The week between Christmas and New Year’s was blessedly quiet. Lance sat with Kyleigh on her porch swing, sipping a glass of the wine he’d bought her for Christmas. The wood-burning chiminea Mona and Robert had given her emanated warmth. Smoke curled through its stack into the star-studded sky.
“Beautiful evening.”
His cell phone rang before Lance could respond. “Hey, Ellen. Yeah, Christmas was nice. Different. I’m sure it was difficult. Hold on a sec.” He punched the mute button. “We got anybody scheduled in the lodge’s upstairs suite?”
“No.”
“Mind if I bring a friend and her family out?”
Kyleigh blanched. Shock brightened her dark eyes. “Not at all. How many?”
“Four. Mom and three kids, ages 15, 9, and 4.”
“I’ll go pencil them in.” She stood and left him sitting there, alone and concerned at her reaction.
Lance finished his conversation, satisfied when Ellen accepted his offer to fly her and the children out for New Year’s and the rest of their holiday vacation. He called the airline, made reservations, then stepped off the porch and met Kyleigh on her way back from the lodge. “You OK?”
She arched a brow at him. Spots of color replaced the paleness in her cheeks. Anger edged her voice. “I’m fine. When will your friend and her children arrive?”
Her frigid tone along with the emphasis she put on ‘friend’ surprised him. A closer look revealed a hint of mistrust in her expression. She’s jealous! Lance slid his arm around her waist to halt her hurried ascent up the steps. “It’s my buddy’s widow and kids. The one whose funeral I attended a couple months back. Nothing or no one for you to worry about.”
“What makes you think I’m worried? We have no exclusive arrangement.”
He swallowed the chuckle bubbling in his throat and palmed her cheek, ran his thumb across her lips. “Arrangement or not, the unspoken rule, for me at least, is one babe at a time.”
“How gallant of you.” She all but snarled at him.
He couldn’t hide the laugh this time. He turned her in his arms, held fast when she stiffened against his embrace. “Sweet Kyleigh. There’s only room in my heart for one woman and that’s you.”
His lips covered hers in a kiss designed to banish the doubt in her mind and heart. His hands ran over her back and shoulders in a restless gesture. “Jeeze…Kyleigh…my sweet, sweet Kyleigh.”
Lance struggled with the words aching to leap from his throat. He stepped back, framed her face with his hands and waited until she raised a wary gaze to his. “I’m too old, been through and seen too much to play the kind of games teenagers play. I’ve been a wanderer for years, searching for something, someone to anchor my soul. I found that here and I will never abuse your trust or take what we share for granted.”
The intensity in his gaze seared her heart. Kyleigh rested her head against his chest and clung to his hard frame a moment then stepped back and stroked the cheek she’d wanted to slap. “Thank you. I’m sorry for doubting you. It’s been so long since I felt anything resembling jealousy it threw me off guard. I am so glad you came through our gate, but Lance, only God can be the true anchor of your soul.”
He smiled and brushed his lips across hers in a tender gesture. “We’re getting there.”
Her heart thudded when his eyes continued to search hers. What was he seeking within their depths? Indecision furrowed his brow. He took a deep breath, pulled her against him once more and stroked her hair.
“I love you, Kyleigh. I know this may seem too soon since we’ve only known each other a few months. We’ve both suffered pain, heartache, and loss. Maybe not in the same way or degree, but nonetheless. We’re not children anymore and we both know how short life really is. Too short to not grab hold of a chance for happiness when it’s gifted to us.”
If her own jealousy stunned her, his declaration sent shock waves through her entire being. “I…ah….”
Lance stopped her stuttering with his finger on her lips. “Don’t say anything unless you’re absolutely sure. I’ve said those words to only one other woman in my life and then more out of necessity than true emotion. Hell, I see now that back then I had no idea what love was or could be. What I had with Seth’s mother was child’s play compared to how I feel about you.”
He held her tight a moment then stepped back. “It’s too cold to have this conversation here and it’s getting late. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Kyleigh watched him leave. Though his words had been brave, she couldn’t stop the erratic beat of her heart at the dejected slump to his shoulders as he walked away. Oh, God…God! Dennis! Help me! What do I do?”
She took a breath, quelled the crazy whirl of her thoughts, and obeyed the command of her heart: Go after him.
“Lance!”
He stopped, turned, and lifted her off the ground as she flew into his embrace. “I love you, too. It’s all so new to me. So unexpected. So…I’ll ask for us to move slowly, and for time…to know the depths of my own heart before you ask me to give it to you fully.”
“Take all the time you need, sweetheart,” he muttered between kisses. “I’m not going anywhere.”
* * * * *
Kyleigh sat at her table and jotted down ideas for the upcoming year. Lance had driven Ellen and her children to the airport to catch their flight home. The sadness in the woman’s eyes, one she understood all too well, had lessened over the days they were here. Even the relationship between Lance and Seth improved daily and the two were often seen laughing and talking while they worked. That, and the changes in Elaina in just a few short weeks, had primed Kyleigh’s inquisitive spirit.
