Page 16 of A Rancher's Love
Oh, she hadn’t even thought aboutthatkind of fun. Which really was quite a travesty considering she’d meant the question when she’d asked him the night before. At some point, she hoped sex was back on the table. “Nothing dirty.”
His face relaxed slightly.
“Yet,” she added.
His exasperated sigh was delicious. “Ginny.”
“Let’s go see Dustin. If he’s not there, let’s go see your uncle.”
“And if he’s not there?”
She threw her hands in the air. “You and your damn agendas. If we can’t find either of them, we’ll go see the kittens in the barn. Because there’salwayskittens in the barn.”
He stood, hands jammed into his pockets and a thoughtful expression on his solemn face. “Let’s skip Dustin for now. He’s got a friend visiting. I know you want to touch base with my uncle, but I spent four hours with him yesterday.”
“So, kittens?” she asked brightly.
He dipped his chin. “Kittens.”
Climbing into the hayloft, the well-worn ladder smooth under her fingers, Ginny took her time. Savoured the sensation, because this was one of her earliest memories. The sweet scent of hay, a touch of an itch at the back of her nose from the ever-present dust.
The sharp poke through her jeans as she crawled on hands and knees toward one of the favourite nesting places from years gone by.
“Bingo.” Tucker’s deep rumble sounded nearly in her ear, his strong body inches away as he leaned close to peer into the gap between bales. “Oh, that’s a pretty batch.”
Ginny ignored the urge to roll under him and instead peeked into the space filled with squeaky babymeows. “Whoa. Brown with little white paws, the entire litter. They look like they’re wearing snow boots.”
The mama cat watched them warily, kittens lined up along her belly in an assembly line as they nursed greedily.
“Let’s not touch,” Ginny said softly. “This mama looks extra protective.”
Tucker didn’t say anything. Just lay on his belly with his arms folded so he could rest his chin on his hands and stare at the little furry creatures.
Okay. Ginny copied him, stretched out at his side. Their breath slowed, and the magic of the barn stole over her.
She’d been home less than twenty-four hours. It would take time to feel comfortable again. She couldn’t pretend that she’d never left—and wouldn’t want to, because shehadlearned a bunch of fascinating things while she’d been away. Too many lessons she eventually wanted to share with the people who were important to her.
But she also couldn’t pretend that the world hadn’t changed while she’d been away. She needed to get okay with that.
Voices sounded, and she rocked to her feet. She was at the railing looking down in time to see Caleb’s family pour into the barn. Followed by—
“Walker. And Ivy. Oh my God. Brace yourselves,” she called in warning.
Tempting as it was to use Kelli’s old method of throwing herself out of the loft to reach the ground sooner, Ginny was more comfortable keeping her feet under her. It was still only seconds later when she threw herself into Walker’s arms.
His hat flew off as he twirled her in a circle, squeezing tight. “Brat. Missed you.”
“That seems to be the theme of the day,” Ginny said as brightly as possible. “I’m glad to be home.”
He caught her unspoken message because he gave her an additional pat on the back before setting her free.
“Come visit us this week?” Ivy asked.
Ginny had plenty of teenage memories of the quiet woman who was now her sister-in-law. Ivy still looked fragile, with her silver-white hair and fine bone structure, yet somehow appeared far stronger than before.
“I would love it,” Ginny said honestly before giving Ivy a slightly less exuberant hug than she gave Walker in an attempt to not break the woman in two.
“We’re going riding,” Emma said as she tugged on Ginny’s sleeve. “You too?”
