Chapter 31 Thirty
Thirty
Wyatt
Quinn’s laugh echoed off the stable ceiling, and still after two weeks, I wasn’t used to that laugh belonging to me. I was, however, used to that laugh being because of me.
“Oh, hell.” Quinn’s laughter carried. “You’re going to need a shower.”
“Or a haircut,” I grumbled, stepping away from Hook in his stall.
He shook his head in pride, giving me a ha-ha, I did that teenager vibe.
I had just finished cleaning his stall, giving him a pristine place to call home, and the way he decided to thank me was with a kiss…
a very slobbery kiss that formed my hair into an alfalfa on top of my head.
“He only managed this because he took my hat off.” I bent, yanking my Hartwell ballcap off the ground, shaking all the hay off.
Quinn rested her arms over the stall. “You know what would have stopped that?”
I lifted my gaze to her, knowing exactly what she was going to say.
“A cowboy hat,” we said in unison.
I raised a brow. Quinn tightened her lips into a line, and her expression gleamed.
“He wouldn’t take off the cowboy hat. He wouldn’t know where to grab.
” She touched all around the brim of her hat, adjusting it on her head.
Once every inch of the brim had been touched, she dropped her hands on her thighs.
“Plus,” she continued as she opened Hook’s stall, “I love the way you look in that hat.”
I raised my chin. “Oh, really?” I reached for a towel, rubbing the top of my head to remove at least most of the horse slobber before shoving my ballcap back on, backwards of course.
“Mmhmm.” She dug in her pocket. “I even…” she mumbled as she unlocked her phone and started thumbing through the few pictures she had in her gallery. “Snuck this.”
Showing me her screen, I saw myself looking in the mirror at Boot Barn, the hat I had chosen that day perched on my head. For being a photo taken from a distance, in the middle of a store, it was a good shot. And it made me smile, knowing she snuck it even when she claimed she hated me.
“That’s cute,” I replied, keeping the heat from my cheeks.
“Because I have this.” I unlocked my phone, not even needing to go to my gallery, just flashed her the lock screen.
It was Quinn, on Hook, flying through the arena during a ride in Reno.
The background was blurry, but her, and the excitement on her face was clear as day.
“I’m your lock screen.” She pinched her brow, watching me through her lashes as her lips formed a tight smile. Her eyes were wide and wet.
“Who else would be my lock screen?” I curved my lips, shoving my phone back into my pocket as I leaned in to kiss her. She still tasted like honey. Still smelled like coconut. The two things I was finding myself completely addicted to.
Hook let out a loud huff behind me, his head bobbing just right to knock off Quinn’s hat.
“You little—” she grumbled, bending at the hip.
I reached up and scratched Hook’s ear, his entire head turning towards me, basically cuddling into me.
“No hat is safe.” I chuckled.
“He’s just jealous.” Quinn plopped her hat back on her head.
“Of me kissing you, or you kissing me?”
“Would you be surprised if it were both?” She tilted her head and squinted. “He took the moment away. I’m your lock screen, and he took the moment away.”
Laughing, I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her to me. “Good thing we can just pick up right where we left off.”
At dinner that night, Quinn sat next to me, our legs basically glued together.
With only a few days until the Hartwell Rodeo, everyone was moving and talking about things that still had to get done in preparation for it.
Lachlan had moved the bulls and calves over a few days prior, and I had already been in the announcer box, making sure I had everything I needed to give the crowd a good show.
There were more kids signed up for mutton bustin’ this year, and Stetson was quite annoyed he was now out of the age range, trying to convince my sister that he could—in fact—ride saddle bronc.
Cash was the first saddle bronc rider of the night, and Rhett was leading tie down; we even had bigger names—like Oakes Ashford and Ty Grant—signed up for bull riding.
The only thing that would make this even bigger is if Lachlan was riding bareback—but still, this was shaping up to be the Hartwells' biggest rodeo yet.
“We need to check the stands, make sure the food trucks are booked, confirm the volunteers for tickets and clean up, and oil the chutes,” Abi said, listing off everything with her fingers. “Oh.” She raised one finger. “And fireworks.”
“They’re being delivered tonight,” Lachlan said, not even looking up from his plate.
“Maybe we should think about doing a drone show next year,” Kyla suggested, handing Poppy her sippy cup. “Those are becoming big at other rodeos.”
