Nathan watched the little fellow race across the floor, his heart sagging. “God give me strength, please,” he pleaded silently. “Get me through this summer and I’ll go back, I promise.”
***
"Would you stop fussing?” Anne reached over and smacked Rainy on the arm. “You are here to have some fun, and if the bar scene isn’t your thing then you can go for a ride. After all, we are on a ranch.” The tall blonde turned her blue eyes on the younger wranglers with a grin. “Lighten up.”
Rainy sighed, trying to relax. It wasn’t the first time she had let her parents keep Lucas, and it wouldn’t be the last, but she didn’t want to take advantage. This was as much their vacation as it was hers.
Over the past four years, her parents had done all they could to support and care for Rainy and Lucas. All too often her mother or father would put Lucas to bed while she worked through what had seemed endless papers and assignments for her online degree.
“I know it’s hard,” Anne’s voice softened. “You’ve worked so hard, and this is your celebration too. Let your folks do this for you. They want to. Sometimes we need to be big enough to accept someone’s gift.”
Rainy smiled as they walked out of the house and toward the barn, her doubts fading. Anne was right. Her parents had planned this whole trip to celebrate her graduation. She might as well make the most of it. At least tonight the whole family would be together for dinner and could spend the evening doing fun activities around the ranch.
She had taken Lucas for the pony rides that morning, and now she would enjoy her time with her oldest friend on this trail ride. Lifting her smoky eyes she gazed off across the prairie. It would be fun to see the wild spaces in such a peaceful way.
“Howdy ladies,” a grizzled old man with a red and white mottled beard grinned. “Glad you could join us. I’m Red, and I’ll be your guide today. We have a lot of riders on this fine day, so we’re breaking the group into three sections. You’ll be with me and this lot.” He turned, indicating a group that was already mounted.
Rainy smiled up at a red-headed cowboy who nodded and tipped his hat. For a moment she wondered if she had been transported into another time where men had manners.
“Come on,” Anne said, grabbing Rainy’s arm. “Let’s saddle up.”
Rainy shook her head with a laugh. Only Anne would say such things.
In a matter of minutes, Red had helped them into the saddle checking to see that stirrups were set at the right length and explaining how to drive the horse. “Mostly they’ll just follow along behind my horse, but keep your eyes open. You never know what can happen.” He turned, looking at each of the young wranglers who fell into line with the now mounted guests.
“Move ‘em out,” Red called, swinging into the saddle in one smooth motion as if he were a much younger man.
“He’s quite the character isn’t he?” Anne asked, as her horse fell in behind Rainy’s.
“I wonder what his story is?” Rainy mused. “Has he always worked here?”
A red-headed wrangler pushed his horse up next to Anne’s giving her a nod and a smile. “Red is a retired rodeo clown,” he said. “He came here to work with Chase Haven, the man who married the owner. He’s also my grandpa.”
“I met Phil,” Rainy called back. “She’s nice.”
“And what’s your name,” Anne asked, eyeing the slim rider. “How long have you worked on the Broken J?”
Rainy bit her lip trying not to laugh as Anne flirted with the cowboy, but relieved that she didn’t have to talk to Anne the whole time they were on the ride. Sometimes her friend could be very chatty.
There were about ten riders in this group, and she was hoping to see some of the wildlife in the area, as well as just soak in the wide-open spaces, and green of a verdant summer.
Rainy grabbed her saddle horn as her horse started down a small rise suddenly realizing what her friend and family had been saying for so long. She had been shut away, caring for Lucas and studying for so long she had missed out on the beauty around her.
Yes, her heart was full of love for her son, but she was starting to see that there could be room for more in her life if she would allow it. This trip was to celebrate her finally completing her degree, but it was more than that. It was a time to reflect and to begin to open up her heart and mind to the future. Soon there would be a new job, a new routine, and new responsibilities. It was both thrilling and terrifying. What if she couldn’t handle it all on her own? What if her new job required her to leave her family and the support that had seen her through this time?
Rainy lifted her eyes to the bright blue of the prairie sky and wondered what came next. Would she need to truly make it on her own?
Chapter 7
Nathan moved to the back table where a handful of other ranch hands tended to eat. He had to admit that he liked his job at the Broken J, but he hadn’t completed a tough degree for nothing.
The plan was to work here for the summer, save up some money, and then hit the job fairs and market hard. Nate was sure that in no time he would have the job he had studied for and hoped that his new life would fall into place. A nagging voice in the back of his head whispered a reminder that he had to settle the past before he could find joy in his future, and he hung his head trying to reconcile his
