Page 30 of My Cowboy Valentine

I open my mouth to protest, but she cuts me off. “Honestly, I thought my parents would be horrified with me and scold me to no end for preying on their black-haired baby boy.”

“Baby boy?” I laugh, shaking my head. “And I thought they’d feel I betrayed the whole family and their trust. Of course, we shouldn’t count the chickens before they hatch. I imagine your daddy and I are still in for an interesting conversation.”

She waves my last comment away. “Please, my parents adore you. You can do no wrong. Hell, I felt like they replaced me with you even before I moved away.”

“Replaced you? Lesley, that’s not possible in any way, shape, or form. When you left, you put a hole in your family and this town that no one has ever filled or could ever fill. And you did the same thing to my heart.”

The breath catches in her throat, and her eyes well with tears. Grabbing my right hand, which I rest on the console between us, she kisses my fingers, one at a time, flooding me with love so thick I have to concentrate hard to drive.

I add, “That’s why I had to outwardly hate and avoid you for all those years…because you made it clear love wasn’t anoption for us. Of course, you also made the hating easy with your endless disappearing acts and uppity city girl ways. Sometimes, it seemed like the only reason you visited was to boss and judge us.”

“Sometimes, you and Billy deserved it.”

“Fair enough. But I can’t say the same for your parents. That said, I’m calling a truce before we dig any deeper into this. I don’t want to spend the day arguing with you.”

She nods, deep in thought. “The past is the past, and I know my actions have left something to be desired at times. All I can say is I like the future much better anyway.”

A couple of hours later, Lesley and I sit in our saddles, savoring the sweep of the rugged Alpha Ridge Mountains, towering above the so-named creek and town below. “I forgot how stunning this place is,” Red says breathlessly.

Clearing my voice, I feel vulnerable as I ask, “I know you love your life in New York City. But would you consider moving back here to be with me?”

“I don’t know… I mean, I swore I’d leave this podunk little town and never come back. But you sure don’t get a view like this in the City.” After pausing for a long moment, her eyes drinking in the scenery, she crosses her arms firmly over her chest. “The same question goes to you. Would you relocate to New York City for me?”

“Not the City, but there’s plenty of room for compromise. After all, most of New York state is rural with lots of farms. Some of those farms produce fine mounts and cattle, too.”

“It’s about more than geographical considerations, though. I prize my independence, but you want me to be vulnerable with you. I hate letting my guard down.”

Bringing my horse up next to hers, I lean towards her, stroking her face and staring deeply into her eyes. “Only because you’ve never been with a man you can let your guard down with.”

Red laughs bitterly. “And I’m supposed to trust you, the boy who pranked me mercilessly and spent his adult life detesting me.”

“I think we established last night I’m no longer that little boy prankster. And as for the rest of it, we both gave like for like. I’d say we’re even, wouldn’t you?”

“I suppose…”

“You can trust me, Lesley. I swear it on my mama’s grave and everything I hold dear.”

“Don’t do that,” she says, fat teardrops brimming in her eyes.

“I already did. Now, don’t you forget it… From now on, you come to me for whatever you need. I want to be the one who protects you and cares for you…the man who provides for you. And I don’t want any secrets between us.”

She looks down, her face blanching. “Whether that’s in New York or Alpha Ridge Creek…”

“Wherever we decide, except maybe Antarctica. I’ve heard the horseback riding isn’t especially excellent there,” I tease. “I know you’re not too keen on this place, but promise me you’ll consider it. We could ride like this every day if we wanted to.”

She laughs as if I just said the most ridiculous thing in the world. “That’s a funny joke. You do realize I’m a total workaholic. I’m talking sixty or more hours per week. Hell, I sleep at The Red Brand building some nights.”

“What kind of life is that?” I counter with a grimace. “The whole point of me starting Jameson & Cash was to back away from an all-consuming career. Rodeoing took everything from me. I led the life of a nomad, often living out of my trailer. I loved what I did, so it never felt like work. But you’ve got to have more balance in your life.”

“Redismy life,” she replies firmly.

“And what do you have to show for it? No man to hold you at night. No kids to adore you. The way you make it sound, I’m not sure you even have friends…or pets.”

“I have sacrificed everything for my brand. I don’t expect you to understand it. Besides, I don’t know if I even want kids. Or can still have them. I’m forty years old, Ronald, which means a high-risk pregnancy, even if we get lucky.” She side-eyes me, making her face stony. “Is that a dealbreaker?”

I remove my hat, running my hand through my hair. “I don’t mean to get sentimental, but the only dealbreaker for me would be trying to live without you.”

She bites her bottom lip looking down and patting Sterling’s neck.

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