“I say stick to fireworks,” I retorted, taking a bite of my chicken. “What would Lachlan do if you took the fireworks away?”
Lachlan shook his head. “I’ll look into drones, Kyla.”
“We can head over tonight.” Abi stood. “Lachlan can handle the fireworks being delivered, Rhett, Cash, and I can oil the chutes and check the stands. Kyla—you can drag the dirt.”
Kyla acknowledged Abi by lifting Poppy’s small plastic spoon in the air.
“That leaves me.” I looked at my sister, who gave me her cheesy smile. “Designated babysitter.”
A harumph came from Stetson as he glowered at his mother.
Where he was at the age where he could be of some use in the arena, it was also the age where he would get in the way once he got bored.
He was a Hartwell—he loved the rodeo as much as all of us, but he firmly believed he belonged on the horse, not prepping for it.
“Ah, come on, Stet.” I leaned over, my elbows resting on the table as I stared down my nephew. “It will just be the four of us.”
“Four!? Quinn, too?” He asked, his head twisting to Quinn.
She nodded rapidly. “Me too.”
“We can teach Poppy how to barrel race,” I said, half mumbling, raising my glass to my lips.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Kyla twist her torso, glancing at me before returning to her daughter. Stetson’s eyes widened as his jaw dropped, then he bolted out of his seat, cleaned up the table, and rushed out to the stables.
Quinn chuckled, giving my freshly washed hair a quick kiss. “I’ll follow him and saddle up Charming. He’s calm. Kyla—are you ok with that?”
Kyla stood, reaching for her daughter. “She loves horses, and she’s ridden with her dad a few times, graduating outside of her carrier. I’m sure she will be just as excited to hop on with Uncle Wyatt.”
Poppy reached her arms out as soon as Kyla turned, her fingers gripping the air.
She had begun to babble more these days, forming simple words like mama and dada, and I lived for them.
They were adorable in their own way, and now with her fingers reaching out to me, her eyes wide as I held her close, I swear I heard—
“Is she saying my name?” I looked over to Kyla.
Kyla scoffed, “Ha, no. It’s a sound, wah-wah maybe. She’s been forming new sounds—”
“Wah-wah sounds like Uncle Wyatt to me.” I smiled back at my niece, rubbing my nose against her. I was rewarded with a giggle.
Kyla raised her brow. “It’s a sound, Wyatt. Trust me, when she finally says your name for real—”
“Oh, Kyla.” Abi chuckled, coming up behind her. “Let him have Wah-wah.”
“Yeah.” I furrowed my brow, twisting my face to try to get another giggle out of Poppy. I turned to her. “Uncle Wyatt,” I said, nice and slow, catching every syllable.
Quinn’s chin rested on my shoulder, her hands on my waist. “Uncle Wyatt.” She parroted.
I looked at my sister-in-law, who just glowered at Quinn and me as we said my name over and over again, all the while Poppy babbling wah-wah.
“Fine,” Kyla succumbed. “I’ll give it to you.”
Looking back at Poppy’s blue eyes, her cute little smile on her face, Quinn’s chin on my shoulder…I felt on top of the world.
Poppy kicked her feet and waved her arms, making holding her against my chest harder than it should have been, but her little squeals made it worth it.
Quinn and Stetson set up barrels and took turns rounding them, but once Stetson ultimately got bored, he led Marshmallow out of the pen and bet Quinn he could race her to the lake.
Quinn hollered, “You’re on!” and then they both took off.
Poppy laughed, a squeal really, and I kicked Rusty into a walk. I held on to her tightly as I watched Quinn and Stetson get smaller and smaller as they made their way to the lake. And Poppy and I just enjoyed the view.
She began to babble: baba, mama, wah-wah, dada, and I would respond: Really, tell me all about it, that’s the coolest thing I ever heard Poppy Girl, and by the time we made it to the lake, she and I had a whole conversation.
She said wah-wah more than any other babble, and each time it pulled at my heartstrings.
I knew it wasn’t for me, that she hadn’t made that association just yet, but I could pretend and still soak it in.
I never thought about having kids, but Poppy was making it quite hard not to imagine it later down the line.
Especially if it was with the woman who was standing next to my nephew, her hands on her cocked hips, her hair wind-blown, and the sexiest smirk on her lips, watching me slowly walk up on Rusty.
“I thought you said you were a fantastic rider?” she mocked.
