Page 39 of Home to the Cowboy's Arms

Matt stepped to the doorway and called for Jillie to join them. She was there in no time.

“We have a question for you.” Tori stepped in and took over. “In case of rain on Saturday we have two options for you to decide which you would prefer. The first option is that we have the party here in my house like we have done before when it was bad weather. We still were able to decorate and have games and all the food.” She took a breath before continuing, “The second option is that the party would be moved to Mr. Lockwood’s barn and your friends could go to the party there inside where it’s dry also. It’s your decision.”

Jillie did not hesitate. “A barn? How awesome! No one has done that before. And could there be animals around? Real ones? Not stuffed ones? And that means we could run a lot better and make noise and no one would really care. That would be so fun.”

Tori knew she was defeated.Keep smiling.

“Well, it appears that live animals beat out stuffed ones in my house. I hope you know what you’ve just let yourself in for?” And she shot a pointed look in Cade’s direction.

He nodded. “Oh, I think I understand quite well. And I look forward to hosting all of you and Jillie’s friends this coming weekend.”

“Matt will be happy to help of course. Won’t you?” She next fixed her glare on him.

“Right…anything that is needed. We don’t want to be an imposition.”

“I never offer anything that I don’t want to…and it is, after all, about Jillie’s day. And with that decision made, I better get moving and make certain all will be ready for a barn birthday.”

“Thanks again, for my great surprises.” Jillie offered one last hug. Which he returned with a huge smile on his face.

“You are most welcome. See you Saturday.” He didn’t venture a look at his hostess as she had already turned back to her cleaning.

Jillie went back to her television. Cassie made an excuse to start packing. Matt was left. He moved to stand against the counter close to his sister.

“It makes sense, Tori. And it was a great offer. Jillie is over the moon.”

“As she should be,” Tori said, scrubbing a particularly tough bit of dried food on a pan in the sink.

“It’s because of the rain threat that he offered. I should have told you after we were alone. If we had sunshine and blue skies it would be held right here as always. It isn’t a slight in any way. Please don’t take it personally.”

Tori gave up on the scrubbing. She looked at her brother. “I’m glad that Jillie is going to have an awesome party. Her friends will all come…plus some…because who wouldn’t like to be invited to a party of any kind on the famous Lockwood Ranch? It will be fine. I will be fine. Now go get your little girl home to bed. There’s still school tomorrow.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned, back to his old self. They shared a hug, and he was gone to collect his child and give Cassie a goodbye hug. Tori attacked the pan once again with a renewed vengeance.

Thankfully, Cassie made no mention of what had transpired, probably figuring she had said enough already on the subject. They hugged at the garage, and she left, back to her assignment, which always remained not for disclosure. Between her brother, a sheriff, and her sister, a DEA agent, and her other brother, a U.S. Marshal, she had more than enough experience in keeping secrets and not asking questions.

Later that week she dressed for her day and needed to bring in her new cushion from the front porch rocker just in case the rain began before she returned home. Opening the door, she almost stepped on something lying outside the doorway. She bent down and retrieved it.

It was one stem…a huge pink gerbera daisy…one stem only with a pink ribbon tied around its middle and a card attached to it. She read the message.‘Forgive me? C.’

Well, at least he hadn’t filled her porch with flowers. Just one this time, and it probably meant more than all the others from the office bouquet. He was trying to apologize. He was trying to do better as he promised. And this way, no one would know she had even received anything. It was just between the two of them. Cade Lockwood was a huge problem. Her life had been so simple until she had to push him into listening to her about those blasted springs. Now, she had no idea what to do. But she was afraid a good dose of heartbreak was headed her way. It was something she had guarded against in her life. She had trusted once before, believed in the possibility of a fairy tale. But she had been younger, and it became a learning experience. To keep her focus on what mattered the most: her family. And she had, until she met up with a tough cowboy one day who would shake up her world.

She had worried about running into Cade at some point in town and what she would say to him. But it hadn’t happened. He hadn’t come by the office. He hadn’t left any messages. Three days of silence. Was she supposed to seek him out? He did put a question mark on the card. Meaning he expected her response? Well, it could wait for the party, which was the next day.

The thunder began to roll at midnight. Lightning woke her up at one in the morning and there was little sleep after that. The morning dawned overcast and rain still threatened in the distance. She had heard from Matt that they were at the ranch, and she would not believe what all Cade and his men had done for Jillie. It was up to her to arrive at the ranch gates at a precise time. She would arrive fifteen minutes after the party would begin. Sounded like another big entrance to Tori. The limo was getting a workout.

Jillie had decreed that the outfits of the day were to be ranch/cowboy wear. And that was why Tori had taken her shopping to the ranching store in town and come out with Jillie outfitted from head to toe in jeans, fringed vest, western shirt, cowgirl hat and a pair of pink boots with rhinestones on the toes. Tori shook her head. And they weren’t leaving the store before Jillie had made certain her aunt looked the part. Which basically entailed a new blue western shirt to go with the jeans she had several of in the closet already. And then she bought her first pair of boots…brown ones with no rhinestones. And a brown cowgirl hat that looked surprisingly good on her as decreed by Jillie. She added her own leather vest she often kept in the closet for rodeos and things along those lines when she had to attend as mayor. She was surprised when no limo appeared at the house. She and Jillie set off to Lockwood Ranch in her vehicle. As they approached, there was a difference from her last visit.

Cowboys were showing people where they could park on a freshly laid gravel parking area just inside the gates. When she and Jillie stepped out of the car, a familiar face greeted them. It was Nate, the foreman who had come with a crew that day to fix her gutters. He gave a big smile to them both and a special welcome to the birthday girl. “Are we going to ride on that wagon like others are doing?” Jillie asked with excitement.

“Nope…we are going to let them get ahead of you all. Then we have a special ride for you. Stand right here and don’t turn around…either of you…until I tell you to do so, okay?”

Jillie bobbed her head in excitement. Tori nodded. There was a sound of wagon wheels behind them and horses stomping their feet.

“Okay, ladies, meet your ride.”

They turned and Tori stood in silence taking it in while Jillie was faster to react. “Oh my, Aunt Tori…look…it’s like on television in the westerns. Are we really going to ride in that?”

Nate nodded. “Yes, sirree, you bet. We don’t bring this special stagecoach out for just anyone. That’s why we added the ballons to the back. It’s special just for you. Let’s hop aboard.” He opened the door and picked up Jillie and stood her inside. He offered his hand to Tori as she maneuvered the small step and the carriage of the wagon moved a bit as she stepped inside and took a seat beside her niece. Nate closed the door. “Sorry about those springs in there, ladies. They’re original and not easy to take but you don’t have far to go. Have fun!”

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