“I will buy you another.”
“Buy what?”
“Well, I tried the rod and reel that you kept on the shelf just inside the door. Your second best one you called it…and…well, it slipped and went into the water and the current sort of caught and swallowed it, I guess.”
“My other rod and reel?”
“I am sorry. I will buy the best there is and replace it. You just have to tell me how to know what to buy.”
She’d lost his favorite fishing rod earlier and now, his second one. He’d had it for years and treasured it. But here she was, in a fishing getup, trying to fish once again…on her own, and she did look adorable with that sincere grin on her face and all. Yep, this had to be the foolish heart of a man in love to forgive such an atrocity. He smiled.
“No problem,” he assured her. “There are plenty more around here. Have you caught anything yet?”
The smile faded. “I let it go like I did before. I couldn’t keep it. It could have babies someplace and they would be orphaned…besides, I don’t eat fish anyway.”
He couldn’t help it; the laugh just came out. Her smile faded.
“It is the effort that counts. How about we grab some breakfast at Tillie’s on our way to Cassie’s ranch?”
“Cassie’s ranch?”
“I thought we might take a horseback ride on such a beautiful day?”
Rance wanted to seize the last moments of their time together, and he hadn’t finished his statement before the woman was splashing out of the river and up the bank. “Horses? Really?”
Guess he’d had a brilliant idea by her reaction. “Yep…real horses to ride. Or we could just grab some toast and eggs here and maybe get a picnic basket from Tillie on the way through and find a place for a picnic on a few thousand acres.”
He made a grab for the rod and reel she thrust in his direction as she plopped onto the closest chair on the deck, and tried to get the heavy-booted waders off her body. He did his best not to laugh again.
“Need help?”
“I can do it,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s all part of the experience.” She was having a time of it, but she finally made it, and she let out an exhausted sigh of accomplishment. “Fishing can wear a person out. But let me get my jeans on instead of these shorts, and some shoes. But I don’t have any boots. Can I ride in sneakers?”
“That is generally not how a real cowboy…excuse me, cowgirl…would do it. But I bet there are boots at Cassie’s. I’ll call and let her know we’re on the way and order up a basket at Tillie’s.”
“And I’ll change very quickly and make the toast and eggs. Be right back,” she said as she passed him, but then she stopped and made a quick adjustment. Erin stepped back and placed a very quick kiss on his cheek, which shocked him in that moment and with a coffee mug in one hand and rod and reel in the other, he couldn’t do much in response.
“Good morning!” she added and then gave an impish grin before disappearing inside the house.
This is going to be interesting. Those words came across his brain at that moment. He could more aptly gauge what Judge Latham would do in certain situations, but he was going to have to stay on his toes and then some, where Erin was concerned. So be it. The large grin had returned.
*
“I’m so happy you two could come out today,” Cassie was gushing over their arrival. They were walking down the long concrete walkway between rows of stalls, some empty and some with interested heads watching their progress.
Rance smiled as he watched Erin’s face, which hadn’t lost its huge grin since they stepped foot in the first barn. Now, in the second barn, she kept her head on a swivel, not wanting to miss each animal they passed.
“I can’t imagine what it must feel like to have all these magnificent animals to enjoy each day whenever you want. I always hoped for a horse, but that wasn’t in the cards. I did get to visit friends who had horses, but mostly competition show jumpers. Much too expensive to ride most of them for pleasure.”
Cassie smiled at her enjoyment. “Well, we have a barn where our show horses for competition such as cutting, high performance, and trainees for racing are kept. But these are working ranch horses…to me more important and expensive in their own right.”
“You do have something for a novice like me, correct?” The question was posed with a little trepidation underneath and Rance marveled at it. Hang’em high, tough Judge Latham was nowhere in sight now. It was interesting to see this other side of the woman. Just when he thought he couldn’t be more surprised, she had done it again.
“Yes indeed,” Cassie reassured her. “I chose one of our dearest mares that we reserve for our guests and family. In fact, our children usually are entrusted to her for their first introductions to horses. And here she is,” Cassie added as they stepped out into a small pen area. She moved to stand beside the animal waiting patiently for them, saddled and with her tail swishing now and then at an errant fly. “Erin meet Miss Molly, and Miss Molly this is Erin and we know you will take good care of her today,” she said, running a hand along the horse’s neck. “Erin, why don’t you step over here and do what I am doing? She loves her rubs.”
Erin didn’t need any encouragement. She moved slowly over as Cassie stepped back. And she placed her hand on the animal and did what Cassie had done. Her grin could not have gotten any wider.
“She’s amazing. How are you, Miss Molly? It is so nice to meet you. You’re very beautiful.” She looked over at Cassie. “And she is tall.”
