Chapter 8
EIGHT
LANCE
A text wakes me up.
Lainey
Adeline wants to ride a horse.
I furrow my brows. What the hell is she texting me about? Who the hell is Adeline?
It’s been three days since seeing Katherine and it makes me wonder if she might know who Adeline is. It’s also been a long three days of pining over a woman that I’m just starting to really get to know despite knowing her for all of my life.
And I can’t even admit if it’s really pining or just simple pheromones that are wanting me to fuck her. But I’m really enjoying the time of getting to know Katherine the way that I am. There is no room for assumptions, or ‘he said, she said’ to be in the way. She is telling me about herself on her own, and I am the same for her.
I quickly shoot back a response.
Me
1. Hershey doesn’t let anyone ride him.
2. Who is Adeline?
Before I know it, she’s firing back a response before I can put my phone down.
Lainey
1. I didn’t say a specific horse. Just any. She’s coming back for a little for Christmas and she mentioned riding and you’re the only cowboy I know. I can introduce y’all.
2. She’s the singer from Nashville. Addie Rose is her stage name.
Oh, shit. Addie Rose is a huge country star singer based in Nashville. I didn’t think she was the one who Lainey was talking about. I was honestly assuming some small artist who was just singing at bars downtown or with a small record label, or honestly even independent. But Addie Rose has one of the best country labels backing her.
She went on an arena tour last year and sold out. She’s supposed to be coming out with a new album very soon, so there’s speculation that she’ll have a stadium tour next. I’m surprised she’s even coming back home for the holidays. I’m even more surprised that I know this much about her–what can I say? I love country music.
Me
I’m not really a cowboy. More of a rancher. But she can check out my horses and choose one she connects the most with.
Lainey
Cowboy, rancher. Same thing.
I’ll let her know. Thanks!
Me
I get up from bed and start my day. I have to check the horses before heading back to the Jensens, and oddly enough, it’s a little past where Katherine lives. I wonder if she’s home and if she’d mind if I dropped off coffee.
Stop, why are you going to bring her coffee? God, I have no idea what I’m doing. I scroll through my contacts until I find her number. I’m surprised I even have her contact in my phone as I create a new text thread.
Me
Are you home? It’s Lance by the way.
Katherine Moore
Yes… It’s 5:30 am. Why are you up?
I widened my eyes for a moment as I read her name again. I knew something was off. I quickly go into her contact info and edit the last name back to her maiden.
Me
Just like everyone else in this town who has animals, I have to be up early to tend to them. Do you like hot or iced coffee?
Katherine Pearson
Oh, right. Cowboy.
Iced. Two shots of espresso, please. And a bagel.
Me
Not a cowboy, but maybe I should start telling people I am. One coffee and bagel coming right up.
Katherine Pearson
Is there a reason why you’re getting me coffee?
I finish pulling a shirt over my head before I head to the bathroom to freshen up. By the time I’m done, I read her text again. As I make my way to the stables, I finally answer.
Me
Isn’t that what friends do?
Katherine Pearson
Friends don’t make you come six times in one night.
I almost trip going to the back where the feed mix and nutrients are. I start mixing them, trying to occupy my mind for the time being. How the hell do I answer that?
As I pass around the feed buckets to each horse, I respond.
Me
Fine. Isn’t that what fuck buddies do? That better?
I’m standing in front of Hershey’s stall when I hear something. Not a neigh. A meow. I pull the stall doors open and Hershey isn’t standing. He’s lying down and there’s a white kitten on top of his belly. They both stare at me like I’m the one out of place.
“What the hell?” I say loudly. I set the feed bucket down inside the stall. The white kitten meows loudly as if trying to claim its right to be in Hershey’s stall. Hershey then huffs loudly as if backing up his new friend.
“Okay, you can stay. But I need to see if you’re some little kid’s Christmas present.” They are silent as I walk up to them and kneel. Hershey is so fucking relaxed that it’s making me confused and worried. Is he hurt? Or is he truly allowing a two-pound kitten to take over everything he does?
