“I’m sorry, Tate. It’s way too busy. Dr. Robinson, I can’t leave you guys here with all these appointments.”
“Um…” Rayna’s voice is soft. Too soft. “There are only two appointments this afternoon. I was just messing with you. In my defense, I didn’t expect for all hell to break loose before I could tell you it was a joke. You were supposed to come back to the desk, mention lunch again, and I was going to tell you something funny about having Tate for lunch.”
“Okay then!” I say far too loudly just to stop Rayna from saying anything else. “I’m just going to grab my purse.”
“Oh, here you go,” Rayna says, smiling cheerfully. She holds up a sweatshirt, along with a tote bag that I’m sure I didn’t bring with me.
I snatch my items from her and shove Tate out the door, anxious to get started with whatever he has planned. Anything to get out of there. Shrugging into my jacket, I hope it’s long enough to cover the wet mess that must be all over the back of my sweater and pants. Just once, I’d like to spend time with Tate without having to wash my clothes.
Chapter 18
Joy
“So,areyougoingto tell me where you’re taking me?”
Tate flashes a smile before returning his attention to the road. “I can tell you if you really want to know. I already gave you pretty big hints.”
I scoff. The only thing I was able to get out of him was that I should wear jeans and boots. That’s pretty much all I wear anyway, so I wouldn’t call that a hint. I’m torn between the suspense killing me and wanting to be surprised. I’m still undecided when he pulls into the entrance of a fast-food place.
“Okay, I’ll give you a hint.” His smile would make my knees weak if I wasn’t already seated. “It’s nearly two hours away, so I figured we might want to eat first.”
I laugh. None of his hints have been actual hints at all. It’s only been a few days since I’ve seen him, but I’ve missed him. The crinkles around his eyes deepen as he continues to smile at me. It does things to me. I’m not sure if it’s how sexy his smile is, or how rare it is, but it literally takes my breath away.
“Fine, just surprise me. I’ll have the nuggets and fries combo.”
We make small talk while we eat, and it isn’t long before I’ve forgotten how badly I want to know where we’re going. There’s something about riding down country roads on a sunny day. It’s early spring, so flowers are just beginning to bloom, and green buds are sprouting on the trees.
Tate places his hand on my thigh and gives it a squeeze as he pulls onto a gravel driveway. As the trees clear, I can see a huge plot of land in front of us. It’s all fenced off, and there are horses scattered about. And then I see the stable. It’s a huge structure, with red distressed wood making it look like a painting and not real life.
“Where are we?” I’m in awe as I take in my surroundings.
“This place made me who I am.”
Tate doesn’t say anything else as he pulls into a gravel parking area and finds a spot. I know there’s a story behind it. From what I understand, Boulder Ranch has been hosting the rodeo practically forever. And Boulder Ranch is next door, while this place is hours away. Accepting Tate’s offered hand, I step out of the truck and fall into step beside him.
“My dad’s best friend owns this place,” he explains. “When I was little, we came down here nearly every weekend. They host the rodeo, so even though we didn’t necessarily come down for the rodeo, I watched everyone practice. I was obsessed. Riding broncs is where I started. But once I was old enough to get on a bull, it was all over. I was hooked. And then I started going to Boulder Ranch.”
I swallow hard. “And you just wanted to show me?”
Flashing that panty-melting smile, he shrugs. “Yeah. I was thinking about you while I was here, and I realized how much you’d probably like the equestrian center.”
“The building we passed when we first came in?” I ask excitedly.
He smiles and nods. “Yeah. I remember what you said about your aunt so…”
“Holy shit, that place is huge!” I squeal. “It’s okay that we’re here? Can we go inside?”
“Of course. I mentioned to the Eglestons that I would like to show you this place some time, and they insisted. And when I suggested today, they also insisted we stay for dinner.”
I’m practically vibrating with excitement. This place is much larger than Boulder Ranch. The arena and stands seem to be similarly sized, but the rest of the ranch makes Boulder Ranch look like some small private property. The equestrian center is probably twice as big as the stables I help take care of. Tate points out different buildings as we walk to the equestrian center, but I’m not paying attention. My focus is on the beautiful land.
Once we reach the building, Tate takes my hand before opening the door and leading me inside. I’m at a loss for words. For as large as I thought the structure was from the outside, it’s probably twice that size. There are barrels set up and I stop to watch a girl with two long braids lead her horse around them. The woman standing at the entrance with a stopwatch cheers when she passes.
We walk further into the building and nearly every stall is occupied. I thought Boulder Ranch housed a lot of horses. There’s no stopping the grin that spreads across my face as I look around the facility. When we get to the far end, Tate spins me to face him, and I’m momentarily lost in his disarming gaze.
“What do you think?” he asks.
I do a slow spin and look around one more time before I answer him. “I think it’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it. Thanks for bringing me here.”
