Chapter Five – Ladd
Ladd
When I showed Vivianne the hunter’s cabin, I couldn’t help but notice how she smiled when she saw it. She didn’t turn up her nose or ask why I wouldn’t want to live in a bigger house. She said it was perfect.
If things went the way I planned this week, it would be our house next summer.
We turned back onto the main road of the ranch and drove a bit more before I turned right and headed to my parents’ house. Once it came into view, Vivianne gasped.
“Ladd! That’s the house you grew up in? That’s the house Lawrence built for Sarah?”
I smiled. “That is the house.”
The two-story ranch house was in full view now.
The sun was just starting to set, casting a red glow on the house and the trees behind it.
It was a phenomenon that didn’t always occur, but when the sun was positioned just right in the sky and the clouds were at just the right density, the sunset cast the entire valley in an orange-red glow.
It was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.
“I’ve never seen anything so amazing in my life,” Vivianne whispered as I pulled in and parked behind my father’s truck.
“There are certain times of the year when the sky turns that orangish-red like this, and it paints everything this incredible color.” I helped her out of the truck, then turned her by the shoulders. “Look at the river.”
The river was a good bit down the hill from the house, but the colors of the sunset reflected off the waters.
Vivianne put a hand on her chest and slowly shook her head as she said, “I’d never want to leave this place.”
Placing a hand on her lower back, I said, “Come on, let’s get inside. I’ll come back out to get the luggage.”
We weren’t more than two steps up the porch when the door flew open and Mom rushed out. “You’re here! We held off on dinner, hoping you’d arrive in time to eat with us.”
I held out my arms and hugged my mother, then kissed her on the cheek and took a step back. She engulfed Vivianne in a tight hug, as well.
“You didn’t have to wait for us to eat. I pulled off and showed Viv my favorite spot on the ranch. If I’d known you were putting off dinner, I would have come straight home.”
My mother waved off my concern with a flick of her wrist before wrapping Vivianne’s arm in hers and leading her into the house.
“Ladd, get your luggage,” she called over her shoulder.
I stood there, mouth hanging open as I watched Mom steal my girlfriend and sweep her into the house.
My father stepped onto the porch, laughing at my expression. “Let’s get the luggage before my nuts freeze off!” he said. Then it was my turn to laugh.
Once the luggage was put in the appropriate rooms, mine and the guest room, I made my way to the kitchen.
I could hear laughter floating up the steps and couldn’t help but smile.
I heard my grandmother, Lilith, my mother, and what sounded like David.
He’d left right at the beginning of our holiday break to come home and help our father around the ranch.
I’d waited a few days, so I could travel with Vivianne, who still had a couple shifts at the pizza place and didn’t want to leave them in a jam.
The house that I called home my entire life had been remodeled a few times since my great-grandfather had built it.
Mostly to modernize it. The layout hadn’t been touched; well, except for the sunroom that my mother and father had added.
There was something nice about knowing previous generations had grown up in this very house.
That tradition would stop with me and my brothers.
I highly doubted any of us would want to move in with our parents once we were married. I knew I didn’t want that.
The hunter’s cabin had been well cared for under my father’s hand, and there really wasn’t a whole lot I needed to do to finish fixing it up.
Last summer when I was home for a few weeks, David and I worked on updating the bathroom as well as the fixtures.
This next summer I’d be putting in appliances.
Knowing that Vivianne liked it just from the outside view was a relief.
I planned on asking her to marry me and we’d be starting our life together in that cabin.
And if my plans went as I hoped, I’d need all the money I could spare in the immediate future for the store, so my dream home on the ranch would have to wait a few years.
When I walked into the large kitchen, I grinned. Sitting at the oversized table in the breakfast area was Vivianne, my mother, grandmother, and our neighbor, Liz Tucker, who also happened to be my mother’s best friend.
All of them were laughing as David stood there, a perplexed expression on his face.
“What’s going on?” I asked, walking over to stand next to him.
“I have no idea. I said one thing and they all started laughing.”
I looked from him to the women, who were still laughing, then back to him. “What did you say?”
He shrugged. “I don’t even remember, if I’m being honest.”
Dad walked by and hit David on the back. “Don’t worry, son. This won’t be the last time a woman makes you forget what you were saying.”
I laughed and reached for a carrot from the veggie tray my mother had made up. The entire table was covered with plates containing various foods. Pasta salad, veggies, fruit, dips, chips, you name it, and it was there.
“Mom, did you cook for an army?” I asked with a laugh.
She glanced at the table. “These are just the pre-dinner snacks. I’ve got a meatloaf in the oven.”
“I haven’t had meatloaf in so long,” Vivianne said.
“You’re in for a real treat then,” David said. “Our mom makes the best meatloaf in the entire state of Colorado.”
My mother’s brows lifted as Liz nodded. “He’s not kidding. It really is the best I’ve ever had.”
Mom waved everyone off. “Don’t be silly. The potatoes are done. Gus, would you do the honors?”
“Sure thing,” he said before he kissed her cheek and moved to the kitchen to make the mashed potatoes.
I sat down next to Vivianne. “My father is the head mashed potatoes guy.”
David nodded.
“Why is that?” Vivianne asked.
I shrugged. “Why is Dad always the one who makes the mashed potatoes, Mom?”
She’d left the table and was now stirring what I guessed was gravy. “He’s just always made them, not sure why.”
“I know why,” my father replied. “The first time you ever made them, you put so much milk into the pot that it was like potato soup.”
My mother stopped stirring and glanced at my father, clearly confused, before the memory must have returned—then she burst into laughter. “That’s right! Oh my gosh, I forgot all about that. And you still ate them, Gus.”
“Dad, you ate runny mashed potatoes?” David asked, wrinkling his nose.
