Danny Ray (Ray Trilogy) Read Online Free Page B

time farmers like Danny were left. He hoped to buy at least forty head of calves but he suspected he would need to return to buy all he wanted.
    He stood up and walked down the aisle to leave. Aaron followed him when they heard the announcer say, “Hey, we’ve got a deal for you today. We have a truck that just arrived due to an accident down the road. He has twenty head of Hereford calves in his truck, if anybody is interested.
    Danny immediately raised his hand and walked toward the auctioneer. No one bid against him because the large buyers had already left. He bought them sight unseen, but the announcer said that they were in good shape. The cattle truck wasn’t the one involved in the accident.
    When Danny reached the truck and looked his calves over, he felt very pleased . The calves looked exactly the age and size that he had in mind and he made a deal with the driver to deliver them to his farm.
    Feeling happy, Danny let out a whoop when he reached his pickup. “ Cuz, I am no longer a farmer, I just became a rancher. Whooee!”
    On the way home leading the cattle truck, Aaron asked, “What happened to that girl you dat ed? What’s her name? Lisa or something like that.”
    The smile left Danny’s face. Lisa was the last person he wanted to think about. The same dull pain hit his chest. “Lisa and I broke up. She wanted bigger fish to fry , I guess.”
    Aaron contritely stated, “I sorry, Danny. I would never mentioned it if I had known.”
    Danny shook his head, “You had no way of knowing. At least now it’s out. It’s painful.”
    “What about you? Do you have good news with your girl, Carey?”
    “I don’t know. We’ve always enjoyed being together. We have a lot of fun. Mostly, I think the nearer we get to graduation, the more it seems that the thing we have in common is our accounting major. We’ve been good study companions. You wouldn’t believe how much we have helped each other.”
    “Actually, I think I do. Remember how we used to study algebra, geometry, and Trig together?” Danny asked.
    Aaron shrugged with a laugh, “I guess you got me there.”
    “Have you heard from Bobby lately?” Danny wondered.
    “Last I heard he married some sweet girl from Topeka, Kansas while he was in college. He’s coaching now in the high school where she grew up.”
    “He’s as happy as a Bantum rooster standing by his hen’s nest.” Danny laughed, knowing that the little Bantum rooster always thought he was just as tough as the larger breeds of chickens and tried to out crow them all. “That’s pretty cocky!”
    “Yep,” Aaron grinned.
    That evening after Danny had taken Aaron home, he went out to the hay barn to check on the calves. He put oats and hay out when they had arrived and now most of them were resting. They had a strenuous day being hauled around in the unfamiliar truck all day. He checked on their water to make sure they had plenty in the watering trough that he had placed in the barn. They would be fine until morning, but he hated to leave them yet. He inhaled the familiar smell of cows that he remembered from his childhood. It felt comforting.
    He sat down on a log outside of the barn gate. He wasn’t ready to be a lone. Ever since Aaron brought up Lisa today and he hadn’t been able to get away from the pain deep in his chest. He closed his eyes. He could still smell her long, flowing, ebony hair that hung to her waist. Her emerald green eyes looked longing at him. He could feel the touch of her soft porcelain skin so smooth and pure. She was so tiny and delicate. His stomach knotted up. He still wanted to touch her soft cheek and kiss her tender pink lips.
    The first time he saw her walking from the library at college, he thought he was seeing a vision. She was so beautiful. She wore a white blouse and white slacks with black boots. Her black hair contrasted so lovely swinging across her back as she walked. He stopped with his mouth open.
    She glanced back his way and smiled