Page 31 of Horn of Plenty
“What do you mean?” he asked, pulling his gaze from the cemetery, but she shook her head.
She brushed a tear from her cheek. “We should be celebrating. You said you had somewhere you wanted to take me?”
There would be time to talk. But she was right. Tonight, they’d celebrate. He cupped her face in his hand. “Are you up for a little drive?”
She blinked back tears and smiled up at him. “I’d like that.”
Side by side, they finished their ice cream as they walked down the street to where he’d parked his truck. Lost in her thoughts, Mabel was quiet as they drove out of town. He continued on in the darkness, driving the old country roads and taking the familiar turns. The constancy and routine grounded him. It fed his soul and calmed his nerves. He could never imagine leaving Elverna—and something inside of him believed that Mabel was starting to feel that way, too.
“We’re almost there,” he said, squinting so he wouldn’t miss the turnoff.
She leaned forward and peered into the darkness. “And where would that be? I don’t see anything out here.”
He turned onto a dirt road and pulled over, hoping what he’d seen a few nights ago was still here.
“They switched fields,” he answered, purposefully being coy.
Mabel gasped. “Are you talking about cows? Please tell me that you didn’t bring me to go cow tipping?”
He laughed, cutting the ignition, then went around the truck to open her door. “Close your eyes.”
“If I hear one moo, Cal, you’re going to be in a world of trouble,” she chided as he helped her out.
“I’m ninety percent sure that we won’t run into any cows,” he teased.
She poked him in the chest. “Cal, I’m serious! These boots might look like regular old cowgirl boots, but I’ll have you know, they’re from SoHo.”
He raised her poking hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the center of her palm. “Who’s SoHo?” he asked. He couldn’t help himself. He knew damn well it was a neighborhood in New York City, but he loved this back and forth with her. And he’d clearly set her off. Even in darkness, he could feel her gaze bore into him.
She poked him with her free hand. “Cal, I don’t want to close my eyes and walk into a giant mound of cow poop in these boots.”
“I wouldn’t want to walk into a giant mound of cow poop in any shoes,” he threw back.
“Cal!” she chided.
Jesus, he loved to get her going!
“I know for a fact that there isn’t a single cow near where we’re going,” he reassured her.
“Do you promise?”
He pressed her hand to his chest. “Cross my heart and swear to die. Now, close your eyes. I have to get something from the bed of the truck, then I’ll lead you to our destination.”
“Fine, my eyes are closed,” she said warily as he reached into the bed of the truck and retrieved a duffel bag.
“I hear water. Is that the creek?” she asked.
“Yep,” he replied, taking her hand.
“Are we swimming?”
“That’s up to you,” he answered.
“What do you have planned, Callan Horner?” she pressed.
His heart skipped a beat as excitement welled in his chest. “A little surprise.”
What he was about to do was cheesy as hell, but he didn’t care.
