by Barbara Gee
James was so excited he was quivering. “Mom said it’ll be an adventure, just the two of us driving for a long, long time. We’re gonna go through six states, and she said I could get a magnet in every state and put them all on the fridge to use to hold my pictures and stuff up.”
“That sounds like a good plan, my man,” his grandfather said, leaning down to hug the little boy. “You be good for your mama, James. I know you will be.”
The goodbyes were hard, but Kelly didn’t pick up on any resentment from anyone about her leaving home for so long. They truly wanted her to be happy, and Kelly thanked God every day for such wonderful parents and friends. They had pulled her through the toughest time in her life and were still here, cheering her on to hopefully happy times ahead, and she was eternally grateful.
She promised again to keep in close contact, both during the trip and after they settled in at the Wild Rose. After hugs all around, Kelly and James buckled themselves in and drove off, James waving until they were out of sight.
“Here we go, buddy! Texas, here we come!”
“Here we come, Will and Dodger and Midnight and Grammy and Paw Paw and Uncle Chad and Aunt Amy!” James crowed happily. “And Sarah, too!”
Kelly chucked. “And Sarah, too,” she agreed. “The Wild Rose wouldn’t be the same without her, huh?”
“I hope she makes me blueberry pancakes and enchiladas.”
“I think you can count on that.”
Kelly’s phone chimed, and she checked it at the next red light.
On your way yet? Will wondered.
Just left. I’ll keep you posted.
Okay. Drive safely.......but hurry!
Kelly grinned, planning to do exactly that. She would indeed be safe and stop when she got tired, but she also didn’t intend to waste any time dawdling or sightseeing along the way. She and James were in agreement about that.
By the third day, both James and Kelly were extremely travel weary. The hours crept slowly by. James was tired of his toys, tired of the iPad, tired of playing travel games with signs and spotting objects, and tired of sitting still hour after hour.
Kelly was more than ready for the day to be done herself, but if they were going to make it to the Wild Rose in time for dinner the next day, she needed to get at least two more hours of driving in before they looked for a motel for the night. As James got more fretful, Kelly handed him her phone.
“Why don’t you give Will a call, James? He should be home by now. Tell him we’re still in Oklahoma, but we’ll be in Texas soon, and then we’ll stop for the night.”
James eagerly took her phone, found Will in her call list, and tapped to dial him.
His smile was ear to ear when Will answered.
“Hey, Will! We’re in Oklahoma and almost in Texas!” he announced. “We’ll be there tomorrow!”
After a good fifteen minute chat, James’ excitement about getting to the ranch had been rekindled, and Kelly hoped it would hold through the next day’s drive. When the two were done talking, she took the phone and told Will they were on track to get there in time for dinner the next evening.
“I’ll be so glad when you get here. I didn’t realize I’d worry so much while you’re on the road. Your car running okay?”
“Yeah. I got the oil changed before we left, and they checked the other fluid levels and brakes and all that good stuff. We haven’t had any problems.”
They talked for a little while longer, and thankfully James fell asleep, which would allow Kelly to easily get in the necessary driving time before they stopped.
“I should go, I’m coming up on a town and I need to pay attention to my GPS. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Kelly said.
“I’ve waited a month to hear those words.”
“Thirty-seven days,” Kelly corrected him. “James and I had them all counted out.”
“I’ll be so glad to replace the phone calls with the real thing. I’ll be at the Rose waiting along with everyone else.”
“I can’t wait. Night, Will.”
Kelly’s smile was as wide as James’ had been. That man made her heart sing, and the thought of being in his arms again tomorrow gave her goose bumps. The last five weeks hadn’t been a total waste, though. They’d had many long phone conversations, and Kelly felt she had gotten to know him much better in spite of being apart. She had discovered that Will was a deep thinker with firmly held opinions, but he wasn’t judgmental toward those he disagreed with. Thankfully the two of them agreed on most things, even issues having to do with politics and religion, those touchy subjects many people tended to avoid discussing. Kelly loved him more every day, and she didn’t even want to contemplate life without him.
