Ryder found himself in strange territory. He pulled off the pavement onto the private gravel road that led to the Rest Stop.
She looked surprised when the tires crunched against the gravel, staring out the side window, presumably at the dust billowing around them.
“We can ride to the mill if you’re up for it. It’s about forty-minutes on horseback, but the views are breathtaking. Unless you’d rather me drive.”
“I’ve never ridden a horse, but I’ve always wanted to. Can we do that?”
“Absolutely.”
Lorri fidgeted, her eyes darting around as if she didn’t want to miss a single thing.
“Here we are.” He pulled into the campsite.
“Wow. That’s one long horse trailer. Is it yours?”
“Yep.” He hopped out of the truck and walked toward it. “Fits four horses, plus living quarters.”
“Do you live here?”
He looked around and laughed. “This is more like camping, don’t you think? It’s beautiful out here though, isn’t it?”
She took a step back. “It really is. Is that the water I hear?”
“It is.”
She raised her palm as a bright yellow butterfly danced across the top of the tall seed heads ahead of her. Lorri held her palm up, and the little yellow-winged insect seemed to hover mere centimeters from her fingers.
She spun, inhaling deeply. “Did you see that?”
“The butterfly?”
“Yes. Dancing in my hand!” She practically danced as she stepped forward.
“That was a lisa,” he said.
“You name the butterflies out here?” She looked at him like he was crazy.
“No. That would be a big job. Have you seen how many butterflies there are out here? Lisa is the type of butterfly. Very common. Eurema lisa means ‘little lisa’ or ‘little sulphur.’”
“I like lisa better.”
“Me too.”
Her quiet laughter was as soft as morning fog. She walked over to where Thunder and Dottie were tied. “Can I pet the horses?”
“Sure. Like I tell the kids, they have teeth, so they can bite. But they are both very friendly.”
She placed a flat hand above Dottie’s nose. “You are so beautiful.”
The horse raised her chin, her mane shifting in soft strands across her neck.
“I think she likes me,” Lorri said.
“She likes everyone. I’ve had Dottie since she was a baby. My sister named her, because of the polka dots.”
“That’s cute. How old is she now?”
“Dottie is twenty-eight.”
“I didn’t know horses lived that long.”
He laughed. It was fun watching her delight in the things he’d taken for granted for so long. “Yeah, they do. My horse is Thunder. He’s a cutting horse.”
“What’s that mean?”
“He helps me work cattle. He’s a good horse. They both are.”
“Hmmph.”
He wasn’t sure what that little hmmph was for, but he figured it would become clear soon enough.
Ryder retrieved their lunch from the truck. “Think it’s too hot to eat outside?”
“No. It’s a perfect day. What can I do to help?”
“Not a thing. Follow me.” He led her over to the chairs he’d set up under the awning. “Have a seat.” He placed the cooler between them, then divvied up the food. “My buddy owns Pastrami Joe’s. His sandwiches are the best. We’ve got a Tuscan Turkey or the Hammer.” He took both sandwiches out of the bag. “Your choice. Figured since you ate barbecue at the fair I didn’t have to worry you might be a vegetarian.”
“Heck no. My favorite food is hamburgers.”
“Oh, you haven’t had a hamburger until I’ve cooked one for you on the grill. I’m kind of known for them.”
“I can’t wait,” she said without hesitation. That made him happy.
He handed her a sandwich and put his to the side, then pulled out the container of pasta salad. Handing her a cold bottle of water, he smiled as his hand grazed hers, then pulled off his ball cap and bowed his head, blessing the food with a quick prayer.
When he lifted his eyes, she was smiling sweetly. “Amen,” she said.
“Dig in.”
“This is a great lunch. I’ve eaten there often. It’s always good, but I think eating outside makes the food taste even better. I could get used to dining outdoors like this.”
“Best view in town, and it’s always changing.”
“I bet it’s beautiful in the spring too.”
“Yes. It’s great every season, even in the dead of winter when most of the leaves have dropped and the trees are bare. The white haze on frosty mornings when the fog hangs just above the pasture. Nothing like it.”
“Sounds pretty.”
“It is.” He slugged back some water. “You ready to go down to the mill?”
“Definitely.”
Both horses were already saddled in hopes she’d agree. “All right. You’re going to mount from the left side. Come on over here.”
She went over to the horse. “Now what?”
“Put your left foot in the stirrup.” He steadied her as she got her foot into position, and placed her hands. “Okay, now you’re going to take a little hop and lift that back leg up and over.”
“Seriously? I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Doubt arched in her brow as her head tilted to the back of the horse.
“I’ll help you.”
“Okay. Here we … go!” With a teensy extra nudge from him she was sitting tall in the saddle.
“How’s that feel?”
“High.” Her giggle wavered, exposing her nerves, but she leaned forward and stroked Dottie’s neck. “You’re going to take good care of me, right, Dottie?”
“Okay, let’s see what we’ve got here.” He spent the next few minutes getting her set in her stirrups and walking her forward, to the left and right and backing Dottie up. “She neck reins. Just slight movements of the reins will tell her where you want to go. Nothing to it.”
“Seems easy enough.”
“She knows what to do. All you have to do is sit and enjoy the ride.”
She let out a breath. “I’m so excited.”
He swung up onto Thunder with ease. “Here we go.”
Lorri was a quick study. No one would ever believe it was her first time in the saddle.
“Those are some nice boots you’ve got on. I was going to take us down to the creek and ride that path most of the way, but I’d hate to ruin them.”
“Don’t worry about these boots. Let’s take the horses in the water. Oh my gosh, this is like a dream. I can’t believe we’re riding.” She stretched her arms above her head. “I love this.”
