Page 17 of A Rancher's Love
“Sure. We’re not going very far, are we?” Ginny checked her watch. “Don’t you have a friend coming over?”
Emma’s eyes went wide, and she nodded vigorously. “Papa said we’ll ride in the arena until after Talia visits.”
“Wow, that’s a good idea.”
Caleb wandered past, chuckling softly, saddle hefted over his shoulder. “You don’t have to say that as if it’s an utter surprise. I do have them at times, you know.”
“Hush,” Ginny mock whispered. “Girl bonding. Don’t interrupt.”
Emma put her hands over her mouth and snickered softly.
A moment later, Sasha was there as well. Only she had her fists on her hips and eyed Ginny with suspicion. “Mom said girls’ night out is for bonding, but we’re too little to go. Kelli says you gotta put in the work before you get to play.”
Some things would never change. Sasha’s Kelli-isms were still a thing and still hysterical. “You’re right, and Kelli’s right. But girl bonding is notjustfor grown-ups. It’s also about spending special time with your people, and that means any age counts.”
Sasha considered for a moment. “Then today is special because Talia is coming to visit.”
“Yep.” But an inkling of another idea snuck in.
Ginny stored away the thought for another time, because between the visits from a birthday friend and Christmas presents, the girls probably had enough excitement to keep them bouncing for the next forty-eight hours.
Not too much later, most of the family were up on horseback, easy conversations happening while the horses paced slowly along the edge of the fence line. Two by two, mixing and matching every few minutes.
When Emma’s friend showed up with her father, and her father’s good friend, Ginny slipped aside to observe a little more closely.
Her gaze went unerringly to Tucker. He wasn’t riding but standing near the barn with one foot up on the bottom railing, his arms along the top as he chatted with Ivy.
Another memory slipped in. Tucker knew the entire Fields family, and Ivy, from way back. He really was mixed up in a whole lot of history.
Seeing him there just felt natural. Felt right.
Made things inside of her crave his heat and talented hands.
As if thinking of him somehow tapped him on the shoulder, his gaze swung to the right and their eyes made contact. No one was watching, which meant Ginny didn’t worry about hiding the things bubbling inside her.
Two weeks. If that was all she got, then she would do her best to convince him they needed to take advantage of every opportunity.
Shrieks of laughter rose from the left, and Ginny hurried to see what her nieces and their friend were doing.
All of them were in the goat pen, each one cornered by their own personal goat bodyguard.
The rest of the afternoon and dinner passed in a violent rush, until the Stone family once again gathered in the main ranch house. Presents under the tree, new toys and scraps of wrapping paper from the morning’s event already in evidence.
But now was for the whole family, and while Ashton played his fiddle and Dustin danced a jig with Sasha, Ginny found herself with eighteen-month-old Tyler in her arms.
The little tyke seemed fascinated by the necklace she wore. Leaning down, he sniffed the ceramic surface like a puppy after her scent. He babbled between times, patting his hand against her cheek and catching hold of the ends of her hair. But mostly it was the ceramic pendant she wore that held him fascinated.
“Whatever you’ve got in there, I need a bucketful,” Tamara said dryly. “I swear it’s Tyler catnip. He’s usually grumbling by now, but you’re working some sort of magic.”
“I’ll get you one,” Ginny promised. “Herbal-based and safe for both kids and pets—I double checked.”
Tamara mouthedthank you, then headed to beside the tree where Caleb had risen to his feet.
Ginny’s oldest brother made a slow perusal around the room, noting everyone was present. Emma and Sasha had been sent to the basement with a new movie, so only the adults in the family were present. Along with Ashton and Tucker, of course.
Caleb cleared his throat. “Seems as if I made an announcement like this only yesterday, but Tamara reminded me it’s been at least a couple years. I’ve got an update on the state of Silver Stone’s finances, and I want you all to listen close.”
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