Dennis always said there was a therapeutic energy on this ranch. Now she understood. This knowledge fueled her purpose for what they initially thought to be a dude ranch. The Silver Star would be a place of healing and reconnecting with God.
Her stomach growled—and no wonder! She hadn’t eaten since last night. Her muscles protested when she stood. Dizziness assailed her. She’d hardly regained her equilibrium when Lance knocked then walked through her doorway. He was beside her in seconds.
“Kyleigh! What’s wrong?” Before she could wave him off, he’d pulled out her chair and tried to urge her into it.
“No. Lance, wait. I’ve been sitting too long and need to move around a little and get the circulation going. That’s all.”
Her stomach grumbled again. She laughed. “And eat.”
Lance glanced down at the paperwork strewn about and picked up a tablet that burst with color as she’d crossed out, highlighted, and switched pens to narrow her focus.
“What’s all this?”
“Just some ideas for improving the ranch.”
He skimmed through the pages and whistled. “Your talent and imagination are simply amazing.”
She’d sketched detailed portrayals of a labyrinth, a small, open-air chapel, and a massage parlor. Her vision for each room–it’s setting and décor–were illustrated to the tiniest detail. Some would double as places for meditation or yoga.
“Looks like you’ve been at this for a while.”
“Yeah, I’ve spent the better part of the day researching, documenting, taking notes, and making phone calls.”
He picked up another stack of papers. She’d printed information on equine therapy and other healing modalities that, when coupled with the Word of God, would minister to a person’s soul as well as deal with afflictions of the mind and body.
“Equine Therapy? Aren’t we doing that already?”
She reached for the information. “I guess in a way we are. But this is more focused. Would you be interested in learning about the process and maybe facilitating events once we get set up? We could send you for training.”
“I might. Sounds interesting. Seems like a pretty big undertaking though.”
“I know, and I understand it’ll take time and effort to implement. Right now, I’m in the planning stage. I’ll work on sample ads and brochures, spreadsheets, and calendars so that when I talk to the kids, our attorney, and financial advisors, I’ll have every aspect and concern covered.”
“I doubt the kids will balk at your ideas. In fact, I’m betting everyone will be on board. The buildings would be easy enough to erect. When do you want to get started?”
She shrugged. “Not sure yet. I’ll put these on the altar in my prayer closet and then we can eat.”
“Why set them there? Let’s show the kids and iron out the details.”
His enthusiasm warmed her heart. She smiled and caressed the five o’clock shadow along his jaw with the back of her hand. “Because I want to pray over them and make sure this is God and not just me. I always do this before starting a project of any sort. Especially one that could be so costly.”
“Hmph, never thought of that. OK then, you put them away and I’ll whip us up something to eat. I’m hungry too.”
Three weeks later Kyleigh sat with her family, staff and financial advisor and went over her plans. The overall consensus was a huge GO! Affirmation came when Tess leaned over and pointed to the massage parlor.
“I guess I never told y’all I’m a licensed massage therapist, did I?”
Kyleigh arched a brow at her. “No. You didn’t. How long have you been practicing?”
“I’ve done occasional work for friends and family and fill in once in a while in the shops in Fredericksburg. Still haven’t felt comfortable enough in any of those to apply for a full-time position nor do I have enough of a clientele to open my own place. Besides, the drive from where I live into town with traffic and all…” Her words trailed off with a shudder. “But I’d love to do this here! I even have a portable table that fits just about anywhere. I do most of the twelve types of massage.”
“There are twelve types of massage therapy?”
Tess laughed. “Yes, but most of them are variations of the traditional. I prefer to stay away from sports and trigger point since those deal directly with injuries, but I can do them.”
“Great. We’ll work together on packages and pricing for guests and figure your percentage of the fees. In fact, we can start this aspect of our wellness program right away.”
“When do you want to implement these retreats?” Robert asked. “And where?”
“I thought we could start small, using the two-room suite upstairs for courses and massages and even one-on-one sessions with our practitioners. Yoga can be out by the pool or in the patio garden area. Nutrition classes would be held in the kitchen. The lodge room is big enough for art, journaling, and vision board sessions.”
“That might work,” Robert said. “At least until we get your buildings up. The labyrinth would be easy enough to erect, but what about the equine therapy?”
“I’ve talked with a man who’s well known in Arizona. He said he’d be willing to come out on occasion to facilitate an event and he’s recommended people in Austin and San Antonio. I haven’t spoken with them yet and I have feelers out in other areas. My goal would be for you and Lance to learn this. There are online courses to start but you’d each have to go to a training facility for certification. However, all that can come in time. As long as we can get someone to travel here, we can schedule events. Mr. Redding, the guy in Arizona, will come out to examine our horses and pick the best ones to start this venture. He can also recommend ranches to buy more should we have the need.”
“Looks like you’ve got it all worked out,” Ramona said. “What can I do?”
