“Rainy, lighten up. You’ll have a good time and Lucas will be fine. After all, he wants to see the horses too.”
“They did say that the place was kid-friendly, but he’s only four.” Rainy could feel herself getting overprotective and took a deep breath to settle her nerves. Four years of late nights, feedings, diapers, potty training, and everything else had made her fiercely protective of her son. Raising him on her own with only her parents to help, had made her heart equally full for her child and hard toward anyone who might come between them.
“Rainy, you need to lighten up. I know it’s been hard, trying to get your education and take care of Lucas. I’ve always been so proud of you for not just dumping him on your parents and doing your own thing. You’re a great mom, but you have to be a real girl sometimes too.”
Rainy grinned. Anne had been using that line on her for years. Always the tomboy, Anne would force her to ‘doll up’ and go out on the town.
“I’ll try,” Rainy agreed, “but at least here I can wear jeans and T-shirts all day long and still be fashionable”
“We’ll see about that,” Anne whispered under her breath.
“You might like a night out,” Owen Smythe called, glancing in his rearview mirror at his daughter. “You girls always doll up real nice.”
Rainy couldn’t hold back the chuckle that erupted. Her dad always used that word when he talked about taking her mother on a date.
“I’m planning on taking your mother out somewhere while we’re here. Dinner, dancing, that sort of thing. You did bring something pretty to wear didn’t you Dana?”
“Owen, you know I always pack something pretty. You just never know what might happen or where you’ll get invited to. A woman should always be prepared.”
Rainy rolled her eyes, she had always been a disappointment in the dressing up department. She was far more comfortable in faded jeans and an old T. The chance to visit a dude ranch and not have to worry about her clothing was a joy.
“Rainy, I don’t want you fussing over Lucas the whole time you’re at the ranch. You’re a young woman and you need to get out. Why if a few young people all want to go to town for some fun there’s no reason your father and I can’t watch our favorite boy.”
Rainy felt some of the tension leave her shoulders at her mother’s words. She had no desire to go whoop it up in a strange town. She would much rather take her son for a walk in the wide prairie exploring the flora and fauna of the ranch than get dressed up and go dancing or something. Still, she knew that Anne would want to go out at least once, and after all her friend had done for her, who was she to argue?
“Thanks, Mom, I might take you up on that.”
A bright squeal of delight from her partner in crime made Rainy shake her head, turning a hard glare on Anne’s exuberant grin.
“I knew you’d come around,” Anne clapped her hands with delight. “I’ll do your hair and make-up, and we’ll go dancing. Maybe break a few hearts along the way.”
Rainy found herself smiling at her friend’s enthusiasm then looked down at her son still sleeping in his seat. Even if she did go dancing and had a little fun with a cowboy, no man was going to want the package deal that she was. Love her, love her boy. That was that. No, Rainy knew her lot in life, and she could live with it. All the love she ever needed was sleeping right there next to her.
Rainy had chosen Lucas, and she would do all she could to give him the best life possible. Rainy was a mother and that came first. She had finally finished her online degree from a college with a good reputation, and she was ready to tackle a good job, but her first love, her first duty was always to her son.
***
It was almost dark by the time they rolled under a high arched sign declaring the Broken J Ranch and headed for the big house where they had rented three rooms.
Lucas kicked his feet with excitement as Rainy told him they were here. Even after a stop for dinner and some time to play in the play area, the boy was bursting with energy.
“Can we see the horsies now?” the boy’s dark eyes shimmered in the light spilling from the windows of the house.
“Not tonight,” Rainy sighed. “But we’ll get up early tomorrow and see everything.”
“I wanna see ‘em now,” the boy’s bottom lip quivered and Rainy felt her heart turn.
“Not tonight,” she said firmly. “Tonight we have to go to our rooms and get settled in. Maybe there are some other little boys and girls you can play with.”
“Really?” The boy clapped his tiny hands together with delight. “Let’s go.”
As the car came to a complete stop, Rainy unbuckled the seat belts and helped her son climb down. No sooner had his feet hit the ground than he was racing for the stairs of the house as a big man in a cowboy hat came out to help with bags and baggage.
“You’ll have to park in the lot out by the road,” the big man drawled to her father, as Rainy rushed after her son. The man practically made two of her and she wondered if all the men on this ranch were so large.
“That’ll be fine,” Owen grinned. “I’ll just be glad to stop moving. It’s been a long drive.”
“Where you coming from?” the cowboy asked, his voice a deep rumble in his chest.
“Iowa,” Owen grinned, “up north where it’s the prettiest.”
“Kade Ballard,” the cowboy offered hefting three overstuffed bags, as
