Chapter 23
Sutton
Ever since Blair’s meeting with Tabitha, it’s been obvious that she has had a lot on her mind. I know she’ll tell me whatever it is when she’s ready though which is why I haven’t pushed her to share.
My guess is that it has something to do with the elephant in the room that we’re both not talking about–what her future past her six-month contract at the hospital may hold.
Because I don’t want to put any pressure on her, I haven’t told her what I already know to be true–wherever she goes, I go.
Whatever she decides, I’ll support her one hundred percent.
She’s my One, my soulmate. The woman has changed the trajectory of my life not once, but twice. There’s no question. As much as I love living on the mountain with my family, Blair is my future. I can’t and won’t live without her again.
All I can hope is that our visit to Starchild will help give her the guidance she needs.
We leave Cooper Ranch before the sunlight has even crept over the mountain, setting out for Spring Haven bright and early so that we can have the maximum amount of time there.
It’s not just us though, Wyatt is tagging along so he can catch up with his family while we’re there.
Wyatt and I take turns driving and just before noon, we drive through the gates of Bull Mountain Ranch and Stud.
Blair leans forward in her seat, peering up through the windshield to look at the majestic twin peaks from which the property gets its name.
“Wow, Wy. This place is beautiful,” she says, her voice filled with awe.
“It’s pretty special. I know Cooper Ranch is my home now, but this place is…” He doesn’t need to say anything else because just like Timber Falls is where my family belongs, Spring Haven means the same to him.
At the end of the long driveway is the main ranch house. The bright white two-story building with bright flower gardens framing the front porch glistens in the sunlight as we come to a stop next to two other trucks just as dirty and well-used as mine.
“This reminds me of home,” Blair says with a smile. “Though our land is flat, you can still see the Rocky Mountains in the distance.” She shoots me a wry grin. “Should’ve known I’d find the love of my life on a mountain.”
I lift her hand and brush my lips against her knuckles, now loving the tingles against my skin whenever I touch her. “I found mine across a Boston quad, I just claimed her on the mountain.”
Wyatt makes a pretend gagging sound. “If you two start makin’ out, I’m out of here,” he says, making us laugh.
Wyatt goes on ahead of us and with my hand in hers, I lead Blair toward the house just as the front door opens and Wyatt’s dad Red and his wife Mags appear to greet us.
“Have you grown taller, kid?” Red says, stepping forward and pulling his son in for a big bear hug. “God, it’s good to see you.”
He lets his son go, letting Mags take his place. “Missed you, Wy.”
“Missed you too.”
Mags lets him go, her eyes falling on the two of us standing behind them. “Sutt, nice to see you again. And who’s your One,” she says, her eyes dancing.
“Blair Littlefoot. It’s nice to meet you. Wy’s been sharing stories about the Ranch on the drive.”
Mags side eyes her stepson. “Oh, he has, has he? I hope they were all good.”
Blair laughs. “Yes. Though I do recall him describing you as someone who puts the S in sassy.”
“Wyatt Grayson, you did not!” she says with a laugh. “I swear, kid. You’re goin’ to be the death of me one day.”
“Not for a damn long time,” Red rumbles, claiming his wife and pulling her into his side again. “Everyone is scattered at the moment. Rhett and Cora wanted to be here, but they’re stuck next door at Sunshine Farm dealin’ with a duck disaster.”
“Another one?” Wyatt asks, brows arched high.
“You think that bird is ever goin’ to stop causin’ havoc? This time he decided to lead some of the puppies astray and now Rhett’s havin’ to go catch them all.”
“Duck?” Blair says. “As in the duck from the books?”
Mags nods. “One and the same. Just be thankful he’s not over here plannin’ his next dastardly deed. He’s got a whole gang of misfits now includin’ his own lady duck and their offspring.”
“Let’s not talk about him. It might conjure him up or somethin’,” Red says with a shudder.
