Page 5 of All Grown Up at Mountain Creek Ranch
“What do you think?” Landon asks.
I swallow my mouthful. “Your sister has a gift.”
“I’ll be sure to tell her.” He smiles and hands me a mug of coffee. "Or you can, I guess since you're back in town for good."
“I’m not so sure about that.”
Landon’s brow furrows. “What do you mean? I thought—”
"My father wasn't too happy about me taking the call last night to come over here. He's not ready to allow me to be anything more than his assistant. I swear he still looks at me like a child.”
"But, you were amazing last night."
I look at Landon, half expecting his expression to show that he’s making fun of me. But he’s serious.
“Tell him that,” I half-joke.
“I will.”
“No, don’t.” I shake my head. “Nothing you say will change his mind. Besides, I'm considering an offer from a practice in Jackson Hole. I want to work somewhere I'm going to be allowed to use and improve my skills."
“Wyoming?” Landon pushes his hip off the counter, a look of concern on his face. “You’re leaving already? But I only just met up with you again.” He pulls a face like he’s just realized what he said. “What I mean to say is, you were great with Greta last night. That was the smoothest breech birth I’ve ever witnessed. Your dad would be crazy to let you go.”
LANDON
Real smooth, you idiot. The plan had been to get her to stay for coffee and work up to asking her out for dinner, not to blurt out your intentions. Well, I guess it’s a good sign that she didn’t run screaming from the house, but she doesn’t look like this is a topic she wants to talk about.
“Do you still ride?” I ask.
She looks up at me, relief from the sudden topic change relaxing her features. “I haven’t in a few years.”
“I remember watching you compete for the Miss Centennial Springs Rodeo Queen back in high school.”
“You were there?”
“I was there to watch Savannah compete in the junior rodeo queen.”
"So, you saw me lose." she chuckles, but there is no humor to it.
“I don’t remember who won, but I do remember watching you beat the course record time for barrel racing. And if I’m not mistaken, that record still holds to this day.”
She tries to hide the smile creeping up at the corners of her mouth. “That was a good run.”
“It was a great run!”
“Do you want to take a ride with me?”
She doesn't answer right away. She just looks at me. A questioning look on her face like she doesn't understand why I'm asking her to do this. If I could go back in time and kick the ass of my younger self, I would. I was a cocky jock that felt I was above everyone else, and I'm sure, on one occasion, Delaney was front row center for some jackass behavior of mine.
"Yeah, a ride sounds nice." She smiles at me, and for the first time, I feel not all hope is lost.
4
LANDON
We spend the better part of the ride walking along the river and catching up. We talk about our lives after high school. She tells me about her time spent on the east coast, studying, and working to pay her way through school. I tell her about my blowing out my knee and giving up the dream of playing football professionally.
“Do you miss it?” Delaney asks, from Savannah’s horse, Millie.
