Page 99 of The Wedding Ranch
Her heart fluttered much like a little girl on Christmas morning. She hadn’t expected a present. “For me?”Why? I shouldn’t accept this.
“It is.” He didn’t wait for her to open it. He lifted the top from the box, then took out a stunning cowboy hat. Cocoa brown, the leather was cut out under the brim letting turquoise felt show through. “Let’s see how it fits.”
She leaned forward.
“Pull your hair back from your face,” he said quietly.
She pushed her fingers through her hair, and he placed the hat on her head.
Ryder let out an approving sound. “Perfect fit. Oh, you look good.”
She pressed the guilt behind her, but his kindness made it even harder. How could she be falling in love with this man, after what happened?
“No mirror out here,” he said. “You’ll just have to trust me.”
The comment had been playful, but it hit home. “I trust you.” She hadn’t meant it to come out so serious, but there it was.
The left corner of his lip pulled. “I’m happy to hear that, because I trust you too, my friend Lorrie.” He came around the desk and grabbed a scarf and gloves from the coat tree next to the door. “Here.” He slung the wool scarf around her neck. “Get it up around your neck.”
She adjusted the scarf and slid on the gloves.
“I think we’re ready to roll.” He clapped his gloved hands together and led the way back out to the horses.
Lorri checked all the saddle riggings like he’d taught her, although it seemed a waste of time to do so behind him when he was clearly the expert. She put her foot in the stirrup and lifted herself. Ryder was right there spotting her, but she was able to get herself to the saddle this time.
They rode the perimeter fences, him telling her how he and Pop-Pop had used to do this together.
It was as if they’d drifted back in time, when things were simpler, and his grandfather could’ve been riding with them.
Ryder had a million stories. His life had been so full. Her life felt small in comparison. From the back of Dottie looking out across the landscape, where the trees were green before now, dry leaves were beginning to pile against the fence line. She was thankful to experience this side of nature’s artwork. The colors were richer. Her mind’s eye was mixing colors trying to match them.
“I’m so thankful you’re sharing all of this with me,” she said.
“Me too.” He loped off, and she let Dottie have the freedom to keep up.
The exhilaration of being on horseback running across a field side by side and trusting that her bottom wasn’t going to leave that saddle had to have been the bravest thing she’d done in her life.
That night as she was leaving, Ryder stood in the open door of her SUV as he said, “Lorri, thank you for coming. I enjoyed every minute with you.”
“Oh…” She stopped short of turning the key. “Ryder, I can’t leave without telling you something.”
“What’s wrong?”
“This has been a wonderful day. You are… a good man.”
Ryder pushed his hat back. “Then why do you look like you’re going to cry?”
“Ryder, I don’t know why I didn’t put this together sooner.”She lifted her hands to her face in an attempt to hide the tears that were beginning to fall.
“Hey now. It can’t be that bad. Slow down.”
She dropped her hands in her lap. “It’s worse than bad.”
“Here’s your hat back.” Lorri took it off and handed it to him through the window, sweeping at her tears.
“I bought that for you. Please, keep it.”
“I don’t deserve it.” She pushed it away. “Please. Ryder. Take it. You have to listen to me.”
