Page 61 of When I Forgot Us
Chuck raced past them. “You two might as well be riding in reverse.”
“Ha.” Michelle shot after him.
He let them go, choosing to ride behind and simply enjoy the happiness she’d brought back into his life. “When it’s time, Lord. When You say it’s time, I’m ready.” He almost prayed for God to hurry up and give him the go ahead. He couldn’t think of anything better than asking Michelle to marry him and having her say yes. Except for the day when he finally got to watch her walk down the aisle and they connected their lives together once and for all.
The cowboys greeted her with a raucous round of cheers. She high-fived Chuck and laughed along with whatever joke they passed around. She’d always fit into this world, and now she finally wanted to belong.
Michelle reined her mare around and trotted to the right of the herd.
By the time they made it to the rows of cattle pens where the cutting happened, he’d heard more laughter from her and his friends than he thought possible.
He helped Michelle into a spot in one of the pens and explained their process.
She nodded along, her head bobbing in time with his words. “So, push the babies through here, and send the mamas back that way.” One hand rested on her thigh, the other locked around the reins. “And use the paddle thing to help bar the chute.”
“You got it.” He handed her the long handled orange paddle. Rocks rattled in the end, the noise helping convince the cattle to move in the few instances when the horses were not intimidating enough. “You want to watch me for a few minutes?”
“I’d watch you for the rest of my life.” She leaned sideways and flipped the brim of his hat. “But then I’d have to listen to Chuck whine that I wasn’t doing my job.”
“That’s because it’s his least favorite job and he’s afraid I’ll make him do it.” Chase raised his voice and pointed at Chuck.
Chuck held up his free hand. “I don’t know who you’re talking about. Can’t be me. I always do my job.”
“Uh-huh.” Chase rolled his eyes and unlatched the gate for Michelle to ride through. “You’re going to be great. And you can stop anytime.”
“Part cowgirl, part antique historian.” She tipped her hat. “Welcome to Blue Diamond Ranch, fellas. It’s a whole new world now that I’m back.”
They hooted and hollered, calling out insults and challenges like she’d always been part of the team.
Michelle smiled and took it all in stride. “It’s good to be home.”
Epilogue
Three months later
Chase had been acting weird for days. She brushed it off at first as stress. They’d moved from summer into fall, away from calving season and into haying time. Long hours in the fields, combined with a current drop in the market, was enough to cause anyone a little extra stress.
So, she offered grace for his shifting moods and tried not to read too much into every situation.
And when he pulled her aside early on Saturday morning and asked if she wanted to take a ride with him, she accepted.
It wasn’t the first time they’d taken a random trail ride. Chase had learned it was one of her favorite activities and had made sure they rode out at least once a week.
She took the reins and mounted up. Bella snorted and stared at the pasture where the cows stood in a huddled group. Michelle stroked the silky neck and watched Chase from beneath her hat brim. “Where to?”
“I thought we’d ride over to the hay field. We cut it yesterday.”
“I can smell it already.” She breathed in the hints of fall, the hopeful crispness that brought memories of the apple festival and giant Christmas trees in the town square. “I asked your mom for her apple cider recipe.”
“What did she say?”
“She said if I wanted the recipe, I had to help her make it.” Michelle fixed her reins when they slid into Bella’s mane.
“Sounds like Mom.” He laughed but there was no genuine joy in the sound.
They rode away from the ranch and into the coolness of a nearby stream. Chase fidgeted in his saddle, causing a series of creaks that tickled her into poking him in the shoulder. “You seem nervous. What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” He answered too quickly, his gaze sliding off to the side of the trail.
