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Odette gestures to me. “This Dee.”
I step closer and hold out my hand. He taps his leg, and his mouth clicks a few times before he extends his hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Devon,” I say.
“Nice to m-meet you too.”
I take his hand, then he releases it almost instantly, taps at his leg again, and clicks his mouth once more. His speech is much clearer than Odette’s, but these two together are the cutest thing. He wraps his arm around Odette and places a kiss on her cheek. She grins and turns a light shade of pink.
I want to jump up and down for joy. Odette has found herself a man, and he’s completely smitten with her. “You like basketball?” I ask him.
Devon nods with enthusiasm. “M-my brother p-plays. He’s really g-good.” More taps on his leg follow. Odette clutches his hand and beams at him while my chest swells with so much love.
I turn to Hudson, who stands beside me. “I like him.”
“Yay.” Odette does her happy dance again and then runs off with Devon toward the barn.
“Yeah, he’s a good kid and a hard worker. Dad really likes him.”
“That’s great.” In Odette’s haste to get me to meet Devon, I didn’t get a chance to take in what was going on around me. Now, I take that moment and really soak up what I’m seeing. Inside the big old barn, the stables are filled with people, including some who work with the support workers we hire for the ranch. Special needs adults and kids deserve the same treatment and should enjoy themselves. The workers are there to make sure that happens.
A kid, maybe ten, draws my attention. He’s eager to get onto a pony, and the worker helping him guides him around the horse to the step. His movement is slower than a regular kid his age. He slightly wobbles, and when they come to the other side of the horse, the worker assists him onto the horse. The moment he’s up in the saddle, the boy lays forward and wraps his arms around the horse’s neck. The boy nuzzles his face into the pony’s mane, and a huge grin spreads on his face. This place invokes those kinds of feelings.
Freedom.
Acceptance.
Care.
Love.
Everyone belongs, no matter what. That was Dad’s rule from the very beginning. Kind of ironic how that didn’t seem to apply to me when I wanted to be with Eli.
“Dee?” Hudson gently touches my arm, pulling me from my thoughts.
I blink and turn my focus back to him. “Sorry, spaced out for a moment.”
Hud follows my gaze, and his lips turn up as he watches the boy. “Come on. Dad will be glad to see you. He’ll be in his office.”
A wave of uncertainty crashes into me. Is he really going to be happy to see me? I told him I hated him the last time we spoke, and then I left. No one here knows what I’ve gone through these past few years. Only Isla, and I swore her to secrecy the first time Eli laid a hand on me. She was and still is my sounding board.
“I’m not sure he wants to see me.” I twist my fingers as I stand with Hudson by the tack room, the smell of worn leather a familiar old friend.
He moves closer and wraps his arms around me. “Trust me when I say he does. You two need to talk. That’s the only way you’re going to get past things.”
“What about us?” I lean back and take in his pained stare.
“We’re good, I hope. I know I was a jerk, and not a day went by when I didn’t regret what I said. I was siding with Dad, and I hope you can f-forgive me, Dee.” The crack in his voice tells me everything I need to know.
I tighten my grip around him and rest my head against his chest. “You’re forgiven. But when it comes to Dad, we both know what he’s like.”
“A hard head,” we say in unison and then laugh.
“Come on.” He releases me, and I follow him through the big barn door to the back corner where Dad’s office has always been. A phone ringing catches my attention. There’s a desk in the corner when you step through the door—they must have moved it out here sometime over the years. I remember it being up in the main homestead. I guess Dad finally decided to keep the business separate from family—in a fashion.
It doesn’t appear that anything else has really changed—it’s just become a lot busier, which is always good.
We get to the familiar red door. It’s shut. My chest vibrates with each heartbeat. Nerves pulse through me.Three years.It’s been that long since we’ve spoken or even acknowledged each other.
