by A. D. Ryan
Maybe I was being completely ridiculous. I mean, aside from the phone calls I’d walked in on—and heard nothing incriminating—there was no concrete proof that he was scheming. Maybe he really did just want Dad and me to have a day off together. My heart warmed at his kind gesture, and a smile spread across my face as I went to go get dressed.
When I entered the room, I realized that I hadn’t slept in my bed since before Dane showed up. It got me thinking that maybe we should discuss the topic of sharing a room permanently. Sure, his room was slightly smaller than mine, but it was where we slept night after night; I could move in there without a problem.
I opened my closet door to find a shirt to wear and was suddenly faced with “a problem.”
In all the years that Willow and I had been friends, she had helped me build an extensive wardrobe. There was no way that all of my things would fit in Jensen’s closet with his, and vice versa.
Then it occurred to me that the spare room at the end of the hall had an oversized walk-in. The room itself wasn’t much larger—even if it was considered the master bedroom—and had once belonged to my grandparents. It wasn’t that I was squicked-out to sleep in there, it was just theirs. Plus, with the ensuite half-bathroom, it made sense to use it as a guest room. Well, it made sense until now.
After pulling on my jeans and a fitted T-shirt, I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth and hair before finding Jensen at the kitchen table. He had the paper open in front of him as he chewed a bite of his breakfast.
“Hey,” I greeted, grabbing the coffee pot. “So, I was just thinking …” I heard the paper rustle behind me before I turned around to see Jensen staring at me inquisitively. “Well, we’ve been together almost a month, depending on when you start counting, and I’ve been sleeping in your room every night, only to have to go to my room every morning to get dressed …”
Jensen nodded, his lips curling up into a knowing smile. “Uh huh …”
“Well, what if all of our stuff was in the same room?”
Cocking his head to the side, he arched an eyebrow. “Are you saying you want to move in with me, Madison?”
With a laugh, I crossed the room and sat in his lap, setting my coffee on the table before wrapping my arms around his neck. “Don’t be weird. We already live together; I’m merely trying to save valuable time in the mornings by cutting out a few steps. Literally.”
“So, you want to move into my room?”
I shrugged. “No, actually I was thinking we could move into the guest room. The closet is bigger than both of ours.”
“I think I love that idea. I can get started while you’re gone today,” Jensen announced happily.
I pulled my head back, my eyebrows knitting in confusion. “What about all the stuff that needs to be done around the barn?”
“No, of course. I’ll wait until that’s done.” There he went again, acting all suspicious.
Luckily, Dad chose that exact moment to enter the house. “Happy birthday, Madi!” he called out as he made his way to the kitchen. I stood from Jensen’s lap and hugged my dad. “How’s your morning been?”
“Really good. Jensen made me breakfast in bed and got me a card,” I told him, letting my arms fall from around him before I took my usual seat around the table.
Dad laughed, making his way to the coffee maker. “Isn’t that against the rules?”
“He got off on a technicality. A card was never on my list of what-not-tos.” I glanced over at Jensen looking pretty damn proud of himself. “So,” I said, turning my focus back to my dad. “What time did you want to head out? Jensen says he packed us a lunch … Unless you don’t want to be gone all day?”
Through my periphery, I thought I saw Jensen’s head move quickly, but when I looked at him, he was absorbed in the paper again.
“No, I think an all day trail ride will be good. How do you think Halley will do? Will her leg give her any trouble?” Dad asked.
I shook my head. “No, she’s been great. I think she’ll be all right.” Suddenly remembering last year, I narrowed my eyes at him. “Unless you plan to try and race us again.”
Dad snickered, clearly thinking his attempt to race Halley and me last year was hilarious. Maybe he didn’t remember we beat him. “Okay, well considering Halley’s still getting back into the swing of things, maybe I’ll wait to race you again. Speaking of Halley’s injuries, I got a call yesterday wondering if you were still going to be attending the Masters this weekend. As a spectator.”