Since James was sleeping peacefully, Kelly drove two hours longer than planned, which would allow them to sleep in a bit in the morning and still make for a shorter day spent in the car. Finally, after their very long day, she and James were tucked in at a Hampton Inn for their last night on the road. Thank goodness.
Kelly’s intentions to sleep late were thwarted by an excited son who woke up early and couldn’t wait to get on the road toward the Wild Rose. The fact that they were finally in the state of Texas made all the difference to him, and he literally sat on the edge of his seat the whole drive, drinking in the sight of the ranches they drove past. At long last they entered Tallock County, and soon after that the familiar town of Crighton.
“There’s the store where I got my hat! James hollered. “I remember it, Mom. That means we’re almost there!”
“You’re right, Jimmy James. And you have been so good on this trip. I know we’ve been in the car for way too long and yesterday was pretty rough, but you were such a good boy, just like Pops asked you to be.”
“Will Dodger be waiting for me, Mom?”
“I think so, because Will is going to be there and you know that dog is always where Will is. I’m sure he’ll stay for dinner, too.”
“I’m glad it’s not dark yet so I can throw the ball for Dodger. He loves that.”
“He’ll be glad to see you. So will everyone else. Aunt Amy’s tummy is going to be a lot bigger, too, so don’t be surprised about that.”
“I can’t wait to have a cousin. I hope it’s a boy.”
“You’ll love it no matter what.”
Kelly was amazed that turning onto the long lane at the Wild Rose felt so much like coming home, even though she’d only spent one week of her life at the ranch. Part of her heart had stayed here, though, and being back felt wonderfully right.
They were almost an hour ahead of schedule, but Kelly hadn’t told anyone, and James was eager to surprise them. As the stable came into sight, she saw Will’s big white truck parked in its customary spot, and tears came to her eyes. She blinked rapidly, not wanting to be a blubbering mess when she saw him.
“There’s Will’s truck!” James shouted. “Stop at the stables, Mom! Will and Uncle Chad will be there, and Dodger and Midnight!”
“You got it, buddy. Don’t yell too loud when we go in though, or you’ll scare the horses.”
As soon as she stopped the car James had his seatbelt off, and he left her in the dust, disappearing through the stable door before she even had her own belt undone. Anticipation had her stomach in knots as she opened the door and went in search of her son and the other two men.
They weren’t in the office, or in the front of the stable, so she kept going, finally seeing them out back by the corral. Will was holding James, whose arms were wrapped around his neck, while Chad stood beside them, grinning and talking to his excited nephew.
Kelly watched for a long moment, her heart overflowing with love. When the lump in her throat had lessened and the tears were no longer threatening, she walked out into the late afternoon sunshine to join them.
Will saw her immediately and after a quick word to James, lowered him to the ground and met Kelly halfway. Not caring who might be watching, he pulled her tight against him, his arms strong and hard around her, his bo
dy warm against hers.
“Welcome back, sweetheart,” he said roughly. “God, you feel so good. I thought you’d never get here.”
“It was a long four days,” she said, her face buried in his shirt. “But now that we’re here, it was all worth it.”
“Hey there, Kelly. Where’s my hug?”
Kelly laughed and pushed away from Will, turning to hug Chad warmly. James spotted Dodger at the same time, and raced over to embrace his long lost friend. It did Kelly’s heart good to see his utter joy at seeing the big dog again.
“It’s so good to see you, Chad. It’s wonderful to be back here.”
“Well I’m glad you finally made it. Poor old Will has had a little trouble concentrating the last few days. If you’d taken much longer to get here I might have had to fire his pitiful ass.”
“Shut up, Chad. I’ve worked harder the last couple days than the rest of you guys put together. It was the only way to make the time pass faster.”
