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 Adoré

   A Tale of Romance By The Star*

   Chapter Ten - Hazel's New Life

   [AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the final chapter in the Adoré series.  However,
I have in mind to revise it substantially.  I'm just not very happy with
it. I want to include some information about Hazel's early life.  Maybe
even insert another chapter.  And I want to end with a bit more about Adoré
herself.  So, this makes the story complete, but please don't think too
harshly of me if I come out with a major revision in the future.]

   Hazel found herself, for the fourth time that morning, staring blankly
out the window at the ranch, tears trickling unnoticed down her face.  Ad
had not been gone all that long, but it was sure that her sense of loss and
grief was deep and profound.

   So, after washing her face and choking back the sobs that threatened to
take her over, she decided she needed a change of scene.

   "Hazel," she told herself aloud, "you miss him horribly.  That's natural
and even commendable.  But you've got a lot of life ahead of you and Ad
would paddle your butt if he saw you like this...especially over him.  You
need to get out of here, girl, and find something interesting to do."

   She finished making the bed, and packed for an extended trip.  _'I need
new clothes, too,'_ she thought.  _'Well, first stop will be
Portland--Nordstrom's!'_

   With that thought, she put back half the clothing she'd planned to take,
then put two bags, one empty, into the trunk of her car.  A call to the
Benson Hotel in Portland, to make a reservation, and she was set to go.

   It was a matter of minutes to stroll to the training ring, where Marty
and Dory were working.

   "Hi, Ma.  What's up?" Marty asked.

   "I need a change of scene, son," Hazel replied, noting the look of
compassion in Adoré's eyes, and her little nod, when their eyes met.

   Marty was pretty quick on the uptake himself.  "OK, Ma.  Where you
headed?  And for how long?"

   "Don't know for sure, son.  I'll start with Portland.  Figure on a
couple weeks, anyway."

   "Works for me.  But, please let us know how to reach you.  And call
OFTEN."

   Hazel let a small smile cross her face.  "I love you too, Marty.  Yeah.
I'll call.  To start, I'll be staying at the Benson.  I need to do some
shopping--and I'll see about selling some cows, too."

   Adoré piped up, "Sell some horses if you can, Hazel.  Getting rid of
cows is easy."

   "Why, you got too many horses, Dory?"

   "Not too many.  But we have several really good jumpers that are eating
way too much here."

   Smiling, Hazel quipped, "Yeah.  It would be better if they were eating
some rich idiot's hay--and the idiot paid us for the privilege."

   "You got it, Mom," Marty agreed.

   They quickly agreed on contact times and methods, and Hazel walked over
to Elin's to say goodbye to the grandchildren and tell Elin her plans.

   Then she was on the road.

   Even driving to Portland was hard.  Normally, Ad drove--not because
Hazel wasn't a good driver, but just because he felt that driving was a
man's responsibility.  _'Come on girl,'_ she thought to herself.  _'You
can't tear up while you're driving.  Isn't safe.  Get a grip!'_

   From Sisters, through the pass west to Salem where she turned onto I-5,
the road was excellent and she made good time.  Portland was only an hour
away, once she got to the freeway, and she had no problems until she
actually got into town.  She didn't know which exit to take and decided on
the one that said "City Center".  Turned out to be a good choice and she
was soon on familiar territory in downtown Portland.

   At the hotel, she asked that the car be serviced, when she gave the keys
to the doorman, and that her bags be taken to her room.  Check-in was a
breeze.  The hotel recognized the name...she and Ad always stayed there
when they visited Portland.  Before long, she was installed in her suite,
with an appointment with the hotel's hairdresser scheduled for first thing
in the morning.

   "I'll be at least a week.  Maybe two," Hazel told the manager when she
checked in.

   "No problem, Mrs.  Steele.  You're welcome here as long as you want to
stay--and we'll always find room for you."

   "That's very kind.  Thank you."

   "Not at all.  You and your husband have been loyal guests of the house
for years.  We like to take good care of our repeat customers...  And, if I
may, we all are very sorry to hear of Mr.  Steele's passing.  We will miss
him a lot."

