He understands me.
Most importantly, he makes me feel seen.
He feels like home.
As our lips parted, I felt the deep connection between us. I felt so much peace and contentment wash over me, and I knew in that moment that I was exactly where I was supposed to be- in the arms of the man I was falling in love with.
Colt continued holding me, and I wanted to stay in this little world with him forever. I felt his grip tighten, like he was afraid to let go. I snuggled even deeper in his embrace, letting the security wrap around me. I was so content, and knowing that we had to get up soon made me want to cry. I wasn’t ready to let him go just yet.
Coming back here, I found something truly special in Colt.
I found someone who had the potential to be in my life for a long time…maybe even for the rest of my life.
Chapter Forty-Five
Colt
The day was a blur after our romantic time together at the picnic.
It was now the next morning, and the morning sun was casting a long shadow across the ranch. Daisy emerged from her room, her hair still lightly damp. I smiled at her as she made her way to the front door where I was standing. I opened the door for her, leading her towards the barn.
“Dad’s already out there.” I nodded in its direction. “You know he gets up before the chickens even think about it.” She chuckled a little, and the sound of her laughter filled my soul.
As we approached the barn, we found my dad tinkering with the old tractor. His hands were covered in grease and dirt as he expertly adjusted the carburetor. His brows were furrowed as he concentrated. I couldn’t wait until we could afford a new tractor. We had both spent a lot of time working on this one, and it was about time for an upgrade. I was tired of it breaking down and costing us parts.
My dad looked up, a smile softening his rugged features as he saw us standing there near him.
“Morning, you two. Sleep alright?”
“Yep.” Daisy nodded, agreeing with my answer.
“How did it go at your dad’s yesterday? I didn’t get a chance to ask you two about how it went last night.” I looked at Daisy, wondering if she was going to answer. I noticed her lips parting, so I stayed quiet.
“It went well. We helped him in the garden. I know he keeps that up because it was one of my mom’s favorite things.” She paused for a moment, then continued. “We helped him tidy up the shed and get it organized, too. He needed some help with repairing a small part of the fence where the cattle are.” She glanced at me. I remembered that was the moment I stole her away for our romantic picnic rendezvous. “Colt and I aided in the repairs to it.”
“Well, I’m glad you two got to go over there and help him out for the day.”
“He told us about the help he had leaving for other work. Walt, has my dad been struggling?”
“Ah…” My dad scratched his head, not wanting to answer. “He was doing pretty good running the place with the help he did have. Since they’re gone now, he has called on me and Colt sometimes for a little help. It’s not a big ranch, but neither you nor your dad is getting older. A little assistance is good for us. I don’t know what I’d do without Colt here.”
He placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it. It felt nice to have him say those words and give me some credit for all the effort I put in and the work I do around the ranch. I want to take over someday. That’s the dream.
“Alright, enough talk. We’ve got work to do. Colt, I need you to go check the fence and cattle. You can take the side-by-side down there. Daisy, can you help me with the horses?”
“Of course.”
I heard a bark and looked around to see Hank stepping into view. He never strayed far from my dad.
“Oh, alright, Hank. You can help with the horses, too.” My dad knelt down and rubbed his head. He moved his leg a little, letting us know that the head scratch was hitting the right spot.
I grabbed food and water and loaded it into the back of the side by side. I was eager to get started. Once I arrived, I filled up the troughs with food and water, then slowly drove the side-by-side around the fence, making sure there weren’t any problem areas. We had one heifer that liked to try to break through it often, and it was better to check the fence daily and be safe rather than sorry. I didn’t catch anything wrong with it.
I paused for a moment and watched the cattle as they ate. Growing up here, Daisy and I talked about seeing other places, but I never did want to go. Being around life like this all the time, I didn’t see why anyone would ever want to leave it. I understood why Daisy left, though. There was a lot of heartbreak, and she always had that strong, adventurous side that wanted to explore the world.
? ? ?
I was fifteen and Daisy was thirteen. She was sitting on the tire swing at the big oak tree, me pushing her gently. The gentle breeze felt cool against my skin and the only sounds were of the horses whining. Daisy leaned her head back as I gave her a push, her arms briefly letting go of the swing as she came back to be level with the earth beneath us.