Chad grinned. “Whatever you say.”
“How’s Wild Red coming along?” Kelly wondered, moving back over to Will and sliding an arm around his waist.
“He’s great,” Will said. “Even Chad can ride him now.”
Chad elaborated. “Wait’ll you see Will put him through his paces, Kelly. You won’t believe how far he’s come. He’s going to be one of the best cuttin’ horses the Wild Rose has ever produced. Your boyfriend is gonna make an even bigger name for himself once people get a look at that horse.”
Kelly smiled proudly up at Will, who was a little uncomfortable with the high praise.
“Good for you,” she said softly. “I can’t wait to see you and Red in action.”
“It’ll have to wait until tomorrow, because Maggie has probably spotted your car by now and if you and James don’t get up to the house soon she’ll have our hides.”
“Okay. You’re staying for dinner though, right?’
“I’m going to run home and get a shower, but I’ll be back.”
They walked hand in hand through the stable and out to his truck.
“Hey, James,” Will said. “Dodger and I are going to run home real quick, while you go see your grandparents, but we’ll be back for dinner, okay?’
“Okay,” James said agreeably, giving the dog one last hug. “Come on, Mom. Let’s go see Grammy and Paw Paw.”
“Hop in,” Kelly said, holding the passenger door of her car open. “See you soon,” she said to Will as he walked past.
His teeth flashed white as he grinned and tipped his hat. He looked wonderful as usual in his black tee shirt and faded jeans, and she had missed seeing him in the hat that was so much a part of him here.
James and Maggie were eagerly waiting at the kitchen door when Kelly and James drove up to the house. Once again James was out of the car like a shot, running up the walk before Kelly even opened her door.
James patiently endured long hugs from both grandparents, and by then Kelly had joined them and they hugged her, too. They all made their way into the living room, where James told them about the long drive to Texas. At one point he had to run back out to the car to get the bag that held his collection of state magnets, so he could show them to Senior and Maggie. They had been purchased at gas stations and weren’t exactly fine works of art, but James was very proud of them, and was gratified when his grandparents admired each one.
“Where’s my long lost nephew?”
Everyone turned to see Amy, who entered the room with her arms held wide for James. He willingly gave out yet another hug, although he was obviously a little wary about her large baby bump.
“Oh my goodness, Amy! You really are going to have a baby in a couple months!” Kelly said, thrilled to see Amy looking healthy and happy, and very pregnant.
“I know, I know. I’m absolutely huge, but it’s Chad’s fault. Big babies run in his family. My doctor is predicting ours will be close to nine pounds. I’m so glad you’re going to be here!”
“You still don’t know the gender?”
“Nope, we still want to be surprised.”
Kelly, Maggie and Amy talked babies while Senior and little James happily settled back into their old routine and started a game of war.
“Have you seen Will yet?” Amy asked, changing the subject after Maggie went to the kitchen to see whether Sarah needed any help with dinner.
“Yeah, we stopped at the stable and saw both Will and Chad.”
“I hear you guys had a great time together in Virginia.”
“It was a really fun weekend. It was so great to have him there.”
Amy smiled. “So you’re officially a couple, right?”
Kelly nodded self-consciously. “It still seems weird though. I’ve been the odd girl out for so long, it’s hard to get used to the idea that I’m in a relationship. Especially when we haven’t been able to spend much time together.”
“Well you’ll have time now, and honestly, Kelly, I think you two are the perfect couple. Will’s face just lights up whenever anyone mentions you or James. He definitely has deep feelings, Kelly.”
With Amy, Kelly felt she could voice her fears. “But does he really know what he wants? We’re compatible, I’m not questioning that, but is he ready for an instant family, or will he come to resent losing his freedom and sharing the responsibility of a child all at once?”
“Do you feel any hesitance when you’re together?”
“None,” Kelly admitted. “When we’re together it’s as close to perfect as I could ever imagine.”
