Chapter Nine – Ladd #2
Taking her hand in mine, I led Vivianne out of the arena. “So, typically on this side, there’s ranch equipment and such stored in the arena when it’s not in use. On the other side of that long storage area right there, on the outside, are four run-ins.”
“What’s a run-in?”
“It’s a three-sided shelter for the horses to come and go freely to get out of the weather.”
I unlocked the gate that led from the arena area into the stalls. Opening the door, we stepped inside, and Vivianne drew in a deep breath.
“I love that smell.”
“Shit?” I laughed.
“The smell of horses and hay, and maybe yes, their poo.”
To the right, I opened another door. “This is the barn office, and through that door is a bathroom. There’s also a little table with a sink in here.
“Across from this room is the tack room,” I said, as we moved back out into the central aisle of the barn.
“There are six stalls, with an area to wash the horses down on each side of the stables, as well as grain and hay storage through that door. Above all of this is a space to add a small apartment. My father hasn’t done it yet, because he hasn’t seen the need for it.
If we expand with the horses on the ranch, getting into breeding and such, he’ll probably add it, and that’s where the ranch hand for the horses would live. ”
She turned in a circle before approaching a horse in one of the stalls, running her hand down the white-and-brown paint. “So there’s a ranch hand for the cattle side, and one for the horse side, or will be. Who takes care of the horses now?”
“My mother. Well, her and Derek. He’s doing double duty right now.” I smiled. “Hey there,” I said, giving the paint a pat on the side of the neck. “He must be new, I’ve never seen him before.”
“How many horses are on the ranch?” she asked.
“Last I knew, around forty.”
“Wow! What does your family do with them?” she asked before leaning in and kissing the paint on the side of his face.
“Ranch work. Some have been brought in for future breeding, some are just for the family to ride. Those are the ones who get put in the barns each night, and when bad weather rolls in. When we were younger, our mother used to give riding lessons.”
She turned and leaned against the stall door. “I had fun riding today. I hope the weather will clear so we can do it again.”
I walked up and pushed a piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear. “We’ll have another chance.”
Looking up at me with sparkling eyes, she smiled. “What do we do now?”
I felt my entire body heat up. “I know something we could do, but it would be risky.”
The door from the arena into the stall area opened. “Ladd! Vivianne! Mom says it’s time for lunch up at the house.”
“Great timing, Mike!” I called back to him.
The door shut, and I let out a long breath. Vivianne reached up with both hands and cupped my face. “I wouldn’t have had sex in your parents’ barn, Ladd.”
“Then I should stop dreaming of punching my younger brother in the face?”
Giggling, she nodded. “Come on. I’m starved!”
I groaned. “Let me finish showing you the rest of the barn so my dick has time to go down.”
Vivianne giggled while rolling her eyes. “Fair enough.”
After lunch, we spent the rest of the day wrapping up gifts for the kids who’d be here on Christmas Day. Vivianne and my mother had really hit it off, and they were sitting next to one another on the floor, wrapping gifts and chatting away.
My two younger brothers spent more time arguing than they did wrapping anything.
David and my father wrapped at a much slower pace than everyone else, and were consumed with talking about the daily running of the ranch.
Grandma was sitting in a recliner, knitting a blanket.
All of the kids from the orphanage who came on Christmas Day, as well as the older kids who stayed behind, got a blanket.
Grandma and her entire knitting group started making them months earlier, so that each child would have something handmade just for them.
I took it all in as I wrapped. I loved being home, and I was so happy to see how much everyone loved Vivianne. Not that I didn’t think they would.
When I glanced again at Vivianne and my mother, their conversation seemed to have taken a more serious turn, and their voices were so low, no one other than the two of them would be able to hear what they were saying.
A part of me wanted to walk over there and make sure everything was okay. What if Mom was saying something that was upsetting my girlfriend?
I shook that thought from my head. There was no way my mother would do anything to hurt Vivianne or anyone else.
Vivianne suddenly closed her eyes, nodding her head before reopening them. Then she let out a long breath and hugged my mother.
“What’s that all about?” David asked, reaching down and taking the gift I’d still been holding. He put it in a giant bag. “Looked serious for a second.”
“Yeah, it did,” I agreed. I looked up at him. “Is that all the gifts?”
He nodded. “Yep. We got them all wrapped. Dad wants them to stay in the house since so many people know what happens on Christmas Day here. He’s also decided to go out and get the Tiffany ornament, after we got to talking about it.
It probably needs to stay in here, on one of the family trees, before and after the kids leave. ”
“Is he afraid someone would try to break into the arena?” I asked.
He replied quietly, “Someone tried last week. He thinks they were looking for the gifts, but were unfortunately met with just a few bulls in the arena that were pissed off at the world.”
“Are you serious? Dad didn’t mention it to me.”
“He hasn’t even told Mom. He doesn’t want her to worry since she’s got enough on her plate as it is.”
I nodded and glanced back toward my mother and Vivianne. They were now looking at something in a notebook.
“Hey, is everything okay?” David asked.
“I think so, it’s just…Vivianne was crying before the ride this morning, and she’d been with Mom right before. And they’ve been whispering a lot while we’ve all been wrapping presents.”
“Girl stuff, maybe?”
I looked at him. “Girl stuff?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just guessing. I don’t know the first thing about women.”
I snorted. “The same goes for me. But you don’t think Mom would’ve said anything to upset her, do you?”
David stared at me. “Our mother? No way. The moment she first met Vivianne, she liked her. Hell, she invited her home and asked her to help with the event. No way did she make her cry. Why don’t you just ask her, Ladd?”
I nodded. “You’re right. As soon as I can get a moment of alone time with her, I’ll ask. She did mention she wanted to talk to me tonight, and it was after I asked her why she was crying.”
“There you go, then. You’ll find out soon enough. But it wasn’t our mother who upset her. That I would bet my life on.”
I nodded. “You’re right. I know you’re right.”
He slapped my back and said, “I like hearing you say that.”
Rolling my eyes, I started to reply, but our mother spoke first.
“That is the last of the gifts!” Mom declared as she slowly stood, then attempted to stretch while grumbling about how stiff she was, and the fact that she was getting old. Vivianne also stood and started handing packages to my father, who was walking around with a bag, just like David’s.
Once all of the gifts were collected, and Dad, David, and Jason took them to Dad’s office, my mother called for a short break.
“Why don’t we all just take a few minutes before we dive in to cleaning up all of this wrapping paper?”
“Sounds good to me,” Mike said, heading off in the direction of the kitchen.
Vivianne walked over to the window to look outside.
“The snow looks like it’s slowed down some,” I said, wrapping my arms around her.
“It’s so beautiful here, Ladd. See how everything looks so white and clean. And with the sun sinking in the sky, it adds such a beautiful glow to the snow. I could sit here and stare out this window for hours and just get lost in the beauty and serenity.”
I looked outside and smiled. “It is beautiful.”
She turned and leaned against the windowsill. “Do you have an idea of what your dream house will look like?”
“I do.”
“Describe it to me.”
Closing my eyes, I let the image come to mind. “My favorite time of year is fall, and especially at sunset. I see a two-story ranch house sitting up on the hill with the sun casting a reddish glow. Maybe there are shutters on the windows and little potted plant things.”
Vivianne giggled. “Potted plant things?”
I nodded, but kept my eyes closed. “Maybe a small front porch, something simple with a few rocking chairs. You’re sitting in one and I’m sitting in the other.”
I opened my eyes to see her smiling. “I like that vision.”
“So do I.”
Vivianne smiled. “I’d love to see Lilith’s house.”
“I’m sure we can make that happen.”
Glancing over my shoulder, she drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out.
“Viv, is everything okay?”
Her lips pressed together tightly. “I have something I need to tell you, Ladd…and I’m terrified.”
My heart started beating faster. “Did something happen with my mother?”
She stared at me in confusion.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. “I’m so sorry, Viv. We can leave anytime you want. We don’t have to stay through the holidays.”
When I opened my eyes, she was frowning at me now. “What in the hell are you talking about, Ladd Wilde? Why in the world would I want to leave?”