I smirk. “Who are you? Bull Mountain’s resident love guru?”
He barks out a laugh in my ear. “Nope. Just a man in love who wants the same for you. And to answer your question about what to do, you just let it happen.”
“You think it’s really that easy?” I ask in disbelief.
“When it’s you and Mags and I’mthatsure about it? Hell, yes,” he replies. “Maybe start byshowin’ her that your feelin’s have changed. And stop overthinkin’ everything. Just let it happen, because itwillhappen regardless.”
“You make it sound simple.”
“That’s because it is. If there’s one thing I'm sure about, it's that you and Mags won't ever let anythin' come between you, and if the mountain has decided that now is the time for you two to finally be together, there's a reason for it."
“Does thereneedto be a reason?” I ask, wondering if there’s some ritualistic step that has to be taken before the Mountain Call can be heard.Maybe there’s a certain number of years of saying you’re happy when you’re not before you’re rewarded?
“Nope. Nobody knows the whys and hows of the Call. But when you complete it and you know deep in your heart that you’vefound your One—in your case,again—there’s no better feelin'. You hear?"
“I hear you, Rhett,” I say, a quiet laugh escaping my lips. “You know I haven’tcompletedanythin’ withanyonesince Anna died though.”
When he answers this time, his voice is soft. “I’m thinkin’ there was a reason for that and now that you’ve heard the Call, you know why you waited.”He’s not wrong.
“When did the student become the teacher?” I say with a grin.
“Had to put everythin’ you’ve taught me over the years into good use eventually. Makes me happy knowin’ I’m doin’ it for you,” he answers.
“Serves me right for trainin’ you so hard.”
“Wouldn’t be the man I am today without you, Red. I hope you know that,” he states, and I feel that right in the middle of my chest. “Any other life questions you need answered?”
“I do have one thing.”
“OK…” he says, sounding intrigued.
“How the hell do I stop the tinglin’ when we touch and my heartrate jumpin’ through the roof when I justthinkabout her?”
His deep hearty laugh fills my ear. “Can’t help with that one. It’s the spirits way. How else would us clueless cowboys realize our future is starin’ us right in the face?”
“Clueless,” I scoff. “Speak for yourself.”
“I’ll let you go but keep in touch. I’m here if you need any more advice about women.” There’s no missing the amusement in his voice.
“Yeah, not sure I need that, but thanks all the same,” I muse. “By the way, tell Lee and Colt that their damn duck made an appearance at the bar last night. Nearly left a damn dent in my hood.”
“What do you mean? Duck Norris is here. I saw him last nightandthis mornin’. He was harassin’ Bruno and then leadin’ NellyandMiss Piggy through the meadow near the buildin’ sites this mornin’.”
“What the hell? Who was that duck then?” I hear footsteps in the dirt and turn to see a smiling Mags walking toward me.
Rhett’s words echo in my mind, urging me to stop overthinking and let things happen. But as she nears, my heart is trying to beat its way out of my chest and the tingling sensation intensifies the closer she gets—and we’re not even touching this time.
"What's scary?" he says, but I can barely hear him over the rushing of blood in my ears.
“I hate to tell you, but if the menace is at Bull, that means he’s got a doppelganger in Ninilchik.”
“For real?” Rhett splutters.
“Oh yeah. One leg and everythin’.”
"Damn. Hopefully, he's not a menace like the original bird then.”
“Think we all hope that. One’s bad enough,” I joke.
