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“Well, if you’re taking me out to breakfast then you better be paying. You see if I have this assistant who comes into the office whenever she feels like it, and she demanded that I pay her to double the going rate.”
“Maybe you should sack her.”
He presses his lips against mine, “Maybe I will. But for now, you’re taking me out for breakfast.”
Then I take his hand and lead him out of his office. As we stop at the desk, which is supposed to be mine. Neil’s sitting there, and I smile at him, “Maybe next week if you’re free then you can join us.”
He nods his head, “That’ll be fun.”
Isaac says, “But she’s still paying.”
Then I loop my arm around his, and as we enter the elevator it’s empty, and I know as much as I’m trying hard to get. It’s not going to work with Isaac. Especially when I feel as if I’m kidding myself. We’ve had our time apart, but I want a relationship that’s built on trust. He’s going to have to earn it. Whether he likes it or not.
Three months later…
Epilogue
Olivia
The touch of Isaac’s warm skin awakens me. I feel the afterglow of last night. Isaac’s damn hot in bed. I lie looking at the rays of morning sunlight shining through the curtains at a spot on the floor, thinking that I could stay in bed all day. Of course, I know that isn’t going to happen. Isaac has marketing people to meet. We have to return to Houston. I don’t want to, because I would love to spend the whole day in bed. The way that we’ve been accustomed to doing on the odd weekend.
Isaac raises his head and glances at me.
“How long have you been awake? I thought you were still sleeping.”
“Not long, but I could stay in bed all day the way I am feeling. I thought that you were sleeping too.”
“Olivia, I need to go in later. But after we can spend time together.”
“I know I just feel lazy.”
“You can’t be lazy. You own the ranch, and there’ll be no rest for you. I’ll tell Dan to give you all the dirty jobs.”
“Ha, I’m his boss now, not you?” I move on top of Isaac, because he’s trying to wind me up and it’s not working. Maybe I’ll tempt him into staying in bed.
“You’re in a great mood this morning. Well, I have a lot to be thankful for, don’t you agree. Neil signed over the ranch, but he didn’t have to do that. I never asked him to.”
“Neither did I. But he wanted to leave. He hated staying here alone and he thought that three’s a crowd.”
I shrug, “Not really, you spend just as much time in the office as you do here. So, I could do with the company.”
He laughs, “Not when you have Autumn.”
I ignore his comment and ask, “Are you not fixing breakfast before you go?
“Maybe?”
I move off him and say, “Well I’ll like some scrambled eggs and toast please?” I kiss him on the cheek and head into the shower.
I missed the ranch when I moved out, that must be the most heartbreaking part of living in the city. The crazy part was when I was here, I used to dream about leaving. I used to think about living in the city. When I had the opportunity to do it. I hated it. Despised it with a passion.
As soon as I finish in the shower. I hear Isaac in the kitchen and decide to pop to the barn to see Autumn. I walk across the lawn toward the barn. I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that Neil gave me the ranch and moved out. Having lived with him here for years, I know how much he loves the ranch.
I know I shouldn’t forgive Neil, but I can’t hold a grudge against him. I care for him too much. I take in a deep breathe as I enter the barn and let the smell of horses and hay percolate throughout my body. I know that if I had been forced to stay away from the ranch, a part of my soul would have withered, so much had I became a part of the ranch.
Autumn has her head out the stall looking for me as I approach. It’s funny how she always seems to know when I’m approaching her stall. “I missed you,” I tell her as I hug her neck. She nudges my pocket to see if I have brought her an apple. “No, I didn’t bring anything for you. Just me. I wish I could take time and give you a good brushing, but Isaac has to get back to the office.” I talk to her as though she’s a person. Well, to me maybe she is. When Neil and I lived on the ranch I used to spend so much time coming here and talking to her, especially whenever I felt lonely.
My phone’s vibrating in my back pocket I pick it up as I kiss Autumn on the forehead. “I’ve got to run,” I say as I walk away. I know that only one person would be calling me on my cell right now and that’s Isaac. Most likely to tell me that breakfast is ready.