He turned Thunder toward the creek’s edge, and Dottie fell right in line behind him.
He heard Lorri gasp as the sound of the rushing water became louder. It always took his breath away too.
Dottie stepped down the bank and leaned forward to drink. Lorri squealed. “Am I going to slide off?”
“I hope not. She’s not a giraffe. Lean back.”
She straightened, noticeably relaxing.
“There you go,” he said. “You’re fine. She’s just thirsty.”
The horses drank and then they began clip-clopping through the creek side by side.
He reached up and bent back a low-hanging twig as the path narrowed and he moved in front of her. “You doing okay?”
“Perfect.”
“We’re going to have to go single file for a bit, then the horses will climb up the bank where it widens again.”
“I’m following you.”
It was an easy pace, and he enjoyed her quiet company. As they approached where they were going to climb the bank, he twisted around in his saddle. “Okay, let Dottie take care of the climb. Sit and balance, that’s all you have to do. She’ll take it slow.”
Thunder bounded up the bank. Ryder spun his horse around to keep an eye on Lorri, but she didn’t flinch, just let Dottie do the work. Lorri smiled with every step. He got down off of Thunder and helped her from her horse.
“We’ll tie them up over here.” He grabbed both lead lines and took care of it.
“That was wonderful,” she said. “Thank you so much.”
“You haven’t even seen the mill yet.”
“I can’t believe it’s going to get better.”
“Better start believing.” He gave her a quick wink. “Get your land legs.”
She jogged in place. “Ready to go.”
They walked along the bank. She stopped and picked a wide blade of grass. “When I was a little girl my grandfather taught me to whistle with grass.” She licked her thumbs and put the grass between them, puffing between them. “That was not the way I remember it.”
He snagged a piece and made a loud duck-like whistle. “Like that?”
“Yes! What am I doing wrong?”
“Try again.” It only took her a couple of tries to get it right, and by then they were trying to name songs. He guessed “Jingle Bells” to her “Stairway to Heaven.” Laughing so hard, she could barely blow.
“The mill is just behind the tall rhododendrons over there.”
They marched through the thick brush near the water, and then there it was.
“That building looks so tired.”
“It’s old, but we’ve shored it up over the years.”
“It’s built so well. Look how thick the wood is. My house isn’t even framed with wood that heavy.”
“No, it’s not.” He reached for her hand. “It’s safe. Come on. You can see the stone wheels in here. The water used to be much deeper and would run this mill. Unfortunately, years of land development, well drilling, and grading have affected the waterway through here. I played here as a kid.”
“It’s really neat. It should be a landmark.”
“People don’t appreciate this kind of stuff much anymore.”
“They should.” A hint of sadness hung in her words. “This has been such a great day.”
“It’s only half over. We still have to get back.”
“I know, but I didn’t want to forget to thank you. I thought you were going to drive me past a waterwheel off the side of the road. I had no idea I was in for an adventure like this. And lunch too.”
“You’re welcome, my friend Lorri.” He liked the way she wrinkled her nose when he called her that. It was silly, but it was nice to have that special little something between them. Just their own. “You know, I should have done this sooner. I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“The other day. The only thing I can come up with, and it’s stupid, is that I was showing off a little. I never break a confidence. I don’t know why I told you about that celebrity wedding.…” He let out a breath. At least he’d set the record straight. “Anyway, I hope you’ll forgive me. I really am a man who is good to his word. I want you to believe that.”
“I understand,” she said. “It’s fine. I’m kind of flattered in some weird way, but don’t you turn out to be the town gossip.” She shook her pointer finger at him. “I won’t be impressed by that at all.” She bent down to pick up something. “A feather. Just out here in the middle of nowhere.”
She took a few steps then tossed the feather in the air, letting it spin to the ground.
“The Wedding Ranch, this event,” he continued. “It’s a big deal for them.”
“I’m sure it is.”
He bent over and picked up the feather she’d tossed. “No, I mean, really big. My niece and nephew run that place. They’d be so upset if anything went wrong. And if I had anything to do with even so much as a hiccup this week … well, I’d never want to let them down like that.”
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of telling a single person. I’m always good to my word.” She cocked her head. “You’re bragging on them a little. A proud uncle?”
“Definitely.” He tucked the feather into his pocket. “I can’t believe they’ve made such a big success out of hosting events. Who knew you could take a falling-apart barn and a couple of tobacco barns and breathe new life into them like that? People are coming from across the nation to have their events there. I don’t really understand it, but I’m very happy for them, and hope it lasts.”
“Country is very cool right now. Even if it’s a passing fad, they will be learning valuable entrepreneurial skills,” she said. “Venue weddings have been trending for a long while now, but the country stuff, it just keeps getting more and more popular. Country music. Country homes. Country cooking. Country weddings.”
“Don’t have to sell me on it,” he said. “I grew up this way.”
“I’m a city girl through and through, but I’m totally sold too.” She lifted her arms out to the side. “I love all of this.”
Well-toned and tan, she was as graceful as a ballerina. She closed her eyes, lifting her chin to the sun.
“I bet heaven is like this,” she said, “but the deer will walk up and eat from my hands, and birds will rest on my shoulders.” She twirled. “It’s so peaceful.”
“It is.” He squatted, plucking a wildflower, twirling it between his fingers as he watched her thoroughly enjoy nothing but nature. Her lips slightly parted, embracing the moment she seemed to be in no hurry at all. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
He realized he’d kind of hoped today would be like this. But now that it was real … as much as he was enjoying the day, it scared him too.
What if he found that feeling again? Could he bear the possibility of losing it?