“I can’t. Please don’t make me.” Gemma turned her eyes up to me, those hazel orbs melting me into oblivion. How was I supposed to say no to that face?
“Fine.” I moved the hen aside, sending her fluttering to the floor and took the eggs.
“Is that it?” Before I had a chance to agree, Gemma ducked out the door.
I shook my head, a smile on my face, and walked out to catch her.
The two of us had spent the morning working together. First, we’d driven to one of the pastures where we’d recently moved a group of about two hundred cows. We drove through, checking on them and looking for any that might be injured. Then we’d circled through an empty meadow that would be next on the rotation, making sure the fence was in good shape.
From there, I’d taken her to one of my favorite places on the ranch—the thousand acres situated directly behind my house.
I’d told her we were checking another section of fence when really, I’d just wanted to spend more time with her peaceful smile as we drove. To listen as she talked to me about nothing. To smell her perfume in my truck.
We’d returned to the lodge to grab a sandwich from the kitchen for lunch and had been halfway through eating when Mom had called to ask if I could gather the eggs from her chickens. She and Grandma had taken a spur-of-the-moment trip to Missoula to spend the day shopping. So Gemma and I had driven to Mom and Dad’s place and I’d introduced Gemma to Mom’s favorite animals.
“What’s next?” Gemma asked after we put the egg basket inside the house where Mom would wash the eggs later.
A warmth spread through my chest that she hadn’t asked for me to take her to the Cadillac at the stables. With every job we finished, she was eager for the next. “I was—”
A vehicle door slammed, and I turned away from Gemma, seeing Dad and Granddad climbing out of the truck parked next to mine.
“Hey, guys.” Dad waved. “What are you up to?”
“Mom called and asked if we’d gather the eggs. She and Grandma went shopping in Missoula.”
“Uh-oh.” Dad fished his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. “Three missed calls. Guess that means I’d better buzz into the grocery store and have flowers waiting when she gets home.”
Mom didn’t need flowers. She wasn’t the type to get spun up about him not answering his phone. He’d buy her flowers simply because it would make her smile.
“Coffee first.” Granddad started up the steps to the front door, his silver travel mug in hand. “I need a refill. Later on, Easton, we need to talk about calving. Time to get a plan together.”
“I have a plan.” A detailed plan that outlined staff who’d take the daytime and night rotations to ensure we didn’t lose any animals.
“Since when?” He paused on the step. “News to me.”
“Me too.” Dad nodded.
“Because you’re retired. You’re both retired.” I blew out a long breath and fought to keep my cool. A fight would only ruin the good mood I’d had from a day with Gemma. “I respect you both and your opinions, you know that. I’m grateful that I have a chance to build on your success. Seven years ago, you put me in charge of this ranch. Please, trust me to do my job.”
Granddad’s face hardened and he opened his mouth, but Dad held up a hand and shot him a look to keep quiet. “You’re doing a fine job, son. But it’s hard to let go. You’ll learn that one day.”
“Understandable.”
Dad nodded and followed as Granddad continued up the steps.
“Wait,” I called. “If you have a minute, there’s something I’d like to talk to you both about.”
“We’ve got time. Come on in.” Dad motioned me inside as he and Granddad disappeared inside.
“I’ll wait in the truck,” Gemma said. “Take your time.”
“No. You should come in. I want you there when I tell them about the property.” Maybe with her there, they wouldn’t disown me. Yet.
“Are you sure? This seems like family business.”
She fit into the family, something else I doubted she realized. Besides, it had been her advice to cut them both some slack. And I needed to do a better job of expressing my frustration. I needed to explain in a way they’d hear how I was feeling. Not exactly easy for a guy like me.
Arguing with Dad and Granddad had always been easier than the heart-to-hearts.
“I’m sure. Unless it would make you uncomfortable.”
“Not at all.” She gave me a reassuring smile and followed me inside. Then she sat at Mom and Dad’s kitchen island, pride gleaming in her eyes, as I told my father and grandfather about the land I’d bought and explained my vision for the ranch.
I shocked the hell out of them.
Then they’d shocked the hell out of me.
They’d agreed it was the right opportunity for Cash and that the price for that chunk of land was too good to pass up. By the time we all walked outside—Gemma and me to drive to the stables to get her car while Dad took Granddad home, then went to buy Mom flowers—they were as excited about the expansion as I was.
And tonight, all three of us would tell Cash together.
I opened Gemma’s door, holding it for her as she climbed inside, then waved to Dad and reversed my truck out of his driveway.
Gemma pulled her lips together, unsuccessfully hiding a smile as we drove toward the stables.
“Just say it.”
She let loose that smile, stealing my breath and the last piece of my heart. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Chapter Twelve
Easton
“Oof,” Gemma grunted.
I popped my head out the stall door to see what was happening. She had a bale lifted by the twine and was attempting to heft it toward Sprite’s feeder. “Want some help?”
“No.” She shot me a warning glare. “I can do this myself.”
I held up my hands, chuckling as she shuffled across the floor.
A month ago, she could barely lift the bales an inch. Those square bales were little compared to the ones we used for the cattle. These we kept stocked in the loft for the horses when they weren’t out to pasture. They weighed about seventy-five pounds and moving them around by the thin, red baling twine wasn’t easy. But she’d been working with me every weekend in the stables and was becoming quite the hand.
Gemma’s arms had grown stronger, so had her legs and her core. I knew because I’d seen the definition in her muscles sharpen on the nights I’d spent in her bed at the cabin.
When she had the bale in place, a proud smile stretched across her face as she took the Leatherman I’d lent her this morning from her pocket and cut the twine. Then she went about putting the hay in Sprite’s feeder before taking a chunk to Pepsi’s empty stall.
I’d let her do the feeding while I’d mucked out a few stalls, a job that I hadn’t done in years because I’d hired hands to do it instead. But I’d let Rory go with some of the guys this morning instead of working in the stables. He was out helping prep for the afternoon wagon ride.
Over the past month, he’d spent a lot of Saturdays out with the other staffers. Not only because it gave him more exposure to other tasks, but because it allowed me the chance to work alone with Gemma.