Chapter 15
Colt Franklin finished setting up the apple cider kegs with a spout that it could be poured from. He hadn’t asked anyone to Finn’s birthday party in the past, but of course, he’d only been friends with the man for about three years now.
He’d seen other cowboys bring dates, but Colt had only been divorced for three years, and it had taken at least half that time for him to figure out his footing in his own life.
He felt more in control of things now, especially since his mother had turned full control of the orchards over to him.
He felt like he had a good grip on what needed to be done at work, and he and Jonas had a great schedule where he got to see his son often, take care of him before and after pre-school, and still be able to run the orchards.
They’d moved into their own house now, and while his mother and sisters still helped him immensely with babysitting, he felt like he could manage his own life now, whereas even two years ago, he couldn’t. He still missed Ivy powerfully, but he didn’t let himself dwell on that for too long.
They’d been doomed from the start, because he hadn’t been wise enough to listen to the things she said and the things she didn’t say.
She’d never told him she could live in a small town, with only rows and rows of trees for scenery, and Colt had assumed she’d known what their life together would be.
He’d assumed wrong, and Ivy didn’t enjoy small towns, apple orchards, or the provincial life.
He was smarter now, and the closer he got to forty, the more he wanted to find someone and spend his life with them.
Other times, he thought perhaps he and Jonas were just fine on their own. Then God would chastise him and tell him that children were better off with a father and a mother in the home, and that he should do everything he could to find someone, not only for himself, but for his child.
That was harder than it sounded, and God certainly hadn’t been very helpful in bringing the right woman into Colt’s life.
He stood outside, out of the way of arriving party guests, and away from the corners of the buildings where the lights shone down. Of course, it wasn’t even close to dark yet, but no one noticed him.
He’d asked a woman named Sariah Long to drive all the way out to Three Rivers Ranch and meet him for this party—and she’d said yes.
They’d been on one date together over the weekend, and he’d liked her so much that he’d asked her to come to this party before he’d even dropped her off.
They’d been texting like crazy in the few days since, and Colt could easily say that he liked Sariah more than anyone else he’d been out with since his divorce.
That wasn’t saying much, as he’d been on several first dates and had one woman he would call a girlfriend, and even that had only lasted about two months. Still, he’d been trying to find someone that he could spend longer than two months with for the past several weeks.
He hadn’t been able to bring himself to ask out the woman who’d been stuck in his mind for a while now: Elaine Walker.
Maybe because he was thirty-six years old and shouldn’t even be having crushes. At the same time, a thirty-six-year-old man should be able to ask out a woman he found attractive and wanted to get to know better, and Colt hadn’t been able to do that with her.
Instead, he’d acted like an idiot, so much so that he’d called attention to himself and caused Trap to start asking questions. Colt had told him the truth, and Trap had offered to set up a blind date. Part of Colt really wanted that, and the other part absolutely would not abide by it.
He was a grown man with a child. He ran the entirety of the apple orchard operations. He’d added a restaurant and a farm store, and he dealt with dozens of personalities and suppliers. He could get his own date—and he had…just not with Elaine.
Sariah had said she would text when she arrived, and she’d messaged about a half-hour ago to say she’d left her house. Colt was expecting her any time, and he started scanning faces as they went by him.
He saw Rock and Clover arrive with Gun and Camila, and he noted the way Rock paid close attention to Clover, helping her down from the truck and keeping his hand secured in hers as they headed toward the barn.
He watched Wilder and Savannah pull in with their twin girls, and he even smiled in their direction, though they had no idea he lurked in the shadows around the corner of Courage Reins.
He liked the Glovers a lot, and they were good men and good allies to have.
Whenever something went wrong, Colt knew he could call on them, and they’d show up with tools and helping hands, no questions asked.
Then Easton Walker got out of a big, black truck, and as he darted around the hood to open the door for his girlfriend, Marta. Elaine dropped out of the back on the driver’s side, and Austin on the other.
Colt couldn’t take his eyes off her, and his heartbeat accelerated at an alarming pace. She held some sort of power over him he didn’t understand, and when she smiled over to Easton and fell into step with him and Marta, he was finally able to blink and breathe.
His eyes tracked her the whole way into the barn, and he only got distracted when his phone buzzed and lit up in his palm.
