"OK. I understand that, darlin'. But you've had some time to think about it now. How do youfeel?"
"It's all Icanthink about. I can't deny there's somethin' between us. I just don't know if it's just a kinship from bein’ alike, or whether it's deeper than that. I just don't want to be wrong, or misread it, and then ruin what we have as friends and thedynamic we've all got here on the ranch. I really love this place, Mom."
"I could tell that as soon as you arrived, Dee,” she says and I can hear her smile. “Do you remember what we always told you kids?"
"Eat our vegetables?"
She snickers. "Yes, OK. And what else?”
"Don't eat yellow snow?" I giggle, earning a spluttered laugh in return.
"And...?"
“Follow your heart.”
“Mmm hmm,” she hums. “So what is your heart tellin’ you?”
“That when he says him kissin’ me will mean ‘everythin’,’ he means it.”
“Right. Here’s the thing with ranchers,” she starts. “They say what they mean and they mean what they say. They don’t dance around the truth, they just state it. They may soften it, but an honest-to-goodness rancher willneversteer you wrong. And from what you've told me, the people at Bull Mountain are the good kind of ranchers like we are. They’re all about the land and givin’ back, not just takin’ from it.”
“Thanks, Mom. I think I just needed to hear someone other than me say that out loud.”
“Yeah, and I think I needed to say it. You have to know, we always worry when you’re away from us but sometimes I forget that we raised you right and you know your own mind. You just need to learn to trust it,” she says. “But never forget, I’m alwaysjust a phone call away to be the voice of reason you need when you’re not believin’ yourself, Dee.” Her voice is so warm and reassuring it’s like a cozy sheepskin blanket has been wrapped around me. I love it.
“Say hi to Dad and the guys for me,” I say. “Miss Piggy too. I’m missin’ her already.”
“Aww, darlin’, she’s doin’ OK. You know we all love her as much as you. Even if we do complain about her.” She laughs. “Remember, call me anytime you need me to say what you already know, yeah?”
Snickering, I nod. “Yeah, Mom. Love you.”
“Love you too. You’ll be home for Thanksgivin’ soon enough. Maybe by then you might have the answers you need.”
Later that nightin my bunkhouse bedroom, there’s a question that's plaguing me after reading a particular scene in my cowboy book. I open the group chat with the other women on the ranch and Lee, even though she’s states away from us. I met her and Colt at the wedding and she’s just as lovely as everyone said she was so I like including her even if she’s not here.
Dee: Hey. Have any of you read Aster Hollingsworth’s books?
Cora: Is the Pope a Catholic?
Mags: Is Red’s real name not Red?
Dee: Wait… let’s pause the conversation for a minute. Red isn’t his real name?
Mags: Hahahaha you think a man like that would be called Red?
Dee: I just thought it was short for something. Like Redmond, or Redford–like Robert Redford, you know?
Star: I have always wondered what his real name was too. Red seems so… not like Red.
Cora: Rhett won’t tell me. I’m not sure if he knows either.
Mags: Well I know and it’s NOT Red, Redmond, or Redford. Although Robert Redford was a fine looking man in his day
Leah: Are you going to tell us then? Colt doesn’t know. I’ve asked him many times.
Mags: And spoil the fun? Heck no.
Cora: I think we’ve gotten a little off track now. Dee was asking about Aster’s books. And yes, we’ve all read them. Why?
