Page 17 of Midlife Wolf Captured My Heart

The three-hour drive to Albuquerque went by quickly. They talked about their favorite actors who passed away and whether there were any decent young actors.

“This conversation reminds me of George Jones’ song,Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?He references a lot of old country music singers and asks ‘Who’s gonna give their heart and soul to get to me and you?’ The same could be said for actors. So many of them become the part as opposed to the character playing a part.”

Dakota grinned. “I didn’t think that a youngster like you would know who George Jones was.”

“I’ll have you know that I know all of the old timers, like Hank Sr., Merle, Johnny, Loretta, Conway, and tons more. I actually like them more than I like the new folks.”

“It sounds like you have an old soul.”

Sadie shook her head. “Nope. A middle-aged soul, like yours.”

Dakota laughed and shook his head. It was the first time that either of them had said anything to each other about their age difference. She had brought it up jokingly, and Dakota was relieved. It was almost like she let the air out of a balloon. “I guess that’s why we get along so well. We see the world through similar eyes.”

“I don’t think that it’s a matter of age. It’s a level of maturity. There are some grown folks who are about as mature as the toddler throwing a temper tantrum at the store because they didn’t get candy. I have some students who are extremely mature and make me forget they aren’t adults.”

“True enough. I’ve met plenty of folks on both sides of the maturity scale on my travels.”

“I bet you’ve met all kinds of people – nice, kind, generous, selfish, hateful, greedy, etc.”

“Of course. There are people like that everywhere we go.”

His heart skipped a beat as she slid her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. The warmth of her hand sent a tingle of electricity flowing through him.

They stopped by the hotel and the manager let them check in early. He had reserved two rooms with connecting doors. They dropped their bags off and he drove to Albuquerque Old Town.

He held her hand as they strolled through the historic area, admiring the beautiful adobe buildings and incredible art scenes.

Sadie smiled at him. “This is incredibly beautiful. I’m only three hours away, but I’ve never been here.”

Dakota put his hand on the small of her back and guided her to a hidden courtyard. It was a beautiful oasis, with a gorgeous Pegasus fountain in the center. Beautiful fall flowers perfumed the air.

She squeezed his hand. “This place is breathtaking. I’m so glad we came when the flowers were still blooming. I’m thinking about planting a butterfly garden in my backyard next year.”

They stopped for lunch at a local café and then they rode on the Sandia Peak Tramway. He wrapped his arm around her and she pressed close to him as they stared at the gorgeous view far below them.

Once they got to the top, Sadie looked over the mountain in awe. The slight breeze played with her red hair and her green eyes sparkled in awe at the view. A huge smile lit up her face.

“This is incredibly beautiful,” she breathed.

“Yes, it most definitely is,” Dakota agreed, although he wasn’t looking at the scenery surrounding them. His eyes were focused on the woman standing in front of him.

They walked hand in hand along one of the trails. Most of the time, they strolled along in silence, simply enjoying the fresh air and each other’s company. Occasionally, he pointed out a bird or other animal they encountered, telling her a little bit about the creature.

She grinned at him. “It’s like I have my own personal tour guide and I don’t even have to tip afterward.”

“Who says you don’t have to tip?”

“Alright, don’t play in the middle of the street during rush hour.”

“Ha ha. You think you’re cute, don’t you.”

She wiggled her shoulders and cocked her head to one side. “I know that I’m adorable.”

“Yes, you are.”

After about an hour, he looked at his watch and sighed. “It’s almost four. I guess we should be getting back to get ready, although I’d love to ditch the party and just hang out with you.”

She laughed. “You can’t ditch your own party and you will be hanging out with me. You invited me to go with you, remember?”

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