Kyleigh hugged her daughter. “Holistic nutrition shouldn’t be hard for you to incorporate. Again, you can be certified online or enroll at the local college. Personally, I think online would be best with the baby and all.”
“So do I,” Robert and Mona agreed simultaneously, bringing a round of laughter.
“I’ve never taught yoga but have practiced it for years. Maybe I could get certified in that somehow,” Elaina inserted. “I don’t know what all is required, but I want to do something special too.”
“I’m sure you’ll learn a lot helping out with these events and when you decide what that ‘something’ is, we’ll help you get the education and/or training you need.” Kyleigh opened her reservation calendar. “We’re booked up for Spring Break but have several weeks of free time before and after until Memorial Day. By summer, I’m sure we’ll be bursting at the seams.”
“Maybe we can start with a couples retreat for Valentine’s Day,” Tess suggested. “Couple’s massages, wine, roses, and chocolate. I have a friend or two I can ask to work with me, or we can get students from Massage Therapy School to do them. They have to get in a certain number of practice hours in order to finish, and this would be the perfect opportunity to get them done.”
“That’s a great idea,” Kyleigh exclaimed. “Gives us a starting point. I’ll put brochures and ads together. You guys get that labyrinth set up. I’ll contact the Holistic Chamber of Commerce in San Antonio and see if we can get some practitioners out here to help if it turns into an actual event. If not, we’ll offer what we can and see what happens.”
* * * * *
Six months later, Kyleigh sat in the rocking chair in her daughter’s cabin. Her new vision for the ranch had come together so quickly she still couldn’t believe it. The Valentine’s weekend was a smashing success followed by their first wellness retreat in April.
Kyleigh had brought in a holistic nutritionist, yoga teacher and an energy medicine practitioner. The information provided during those two events spoke so strongly to Elaina, she enrolled for basic energy medicine courses online and took to them like the proverbial duck to water. The practitioner Kyleigh brought out was Elaina’s sponsor and would help her with testing and certification.
Equine Therapy sessions had been added. Lance and Robert were not only naturals, but the depths of healing and restoration that resulted from their efforts proved nothing less than amazing. Lance had grown exponentially in his relationship with God, Seth, and her in the process of learning and facilitating the workshops alongside Robert and the man from Arizona.
Today, however, the entire ranch was on pause. Everyone held their collective breath awaiting the arrival of Robert and Ramona’s child. She’d opted for a home birth. Kyleigh had held one hand and pressed a wet cloth to her forehead while Robert coached her breathing during and between contractions until the tiny, squalling baby made its appearance. At the moment, Robert and the midwife were getting Mona cleaned up and settled while Kyleigh held her newborn grandson. Emotions collided in her heart, rendering it a jumbled mixture of elation and despair. Tears streamed from her eyes.
Oh, God, such a beautiful child. Do you see him, Dennis? He’s so perfect. I wish you were here. The memory of Dennis assuring her he’d held their little one before Ramona conceived brought peace and understanding in a greater degree that they were and would forever be connected in heart and in spirit.
Robert’s voice drew her from her musings. “You can come back in now.”
Kyleigh cuddled the infant close and rose from the chair just as Lance peeked in from the porch where he, Elaina, and Seth had been pacing. “Well, what’s the verdict?”
She smiled. “A boy and he’s beautiful.”
Robert laughed. “I’d say she’s biased but I have to agree with her. Y’all come on in.”
Kyleigh handed the baby to his father and allowed Lance to take her hand as they made their way into the room to gather around Ramona’s bed. The new mother lay wide awake and glowing.
“Y’all decide on a name yet?” Lance asked.
For months, the couple had tossed ideas but never settled, opting to wait until the child was born before announcing their choice, thinking he or she would help determine the appropriate one.
Ramona smiled up at her husband. “Dennis Kyle, after his grandparents.” Her lips trembled, eyes filled. “I just wish dad and the rest of them were here to celebrate his birth and watch him grow up.”
Kyleigh embraced her daughter. “Oh, sweetheart, they’re all here. They’re with us all the time.”
Lance wrapped his arms around Kyleigh’s waist, then lifted her hand to his lips. In the ten months since he began working at the Silver Star, he’d discovered how Robert’s parents, Kyle and Denyse had died when he was a child, leaving him to be raised in a local boys home. “I’d never presume to take anyone’s place in your lives, but I’d be honored to be called his grandfather.”
He turned Kyleigh in his embrace, dropped to one knee, and pulled a ring out of his pocket. “Will you marry me and give me that pleasure?”
Seth leaned in. “Yeah, and that would make me his uncle.”
“And me, his aunt,” Elaina chimed. “Once Seth and I get married that is.”
Overwhelmed, all Kyleigh could do was nod.
Lance grinned and slipped the ring on her finger as cheers echoed through the tiny house.
The End
If you enjoyed Kyleigh’s Cowboy you might also like Lori’s Redemption… Can a notorious bad girl find redemption & win the cowboy preacher’s heart?
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