The kitten is a girl and she has no collar. I can bring her to the vet after getting coffee and see if she’s chipped or not. But for now, I’ll take care of her… But at this point, it seems like Hershey already is. I just don’t want the kitten to get lost in this barn or the ranch property before any harsh winter weather hits.
“We’re going to go on an adventure,” I tell the kitty before holding her close to my chest. My phone buzzes, but my hands are full of this kitten as she nuzzles into my chest and continues to meow and even shake. She seems cold and it makes me sad to know that she might’ve gotten lost from her momma. I’ll get some extra cat food and leave out a bowl tonight in case she comes looking for her baby.
I finish any more morning chores before bringing the kitten with me to the truck and heading into town. It’s 6:15 a.m., and the vet opens at 7 a.m., so I quickly get coffee and bagels before heading to Katherine’s. I forgot to text her back, so once I’m parked in front of her place, I check my phone.
Katherine Pearson
We’re not fuck buddies, Lance. That’s so juvenile.
Me
I’m just the coffee delivery guy, huh? I’m here by the way.
Her response is rolling in, three dots appearing on my phone, but it never comes through. I instead see her porch light turn on and she’s swinging the door open. She crosses her arms over her chest, and she’s got a big smile on her face.
I hop out of the truck with the kitten in one hand and the bag of bagels and cup holder in the other.
“Hey,” I call out before getting closer.
“Who’s this?” she asks, eying the kitten. I hold the kitten a little higher on my chest.
“She was in the stall with one of my horses. She must’ve lost her mom last night and found refuge there.”
Katherine’s face softens for a moment as she takes in my words. She reaches for the kitten and I let her grab it. She cradles it against her chest and the kitten immediately moves upward and nuzzles her face into Katherine’s neck.
“She’s so small. Probably still needs to be bottle-fed for another week or two.”
“I’m going to the vet once they open to see if she’s anyone’s.”
“If not, make sure she gets any shots needed,” Katherine states.
I nod. “Was already planning on that.” Her eyes connect with mine and there’s a pause, a comfortable silence.
She clears her throat before moving aside. “Come in, you can set the coffee down in the living room.”
I head into her home and set the bag of bagels and coffee carrier on the table in the living room. Her home is warm and inviting, and the decor fits her personality perfectly. Some breathtaking landscape paintings fill the walls in this room while the beige furniture goes nicely against the white rug.
“Weird question to ask,” Katherine says before setting the kitten down on a nearby chair before taking the bagel bag and rummaging through it for hers. They’re already spread with cream cheese. One of the main reasons why I love Alpine Cafe, they make the best bagels and prepare them so it’s ready to eat for those who are short on time.
“What’s that?” I ask, grabbing the bag from her and pulling out my own. I bite into it and then take a sip of the caramel iced coffee I got. She takes a sip of her latte with two shots of espresso.
“Are you going to the vineyard this Saturday?”
I think for a moment and then remember what Ma said the other day. The Christmas party. At Stone Vineyard.
“I thought about it… Are you?” I ask her. She takes another sip of her coffee before biting into her own bagel.
“Morgan and Peyton will be there, so I will too.”
“When are they coming to town?” Morgan is like a daughter to Katherine and Bennett, that I do remember.
“Tomorrow, actually. I’m planning to get lunch with them.”
“That’ll be nice,” I genuinely tell her. She nods and takes a seat on the couch near the bay window overlooking her property.
“Bennett told me that he’s building her a house, can you believe it? She’s growing way too fast for my liking.”
I heard some talks about Bennett building on the land that he and Camilla purchased, but it’s all been through the grapevine. I didn’t know the specifics, but Katherine is now filling in the blanks for me.
“I wouldn’t know, but that must be hard,” I offer. She gives me a warm smile. “She means a lot to you.”
She nods. “Yeah, I’ve been there for her and Peyton through almost everything. I wish I could visit them more often instead of just waiting until they come back to Alpine.”
“Why don’t you visit?”
Katherine looks at the bagel for a moment before taking a bite and chewing on it slowly. Like she’s processing her next few words. “I’ve never left Alpine. The idea kind of scares me.”
This new information piques my interest. “Wait, you never left the town or just the state of Tennessee?”
