21. Peyton
PEYTON
“ I f you’re sure you don’t mind, I could use another day out here, with Mom and the boys.”
Her dad kissed Peyton’s cheek. “I don’t mind at all. I’m enjoying myself. As long as I know it’s temporary, I love it. The idea of running the tasting room full-time never appealed to me, which is why I hired you thirteen years ago.”
Her father couldn’t stand the thought of being trapped inside. Weathered by the sun, his face was tan year-round, and if not for his full head of hair, he’d look older than he was. It was still almost completely blond with very little gray. He kept himself fit, in the same way her mom did. They were a beautifully striking couple.
“Are you going to Los Cab?” he asked.
“We are. I haven’t ridden in so long. I need it.”
“You used to ride every day when you were a teenager. Your mom and I hardly saw you, between that and surfing.”
Peyton loved both and hadn’t made enough time for either. It was the reason she and Alex had set up Stave’s schedule the way they had. They both had three days off in a row. Alex was off Monday, Stave was closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and Peyton was off Thursday. She needed to take advantage of the time off more often than she did.
They’d talked about hiring a manager, but it seemed silly. With a four-day work week, they should’ve been able to balance their personal and professional lives with little effort.
“Ready, Mom?”
The boys climbed into her mother’s Range Rover while her parents hugged. Peyton watched them. What they had was what she’d always wanted. They respected and admired each other. Dad was Mom’s biggest fan and vice versa. They didn’t agree on everything, but they found a way to discuss their differences without anger. When her dad gripped her mother’s neck and kissed her, Peyton looked away. It reminded her too much of Brodie doing it to her.
“I’m so happy you’re with us today, Mom.” Finn snuggled up to her, and Peyton melted.
Had she been absent in their lives lately? She prided herself on the time she spent with them, but obviously, something was off. Starting now, that would change. Her boys were her priority and had been since the day they were born.
“Me too, kiddo.”
Jamison was looking out the window, lost in thought. “What’s up, Jamie?”
“Nothin’.”
“It’s somethin’.”
“I want you to be happy, Mama.”
Peyton’s eyes filled with tears. Jamison never called her “mama,” unless he was feeling sick, or sad, or he was worried about her.
“I’m happy when I’m with you guys.”
“You know what I mean.”
She almost laughed and would’ve if her heart wasn’t splitting in two. Sometimes, she thought Jamison was the wisest person she knew. How a ten-year-old could have the sensitivity and insight he had was a mystery.
“Riding makes me happy.” Peyton turned around and looked at him.
He smiled and rolled his eyes. Yep, he was her boy.
“Isn’t this weather wonderful?” Her mom rode up beside her. “Hard to believe it’s the beginning of March and it’s this warm. Good for the vines.”
They rode past rows and rows of grapes laid perfectly on the rolling hills of the Los Caballeros ranch. Some of the best wine in the world came from these vineyards.
“Slow down,” Peyton shouted when the boys ventured farther away than she was comfortable with. “I’m going to catch up with them, Mom.”
Her mother nodded, and Peyton was off.
All too soon, she saw why they were riding in the direction they were. Brodie Butler was several yards away on one of the most beautiful Morgans she’d ever seen. A powerful horse for a powerful man. He sat regally, yet comfortably, in the saddle.
“Finn!” Peyton heard Jamison scream.
She couldn’t see either of them, but she took off in the direction of their voices. Brodie must have heard it and was riding toward them too.
Peyton jumped off her horse when she saw her little boy on the ground, held him in Brodie’s arms.
“He’s okay.” Brodie looked up at her. “I think his leg might be broken, but otherwise, I don’t see any sign of head trauma. You’re good, right, partner?”
Finn reached for her, and Jamison was standing over them, wiping his tears.
She reached up and squeezed his hand. “It’s okay, Jamie. He’s going to be fine. We’ll take him to the hospital for an X-ray. Okay?”
Brodie was on the phone, telling someone their GPS coordinates and asking them to get down here as soon as possible. “Call the hospital and see if I can land,” she heard him say.