“Oh,” I said, caught completely caught off guard. “I, um, I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about it.” I looked over at Jensen, and the excited gleam in his eyes told me that he might be interested in going. “Maybe, if you guys think you can handle it without me and Jensen?”
“I think we’ll manage,” Dad assured me.
“Have you ever been to the Masters?” I asked Jensen.
His head shook. “Never. I’ve always wanted to go, but it just never happened.”
“It’s pretty great,” I told him, remembering the atmosphere. It had been years since I’d attended as a spectator—since I was a teenager, actually.
“Look at the time,” Dad said as he stood to take his mug to the sink. “We better hit the trails, Madi. Let Jensen get to work.”
Jensen walked us to the door, watching as I pulled on my boots and grabbed my cowboy hat. Oh yeah, I went all out when trail riding with my dad. Jensen smiled his approval.
“Have a good day. I’ll see you later.” I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed him softly.
Nodding, Jensen held out the satchel that contained our lunches and refreshments. “You two have fun. Be careful.”
That last part was directed at me.
I threw the saddle pack over my shoulder and walked with Dad out to the barn where I took Halley from her stall and tethered her up before I groomed her. Dad tethered his bay Thoroughbred gelding, Bandit, a few stalls down, and we talked, sharing a few memories of my past birthdays.
When the horses were brushed and ready for their saddles, Dad and I walked toward the tack room where I could grab one of the western saddles for today’s ride. While I rode primarily English, I had initially started off in a western saddle. So, every year on my birthday, I went back to my roots.
After putting the thick saddle pad on Halley’s back, I hoisted the heavy leather saddle up and adjusted it until it was in exactly the right place. Halley’s ears flicked back, most likely curious about the weight difference. She was trained in both, but we only did this a couple times a year. When the saddle was in place, I lifted the fender, hooking the stirrup onto the horn while I pulled the cinch under her belly from her right side and up her left. Then, I looped the latigo through the large silver rigging dee, tightening it enough to keep the saddle in place.
“You ready, kiddo?” Dad asked as I unhooked the stirrup from the horn, letting it fall to Halley’s side gently before I attached the saddlebags containing our lunches.
“Uh, yeah. I just need to get her bridle on and then we can head out.”
Once Halley was bridled, Dad and I led our horses out of the barn and mounted up. There was no question of where we were going to go; every year we walked along the river. Today though, we’d stop somewhere along the bank and have lunch. It would be really nice to spend some quality time with my father again. We had both been so busy with the expansion that we never hung out alone anymore. I know I told Jensen no gifts, but this time alone with my dad could be considered one—and I couldn’t be mad at him for it.
We walked single-file down the narrow path that led to the river, Dad leading the way and the conversation. “So, you and Jensen seem to be doing just fine.”
It was a good thing I was behind him and Bandit, because my cheeks were probably redder than usual—and his comment wasn’t even awkward or embarrassing. “Yeah. Things are great. He’s great.”
“It’s good to see you so happy, Madi. I mean it. There’ve been very few time
s I’ve seen you this enthusiastic about anything. It used to be just when you were riding and teaching, but now? Well, it seems to be every hour of every day.” His observations were only making my cheeks flare hotter.
It was time to take the attention off me. “How about you, old man?” I inquired. “When are you going to settle down?”
He laughed. “Aaah,” he said. “You know I don’t have time to meet women, let alone date.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked incredulously. “You have seen how Lucy’s mom looks at you, right? How she’s always flirting with you? The woman’s got the hots for you, Dad.”
The trail widened, and I nudged Hails into a trot so I could move up next to my dad and Bandit. I fought to contain my laughter when I saw how red his cheeks were.
“Dad, are you blushing?” He didn’t respond, instead changing the topic of discussion altogether.
“So, Tom was saying he’d like to go fishing again in a couple weeks. Think you and Jensen can handle things around here again?”
I nodded. “Sure. That shouldn’t be a problem. Especially since you’ve offered to take care of our chores while we’re away again.”
