AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ve never been surer about anything in my life.” A haggard breath shakes out of his tall frame. “I can’t move slow anymore. Not with you. We’ll get you a nursery. Get you everything our son needs.”
Our son.
My eyes fill with tears. “I get to love you,” I say breathlessly. “And that’s all I need.”
I kiss him in that kitchen filled with hope and sunlight and love.
And at least for now, it’s all perfect.
“Wyatt, you snap another flower, I’m going to wring your fool neck.”
Charlie stomps across the floorboards and snatches the bouquet before Wyatt can unceremoniously dump it in a vase. I smother a smile as I watch my brother prowl around the Lodge like some birthday bodyguard.
Wyatt lets out an annoyed laugh and looks at me. “He been actin’ like this all week?”
I lift a brow, hitching fingers through my belt loops, content to watch the madness. “Pretty much.”
Between getting the ranch ready to open to guests in less than a month, and actual ranch work, Charlie pulled together a surprise birthday party for Ruby.
My brother’s gone all out. Everywhere you look, there are flowers and feminine touches to the big masculine lodge. Light yellow streamers and gold twinkle lights. Balloons. Colorful linens with sunflowers. We moved the big table from the chow hall into the main room. The margarita maker sitting on the bar was Wyatt’s idea, an impromptu rental from Zeke’s hardware.
Wyatt swears when the crepe paper gets tangled around his hands. I pull out my knife and slice off the end of a ribbon.
“Look, I don’t know what the big deal is,” Wyatt complains. “Ruby’s had birthdays before. She’s had cake. She’s had flowers.”
“She needs this,” Charlie says, fluffing the flowers with more violence than necessary.
My eyes flicker to Charlie. “Everything okay?”
A muscle jerks in his jaw. “We had an appointment with Ruby’s cardiologist. He still thinks even with the procedure…it’s not a good idea for her to have kids.”
Wyatt’s face sobers. “Fuck. Sorry, man. I’m just a dumb shit who doesn’t know anything.”
“You knew that,” I say to Charlie.
“Yeah,” Charlie says. “I did. We both did. But I think she thought…” He breaks off, brow creasing, then clears his throat. “How’s the cake coming?”
I clap my brother on the shoulder, feeling for him. “Cake will be ready, Charlie. Dakota’s on it. Relax.”
The mouthwatering fragrance of vanilla and sugar fills the entire lodge.
Wyatt looks around. “Where is Fairy Tale, anyway?”
“Sent her out for soil for the garden,” Charlie says.
“You sure she’s comin’ back?”
Charlie glares at him. “Help me or get your ass out of here.”
“You do it like this,” Wyatt grouses and jerks the string of lights away from Charlie.
I roll my eyes, letting my brothers argue.
Wanting to give one last look over the ranch, I walk away, pass Dakota in the kitchen, and exit the front door. Bright May sunlight filters through the clouds. Crybaby Falls will soon receive the melt-off from the snow-dusted peaks of Meadow Mountain. Already, it’s unreasonably warm. If it keeps up at this pace, it’ll be boiling by the time June rolls around.
In three weeks, the first batch of guests will arrive.
Runaway Ranch is ready.
