28. Logan
Chapter 28
Logan
“ W hen did you get so damn heavy?” I swore, hefting my father up the front steps. He was fresh home from the hospital and still too weak to climb them himself. “I thought you lost weight in the hospital?”
“Very funny,” he grunted, trying to help as much as possible.
I managed to get him to the porch and sat him down in his favorite rocking chair. He’d insisted on being put in it straight away, claiming it was the thing he missed most about being home.
“There,” I huffed, tipping my hat back to wipe the sweat from my brow. “Happy?”
“Very,” he nodded, breathing deeply. “Goddamn it feels good to be home.”
“Amen to that,” my mother called, carrying her bag up the stairs. “If I never sleep in a hotel room again, it’ll be too soon.”
“You and me both,” Caroline said, following right behind her. She stopped for a moment to lean down and kiss our father on the forehead. “It’s nice to have you home, Daddy,” she said. “And don’t you go doin’ a think like that again.”
“Yes ma’am,” he smiled, patting her hand as she headed inside.
“That goes double for me,” my mother added.
She hovered in the doorway for just a moment, motioning for me to go sit with my father. I nodded, letting the door fall closed behind her as I took a seat in the other rocking chair beside him.
We sat in silence for a while, the gentle creaking of our rocking chairs the only sound. Pa’s eyes were closed, his face tilted up to catch the warm Texas sun. I could see the tension slowly easing from his shoulders as he breathed in the familiar scent of home.
“Logan,” he said finally, not opening his eyes. “I want you to know how proud I am of you.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Daddy, you don’t have to-”
“No, let me finish,” he interrupted, turning to look at me. His eyes were clearer than they’d been in days. “You stepped up when I couldn’t. Kept this place running. Took care of your ma and Caroline. Saved the ranch. That’s not an easy thing for a man your age.”
I swallowed hard, not sure how to respond. Daddy wasn’t usually one for heartfelt conversations. “I was just doing what was right.”
He opened his eyes then, looking over to me at last. “I… I’m sorry I let this place fall apart so bad. I left such a mess on your plate and somehow… you saved us all.”
I could see the threat of tears in his eyes. It made me choke up. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen that man cry.
“Now don’t you go getting yourself worked up,” I said, trying to hold back my own tears. “The doctor said you gotta take it easy for a while. Everything is fine now. You got nothing to worry about.”
Daddy nodded, his eyes drifting back to the horizon. “I know, son. I know. But I can’t help thinkin’ about how close we came to losing it all. This land... it’s been in our family for generations. Your great-grandaddy built this house with his own two hands.”
I followed his gaze, taking in the familiar sight of rolling prairie stretching as far as the eye could see. The grass was starting to go a little dull as the cold set in for the winter. In the distance, I could see a small herd of our cattle grazing peacefully despite the chill in the air.
“We ain’t gonna lose it, Daddy,” I said firmly. “Not anymore. Dakota and I got it all figured out. The place might change a little, but it’s always gonna be in our family. That I can promise you.”
He turned to me again, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I believe you, son. But I also know it ain’t gonna be easy.”
“Don’t you worry about that,” I grinned. “Caroline and Dakota are both on board. He knows how to run the ranch and she’s gonna bring in some rodeo clients. And our investor is ready to build a training arena as soon as Caroline is ready.” I reached over, patting his hand. “Everything’s paid off. The cattle, the land, the buildings, and the equipment too. The only thing we gotta worry about is keeping the lights on. And between you and me, I don’t think we’re gonna have a problem with that.”
Daddy nodded, those tears still threatening in the corners of his eyes. He reached up, brushing them away before they could fall. “Your accent is comin’ back,” he said simply.
I leaned back in my rocking chair, tipping my hat back. “Yeah. Well, I figured it’s time to stop pretendin’ I’m someone I ain’t,” I replied in an over-exaggerated version of his own Texas drawl.
“Darn tootin’,” he grinned.
We sat in comfortable silence for a while longer, the gentle creak of the rocking chairs a soothing rhythm. The sun was starting to dip low on the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant shades of orange and pink.
The sound of hooves in the distance caught my attention, and I squinted to see a small cloud of dust rising from the pasture. As it got closer, I could make out the shape of Sogwili with Dakota astride her back.
“Looks like Dakota’s back from checking on the herd,” I said, nodding towards the approaching horse.
Daddy grunted in acknowledgment, his eyes still fixed on the sunset. “That boy’s been a godsend,” he muttered. His eyes flicked my way. “You two an item now?”
I felt a warmth spread through my chest at Daddy’s words. It meant a lot to hear him speak so highly of Dakota. “Yeah,” I said proudly, smiling as he approached. “I couldn’t have done any of this without him.” I drew in a deep breath, my heart filling with joy. “I think he’s the one.”
Daddy just beamed. “You couldn’t have made a better catch.”
I nodded. He was right.
As Dakota drew closer, I could see the tension in his shoulders ease. He’d been worried about leaving when my father was due home at last, but I’d assured him it would be fine. Now, seeing us both sitting peacefully on the porch, I could tell he was relieved to see everything and everyone back where they belonged.
