Chapter 25
Rosie
The day of the camping trip has finally arrived. Over the past few days, I've managed to get Ethan and Alex to talk a bit, although Alex is still a little reluctant to be friendly with him. Despite this, Ethan has integrated surprisingly well with the group of guys, and the girls adore him. His presence has brought new energy to the ranch, and seeing how everyone has welcomed him has made me feel more comfortable here.
Despite the initial tensions and misunderstandings, Alex and I decided to go ahead with the camping plan. But as I pack my bag, I feel anxiety growing inside me. I've never camped before. My childhood was marked by the early loss of my mother and a father always immersed in work. No one ever had time to take me outdoors, to teach me the basics of life in nature.
"Breathe, Rosie," I tell myself, trying to calm my nerves. "It's just camping."
But I know it's not "just" camping. It's a leap into the unknown, into a world completely new to me. And I'm doing it with Alex, which adds a whole new level of complexity to the situation.
As I load my bag into Alex's pickup, I feel a strange mix of excitement and nervousness in my stomach. I don't know what to expect from this trip, but I know it could change everything.
"Ready, princess?" Alex asks, appearing by my side with a crooked smile.
I try to hide my anxiety behind a smile. "Ready as I'll ever be," I reply, hoping to sound more confident than I actually feel.
The journey to the campsite is silent at first, both of us lost in our thoughts. But as we get further from the ranch, the atmosphere lightens. Alex turns on the radio and starts humming a country song, making me smile and helping me relax a bit.
"I didn't know you were a singer," I tease him, grateful for the distraction from my anxious thoughts.
He gives me an amused look. "Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. Wait until you hear me sing around the campfire after a few beers."
I laugh, already feeling more at ease. "I can't wait."
As the landscape rolls by outside the window, I find myself thinking about how I got here. From a hectic life in Los Angeles to camping in the middle of nowhere with a cowboy. It's surreal, but somehow, it feels right. Maybe this is the kind of adventure I've always needed without knowing it. And then there's Alex. I steal a glance in his direction, observing his profile focused on the road. These past few days, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about us. And… even though Alex has an unmatched talent for driving me completely insane, there’s something undeniably sweet about him in his own way. It’s not the grand gestures—it’s the small, quiet things he does when he thinks no one’s watching that steal my breath and make all the difference. It's incredible how he always manages to make me feel better, even in the most difficult moments. He has this innate gift of understanding when I'm not comfortable or when I have too many thoughts troubling me.
What I appreciate most is that he doesn't ask too many questions, doesn't open endless and embarrassing conversations trying to dig into my thoughts. Instead, he simply does something to make me smile and lighten the situation. Like now, as he hums this off-key country song, occasionally throwing me amused glances. He knows I'm nervous about this camping trip, but instead of putting pressure on me, he's creating a light and carefree atmosphere.
It's a perfect balance between being present and giving space, between caring and not smothering. With him, I feel seen and understood, but also free to be myself, with all my insecurities and doubts.
As I watch him drumming his fingers on the steering wheel to the rhythm of the music, I feel a wave of gratitude. Maybe this is why, despite all my fears and uncertainties, I'm here on this pickup, heading towards the unknown. Because with Alex, even the unknown seems a little less scary and a bit more like an adventure.
We arrive at the campsite in the afternoon. It's a beautiful place, surrounded by trees and with a breathtaking view of the mountains in the distance. While Alex starts setting up the tent, I stand there, a bit uncertain about what to do.
"Hey, princess," Alex calls out, noticing my hesitation. "How about you take care of the campfire? I'll show you how it's done."
I nod, grateful for the task. Alex patiently guides me through the process of gathering wood and preparing the fire. His hands brush against mine as he shows me how to arrange the twigs, and I feel a shiver that has nothing to do with the evening breeze.
"See? Nothing complicated," he says with an encouraging smile when we're done.
"Thanks," I reply, feeling a bit more confident. "Maybe I'm not a lost cause as a cowgirl after all."
Alex laughs. "Never had any doubts about you, princess."
As he returns to the tent, I look around, trying to absorb the beauty of the place. Suddenly, a movement among the trees catches my attention.
"Hey, look!" I exclaim excitedly, pointing to a spot among the trees. "A deer!"
Alex turns, smiling at my excitement. "Welcome to the wild, princess."
We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the surroundings, Alex showing me the different plants and telling me stories about the local wildlife. I realize how little I know about this world, and how much I enjoy learning from him. His passion for nature is contagious, and I find myself asking question after question, absorbing every bit of information like a sponge.
