Chapter 24
CHAPTER 24
Christine
Up before the chickens, I race outside, putting on my Wellington boots since my other ones are still covered in dried mud, and start the rounds. I’m feeling motivated and want to make sure if Tagger shows up, I’m free to mess around.
Whatever messing around entails . . . He’s broken the seal, the curse, and cracked the dam. He doesn’t stand a chance. I’m ready for that man.
“Morning,” my dad calls when he drives the UTV up the side of the house and parks. “Why was this left out near the equipment barn?”
“Long story. Even longer storm.”
“Listen, Chris,” he says, angling his legs out the side of the vehicle while staying seated right where he is.
I cross the yard and jump over a few puddles that haven’t dried up yet. “What is it?”
“We never talk about your brothers.” He’s not wrong. We reference them in funny stories or when something makes us think of them, but we don’t talk about their absence or if they’re ever coming home again.
“Why is that, Dad?” I ask. I didn’t want to upset him. For me, I’ve held a lot of anger toward them for leaving me behind to deal with everything. I lean my hip against the front of the vehicle. It’s practically sparkling after being clean in the rain yesterday.
“I was never supposed to be here on this earth alone.”
“I’m here.” I hate that my first reaction is offense because my dad would never hurt me on purpose. But even without intention, that stings.
His face falls. “I didn’t mean like that. I meant, I never wanted to be in this universe without your mother. She was the glue that held us together, and with her gone, our family fell apart. I’m responsible for that.”
“No, it’s not our burden to carry alone. We’re all guilty of letting things go. Griff and Baylor are responsible as well.” I move closer and give him a hug. “They know they always have a home. They just have to make the trip.”
When I step back again, he says, “I’m sure glad to have you in my life, dear daughter. It just wouldn’t be the same without ya.” He climbs out and heads for the toolbox in the back of the truck. “Best get on with your day. There are never enough hours.”
I’m standing there as his words settle in. There aren’t enough hours. Never enough. The work is never-ending. The rewards are further apart. I’ve turned this from a family-run business with two employees into a huge success with more than ten full-time employees and five others on rotation, all of whom earn shares as well. They have a stake in the ranch’s success, and that basic concept has worked out well for everyone.
All four of us Greenes have millions in our accounts to show for my hard work and business savvy. Looking across at the field where Bluebelly and Skyward graze, I realize I will work until I die here. I could drop in a field and not be found for days. Sleeping with Tagger should be a comfort, and him being officially my boyfriend used to be goals. But I want to achieve more than having a secret relationship with him.
I’ll never know what I could have contributed to the world.
Bluebelly neighs, ready for me to feed her this morning. A whole beautiful field of the finest grass around isn’t good enough, I guess. “Hold your horses, literally.” I laugh because there’s no point in crying, and then I get on with my day. “I’m coming. I’m coming.”
“Hey, you,” Tagger says, sauntering up just after eleven, looking like he had a hell of a fantastic sleep. Oh, to be living the life of a prince while visiting. I can’t blame him. I just woke up on the sour side of the bed this morning. “Can you sneak away?”
He looks good, too good. Wearing a hard straw hat, the tips of his brown hair flip on the underside of the brim. His shirt isn’t anything special, but it’s great at highlighting his muscular frame. But those jeans and boots will do the trick for me every damn time. Fitted in all the right ways around the thighs and a good scuffing on the tips of the boots complete the fantasy. “What’d you have in mind, cowboy?”
“Lunch.”
I pull the rope from my shoulder and hook it around a fence post before leaning against a rail and kicking my boot up. With my dad taking a midday break, I start for him. It’s so tempting to give him a kiss, but I control myself and head for the truck instead. “I can sneak away for lunch.”
He opens the door for me, and I climb in. When he gets in the cab, I say, “This feels like a date.”
“It is, babe.” Starting the engine, he glances over at me and gives me that winning smile. “We can’t be showy, but we can make the best of it here in the Pass.”
“You’re quite the charmer, Mr. Grange.”
Driving toward the exit of the ranch, he laughs. “Only for you, Ms. Greene.”
“I’m sure some ladies in New York could argue against that statement.”
Just a quick spike of his brow is seen before he rights it. “The storm cleared the skies for beautiful May weather.”
Now I laugh. “Nice try, and I’ll let it go. No need to get up in arms about something that doesn’t affect me.” Bringing my knees to my chest, I enjoy the pretty weather he mentioned by rolling down the window and letting the wind whip through my hair. “Soon, it will be too hot out here.”
“To roll down the window?”
“For anything here in the hill country.” I roll my head to the side to stare out at fields and scenery I have memorized by heart. When I turn to him, I used to feel I knew if he had a new freckle, but he’s been gone so many years that I get to learn everything about him again.
His nose is straight but from the side it has the slightest bump on the bridge, like he might wear glasses sometimes. God, I’d love to see that. He’d look so sexy.
His jaw ticks when he’s deep in thought and tightens when he’s focused. He was very focused when he was making love to me. So hot.
But I’m still drawn to the lines beside his eyes that formed from laughter, sunshine, and through his concentration on everything he set his mind to. They matured his face from boy to man, reckless to established, dreams to achievement. He’s done it all and deserves all the credit. He left the Pass to grow into his own man instead of following in the shadow of his dad or brother and returned with buckles of his own success, if they recognized life like they do at the rodeo.
I feel both flattered to be sitting next to him but also proud of who he’s become.
He’s humbled somehow, yet sexier than ever.
Cutting down a dirt road that I’ve traveled countless times, I smile. “We’re going to the ridge?”
“It’s always a great view, and I haven’t been since I was in high school.”
I look ahead at the swerve around the trees and over a rockier section that only a truck will get you over. “It never changes and never gets old.”
