Beau waved him off. “Don’t worry about a thing, except making Tara feelathome.”
His brother scoffed. “She’s your date, Beau. That’syourjob.”
Again, he had to set things to right. “She’s as much my date as she is yours and theranch’s.”
Dixie came prancing through the doorway to stand between the men, still wearing all of her evening coats and scarf that she neglected to take off when theycamehome.
“Tara’s coming?” she askedeagerly.
Daniel walked over and began to shell the layers of jackets and sweaters that Beau realized might have been a bitexcessive.
“Yep, she’s coming over tomorrow,” Daniel returned. “So be on your bestbehavior.”
The eight-year-old proceeded to chatter about all the things she wanted to show Tara when she arrived and all the things they could do together in the evening. Beau smiled, glad that at least the little girl could be won over so easily. Daniel was a harder nut to crack, but Beau knew as soon as Tara gave him one of her award-winning, breathtaking smiles, he’d belonggone.
* * *
Tara’s carrocked side to side, bobbing with the divots and bumps on the dirt road that led to the massive expanse of ranchland. Rolling hills of green grass stretched out beyond her windshield and she could just barely see the dark and light speckles of cattle roaming in the fields. Acres upon acres were bordered by dense lines of shrubbery and picketfencing.
The view from her car alone was breathtaking, but it wasn’t the scenery that made her chest ache and stomach flutter with butterflies. She was eager for another reason entirely. Reading back over everything that had happened at the carnival the night before was astounding to say the least. It was as if she were reliving every moment all over again. And she couldn’t wait to get home that night to read about everything that would happen on the Bremor ranchtoday.
On the crest of one of the hills, she could see the house and barn come into view. A two story marvel with a wrap-around porch. It’s the kind of house Tara always imagined would be the home of a wealthy rancher. A few trucks were pulled up near the front, their tires speckled with mud. They must have belonged to the ranch hands that she could just barely hear shouting at the cattle, their voices drifting onthewind.
The barn, just to the south side of the house, was like something out of a painting. She could definitely get used to living on a piece of land like this. The cherry on top came riding up the path, a black cowboy hat hiding his dark wavy hair and strong hands clutching thereins.
Tara’s mouth watered at the sight of him and his muscles that were hugged so tightly by his dark shirt. It was clear he had been working hard all day by the way the sweat glistened off his arms and face. The material of his neckline was darkened by that same sweat and she remembered how amazing he smelled in the coffee shop. She couldn’t wait to take anotherwhiff.
Beau smiled and she slowed the car to a stop just as he and his chestnut brown horse – the same horse on the book cover - came trotting closer. He briefly let go of the reins so he could touch the brim of his hat in greeting. Her window was already down so she simply poked herheadout.
“Where should I park?” she asked over the light roar of theengine.
The horse threw its head a bit as Beau pulled him to a halt. “Over there is fine,” he said as he pointed towards the herd of trucks. “You did bring a change of clothes,right?”
Tara confidently nodded. “Yep. Though, I still don’t understand what I’d needthemfor.”
Beau chuckled, a deep throaty sound that almost blended in with the purr of the engine. “You’llsee.”
And she did. When Beau steered away and kicked his steed into a trot to get out of the way, her eyes fell on an area just near the barn. Tied up, saddled, and grazing on the patches of grass between the fence posts, were three beautiful horses. If Beau was already riding his that meant those horses were waiting for her, Dixie, andDaniel.
The twisting in her gut intensified at the thought that Beau wanted them all to go ridingtogether.
Tara parked the car and glanced down at her silky sleeveless blouse and tight jeans that hugged her curves. If she had known he was going to take her riding, she would have stopped at the store and bought a pair of boots orsomething.
Tara hadn’t gone horseback riding since she was a kid on her uncle’s farm in Fort Hood. Even then, she was pretty sure it was a miniature pony and they never left the corral. This was the real deal and even Dixie was given a fully maturedhorse.
She stepped out of the car and the pungent odor of horse manure, hay, and the great outdoors hit her in the face a little harder than she expected. Luckily, her disgusted face was wiped away as soon as Beau reemerged, this time, without the horse. He must have dismounted nearthebarn.
“Horseback riding?” Tara questionedflirtatiously.
Looking slightly sheepish, he nodded. “Yeah, Dixie loves going out to see the cattle every now and again and I promised I’d take her today. It won’t take too long, and then we’ll come back to the house fordinner.”
Tara appreciated that the plans were not left up to her. All she could do was smile and shrug. “Sounds greattome.”
“Tara!”
Dixie came peeling around the side of the house, cowgirl boots pounding into the dirt as she went. A little flock of chickens came running after her and diverted in circles as if they had been spooked bythegirl.
She ran up and hugged Tara around the waist. One thing could be said about the little girl. She was resilient. At her age, Tara couldn’t imagine going through the traumatic event of losing her mother. She knew for a fact, though, that she wouldn’t have been handling itthiswell.
