The Cowgirl's Forever Love

by Vivian Arend

  “My family doesn’t run my life,” Lisa pointed out firmly.

  “I’m glad, but they’re still my friends. Close friends, who mean the world to me. Their opinions and friendship are important. No matter how much you and I agree we’re adults and what we do is our decision, it’s not going to sit well with your family if the two of us mess around.”

  “So why’re you asking me out now?” Lisa shook her head. “Nothing’s changed. You’re still the local veterinarian and I’m still the woman who’s visiting for a while.”

  “But until a few days ago you were headed back to Rocky Mountain House.” He couldn’t admit that until the day before it hadn’t soaked through his thick skull that he was ready for more than casual.

  “Leaving is leaving.”

  “Nope. Heading home is one thing. Deciding you want a change is completely different. I want a chance to show you exactly how perfect a change to Heart Falls could be for you, long term.” This was probably the stupidest thing he had ever done, yet it seemed jumping in with both feet was going to be the only way. Josiah caught hold of her hand. “Hell, maybe we’re totally incompatible. Maybe none of this will work out because there’s something crazy wrong between us, like you’re one of those types who forget to put the cap on the toothpaste on a regular basis. But I’d like us to start dating and see what happens.”

  “But I’m only here for six months total,” she reminded him. “I’m leaving after that.”

  “Maybe you won’t. You said you wanted to move out of your sister’s house after six months. You don’t really have anything else on your agenda, or anything that you’ve had on a bucket list forever. Or at least, it didn’t sound like that to me when we talked yesterday.”

  “I don’t know what I want to do,” she admitted. “It might involve leaving Heart Falls.”

  “But it might not. Since you’re not sure, it seems stupid not to take a chance.” He had hold of her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles in a slow circular motion. “My whole argument sounded a lot better on the script, but can you give it a shot? I mean, worst-case scenario, we enjoy some amazing comfort food and get to know each other a little better, in a way that might build something good into our lives.”

  He refused to think about how much it was going to hurt if yet another woman decided he wasn’t a good enough reason to stay.

  Lisa was shaking her head from side to side, but the words out of her mouth were positive. “There is something to be said for not knowing what the heck a guy is going to do next. Josiah Ryder, you intrigue me. You’re right. Not going to hurt anything in the short term to call your bluff.”

  A shot of warmth that could only be called happiness bubbled in his gut. He was also shocked that his quirky idea had worked. “Damn. That’s awesome. I should get money down on this somehow.”

  A soft laughter escaped her. “Hundred bucks if I’m still here in the spring?”

  Anything to make her keep thinking about staying. “Deal.”

  “What time do you want me to come over for dinner? I can help cook.”

  He thought through his schedule. “Any time after four, and unless your comfort foods are really off the wall, I should be able to handle it.”

  Lisa reeled off her top three favourites, stealing her fingers from his, amusement written all over her. “May I have my saddle back? Please?”

  Josiah lofted it to his shoulder level. “Since I interrupted you in the first place, it’s only right I help you get ready.”

  He escorted her to Licorice, approving of the sturdy ride Ashton had assigned. They laid everything in place: blanket, saddle, reins. He offered his hand for her to hold as she slipped her foot into the stirrup then mounted in one smooth, fluid motion.

  Lisa adjusted her hat, closing her coat around her as she looked down, face shining as she examined him again.

  She shook her head. “Definitely entertaining.”

  “See you at my place,” he said, letting his fingers drift over her thigh as he walked forward. He caught the lead rope, guiding Licorice then pushing open the door to let her into the outdoors.

  He watched them walk away, horse and rider.

  Lisa glanced over her shoulder, the strangest expression on her face. As if she wasn’t sure if she should be laughing or running from him in terror.

  This was the first time he’d ever headed into a relationship straight up admitting he was hoping for something beyond a good time. Maybe that would be enough to change his luck.

  Maybe facing the truth head-on would be the thing that helped him move past not being good enough for forever.

  Lisa was still laughing when Licorice stepped onto the trail that headed past the town’s namesake waterfall.

