Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
Geraldine
I stood in the kitchen of our Red Rock Ranch house, the late afternoon sun streamed through the open window and cast a warm glow over the counter where I smoothed frosting onto a chocolate cake, and the sweet smell filled the air.
My hands moved quickly, spreading it even as I kept an eye on the backyard through the screen door, where our daughter, Lila, ran giggling across the grass, her dark curls bouncing under a paper crown for her fifth birthday.
Six years had passed since Damian and I got married right out there by the pasture, and now the ranch buzzed with kids and noise, a different kind of chaos from the days it was just us and the guys.
Cosmo and Christian were out back too, their wives chasing their little ones, and I grinned, the mess of frosting on my fingers a small price for this day.
“Mommy, look!” Lila shouted and waved a stick she’d turned into a wand, her voice carried over the chatter as she darted toward Damian, who crouched near the picnic table, setting up a pile of balloons.
“Nice one, kid,” he said and laughed, scooping her up with one arm, his voice rough but soft as he planted a kiss on her cheek. “You ruling the party yet?”
“Yeah!” she said and giggled, swinging the stick as he set her down, her crown tilted sideways.
“Cake’s almost ready,” I called and wiped my hands on a towel, stepping out onto the porch with the platter balanced carefully. “You two better not pop those balloons.”
“No promises,” Damian said and grinned at me, standing tall as he tied off a red one, his flannel stretched across his shoulders. “She’s got a wild arm.”
“Gets it from you,” I said and smirked, setting the cake on the table covered with a bright blue cloth, candles lined up beside it. “Lila, come help me light these.”
“Okay!” she said and raced over, her boots kicked up dust, and I handed her a lighter, guiding her small hand to spark the wicks, her eyes wide as the flames flickered.
“Careful,” I said and laughed, brushing a curl from her face as we finished, the five candles glowed bright. “You’re a pro now.”
“Happy birthday, kiddo,” Cosmo said and walked up, his arm slung around his wife, Mara, a petite woman with a sharp grin, their two-year-old son, Jack, toddled behind, clutching a toy truck. “You’re getting big.”
“Thanks, Uncle Cosmo!” Lila said and grinned, hopping on her toes as Mara set a wrapped box with a big bow on the table.
“Five’s a good age,” Christian said and strolled over, his wife, Ellie, trailed him with their one-year-old daughter, Sophie, balanced on her hip, her chubby hands waved a rattle. “You’re taller than Jack already.”
“Way taller,” Lila said and laughed, standing straight to prove it as Sophie babbled and reached for her. “Hi, Sophie!”
“Hey, Geri,” Mara said and stepped up beside me, her voice light as she nodded at the cake. “That looks amazing. You outdid yourself.”
“Thanks,” I said and smiled, brushing my hands on my jeans. “Had to keep up with her energy.”
“Tell me about it,” Ellie said and laughed, shifting Sophie to her other hip. “These kids run us ragged.”
“Worth it,” I said and grinned, watching Damian chase Lila around the table, her squeals mixed with Jack’s giggles as Cosmo scooped him up.
“Alright, birthday girl,” Damian said and lifted Lila onto his shoulders, his voice carried over the noise. “Time to blow these out. Make a wish.”
“Got it!” she said and leaned down, her cheeks puffed as she blew hard, the candles flickered out with a puff of smoke, and everyone clapped. Cosmo let out a loud cheer that made Jack laugh.
“What’d you wish for?” Christian said and grinned, setting Sophie on the grass as Ellie handed her a rattle.
“Can’t tell,” Lila said and shook her head, her crown slipped more as she giggled. “It’s a secret.”
“Smart kid,” Cosmo said and laughed, cutting the cake as Mara passed out plates. “Keep us guessing.”
“Yeah,” I said and took a slice from him, handing it to Damian as he set Lila down. “She’s got your brains.”
“Yours too,” he said and grinned, pulling me close with his free hand, his lips brushed my temple. “Good team.”
“Gross,” Cosmo said and smirked, smearing frosting on Jack’s nose as Mara swatted his arm. “Save it for the barn, you two.”
“Shut up,” Damian said and laughed, grabbing a fork to dig into his cake. “You’re worse with Mara.”
“True,” Mara said and grinned, wiping Jack’s face as he giggled. “He’s hopeless.”
“Same here,” Ellie said and laughed, sitting Sophie on her lap with a small piece of cake, her tiny hands smeared with it quickly. “Christian’s a sap.”
“Caught me,” he said and smirked, stealing a bite from Ellie’s plate. “Can’t help it.”
“Cake’s good, Mommy,” Lila said and tugged my sleeve, her face smeared with chocolate as she grinned up at me. “Can I have more?”
“Sure, kid,” I said and laughed, cutting her another piece. “It’s your day.”
