Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
When Logan and his husband and son visited in October, the pumpkins were a huge hit. “I love the fact that Owen gets to grow up with this,” Logan said one afternoon, as he and I sat on the porch with mugs of hot cider. Ryder and Lucky were carving one jack-o-lantern after another for Owen, because the kid couldn’t get enough of them.
“It’s pretty great, isn’t it?”
“It really is.” My best friend glanced at me and added, “I was worried about whether you’d be able to adapt to country life, but you look happier and healthier than I’ve ever seen you. You’re not just surviving out here, you’re thriving.”
“I definitely am. That’s both because I’m madly in love with my amazing boyfriend, and because I’m truly enjoying living on the ranch. It just feels good out here.”
Logan nodded and said, “I’m already looking forward to our next visit.”
Even though it had been bittersweet to move away from my friends, I knew they’d always be an important part of my life. They visited when they could, and in between there were video calls, group texts, and plenty of reminders of the love we all shared.
A shiver pulled me back to the present. It was late November now, and fall was transitioning into winter. The garden had been put to bed until next spring, and there was a general sense of everything slowing down as the weather got cooler.
It was about an hour before sunset, which happened pretty early this time of year. I was standing on the porch, surrounded by dogs, and I waved as one of our helpers called goodbye and headed to his truck.
With my encouragement, Ryder had moved his ranch hand to a full-time schedule, hired Dwight’s cousin part-time, and was letting his former teammates help with the horses. All of that was necessary, because his road to recovery had been a long one.
As predicted, he’d tried to do too much too soon, and that had set him back a bit. After that, he finally allowed himself to slow down. He accepted help when it was offered, concentrated on physical therapy, and gave himself the time he needed to heal.
Even though his hip was as good as new now, we still had plenty of help on the ranch. He’d finally learned he could rely on other people and didn’t have to do everything on his own. That was huge, and I was really proud of him.
Letting his former teammates volunteer with the horses had also been a great way to keep in touch with them, since Ryder had retired from rugby. We also got to see them regularly at cookouts, poker nights, and other get-togethers, which were usually organized by Tank. He joked that he’d become the group’s social secretary after he returned from the UK. He wasn’t wrong.
A smile spread across my face when Ryder stepped out of the stable and started heading toward the house. When he spotted me, he broke into a light jog and took the porch steps two at a time. I laughed as he literally swept me off my feet. He kissed me and said, “Hi, baby. Aren’t you getting cold out here?”
“A little, but it’s so nice out. There’s something in the air. Does it snow here?”
“Rarely, and when it does it’s usually just a light dusting.”
“That would still be exciting.”
He put me down, kissed my forehead, and said, “Hold that thought.” Then he hurried inside and returned moments later with one of my shawls, which he draped around my shoulders. I’d learned to knit recently and enjoyed it so much that everyone I knew was getting hats and scarves for Christmas.
I told him, “I love the way you take care of me.”
“Right back at you.” He kissed me again and said, “There’s something I want to show you. Will you meet me at the paddock in ten minutes?”
“Absolutely.”
As Ryder returned to the stable, I headed to my studio with Lola right on my heels. We’d adopted the little, black poodle mix from the shelter a month ago. Right away, she’d decided I was her person and rarely left my side.
The studio was a beautiful, spacious structure located just a few yards from the house. Ryder had hired a contractor to build it for me over the summer. It had huge windows for natural light and plenty of room to work, and he’d outfitted it with everything I needed to launch my business, including a sewing machine, worktables, dress forms, and more. I was so touched by his generosity, and by the way he supported and believed in me.
It was great to have a dedicated workspace, and it had been completed just in time. After the fashion show, I’d posted videos of my collection online. When a famous designer shared one of them, the whole thing blew up. It turned out there was a demand for bespoke, nontraditional wedding dresses, and I’d been working on one or two commissions a month ever since.