  She hadn’t expected her encounter with Josiah at all. The entire conversation had been uncomfortable, yet oddly pleasurable at the same time. As long as he stuck to his promise and didn’t push her to make any firm commitments, she couldn’t see any downside to his offer.

  She’d wanted to get involved with him, and it seemed that was about to happen. Or would be happening in a few hours.

  For now, she had a different agenda. Lisa took a deep breath and looked around at the pristine white, soaking in the newness of the territory.

  The land where she’d grown up, hours to the north, had been thoroughly explored. Some favourite places she went to find solitude, other spots were inspiring with their beauty.

  As she headed over the Silver Stone ranch, it was fascinating how she felt inside.

  The restless and not knowing where she was going sensation eased and became something more satisfying. More like the spirit of adventure that she hoped would eventually guide her through whatever steps came next. That same spirit was present as Licorice rocked under her.

  After directing the grey mare toward the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Lisa allowed the animal to set her own pace. The horse meandered along trails she knew better than Lisa. The sun played peekaboo between wisps of white clouds, thin trails like jet streams against the blue sky.

  It didn’t take long until all the tension inside her was utterly gone. It was impossible to stay wound up in the face of such relentless beauty.

  The mare turned into the forest, setting Lisa swaying in a comfortable rhythm. Dappled sunlight broke through the trees, and up ahead, sunlight shone blindingly off a shimmer of ice. Lisa took a deep breath, her glove-clad hands grasping the saddle horn as she sucked in cold air, sharp enough to make her throat tingle.

  Licorice swung her head an instant before a branch snapped. Lisa glanced to her right as a cream-coloured mare broke through the trees.

  Sonora Fallen sat easily in the saddle. Her grey-white ponytail lay over her shoulder, the rest of her head covered by a well-worn black cowboy hat. As she rode forward, faint lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth became visible. Laugh lines as well, as her lips curled upward in a greeting.

  “Well, hello again,” the older woman said. “You recovered from the wedding hijinks?”

  Caleb’s middle brother had tied the knot two days ago with Sonora’s granddaughter.

  “It was a pretty laid-back event,” Lisa pointed out. Walker and Ivy had been married by Ivy’s father in a private ceremony at Heart Falls, followed by cake and coffee with the two families at the Silver Stone house. The couple hadn’t gone off on a honeymoon yet because Ivy was working. “Still, it was special to be able to share the day with them.”

  “I agree.” Sonora was looking her over carefully. “At first glance, I thought you were Tamara, and I couldn’t figure out how you snuck past Caleb and got on a horse.”

  Lisa laughed. “Oh boy. Yeah, Tamara riding right now—not about to happen.”

  The older woman winked. “You’re not identical, but all you Colemans look as if you popped from the same mould.”

  Lisa laughed. “There’ve been a few jokes about that over the years, but you’re right. I think the only ones truly identical are my twin cousins in the Six
Pack family. Mind you, they haven’t always acted alike.”

  Sonora nodded. “Your family is only a part of who you are. The choices you make build the rest of what makes you unique.”

  Lisa had never thought of it that way. “That’s perfect.”

  Sonora tugged the reins to one side and gestured down the trail. “If you’d like some company, I’d love to join you.”

  It was always better to ride with another person, especially in the winter. She was competent enough, but Lisa was thinking more of Sonora’s safety. “Anywhere interesting you want to show me?”

  “Depends. How long do you have?”

  “All day.” Then she remembered. “Wait. I have a dinner date at four.”

  She must’ve said it with a lot more enthusiasm than expected, because Sonora laughed then clicked her tongue at her horse, Rainbow. She tugged the mare back onto the path as she pointed to the south. “I know just the place then.”

  Which is how Lisa made a new friend. Didn’t matter that Sonora was twice her age, conversation between them was easy and comfortable from that first moment. They hadn’t had much time to just sit and chat during the wedding, but Lisa found that Sonora was definitely her kind of person.

