29. Juni
29
JUNI
C ord and I made love throughout the night, which meant at dawn, neither of us wanted to get out of bed.
“I have a meeting scheduled with my crew this morning to let them know I’m leaving town but will be back later this week,” Cord said. He scrubbed his face like he so often did. “I have to admit, based on what Buck and Holt told me, they stepped up to help out in my absence. In fact, Jed, who I’d planned to sack, believing he was in cahoots with Hoss Schultz, proved to be a better foreman than I could’ve predicted.”
“That’s good news, right?”
“Sure is. There are still a few I believe should be shown the door, but rather than making that decision on my own, I intend to get his read on them.”
“I heard there’s a horse auction next week.”
“I heard that too. I’m hoping we can find a few solid geldings to add to the stable.” Cord studied me. “There’s something Gray said that I’ve been meaning to ask you about. ”
I anticipated the question would eventually come. “Go ahead,” I said.
“He said you boarded a horse here.”
“I do.” I should elaborate so he didn’t have to ask, but I couldn’t bring myself to.
“Do you still ride, Juni?”
I shut my eyes briefly and shook my head. “I do not.”
“Have you since the accident?”
My eyes filled with tears. “No.”
“I have one more question.”
I nodded.
“Is Apache your horse?”
My voice cracked when I tried to answer, and my tears turned into sobs. I’d tried to ride him several times, but never got beyond bringing him out of the paddock. “I should’ve sold him long ago, but haven’t been able to bring myself to do that either.”
Cord brushed away my tears. “I’m glad you haven’t.”
“It wasn’t his fault. It was mine.”
“Never said it was, darlin’.”
I expected Cord to press me about the animal, maybe even suggest I try riding him again, but he didn’t.
“Will you sell the other horses?” I asked after getting my emotions in check .
“That’s another thing I want to discuss with you.”
“It’s been almost two years since I was in the barn. I can’t offer any insight.”
Cord put his finger on my chin and raised my head. “I have an idea. It’s something we planned to do at the Roaring Fork—a therapeutic riding program.”
My eyes filled with tears again. “It’s a good idea, Cord.” When he’d mentioned the average age of the Lilacs’ horses, I’d worried about their fate. Knowing there might be a home for them here, after all, was a relief.
“I’d like you to help me with it, Juni.”
Every muscle in my body tensed. I was familiar with the kind of program he was talking about and what helping might entail. “I don’t think I can, Cord.”
“Understood.”
I felt guilty over his easy acceptance. “I mean, I guess we could talk about it.”
He smiled. “That’s all I’m asking.”
My eyes bored into his. “For now.”
He nodded once. “For now.”
When he asked me to join him in the barn an hour later, I hesitated. “I don’t want to disrupt your meeting.”
He put his arm around my shoulders. “You won’t.”
Cord held my hand as we walked down the path leading from the cottage to the area where the horses were kept. I saw several in the corral, all wearing stable blankets.
As if he’d felt my presence, Apache raised his head, and our eyes met. He walked over to the fence, whinnying. When I reached the place where he stood, I extended the knuckles of one hand towards his muzzle. He closed the distance, and we touched. I slowly turned my hand over and lowered it when Apache leaned closer, breathing into my face. I turned my body slightly, and he rested his head on my shoulder.
“Hello, sweet boy,” I whispered through the tears running down my cheeks. “I’ve missed you so much.” We stood like that for a few minutes until he raised his head and neighed. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Cord standing a couple of feet behind us. “You like him too,” I said, kissing his nose as I stroked him.
Apache nudged me when I dropped my hand.
“Someone’s been spoiling you.”
I felt Cord’s presence behind me. “Put your hand out,” he said. When I did, he placed a carrot in it. I fed it to Apache, then turned to face him .
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” He motioned to the barn. “Shall we?”
I ran my hand down Apache’s nose once more, so happy to have seen him and relieved he remembered me.
When we entered through the alley door, all the cowboys who’d been seated, stood. Several of them approached Cord, extending their hands in greeting. With few exceptions, their expressions conveyed admiration and respect for the man they hadn’t seen in weeks and might well have never seen again.
The meeting, during which Cord thanked everyone for their hard work in his absence, was brief. While he spoke, I heard his cell phone chime twice. After explaining he would be away from the Lilacs for two more days, he dismissed all but Jed. Then he motioned for me to join them. I listened as he mentioned the horse auction as well as the therapeutic riding program we’d discussed.
He stopped talking when his cell chimed a third time and pulled it from his pocket. “It’s Ashford,” he said, leaning closer to me. “Do you still want to go along?”
I was stunned. “Have you changed your mind about wanting me?—”
“Never.”
When my cheeks flushed and I lowered my gaze, Cord turned to Jed. “That’s all for now.”
“Yes, sir,” the other man said, walking away.
As soon as he was out of the barn, Cord wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled our bodies flush together. “I thought I made how much I wanted you more than clear last night.”
“You certainly did.” My cheeks flushed, but I kept my gaze steady on his. “Except that wasn’t what I was asking. If you’d let me finish, I would’ve asked if you’d changed your mind about wanting me to go with you.”
“Never,” he repeated.
“Good, because if you had, I might’ve tried to stow away in your luggage.”
Cord shook his head and chuckled. “I love you, June-bug.”
Had anyone outside of my family ever called me by the nickname, I would’ve bristled. But Cord felt like my family—the one he and I would create together. “I can’t wait to see Colorado. I’m sure I’ll love it.”
The playful expression on his face morphed into one more serious. “It won’t be a prerequisite for us being together, you know?”
“I do, but Cord, it’s your home. ”
He shook his head. “Home is wherever you and I decide to make it.”
I thought back to my mother’s words shortly after Cord and I met. “When you love someone, it isn’t about where you live. Home is where they are,” she’d said. I’d scoffed then, but no more.
“I feel the same way. I don’t care where we live as long as we’re together.”
“You love East Aurora.”
“I love you more.”