About forty-five minutes had passed before we reached the river. We rode along, talking more about past birthdays and about how business was faring since taking on a few new clients.
“Did Jensen mention the idea of summer camps to you?”
I nodded. “Yeah. When he first moved in, we talked a little about some of his ideas for the ranch. I think they’d be great. Plus, they’d give us a little extra help and teach some of our students some responsibility. I don’t think most of them realize just how much work goes into running this place. I mean, they own horses, sure, but they’re not responsible for them. I think it would be good.”
“Would you be willing to lead the campers? We’d all play our parts, of course. You could maybe do some of the classroom stuff, Jill could handle lessons, Tom and I could help them with the chores, and Jensen could take them on daily trail rides.”
“Oh sure. Give Jensen the fun part.”
Hearing the playfulness in my voice, Dad rolled his eyes. “Hardly. The entire time he’d be teaching them proper safety as well as about their surroundings.”
“No, I actually think it’s a great idea.” I assured him.
We walked for a bit longer, discussing specifics like how many campers to each session, where we would put them up for the week that they stayed on the ranch. It was decided that we’d have to build another guesthouse near the main houses to accommodate them. That way, they’d have the privacy that they’d probably seek, but they’d be close enough to the three of us should something go wrong. Dad said he’d contact his builders and start discussing blueprints.
Just over two hours into our trail ride, Dad and I started to feel hungry. We dismounted and grabbed our lunches before sitting on a patch of grass near the river and digging into the sandwiches Jensen had packed.
After lunch, we remained on the river’s edge, letting Halley and Bandit graze on the grass and drink from the river, neither of them wandering far from us. I couldn’t have asked for a better day.
“What do you say we continue down the river for a bit longer before we head home? It’s still pretty early,” Dad suggested as we stood and collected our horses.
I was having such a good time with him that I almost didn’t wait for him to finish before my head started bobbing. We mounted our horses and continued on our trail for another hour before deciding to head home.
By the time we returned to the ranch, it was nearly dinnertime, and all the horses had been brought in for the night. The entire barn was quiet as we entered, save for the sounds of the horses huffing to one another or eating their grain. While I brushed Hails, I hoped that maybe Jensen would appear from outside or somewhere in the barn as he finished his shift. But he didn’t, which led me to believe he was probably already back at the house. Maybe preparing dinner.
Once we had Halley and Bandit brushed down and in their stalls, I looked at Dad. “Hey, did you want to come to dinner? I’m sure Jensen’s cooking right now.”
He smirked. Not smiled, smirked. “Anything for the birthday girl.” As we walked back to my place, Dad lightly bumped me with his elbow. “So, did you have fun?”
“Yeah,” I said, my smile stretching wide across my face. “I did. I liked spending the whole day with you. It’s been a while.”
We had just started up the walk that led to the house when Dad asked, “So, you’re happy?”
I laughed and reached for the doorknob. “Yes. Very.”
“Good,” he replied. “Remember that feeling.”
I furrowed my eyebrows at him, confused by his request, and pushed the door open. “What the hell are you talking abou—”
“SURPRISE!”
I nearly jumped out of my skin as the foyer lights turned on and voices assaulted my eardrums from all angles. My heart beat wildly, pounding a nervous rhythm that quickly washed out everything else. My eyes scanned the room to find everyone in my life gathered in my small entryway. Willow and Brandon had come all the way from Memphis. Jensen’s parents as well as Lilah and Kyle had come to celebrate… Even Tom, Jeff, and Jillian were in attendance.
It would seem that my suspicions weren’t completely unwarranted.
Willow was the first to rush forward and wrap her arms around me. “Happy birthday, Madi!” She squeezed me before whispering, “Don’t be mad at him, okay?”
My eyes found Jensen standing next to his parents, a proud smile on his face for having pulled this entire thing off. His smile only widened when I narrowed my eyes at him briefly. “No guarantees,” I muttered, finally hugging her back.
