Page 83 of Wilde Ride

He chuckled, then grew serious. “I’m going to have to talk to Dad about it. But for now, I don’t want to think about any of that. I want to enjoy this evening. How did Rhett do today?”

“From what I could tell, he did great. He’s made a lot of new friends and everyone adores him.”

Levi smiled. “That makes me happy.”

“It’s about time you got here,” Ensley said as we reached the barn, hands on her hips. “We have a lot of horses to get ready for the ride.”

I held up my hands in defense. “I’m sorry!”

“Put me to work,” Levi stated.

“Everyone is out in the paddock; follow me.”

When Levi looked at me, he winked, and my stomach fluttered. I smiled, followed my sister, and willed my heart to stop acting like a damn teenager.

Levi

I watched as Rhett rode next to his new best friends, Jimmy and Theo. They were the same age and had been inseparable since they’d arrived at camp. My heart warmed at the sight of my son laughing.

“Rhett seems to be enjoying camp,” Caden observed as he rode up next to me.

“He really is. You have no idea how great it is to see him laughing like this. I don’t think I’ve heard that belly laugh since Brooke left us.”

“Emeline said he’s having the time of his life. He’s also been a huge help this past week. I think it’s made a difference that he knows you’re here most days.”

Smiling, I replied, “It’s been a lot of fun. It’s helped me just as much as it has Rhett.”

Caden nodded, looking around the landscape. “There’s something about this place that’s healing. For most people, anyway.”

“I’ve got to say this, Caden. I think you dodged a bullet with Rachel. I know you thought there was a future with her…but you’ve got to see that you deserved more, right?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t see who she truly was for all of those years, Levi. How in the hell can I trust anyone ever again?”

“You’ll be able to. Trust me.”

As we rode up to the large pasture where the cookout would be, excited laughter and conversations quickly filled the air. I hadn’t realized how far back we’d fallen as we talked.

“Oh great,” Caden mumbled as Lilibeth came riding up on her horse, her two braids flapping in the wind. I glanced over to see him watching her intently, and tried not to smile.

“Why don’t you like her?” I asked.

He frowned before looking at me. “She’s annoying. Way too bubbly and happy all the damn time. She just drives me insane.”

“Because she’s a happy person? Have you really turned into that much of a grump?”

Shooting me a deadly expression, he replied, “She’s happy all the time, Levi. Morning, noon, and night. Bouncy little bundle of pure exasperation.”

Lilibeth rode up to us and brought her horse to a stop. “Wasn’t the ride up here amazing?”

Caden rolled his eyes. “It was just a trail ride, Lilibeth.”

“It’s nature, Grump Boy. Everyone should be happy in nature.”

I drew back when I heard a growl coming from Caden. “Stop. Calling. Me. That. If you haven’t noticed, I’m not a boy.”

A wide smile broke out across Lilibeth’s face, and she pointed at him. “See, even you recognize that you’re a grump!” She ran her gaze over him and added, “And you’re clearly not a boy, but you act like one.”

Turning her horse, she trotted back over to the group, slid off, and did a little jump clap. I busted out laughing as Caden urged his horse over to where Marshall and a few of the other ranch hands were leading all the animals into a makeshift paddock.