Page 24 of The Bride
So I thought about it. Really thought about it and answered him again. “I’m a Mason. Long Valley is Mason land and has been for five generations. It’s mine to have and work for future Masons. I don’t know if it’s about wanting it so much as knowing this is my destiny. It all came way faster than I was expecting. But it doesn’t mean I can be any less responsible about it. Does that sound corny?”
He smiled, then reached over and ruffled my hair, which I hated.
“Stop!” I smacked at his hands.
He laughed and seemed to come to some conclusion about something.
“When school’s out I’ll start taking you around more. Showing you every aspect about the ranch. I want you to be as prepared as you can be.”
Yep. That’s what I needed to be. As prepared as I could be because we were counting down time now. Only twelve months and two weeks left.
Seven
Ellie
April 22
It was official. Today was going to be the best day of my life. On a scale of one to ten, a total ten.
First, it was my birthday. Jake promised to make me my favorite for breakfast. Eggs and ridiculously burnt bacon. Normally we fended for ourselves in the morning. He was always up before me anyway.
Especially during calving season, because those little suckers were always popping out.
He could be up around the clock some days. But calving season was always exciting because it meant securing the future. Which was good news, something we needed around Long Valley because we hadn’t had it in a while.
Either of us.
Janet had broken up with Jake a couple of months ago. Then she asked him to get back together. Then she broke up with him again.
It was all very intense.
As of today I think they were officially on again, but one thing was quite certain.
She hated me.
Like next-level hated me. My first official enemy in Riverbend. She would call the house line because cell service was spotty out on the ranch, and I could hear it in her voice.
Hi Ellie! How are yooooo?
So chipper. So peppy.
Translated.
I hate you, Ellie… please divorce my boyfriend soon.
One more year to go. Anyway, back to my birthday. I was seventeen. Jake was taking time to make me breakfast this morning. I wasn’t expecting a gift, but you never knew with him. Some times Jake did (remember my horse Petunia—that was a Jake gift) and sometimes he didn’t. Just a simple ‘happy birthday kiddo’ instead.
Point of fact, I hated it when called me kiddo.
I made sure he had a gift on his birthday every year he lived with us, because he was… Well, he wasn’t an orphan. We all figured his mom was alive somewhere in the world, but no one knew that for certain. What was certain was that she would never step foot inside the state of Montana again. She had hated living here. A transplant Ernie had picked up from Seattle and brought home.
Not a good fit.
Since he was basically as good as an orphan, I would make my dad give me money so Jake had a present on his birthday and for Christmas.
Today, first time as my husband, who knew what to expect. But it didn’t matter. Because no gift was going to be as big as tonight.
Tonight was prom night. We didn’t do proms by grades. Just one big dance where everybody could go. In the gym, which was a little old-school cheesy, but the only place in Riverbend that would fit us all for an event.