He dismounted smoothly, patting Sogwili’s neck before tying her reins to the hitching post. His long hair was windswept, and there was a smudge of dirt on his cheek. Even disheveled, he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen.
“Evening, Mr. Baker,” Dakota said, tipping his hat as he climbed the porch steps. “How are you feeling?”
“Better now that I’m home,” my father replied, his voice gruff but warm. “How’s the herd looking?”
Dakota leaned against the porch railing, crossing his arms as he settled in. “Looking good, sir. We’ve got about two hundred head grazing in the north pasture. They’re healthy and putting on good weight before winter sets in.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Daddy nodded approvingly.
I couldn’t help but smile, seeing the two most important men in my life getting along so well. Dakota caught my eye and gave me a small, private smile in return.
“Logan tells me you two have big plans for the place,” Daddy continued.
Dakota’s eyes widened slightly, darting to me. I gave him an encouraging nod.
“Yes sir,” Dakota said, straightening up. “We’ve been talking about expanding the rodeo training side of things. With Caroline’s expertise and connections, we think we could really make a name for ourselves. She’s already got a bull rider coming out this spring. Colt Dawson, she said his name was? I guess he’s pretty famous.”
Daddy considered this for a moment, rocking slowly. “Sounds like you’ve all put a lot of thought into this. I reckon it’s about time we modernized a bit. Can’t keep doing things the same old way forever.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Daddy’s approval meant everything.
“We won’t let you down, sir,” Dakota said earnestly. “Logan and I, we’re committed to making this ranch the best it can be.”
Daddy nodded, a hint of a smile on his weathered face. “I know you will, son. You’ve already proven yourselves.” He leaned forward in his chair. “And I hope you know, you’re one of the family. Always have been. You’ve been like a second son to me the moment you stepped on this ranch. I know I never said it because I’m not good at that sort of thing… but it’s true.” He leaned back, rocking in his chair, leaving Dakota stunned into silence. “Spending that much time in a hospital makes you realize how many things you left unsaid. I wasn’t gonna waste another chance to say it this time.”
Dakota stood there for a moment, clearly at a loss for words. His eyes glistened with emotion as he swallowed hard. “Thank you, sir,” he finally managed, his voice rough. “That... that means more to me than you know.”
I reached out and squeezed Dakota’s hand, feeling the slight tremble in his fingers. I knew how much my father’s words meant to him, having grown up without a supportive father of his own. All he’d ever wanted was to be loved and accepted. And here on Baker Ranch, that’s all he was ever gonna get.
“Well,” Daddy said gruffly, clearing his throat. “Now that we’ve got all that mushy stuff out of the way, why don’t you tell me more about these rodeo plans? Seems like there’s a lot I need to catch up on.”
Dakota nodded eagerly, pulling up a chair to sit with us. As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, painting the sky in deep purples and blues, we filled Daddy in on all the changes we had planned for the ranch. Dakota’s eyes lit up as he described the new training facilities we wanted to build, his hands gesturing animatedly. He talked about expanding his cabin so we could both live there too. There were so many things he wanted to do now that we didn’t have to worry about debt hanging over our heads. I couldn’t help but smile, watching him come alive as he talked about our shared dreams for the future.
As night fell, the porch lights flickered on automatically, casting a warm glow over us. The air grew cooler, and I noticed Daddy starting to shiver slightly.
“We should probably head inside,” I said, standing up and stretching. “Ma’s gonna have dinner ready soon, and you need to rest, Daddy.”
He nodded, looking tired but content. “You’re right. After everythin’ that woman’s done for me, I don’t want her food to get cold.”
I helped him up and ushered him inside only to return a moment later, joining Dakota as he leaned against the porch railing. The night air was brisk, so I moved in close, wrapping my arm around his waist.
“Well,” I said with a contented sigh. “He’s home. Everything is back to rights again.”
Dakota matched my sigh, leaning his head onto my shoulder. “It feels good.”
“It does.”
We were silent for a long moment, just basking in one another’s presence.
I turned to face Dakota, taking in his profile in the soft glow of the porch light. He looked tired but content, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
“You know,” I said softly, “I never properly thanked you for everything you’ve done these past few weeks. I couldn’t have gotten through all this without you.”
Dakota shook his head, his long hair swaying gently. “You don’t need to thank me, Logan. This place... it’s my home too. I’d do anything for it.” He paused, his brown eyes meeting mine. “For you.”
My heart swelled with emotion. I reached up, cupping his face in my hand. “I love you, Dakota Parker. More than I ever thought possible.”
He leaned into my touch, his eyes closing briefly. “I love you too, Logan Baker. You and this ranch... you’ve given me everything I never thought I’d have. And then some.”
Dakota’s words warmed me to my core. I pulled him closer, our foreheads touching as we stood there in the cool night air. The distant lowing of cattle and the chirping of crickets created a soothing backdrop to our intimate moment. We were home, both of us, and that’s where we’d stay.
“So,” I said, breaking the silence at last. “How was our investor’s first riding lesson today? Was he any good?”
“Jesus H. Christ, no,” Dakota scoffed. “That man took to riding like a cat to tap-dancing.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“It’s not.” He shook his head, looking out over the prairie with me. “But we’ve got all the time in the world to teach him now thanks to his generosity.”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “We do.”