Chapter 18 #2
Then he gave her a long, lingering kiss, causing her toes to curl and the butterflies in her belly to take flight.
“I love you very much,” he finished. “Come on inside. I’m starving.”
Chance already had all the ingredients chopped and diced for their omelets.
“I hope you don’t mind a little green peppers added in.”
“Not at all,” she replied, watching as he melted butter in two different skillets, ready to watch and learn. “Medium heat?”
“Nope. Medium high.”
Chance added everything but the eggs into the pans and began to stir, saying, “It takes about five minutes for the onions to soften up enough. And for the ham to caramelize.”
As they waited, he cracked eggs into a bowl and stirred rapidly, telling her not to over stir them.
Reducing the heat to medium-low, he poured some of the eggs into each frying pan, pushing around the other ingredients with a spatula so everything was evenly distributed. He seasoned both with salt and pepper and then ran a spatula around the edge of both omelets.
“Now, it’s time to add the cheese,” and he did so, sprinkling grated cheese liberally into the cooking egg mixture.
“It takes another five minutes or so to finish,” he shared. “You want the top wet but not runny.”
When done, Chance folded the omelet over and plated one for each of them as she poured orange juice for them both, along with cups of coffee.
After her first bite, Summer said, “This is heavenly. You could open a diner and serve only breakfast foods, and there’d be a line out the door.”
“I’d rather be a rancher,” he drawled.
Once they’d finished eating and cleaning the kitchen, they headed to the stables. Chance saddled Duchess for her and Rebel for him, and they set out. Over the next couple of hours, they rode the entire perimeter of the ranch, finding several patches of bluebonnets growing wild.
“I love bluebonnets,” she told him. “I missed seeing them during those years in New York. Mom would have Dad take her on a drive so she could send pictures to me of patches of them along the highway. New York is good about reserving green spaces in the city. You can see all kinds of flowers, no matter what the season, but I missed my bluebonnets.”
“Remember that song they taught us in elementary school?” Chance asked, and he begin to sing.
Though I love dear Texas in summer and fall
But bluebonnet time is the best time of all.
“I didn’t know you could sing, Chance,” she said. “You have a really nice, rich voice.”
“Thanks. I sing to the cattle sometimes. It soothes them.”
She smiled flirtatiously. “You can sing to me anytime, Cowboy.”
They came to an old oak, and Summer saw something sitting at the base of it.
“Let’s stop here,” he said, dismounting and tying Rebel’s reins to a nearby bush. He did the same with Duchess’ reins and then led Summer to the old oak.
“We’re going to have a picnic,” he declared. “I was going to make us the food, but Maria told me she would do it. She put everything in a basket and got a blanket, too, and had Zeke bring it out here.”
“You’re lucky to have her and Zeke. They really have stepped in and taken up the slack.”
“I miss Tammy, but you’re right. Zeke and Maria have fit in really well with everyone. And it’s nice to have kids on the ranch again. Joaquin is teaching the kids to ride, and Matteo has already told me that he wants to be a cowboy when he grows up.”
Chance unfolded the blanket and snapped his wrists, letting it unfurl before resting it on the ground.
They set a rock on each corner to keep it in place, and then he began pulling out their lunch from the basket.
Maria had made chicken salad sandwiches and had included a fruit salad and bags of chips.
Two mason jars containing iced tea were also in the basket.
When they finished their sandwiches, Chance pulled out a container with chocolate chip cookies.
He talked about how he had recently promoted Buck Overton to be Blackstone Ranch’s manager and how that would change things.
“Change how?” she asked. “What will Buck be involved with?”
“He’ll have a helluva lot more responsibility than he previously did.
He’ll manage the feeding and breeding programs. Administer vaccines to both the horses and cattle.
Be in charge of predator and feral hog control.
Maintain all the equipment himself or oversee the help in doing so. That kind of thing.”
“That’s quite a bit. What will you do? I know you’ve been in charge of overseeing the ranch.”
“More paperwork. I’ll keep the records in Cattlemax, which is a software program.
Buck will use it, too, to keep track of things on his end.
I use it for financial information. Sales and purchases.
The ranch’s income and expenses. The software helps you make more informed decisions and can even predict ranching income.
