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All I could do was nod. Wren leaned up and kissed the corner of my mouth. “Maybe you go ahead and let some of that emotion out and then we can go back to the party.”

Another nod from me. But instead of doing that, I led us to Ian McKellen’s stall. He was the only colt my dad had ever kept, Imelda’s last baby, and he was as sweet as pie, even still being intact. He nuzzled my hand and when I sat in the straw, he laid down next to me.

Only then did the tears come. They rolled down my face as a release. Tension flowed out of me with every tear and I just sat there and cried and breathed. Wren joined me and Ian McKellen put his head on my lap, chuffing out a sigh. With my boy beside me, I could finally stand down.

Chapter 24

Wren

The ease that fell over the ranch after we had Shiloh back was immense. I wondered if one day in the future, someone would tell him that when he was little and new to the family, he was already a cog in the big, loving machine that was Blue Creek Ranch. That without him, the ranch felt different, wrong somehow.

I woke up in Bodhi’s bed a week and some change before Christmas. This time, I beat him to wakefulness, and I watched him sleep for a few minutes. Then I kissed his lightly furred chest and slid out of the bed to get ready for the day.

He’d wake up soon because that was his natural rhythm. I’d woken up without an alarm simply because I was a little bit excited. Okay, a lot excited.

Bodhi came to when I was getting dressed after using the bathroom. It was always fascinating how he woke up. From deep sleep, there was a twitch or two, and then he was awake. No in-between state like mine or maybe most people’s. The military life had taught him that, I was pretty sure.

“I’m on my way out,” I told him after kissing him briefly.

“Okay. Remember to be back just before one.” He didn’t even try to grab me, which told me how much he respected how serious I was about today.

I pecked his lips once more. “I’ll be there. I love you. See you later.”

“I love you too.” The smile he gave me was beautiful. Everything I’d ever wanted to see when he said those words.

I pulled my boots on, took my jacket, and made sure my beanie was covering my ears, because it was cold in the mornings.

As I slipped out of Bodhi’s place with Nyx trotting down the stairs ahead of me, I inhaled the crisp, clean air. I loved it here. So damn much.

I waited for Nyx to go do a sniff and pee and happened to glance over to the door to Nick’s little apartment behind the kitchen. My eyebrows popped when I saw Sky come out, heading to the barn. Well then.

She noticed me and grinned. “Good morning!”

“Morning!”

Nyx trotted to me, eager to go in the truck, so I let her in and then started toward my property.

The Airstream would be delivered any moment now. It had taken a few more days than I’d expected, mostly because I’d wanted a few tweaks, which they’d gladly jumped to make when I’d agreed to have my picture taken by the dealership’s general manager so they could hang it on the wall. They’d also agreed to delivering it as soon as possible, meaning that they’d informed me they’d be here at six in the morning.

That was fine. I would’ve preferred a later start, but hey, at least I’d have it all up and running very soon, because they’d included the hooking it up service as well.

I parked the truck by the ponies and went to check on them. They were doing well, their quarantine almost over. It was just a question of how we wanted them moved to the ranch once everyone who were needed for the operation and their immediate needs had the time. We’d probably herd them into a trailer—well, the more horsey people would.

As I went inside the paddock to break the ice off their water and give them more hay, the mare sidled up to me for pets. That had changed in the last few days. She was finally comfortable with humans, and the filly was following suit mostly because her mother’s example and sheer young animal curiosity. The gelding was hesitant around men but loved Gemma to bits, for some reason.

Once they were settled again, I walked to where I wanted the Airstream—where the house had been. Hopefully, next summer, my studio building would stand in the spot instead.

I’d move the trailer then, whether I’d use it as my base of operations or not. Maybe I’d put it where the barn had been, who knew. I turned around, my mind’s eye conjuring the solarium and greenhouse Keegan and I would plan during the winter months. Judson was equally interested in what I was trying to do with the free space, including the flower field. The twins were great hype men to have, for sure.

Pretty much at six on the dot, I heard the rumble coming along the driveway and grinned. “Nyx, go to the truck,” I told her.

She glared at me, but did as told, putting herself between anyone arriving and the ponies while still staying next to the truck as well.

It took us about two hours to make sure everything was perfectly running and that I was happy with it all. I tipped the guys generously and told them where to find the best breakfast in town. Once they were on their way out again and silence outside of the steady sounds of the ponies munching their hay spread onto the clearing, I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt.

I gave Nyx the release command, and she immediately ran to me and started to inspect the trailer on the outside. Meanwhile, I walked a little way away to take a few pictures of it to send to everyone.

Then I went to grab my bag from the truck and went inside the trailer. I set up my workspace on the table of the seating area and checked the time. I had enough time to work for a little while, but first I went to the bedroom to put away the few things I’d brought over, and did the same in the bathroom.