AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Macie scrubbed out the orange stain in the middle of her skirt that her daughter had left after squishing a handful of goldfish crackers, stuffing them into her mouth all at once, then wiping her hand on Macie’s skirt. The flight from San Diego to San Antonio had been eventful to say the least.
“I need help, Mommy!” Ruby called, her little voice echoing in the airport bathroom.
“Okay, baby, I’m coming.”
“I’m not a baby,” Ruby pouted.
Macie sighed to herself, tossed the wet paper towel into the garbage, and went to the bathroom stall. “Can you open it, sweetie?”
The door rattled, then opened. Ruby looked up at her, her brown eyes wide, both her sandals off. She’d pulled the red ribbon from her curly brown hair, which was well on its way to becoming dark like Macie’s.
“Remember, you don’t have to take off your shoes when you use the potty.” Macie hid a smile. Ruby was a sensitive kid, and literal about everything, so Macie always had to watch how she said things or Ruby would throw one of her famous fits.
Okay, so they were temper tantrums, and Ruby should have grown out of them by now. Three going on four was way too old to lay down in the middle of a post office and kick and scream because Macie hadn’t let her put a stamp on an envelope.
“The potty’s too big,” Ruby said, looking dubiously at the porcelain bowl.
“You’re a big girl, now,” Macie said. “Plus, Mommy can hold you, okay?”
Ruby bit her lip. “Okay.”
Once they were out of the bathroom, shoes back on, ribbon retied, stain mostly removed on Macie, she felt like she’d crossed some kind of finish line. Now to get to baggage claim, and then out to the curb where her ex-mother-in-law, Heidi Prosper, would be there to meet them.
It was strange to be heading to the town of Prosper again. The last time she’d been to her in-laws’ ranch was when she was pregnant with Ruby. That had ended in a disaster, and her husband had refused to go back home. Amazing the new freedoms that divorce had granted her.
Meeting Knox all those years ago had been a whirlwind. She’d been nearly twenty, he twenty-two, and she’d been swept up by the novelty of the champion bull rider paying attention to her. When Knox had asked her to the dirt dance, Macie had barely gathered her wits about her and answered yes.
She’d said goodbye to the first cowboy she’d met, Holt, then went along with Knox to the dance. Which consisted of . . . yep, dancing in the dirt. Macie was a city girl herself, but the small town of Prosper had been charming.
Everyone knew Knox, and as he held her in his arms, swaying to soulful country music, it seemed that half the town stopped by to congratulate him. Finally, Knox had looked at her with those brilliant green eyes of his and said, “Let’s get out of here, sugar. Too many people. What do ya say?”
“Mommy.” Ruby’s voice broke apart Macie’s memories. Her daughter tugged on her hand. “I wanna lollipop.”
Macie blinked and looked to where Ruby was pointing to a young boy with one of those giant lollipops from an amusement park. “I don’t think they sell those at the airport,” she said, digging into her handbag, hoping she still had at least a fruit snack left. But there was nothing. The flight from San Diego had been exhausting since Ruby had missed her nap and wouldn’t fall asleep on the plane.
“Maybe we can stop at the store with Grandma and get you a treat if you’re a good girl,” Macie said.
Ruby wasn’t listening. She tugged away from Macie, who had to tighten her grasp on her hand.
“Look, Ruby!” Macie said, desperate to distract her daughter. “It’s our suitcases. Can you help me get them?”
The diversion was only temporary, though, because after Macie lugged the two suitcases and the tagged booster seat off the conveyer belt, Ruby was in tears.
“It’s no f-f-fair,” she cried. “I was a good girl on the p-p-plane.”
Macie wasn’t too excited for a meltdown in the middle of the airport, so she had to do something quick or it would escalate even more. She crouched in front of Ruby and grasped her arms. “You were a very good girl on the plane,” she said, trying to keep the frustration out of her voice. “And Grandma is going to be so happy to see you that maybe you’ll get two treats.”
Ruby hiccupped. “Two tweets?”
“Yes, two treats,” Macie emphasized. She let out a slow breath. “Come on. Grandma’s waiting, and then we’ll get to see the horses, too.”
Ruby’s watery eyes glimmered. “Can I ride the horsies?”
“Of course,” Macie said, relaxing further. Crisis averted. “Now, hold onto my bag while I bring the suitcases.”
Ruby sniffled and nodded, then grasped the edge of Macie’s bag. It was the best she could do when her hands were otherwise full. Straightening, she balanced the booster seat on top of one of the suitcases, then grasped the handles of both suitcases, grateful they had wheels. She looked toward the exit doors, took two steps, and stopped cold.
Macie recognized him instantly, yet he’d changed, too. Holt Prosper seemed taller than she remembered, his shoulders were broader, and she’d nearly forgotten how his brown hair and blue eyes were so different than his brother’s. Granted, Macie had only seen Holt in person three times—their first meeting at the rodeo, her wedding, and the following Christmas season—but how could she have forgotten his square jaw, and those cheekbones that looked like they’d been carved from granite? His light blue button-down shirt only made the blue of his eyes more vibrant, and his faded jeans followed the length of his legs, leaving no doubt that this man was a cowboy through and through.
