Chapter 21
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
Gretchen
“This is going to be so exciting!” Livy exclaims when she finds me sitting at a table.
I’m a little overwhelmed right now since we still have the members from two other chapters roaming around.
While I’ve enjoyed the company of the other ol’ ladies, I’m still in the ‘getting to know you’ phase with the women who are here in West Texas.
Still, I won’t disrespect Doc by being a bitch, so I put a smile on my face and nod.
“I’m not surprised at all, just a tiny bit stunned,” I admit. “But sex without protection usually causes pregnancy, so there’s that to keep in mind.”
She snickers then says, “I honestly think these men have super swimmers or something. I half expect every month that I’ll be saying the same thing.”
“Well, if you end up in this same position, at least they’d be close in age,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood.
“We do need more babies around here,” Issy states, plopping down in one of the empty chairs. “Gotta raise up the next generation of Kings, after all.”
“Gonna wait a little bit longer,” Shelly quietly says. “I’m not sure… I’m not sure if I’ll ever be ready again.”
I reach over and take her hand in mine. She shared her past with me while she was doing my tattoo and my heart shattered for what she endured. “You take whatever time you need, Shelly,” I whisper. “And if y’all decide you want to have pets instead, well, that’s okay too.”
“No, I want Abyss to have a little princess,” she admits.
Deciding to change the subject, I look at Gwynee and ask, “Did he tell y’all when you were heading home yet?
If you’re still here on Saturday, you should definitely come to the farmer’s market.
It’s not just fresh, locally grown produce, there are tables with craft breads, jams and jellies, even homemade quilts. ”
I see Gwynee’s eyes light up and she starts nodding. “I’ll be asking Big Daddy if we can wait until Sunday. I mean, I know he’s going to stop at Buc-ee’s again so I can get a few more things I saw, so I don’t wanna push the issue.”
“Somehow, I think with you, he’ll give in,” Issy states. “That’s how most of these guys seem to operate.”
“You’re speaking the truth,” Van, Riptide’s ol’ lady replies. “Although in my case, it’s Icer who spoils the kids.”
Letti laughs and it’s so infectious, we all join in. “If you knew how many times I’ve stopped him from getting ‘just one more thing’, you’d probably have a stroke,” she says to Van. “At the rate he finds clothes for both Elodie and little G, you’re almost set until they’re several years older.”
Van shrugs and says, “He loves them, plain and simple. I won’t deny anyone who loves them with a pure heart.”
“I get it,” I reply. Turning to Gwynee, I ask, “How is the weather here different compared to California?”
“The heat is definitely different, more dry, that’s for sure,” she exclaims. “My poor hair may never recover from the change in climate.”
Issy shrugs and says, “That’s why God invented hair clips and headbands. Oh, and hats! Because the humidity in Texas is absurd. For someone who is relatively a no-fuss kind of girl, I use a ton of product in my hair to keep it somewhat tamed.”
“My mom used to braid mine when I ran cross country and track,” I admit. “It helps, that’s for sure, but it is frustrating when you spend all that time in front of the mirror and the minute you step outside, it starts going wild.”
“I feel like an alpaca who got shocked,” Gwynee adds, giggling. “But outside of the humidity, it’s pretty here.”
“It is and it’s one of the reasons we tend to wait until later in the day to do much of anything,” I reply. “Plus, to make sure we’re always cool, I think Rio recently replaced the generator on the clubhouse in case we lose power.”
“So, what are our plans today? I think the men are planning to go for another ride or something,” Gwynee asks.
“I thought I’d show y’all around the barns so you can see what we do here at the Triple R,” Issy replies. “Oh, and also where we hold the rodeos. And if you want, I’ll let Starlight run the barrels. She’s retired now, but she still enjoys showing off.”
“We’re going to see the horses?” Elodie questions, her attention pulled away from the puzzle she’s doing on a tablet.
“Yes, we are,” Zoey, her mom, says.
Issy leans over and whispers, “They like apples and carrots, so if you’re really good, I’ll let you help me give them out.”
“I’ll be so good, I promise!” Elodie exclaims.
“I honestly never thought horses could move that fast,” I say as Issy runs through the barrels that are permanently set up so she can practice with her rodeo horse, Stargazer.
Right now, true to her word, she’s riding Starlight, who has apparently won her quite a lot of ribbons and prize money over the years while competing all over the country.
“I knew but I’ve only ever seen them on tv, never in person,” Van replies. “Gotta say, I’m pretty impressed by all of it, to be honest. It’s obviously a lot of hard work on everyone’s part.”
“It is, but that’s what makes it so rewarding, when you see what your labor has produced,” Luis, one of the ranch hands, states.
“When Paps built this ranch, he envisioned a multi-purpose property. The front has the big house and the clubhouse, of course, but every barn that’s out here has a purpose, and when he got the chance to buy more land so he could put in a facility to offer on the rodeo circuit, that opened the doors for them to start breeding both bulls and horses.
Issy often offers riding classes to the kids whose moms are staying at Hope House.
She’s done a lot of studying on the positive effects of equine therapy, and from what the therapist who works there has shared, it’s really helped. ”
I nod along with what he’s saying, having witnessed so many aspects of the ranch since coming here weeks and weeks ago.
It’s truly a paradise on earth, and I credit the fresh air and sunshine with helping me regain my strength so quickly.
I may not be able to run like I did before I got hurt, but I spend a lot of time walking.
Doc added some weight training and up until everyone arrived, we’ve been faithfully working out four times a week.
“I may have to see if Big Daddy is willing to come when you guys hold the next rodeo,” Gwynee says.
Issy, who has moved closer now that she’s done running the barrels, says, “You let us know and we’ll make sure we’ve got you set up.”
“You don’t catch a lot of shit with the fact that it’s owned and operated by the Kings?” Gwynee questions.
Issy shrugs. “I honestly have no clue, but I can say this much. Some of the folks in the community who felt that the brothers here were ‘just bikers’ have had their asses handed to them during various events, up to and including bull riding.”
My eyes grow wide as I wonder who would willingly get on the back of a bull in an attempt to ride it for a mere eight seconds, all while it bucked and jerked around trying to kill them.
That’s definitely not the sport for me and I pray it’s not one that Doc indulges in because I might have to put my foot down.
“Really?” I ask.
“Yep. Pretty much every patched brother first came around as a ranch hand, and first Paps, and now Rafe, watched them to see if they would make good brothers or not. Some didn’t make the cut, and they still work the ranch to this day, while others did, but none of them have forgotten their roots and they often take the horses out or even work with Luis and Pancho when they’re moving livestock.
It’s a working ranch, plain and simple, and while most of the men have traded in their stirrups and Stetsons for leather and chrome, when there’s a need, it’s all hands on deck,” she explains.
“Constance said it’s family here and I really like that,” I say. “I have no problem pitching in wherever I’m needed, as long as it doesn’t involve the bulls.”
Everyone bursts out laughing at my comment but I’m dead serious. They look like evil incarnate, with their snorts and hooves scratching the ground. “I think you’ll have your hands full once the locals taste what you’re able to make,” Issy replies, grinning at me.
“We’ll see,” I murmur.
Issy’s phone rings and she answers it, a grin on her face.
“Uh huh, yeah, we’re out at the barrels.
Okay, that’s fine, y’all have fun and keep the shiny side up.
” When she hangs up, she looks at us and says, “We’re on our own for dinner, ladies, so let’s go see what we can rustle up out of whatever’s left. ”