of iced tea.
“It smells wonderful in here,” Renee said as she sniffed the air and returned the pitcher to the refrigerator.
“Thanks,” I said, moving past her to check the whole wheat pasta on the stove. “I know fast food and gas station meals are outlawed in the new diet, so I figured you’d be hungry when you got home. I made grilled chicken breasts with pasta, steamed vegetables, and a lemon herb sauce. I have your bedroom all set up so you can eat in there, if you want. I know you must be exhausted, Daddy.”
“Thanks pumpkin, but I’ve been eating in bed for a week. It’s uncivilized. I’m not too tired to enjoy a proper meal with my family,” he insisted.
I poured myself a small glass of wine as James walked into the kitchen. He grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and took a seat next to Daddy.
“Willow, why don’t you go sit and let me finish all of this?” Renee offered. “I know how hard it must have been to be away from your father. You kids did such a great job taking care of everything.”
“Are you sure?” I hesitated. “I know you have to be tired too.”
She waved off the suggestion. “I’ve missed my kitchen and I feel like I’ve been sitting down for months.”
I nodded and carried my wine to the table. I sat the glass down and turned to Daddy. “Is there anything I can get you? Anything at all?”
“No, sweetheart,” he said. “If you want to do something for me, sit down and tell me about your week. I’m so damn tired of talking about hospitals and prescriptions. I’d rather hear how things have been around here.”
“James and Dallas did everything,” I said honestly. I was proud of the way James had stepped in to take care of things while Daddy was gone.
“We were happy to do it,” James insisted. “Though I have to say, I never realized how much you work, Cole. Stepping into your shoes wasn’t easy, but we managed to keep everything alive, at least.”
“Well, that’s the most important part,” Daddy laughed, raising his tea glass. He clinked it to James’s beer bottle and took a long sip. “How’s the business side of things?”
“Feed prices are down and stock prices are up,” James told him. “You can’t get much better than that. Also, I booked an overnight trail ride for Wednesday. It’s a young couple and their two kids. Huck offered to go with me. I figured you’d need another week at least before you saddle up,” he joked.
“Not much longer than that,” Daddy said, his tone serious. “It’s crazy, but in a lot of ways I feel better now than I have for months. I guess I didn’t realize how sick I was until I started getting better. But I don’t think you should take Huck on the overnight.”
“You don’t?” James asked, one eyebrow cocked. “Why not?”
“Because I think you should take Willow,” Daddy said. “The two of you have been stuck on this ranch for a solid week. It would do you good to get out and enjoy yourselves. If you can get away from the barn, that is,” he finished, looking at me.
“I can help take care of the horses,” Renee offered. She carried in a large bowl of pasta and a platter of grilled chicken breasts.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Shouldn’t you stay here at the house with Daddy… in case he needs something?”
“Pumpkin, you worry too much,” Daddy insisted. “She’d just be down the driveway. If I need her, I’ll call her.”
“I was stuck in that God awful hospital so long. A day outside is just what I need,” Renee assured me. “But of course, if Cole needs me, I’ll be happy to stay in the house. I just think he’s right. It would do you and James both good to get out of here for a day.”
It would be nice… who knows? Maybe it could even be romantic… we’d have to be careful… but if the guests tuck in early…
James looked at me and I knew he was thinking the exact same thing. “What do you say?” he asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
I tried to
“It smells wonderful in here,” Renee said as she sniffed the air and returned the pitcher to the refrigerator.
“Thanks,” I said, moving past her to check the whole wheat pasta on the stove. “I know fast food and gas station meals are outlawed in the new diet, so I figured you’d be hungry when you got home. I made grilled chicken breasts with pasta, steamed vegetables, and a lemon herb sauce. I have your bedroom all set up so you can eat in there, if you want. I know you must be exhausted, Daddy.”
“Thanks pumpkin, but I’ve been eating in bed for a week. It’s uncivilized. I’m not too tired to enjoy a proper meal with my family,” he insisted.
I poured myself a small glass of wine as James walked into the kitchen. He grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and took a seat next to Daddy.
“Willow, why don’t you go sit and let me finish all of this?” Renee offered. “I know how hard it must have been to be away from your father. You kids did such a great job taking care of everything.”
“Are you sure?” I hesitated. “I know you have to be tired too.”
She waved off the suggestion. “I’ve missed my kitchen and I feel like I’ve been sitting down for months.”
I nodded and carried my wine to the table. I sat the glass down and turned to Daddy. “Is there anything I can get you? Anything at all?”
“No, sweetheart,” he said. “If you want to do something for me, sit down and tell me about your week. I’m so damn tired of talking about hospitals and prescriptions. I’d rather hear how things have been around here.”
“James and Dallas did everything,” I said honestly. I was proud of the way James had stepped in to take care of things while Daddy was gone.
“We were happy to do it,” James insisted. “Though I have to say, I never realized how much you work, Cole. Stepping into your shoes wasn’t easy, but we managed to keep everything alive, at least.”
“Well, that’s the most important part,” Daddy laughed, raising his tea glass. He clinked it to James’s beer bottle and took a long sip. “How’s the business side of things?”
“Feed prices are down and stock prices are up,” James told him. “You can’t get much better than that. Also, I booked an overnight trail ride for Wednesday. It’s a young couple and their two kids. Huck offered to go with me. I figured you’d need another week at least before you saddle up,” he joked.
“Not much longer than that,” Daddy said, his tone serious. “It’s crazy, but in a lot of ways I feel better now than I have for months. I guess I didn’t realize how sick I was until I started getting better. But I don’t think you should take Huck on the overnight.”
“You don’t?” James asked, one eyebrow cocked. “Why not?”
“Because I think you should take Willow,” Daddy said. “The two of you have been stuck on this ranch for a solid week. It would do you good to get out and enjoy yourselves. If you can get away from the barn, that is,” he finished, looking at me.
“I can help take care of the horses,” Renee offered. She carried in a large bowl of pasta and a platter of grilled chicken breasts.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Shouldn’t you stay here at the house with Daddy… in case he needs something?”
“Pumpkin, you worry too much,” Daddy insisted. “She’d just be down the driveway. If I need her, I’ll call her.”
“I was stuck in that God awful hospital so long. A day outside is just what I need,” Renee assured me. “But of course, if Cole needs me, I’ll be happy to stay in the house. I just think he’s right. It would do you and James both good to get out of here for a day.”
It would be nice… who knows? Maybe it could even be romantic… we’d have to be careful… but if the guests tuck in early…
James looked at me and I knew he was thinking the exact same thing. “What do you say?” he asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
I tried to
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