Page 40 of Home to the Cowboy's Arms

Jillie was glued to the open window, taking all in as the team of four horses turned them to head up the drive about a half-mile distant from where the house would be. But Tori noticed that they were heading off to the left on a smaller road she hadn’t seen before. They were going past where the house was and continued over a little rise and there below was a huge, cavernous barn structure where there was clearly a party waiting. Balloons galore around the double doors that stood open and music from a live country trio was playing and could be heard outside. Dozens of Jillie’s classmates and even teachers and some parents were waiting, the children clapping and cheering. Tori had to fight back the moisture that threatened as the magnitude of happiness coming from her niece’s eyes was so worth it. These would be memories to replace those sad ones when they came along.

Matt waited for the horses to pull the coach up to the sidewalk. Then he opened the door and Jillie fairly jumped into his arms. He moved away to set her on drier ground, and she was engulfed by her friends.

Tori came out more slowly and was glad when a hand appeared from the tall cowboy who had swung down from the seat above to assist her. She looked up and almost did take a nosedive off the step until the man caught her and steadied her descent. Once on solid footing, she took a good look. Cade had been their driver all along and neither of them had noted it, they were so enthralled with the coach’s arrival. He was dressed for the part more so than normal. Leather chaps with fringe and the Lockwood brand down their length, which obviously might have been one of his rodeo staples. Spurs jangled as he moved, and a bright blue bandana was around his neck. He could have been right out of a Remington painting.

“This is far above what was expected. You know that right?”

“Well, ma’am—” even he had his best John Wayne drawl going; it wasn’t half bad “—we cowboys don’t do things just halfway. We do aim to please our ladies.”

Our ladieswasn’t lost on Tori. It sent her pulse rate to high alert.

“And the answer is yes.” She turned and joined Matt and the others as they moved inside the building. There was his answer. She had decided to forgive him. She didn’t look back but concentrated on all the surprises to come.

Cowboys got into the fun along the way, bringing in some live animals for petting. And some of the ranch’s kids also joined in and Jillie took to them right away. There were long tables of finger foods: burgers, sandwiches, cookies, chips, popcorn machines, lemonade, and she just couldn’t believe what all was there for the partygoers to enjoy whether they felt hungry or not. As she stood with some of the parents watching the children enjoying it all, she felt Matt grab her hand and pull her over to where the crowd was filling up the stands in front of some chutes.

“You have to see this,” he said. Chute one opened and out raced like the wind a lamb…more like a teenaged-size lamb with a child on its back. He lasted three seconds before he hit the plowed dirt. He jumped up and ran back to do it again. Three more emptied the chutes and one little boy made it to the eight-second mark.

She saw Cade’s tall form and Matt left her to join him behind the chutes. The next chute was set to go and it looked like Cade was going to stand out front and pull the gate. Matt was doing chute duty. The gate flew open and the lamb shot off. And she stood in disbelief. Jillie was under the pink helmet and protective jacket, and she was yelling up a storm but in a good way and hanging on for dear life. She made it to six seconds and then landed in the dirt. Cade was there to help her get her footing. She turned and waved to the crowd. Then came running to Tori who had made it to the edge of the arena. “Did you see, Aunt Tori? Wasn’t that the best thing ever? I want to go do it again. Keep watching. She headed back to where Matt stood waiting, grinning from ear to ear.

“I ran out of flowers, but Jillie told me you love cotton candy.” Cade approached and held out a fluffy pink one to her. “I figured I might need to apologize again when you saw her come out of the chute.”

She took the candy he offered. “This seems to be a habit of yours. But just so you know, for the next apology, I also love popcorn with lots of butter.” She turned and walked toward a group of Jillie’s friends’ parents. Let him think on that one for a while.

Jillie was in her element the rest of the afternoon. In fact, she even had her first dance with one of the ranch kids who shyly walked up and asked if she wanted to learn to line dance with the rest of them. She was game. She and Matt stood watching from the sideline. She couldn’t swear but she thought she noted a time or two where he turned his head away and might have wiped something from his eye. She smiled. She had done the same thing. Their little Jillie was growing up.

“You’re breaking the rules of the ranch today.” Cade had moved to sit on the bench beside her. It was a quiet spot since most of the action had moved down a bit into the center of the arena.

“I did? What? I’m sorry but…”

“I’m teasing. It’s just that no one can look as sad as you just did on a great day like today. So, I asked myself what can I do to get that smile back? And the answer came to me. Come on…come with me.” He was practically pulling her up from her seat. She went along in order to not draw attention to them. He led her out one door and into a long barn with stalls on each side.

“Where are we going?”

“To see an old friend of yours.” He kept walking. He finally stopped midway, and she saw what he was talking about. She leaned her hands on the open stall door bottom.

“Ladybug! Hello, sweet one. Do you remember me?” The horse obviously did as she moved to stand with her head over the gate, her eyes soft and big as she blew out a soft breath in hello.

Tori remembered she loved to have her nose rubbed and she did just that. The animal nudged her to continue.

“Now you’ll have to stand here all afternoon and do nothing else,” Cade said watching the pair.

“That wouldn’t bother me a bit. You don’t know how lucky you are to be able to do this anytime you want.”

“Well, we do have other things to keep us busy on the ranch besides rubbing a horse’s nose. But if you would like to volunteer for the job, feel free to apply. The owner might just sign you up.”

“You think so?” She grinned in response to his.

“But whatever would Destiny’s River do without their mayor?”

“Haven’t you heard of multitasking? I am very good at it. I can do both.”

“Then you’re hired.”

“Seriously, this is what I pictured growing up before things got crazy and all. I thought about being a vet even. Silly dreams of a kid.”

“Not so silly. And you can come out here and visit Ladybug anytime. And if this cranky old rancher might be around, well he might be willing to take you two out riding.”

She looked at him with silent regard for a couple moments. “It isn’t nice to try to bribe a government official with a horse.”

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