Page 18 of Cozy Cabin for Two
“Look at you, ready for the big day,” he teased, squatting to her level.
“Yep,” she boasted.
“Eat a good breakfast yet?”
“Nope.”
“I have toast and peanut butter ready for you,” I said.
“Toast? Now, wait just a minute. That won’t do on your first day. Here,” he handed me the bag. “Eldon cooked up chocolate chip pancakes special for Ro.”
She gasped and clapped her hands.
“Well, you just figured out the way to her heart,” I quipped. In fact, he figured out the way to mine, too, showing up here like this to be a part of her first day. Add to that, the way he’d danced with her Sunday night—was he finally ready to step up and be a part of Ro’s life? And what about mine?
The next half hour passed in a blur. Ash helped calm Ro’s nerves, offering plenty of laughs and quiet encouragement as she ate.
When the bus rumbled up the hill toward the ranch, she’d insisted I stay back on the porch so that Ash could walk her to the end of the gravel road, just the two of them together.I should feel offended because I didn’t walk my baby to the bus, but when Ro’s tiny hand slipped into his, my eyes watered.
He leaned down to say something, and her gigglescarried back to me. I watched their interactions in awe. He had no idea how much influence he had on her, being the strong presence, the father figure she’d been missing. Exactly what she needed, and my heart, too.
ELEVEN
Kissed
ASH
Through the bus window,I could see Eli scooting across his seat, waving wildly and patting the spot next to him.
Ro’s smile split her face like a sunrise.
I returned to the cabin porch and relayed this to Willow.
“Is this simply friendship or her first crush? My baby is too young yet for boys,” she fretted.
I cracked a joke. “If he ever breaks her heart, I know where he lives.”
Her laughter rang out as she gathered her hair in a scrunchie and formed a bun on top of her head. Wisps of golden strands fell gracefully down her neck. Another of her pretty sundresses revealed creamy skin across her chest. The woman mesmerized me.
“Ash, did you hear me? I said now that we’re alone, how about going over the open house details inside, over coffee?”
“Oh. Sure.” I snapped out of my daze of staring at her. But alone with her again in the cabin? My thoughts raced to our previous encounter when she had cried bear, and how near we were to kissing then. At church, there’d been a spark between us, a connection that grew as I danced with Ro.
Alone with Willow now, I might not be able to resist her.
I followed her inside and took up a seat at the kitchen counter. She poured coffee into mugs and slid one toward me. All businesslike, she had a notebook and pen in front of her.
“So, from what I gather,” she said as she leaned her elbows on the counter, “Chris wants the open house to draw in the local community—ranchers, families, even potential donors. We should make this event casual but impressive, I’m guessing?”
I nodded. “He wants to show how the ranch is making a difference. But I want people to see the actual work, too—the horses, the healing, the sweat that goes into everything we do here.”
Willow clicked the pen and wrote as she talked. “Goals: show impact, show behind-the-scenes work, attract community interest and support.”
“Exactly.”
“Okay, what about a fall family-friendly vibe—barbecue, picnic tables, even some fun and easy yard games? If we can find a pumpkin patch in the area and buy various small sizes of them, we could set up pumpkin bowling lanes in the grass.”
“I like that idea. Let’s keep the barbecue simple with just hot dogs, baked beans, and salad. Lemonade and maybe some cookies?”
