“A jumpsuit,” she said. “And maybe we don’t have to give Bryanand Ellie four months. I mean, didn’t you say a bunch of the Glovers got married last June, one week after the other?”
“Yeah,” Ty said. “I just need to talk to my mom and Bryan about it, to make sure we’re not stepping on any toes. I can’t even imagine what they’re going to say if we get married before we’ve even known each other a year.”
“Oh, we’ve known each other that long,” Winnie said. “Don’t you remember? You came to your first physical therapy appointment in May.”
Oh, Ty remembered, because a man didn’t meet a woman like Winnie and forget about it.
When it became obvious that she was taking him to Three Rivers, she glanced over to him. “I just want credit to go where it’s due,” she said. “Henry, Paul, and Libby have helped a lot with this dinner tonight.”
“Where are we eating it?” he asked.
“In one of your favorite spots,” she said. “Don’t worry.”
“Oh, I’m worried,” Ty said, but it wasn’t really about him. It was about her, because as the weather had heated up, Winnie didn’t enjoy dining out on patios or in gardens. So dinner at the ranch didn’t really seem like her cup of tea.
They arrived, and Winnie parked in front of Courage Reins. Ty met her near the hood, and she took his hand and led him around the building toward the stables. They walked past them, the shade definitely cooler on his bare arms, and then the ranch opened up in front of him. Ty sighed, because he did love the sight before him as it was as familiar to him as his own face.
“Oh, look, the miniature donkeys are out.”
“Yep,” Winnie said. “And Henry put out a few other horses as well.” She smiled and nodded to a round table that had been set up in the shade of a beautiful live oak. “There’s one I think you know.”
Ty heard the familiar call of his horse, Juniper, and he turned to face the pasture, stunned that someone had come onto his farm and taken his horse without him noticing.
“How did you get her?” he asked.
“Henry picked her up,” Winnie said, with a clap and a bounce in her feet. “Are you excited?”
“Yeah, of course.” He grinned at her. “This is great. Thank you.”
“Wait until you see what we’re having for dinner.” She led him over to the table where Juniper met them at the fence. Ty took a moment to stroke his horse and laugh when she tried to take off the offending cowboy hat.
“It’s just a new hat, girl,” he said. Horses got spooked by the dumbest things.
He moved over to Winnie, because he’d rather spend his time with her than a horse any day, and that said something, because a cowboy had a very special relationship with his horse.
Two places had been set at the table, the plates covered by cloches, and Winnie said, “Sit down and let me serve you.”
Ty wanted to argue that none of this was necessary, but instead he did what his wonderful Winnie wanted and let her stand beside him with her hand poised on the cloche for dramatic effect.
“I give you….” She pulled the cloche back and practically yelled, “A Texas cattleman’s dinner!”
A gorgeously seared steak sat there with a fully loaded baked potato—steam actually rose off of it. A little bowl of mac and cheese had been paired with collard greens, and Ty’s stomach practically roared at him to get a utensil and start eating right now.
“Wow,” he said. “This looks incredible.” He watched Winnie as she took her seat across from him. “Who made this?”
“I had the chef at Iron Maiden make them,” she said. “Paul picked them up on his way home from the IFA, and I’m hoping it’s all still warm enough to eat.”
Ty picked up his knife and fork and cut into the meat. “Mine looks great,” he said at the perfectly pink center. “When did he get these?”
“I think he texted as we were turning onto Three Rivers Ranch,”Winnie said. “So they’ve probably only been sitting here for five minutes.”
Ty put the single bite of steak in his mouth, everything buttery and fatty and delicious about it singing through him. “This is incredible, Win,” he said. “Thank you so much.”
“Happy birthday, cowboy.” She scooped a cheesy bite of pulp from her potato and paired it with a bite of steak, all of it poised perfectly on the end of her fork. She looked at him. “Now tell me what’s going on in the main homestead, and I’ll tell you what I know about guy’s night out tomorrow.”
Ty’s eyebrows went up. “Don’t I know what’s going on for guy’s night out?”
Winnie grinned, popped her food into her mouth, and shook her head.