“I’m holding precious cargo.” I tickled Poppy’s stomach, and she gave me another giggle.
“Here, I got her.” Quinn held out her arms, taking Poppy from me as I dismounted so I could lead Rusty over to the other horses.
“You know,” Quinn said the moment I got to her side.
“I’ve lived in Alpine Ridge for seven months now.
I’ve ridden all over the ranch, and I’m still taken with how beautiful it is.
It’s gorgeous in the winter, it’s perfect in the spring.
Summer is to die for…I can’t wait to see the fall. ”
“It turns orange.” Stetson reached out, taking Poppy from Quinn. “Every tree.” He kept talking as he took Poppy to the edge of the water.
“Hey, be careful. Riding is one thing, but let’s stay away from the water, okay?” I told him.
Quinn slid her hands on my arm, tugging me close to her. “You really do have a beautiful home, Wyatt. I don’t think you know how lucky you are.”
I kissed her temple, keeping a close eye on Stetson and Poppy. “I am now that I have you. Before it was just okay.”
She slapped my chest. “I’m serious. This is all yours.”
“Well, five percent of it.”
“Five percent?”
I nodded. “Yep. Lachlan has fifty, since his dad owned half. He got it when his dad died. Rhett has forty. Abi and I both have five.”
“That’s an odd way to split it up.”
“I don’t want more than that. I would have taken less if my dad hadn't mentioned building a house at some point.” I shrugged the arm Quinn was holding, forcing her to let go.
She didn’t step away, most likely knowing what I was planning on doing next.
Ever since we first kissed, she could predict my moves, so when she leaned into me, letting me slip my arm around her shoulders.
It felt more natural than anything. “Eventually, the two hundred and fifty acres that have my name on them will have something attached to them. Even if it’s a small house, so I don’t have to live in the bunkhouse anymore. ”
“But you love the bunkhouse,” she teased.
“Sure, all two hundred square feet of it,” I replied, sarcasm dripping from my voice.
“Oh, it’s bigger than that.”
I laughed. “I’ve never counted.”
“Two hundred and fifty acres, huh?” She rested her head against my arm. “I could think of a lot to do with two hundred and fifty acres.”
It was dark by the time we arrived back at the stables.
Poppy was already asleep on my shoulder as I led Rusty into his stall.
Quinn gently took the sleeping baby from me to let me dismount, handing her right back the second my feet touched the ground.
Poppy whimpered and curled her fists around my shirt.
“She still hasn’t had a bottle,” I whispered to Quinn.
Quinn rubbed Poppy’s back and then reached up to give me a chaste kiss. “I got Stetson if you want to take her to Kyla’s. We’ll do a night check.”
“Meet me in the bunkhouse?” I asked, leaning closer to her.
She nodded, awarding me with one last kiss.
“Uncle Wyatt.” We stopped and both looked to the front of the stall where Stetson stood with his arms across his chest. “I told you not to fall in love with her.”
Quinn barked out a laugh, but then stopped the moment Poppy stirred, slapping her hand over her mouth. “Ope.” She bit her bottom lip and widened her eyes. “I got him, you go put the baby to sleep.”
I shook my head at Stetson, sticking my tongue out as I passed him.
Poppy woke up the moment I walked into the cabin, getting fussy as I changed her and found pajamas.
I gave her a bottle, and she settled, falling right back asleep in my arms. I swayed as she got comfortable, the same Shania Twain song filling the dark space around us, then slowly set her down in the crib.
Last time I was here, I used Poppy as a sounding board, heartbroken after being turned down by Quinn.
Now, I was here, and my heart was so full it could burst, knowing she was waiting for me and that she was mine.
“Hey, Poppy Girl,” I whispered. “I was wrong…fall in love, okay? Find that person and do not give up on them.”
And I would never—ever—give up on Quinn.
Rhett and Kyla arrived soon after, Kyla hugging me before going to check on her daughter, but I went right to my brother.
Once an idea popped into my head, it was hard to get rid of it.
And swaying with Poppy, seeing Stetson and Poppy by the lake, having Quinn there for my stable chores with her laughter filling my senses, an idea formed. And I just needed to talk to Rhett.
“Hey,” I leaned my palms on the kitchen island and looked at my brother. I knew later I’d need Lachlan and Abi, but for now…forty percent would do. “Can we talk?”