"A ride in a pickup truck with a cattle rancher seems a more fitting way to leave the Grand National at the Cow Palace than a ride in a 4-door sedan with a cab driver who probably doesn't speak English, so I'll gladly accept your offer," laughed Laura. Inwardly, she was bubbling over with joy, but restricted herself to just a broad smile of pleasure as Monty took her hand to guide her through the throngs of people leaving the performance.
When they reached the truck, Laura was pleasantly surprised to see that although it appeared to be several years older than a lot of the other trucks in the lower parking lot by the barns, Monty's pickup was shiny and clean. When he held the door for her to get on the passengers' side, she was happy to see that the interior, too, was clean and obviously well-cared for. Monty, too, was glad that he always kept the vehicle in such good shape, although he had never considered it remotely possible that on this bull-buying trip he might be taking any female passenger, and such an attractive one as Laura, in his truck.
From long practice, it took Monty only a minute to unhook the electrical connector and the locking pin from the fifth wheel cattle trailer, drop the tailgate, and crank up the support so that the trailer rose enough to clear the big hitch ball in the center of the pickup bed. Then he jumped in the truck, started it up and moved ahead a few feet to clear the trailer overhang, jumped back out to put up and lock the tailgate, got back in behind the steering wheel, and they were off. Monty didn't worry much about leaving the trailer in the parking lot: if it had been a bumper hitch, he would have locked a chain around an axle and through wheel spokes to prevent theft, but only a specially-equipped truck could steal his trailer. And there were security guards driving around the lots in golf carts, which provided extra security.
Laura had watched through the truck's rear window, fascinated, as Monty prepared the truck to go solo without the trailer. His movements seemed so effortless, so efficient, but she guessed that some of the procedures took strength, although Monty didn't seem to strain at all. Her day was spent with office workers, and it was only during weekend sporting activities that she ever saw men using their muscles. Seeing this man doing useful physical work, and doing it with movements so fluid but which spoke of much strength under his Western clothes, caused a tingle in Laura which she hadn't experienced for some time.