   "Thank you again.  I miss him a lot, too."

   In the morning, after a haircut and set, Hazel walked the few blocks to
Nordstrom's downtown store.

   Her morning was profitably spent buying new underwear, and two pair of
shoes that fit.

   She walked over to Meier & Frank, to have lunch in their 'tea room'. 
While she was eating her light snack, she scanned the clothing the other
women were wearing.  _'It's been too long since I worried about clothes,'_
she thought.  _'I need new everything...  Well, it's not as if I couldn't
afford it.'_

   Between Meier & Frank and Nordstrom's, she bought new everything--and
some little presents for the kids and grandkids.

   In her suite, she examined her booty, and stowed it in the closets
provided.  She had a long, hot bath and called the ranch--talking with Rick
and Elin, and saying hello to Audry.  In a day or two, she'd call Marty. 
Following an excellent meal in one of the hotel's fine restaurants, she
enjoyed a full night's sleep.

   In the morning, she arranged to call on the manager of a large meat
processing company that had bought a lot of steers from them in the past.
And, in a stroke of inspiration, she asked the concierge to prepare for her
a list of the premier hunt club and horse jumping people in the area. 
She'd compare the list with the one Adoré gave her.  Maybe they were
missing somebody.

   After listening to condolences on Ad's death, Hazel had a productive
meeting with the meat packer.

   "Hazel, my deal with Ad was that I'd buy any of his Herefords at market,
plus five percent.  The Angus are marvelous steers, and I always offered
ten percent over market for them.  At that, I know I only got about forty
percent of your animals, because Ad shopped them pretty vigorously, and
always got the best prices."

   Hazel nodded.  That's exactly what Ad did.  And Rick was prepared to do
the same.  "I'm prepared to sweeten the deal, if I can get more of your
beef.  I'll give you market plus ten percent for Herefords, and fifteen
percent for Angus.  In return, I want at least half of your output."

   "Well, Jerry, you know that we're starting a new program...?"

   "Ad mentioned something that Rick was doing, but didn't give me any
details."

   "Basically, we intend to get out of the beef business." Jerry's face
fell.  "Don't get too worried until you hear what's happening."

   "Always good advice, Hazel.  OK.  What's happening?"

   "Thought you'd never ask...  Over the next four or five years, we intend
to sell off our entire stock of Herefords.  Some of them we'll sell at
auction--the tested bulls, for example.  But most will go for beef, and a
few calves to the Deschutes County 4-H kids.

   "You've always been fair with us--which is why you got as much of our
beef as you did.  With the additional five percent you've offered, I'll
sell you at least sixty percent of the whiteface...IF we can do it at a
contract price, rather than spot."

   "What did you have in mind?"

   "How about the average monthly KC price for the last five years, plus
ten percent?  Each year, we'll take the new average, and so on, until we're
out of the whiteface business."

   Jerry beamed.  "Hazel, you surely got a deal.  But what do I do five
years from now?"

   "That's a whole different thing, Jerry.  What Rick's doing is raising a
superior strain of Angus.  We're not raising beef, but breeding stock for
other ranchers."

   Jerry nodded.  He knew there was a need for that, and could understand
the economics of it at once.  If successful, it might be a gold mine.  He
said so, after he'd thought it through.  "That might be the best
cash-producer Steele Ranch has ever done, Hazel.  If Rick can really
produce a top strain of breeding animals, the sky's the limit."

   "That's kind of what we think, too, Jerry.  Now, where do you come in?
Well, we'll have culls.  We need to sell them for beef, to someone we're
certain won't keep them in his herd." Hazel paused while Jerry digested
this.  "And, of course, they'll be superior beef, so we'll expect superior
prices for them.  But I think they'll command pretty exorbitant rates... 
We both know that good Angus beef is an outstanding product.  You could
sell to top restaurants under a brand name."

   "You'll get me enough beef from your culls to do that?"