  “So, my granddaughter is married to your sister’s brother-in-law.” They rode side by side along an abandoned railway track as Sonora puzzled it out. “Which means in some convoluted manner, we’re related.”

  It took a second to unwrap the tangled relationship before Lisa nodded. “It’s easiest to think of you as Ivy’s grandma. And Rose’s and Tansy’s.”

  She’d spent time with all three women during the past months.

  “And Fern. Although I don’t know that I want to take the blame for Tansy.” It was clear Sonora’s words were a tease. “All my granddaughters are wonderful.”

  “Your granddaughters have made me very welcome in Heart Falls,” Lisa told her.

  “Good. It’s nice to occasionally do something right.”

  “Tansy’s baking at Buns and Roses has made me put on at least ten pounds since I got here in December.” Lisa thought for a moment. “There’s one thing I haven’t done yet. Visited the local book store—that’s named after you, isn’t it?”

  Sonora brightened. “Fallen Books. It was too adorable of a pun to pass up.”

  “I can see why. But you don’t work at the store yourself? Or not anymore?”

  “I help out from time to time, but it’s my daughter and son-in-law’s responsibility.” Sonora made a face.

  “Something wrong?” Lisa asked.

  The older woman pulled herself together. “No. Of course not.”

  Lisa eyed her with curiosity.

  Sonora shrugged. “To be honest, retirement is a challenge. It’s good to let them take care of the shop, but sometimes I miss having a clock to punch.”

  There hadn’t been an appropriate moment before to comment. “You seem too young to have retired. Or to have granddaughters as old as me, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

  Sonora grinned. “You really think I’m about to complain you think I’m aging well?”

  “I guess not, but I’m fairly sure it’s more than that.” Lisa paused. “Unless you have a magic pond on your property that offers eternal youth.”

  She got a laugh at that suggestion. “Ivy suspects I use wild magic, but no, the truth is much simpler. I’m sixty, and my daughter is fifty-one. Amazing things happen when you’re eighteen and fall in love with a man who has a nine-year-old daughter.”

  “That does make sense.” Lisa smiled. “You’re still a very young sixty.”

  Sonora preened for a moment then gestured toward a low set of buildings in the near distance. “My place. Can I offer you a cup of coffee and some of my brownies? The ones I refuse to give Tansy the recipe for?”

  “You’re offering me secret recipe chocolate? I accept.”

  They tucked the horses into the warm barn. Lisa helped unsaddle Sonora’s ride, wondering how the woman managed the heavy equipment when she was alone.

  She removed the saddle from Licorice, covering the mare with a blanket before following Sonora into the cozy cabin.

  Ten minutes later Lisa had her fingers wrapped around a cup of steaming hot coffee, and a chocolate brownie was melting in her mouth. “Oh my God, what do I need to do to convince you to adopt me?”

  Sonora laughed. “Honey, that’s exactly how everybody gets into the Fields family. You’re welcome to join us, although I think you probably have a few people who’d be sad if you stopped being a Coleman.”

  “I’ll be an honorary Fields, then.” Lisa took another bite and fought to keep from moaning in ecstasy. “You need to give Tansy the recipe for this. Sales at the coffee shop will triple.”

  “Life is not all about the money,” Sonora teased. Her gaze softened. “But you understand that, considering you’re here helping your sister instead of off somewhere adding cash to your pocket.”

  Lisa hesitated.

  “Oh, you’re just trying to find some way to not be boastful, but obviously, I’m right. You’re here.”

  “Caleb offered to pay me,” Lisa said. “But that’s not what family is about, you know?”

  Sonora sipped her coffee, dipping her chin rapidly like a bird approving the arrival of spring. “So tell me, what are your plans after the baby arrives? Are you going to find a job in Heart Falls?”

  Lisa thought about the journal waiting for her in the backpack. She thought about the date she had with Josiah lined up for that evening.

  She thought about all of the unanswered questions she had and boiled it down to one truth. “I’m not sure what I want. I only know what I don’t want, which is not a bad place to start. Plus, I have a bunch of things on the maybe that sounds interesting list.”