It opens just around the bend to a flat field perfect for parking. It’s always a popular spot for teenagers to come and make out. Maybe we can do the same after lunch. I’m too starving to sacrifice food for sex right now.
He shifts into park after situating the truck in the direction of the road so we can use the tailgate to sit on to enjoy the view. When he cuts the engine, we hop out and walk around to the back bed. With blankets and pillows under his arm, he opens the tailgate. He spreads the blanket and then tosses the pillow in. “I cleaned the bed this morning but wanted to make it a bit softer for you.”
Tagger being a romantic wasn’t really on my bingo card. It’s something I never really thought about. Dream about dating him? Sure. Fantasize about him in bed? Absolutely. Wooing his girlfriend? It’s a welcome surprise. Along with so many other aspects I never bothered to delve into. Dating him was an impossibility, but here we are, a couple secretly launching our relationship.
He lifts me up and wrangles my Wellies off, then sets them on the top of the truck. Wise man. The last thing I need to find in my boots are rattlesnakes or scorpions.
I get more comfortable while he climbs up next to me. We lie there holding hands and staring out over miles of trees and hills from this higher vantage point. He says, “We have the river running through our property, but no high points like this.” Turning to me, he kisses my hand. “If you could have your house with views like this or of the river, which would you choose?”
“I hadn’t thought about it. They both have their advantages. A house hidden in the trees near the river would be peaceful and cozy like a hug. A higher elevation would give views but also some protection, seeing things like wildfires before they reach the property. So security.” I look over at him when he’s silent. “What about you?”
“What if security was a given for both? Do you prefer one over the other?”
“You sound so serious. I feel like I might fail if I give the wrong answer.”
He slips his arm around my shoulders. “No. There are no wrong answers. I’ve just been thinking about this a lot lately.”
I sit up and angle toward him. “Are you thinking about moving back?” My heartbeat races for a response to a question I didn’t think was at play.
He sits next to me, bending his knees and resting his arms over them. “I didn’t mean to mislead you. I just want to get to know you, Pris.”
“Right. Yeah, I figured. I just . . . I don’t know why I jumped to conclusions like that.” I shake my head and turn my gaze to the view again. “The river house.” I take a calming breath. “I love the sound of water—rivers, oceans, even fountains.”
I can feel his gaze still on me, but I don’t look. I’m a bit embarrassed for sounding like a lovesick schoolgirl. If he moved here, it would give our relationship a solid chance because I’m still unsure how doing long distance with him will look.
“I’m sorry?—”
“No. No need.” I look at him, and ask, “Was lunch a euphemism, or is there going to be food involved?”
He grabs a box from the empty metal tool chest in the back of the truck and sets it in front of us. “I didn’t know what you like, so I got a lot of everything from Sassy’s over in Dover.”
There’s container after container of different foods, from cut fruit to pasta salad, burgers, fries, hot dogs, and a plethora of other things. I enjoy the tarragon chicken salad before eating grapes and cantaloupe, and sip on a can of Waterloo mixed berries sparkling water.
Because the sun is stronger today, he places his hat on my head to shade my face, which is basically the only physical contact we’ve had. I assume that he has as much on his mind as I do since we’re eating in silence.
Being whisked away for lunch, I somehow imagined it being more couple-y. We’re alone and free to kiss as much as we want. But we’re not. I don’t like the start of our secret relationship being heavy like this. “What’s going on, Tagger? Please talk to me.”
Rubbing his palm over my knee, he watches it instead of looking at me. “I have a flight tomorrow morning at six o’clock.”
The fruit is suddenly unappealing. I set the fork and bowl back in the box and turn to face him. “I thought you were here longer?”
“My flight was originally for Wednesday.”
“Today is Sunday,” I reply dumbly as if he doesn’t already know.
“This was out of my control, babe.” He finally dares to look into my eyes. “I had a meeting added to my schedule that I’m expected to attend at four o’clock tomorrow in the city.”
Searching his greens, I can’t find a lie to contradict him. “And if you miss it?”
“I won’t.”
“What if you do?”
“I’m not missing it,” he says with such finality that I’m almost intimidated to continue questioning him. Almost. Few people intimidate me. Even fewer men. Yet he does, and I’m not sure why, other than it feels like we’re on unequal footing. “I’ll be cutting it close, but I’ll be there.”
“Okay,” I say like I hold any power.
I do. I control how I react to bumps in the road. Anyway, he wasn’t asking for my opinion. The decision was made regardless of how I felt. So what am I fighting against? Is his life in New York now the enemy? That’s not going to change. He’s already making it clear that it will win every time.
Either I adapt or there is no we anymore. It’s that simple.
He tilts to the side to catch my eyes. When I look at him, I can’t muster a smile, and I know he can tell. He says, “Like I said, I’m sorry. It’s not something that was planned. I booked my ticket for Wednesday to spend more time here. But this meeting is important for my career.”
“I wouldn’t know what that’s like. I’m just a ranch hand around these parts.”
“You’re more than that, but this isn’t a reflection of my life versus yours. Babe?” He takes my hands in his and holds them between us. “I’m just as disappointed. Yesterday meant a lot to me, and the time we spent together was incredible. But this is just a blip.”
It just feels like this is bigger than it is, like some elaborate plan set in motion behind my back. “Is that why you brought me out here? To break the news and let me down easy? ” Don’t do this, Chris. I trust him. I have no reason not to. “You would stay if you could. I know that, babe.”
“I brought you here to seduce you with pasta salad and me as dessert.” He lies down, bringing me with him. I slide into his arms because that’s where I want to be most right now, especially if we’re on borrowed time. After placing a kiss on my collarbone and then on my neck, he asks, “How can I make it up to you?”
Manifesting really comes through for you when you need it most. Eyeing his mouth, I tap his bottom lip and grin. “I have an idea how you can make me feel better.”