Page 22 of Ranch Life At Heart
“Yes. Sorry,” she grumbles.
“No need to be sorry, darlin’,” I tell her. “We have all the time in the world from here on out.”
The smile she gives me in return is blinding. “We sure do.”
I give her another kiss on the lips, not caring one fucking bit there’s an audience. “Come find me when you’re done, and we’ll go for a ride.”
Shooting her a wink to leave in the middle if the ride is on my horse, my cock, my fingers, my mouth…one, or all, I stalk away in the direction of the stalls. I need to finish mucking the stalls. Work is always waiting around the ranch, and it won’t ever stop.
Just like my growing fondness for the owner of this place. Where I thought my counterpart in life didn’t exist, I never once thought she was right there, living in my hometown.
Ranch life at heart; both of us share the same dedication, dreams, goals, loyalty, and now a life ahead of us.
There’s a bounce in my step, a smile on my face, a song in my heart, and the sweat of hard work coating my body as I muck the stalls. Perfect doesn’t exist because everyone notices flaws in everything. Though, when your heart is light, and happiness is a tune singing through your head I’d say my life is coming pretty damn close to perfection.
I can’t wait to see what the future will hold for both of us.
EPILOGUE
Twelve years later
– ROSETTE –
My laughter mixes with Aspen’s, our eight-year-old daughter, as all three of our horses gallop through the field beside our ranch. Cedar is in front of us, riding an Arabian horse he’s been training over the past few weeks.
Aspen is riding Nutty, Cedar’s old horse. She’s her favorite and even if we bought her a pony when she was old enough to start riding lessons, she always wants to ride Nutty. Probably because Cedar used to take her for a ride since she was only a few months old.
The wind rushes past me. The feeling of freedom hits me in the face, just like the manes of Freckles as they dance in the wind. I stare forward through the ears of my horse, watching my husband lean back to lessen speed. I do the same, and so does our daughter. We all come to a stop close to the ranch and walk back to let our horses come down from the long ride.
“Is it okay if I stay with Grandpa and Grandma tonight?” Aspen asks.
I turn to face her, taking in the way she lets her hand glide over Nutty’s neck. She has the same smile as her father while she has my light brown copper hair and stormy gray eyes. Eyes that are staring back at me.
The smile sliding across my face is a natural occurrence when I’m around these two. “Sure, if it’s okay with them.”
She stayed with Daphne and Jason last weekend. Even if the kids are nowhere near the same age, they do enjoy playing game night and having a sleepover movie night or whatever.
Aspen rolls her eyes. “I’m sure it is, they never say no to me. Besides, Grandma Anne and I were going to practice dressage knots.”
“Looks like Grandpa is early,” Cedar states and we follow his line of sight to see Cecil leaning against his car, parked right in front of our house.
“Eager much,” I mutter under my breath with a smile in my voice.
Twelve years ago, I couldn’t have imagined this moment. One where I’m married with a gorgeous daughter. A husband who loves the ranch life and works hard no matter what. Marriage, kids, both weren’t on my list of goals for the future.
It shows how life can be as unpredictable as nature. Aspen wasn’t planned, but welcome when we discovered I was pregnant. I had a bacterial infection and needed antibiotics. We were very aware my pill wouldn’t work, and I guess in some way she was a plot twist we should have seen coming.
An overflow of love, and still after all these years the chemistry still burns hot between us. Of course we have our differences, and some days we don’t get to see one another. I still teach riding lessons while Cedar breaks-in the Arabian horses from the Stellan ranch.
We’ve found a balance where work and personal stuff flow right alongside one another. Some days we have helpers from the Stellan ranch to lighten the load. I have more time to spend with family and friends, all while the ranch still runs better than ever.
“Did you have a great time?” Cecil asks when we come to a stop in front of the stables.
“Grandpa, can I stay with you and Grandma tonight?” Aspen blurts.
Cedar chuckles. “We had a great ride, Dad. As you can hear, Aspen is very excited about practicing dressage knots.”
I dismount and state, “Secretly I think it’s all about baking cookies with Anne instead of braiding anything.”