  “Tell me about some of those, then,” Sonora encouraged. “Even if you never do them, it’s fun to let your imagination go wild.”

  “I think I’d like to travel,” Lisa said. “I definitely want to go farther away than four hours from the place I was born. I have money saved if I decide to do that. Not enough to do things up fancy, but enough to be a tourist with a backpack. Maybe I’ll even get work along the way.”

  “That would be a big adventure.” Sonora nodded in approval. “A lot of good comes from travelling. I did volunteer work with the Peace Corps, myself.”

  It was Lisa’s turn to be surprised. “Really? Where did you travel to?”

  “Uganda. That’s where I met Mr. Fallen and my daughter, Sophia.” Sonora looked out the window as if glancing back in time. “Falling in love in a foreign country was not at all what I imagined was going to happen during my time away, but it was the right thing in the end.”

  Travelling as a volunteer hadn’t even been on Lisa’s radar until that moment, and as Sonora shared a few more stories about her years in Africa, ideas spun in Lisa’s brain.

  A beeper went off.

  Sonora stopped in the middle of her sentence, blinking in surprise before rolling her eyes and shaking her head in disgust. “It’s a good thing I set an alarm. I’m sorry, I need to go to town. I promised to meet someone, and if I don’t show up, he’ll probably send out a search crew.”

  “Good trouble to avoid.” Lisa eyed Sonora, tempted to ask for more specifics of who he was, considering the older woman’s cheeks had suddenly flushed red.

  She didn’t have to wait long to satisfy her curiosity. As she and Sonora cleaned the table, the woman snorted in indignation as she worked.

  “That man needs to get it through his head that I’m not helpless,” Sonora complained before whirling on Lisa, fists planted on her hips. “I suppose that’s part of what makes a man feel important. Bossing around a woman who already knows what she needs to do.”

  “Sometimes,” Lisa said, thinking about her father. Then Josiah’s blunt honesty regarding not wanting to mess things up with his friends offered a different possibility. “Sometimes guys get protective for reasons other than my way
or the highway. Maybe he likes you?”

  The woman all but sputtered, her mouth opening and closing as she fought for words. “Ashton Stewart does not like me. We’re not twelve-year-olds, poking each other in the side because… Well, just because.”

  Lisa fought to keep her expression blank. The foreman at Tamara’s ranch had steely grey eyes, silvering hair, and was a very fit and attractive sixty-three-year old.

  He was also stubborn enough to give Caleb a run for his money. “Oh, you’re talking about Ashton. No, you’re right. He’s just bossy.”

  “Exactly.” Sonora got herself back under control quickly, but it was clearly an act as she straightened up primly. “But we’re neighbours, so I do my best to try and get along.”

  “As is proper,” Lisa commended Sonora, keeping her amusement hidden as she made her way to the door. “Thank you for the treats, and for the company on the ride today. I enjoyed spending time with you.”

  “So did I. I hope we can do it again, soon.” She looked flustered for a moment, then handed Lisa her phone. “Put your number in. I’ll send you a text so we can touch base in the future.”

  Lisa did as commanded. “I want to hear more about your time in Africa.”

  But Sonora wasn’t paying attention. Instead, the older woman was staring into the mirror and fussing with her hair. The upcoming meeting had obviously distracted her more than she was willing to admit.

  Lisa slipped outside and headed to the barn, thoroughly amused.

  The break had been good, just as Caleb had suggested. She ate her lunch sitting in the saddle as Licorice meandered lazily, both of them enjoying the winter day. But with grey clouds gathering on the horizon, Lisa decided to not push her luck. She headed back to Silver Stone and into the warmth of the barns.

  She took care of the mare, patting her nose fondly before returning to the house.

  A quick shower later, Lisa pulled on the prescribed comfy clothes—worn blue jeans that were soft and faded, and a favourite shirt she couldn’t bear to throw away even though it had recently developed a hole in one elbow. She dragged a brush through her hair then used the hair dryer until the long, dark strands lay smoothly over her shoulders.