Page 90 of Second Chance with the Rancher

Why did it take this long for her to see it? For her to realize that everything Nate was trying to show her was exactly what she needed?

She was an idiot. She’d wasted so much energy resisting the ranch and the idea that it was the right life for her, when all along, Nate and her sister knew better. They knew her better than she knew herself.

She didn’t want a brownstone in the big city. She wanted the wide-open spaces of the great outdoors. She wanted the smell of hay and horse to be the first thing to hit her nostrils in the morning, not exhaust from an endless stream of taxis. She didn’t need the hustle and bustle of a big city. She would never get bored on the ranch. This life was go-go-go enough for her, but more importantly, this life had Nate, and he was all she really needed.

Nate and Asher seemed open to the idea of adding more revenue streams to the business. They’d built Triss her clinic, maybe they’d build Mieka a dance studio. People in the area had already expressed interest and said there was a need for such a place. Why couldn’t she give the people what they wanted? A place for her to do what she loved. Her passion.

A place to dance.

Before she knew what she was doing, Mieka was running down the side of the road in the direction of the ranch. In the direction of home. Fumble must have thought it was a game, because he kept up with her, giddily bouncing along beside her on the narrow shoulder of the road. She didn’t even glance back to see if the cab driver was still behind her, because she didn’t care. It wasn’t what was behind her that mattered, it was what was in front of her.

Laughing and crying at the same time as she ran, Mieka yanked Fumble further over onto the shoulder when a big pickup truck started barrelling toward them. But she recognized that truck, even through the tears, and her smile grew wide enough to hurt her cheeks.

Nate pulled over, flung open his door, but didn’t bother closing it, and ran up to Mieka and Fumble. “Why do you have my goat?”

“Because idiots love company,” she said, slightly out of breath. “I found him in the ditch and was bringing him home. Were you coming to look for him?”

Nate shook his head. “No. I was coming to you. To apologize. I was going to chase you down at the airport and apologize for being such a manipulative asshole. For not finding you earlier this week and apologizing. I’m sorry that I let it go a week. I was just …”

“Hurt. I know.”

“I never should have told you that I loved you like that and expected it to change everything. I ruined what we had. I was selfish and I need you to know that I’m sorry and that I only want you to be happy. I just want you to live your best life and if that is in Toronto selling real estate then let me drive you to the airport myself to show you how much I support you. I don’t want things to be awkward between us. We’ve been through too much together and I honestly just want you to be happy, Minx, no matter where that may be.” He swallowed. “Or who that may be with.”

Her smile fell a little, but her heart swelled. “Oh. I thought maybe you were coming to convince me to stay.”

He shook his head. “That would be selfish of me. I would be trying to cage a bird that only wants to fly—or in this case sell luxury real estate—and I won’t do that.” He took Fumble from her hand and loaded the delinquent goat into the bed of his truck, securing a rope to the goat’s collar so that he couldn’t escape again.

A half-smile slid up the left side of Mieka’s mouth. “Do it.”

Nate faced her again. “Do what?”

“Convince me.”

“Minx, I—”

“Just do it.”

His brows furrowed and he cocked his head to the side, giving her a cute quizzical look.

“Ask me to stay. Ask me to give the ranch … to give the rancher a second-chance. Then tell me that you love me and that you’ll build me a dance studio on the property and make me the happiest woman in the world.”

Now he understood and the smile that curled his mouth had her lower belly fluttering and warming like a kaleidoscope of butterflies dancing through the sky across the sun. Slowly, he approached her with purpose in his stride and fire in his eyes. He cupped her face and tilted her gaze to his. “Come back to the ranch, Mieka. It’s where you belong. I’ll build you the most beautiful dance studio in all of Colorado. And I absolutely will spend the rest of my life trying to make you the happiest woman in the world. As happy as you make me. I love you, Minx.”

Smiling through all the happy tears she nodded and said, “Yes. Take me home, Cowboy. And I love you, too.”

“Rancher,” he murmured before sealing his mouth over hers, and kissing her like she held the only remaining oxygen molecules on earth.

Every stroke of his tongue, and brush of his lips just solidified her decision that this was where she was meant to be. With Nate, here on the ranch.

She’d been convinced that ranch life wasn’t what she wanted, that it wasn’t for her, but in reality, it was exactly what she needed. She’d never been happier or more at peace than she was when she was there. And it was as if the solutions to all her problems had presented themselves to her one-by-one, but she was too blind to see them.

She could open up a dance studio and teach. She already had willing students, and it’d be easy to find more. She loved decorating and managing the cabins, she could do that, too. Add in the fresh air, the sense of accomplishment and exhaustion she felt every night when her head hit the pillow, not to mention those orgasms, and she’d be an idiot to dismiss this kind of beautiful life. This kind of beautiful future.

This was hands down a much better life for her than selling luxury real estate in Toronto. No comparison needed. It’d just taken a delinquent goat and falling face-first in the gravel for her to finally see it.

Finally, they broke the kiss and Nate, still holding onto her face, beamed down at her. “What made you change your mind?”

“A rogue goat who doesn’t seem to realize how good life on the ranch can be and that it’s where he belongs. It’s where we both belong.”

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