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"What? Gunnar has to pay for breakfast." I lift my eyebrow. "Goddess, Nay. Give a girl a minute alone with her fiancé, would you?"
"Fine. I'll see you at the room."
"See you there!" she chirps.
“I’m really looking forward to this,” Alvie says.
I think back to the weekends we spent together, the way I was able to relax there and the pure happiness I felt staying with them, even for short periods of time.
I smile. “Me too.”
Chapter 28
Bex
The drive back to the ranch was quieter than I would like. I try talking with Naomi a few times early on, but then she put in her headphones and we spend the rest of the ride back to the ranch with only Alvie’s country station to break up the silence.
Like always, pulling back onto the ranch property has my nerves settling.
I’m home.
And for the first time in a while, it feels like everything is as it should be with Naomi here.
Naomi pulls out her headphones to pack them away as we pull up.
“Do you want to stay with us in the house, or would you rather us put you up in one of the cabins?” Alvie asks.
I look back at Naomi, hoping she’ll ask to stay in the ranch house with us.
“I think I’d prefer the cabin, if that’s alright.”
My heart drops.
“Of course it is,” he replies. “I’ll help Bex bring our bags inside and then I’ll drive you over to the cabins and get you set up in one.”
“Thank you,” she says quietly.
I hop out of the truck and round to the back where all of our bags are and grab our suitcases.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I hiss at Alvie when we approach the front door to our home. “How are we supposed to spend any time with her if she’s all the way out at the cabins?”
“This is what Naomi is asking for,” he says, unlocking the front door and stepping through with the bags. “Plus, you have two legs, Bex. We can always go and visit her over there, or we invite her to dinner and spend time at the house.”
“Fine. But I’m not happy with this.” I scoff.
“Just because you’re not happy with this doesn’t mean it’s the wrong thing to do. This has nothing to do with your needs and everything to do with Naomi’s. We’re following her lead here, Bex,” he explains calmly before closing the front door, leaving me alone in the house.
The rest of the week on the ranch passes quietly, but Naomi mostly sticks to herself. Though, she has dognapped Milkshake, who now sleeps with her in her cabin.
In the mornings, Alvie goes over with breakfast to pick both Milkshake and Naomi up so they can be a part of his day. Then in the evenings, I’ve been making a point of going out to the communal space near her cabin to do sunset yoga, and Naomi and some of the other guests have started to join me for the sessions. Though we don’t talk during those times, it is nice to have her near.
I missed this, missed her.
I don’t like how separate I feel from her, but it’s only been a few days. Surely things will change soon with her moving onto the ranch permanently. Or at least what I hope is permanently.
Selene has been keeping in touch with all of us and the plan is for them to bring out some stuff for Naomi on Sunday, which rolls around much quicker than I realize.
Selene: We’re an hour out. Any chance you want to pick up BBQ for the group?