He looked down at it and found that Sariah had texted to say she’d just made the turn and would be there any minute.
She didn’t want to walk in by herself, and Colt had promised he would meet her in the parking lot.
He pushed away from the building and stepped out into the parking area.
Other cars and trucks were still arriving, as Finn Ackerman was probably the most popular cowboy in town.
His family’s legacy helped, as his momma and daddy had been showing up to help people around the Panhandle for forty years now.
Colt’s momma had established the same legacy at the orchards, and it was something that he tried very hard to live up to. He knew Finn did the same, and he genuinely loved celebrating with his friend.
“Howdy, Colt,” Trap said, and Colt switched his attention from the incoming headlights to one of his very best friends.
“Hey.” He grabbed onto Trap in a man hug and stepped back just as quickly. “You brought Lila Mae?” He tipped his hat at the pretty blonde. “Howdy, Lila Mae. What did he have to do to get you off the cat sanctuary?”
She smiled at him first and Trap second. “He brought me Bit O’ Honey this time.”
“It’s a long drive,” Trap said. “You’ve got to have something to suck on along the way.”
Colt chuckled, because it was a long drive out to Three Rivers Ranch, and yet so many people had come.
Finally, he saw Sariah’s dark green SUV, and he raised his hand and waved so she’d see him. She did, but she pulled into the next available parking spot, which she was being directed into by Sammy, Finn’s younger brother, and Rich, Henry’s younger brother.
They certainly did things efficiently here at Three Rivers Ranch, and Colt knew that good organization meant a good time.
He moved toward Sariah’s car and met her just as she rose from it. “Hey,” he said in the same jovial tone he’d used to greet Trap. “Thank you so much for making the drive. I had to be here so early with the apple cider.”
“It’s no problem, Colt,” she said.
Colt leaned in and gave her a quick hug and swept a kiss along her cheek, feeling very Texan and proper as he did so.
“I’ve been to a center like this before,” she said. “A place like Courage Reins.” She gazed fondly at the sign hanging over the door.
“Yeah? What for?” Colt suddenly had so many questions, because Courage Reins was a therapeutic riding center, and that meant people came who had physical disabilities, as well as mental ailments.
They met with counselors and did specific exercises with horses to regain strength in their bodies and minds.
“I was in a car accident about six years ago,” she said. “I broke my leg in three places, and I went to an equine center to do some rehabilitation with the horses.”
“Oh, wow.” Colt had not noticed a limp or anything, and he couldn’t help looking down at her jean-clad legs. “Yeah, sometimes we just go riding for fun. The horses are really gentle.”
“I’m sure they are,” she said, linking her arm through his. She’d transferred to one of the banking chains here in Three Rivers, after learning her daddy had Alzheimer’s and would need help at home. She currently lived with him in Amarillo, as her mother had passed a few years ago.
Colt wasn’t sure if he should be comforting her about the car accident or not. So he simply pointed them toward the barn. “Should we go in?”
She drew in a deep breath. “Yeah, all right. I’m ready.”
He smiled at her. “There’s nothing to worry about. There’s so many people here. We can just get some food and say hi to Finn and leave if you want.”
“It’s a long drive to do that,” she said, looking over to him. “Is that what you want to do?”
“No,” Colt said, and he grinned at her as they stepped up onto the sidewalk at Courage Reins. “I want to take you around and show you off to all my friends.”
She scoffed and smiled as she ducked her head.
“They’ll all wonder how I got the most beautiful woman in town to go out with me.”
“You’re such a sweet talker, Colt,” Sariah said, and he wasn’t sure why he could say such pretty things to her when Elaine left him mute.
“And I don’t live in town,” she said. “I just commute here.” Sariah squeezed his hand and seemed to beam moonlight from her eyes. “Anyway, I think they’re all going to be wondering how I got you to look my way.”
“That’s easy,” he said without missing a beat. “I had a dispute on my account, and you were the one to help me.”
She laughed, and Colt enjoyed the sound of it.
“But for real, don’t get overwhelmed by the number of people,” he said. “I told you I’ve got a lot of friends, because we have that ranch owners group.”
“Yes, I remember,” she said, but she still eyed the door warily.