Page 131 of Rough Ride

A car horn honked nearby, interrupting our moment.

“Get a room, you two!” Liz shouted out the passenger window.

I turned my expectant eyes back to Sawyer.

“I’ll give Applesauce the carrot,” Sawyer growled. “Just as soon as I pick these cherry tomatoes for dinner.”

“I love you.” I gave him one final peck on the lips, then ran toward the car.

“Welcome to the ranch!” I shouted, spreading my arms wide.

Liz pointed. “Do my eyes deceive me, or is Mr. Grumpy Cowboygardening?”

I glanced over my shoulder and lowered my voice. “It calms him. He’s always in his best moods after gardening. We call it histherapy. This ranch has brought out the best in all of us.”

“Glad we finally get to see the finished product!” Liz exclaimed after we had hugged. “Not that I’m complaining. I know it was a journey.”

“Getting this place up and running was a journeyand a half,” I agreed. “But it was worth it.”

“It seems like it,” Travis said, shading his eyes with his hand while gazing out at the land. “Great to see you, Sophie.”

“Taking care of my girl?” I asked him as we embraced.

“More like she’s taking care ofme,” he answered. “I’m still adjusting to being a stay-at-home dad.”

“You’re doing wonderful, sweetie,” Liz told him.

“That’s still going well, then?” I asked. “Your promotion to manager?”

Liz nodded emphatically. “I whipped that place into shape. Billy Bob’s isthrivingunder the tyranny of Elizabeth Owens.”

“She’s not really a tyrant,” Travis explained. “They all love her. She just likes to pretend she’s a dictator.”

“We’ll have plenty of time to talk about it later,” Liz said. “Billy? Marcus? Don’t you have something to give Aunt Sophie?”

The boys, four years old and two, sheepishly came forward. “This is for you,” Billy said, holding out a gift-wrapped rectangle.

I felt a swell of emotion as I put my hands on my knees and bent down to speak to the boys. “That’s so kind of you!” Then, to Liz, I added, “You really didn’t have to…”

“Oh yes we most certainlydid.Open it and see.”

I removed the wrapping. Inside was a framed photograph. The lighting was poor, so it took me a moment to recognize the scene. It was inside Billy Bob’s, showing one of the many bars with a wall of liquor bottles. I was standing in the background, while in the foreground was a faceless man throwing a punch at Chris Appleton. The photo had captured the exact moment the fist connected with Appleton’s cheek.

I gasped. “How did you get this!”

“One of the guests snapped that photo during the fight. He was showing it to me one night, bragging about how he was there to witness the big fight that ruined Chris Appleton’s career. Figured you’d want it.”

“You figured right.” I hugged her. “Thanks, Liz. Sawyer’s going to love this more than me.”

After greeting Johnny and Eli, I retrieved our Mule from the garage and then gave Liz, Travis, and the kids a tour of the property. Billy was enamored with the herd of cattle, but Marcus tucked his head against Liz’s chest and said he was scared.

I guess not everyone was cut out to be a cowboy.

By the time we returned, my three men were setting the table for dinner. Johnny brought out a tray covered in aluminum foil and smiled as he set it down on the table.

“You have to let the steaks rest for ten minutes,” he explained. “Otherwise all the juices flow out.”

“We get it, you’re the grillmaster,” Eli complained while taking his seat. “You don’t have to rub it in my face.”

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