“You do. I mean you did?” I squeak, sounding half shocked, half excited, and totally dorky while I do it. Then again, I’m not embarrassed because this is a man who has known me since I was sixteen, he’s seen me dorky, he’s seen me
“Yeah,” he says with a chuckle, his chocolate eyes crinkling at the sides. He rubs at the back of his neck with one hand and I recognize his nervous tell as soon as he does it. I used to think it was cute when he’d do it as a teenager, and come to think of it, he did it a lot when we were alone.Did I make him nervous? Do I even hope that it means what I think it means?
I watch in astonishment as the big gruff mountain man in front of me blushes a little, and every part of me sparks to life with curiosity. “Was wonderin’ if you wanted to come to the ranch for dinner one night? When you’re not workin’, of course. You said you wanted to visit, and I could show you around the place. And?—”
“Yes,” I interrupt. “I’d love to.”
His answering smile transforms his bearded face, lighting up the room around him andmein the process. “Good. That’s real good, Char. Lookin’ forward to it.”
“I want to see what your life is like, Austin. I had dreams but you did too. Like I said, we’ve got fifteen years to catch up on.”
“We do,” he replies roughly, and I have to close my eyes and take a minute to get my body, heart, and soul under control after that.“I want to finish primin’ the trim before I leave. Then we can look at doin’ the first coat of paint tomorrow if you want?”
I jolt at the change in subject but also appreciate the chance for me to focus on something other than where Austin’s head is at. “Sounds good,” I reply. “I can’t wait to see it when it’s finished. I’m itchin’ to get in there and see what furniture I can buy to make it my own.”
His eyes blaze bright with something but he doesn’t share so I don’t pry. Instead, I move to get up but Austin beats me to it. “I’ll get it. You fed me, I’ll clean up.”
“You don’t have to. I can–” The look he gives me tells me there’s no way I’m going to win this argument. I hold my hands up and smile. “OK. OK. I’ll just sit here and look pretty then.”
His lips twitch. "You do that without tryin’, Char. You always have.” That's when he looks over and sees my book on the counter, quickly moving to grab it. He turns it over to look at the cover and slowly smiles. I don't get time to wonder why because then he's handing it across the table to me. "How 'bout you look pretty while readin'? It won't take me long then we'll get back to work."
Swoon. Yes, I’m swooning over my best friend. “Yes, sir.”
Another lip twitch and my stomach flips, a warm feeling filling me up inside as he sets about cleaning the dishes from lunch.
I try to read, I really do, but instead of losing myself in the story about a couple falling in love with the guiding hand of a mountain spirit, I can’t stop my eyes from drifting over to watch the man I’ve always dreamed about being with. He’s kind, he’s funny, he’s thoughtful, and he’s a gentleman. He listens to what I have to say and is interested in my travels.
The more I think about it, I realize that the more time we spend together, the more I hope thatourstory–the one that started all those years ago when I walked into his senior class–might not be over yet.
More importantly, I wonder if my heart had it right all along, and if the man I once thought was the only one I would ever want and need could still be that for me. One thing is for sure, it's becoming more and more clear to me that I was a fool to think that there could ever be anyone else for me.
All I need now is the chance to show him that maybe, just maybe, we were always meant to be after all.
14
AUSTIN
A week later, with another day and another coat of paint completed at Char’s apartment, I drive my truck past the large wooden sign saying ‘Bull Mountain Ranch & Bull Stud’ with my girl—that’s the only way I can think of her now—making sure to take it slow so Charlie doesn’t miss a single thing.
The golden light of the late afternoon sun casts a magical glow over the sprawling land and even if I didn't have one eye on her, there's no missing her excitement as she gazes out the truck window. Her mood is infectious as I try to see the ranch from her eyes.
Does she love the miles and miles of land stretched out in front of her? And the mountain range spread out in the distance? Could she grow to love it as much as the rest of us at Bull do?God, I hope so.
The ranch house stands proud and welcoming as we get closer to it, the white exterior gleaming in the sunlight just like the outbuildings scattered around either side of it. In the distancesits Rhett’s old cabin where I’m currently staying. I point them all out as we drive past.
Then there’s the majestic mountain we claim as our own, standing strong and statuesque overseeing the fields.
“This is…” She shakes her head and turns in the passenger seat to face me. “Austin, this is justbeautiful.”
Pride swells in my chest and there's no stopping the smile that takes over my face. "She looks a hell of a lot better than when we first bought her. But you're right, she's a beauty."
“You said the previous owners used and abused the land, right? There’s no way you could tell that now.”
“Thanks,” I reply. “We’ve got a replantin’ program in place and we make sure that we never take away more than she’s got to give. We respect the land and everythin’ she gives us and she returns the favor in her own way.”
She looks back out the window as I bring the truck to a stop outside one of the big garages we have. “I’m so glad you invited me. It’s like you’re givin’ me a glimpse into your life, what it’s been like, you know?”What it could’ve been…She doesn’t say it, but I can tell she’s thinking it by the way her face falls slightly.
Now's not the time to think about the past though, I'm all about the future and what it could be with my best friend, the woman who has had my heart without knowing it for close to twenty years now. With her being back, I've realized that my feelings have never waned, they just hibernated for a while, probably for self-preservation more than anything else.
