Page 80 of A Rancher's Bride
“Oh boy.” Tansy squeezed her fingers tightly before letting go and sitting back. “You did tangle this one up good, girlfriend.”
“Doing a job well is something I take pride in.” Kelli forced out the joke.
They grinned at each other. Then Tansy rose to her feet. “You know what? You’re trying too hard. This relationship is brand new to you, and to Luke, and while it’s complicated because you work with him and have a relationship with his family, stop focusing on those bits.”
Easier said than done. “And do what?”
“Focus onhim. On being a couple.” Tansy planted her fists on her hips and stared down, lecture mode on her face. “Do you really think you’d have a crush on someone who was an asshole? Because I don’t. You’re too smart for that.”
“My mom stayed with assholes—”
“Hell, no, girl. Don’t you go there. The only thing you share with that woman is a bit of DNA. You were smart enough to get out.”
“I suppose.” Kelli took a deep breath, starting to feel hopeful again.
Tansy pushed her advantage. “You know what’s right and what’s wrong, which is why you ran away when you did. Give this time. Enjoy yourself and figure out the next steps together. Truth is, you have a lot of family by choice around. You have the Stones, you have me and the Fields—so no matter what happens, you’re not alone. But you also deserve to be loved in ways we can’t give you, but maybe Luke can.”
“I want him to. I think.” Kelli wrinkled her nose. “Okay, I’ll be patient and focus on us as a couple going forward. I can do that.”
“Of course you can. I only have smart people for friends.”
Kelli laughed. “We need to find you a boyfriend.”
“In time. I’m having fun being single.” Tansy nodded firmly. “I mean it, Kelli. I know from experience that real love is more than doing the right thing. Real family, the people who havereallove inside them—they’re the ones who love you in spite of your faults. They want you and keep loving you, even when you screw up. You deserve that, and I hope Luke is the one who can give it to you.”
“Me too.” Kelli collapsed back on the couch. “Enough. I’m emotionally wiped out. You need to feed me sugary treats and catch me up on all the gossip I missed this past week.”
Tansy pulled out the goodies, and Kelli soaked in the happiness of friendship. And at the end of the night when they’d finished the turnovers and chips and talked and eaten to their hearts’ content, she headed home with a seed of hope planted.
While she was still worried about troubles that needed to be solved, having a new focus was a good thing. She was doing this. She would try for love in the hopes it would be worth it in the end.
She wished a good Kelli-ism would come to mind. Something that she could recite over and over as a personal mantra, but all she could think of was Diane’s advice of how to work with Pepper. To relax and let trust build over time.
Time. Kelli needed to wait.
So, like she had already for many years, she waited.
19
On Saturday, Kelli burst into the barn and raced up to Luke, interrupting his discussion with Caleb. “Sorry, but you’ve got to see thisright now.”
She shoved a piece of paper into Caleb’s hands.
He eyed it suspiciously. “What’s this?”
“Stud-fee contract.” She slid a finger along the top line as if it was obvious.
Luke wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned over Caleb’s shoulder to read the paper.
Caleb whispered softly as he pointed at a number that seemed to have extra zeros behind it. “Is that a typo?”
“Not a typo.” Kelli fanned another set of extra papers to show there were a half dozen more just like it. “Look. Look at them all,” she said, bouncing with excitement.
“But that’s not what we charge for Nemo’s fee.”
Her grin widened. “You missed the results from the Pegasus World Cup.”
“Kelli, we don’t have any horses represented,” Caleb pointed out, checking his watch. “And the event hasn’t even run yet.”
