CHAPTER 36
Anna
The last two weeks had flown by in a whirlwind of activity that left me both exhausted and exhilarated.
Between managing the cabins, teaching riding lessons, and leading trail rides, I barely had time to catch my breath, but I loved every minute of it.
This is what purpose feels like. This is what building something means.
My Airbnb listings had barely been live for three days before the reservations started pouring in.
I'd been sitting at Connor's computer, refreshing my email obsessively, when the first notification dinged.
Then another. Then three more in rapid succession.
My hands actually trembled as I clicked through each booking request, hardly believing this was real.
Connor, when I'd shown him with barely contained excitement, hadn't seemed the least bit surprised.
He'd just smiled that knowing smile of his and said, "You did good work, Anna.
People can see that." And maybe he was right.
The professional-quality photos, the carefully crafted descriptions highlighting the ranch's best features, the thoughtful touches I'd added to each cabin, it had all paid off in ways I hadn't quite dared to hope for.
Jaxon, ever the supportive partner, found himself happily buried in work alongside me.
The demand for riding lessons and trail rides surged beyond what I'd anticipated, attracting not only our overnight guests but also curious locals from Warren who'd heard about the new venture through the small-town grapevine that always knew everything before it was officially announced.
With my days filled to the brim with horse-related activities like teaching a nervous first-timer how to hold the reins properly, leading a family of four through the forest trails, helping a young girl brush down her favorite mare after a lesson, Jaxon readily stepped in to help with the housekeeping duties.
One afternoon, I came back from a trail ride to find him vacuuming one of the cabins, country music playing from his phone. The sight made my heart squeeze with affection. He looked up, caught me watching from the doorway with what was probably a dopey smile on my face, and grinned.
"What? I can vacuum," he said defensively, though his eyes danced with humor.
"I know you can. I just… thank you."
He turned off the vacuum, crossed the room in three long strides, and kissed me thoroughly enough that we were almost late getting the cabin ready for the next guests. He does this because he wants to. Because he believes in what I'm building. In what we're building.
He even led a trail ride once, his natural charm and easy manner with both horses and people shining through while I stayed behind to give a lesson to a group of teenagers from a local youth program.
When he returned, he was laughing with the guests, completely in his element, and I realized this life we were creating wasn't just mine—it was ours.
Despite the lingering heat of the late summer sun that still beat down relentlessly during the afternoon, turning the barn into an oven and forcing me to keep a cooler of ice water nearby, there was a subtle shift in the air.
A hint of the approaching autumn whispered through rustling leaves and drifted on the gentle breezes that swept across the ranch as evening fell.
Mornings were cooler now, requiring a light jacket when I went out to feed the horses before dawn. The light changed too. Sharper and clearer, with that golden quality that only came in late August and early September.
I'd set my sights on making the remaining three cabins available for rent in the coming week, just in time for the Labor Day rush.
The prospect of having all six cabins fully booked filled me with a mix of excitement and trepidation that fluttered in my stomach like nervous butterflies.
Can I handle that much? Six cabins, multiple lessons, trail rides?
But Jaxon's unwavering support, his insistence that I could absolutely handle it, that I should seize the opportunity while demand was high, that he'd be there to help with whatever I needed, helped to quiet my doubts.
"You've got this," he'd told me just that morning, pressing a kiss to my forehead as I stared at the calendar filled with bookings and activities. "And you're not doing it alone."
Now, as we sat together on the porch the cabin sipping sweet tea that was more ice than liquid in the summer heat, I watched the sun dip below the horizon in streaks of orange, pink, and purple. The sky looked like it was on fire, the colors reflecting off the windows of the barn in the distance.
I couldn't help but marvel at the incredible journey I'd taken. Just a few short months ago, I'd arrived at this ranch broken and lost, with nothing but a duffel bag and more fear than hope. I'd been running, hiding, barely surviving each day. Look at me now.
With Jaxon by my side and a thriving business taking root, with my own horses and my own income and my own purpose, I felt a sense of belonging I had never known before. Not with Daniel, not even before Daniel. This was different. This was real.
Glancing over at Jaxon, I found him with his head tilted back against the porch swing, eyes closed, completely relaxed as he soaked in the soothing sounds of the woods around us.
A gentle breeze rustled the aspens nearby, carrying the earthy scent of pine and the distant chirping of birds settling in for the night.
The tranquility of the moment wrapped around us like a warm blanket, creating a cocoon of peace and contentment that made everything else fade into the background. This is happiness. This simple moment, right here.
Slowly, carefully so as not to spill our drinks, I set my glass on the porch railing and crawled into Jaxon's lap, straddling him. His arm instinctively came up to steady me even before his eyes opened, his body responding automatically as I settled my weight over him.
A smile crept across his face, his eyes still closed as he savored the feel of me pressed against him. I could feel the warmth of him through the thin fabric of my sundress, the solid strength of his thighs beneath me, the steady rise and fall of his chest against mine.
Jaxon's arms circled my waist, holding me close in that way that always made me feel cherished and safe. My fingers slipped into his hair, gently threading through the slightly damp strands from the day's work. Tell him now.
"I have a surprise for you," I whispered, my voice low and even despite the excitement bubbling inside me, the anticipation of his reaction making my heart race.
Intrigued, Jaxon cracked one eye open, the blue of his iris catching the last rays of sunlight. His eyebrow lifted slightly, curiosity sparking as his hands tightened just a fraction on my waist. After a beat, he closed his eye again, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Oh yeah? What's that?" he asked, his voice a mix of amusement and genuine interest, rough and low in a way that always sent a shiver down my spine.
My heart fluttered wildly as I finally let the words spill free. "As of this afternoon," I said, unable to keep my smile from stretching wider, "there isn't a single thing of mine left at Connor's." I'm all in. Completely all in.
Jaxon's eyes fluttered open immediately, both of them now, his gaze locking with mine with an intensity that stole my breath. I watched emotions flicker across his features: surprise, then understanding, then something so warm and overwhelming it made my chest tight.
He had expressed his desire for me to move in with him weeks ago, making it clear he wanted me here permanently.
And while I had gradually begun leaving some of my belongings at his place during our overnight stays, he'd been patiently waiting for me to take the final step and bring all of my possessions over.
He never pushed. Never demanded. Just waited.
As he searched my face, his hands came up to frame my cheeks with a tenderness that filled me with warmth.
I saw the moment the full weight of my words hit him, the realization that I was ready to fully commit to our life together, to create a shared space that was truly ours, filling his expression with something that looked like awe.
"Anna," he breathed, my name emerging rough and thick with emotion.
Jaxon's arms tightened around me, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.
He buried his face in the crook of my neck, and I felt his chest expand as he inhaled deeply, breathing me in.
His lips brushed against my pulse point, a tender gesture that sent warmth flooding through my entire body.
"You have no idea how happy this makes me,” he murmured against my skin, his voice thick with emotion, slightly muffled but no less impactful. "Waking up next to you every morning, falling asleep with you in my arms every night. Knowing it's permanent, knowing this is our home…"
He trailed off, and I felt the slight tremor that ran through him, the way his arms held me just a bit tighter.
My heart swelled at his words, at the sincerity and affection pouring from him and wrapping around me like a physical embrace. I leaned into him, my fingers gently massaging his scalp the way I'd learned he loved, savoring the feeling of being so completely and utterly cherished.
A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I rested my head on his shoulder, my breath tickling the sensitive skin of his neck. "We were already doing that, Jax," I teased lightly, despite the emotion clogging my throat.
Jaxon pulled back just enough to look at me, his hands sliding down to rest on my hips. His fingers traced lazy patterns there, the touch sending pleasant shivers through me.