cold.”
“Not if you wear boots and a
coat.”
Spring turned toward him.
“But—”
“Look over at the coat rack.”
Spring didn’t want to look
away from his eyes. It wasn’t often he looked happy, and she didn’t want to see
it disappear, but she did what he asked and ran over to the pegged coat rack. A
new, midnight blue winter coat hung from one of the pegs. She touched it,
running her hands over the faux fur around the hood. Looking down she saw a tan
pair of boots that looked like those beautiful boots from Australia that
everyone else seemed to have. The sweater she’d received earlier in the day had
touched her but this; it was the nicest gift she’d ever received.
Turning, she looked at Colt.
He looked pleased. “They’re new.”
“Yes, they are, and they’re
yours.”
Spring took the coat down and
ran her hands over the soft fleece lining. Brushing the faux black fur against
her face made her sigh. She laid it carefully on the worn wooden bench beneath
the pegs, reached down and picked up the boots. Sitting on the bench, she
examined every aspect of them right down to the stitching. Looking up, she
smiled at Colt. “They’re in my size.”
“Of course they are. Bibbs is a fine detective when he wants to be. He looked at
the label in your jacket and checked your shoes for the size. Hurry put them on
we don’t want to miss it.”
The urgency in his voice
spurred her on. She wanted to look in the mirror but Colt started tapping his
foot to spur her on. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her out the door and led her
to a path in the snow.
“What is it?”
“You’ll see. We’ll be there in
a minute.”
The walk was mostly uphill but Spring had a suspicion the strain on her legs would be
worth it. She was warm and grateful for it. Darkness began to fall just as they
reached the top. Spring gasped. The colors of the magnificent, heaven-sent
sunset left her speechless. Rich hues of pink and purples mixed with orange and
blue stopped her in her tracks.
“Worth
the walk?”
“Oh yes. Thank you for sharing
this with me.” A wide smile spread across her face.
“It’s a sight I never get used
to. It’s different every day and every season.”
Staring at his strong profile,
her smile deepened. “I didn’t realize that your land is nestled by mountains. I
could see the mountain tops from the house, but I thought they were further
away.”
“This land has been in my
family since the Homestead Act of 1862. The ranch was started with 160 acres,
and now is a little over 600 acres. The land is worth more than the cattle but
it’s in my blood. Times might be a bit lean now but that’s just how it goes. There
are good years, and there are years I struggle to hold on.”
“Your family would have been
proud.”
Colt gave her a sad smile. “I
was holding on for Caleb. I figured he’d have a family of his own to pass it
all down to. Now, I just don’t know.”
Spring sidestepped, closing
the gap between them, allowing her shoulder to press gently against his arm.
She hoped to offer comfort, but she just didn’t know if she succeeded. They
stood there and watched the sun disappear. It grew colder, but she didn’t want
to disturb the silence by asking to go in.
“You’re shaking.” The concern
in his voice touched her.
“Just
a bit. I’d be shaking much more so if you hadn’t bought me
this coat and these boots. Thank you. I’ve never had new boots before, or a
coat. I’ve never had the time or inclination to watch the sunset either, and I
never knew the beauty of it.”
“You are more than welcome.”
Colt reached for her hand, and she automatically put distance between them as
they walked down the hill. “Sandwiches will be fine for dinner since you haven’t
had time for anything else. We’re used to them.”
“Looks like the boys are
already home. Yes, sandwiches are quick. Thank you again.” Before Colt had a
chance to reply, she quickly opened the door and greeted Bibbs
“Not if you wear boots and a
coat.”
Spring turned toward him.
“But—”
“Look over at the coat rack.”
Spring didn’t want to look
away from his eyes. It wasn’t often he looked happy, and she didn’t want to see
it disappear, but she did what he asked and ran over to the pegged coat rack. A
new, midnight blue winter coat hung from one of the pegs. She touched it,
running her hands over the faux fur around the hood. Looking down she saw a tan
pair of boots that looked like those beautiful boots from Australia that
everyone else seemed to have. The sweater she’d received earlier in the day had
touched her but this; it was the nicest gift she’d ever received.
Turning, she looked at Colt.
He looked pleased. “They’re new.”
“Yes, they are, and they’re
yours.”
Spring took the coat down and
ran her hands over the soft fleece lining. Brushing the faux black fur against
her face made her sigh. She laid it carefully on the worn wooden bench beneath
the pegs, reached down and picked up the boots. Sitting on the bench, she
examined every aspect of them right down to the stitching. Looking up, she
smiled at Colt. “They’re in my size.”
“Of course they are. Bibbs is a fine detective when he wants to be. He looked at
the label in your jacket and checked your shoes for the size. Hurry put them on
we don’t want to miss it.”
The urgency in his voice
spurred her on. She wanted to look in the mirror but Colt started tapping his
foot to spur her on. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her out the door and led her
to a path in the snow.
“What is it?”
“You’ll see. We’ll be there in
a minute.”
The walk was mostly uphill but Spring had a suspicion the strain on her legs would be
worth it. She was warm and grateful for it. Darkness began to fall just as they
reached the top. Spring gasped. The colors of the magnificent, heaven-sent
sunset left her speechless. Rich hues of pink and purples mixed with orange and
blue stopped her in her tracks.
“Worth
the walk?”
“Oh yes. Thank you for sharing
this with me.” A wide smile spread across her face.
“It’s a sight I never get used
to. It’s different every day and every season.”
Staring at his strong profile,
her smile deepened. “I didn’t realize that your land is nestled by mountains. I
could see the mountain tops from the house, but I thought they were further
away.”
“This land has been in my
family since the Homestead Act of 1862. The ranch was started with 160 acres,
and now is a little over 600 acres. The land is worth more than the cattle but
it’s in my blood. Times might be a bit lean now but that’s just how it goes. There
are good years, and there are years I struggle to hold on.”
“Your family would have been
proud.”
Colt gave her a sad smile. “I
was holding on for Caleb. I figured he’d have a family of his own to pass it
all down to. Now, I just don’t know.”
Spring sidestepped, closing
the gap between them, allowing her shoulder to press gently against his arm.
She hoped to offer comfort, but she just didn’t know if she succeeded. They
stood there and watched the sun disappear. It grew colder, but she didn’t want
to disturb the silence by asking to go in.
“You’re shaking.” The concern
in his voice touched her.
“Just
a bit. I’d be shaking much more so if you hadn’t bought me
this coat and these boots. Thank you. I’ve never had new boots before, or a
coat. I’ve never had the time or inclination to watch the sunset either, and I
never knew the beauty of it.”
“You are more than welcome.”
Colt reached for her hand, and she automatically put distance between them as
they walked down the hill. “Sandwiches will be fine for dinner since you haven’t
had time for anything else. We’re used to them.”
“Looks like the boys are
already home. Yes, sandwiches are quick. Thank you again.” Before Colt had a
chance to reply, she quickly opened the door and greeted Bibbs
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