Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
PRESLEY
“Have you ever ridden into the mountains, Mom?” Poppy asks from her car seat.
“I have.”
“Is it fun?”
“You’ll love it.”
Some of my favorite memories in high school were from going out in the mountains with Kade. Being on a horse with Kade was the best, and now it’s something we are doing with Poppy today.
“Do I get to ride Pop today?”
“Pop? Who’s that?” I ask, turning down the road to the barn.
“Lollipop. Pop and Pop. It’s both of us,” she says.
“I like it,” I say.
Kade is waiting outside for us, a wide-brimmed cowboy hat sitting on his head. In a dark jacket zipped up and jeans stretching across his thighs, he looks effortlessly sexy.
A smile slips onto my face as Poppy unbuckles herself before jumping out of the truck.
“Hi, Kade. Where’s Pop?” she asks as I stroll over.
“Pop?” he asks, kneeling down to her level, tipping up her cowboy hat.
“Lollipop.”
“Yeah, Kade, don’t you know Pop?” I jest.
“I just told you, Mom.”
The sass.
“Pop will be very happy to take you up into the mountains today.”
She’s bouncing up and down. “I can’t wait. Can I ride with you?”
“You know, I’m beginning to think you like Kade more than me,” I say, grinning down at her.
“What can I say, Pres? Pop here has good taste.” He winks at me before leading her into the barn. Our horses are ready for us. Kade swaps out her hat for a helmet, one that clashes with her bright orange jacket.
He checks the strap on her helmet before coming over and handing one to me. “You need one too.”
“Really?”
He nods, plopping it on my head and buckling the strap under my chin. “Safety first, Pres.”
I roll my eyes at him. “What if I said no?”
“Would you really want to set that example for our daughter? Besides, I want to keep both my girls safe.”
His words do funny things to my heart.
I love that we get to spend this time together as a family. Not that Poppy knows the truth about Kade, but being here together, just us?
I could get used to this. Spending afternoons at the ranch together. Riding horses or fishing. It would be perfect.
After leaving town all those years ago, Kade has made Pinecrest home again. Slotted himself so easily into the town and our lives that it’ll be hard to see him leave. If that’s the plan. It’s something we still haven’t discussed, but I don’t want to burst our happy bubble.
“What’s this horse’s name?” Poppy asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“It’s Bordeaux.” Kade strokes him on the nose.
“That’s a funny name.”
“He’s named after a kind of wine with his dark brownish-red color.”
“That’s the stuff Mom likes to drink.”
“Way to throw me under the bus, Pop.” I tickle her side.
“Hop up, Pres, and I’ll make sure your saddle looks good.”
Resting my boot in the stirrup, I hoist myself up and on Bordeaux before Kade checks to make sure everything is good.
“Take the reins, Presley.”
“You do know I’ve ridden a horse before, right?” I cock a brow down at him.
“I thought you might need a refresher.”
“You sure you don’t need one?” I fire back.
“Can I get on yet?” Poppy calls from where she’s standing and petting Lollipop.
“Hold on,” Kade responds. He shoots a wink my way and squeezes my knee.
He helps Poppy up into the saddle, checks the reins, and gets on behind her. Poppy holds the reins as Kade helps. As we steer the horses out of the barn, the sun greets us.
A few guests are taking off on one of the trails—something that makes me happy to see—as Kade takes us toward an easier one.
Considering it’s Poppy’s first time out like this, we didn’t want anything too hard. I have a feeling once she gets a small taste of this, she’s going to want to keep going.
“Pop is trying to eat leaves.” Poppy laughs from up ahead. “Can horses eat leaves?”
“She’ll be fine,” Kade tells her.
Watching the two of them together makes me so damn happy. I shouldn’t be surprised that she warmed up to him so quickly, since she never seems to meet a stranger. She loves getting to spend time with him and is always asking when she gets to go visit him at the ranch.
I still don’t know what’s going to happen between the two of us, but at least I know Poppy is going to have a good relationship with him, which is something I’ve been thinking a lot about recently.
Kade’s life is still in Seattle. Even though he’s settling in here, I can’t deny that simple fact. I know we’ll make whatever relationship work for Poppy. But what if making it work means uprooting our lives and moving to Seattle? Could I do that?
I swallow around the emotion clogging my throat. I’ve never thought of leaving Pinecrest. Even when everything went down with Paul, it never once crossed my mind. Pinecrest is where I was born and raised. It’s home. I don’t want to leave. Sure, there’s good and bad memories, but that’s life.
Since Kade came back, there’s been more good it seems. Finally some happy moments after everything had felt too heavy the last few months.