“Brodie?”
“I’ll fly him over, Peyton.” He motioned with his head to Finn’s leg.
She could see bone protruding. The break was bad, and her little boy had to be in terrible pain.
“Peyton! What happened?” Her mother rode up, jumped off her horse, and ran over to Finn, who was still in Brodie’s arms. “Brodie, hello.” She was out of breath, concern etched on her forehead. That’s where Peyton’s worry showed too. Her mom held her hand and squeezed.
“Someone is coming to get Finn, and Brodie is going to fly him to the hospital!” Jamison announced.
“Well, he’s quite a hero, isn’t he? And so is Finn.” Her mother smiled at them. “And you too, Jamison. I bet you’re the one who called for help.”
Jamison’s chest puffed out at his grandmother’s words.
“There’s Naught,” Brodie told her. “I’ll get him settled on the rear passenger seat. You get in the front.” He looked up at her mom. “Mrs. Wolf, could you and Jamison take our horses to the barn, then meet us at the hospital?”
Jamie looked at his grandmother. “Ready, Grandma?”
“Are you sure?” Peyton asked Brodie.
“I’m not certain what you’re asking, but I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“I meant?—”
“I know what you meant, Peyton. And you know what I meant too.”
“We good?” he said to Naughton when he pulled up in an SUV.
“Yep. Mad’s on it.”
“I get to fly in a helicopter?” Finn winced, but Brodie held him close.
“You sure do. Your mom will be my copilot. Naughton here is going too. Do you know Naughton?”
“No, but I don’t know you, either.”
Brodie laughed, doing his best not to jostle Finn’s little body. “I’m Brodie, Finn. We’ll shake later, okie-dokey?”
“Oh, you’re Brodie.” Finn looked over at his mother and smiled. “He’s nice, Mom, and he flies helicopters and rides, too. And he owns a vineyard.”
“The vineyard isn’t technically mine, only partially. Some of it belongs to Naught and our other brother, Maddox, and our sisters. But really, the ranch belongs to our parents.”
“So it used to be Kade’s too, right?”
Brodie flinched, but not enough for anyone to notice. Peyton wouldn’t have if she hadn’t been staring at him.
“Sure did. Bet you miss Kade, don’t ya?”
“Yeah,” Finn said softly. “Bet you do too.”
“You got that right.”
Brodie slid Finn into Naughton’s arms and climbed inside the SUV. Once he was in, Naughton handed Finn to him. Brodie sat in the center of the seat, so he could get Finn’s leg positioned as comfortably as possible.
“Hey, Finn, did you know the guys used to call Kade ‘Doc’?”
“No, why?” came his little voice.
“He was what you call a physician’s assistant,” Brodie explained. “So if a doctor wasn’t there, Kade could help if someone got injured.”
“He helped when doctors were there, too,” Naughton added, looking over at Peyton. “You okay, Mama?”
“I’m okay Thank you for coming out to get Finn, and helping us.” She glanced at Brodie holding her son. “I don’t know what we would’ve done if you hadn’t been out there. Thank you, Brodie.”
“It’s what family does, right, Naught?”
“That’s right.”
Peyton faced forward when her eyes filled with tears.
Naughton maneuvered the truck over the terrain, doing his best to minimize jarring bumps. Peyton turned in her seat and watched as Brodie absorbed what Naughton couldn’t avoid, keeping Finn as still as he could. The ten minutes it took to get to the landing pad felt so much longer. However, if Brodie hadn’t been out riding, Peyton couldn’t fathom how they would’ve transported Finn to the hospital.
Naughton got out of the truck and climbed into the helicopter. Brodie eased Finn onto a small stretcher and his brother fastened a harness around her boy, being as gentle as he could.
Brodie leaned forward, reached for the strap, and brought it over her head. His forehead briefly rested against hers. “You okay?”
“I will be. Again, I can’t thank you enough, Brodie.”
His lips brushed against hers for an instant and shut her in.