   "We think so.  Especially at first.  It may taper off, but there will
always be some.  And if you can stand to pay ridiculous prices, we'll give
you first shot at them."

   Jerry thought a moment.  This would put him into a new market, and he
wasn't sure if he wanted to make the effort.  Then he looked at his watch.
"Hazel, what you're suggesting is mighty interesting.  But I just gotta
think on it.  It's nearly five.  What say I buy you dinner, and we can kick
it around some more?  And you can show me the pictures of your grandkids I
know you've got stashed somewhere."

   Hazel grinned and said she'd be delighted.

   Over dinner at Jake's Crawfish--Hazel commented that they didn't get
much seafood at the ranch--Jerry asked, "Hazel, were you about thirteen
when you got married?"

   That prompted a giggle of delight.  "No, Jerry.  I'm older than I look.
I was still getting 'carded' when I was in my thirties.  Thanks for the
compliment, though."

   "Well, you could fool me.  I always wondered how old Ad managed to latch
onto such a young chick...  and what he had that kept you so attached."

   "What he had was integrity, Jerry.  I know for a fact that he loved me
and that he never ran around on me--just as I never did on him...  once he
asked me to marry him." She grinned a sly smile.  "Before that...  well, I
guess nowadays you'd say I had quite a reputation."

   They spent an enjoyable couple of hours bringing each other up to date
on their families and views of the cattle business.  Very similar people,
with similar views about many things, they'd been acquainted for years,
though never close friends only because of the isolation of the ranch. 
Jerry had been widowed five years before, and lived in an efficiency
apartment within walking distance of his office.

   "Why drive and pay for parking, when I can enjoy my walk, and spend the
money on my grandkids?"

   "Why indeed?  What do your kids think about you living in a little flat
downtown?"

   "Oh, they think I should have kept the place in Lake Oswego.  What for?
I don't need the room, or the taxes, or the commute.  I offered it to my
son--he couldn't afford the upkeep, much less to buy it from me.  I think
he wanted to inherit it someday.  Well, not gonna happen.  It's gone now.
Sold it to some electronics genius for a lot more than it's worth."

   They laughed over the vagaries of the real estate market.  Then Jerry
said, "I think I see a way to do what you want with your culls and still
make money on it.  My hesitation was whether or not I wanted to put the
effort into developing a new market.  But I can see how to do it.  My
concern now is, can Rick supply me enough beef, with your 'way above
average' culls?"

   "That will be part of its attraction, Jerry.  The supply is limited."

   Jerry laughed.  "OK, Hazel.  We'll do it.  I just hope you can supply
enough of your limited product to make it worth while."

   A bit later, Hazel asked, "Jerry?  Can I ask you something personal?"

   "Sure.  If I don't like the question, I may not give an answer, though."

   "Fair enough.  How do you handle the loneliness?"

   "You mean, after my wife died?"

   "Yeah.  Sometimes, I feel so alone...even with the kids right there...I
miss him, Jerry."

   "That's something, Hazel, that only time can heal.  Time and getting
involved in something.  I threw myself into the business.  Now I've slacked
off some, but I still spend too much time at it, I suppose.  But what else
do I have?  I date occasionally, but that's tough, because most widows want
to get married again and I'm just not sure I want that.  I have dinner with
one of the kids every other week or so.  I'm careful to give them 'space'
and they respect my desire for my own privacy...  thank God.  One of my
friends, also widowed, has a daughter who is trying to run his life for
him, like he has senile dementia or something.  It's a wicked scene."

   Chuckling, Hazel said, "At the ranch, I'm still in charge.  I was when
Ad was alive, and that hasn't changed.  The kids are real busy, but it's a
family business and we're all close.  I just don't know why, with all that,
I'm so lonesome."

   "I understand.  Completely.  I really do.  If you'd like, you'd be
welcome to come over to my place for a while.  I can hold you for a bit."

   "I'd like that, I think.  Understand, I'm not promising more than a
snuggle."

   "That's all I offered, Hazel."