“Oh, come on,” she said, pulling back. “You have to admit, getting everyone together like this? That’s pretty amazing.”
I didn’t get a chance to fight her as Brandon cut in, accusing Willow of hogging “The Birthday Girl.” Yeah, I’d been labeled. He wrapped me in his arms and kissed my cheek. “Happy birthday, Madi.”
“Thanks, Brandon. I’m happy you guys could make it—even if this wasn’t how I planned to spend my evening.”
He laughed. “Come on. You haven’t had a party in years. Don’t you think it was time?”
“You do remember when I broke my arm at my last party, don’t you?” I asked, bringing up my fifteenth birthday when we were all out on the trampoline, screwing around doing acrobatic tricks before I back-flipped right off and shattered my radius.
“That was eleven years ago, and nothing has happened since—”
“Yeah,” I said, effectively cutting him off. “Because I stopped having parties.”
Dad nudged me from behind. “Come on, kiddo. He put a lot of thought into this.”
It wasn’t that I didn’t recognize just how thoughtful Jensen’s gesture was; I just hated being the center of attention. That much pressure was likely what caused my klutziness to kick into high gear until I hurt myself in some way. It’s absolutely why I fell while riding; Jensen had been watching me. There was all kinds of pressure that came with that sort of thing.
I shrugged and let a small smile form on my lips. “Okay, but if anything happens, I’m holding all of you accountable,” I warned playfully.
Lilah and Kyle stepped forward next and wished me a happy birthday, Kyle’s hold on me just as bone-crushing as it was at his wedding. Jill, Tom, and Jeff were next before Jensen’s parents approached.
“Happy birthday, Madison,” Janet said, pulling me into her arms. It was hard to stay mad at Jensen for not listening to me while I hugged his mother. A part of me wondered if he maybe knew that.
“Thank you both for coming,” I said sincerely as I moved from Janet’s arms to Henry’s. “It’s a good thing you’re here, Janet. If today falls into step with any other party I’ve had, I’ll be needing a doctor nearby.”
Everyone in the room laughed—including me, even though I was almost one hundred percent s
erious. “Well, I smell like horses and feel slightly under-dressed,” I announced, looking around at all the women in their party dresses and the men in their dress pants and button-up shirts. “I’m going to go and have a quick shower and change into something a little nicer.”
Willow suddenly beamed, clasping her hands in front of her mouth, and I knew she must have gotten me a present; something she was hoping I’d wear.
“You didn’t,” I groaned. Willow knew the “no presents” rule was one I was always adamant about—well, I was adamant about them all, actually. It was simply a lesson in self-preservation that I took pretty seriously.
She giggled. “Well, I figured since the ‘no party’ and the ‘no cake’ rules were broken, no harm would befall me for buying you a little something. It’s on your bed.”
“There’s a cake?” I looked around and into the kitchen where a multi-tiered cake sat on the kitchen island. It was official; every rule I had set for today was broken. Shaking my head, I moved through the crowd to confront the one person responsible. “You’re pretty proud of yourself, huh?”
Jensen smirked, pulling me close. “Madi, you deserve this,” he said softly, wrapping his arms around my waist.
The minute I was pressed against his body, my discord faded. “You know, it’s hard to stay angry with you for disregarding my wishes entirely when you say stuff like that,” I grumbled, snaking my arms up around his neck to return his hug.
He chuckled softly, kissing the top of my head. “Happy birthday, baby. Go ahead and change. We’ll hold off on the festivities until you’re done.”
I showered quickly before blow-drying my hair into waves and clipping the sides back so it hung loose down my back. When I entered my room, however, there was nothing on my bed like Willow had promised. Then I remembered Jensen was going to move us into our shared bedroom. My mood lifted a little more as I walked down the hall to the room that was neither “his” nor “mine.” It was ours.
Jensen had made the bed in his fluffy bedding and moved the pictures and my laptop from my room into here along with a few of his own belongings. There, on our bed as promised, was a plain white box wrapped in a bright blue ribbon with a large tag that read:
