CH 26 - #yet
#yet
Luke
Song: “Found My Forever” by Sam Sagewood
“I’ll be back Saturday night,” I said, stroking Madison’s soft cheek.
“You’ll get to meet my sister on Sunday before she goes back to Dallas.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Are you and Hayden excited about going to see your mom?”
“Yep. We’ve both missed her a lot.”
“I know she’s missed her boys.”
“She has.”
Madison took a deep breath as she looked over my face. “I want to thank you again for spending so much time with Bella this week, taking her for rides on Casper, letting her pet the cows, and also for taking her fishing. I never knew there was a pond on this ranch until you told me about it.”
“I’m just glad you went with Bella and me. It was as much fun watching her fish as it was watching you. I couldn’t believe you’d never done it before.”
Madison held up her hands. “I’m from Dallas, so…”
“You’re less and less a city girl every day. I like it too.”
“So do I. I never thought I’d say this, but this ranch feels like home to me. It’s beautiful here in a unique way; the sunsets are stunning, and it’s so peaceful.”
“Sounds like you’ve fallen in love with it.”
“I have.”
“What about me?”
“Maybe,” she said, grinning.
“Those emerald eyes of yours are telling me definitely.”
“Those long-lashed hazel eyes of yours are telling me that you’ve definitely fallen in love with me.”
“Because I have.”
The expression on Madison’s face turned serious. “I know we’ve been flirting with this matter, but in reality, how could you be in love with me so soon?”
“I could ask you the same question.”
“You just did in a roundabout way.”
I grabbed her right hand and placed it on my chest over my heart.
“All I know is how I feel about you. You’re in my dreams every night.
You’re the first thing on my mind when I wake up in the morning.
I want to give you all my time, and I would if I could.
My eyes miss you when we’re apart. My ears miss hearing your voice.
I miss holding you in my arms, kissing your lips, smelling your skin, and loving your beautiful body with mine.
I love the laughter we share, the things we have in common, how phenomenal you treat me… I could go on and on.”
Tears were brimming in Madison’s eyes like they were in mine.
“Tell me you love me, Luke. I need to hear you say it.”
I cradled her face in my hands and stared straight at her. “I love you. I’m in love with you. I’m crazy about you. I also love your little girl. If I had it my way, you and Bella would never leave this ranch, and neither would I. You two would be stuck with me from here on out.”
“I wouldn’t want to be stuck with anybody else. I know Bella wouldn’t either.”
I nodded. “Now, I need to hear you tell me you love me.”
“Luke Harrison, my ruggedly handsome cowboy whom I never imagined meeting—I love you. I’m in love with you.
I’m crazy about you and crave you all the time.
I dream about you, too, and wake up thinking about you, anxious to see you again.
You came into my life out of nowhere and turned it all around for the better. I’ve never been so happy.”
“Neither have I.”
I leaned in and kissed Madison, holding my forehead to hers afterward, both of us taking deep breaths.
Being apart from her for the next day and a half would be torturous, but I needed to see my mom.
I would know at once how she was truly doing since losing my dad.
It was easy for her to act like she was doing alright over the phone, but that wouldn’t work in person with me.
Madison left my cabin to go back to the ranch house.
Watching her go down my driveway in her BMW as the sun set, my heart ached.
I had never felt this way toward any woman, and I’d been with several.
With Madison, it was as if she were born to be mine, and I was born to be hers.
We just fit, despite my country raising and her city one. She was my forever.
Thinking even more about it, a song popped into my head that I hadn’t heard in a while, but liked when it came out: “Found My Forever” by Sam Sagewood.
The first time I heard it, I imagined meeting a woman who made me feel as the lyrics described.
Little did I know that a few months later, I would finally meet her, and that she would have gorgeous long red hair, emerald eyes, creamy skin, a smile that slayed me, a kiss that I felt all the way down to my toes, a body that fit mine perfectly, and pure love to give me, even though she was still nervous about it.
I was nervous about loving her, too. I hoped what I had to give to her would be enough to keep her.
She and I were already so deep into each other that I couldn’t imagine losing her.
I would be devastated if it ever happened.
Me: Hayden and I are leaving the ranch at 8:00 a.m. We’ll see you around 10.
Mom: I can hardly wait to hug my sons’ necks.
Me: Do you need me to bring you anything?
Mom: Would you mind lending me your dad’s bible? I know he left it to you, but I would enjoy going through it and seeing his notes and highlights.
Me: I’ll bring it. It’ll be yours from now on.
Mom: Thank you. I love you, my firstborn. You came into this world so strong, and you still are in mind, body, and spirit. I’m so proud of you.
Me: Would you be proud to know I’m in love?
Mom: With Madison?
Me: Yep. She’s in love with me, too. We said those very words to each other a little while ago. I know it’s really soon, but I can help how I feel about her.
Mom: I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself five years from now. Where are you?
I did as my mom said, then texted her.
Me: I’m at some other ranch in Texas, married to Madison. I’ve adopted her little girl, Bella. Madison and I also have a child between us.
Mom: Boy or girl?
Me: What I imagined was a boy with red hair like Madison’s and my eyes, but a girl would be fine too. I’ve had quite a bit of practice at managing one lately because of Bella. She’s tough as a boy, but still girly and adorable like her mother.
Mom: I hope to meet her and Madison before summer is over.
Me: I would like that.
Mom: Thank you for texting me that photo of you and Madison on Casper. You two appear to be a great match. You both look really happy.
Me: We are.
Mom: When are she and Bella going back to Dallas?
Me: I’m not sure. Madison told me that she wants to stay in Amarillo until she didn’t know when. She has the option to do that because she can work remotely.
Mom: Wouldn’t it be something if she put down permanent roots at the ranch?
Me: Yep.
Mom: You’d have your cake and would be able to eat it too, still living where you were born and raised, all while being madly in love.