“Thanks!” she said and ran off with it, joining Jack and Sophie on a blanket Cosmo spread out, their laughter mixed with the clatter of plates.
“Nice party,” Damian said and leaned against me, his arm sliding around my waist as we watched them. “You did well.”
“We did good,” I said and smiled, resting my head on his shoulder. “She’s growing fast.”
“Yeah,” he said and squeezed me, his voice low and warm. “Five already.”
“Slow down,” Cosmo said and walked over, juggling a beer and a plate as Mara trailed him. “You’re making us feel old.”
“You are old,” I said and smirked, dodging as he flicked a crumb my way. “Jack’s catching up.”
“Watch it,” he said and laughed, setting his plate down to grab Mara’s hand. “We’re still young at heart.”
“Speak for yourself,” Christian said and grinned, lifting Sophie as she giggled, Ellie beside him with frosting on her cheek. “This one’s wearing me out.”
“Get used to it,” Damian said and laughed, pulling me closer as Lila ran back, her crown now gone, her hands sticky with cake.
“Mommy, Daddy, look!” she said and held up a flower she’d picked, her grin wide and messy. “For you!”
“Thanks, kid,” I said and took it, tucking it behind my ear as Damian crouched to her level.
“Pretty,” he said and kissed her forehead, his voice soft as he wiped her hands with a napkin. “You having fun?”
“Yeah!” she said and hugged his neck quickly before running off again, chasing Jack across the grass.
“She’s a handful,” Mara said and laughed, sipping her water as Cosmo sat beside her. “You two handle it well.”
“Team effort,” I said and grinned, leaning into Damian as he stood back up, his arm stayed around me. “He’s good with her.”
“Better than us,” Christian said and smirked, bouncing Sophie on his knee. “She’s got him wrapped.”
“Damn right,” Damian said and laughed, his hand squeezed my hip. “She’s my girl.”
“Girls rule,” Ellie said and grinned, wiping Sophie’s face as she giggled. “Right, Geri?”
“Always,” I said and laughed, grabbing my beer from the table as the sun sank lower, the sky turned a deep purple. “You guys keeping up?”
“Barely,” Cosmo said and laughed out loud, leaning back with his arm around Mara. “You’re the boss now.”
“Always was,” I said and smirked, lifting my bottle as Damian kissed my cheek, the kids’ laughter rang out sharp and sweet over the ranch.
“Happy birthday, Lila!” Christian called and raised his beer, the others echoed it, and she waved from the blanket, her grin wide under the messy crown she’d grabbed back.
“Best day,” Damian said and pulled me close, his voice low in my ear as the party hummed around us. “Love you.”
“Love you too,” I said and smiled, leaning into him, the ranch alive with our little world spinning loud and happy.
~ END ~
Get ready for more heat, heartbreak, and irresistible chemistry! Sneak a peek at “Rancher’s Age Gap Heat”—included at the end of this book. If a broody cowboy and forbidden sparks are your kind of trouble,
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Olivia
I’ve always loved the rush of travel blogging.
Waking up in a new place, snapping photos of sunsets that make my followers jealous, and typing up posts that get thousands of likes before I’ve even had my coffee is my thing.
It’s my escape, and yeah, I’m pretty good at it.
I’ve got a solid following. People trust my takes on hidden gems and off-the-grid spots.
So when my cousin Jona texted me last week, begging me to come to her ranch in Costa Solara for her birthday, I couldn’t say no.
“It’s been forever, Liv,” she said over the phone.
Her voice was all warm and pleading. “Plus, I need you here. It’s a big party with family, friends, the whole deal.
” I figured it’d be a nice break. Some fresh air, open fields, and maybe a few cute cowboy pics for the blog sounded good.
I packed my bags, threw my camera in the backseat, and hit the road.
The drive into Costa Solara takes me through miles of flat land dotted with white fences and grazing cattle.
The town itself creeps up slowly. It’s a mix of old brick buildings and newer storefronts along Main Street with wide sidewalks and a couple of rusty pickups parked at odd angles.
It’s quiet. You can hear the wind rustling through the trees if you listen hard enough.
Jona’s ranch is just outside town down a winding dirt road that kicks up dust behind my car.
I pull up to the house. It’s a big, weathered thing with a wraparound porch.
I spot her waiting by the steps, waving like a kid who just saw Santa.
She’s got her dark hair tied back. She’s wearing a plaid shirt and jeans, looking every bit the ranch girl she’s become since she moved here.
“Liv!” she yells, jogging over as I climb out of the car. She throws her arms around me and squeezes tightly. “You made it! I was starting to think you’d get lost or something.”
“Me? Lost?” I laugh and hug her back. “I’ve navigated sketchy mountain roads in Peru. Your dirt path’s got nothing on that.”