She looks up and there’s a shine to her eyes. Fuck, I hit a spot and I regret it. “I’ve obviously left the town and ventured off into Mason Pointe and whatnot, but I never really went further. It’s like I’m rooted so deep into this area that I’ve never thought I have the option to go.”
“Meanwhile, Bennett was deployed in so many countries,” I say simply. I don’t mean for it to have a bite to it and with the way she looks at me, I know she doesn’t take it that way. Instead, she lightly laughs.
“Yeah, he got to see the world while I stayed willingly. God, this feels so silly even just admitting. Sorry.”
I shake my head and walk closer to her. “That’s not silly. Sometimes I regret not leaving like my brother did. He has a whole different life in Colorado and I wonder what would’ve happened if I did the same.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” I nod. “I’ve got a bucket list I want to accomplish by the time I hit 40 or 50. Just a few places I want to travel to. I think I’ve been so stuck in this town too because of my mom. She needs me and I don’t ever want her to feel alone. Even if I end up settling here, I want to take the chance to leave for a while and experience more.”
Katherine’s lip trembles for a moment and I place my coffee and bagel down on the table before grabbing hers and placing it down as well. I gently grab her hands and kneel to be face-level with her.
“What’s wrong?”
“You should really work on that bucket list. Don’t stay trapped here forever.”
It’s weird to say that this woman is thinking everything that I’ve been feeling the last few months—hell, the last few years.
“I was thinking of maybe crossing one of them off after Christmas,” I say out loud. It was a thought this weekend that I want to come to fruition.
“Where to?”
I look up at the ceiling before landing on her gorgeous green eyes. “Smoky Mountains to start.”
Her eyes bug. “You’ve never been? Okay, I have to admit that is one place I’ve been to! It’s gorgeous during the fall time, and even better during Christmastime in the tiny town where they decorate to the nines!”
I smile, absorbing her enthusiasm. “That’s what I plan to do. Go to the town, enjoy the Christmas lights, then maybe drive through the mountains and breathe in that fresh air.”
“You’re going to really enjoy it. What’s next on your list?”
“Colorado,” I say without missing a beat. “My brother invited me out there next Spring so I really want to take advantage of that invite. I see his family every other Christmas, but I’ve yet to visit them. My niece and nephews have practically been begging me over FaceTime for a visit.”
Katherine’s cheeks are red from how much she’s smiling. “Looks like you’re going to be tackling that list way faster than you anticipated.”
“What about you?” I ask her.
“New York for Peyton and Morgan, but I don’t know about anywhere else...” She nibbles on her lip for a moment, deep in thought.
I let go of her hands and place my palms on her knees. She draws in a deep breath. “You should make a list.”
Her eyes narrow before she throws her head back laughing. “What? No! You have far more places you want to go to that deem having a list. I just have one place.”
“ We should make a list then. Add some of the places that are on mine to this list if you want to go there too.” The words stumble out of my mouth quicker than I can stop them.
“What?” Her eyes widen.
I take full accountability of my words and nod. “Why not? Everyone else has been moving on with their lives and doing so much for themselves, it’s time we do it too. We owe it to ourselves.”
“Are you drunk? Or high? You sound insane.” She laughs again.
“I’m sober as hell, Darlin’,” I say confidently.
“Okay,” she starts, “you’re sounding a little too optimistic. What if a month from now we hate each other’s guts? Or you no longer want to be friends with me?”
“I thought we established that we’re not friends, nor fuck buddies.”
“We’re just…” she pauses for a moment, “ us .”
“That’s a good place to start, though. Right?”
I’m not sure why we’re talking about this so soon. Call it chemistry, call it a fast burn, or whatever I’ve seen online about romance novels and why women love them so much.
It seems silly, but it also feels so comfortable talking about this with her. Like I’ve known her this way for years. I’ve known about her for almost all my life, but not this way. We’re just two locals finally getting the time to get to know each other on a deeper, more personal level. An intimate one, too. I’m really starting to like the Katherine Pearson I’m getting to know lately.
“Yeah,” she finally lets out, “ us .”