“You need to trust him, Kelly. He might be only twenty-five, but he’s more settled and mature than a lot of forty year olds I know. He grew up with brothers much older than him, remember, and Emmet has been married since Will was eight. Family and kids are second nature to Will, and I believe he knows exactly what he wants and what he’s ready for.”
“I hope so,” Kelly said fervently. “Because I can’t imagine losing him now.”
Amy hugged her. “I don’t see that happening. Chad works with the man a good share of most days, and he said he’s never seen anyone so over the moon.”
“So is it too good to be true?” Kelly asked, giving away yet another fear.
Amy shrugged. “Only time will tell for sure, but I think it’s going to turn out good, I really do. You two are perfect for each other.”
“Thanks, Amy. I hope you’re right.”
“Just trust him, Kelly, and trust how he makes you feel.”
Kelly nodded. “I’ll try. I know I have to stop worrying. Just because I lost one man doesn’t mean I’ll lose another one.”
“Atta girl. And Kelly, although I’m a happily married woman, I’m still going to say this. Will Connor is one heck of a man.”
“Don’t I know it,” Kelly said softly.
At that moment, Will entered the room, dressed in a long sleeved white henley shirt and jeans, his golden hair freshly washed and gleaming. Kelly knew even from across the room that he would smell heavenly, and she itched to press her face into his neck and breathe him in.
His gaze immediately zeroed in on her and he smiled, but took the time to chat a little bit with Senior and James before coming over to join her on the couch.
“How you feeling, Amy?” he asked. “You’re looking good.”
“I’m looking big, Will. But thanks for being sweet. Thankfully I feel great. I have more energy right now than I’ve had in a while.”
Chad joined them, showered and cleaned up like Will, and soon Maggie summoned them all to the table.
Kelly enjoyed the meal. Good food, good conversation, a happy son across the table, and Will by her side. It really didn’t get much better.
After dinner James Senior announced he was going to go for a walk, which Kelly learned he’d been doing almost nightly now that he was feeling better. He was trying to get more exercise and increase his stamina, and he’d made a lot of progress.
“Do you wanna walk out to the stable and see Midnight?”
James asked.
“That sounds like a good plan, James. I haven’t seen that fine horse of yours in a while.”
Maggie wanted to go, too, so the three of them set off while Chad, Amy, Will and Kelly lingered over their coffee at the table.
“So have you told Kelly you’re going to be famous by this time tomorrow?” Chad asked, grinning slyly as Will glared across the table at him.
“No, and you should learn to keep your big mouth shut,” Will stated.
“Oh come on, Will,” Amy chided. “You should be proud of it. And I can’t believe you’ve kept it from Kelly.”
“Kept what from me? What am I missing?” Kelly wondered.
Chad was only too happy to fill her in. “Our young cowboy here is featured in the latest issue of a popular Texas horse magazine.”
“I’m not featured, I’m just one of a group of trainers they talked to. It’s actually a pretty lame issue.”
“It is not!” Amy protested. She turned to Kelly. “It’s a darn good article about six people who are gaining reputations as up and coming horse trainers in Texas. Will got an advance copy a few days ago and Chad let me read it. I think the writer did a great job on it.”
Chad chuckled at Will’s discomfort.
“He’s just embarrassed because his spread is double the length of all the other trainers included, and there are six photos of him, compared to their one or two.” The man laughed harder when Will leaned his elbows on the table and put his face in his hands.
Amy couldn’t resist joining in the ribbing. “Obviously sex sells, and after seeing those pictures, Will, I suspect this issue is going to be one of the best sellers ever. It might set new records.”
“It’s not like I posed for them,” Will protested. “I was just doing my thing with Red and they were snapping pictures. I had no idea the spread would end up like that.”
“And where is this magazine?” Kelly asked, smiling widely. “I have to see it. Please, Will?”
“Nope, it’s too embarrassing. All the real horse people are going to think I’m a joke.”
