically. One of them slammed against something outside, swung back, and hit him square in the face. “Ouch!” A voice exclaimed. When Luke heard the voice on the other side of the swinging door, he forgot his pain and rushed outside to check on his accidental victim. A young woman sat on the edge of the sidewalk with her face in her hands. “I’m so sorry!” Luke cried. “Are you okay?” The woman on the sidewalk was quiet and kept her face in her hands. “Are you hurt?” Luke asked as he leaned over and put his hand on her back. She slowly looked up at him to reveal a bloody nose and lip. Sarah gasped. “I’ll go ask Jasper for a towel and ice!” she announced, backing away. Luke was struck by more than the stranger’s bloodied face. First, he 7 LOVE UNDER THE STARS noticed her golden blonde hair that cascaded in thick waves past her shoulders, framing the petite features of her face. When he looked into her eyes, he felt his heart rate accelerate. They were large and round and a glassy blue-green - a captivating color Luke always struggled to convey with acrylic paint on canvas. “I’m alright. Just kind of seeing stars right now,” the woman said. Her glazed eyes connected with Luke’s and she blinked them back into focus. She stared up at him with a mixture of awe and confusion. She had never seen this man before, but somehow felt totally comfortable in his presence. “I am so sorry,” Luke said. He sat down on the curb next to her, keeping his hand on her back without realizing it. “Are you dizzy? Can you see? Do you know your name?” To his surprise, she laughed and replied, “No, yes, and…yes. My name’s Emma.” Not only did the laughter in her voice send a rush of relief over him, soothing his anxiety, but its mellow tone struck him as the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard from another person. They stared at each other for a few seconds, but Emma didn’t feel awkward until she remembered she tasted blood. “Is it bad?” Her hand flew to cover her nose and mouth. “No, the blood’s already beginning to dry,” Luke assured her. He couldn’t believe she was being so calm about this. “Again, I’m so sorry. I’m new to town and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever used an actual swinging saloon door in my entire life.” Emma chuckled and said, “I can tell.” Her smile was so sweet and forgiving that somehow it made Luke feel even worse for what he did. Sarah came out of the Dusty Saloon with a small bundle of ice in a towel and brought it to Emma. “We’re so sorry,” she said. “Please forgive my ignorant city-boy 8 CHAPTER 1: ESCAPE TO THE WEST brother.” “So, so ignorant,” Luke agreed, nodding his head. “I can’t forgive you if I don’t know your name,” Emma said. A feeling of excitement sparked from Luke’s heart and sent waves of adrenaline through his body. “Luke.” Realizing his hand was still pressed gently against her back, he quickly removed it and stuck it out in front of him to shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Luke,” said Emma. “You are forgiven.” As they shook hands, each was surprised by the texture of the other’s. Emma’s hand was small but calloused, while Luke’s was large, yet smooth. “City boy, indeed,” Emma commented. She unclasped her hand from his and turned it over to inspect his palm. She lightly traced her fingertips over the unscathed skin and said, “You must not work with your hands.” “Well, actually I do,” Luke replied. He liked the way her fingers felt on his skin. “I’m an artist.” She stopped and looked at him in disbelief. “It’s true,” Sarah chimed in. “He’s a very talented painter! You should come by our new place sometime and check out his work. We’re still setting everything up but we’re at the studio loft off Copperfield Road.” “That place belongs to you guys now?” Emma asked, still holding Luke’s hand. “Yeah, it’s where I’m going to open an art gallery,” Luke said, trying not to sound pretentious. “Wow, that’s really special!” Emma remarked. “I love to paint, too, but never have the time.” She cast her eyes down for a moment, ashamed, but looked back at Luke and asked, “What do you paint?” “Well, I used to paint mostly cityscapes, but I guess now I’m moving on to western landscapes.” He smiled. It was the first time he’d thought about it, but after saying it out loud, he knew it was a good decision. “There’s nothing more beautiful than the wild west,” Emma said 9 LOVE UNDER THE STARS passionately. “And with the mountains in the background? You’ll find plenty of inspiration here. I promise.” They both shared a warm, dreamy look until Luke broke the silence with an embarrassed chuckle. “What do you do?” he asked. Pressing the icy towel against her nose and lip, Emma responded in a muffled voice, “I’m a rancher. More specifically, a horse trainer. I live and work on Reed Ranch. My dad is Samuel Reed.” She waited for a reaction, but both Luke and Sarah stared at her blankly. “Reed Ranch?” Emma pressed. “You haven’t heard of it?” “The Dusty Saloon is as extensive as our knowledge of this town goes so far, I’m afraid,” Sarah said, shrugging. “Well then, you have to come visit!” Emma blurted out. “How about tomorrow around lunchtime?” “We’d love to,” Luke agreed instantly. “I have to work, Luke,” Sarah said. She eyed the two of them and cleared her voice. “But you should totally go. I’m sure it’s gorgeous.” “Alright,” Luke said. “Guess it will just be me if that’s okay with you.” “Absolutely! I’ll be in the stables,” said Emma. Luke helped her to her feet. They shared the warmth of each other’s hands one more time before he apologized again as they parted ways. He glanced back after starting to walk away and watched the wind play with Emma’s hair as she wandered down the sidewalk. When he turned back to look ahead, he felt Sarah’s eyes bore a hole into the side of his face. He chuckled but didn’t look at her. He already knew what she was going to say. “You like her!” Sarah giggled. “Oh stop,” Luke argued, but his grin had a mind of its own and continued to spread broadly across his face. “Mmm-hmm,” Sarah teased. “I get it. She is beautiful.” “And what about Jasper the bartender?” Luke responded, equally as 10 CHAPTER 1: ESCAPE TO THE WEST accusatory. “Be quiet!” She playfully slapped him on the arm. “He’s nice and he gave me a job.” “And somehow, you didn’t even have to ask.” Luke wrapped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her into his side as they continued walking toward the parking lot. Once back home - a word Luke realized he’d have to get used to calling their new place of living - the two of them finished unpacking the last of their things until everything was set up except for his work studio. There was a nook in the corner of the living room that beckoned him. Sarah went to bed feeling that strange combination of nervousness and excitement. They had set up her room in the loft. Luke’s “room” was a simple single-sized mattress on the floor in the corner with his art supplies. He was fine with this sleeping situation. He’d slept in much worse places. Once Sarah had retired for the night, Luke stayed awake to carefully arrange his easel, canvases, paints, brushes, and sketchbooks. He picked up one of his 20” x 24” canvases and placed it on the easel in front of him. He gazed past it through the large window that framed an enchanting prairie under a sea of stars. He instantly thought of Emma. He liked the way her hair matched the color of the prairie grass. He liked the way her large, round eyes seemed like a twinkling gateway to a unique mind full of openness and wonder - like the night sky. Luke felt a sense of liberation and eagerness to use the midnight landscape before him and let his creativity flow. There were so many possibilities ahead. His old life had finally come to an end, and now a new life in a smaller world with a bigger sky was beginning. He pictured Emma Reed standing out there in the prairie grass under the stars, laughing as her hair danced in the wind, and he began to paint.
