Page 115 of Waiting for Acceptance
“There you are.” I smile at her, but I can see the unease written all over her face.
“Well, this pie looks ready for the oven. You’re a natural in the kitchen, dear,” Gran praises Lauren and I smile. “Alright, I think I’m going to go tend the garden.”
“Do you need any help?” Lauren asks, but I step in and stop her.
“Actually, if Gran doesn’t mind, I’d like to show you the rest of the ranch.” I take her hand in mine and she nods with a soft smile on her lips.
“Of course, you two go have fun. I’ll see you at dinner.” I nod to the back door and Lauren pulls her apron off, sliding on a pair of boots before following me out through the yard.
“You ever ride?” I ask, catching the flirty look in her eye.
“You know better than anyone that I have.” I bark out a laugh and she smiles.
“I meant horses.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Her eyes roll again. “No, I’ve never ridden a horse.”
“Well, you won’t be able to say that after today.” We walk into the barn and I pull my old horse out of her stall. “This is Tina.” Lauren snickers and I raise a brow at her.
“Sorry, that name makes me think of Napoleon Dynamite. Did you ever see it? When he’s likeTina, you fat lard, come get some dinner.”
I love her.
“Would you believe me if I said that’s who she’s named after?” She falls into a fit of laughter and I pull Tina with us out of the barn. Once they’re used to each other, I hop up on the saddle, pulling Lauren up behind me. “Hold on tight, Trouble.” Lauren’s hands snake around my waist and I sigh at the way her touch always calms me down. I click my tongue and Tina starts to walk.
I point to the garden where Gran is working, telling the story of how I helped build the greenhouse during my junior year of high school. Then we pass one of the fields where we keep the cattle. Next, I show her the chicken coops and the old barn that’s been turned into a bunkhouse, before I let Tina pick up her speed as we start up the hill, stopping when we get to the one place I’ve been dying to bring her.
“Why does this look so familiar?” I smile when she immediately recognizes it.
“Because you’ve seen it before.” I give her a minute to think, not surprised in the least bit when she figures it out.
She gasps, looking at me with amazement in her eyes. “It’s the tree from the painting in your living room.”
“That painting was the first thing I ever willingly spent a large amount of money on,” I admit.
“Well, I understand why.” Her arms readjust around me into less of a grip and more of a hug, her hand caressing my abdomen as we sit here.
“This tree is actually how the ranch got its name. Because no matter what time of day it is, or where the sun is in the sky, the branches are so big the whole hill stays shadowed.”
“Shadow Hill Ranch. I love that.” We hop down and I tie Tina up to one of the low branches and I walk around the tree until I find it—Gran and Pops’ initials carved into the tree with a heart around it. “Aww. That is so sweet. How long have they been together?” She runs her fingers along the carved bark.
“Shit, I don’t even know. Forever and a day.” She laughs, nodding her understanding.
“They seem like they have the kind of love that lasts.”
“What makes you say that?” I look at her curiously, wondering what her answer may be.
She shrugs, running her fingertips over the soft bark that’s been carved out. “The way they look at each other, how they stop to dance with each other in the middle of lunch, the nose kisses.” Her eyes meet mine, and my breath catches. “You’d have to be blind not to see it. He watches her when she’s not looking and she acts like she doesn’t notice, but you can see the smile on her face and you know that she knows. But, I don’t know…maybe I’m just romanticizing things.” She shrugs again and I take her face in my hands, tucking her hair behind her ears, even though I know she hates it. It gives me an unobstructed view of her beautiful face, and for that very reason, I will never stop doing it.
“No, you’re absolutely right. They’ve looked at each other like that for as long as I can remember. And there’s nothing wrong with romanticizing life, Sweetheart. It helps you to know exactly what you want out of it.”
“Fitz?”
“Yes, Trouble?”
“What are we doing here?”
I frown in confusion, letting my hands drop to her arms. “I wanted to show you the tree.”
