Page 70 of Rust and Stardust

Beau sat up, his blond hair draped around his face as he stared at me with those piercing blue eyes I loved so much. “We go home of course.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “You belong back on the ranch with me.”

I couldn’t help but smile wider, loving the sound of that.

“Besides, I can’t make the ranch a success without you,” he added. “The tourist thing was your idea after all.”

“That sounds like a dream.”

“I only have one request.”

“Anything,” I smiled.

“Can we drive back?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Drive? All the way back to Texas?!”

He nodded, his cheeks turning pink. “I hate planes.”

I stared at him for a moment before shaking my head. “Sure. We can drive. But you’re the one that has to tell Logan.”

“Deal.”

“Beau?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

My cowboy smiled wide, leaning down to kiss me once more. “I love you too, Lucas Greene.”

Chapter 29

Beau

In the end, it turned out Lucas didn’t have much to bring back to Sagebrush with him. So, when Logan dropped us off at the Turner Ranch late that morning with nothing but a couple of suitcases and a few small boxes of keepsakes, it didn’t really feel like it was enough to warrant a title like ‘moving in’. Still, as I led him into the house, a box under each arm, I could hardly contain my excitement. My heart was beating a mile a minute and I felt like I could nearly fly. All the trouble with the stolen recipes, his job, and Amber May felt like they were miles behind us. I found I couldn’t hold any anger in my heart toward him, not when it was so full of joy.

Lucas Greene, the love of my life, was moving to Sagebrush. And not only there, but into my house. I could barely breathe. The one impossible dream I had seemed to be coming true at last. And sure, it had a few consequences, but as we walked up those porch stairs together, side by side, I found I couldn’t give a rat’s ass what other people thought. I loved Lucas and that’s all there was to it.

“Well, you finally made it.”

I glanced up as the porch door swung open, Mabel standing on the other side. She wore a grin on her face and a knowing look.

“I take it y’all made up and got things straightened out?”

“Yes ma’am,” I nodded.

“Good. Glad we got that foolishness over with.” She glanced up at Lucas, flashing a bright smile. “And I’m glad you’re comin’ to stay with us. I got the guest room made up for you and everything.”

My heart fell a bit. “Oh… I thought… he could, you know…”

Mabel just shook her head. “Beaufort Turner! I don’t believe my ears!”

I blushed immediately, feeling like I’d given myself away.

“You want this boy to share that mess of a room of yours? Shameful!” She turned to Lucas, beckoning him inside. “This way you can have your own space. I don’t care where you sleep, but Beau is too messy to share a small room with.”

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