I’ll also be solely responsible for handling salaries, workers’ benefits, insurance.
That kind of thing. In essence, I’ll be the face of the ranch, working on marketing, sales, shipping, and storage, while Buck will manage the hands, the herds, and the hauling and equipment.
He’ll generate weekly reports for me, so I’ll continually be in the loop. ”
She frowned. “It sounds as if you’ll be more of a businessman than a rancher.”
“It’s true that I won’t be out on the land as much, but it’s time for me to give Buck the responsibility and title of ranch manager, as well as the salary.
He’s put in the time and deserves it. I’ve made plans to build him a cabin of his own.
A ranch manager needs to be separate from the ranch hands.
Kelby has been shouldering a lot of the marketing for me ever since Dad passed.
While she’ll still maintain our website and social media accounts, I need to take some of what she’s been doing off her plate, especially with the baby coming around the corner. ”
“Will you be happy doing this?”
He leaned over and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear.
“I can always get out on the land when I want to. Or when I’m needed, especially at times like branding.
That’s an all hands on deck situation.” He smiled.
“I’m hoping it’ll give me more time with you.
The ranch is important—but you’re more important to me, Summer. ”
Hearing him say that made her spirits soar. He had become the most important thing in her life, but to know that Chance felt the same way let her know she was on the right path to a future with him.
They packed everything back into the basket, and she thought they would resume their ride, but he leaned his back against the tree and told her they had all the time in the world.
Chance stretched out his legs and pulled her down so that her head rested in his lap.
As they talked, he absently combed his fingers through her hair.
It soothed her, yet at the same time, it was very sensual.
They talked about everything, from the latest pages she had written to how Jen was settling in, working with Kelby.
She thought today was absolutely perfect.
The mild weather. Being in one another’s company.
Then Chance looked at her in a way that told her he had something important to say.
“You’ve been spending a lot of your nights at the ranch,” he began. “I like that. A lot. But I’m ready to make things permanent.”
He paused, looking down at her with love shining in his eyes. “I’m not a man who spouts flowery words, but I know what’s in my heart. I love you, Summer Sutherland. I want to spend all my nights with you. Forever.”
Chance lowered his lips to hers, the kiss tasting of the future they would live.
In love.
He broke the kiss. “So, what do you say, my little ray of sunshine? Are you ready to start a new chapter of your life with me? Be my partner and my love?”
She beamed up at him. “I’ve never been happier in my life. You make me happy, Chance. You make me believe that I can do anything. And that we can do anything together. Yes, I will marry you. A thousand, million, bazillion times yes!”
Chance lifted her, placing her in his lap. He gave her the sweetest, most tender kiss they had ever shared.
“I’m ready whenever you are, babe. Just say the word. Whatever kind of wedding you want. Big. Small. In-between. Wherever you want it to be, I’m with you every step of the way.”
Summer kissed him. “I don’t want fancy. I’d like to be married here at Blackstone Ranch.
To speak our vows in the place we’ll live for the rest of our lives.
I hope we can do it soon. I’m not someone who needs a lot of frills.
Just a simple ceremony.” She grinned. “And maybe a really big party afterward.”
Chance kissed her enthusiastically. “I knew I was marrying the right gal. How about we get hitched right here, under this old oak tree?”
“I like that idea. It’s very sentimental. And we can come here whenever we want and celebrate our love. I wouldn’t mind getting married here as quickly as possible. After all, Kelby will be having the baby soon, and we both want her here. I only want one attendant. Autumn.”
“And I want West as my best man. Just a few close friends and family then.”
He pulled out his phone. “I know we’ll need to find someone to officiate the ceremony.”
“Oh, I’ll bet Judge Stowe, Dad’s golfing buddy, would find a spot in his calendar for us. Let’s check with him before we make any more plans.”
“Sounds good to me.” He gave her a lingering kiss. “Want to head back to the house? I think our engagement calls for a celebration.”
She smiled. “Would this celebration be happening in bed?”
Chance shrugged. “In bed—if we make it that far.”
Summer laughed as he brought them both to their feet.
“Let’s see just how creative you can get, Cowboy.”
A slow, sexy smile spread across his face. “You’re on.”