Page 105 of Opposites (Never) Attract
“I’ll show you how to get up on Shirley,” Tag said. “You can ride her on your own, but you have to stay in the paddock.”
“That’s no fun,” I pouted. “You’re like Ethan, who would only let me ride the ATV around the Lodge.”
“Something I plan to have words with him about. You don’t know what you’re doing on an ATV and it can be dangerous.”
“I was fine. I want to go back to the south pasture to see Annabelle.”
“Who’s Annabelle?” Pop asked.
“My cow friend.”
Tag shook his head, but he was smiling a little bit like he was charmed. It made me smile, seeing him smile.
“We don’t name the cattle, Sunshine,” Pop said. “First rule of ranching”
“Thank you,” Tag said, pushing back from the table and picking up our empty dishes.
“Fine, but I don’t want to stay in the paddock. I want to ride down into the valley.”
“You get up first thing, and I mean first thing, and meet me at the barn. I’ll take you out,” Tag said, as he started to wash the dishes. “Need to check on the calves in the south pasture anyway.”
I would be up hours before him because that’s when the Asian markets opened. Once I had a handle on those, I could meet him for an hour in the barn. I clapped. “I’ll get to wear my new cowboy hat.”
Having decided that I couldn’t borrow my sister’s clothes forever, I’d put a large order in at a quality store that included handmade cowboy boots and my own cowboy hat. I’d paid a premium to have expedited shipping to the Lodge, but now I didn’t have to borrow everything from Harmony.
Pop laughed. “A cowboy hat, huh? Next thing you know, we’ll get you into a pair of chaps and you’ll never want to leave.”
“She’s leaving,” Tag said abruptly, a blast of cold air in the cheerful warm air of the cabin. He came back to the table to pick up the lasagna dish. “Once all this is over, she’s got a big time promotion waiting for her back in New York.”
“That right?” Pop asked quietly, and I nodded.
“But, I really do plan on coming back to visit,” I said, but Tag was at the sink and he acted like he didn’t hear me.
Later that night,after Pop went to bed, I sat in front of my laptop, watching the European markets close. Tag walked by and put a hand on my shoulder.
“Let’s go to my room and finish that series we started the other night.”
“Are you asking me to Netflix and chill?” I asked, spinning around in my chair to look at him.
“I’m asking you to finish the series we started last night. I want to see if that Scottish cop gets that woman out of the compression tank.”
“Do you know what Netflix and chill means?”
“It should mean lay down on my bed and finish the series, but from that look in your eye, I think it means something else.”
“Oh, it does.” I gave him a saucy wink and he pulled me up from my chair.
“Sorry, babe,” he said. “Pops a light sleeper and you are not quiet when we play.”
“It’s all right,” I said. “Another time.” Though we were running out of time at an alarming rate. Days were slipping by so fast.
We got into his bedroom and laid down, both of us still dressed, minus our boots. I leaned against his shoulder andhe turned on the TV. I was nodding off halfway into the episode.
“Hey there, darlin, we better get you home before you fall asleep,” he said, when the credits rolled.
“Too late,” I snuggled deeper into his side.
“No can do,” he said, rolling off the bed.
