Page 147 of Unspoken Hearts
The trees around us slowly lessen, and we enter a field that overlooks a spring, with the mountains on one side. It’s bright and green and open, but there’s nothing else around us.
“Is this the surprise?” I ask warily, peering around, expecting something more.
Reid brings Whiskey to a halt. “It is.”
I pull up beside him, frowning. “I take it back, maybe I don’t likeallof your surprises.”
Reid snickers, helping me off my horse, letting them munch on grass. “Can you be patient for one minute?”
“Nope,” I answer, giving him a wide grin as he rolls his eyes.
“Here.” He takes off the bag on the back of his horse and hands it to me.
“What’s in it? And if you say it’s another surprise—”
“It’s lunch.”
Grinning, he takes my hand in his, leading me through the field. My eyes skim the tranquil area, hearing the light breeze and bugs buzzing around, the scent of grass and rain hanging in the air. I see a checkered blanket on the ground ahead. There’s a small wicker basket and two glasses. I peer up at him with wide eyes.
“See, if you’re patient, then you learn what the surprise is,” he murmurs, getting me to sit down.
Taking the bag from my hands, he pulls out our lunch of sandwiches, biscuits and fruit.
I giggle, my stomach flipping with how excited I am to eat. “Did you organise this? It’s noteven my birthday.”
“Do I need a reason to take you on a picnic?” He raises a dark brow at me.
Feeling my cheeks flush, I shake my head, taking a sandwich from him. “No. I’ll come either way.”
“See. My surprises are good.”
“That they are,” I chime, digging into my food.
Reid pours me a drink of something fruity, and I sip on that while he asks me questions about my book, and plans now that it’s finished.
“I don’t know if I want to write another one just yet. I might take a break for a while to think about it.”
He nods, swallowing his mouthful. “That’s fine. You do whatever you need.”
“And I like just helping you out on the ranch.”
“I love that, too,” Reid says quietly. “You fit right in.”
“And now with your parents sitting back, there’s more for me to do than just looking after chickens, not that they aren’t cool, but cows are better,” I say without thinking.
Reid eyes me steadily for a brief moment before smirking.
“What?”
“You really liked calf season, didn’t you?”
I smile brightly, showing off all my teeth. I nod excitedly. “They were adorable, and Holden is a good teacher.”
“Of course he is, I taught him.”
Giggling, I pull my boot off to show him my cow pattern socks, and Reid grins at them. He got me blue and white ones two weeks ago, and he had to fight to get them off me to wash them the first day.
Putting my leg back down, I scrunch my brows at him. “Seriously, I sometimes don't understand why you love me so much.”
