AllFreeNovel
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After a week at the ranch, I crave work. Someplace to get away and feel normal. In my bakery, I was up early and down late. Perfecting recipes, negotiating with vendors, mentoring my sous chefs. To be stagnant and feel out of control messes with my mojo.
I can’t hide out at the ranch forever. Besides, who’s to say Aiden’s even looking for me? He could have let it go.
Let me go.
Maybe what was left of us burned up in that fire.
But I know it’s too easy.
Too easy for Aiden.
Too kind.
“C’mon,” Ruby says, extending a hand. “Let’s go for a walk and see how it goes.”
See how it goes.
The thought calms me somehow, casting a golden glow into my chest. Like I only need to put one foot in front of the other to move. It’s that simple.
“Okay.”
We head out onto the wraparound back deck and down the steps. The morning air is crisp, and sunlight streams through the trees. Ford and Wyatt, on their horses, whistle at us as they load up the horse trailer.
“Today we should see the garden.”
I glance over at Ruby. “Garden?” I echo, casting a glance over the frozen earth. No garden has a chance of survival in this barren Montana wilderness.
At my look of confusion, Ruby laughs. “I’ll show you.”
She links an elbow through my good arm. Barely acquaintances for a week, but already, Ruby’s a friend.
Our shoes crunch frozen grass until we come to a spot in the pasture near the Runaway Ranch gates.
“You’re right.” Ruby’s light voice floats. “It’s too early for a garden, but it’s going to be right here. Sunflowers. They’re my favorite.” She sinks to the ground and tugs off a glove.
I sink beside her and watch as she scrapes back the snow with her mossy green manicure and digs down into the earth.
“Look,” she says, her fingertips stained black. In the dirt, small buds of green grow beneath the melted snow. “Baby blooms.”
“Can they grow in the dark?” I ask.
“No.” She smiles. “But no matter how dark it is, they always find light.”
My heart twists as I study the ground, tracing a finger over the small green buds.
Then we stand.
“Keep going?” Ruby asks.
A wave of dizziness washes over me. I forgot to eat, and I can feel the prenatal vitamin sitting in my stomach like a brick. Still, I force a smile and say, “Sure.”
“You run the social media at the ranch?” I ask as we continue our walk.
She nods, glancing down to study my belly. “For now. I want to open a flower shop on Main Street.”
I can’t hide my surprise. “In Resurrection?”
“There’s a shop across from the antique store,” she says. “It would be perfect.” She gives a little shrug. “Charlie and I are just waiting.”
