Chapter 19 #2
I kissed the top of Larkin’s head and squeezed her a little harder.
It had been a while since we had embraced.
I was scared it would be the last time. But as I started to let go, she held me fast, refusing to release her grip on me.
I looked down and caught the soft smile on her lips as she stared up at me with something so familiar in her eyes, I forgot the world around us for just a second.
“You should probably kiss me,” she whispered before I had a chance to say something.
And that was exactly what I did. We were still in public, with cameras and bright lights pointed at us.
It wasn’t the kiss I wanted to give her.
I had so much passion for this woman, so much need and desire.
This small connection wouldn’t satisfy me or tell her what was really in my heart.
But the look she gave me when our lips parted was all the approval I needed.
“Like that?” I asked when I finally broke the kiss and she leaned her forehead against me. I needed to hear it, to make sure this moment was what she wanted and that I wasn’t pushing for something that she was going to regret.
“Just like that. Maybe even more than that.” Her smile widened before she finally took a step away and addressed the crowd.
“Apologies for that minor disruption, but rest assured it won’t be happening again.
Let’s turn our attention to what’s important, these young people and the horses who have given them so much strength.
” As she started to talk about what would be coming up next, I stood next to her, my heart feeling fuller than it had in a long time.
“I’ll be sure to give you more of that later,” I whispered in Larkin’s ear before I sent her back into the fray of the event.
Her laughter was soft, but it was there, a sign that maybe things were headed in the right direction for us.
I still wanted more, but I didn’t want it today, not in the spotlight, not until this moment was over and the rescue could truly celebrate without any drama.
We had enough to talk about in the future to work through, but right now, I was just thankful for the smile on her face and the promise in her kiss.
We didn’t do anything that would seem out of place, but I stayed close for the rest of the event, our hands sometimes brushing against each other as we stood and listened.
By the end, there was more to celebrate than just the kids’ accomplishments.
Larkin looked so bright and beautiful, her passion for her work shining through her every gesture and word.
It made me proud, to be near her, to be a part of this with her, and I was struck by how much she had blossomed and come into herself after leaving the ranch and being forced to do this on her own.
As Larkin returned to the kids and their families, I broke off and found the potential donors I had helped bring to the event.
It would have been so easy to let myself fall into the old trap of talking about business, but that wasn’t why I was there tonight.
This was not a networking event. This was not about expanding the footprint of Holt Enterprises. This was about the rescue.
“Gentlemen, let me show you the barn and introduce you to some of our wonderful horses that have been rescued and rehabilitated here. You will have to excuse me, but this place means something to me. The work they do is special, and I am not asking for your money because of connections or obligations, but because I’ve seen the need myself, and I want you to know the value in what you could give to this organization. ”
I saw it in their faces as I walked them through the space, showing off some of our greatest success stories.
These were the kind of men who did charity work, but they always wanted something back for it.
And the most they would take home from tonight was a sense that they had done good.
It wasn’t the way I was used to operating.
There was no benefit to me in getting them here if they weren’t going to write big checks.
And yet, I couldn’t help but smile at the sincerity with which these wealthy individuals interacted with the horses, and how they began to see what I did.
“You’re not the man they say you are in the news, Holt.” That came from the youngest of the three, a tech-billionaire who I had a suspicion was really a horse guy at heart.
“Well, why can’t I be the ruthless cattleman and a philanthropist at the same time?”
He laughed. “The world likes a simple narrative, my friend. I can appreciate the complexity.”
We shook hands, a knowing look passing between us.
The rest of the evening moved smoothly. All three men gave more than they originally committed to and asked for very little in return.
Larkin would never be lacking for resources, and with that taken care of, I finally made my way to the last bit of cleanup and the small staff celebration once we were alone.
“Larkin, come celebrate with us,” I called over the chaos of the barn. She was finishing up one of her tasks, helping some of the kids find their parents and pack their things to go. She turned to look at me with a curious expression on her face. “Please, it’s been a good night.”
“I guess I should.” She looked around, but all the kids were gone, the staff in the last stages of winding down for the evening.
Harlan popped open a bottle of sparkling wine, pouring some into glasses and handing one to each of us. “To you, Lark. This place would not exist if you weren’t driving it forward.”
She smiled, that brilliant smile that lit me up inside. “I couldn’t have done it alone. Thank you, all of you.”
It wasn’t the celebration of a lifetime, but as we all stood, sipping our champagne, the sound of the horses moving in their stalls behind us, I felt something right.
This was the way life should be, with purpose and joy.
Larkins was still talking, giving the little speech she had been preparing.
But I was no longer paying attention to her words, just looking at her and appreciating all of who she was. And that was enough for now.