Page 13 of The Cowgirl's Chosen Love
Maybe facing the truth head-on would be the thing that helped him move past not being good enough for forever.
Lisa was still laughingwhen Licorice stepped onto the trail that headed past the town’s namesake waterfall.
She hadn’t expected her encounter with Josiah at all. The entire conversation had been uncomfortable, yet oddly pleasurable at the same time. As long as he stuck to his promise and didn’t push her to make any firm commitments, she couldn’t see any downside to his offer.
She’d wanted to get involved with him, and it seemed that was about to happen. Or would be happening in a few hours.
For now, she had a different agenda. Lisa took a deep breath and looked around at the pristine white, soaking in the newness of the territory.
The land where she’d grown up, hours to the north, had been thoroughly explored. Some favourite places she went to find solitude, other spots were inspiring with their beauty.
As she headed over the Silver Stone ranch, it was fascinating how she felt inside.
Therestless and not knowingwhere she was goingsensation eased and became something more satisfying. More like the spirit of adventure that she hoped would eventually guide her through whatever steps came next. That same spirit was present as Licorice rocked under her.
After directing the grey mare toward the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Lisa allowed the animal to set her own pace. The horse meandered along trails she knew better than Lisa. The sun played peekaboo between wisps of white clouds, thin trails like jet streams against the blue sky.
It didn’t take long until all the tension inside her was utterly gone. It was impossible to stay wound up in the face of such relentless beauty.
The mare turned into the forest, setting Lisa swaying in a comfortable rhythm. Dappled sunlight broke through the trees, and up ahead, sunlight shone blindingly off a shimmer of ice. Lisa took a deep breath, her glove-clad hands grasping the saddle horn as she sucked in cold air, sharp enough to make her throat tingle.
Licorice swung her head an instant before a branch snapped. Lisa glanced to her right as a cream-coloured mare broke through the trees.
Sonora Fallen sat easily in the saddle. Her grey-white ponytail lay over her shoulder, the rest of her head covered by a well-worn black cowboy hat. As she rode forward, faint lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth became visible. Laugh lines as well, as her lips curled upward in a greeting.
“Well, hello again,” the older woman said. “You recovered from the wedding hijinks?”
Caleb’s middle brother had tied the knot two days ago with Sonora’s granddaughter.
“It was a pretty laid-back event,” Lisa pointed out. Walker and Ivy had been married by Ivy’s father in a private ceremony at Heart Falls, followed by cake and coffee with the two families at the Silver Stone house. The couple hadn’t gone off on a honeymoon yet because Ivy was working. “Still, it was special to be able to share the day with them.”
“I agree.” Sonora was looking her over carefully. “At first glance, I thought you were Tamara, and I couldn’t figure out how you snuck past Caleb and got on a horse.”
Lisa laughed. “Oh boy. Yeah, Tamara riding right now—not about to happen.”
The older woman winked. “You’re not identical, but all you Colemans look as if you popped from the same mould.”
Lisa laughed. “There’ve been a few jokes about that over the years, but you’re right. I think the only ones truly identical are my twin cousins in the Six Pack family. Mind you, they haven’t always acted alike.”
Sonora nodded. “Your family is only a part of who you are. The choices you make build the rest of what makes you unique.”
Lisa had never thought of it that way. “That’s perfect.”
Sonora tugged the reins to one side and gestured down the trail. “If you’d like some company, I’d love to join you.”
It was always better to ride with another person, especially in the winter. She was competent enough, but Lisa was thinking more of Sonora’s safety. “Anywhere interesting you want to show me?”
“Depends. How long do you have?”
“All day.” Then she remembered. “Wait. I have a dinner date at four.”
She must’ve said it with a lot more enthusiasm than expected, because Sonora laughed then clicked her tongue at her horse, Rainbow. She tugged the mare back onto the path as she pointed to the south. “I know just the place then.”
Which is how Lisa made a new friend. Didn’t matter that Sonora was twice her age, conversation between them was easy and comfortable from that first moment. They hadn’t had much time to just sit and chat during the wedding, but Lisa found that Sonora was definitely her kind of person.
“So, my granddaughter is married to your sister’s brother-in-law.” They rode side by side along an abandoned railway track as Sonora puzzled it out. “Which means in some convoluted manner, we’re related.”
It took a second to unwrap the tangled relationship before Lisa nodded. “It’s easiest to think of you as Ivy’s grandma. And Rose’s and Tansy’s.”