My father poured some milk into the potatoes, then started to add pepper as he answered my brother. “Hell yes, I did. I was head over heels in love with the woman. We’d just gotten married, and it was her first time making them. Besides, I just told myself it was potato soup.”
Everyone started to laugh, and a warm feeling moved through me. Seeing Vivianne sitting here among some of the people I loved made my heart swell in my chest.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Vivianne asked.
“You’re a guest, you just sit there and enjoy yourself,” Mom said.
“Trust me, Nellie’s the type of host who won’t let you do anything. I should know, I’ve known her nearly my entire life,” Liz mock complained.
Vivianne smiled. “That’s so nice. I take it you both grew up here in River Falls?”
“We did,” Nellie replied, before popping an olive into her mouth. “Our mothers were best friends. We were thrown together from the time we were born. They even used to dress us up in matching outfits and take our pictures.”
“I think that’s amazing. What a wonderful gift that is, to have a lifelong friend like that,” Vivianne said wistfully.
Liz nodded. “You’ll get to meet my daughter while you’re here, Vivianne. She goes to the same school as you and the boys.”
“Really?” she asked. “What year is she in?”
“She’s a senior this year as well.”
Vivianne turned and looked at me. “Have I met her?”
I smiled. “Yeah. Liz’s daughter is Mary, you met her at that poker party we had a couple months ago.”
Vivianne’s eyes went wide. “Oh my gosh! I adored Mary!”
“David, Ladd, please set the dining room table. Dinner’s ready,” Mom said.
I kissed Vivianne on the cheek before standing. Looking at Liz, I asked, “Would you mind showing Viv where the dining room is?”
Liz stood. “Not at all. Let’s go, Vivianne. They won’t let us help with anything, believe me.”
Vivianne looked at my mother and asked, “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive.”
Liz linked her arm with Vivianne, and they soon slipped out of the kitchen.
“I know we’ve already met Vivianne, but I have to say, I like her,” my father said as I walked up behind David and waited for him to hand me the plates.
Smiling, I replied, “I’m glad, because I do as well.”
“She’s beautiful, and so polite. I’m glad she decided to join us for Christmas.”
David handed me the plates before he started grabbing silverware. “She fits in already. Did you see the way Liz whisked her away?”
We all laughed as my mom handed David a basket of bread.
“If you’ll put that on the table as well,” Mom said, before turning to my father. “Gus, will you get the salad and all the fixings? I’ll take the meatloaf out and let it rest while I get the mashed potatoes into a bowl.”
Dad kissed my mother on the cheek. “Will do, sweetheart.”
Once all the food was on the dining room table, my father motioned for everyone to hold hands as he led a quick prayer of thanks.
“Where are Mike and Jason?” I asked as we all started to dig into the food.
Dad answered. “Football practice.”
“On their holiday break?” David asked. “That’s new.”
My father handed Vivianne the bowl of mashed potatoes. “Didn’t they tell you? They’re undefeated in the conference. They’re going to state.”
“I can’t even tell you the last time either of them called or sent a letter to me or David,” I replied to my father. “That’s great news, though.”
“Will they have to practice all through the break?” Vivianne asked.
“No,” my mother replied. “Today is the last day, then they’re off. I do believe they have to keep working out, though.”
“They get enough working out by working this ranch,” Dad added.
“I bet they’ll be glad to see us back home, then,” I said with a grin. Turning to Vivianne, I said, “Living on a ranch means getting up early and getting right to work.”
“Lots to do,” Dad said with a wink.
“Can I help while I’m here? I would love to see what goes into running a ranch.”
Everyone looked at her before my mother finally answered. “Of course you can. But trust me, you’d rather be here in the kitchen with me, making breakfast.”
“Dad, I meant to ask, Vivianne hasn’t ever ridden a horse before. Do you think Spirit would be a good choice for her first riding lesson?”
My father thought for a moment. “I’d say Spirit or Wonder Bread.”
“I’m sorry, Wonder Bread? Is that the name of the horse?” Vivianne asked.
“Yes, it is, and you can thank this one for the name,” my father replied, pointing to me. “He was the one in the barn when he was born. If you’re in the barn when a foal is birthed, you get the honor of naming them. Ladd named him Wonder Bread.”
Vivianne raised a brow, glancing at me. “Why?”
“He was pure white when he was born, and it was the first thing I thought of.”
“That poor horse,” she said as she laughed.
David laughed as well. “He really was white when he was born. Never seen anything like it before. Not a spot of color on him anywhere.”
“That’s rare?” Vivianne asked.
My dad nodded. “It is. Luckily, he doesn’t have LWO. Vet tested him, and he just has dominate white genes, which is very uncommon.”
“LWO,” I said to Vivianne, “is Lethal White Overo syndrome. It’s a genetic condition that affects the development of their intestinal tract, and it’s always fatal.”
Her eyes went wide. “Were you worried he had that?”
“I wasn’t aware of it until Dad told me about it.”
Feeling relieved, I said, “I’m glad Wonder Bread doesn’t have it.”
I smiled. “So were we. He’s nearly twelve now, right, Dad?”
Dad nodded. “He’ll turn thirteen next month. He’s one of the best horses we’ve ever had. He’s sweet as can be, but put him to work getting the cattle somewhere, and he becomes a whole other horse. Focused on his job.”
“He’s a great horse.”
“Could I possibly ride him for my first lesson? I think it’s kind of special that you were there when he was born and named him.”
I smiled. “I think he’d be perfect for the job.”
Vivianne smiled back at me as the rest of the table broke out into a conversation about which would be the best path to use for Vivianne’s first ride.
There was something so special about sitting around this table, at the holidays, with the woman I loved.