Page 92 of Fall With Me (Sugarland Creek)

When I glance at Ellie, I see the way she looks at the three of them with admiration in her eyes. Considering earlier she said she loved racing too much to slow down once she’s cleared to begin again, I wonder if she ever thinks about her future in terms of starting her own family.

Chapter Twenty-One

ELLIE

I’m covered from head to toe in flour, but I haven’t stopped smiling in three hours, so I’m not even upset about it. Gramma Grace and I have been baking bread and cookies for the upcoming farmer’s market. The retreat hosts a booth once a month and lures them over with fresh-smelling baked goods.

“Who runs the booth?” I ask her.

“Usually, one of the receptionists or a staff member from The Lodge.”

“When it’s not too hot out, I’ll take her and we’ll join in for a few hours,” Mrs. Hollis adds.

“That sounds fun. Can I go next time?” I ask, washing my hands in the sink.

“Of course. We can go this weekend. Drag that fiancé of yours with us, too.” Gramma Grace snickers and my cheeks heat at the mention of him.

Although we’re not engaged, Gramma Grace enjoys teasing us about it. She offers me her old ring at least three times a week.

I’ve been getting cooking lessons from Gramma Grace and Mrs. Hollis for the past two weeks. Since I’m still not cleared todrive, Landen picks me up on his morning break at nine to take me to his parents’ house, and then he stops in for lunch to taste test anything we’ve made. Although we don’t get to spend much alone time together during the week, I still love getting to see him when I can. For the past two Friday and Saturday nights, I stayed later so we could hang out at his house and mostly fooled around. Though we’ve not gone past making out and over the clothes touching. He’s still worried I’m going to wake up one day and hate his guts again.

But the longer I go without remembering, the less likely I’ll remember them at all.

And I’ve decided I’m okay with that. I’ve never felt happier.

In the afternoons, I visit him at the stud farm, and then my dad picks me up when he’s done at work so I’m home for dinner by five. Aunt Phoebe asks me each night what new recipe I learned and we talk all about it until dessert.

It’s a new and different routine than I’m used to, but I’m still enjoying it. It allows me to visit Ranger every day and groom him so he doesn’t get sad or lonely. I watch Noah train him so he stays ready for when I can ride him. For the past few days, she’s let me lunge him in the corral. She was worried I’d get too dizzy, but so far, I haven’t.

After rumors spread that Landen and I were engaged, we didn’t say anything publicly about it, so it was neither confirmed nor denied. It’s not a huge deal since we’re dating anyway.

When I explained everything to my parents about Gage, Dad fired him, and we filed a police report. I didn’t think we needed to go to that extreme, but everyone else insisted.

My family knows Landen and I are dating, and even though my mom is happy I’m finally getting out of the house and having a social life, my dad warns me to be careful. He thinks because Landen’s older and at a different season of his life than me thathe’ll be a distraction from focusing on my career when I can return.

But after reassuring him that barrel racing is still my priority, he’s come around more to the idea. He thinks I’m going to get hurt, but I’m an adult, so he needs to let me make my own decisions even if I do end up with a broken heart.

Landen walks in around noon, scoops me in his arms, and plants a deep kiss on my lips.

“Oh my God, you smell so bad.” I push away before my eyes start watering.

“Yeah, I fell in some horse shit.”

“Landen!” Shoving at his chest, he releases me, and I step backward. “You’re gonna pay for that.”

He flashes me a wicked smile and goes to wash his hands.

“Oh, you’re gonna have to get used to that, sweetie,” Gramma Grace enters the kitchen and then refills her glass. She and Mrs. Hollis took a lunch break on the back patio to drink sweet tea and read their books.

I make a face and she laughs. “Figured you’d be immune to that smell by now.”

“Not when it’s injected into my nostrils.” I wrinkle my nose.

Gramma Grace excuses herself and returns outside.

“How’re things goin’ today?” I ask Landen as he dries off his hands. “Watchin’ lots of horse sex?”

“Yep, just another day of breedin’ season.”

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