   An hour later, Hazel was luxuriating in the feel of a man's arms around
her.  She'd shed shoes and pantyhose, and the jacket from her feminine
suit. Jerry felt so good, she just had to kiss him.  _'What harm could
there be in one little kiss?'_ she thought.

   Turning up her face to him, she tried it.  It went well.  In fact, it
went so well, she tried it again, with a little more in it.  That went even
better.  Hazel was still in control of herself, but she remembered her
'wild days' before she settled on Ad.  She remembered the anticipation
before the first time with a new lover.  She remembered how fulfilling it
could be to have raw, monkey sex, just for its own sake.  And remembering,
her mouth opened and her tongue explored Jerry's lips.

   After a moment, Jerry pulled back and looked at her.

   "Is this what you really want, Hazel?  I'm willing--as I'm sure you can
tell from the lap you're laying on."

   "Yeah, Jerry.  It is.  Like you, I'm not interested in
commitment--beyond the duties of friendship that we share.  But I think
this might be exactly what I want right now."

   Jerry nodded, gathered her up in his arms, and carried her to his
bedroom.  His apartment may have been fairly small, but it was luxurious.
Hazel appreciated that when he gently deposited her atop the down comforter
that covered his queen sized bed.

   When she reached for the buttons at the front of her blouse, he said,
"Please.  Let me."

   He gently but efficiently opened the buttons and pulled the blouse from
her waistband.  Her breasts, clad only in her bra, were even larger than
he'd thought.  So his next act, after placing the blouse neatly over the
back of a chair, was to open the clasp of the bra and remove it, too.

   "God!  You're magnificent!" he breathed, just before taking an erect
nipple in his mouth.  Hazel's breasts had suffered some sag with age, but
no more than many women in their twenties.

   As he sucked and licked, causing Hazel's breathing to quicken,
punctuated by an occasional gasp, she attacked the buttons on his shirt,
followed by his belt and the button on his trousers.

   Soon Jerry's hands found the zipper holding her skirt together and
opened it.  Releasing her nipples, he pulled the skirt and her panties off
of her, pausing again to admire her superb body, bared to his gaze.  Then
he shucked off his shirt and trousers, and joined her, naked, on the bed.

   Hazel climbed atop him, which was fine with Jerry, and impaled herself
on his erection, bringing gasps from them both.  She grinned and said,
"Yep. I think this is exactly what I need right now.  Hang on partner,
we're gonna let 'er buck."

   She started by bouncing straight up and down on him, then threw in a
little front and back motion.  Soon, though, she leaned forward, supporting
herself with her hands, and kissed him soundly.

   Breaking the kiss, Jerry found a nipple again, and started sucking with
a little tooth for gentle bites.

   That did it.

   Hazel went into orbit, convulsing and shaking, then collapsing on
Jerry's chest.

   Over the next week, Hazel and Jerry spent most evenings together.  After
that first night, Hazel insisted that they stay at the hotel--so she would
be available if the kids needed to call her.

   Their time together wasn't all spent in bed.  They had most meals
together, and many long and interesting conversations.  Jerry knew some
horse people and set up introductions for Hazel with them, which resulted
in the sale of four horses Adoré wanted to get rid of that year.

   When Hazel decided it was time for her to head to Seattle, they parted
as good friends, who had bed privileges.

   And Hazel had a standing invitation for a repeat visit.

   - - + + + + + -

   Seattle was, as usual, a ten-mile-long traffic jam.  Hazel left her car
in the hotel garage, and went everywhere by taxi.  She did a little more
shopping, in some specialty boutiques, and made some contacts for the
future, for marketing their Angus breeding animals.

   She also sold five more horses.  Two of the buyers would travel to the
ranch, where Adoré would have the final word regarding the fit of horse and
rider.  The other three were into the hunt club market and weren't for
top-level riders.  Hazel didn't make any friends like Jerry in Seattle, but
she did manage a couple of one night stands with men she met in the hotel.

   By the time she returned to the ranch, three weeks had passed and she
had a much better outlook on life.  She even imagined that Ad...  would
approve.



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