“Anyway, as for everyone else. Landry is with Toby and Dee fixin’ some leaky troughs, and Lee and Colt are checkin’ the breedin’ herd for pregnancies since one of our prized bulls got loose and decided to have a bit too much fun. ”
“Oh my,” Blair says with a giggle.
Red’s eyes crinkle at the sides. “My thoughts exactly. Luckily, he only got in with the girls he was supposed to be with, so it may be unplanned, but not much harm will be done. Worse case, we’ll have a higher feed bill over the winter.”
“What about Star?”
Mag’s gaze falls on Blair. “She’s at her shop in town.
Said for you two to go there when you’re ready.
We thought we’d have a small lunch for y’all now before you head into town to see her.
Since I’ve got to work the dinner shift tonight, I thought we could all meet for an early supper before you hit the road again.
” She looks over to me. “Though y’all are welcome to bed down here for the night before drivin’ back tomorrow. ”
I turn to Blair who melts into my side and tilts her face up to mine. “Whatever you want to do, doctor.”
“Wait, I thought you were the doc?” Red says, brows furrowed.
Wyatt snorts. “They both are. She’s a heart doctor, he’s a head doctor. So together, the whole body is covered.”
I chuckle at that, loving the light that blazes bright in Blair’s eyes as she laughs too.
“Now, did someone say there’s food?” Wyatt says, moving toward the front door. “I’m starvin’.”
“When are you not,” I call out as we all follow after him. I turn to Blair. “You doin’ OK?”
She smiles before lifting up on her toes to give me a quick peck. “I’m with you, so the answer is always.”
Number forty-five of the infinite reasons I love this woman—she always knows the right thing to say.
After leaving Wyatt with his family, I direct my truck back onto the highway and drive to Spring Haven, grabbing a parking spot right outside Starchild’s shop, Happy Auras.
Shutting the engine off, I release my seatbelt and turn her way, giving her fingers a gentle–hopefully reassuring–squeeze. “Can I ask somethin’?”
“Of course,” she replies.
“You seem nervous. You know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. We can just meet her and then look around the town for a while until we meet the others at the diner.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not that. I’ve been wanting to meet Star since Aster told me she lived here, especially after I found out she knows about the Call.
I guess I’m just nervous about what her reading might say now that I know about the prophesy.
It was Star who played a part in me going to Timber Falls and meeting you. ”
“OK…”
She rests her other hand on top of our joined ones.
“I don’t know what today is going to bring and there’s so many things up in the air.
” Her eyes turn intense. “I know we’re actively not talking about what’s going to happen when my contract is up but being here–knowing I’m going to get another reading from her–I can’t help but worry about what she might say. ”
Lifting my arm, I press my palm to her cheek, loving the way she leans into it. “Gorgeous, I love you more than anythin’ in this world.”
“I know. I love you too,” she replies automatically.
“And you’re right, we haven’t talked about it, but we’ve still got time.
There are some hard decisions we’re goin’ to have to make but I don’t want you worryin’ about me in all of this.
I know I don’t ever want to be without you.
That’s a done deal. So, if that means we have to pull up stakes and move somewhere else, you’ve got to know that I’m all in. Where you go, I go.”
She’s already shaking her head before I finish speaking. “Sutton, I can’t ask you to do that. I’d never want you to leave the mountain for me. Cooper Ranch is your home. It’s where you belong.”
“Gorgeous, wherever you are is where I belong. My place is by your side until our time on earth is done. There’s no me without you. Yeah?”
Her glassy gaze locks with mine. “You’re such a good man.”
I lean in and kiss her soft and slow, the warm burn of our kiss washing through me like a flood.
Pulling back, I smile. “How ‘bout we go in and find out what the cards have in store for you. Just know that whatever happens, whatever they say, you’ve got me. Always.”
As if those were the magic words she needed to hear, she takes a deep breath before giving me one last kiss. “OK. Let’s do this.”