As the sun begins to set, we return to the camp. Alex lights the campfire while I take out the food we brought. We sit close, enjoying dinner and the tranquility of the night falling around us.
"So," Alex says after a while, passing me a beer, "what do you think of the camper's life so far?"
I look at him, his face illuminated by the firelight. There's something magical about this moment, something that makes me feel more alive than ever.
"It's... different from anything I've ever done," I admit. "But in an incredibly good way. I feel... I don't know how to explain it. Free, maybe?"
He smiles, and I feel my heart speed up. "I'm glad you like it. Sometimes we need to get away from everything to remember who we really are."
His words strike me deeply. "Yes," I whisper, "I think you're right."
Silence falls between us, but it's not an awkward silence. It's comfortable, charged with something I can't quite define yet, but it makes me feel safe and excited at the same time.
"Alex," I finally say, looking at the stars above us, "thank you for bringing me here. For showing me all this. I don't think I've ever felt so... at peace."
He turns to me, his eyes shining in the firelight. For a moment, he seems about to say something important. Then, with a sweet smile, he simply says: "Thank you for coming, Rosie. For giving all this a chance."
At that moment, sitting next to Alex under a starry sky, with the crackling of the fire and the sound of nature around us, I realize that I'm falling. Falling hard. And the scariest thing is that I'm not sure I want to stop. The silence of the night is broken only by the crackling of the fire and the distant howl. Alex explains that there's nothing to fear, but I can't help but move a little closer to him.
"Are you cold?" he asks, noticing my movement.
"A little," I admit, though I'm not sure if it's really the cold or the emotion of the moment making me shiver. I had gotten used to the heat of the ranch... here the air is more mountainous.
Without hesitation, Alex gets up and goes to get a blanket from the pickup. He returns and wraps it around my shoulders, his arm staying draped over me for a moment longer than necessary.
"Better?" he asks, his voice low and warm.
I nod, unable to find words. His closeness, the warmth of the fire, the intimacy of the moment... everything feels so intense, so real.
"You know," Alex says after a while, looking at the stars, "when I was little, my father always used to take me camping here. He taught me the names of the constellations, told me stories about how cowboys of old used the stars to navigate."
I look at him, surprised by this unexpected openness. "That must have been nice," I say softly.
Alex nods, a nostalgic smile on his face. "It was. I miss him, you know? Even though he was tough on me sometimes, moments like these... they were special."
I feel a lump in my throat. "He... he's not here anymore?" I ask simply. I don't want to bring up sad topics... but I want to know more about him.
Alex seems lost in his thoughts then answers, "Both my parents are gone. My mom died giving birth to me... so I never knew her. My dad... well, he had a horse riding accident."
For a moment, I stop breathing.
Alex... always so cheerful and playful... I can't believe he carries such a sad past. Losing both parents is terrible. And he and his father seemed to be so close.
And that's not all... his father died in a horse riding accident... I can't help but think about how much Alex loves horses and how his greatest passion must remind him every day of what was probably the most tragic moment of his life.
I don't know what to say... but I squeeze his hand. I rest my head on his shoulder with a silent invitation for him to get closer to me. I don't miss how careful he is with physical contact. How he tries not to take more liberties than I grant him and how he gives me time to get used to it and decide how close I want him.
"I'm sorry," I whisper.
"Don't be sorry, princess. And I'm sorry if I saddened the evening," he replies, squeezing my hand back.
"I'm glad to know you better, cowboy."
Alex gives me a small smile. His expression is no longer sad... now he looks tender.
"You've never been camping before, have you?" he asks, trying to lighten the moment... even though I've avoided this conversation as much as possible until now.
But in light of Alex's confession, it seems futile and foolish to keep hiding it.
"I'm sorry I never had experiences like this with my father," I confess. "He was always too busy..."
Alex turns to me, his eyes full of understanding. "Hey," he says gently, "it's never too late to create new memories. Maybe... maybe this can be the beginning of something new for you."
His words strike me deeply. He's right. Maybe I can't change the past, but I can choose how to live the present.
"Thank you, Alex," I whisper. "For all this. For... making me feel at home here."
He smiles, and for a moment he seems about to say something more. Instead, he just holds me a little tighter.
We stay like this, wrapped in the blanket, watching the stars and listening to the sounds of the night. There's no need for more words. At this moment, everything seems perfect.
But as the night progresses and the fire dies down, I can't help but wonder: what will happen tomorrow? And after? This feeling that's growing inside me... is it real? And most importantly, can it last beyond this magical night under the stars?
With these thoughts swirling in my head, I slowly fall asleep, my head resting on Alex's shoulder, his arm still protectively around me.