Page 45 of Eighteen Bowties and Counting

Thankfully, he wouldn’t have to, as the cattle and the horses had picked up the pace, apparently smelling the feast Kelly and her team of cooks had put together. Someone up ahead yeehawed, and that meant the ranch was in sight.

Everyone who’d been left behind would be waiting for them, to help funnel the cattle into appropriate pastures where they’d be able to get to them easier come Market Day next month. The cows would continue to get fat closer to the epicenter, and the hills and wild lands of the ranch would regrow for next season’s herd.

Beau rode a pretty brown horse named Gingersnap, and she’d done a good job for him on this roundup. So he leaned over and patted her neck. “Almost back, Gingy.” He could admit he was ready to be done smelling like horses and cattle, eating out of a can, and plenty of other things, but what he wanted the most was to see Charlotte.

She’d had the cabin to herself for the past five nights, and half of him worried that she’d have replaced the furniture and changed all the curtains, paint colors, and dish towels to a shade of pastel he’d never be able to eradicate.

He smiled just thinking about the pinks and purples…and Charlotte. He scrubbed his hand down his beard, getting plenty of dust and shards of alfalfa that kicked up into the air. Everything itched, and his mood soured slightly that he still sat in the saddle.

He coached himself through it, because Beau had been through plenty of roundups and cattle drives. No sense in getting all worked up over it. He coughed and lifted his bandana up to cover his mouth.

Cheering met them as they continued to bring in the herd. He couldn’t see individual faces from where he rode, but plenty of people waved bandanas and flags as they yelled about their triumphant return. He and Gingerbread continued to do their job, and when every last cow had been sorted and put in a pasture, Beau headed for the stables.

It would be busy, as he wasn’t the only man eager to be out of the sun and in the shower. His head ached, but he kept it down and got Gingy cleaned up and fed and watered, put away comfortably in her stall, and started back toward the cabin.

Charlotte led a horse toward him, a huge smile on her face. “You’re back.”

His own smile filled his whole face. “Wow, you are the only person I want to see right now.” He stifled a cough and took her effortlessly into his arms. He didn’t care who saw them, as everyone on the ranch knew they were dating.

He kissed her slowly, passionately, and stepped back as the horse beside them huffed. “Oh, you’re ready for a nap, Courtside?” He chuckled as he patted the horse. “You’re putting him away? Where’s Jerry?”

“He wasn’t feeling well,” Charlotte said. “Bad headache.”

“Mine’s not feeling great either,” Beau said. “But I’ll shower and take some meds, and we’ll head to the feast, okay?”

“Sure, yeah.” She picked up the lead rope again. “I’m just helping anyone who needs it.”

“Yeah, you’re making sure your stable gets put back together how you want it.”

Charlotte only grinned at him and continued down the aisle. Beau chuckled to himself and went on home, the touch of hot water on his skin the most welcome thing he’d experienced that week.

He tilted his face back into it and let it flow through his hair, cleansing him. “It’s good to be home,” he murmured into the water. And alone. Beau felt like he was a social creature, but he also liked his alone-time at home.

The dinner that night would be filled with people—everyone from the ranch, from Courage Reins, and from Bowman’s Breeds—and since his birthday was so close, he suspected Kelly would have cake there.

She usually did, as the roundup sometimes went over his birthday. It had become part of the tradition here at Three Rivers, and Beau always felt so loved when so many voices sang Happy Birthday to him.

His momma would call tomorrow, as would his sisters, and Beau did enjoy celebrating with them, even from afar. He’d had a few Septembers alone, and he’d really been looking forward to celebrating with Charlotte.

When he was dressed again, he headed out to the kitchen, lamenting the fact that he had to put boots on again to leave the cabin.

“Happy birthday, baby.”

Beau came to a stop and looked over to Charlotte. She stood on the other side of the kitchen island, and several candles burned atop a birthday cake sitting between them. He chuckled and looked from the blue frosting to her. “I’m older than nine.”

“Yeah, forty,” she teased. She nodded slightly to the cake. “Make a wish and blow them out.”

“My birthday is tomorrow.”

“I’m aware. We both took the afternoon off so we could go take a nap in the movie theater before dinner.” She grinned at him.

Beau smiled on back. They’d operate on a holiday schedule for the next couple of days as men and horses rested up, and it hadn’t been hard to get the afternoon off. “I thought we’d have cake then.”

“I wanted to celebrate with you before the whole ranch did.” She came toward him and ran her hands up his chest. A shiver moved through his bloodstream, and he told himself it was because he hadn’t felt the cool kiss of air conditioning in a while.

“Celebrate, huh?”

“I have never lived alone,” she whispered, running the tip of her nose along his jawline.

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