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“Hey, you didn’t get first place. You don’t get to choose the pizza,” Sully teases, and I lean in and kiss him. “Okay, well, maybe you can choose if you do that again.”
Everyone laughs.
Sully and I rode here together, Pixie with Randy, and Sully’s parents have the horse trailer attached to their truck to bring Willow home.
I can’t help smiling as we pull into the driveway, the familiar stone pillars there, only now the sign reads: Sullivan Dixon Ranch. I actually fought the decision at first. I wanted to make sure Sully knew I’m here for him and not the ranch, but then when we got married, he changed the sign as a surprise, telling me it only made sense, considering both names were ours now. I can’t pretend it didn’t feel good when we officially changed the name.
“How’d she do?” Bulldog asks when we get out of the truck.
“First place!” Sully beams, and man, he still takes my breath away.
“Hot damn!” Wade claps his hands together.
“They’re coming home with pizza for everyone to celebrate,” I tell them, and we shoot the shit until Sully’s dad’s truck pulls down the driveway. A few minutes after, Randy and Pixie show up.
Sully starts a bonfire, and the whole ranch eats, laughs, and just enjoys each other’s company. Wade pulls out his harmonica and starts to play. Sully takes Pixie’s hand and dances with her. I sit back and watch them, amazed at this family I’ve found. I spent so much of my life angry, bound by the past, and now I know what it’s like to be free.
“You look awfully introspective.” Martha sits beside me. I have a good relationship with both his parents now, but it took a long time. I know they did what anyone would have, and they’ve since made it right. They signed half the ranch over to me not long after I found out the truth. Folks in Laurel Springs found out, of course, and there was a lot of drama for a while, but they weathered the storm, admitted what their ancestors had done, never denied the truth again. I have to respect them for that, and I know they’re good people who love me.
“Just watching everyone, is all.”
“We have a beautiful family, don’t we?”
“Yeah, we do.”
Sully looks my way and winks, before spinning Pixie.
“You make my son so happy. He’s lucky to have you in his life, Porter. We all are.”
My chest swells. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“Uncle Porter, come dance with your husband! He’s being too big of a dork for me!” Pixie teases. Martha pats my back, urging me on, so I head over, everyone stomping with the harmonica while I dance with my man.
It’s almost dark before everyone calls it a night. Storm and Midnight are at the main house. We’ll leave the truck here and ride the horses back to our place.
“Can I stay at the house with you guys tomorrow night? I wanna do some stargazing,” Pixie says as we’re climbing onto our horses.
“If your daddy doesn’t mind,” I tell her.
Pixie looks at Randy, who nods. “It’s fine with me.”
We say our goodbyes, then head for our house. I’ve been riding Storm consistently for years now. The mustang is still finicky. He won’t let anyone sit in the saddle but me, but that’s okay. He loves fiercely, like I do, only giving all of himself to the one person he trusts…just like me with Sully.
“It was a good day,” Sully says as we ride.
“Yeah, it was.”
“Every day is a good day with you.”
My pulse kicks up. “You sweet-talkin’ me? You already got me to marry you. I’m already yours.”
“Damn right you are, but what kind of man am I if I don’t still sweet-talk my husband?” Sully winks.
“I like the way you think. Come on. Let’s hurry and get home. Race you.”
I signal for Storm to go, and he takes off at a gallop, Sully and Midnight right behind us. As the scenery races by, I’m reminded again how lucky I am to live on the most beautiful ranch in the whole damn world with the most beautiful man by my side.
We pull the horses to a stop at the same time, laughing while each of us claims to have won.