And today, with the three of us out on the trail, climbing higher into the mountains?
It’s a damn near perfect moment.
And I want every moment—perfect or imperfect—because I love this man.
It’s hard to admit to myself, even now, but I do.
I love him.
Did I ever stop loving him? Even when I was with Paul, I think there might have been some part of my heart that always belonged to him. It’s hard to fall in love at fourteen and not be irrevocably changed.
Kade peers back at me and I stare back at him.
“Sorry, did I miss something?”
“Poppy wants to know if Bordeaux wants a carrot when we stop for lunch.”
“I think Bordeaux would like that. Do you want to feed him?” I ask.
“Yes,” she calls back.
“You good back there?” he asks.
“I’m great.”
It’s not a lie. Even with my thoughts swirling around my mind, it’s hard not to enjoy this day with my favorite people.
Finding a small lake ahead, Kade leads us off the trail and hops off the horse. He ties Lollipop up before helping Poppy down.
I get down and tie Bordeaux up on the tree next to Lollipop. Poppy is already fishing out the carrots from the backpack Kade brought to give the horses a snack.
“She’s a natural with them,” Kade says.
He drapes an arm around my shoulders as we watch her feed each of them.
“We still need to figure out more permanent lessons for her, you know,” I say. “I don’t want to keep taking up all your time from the ranch.”
“We’ll figure it out,” he whispers, lips brushing my ear. “There’s plenty of time. Besides, she’s doing well on Lollipop as it is.”
A shudder racks my body. Even the simplest touch from Kade can light my body on fire.
“I should get lunch ready.”
There’s an immediate loss of Kade’s warmth as I dig everything out of the backpack. I spread the plaid blanket out and arrange the sandwiches and fruit for the three of us. Kade sits next to me before Poppy sits across from the two of us.
The sun glitters off the lake, looking like millions of sparkling diamonds. Who needs a diamond when I have Kade Miller looking at me like I am one? It’s all I want.
“Do you like my mom?” Poppy asks around a mouthful of banana.
Kade nearly chokes around his own sandwich.
“Poppy, what have I told you about talking with your mouth full?” I chide.
She swallows, wiping her mouth with her hand. “Sorry. But Kade looks like he likes you.”
“I do like your Mom,” he answers. “She’s nice.”
“I mean like like,” she clarifies. “Boone told Carly who told Kalen who told me that he likes Amelia. Wants to marry her at recess next week. Like that.”
“Wait, what?” Kade looks at me, confusion written all over his face.
“Boone likes Amelia and wants to marry her.”
Kade turns to look at Poppy. “There’s not anyone in school that you want to marry, is there? You’re too young.”
“I’m five.” She takes another bite, this time chewing before answering. “I don’t like anyone. Boys are silly.”
“That’s right.” Kade lets out a breath.
“But do you like my mom like Boone likes Amelia?”
“Would that be okay if I did?”
A pensive look washes over her face.
Oh God, what if Poppy isn’t on board with the idea? I don’t want to do anything to upend her life again. Leaving Paul was one thing. And at some point I will have to drop the bomb that Kade is her dad. Throw in me dating him, and I don’t know what she’ll think.
“I think so. As long as you keep taking us on horse rides.”
“Is that it?” Kade asks her.
“And fishing!” She points a finger at him. “I want to go fishing again. Maybe with Mom too.”
Kade turns to look at me. “I think I can do that, Pop.”
“Then you can like my mom.”
“Do I get a say in this?” I ask, popping a banana slice in my mouth.
“Do you like Kade?” Poppy asks. “I like Kade, so you should like Kade.”
“Yeah, Pres. You should like me because your daughter does. She has good taste.”
I burst out laughing. “I can’t with you two.”
“It’s a good thing you love us.”
“I only like you.”
“That’s it?” Kade waggles his brows at me.
“Right now? Yes.”
“Can I go stick my feet in the water?” Poppy interrupts.
“Yes, but stay by the shore where we can see you,” I say.
“I will.”
She runs the few feet to the lake, pulling off her boots and sticking her feet in.
Kade bumps my elbow with his. “You really only like me?”
“What would you say if I like like you?”
Kade tucks a piece of hair behind my ear, brushing his fingers down my jaw before cupping my chin in his hands.
“I’d say I like like you too.”
I press a quick kiss to his lips, not wanting wandering eyes to see.
“Mmm. I like that.”
“There will be plenty more where that came from, Pres.”
“Good.”
Because having this with Kade? This day with the three of us?
I like like it.
No, I just love it.