Page 32 of New in Town

“I have a few ideas,” he says huskily, leaning in and dragging his lips up the shell of her ear. “Tonight.”

* * *

They make quick work of the vaccine boosters, falling into a comfortable routine together. She’s happy working on the ranch. Vaccines may not be glamorous, but she’s getting to do her job. And even better, she’s getting to do her job with Grey.

The final cow is back out of the chute and Grey is nowhere to be found. She packs up, confused by his absence. They had clearly discussed being together tonight, but it was still early for that and maybe something came up for him. As she steps through the glass and iron barn door, she comes to a stop. Before her is Grey, finishing tacking up two horses. She recognizes his horse Bullet, and the other is a beautiful red roan mare she remembers from her annuals as Cinnamon.

She throws her things in the back of the Jeep and bounds over to him excitedly. When she reaches them, she runs her hand down Cinnamon’s mane and smiles brightly at Grey.

“What are you doing with these two?” she asks innocently.

“Rumor has it that you enjoy riding. Is this something you’d be interested in joining me for this afternoon?”

“Very interested,” she says as he motions for her to mount Cinnamon. He climbs up onto Bullet at the same moment, and they are off, traveling across the field towards the river. They ride side by side in a slow trot as Maddie asks, “Are we headed anywhere in particular?”

“Just across the river, not too far into the mountains. There’s a place I think you’ll like,” he answers.

She has the urge to ask more but knows from the look on his face that he won’t divulge any other details. They return to riding in a comfortable silence, the ease of being together settling in around them. It’s not long before they’re at the river and Cinnamon is overjoyed to splash through the calm water and enjoy the refreshing break from the summer heat.

As they reach the start of the mountain terrain, she feels her excitement grow. She has been eager to see the mountains and experience this freedom. And once again Grey seems to know. It is starting to feel like there is no end to what he’d provide her. She hates that she isn’t doing the same for him. Laurel had mentioned early on that Grey doesn’t want for much. At this moment, she vows to find out what it is he does want.

The horses work their way upward and around until the elevation levels out and she finds herself looking down a gradual, sweeping slope. It would be beautiful as a simple grassy slope. But instead, it’s breathtaking, filled as far as the eye can see with an explosion of wildflowers.

The scene before her is a magnificent display of purples, blues, and yellows stretching on. The flowers dance in the breeze, like a wave is drifting across the open field. Clear skies and sunshine above illuminate it all, making the scene dazzle.

Continuing ahead, the horses glide deeper through the sea of blooms. Maddie is in awe, finding it difficult to believe that this place is real. A place that seems as if it should be dreamt up in a painting. She looks over at Grey, who hasn’t taken his eyes off her since they rounded the corner into the field.

“What do you think?” he asks expectantly, anticipation in his cool eyes.

“It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen,” she replies softly.

Grey’s smile in response, though, is even more breathtaking than the wildflowers before her. She feels her heart flutter, her mouth stretching into her own full smile.

“The first time I saw your tattoo, it reminded me of these flowers,” he says, dropping his gaze to her arm. She glances at her tattoo as well, realizing that he’s right. The line drawing of wildflower stems adorning her skin is the same as the blue flowers before her. She hadn’t even noticed, and she’d had the tattoo for almost five years now. Maddie didn’t ask for a specific type of stem when she walked into the tattoo studio that day, she liked the design and what a wildflower represented.

“I actually don’t know what type of flower this is,” she replies, looking back up at him.

“Camas, they have that distinct starry pointed shape, and a purple-blue color.”

“Camas,” she repeats back, making a mental note. “I kind of feel bad that I didn’t know it all this time, having it tattooed on me.”

“I think a tattoo should probably be about what it means to you. That’s all that matters.”

She smiles softly and nods, “I like that.”

“What made you pick that one?” he asks, their horses continuing to move through the field at a leisurely pace.

“I always lovedAlice in Wonderlandgrowing up. I still do. But as a kid, I read it, and reread it, again and again. There’s a part where the talking flowers try to decide what type of flower Alice is. Then one says,do you suppose she’s a wildflower?” she explains. She notices his eye crinkle with his soft smile, a look of quiet understanding.

“And this is your wildflower,” he says. They reach the end of the field and pause. Guiding the horses to turn around, they take one last look at the wildflowers swaying peacefully.

“This is my wildflower. And today, I got to be in wonderland.”

* * *

As they approach the compound, a young, gangly cowboy rushes forward from one of the barns. He gestures for Grey to quicken his pace, meeting them just before the corral.

“We have a situation, man. Brett’s out and he said we should direct these things to you now, not Dad.” He has a panicked look on his face as his eyes dart between them.

---