Page 5 of Rancher's Strength

“Perfect. That will give me just enough time to get to the airport,” I said as I wandered back to where the party was happening.

“You’re a beautiful bride, Elle, but I need to excuse myself and take care of some business.” I kissed Griff’s bride on thecheek and shook my best friend’s hand when he walked up beside her.

“Keep me posted,” he said quietly. I didn’t need to tell him who was in Reverence; he knew Lexie’s friends from college were there, and the only thing that would make me leave his wedding would be something horrific. “Say hi to Lex.” Griff arched his brow, and I shook my head. There was also the fact that I’d never been able to keep anything from him, and he knew Lexie and I were once named as possible guardians to the kids.

“I’ll let you know when I’m on my way back. I might be gone for a bit.” Turning, I headed for my truck.

Time seemed to stand still as I waited for the pilot to make his final checks before departure. I’d made it to the airport much quicker than anyone expected. “Mr. Saffort, the pilot is ready.” A young woman smiled and motioned to the door of the small airport.

“Thank you.”

“Can I be of any service to you on this flight?” She looked up and smiled coyly at me.

“Two of my friends have been killed in a horrific car accident, and their young children are now orphans, and you want to know if I want to get my rocks off?” Scoffing, I walked away from the woman. I knew how some private flights worked, but that wasn’t something I was into. “I won’t need your assistance for anything, so you might as well buckle up and stay seated,” I said as I glanced over my shoulder.

“Ryder, nice to see you again.” Our regular pilot, Jackson, extended his hand. As I shook it, I stepped aside to allow the flight attendant to walk up the stairs.

“Is she crying?” Jackson looked at her as she disappeared into the plane.

“I’m sure she’ll get over it,” I said flatly, and Jackson shook his head as if he understood precisely what had just occurred.

“We’ll get you into Reverence in a few hours. No weather to contend with, so it should be a smooth flight.” He nodded, and we both moved up the stairs. I tossed my small bag onto a seat across the aisle from me and flopped down. Closing my eyes, I tried to think back to the last time I’d seen Hank and Anita. It had been too long. I always had an excuse not to make the trip, and while they’d made the effort to come to the ranch, things had gotten awkward for Anita and me after the divorce. I couldn’t blame her, she was Lexie’s best friend, and I didn’t expect her to ever talk to me again. But Hank and I had always been good.

“We’ll be starting our descent into Reverence, Wyoming.” Jackson’s voice jolted me from sleep. I hadn’t realized I’d dozed off. I rubbed my face, trying to wake myself up, and shifted in the seat, attempting to regain feeling in the foot that I’d crossed over my knee at the beginning of the flight.

With a car waiting, I exited the plane and climbed right in. He already knew the address because I’d texted it to him when I booked the car. There was no small talk, just the way I liked it.

The driver made a slow turn onto Hank and Anita’s street, and I could see Lexie getting the kids out of the car. I watched the three of them intently, and judging by the way they were hanging onto her as they walked to the house, she’d told them. Damn it, I wish I’d been there to help her through that conversation.

“We’re here, sir,” the man said as he looked back at me in the rearview mirror. I shifted in the seat, pulled some cash from my pocket, and handed it to him. Quite honestly, I had no idea how much I had given him. But judging from the way his eyebrows shot up, it had been a lot. I was glad to make the guy's day. Still, all I could focus on was getting into that house.

With a quick thank you, I grabbed my bag and closed the door. Before I could move, the man pulled away, and I headed for the open door. Her soft, sweet voice filtered out of the house, and I stood motionless for a moment as I watched her with the kids. Despite what she thought, she was amazing with children.

My heart ached for more than just Ruby and Sawyer. It ached for the years Lexie and I had lost, the years we missed out on figuring out what our own family could have looked like. A traditional family dynamic hadn’t been something I’d ever known, but it was the one thing she’d been fixated on. My biological parents didn’t want me, so I bounced around in the foster care system from the time I was seven. It hurt to have memories of the people who’d brought me into the world, only for them to abandon me after succumbing to their vices.I was a little boy who didn’t understand why he was suddenly alone in the world.

When I’d gotten to a point where money was flowing freely, I lost my last excuse for not finding them and hired someone to look into where my parents ended up. It felt like a stab to the chest to discover that they had gone their separate ways after ending up in prison. My mother regained her freedom and moved away, seemingly to overcome the struggles she had faced with my father. At some point, she had three more kids, and they appeared to be a happy family. My father, on the other hand, had been in and out of jail and never seemed to get his life together.

With a deep inhale, I made a silent vow that no matter what happened after today, Ruby and Sawyer would never know a daywithout love. They might have had their family ripped apart, but I wouldn’t let it tear them apart like it had me and my siblings.

Chapter Three

LEXIE

The kids clung to me as we left Sam’s, and I hated making them sit in the back seat, they felt so far away and I wanted to wrap my arms around them. Their soft sobs made my own tears silently roll down my face. Pulling into the driveway, I looked in the rearview mirror and wondered if they were hoping this was all a dream and that when they walked into the house, their lives would be normal, and they wouldn’t have just lost the two people who were their entire world. Without a word, they climbed out of the car and clutched my hands as we walked into their house.

“Okay, are you hungry? You didn’t eat much at Auntie Sam’s,” I asked, hanging up my coat and helping the kids take off their shoes.

“We always get pizza on Friday nights and then we watch a movie. Mom lets us eat in the living room,” Ruby said before her silent tears fell again. My nose stung, and I blinked faster, hoping to stop the tears from falling.

“Well, then, pizza it is,” his low voice came from the doorway as the three of us looked over at him.

“Uncle Ryder,” both kids said in unison and rushed to wrap their arms around him as he dropped to his knees.

“Hey, Lex,” he said quietly as he lifted his dark eyes to me, the kids clinging to him like he was the lifeline they’d been waiting for. He had always been good with kids, and it was the reason I’d made the decision I did.

His hair was a bit longer than the last time I’d seen him in town, but there was still so much that remained the same. The plaid pearl snap shirt stretched over his broad shoulders, while his long muscular legs were hugged tightly in blue wranglers. He wore a ball cap instead of a cowboy hat because he felt more comfortable in it. I understood the inner workings of the man.

“Ry,” my voice cracked, and I nodded.

---