With a wicked smile, he tugged a tendril of my hair. “That’s why you’re mine.”
“Always.”
Dylan
Thanksgiving dinner had been cleared away, and while the rest of our extended family slept off their food comas in the sitting room, I had some business to discuss with my aunt, uncle, and cousins.
“You sure about this?” I asked.
Tricia placed a kiss on baby Kayden’s head, who happily chewed on a plastic giraffe. “We’re sure,” she said. “My boys don’t want the ranch. They all have their own lives away from here. Like Jonah and I said when we came to see you, we’re too long in the tooth for early mornings and endless days. You love this place as much as we do. The horses adore you. Plus,” she said, pausing to place another kiss on the baby’s head, “I need to be close to this little lovebug.”
I glanced at each of my cousins in turn. “None of you want to take over?”
They all shook their heads.
Brooks spoke up first. “I can’t see me moving back from Atlanta any time soon. And if I do, I’m not a rancher. Horses were never my thing.”
Gunner cleared his throat. “I’m more interested in oil. I’m headed to North Dakota. There’s a piece of land I plan on drilling with my partners.”
Colt grinned. “I have my hands full with Natalie, Kayden, and the bar. My life’s in Nashville. You’ve always loved horses and the way of life more than any of us ever did or will.”
Excitement clenched my gut. Owning Whistling Wind Ranch was above anything I’d ever dreamed. I still planned on winning the gold buckle someday, but I also had to think about my future beyond the rodeo. Getting bucked off in Nashville had rattled me more than I cared to admit. Winning was no longer the be-all and end-all it once was.
I still had a concussion, and my ribs were tender to the touch. I’d suffered multiple contusions to my thighs and chest wall, as well as a liver laceration. The length of time it was taking my body to heal was something I had to take into consideration along with everything else. Like how I wanted to spend the rest of my life with the woman I loved.
For the longest time, a family and a home life weren’t something I thought I wanted, but now, they were all I thought about. Things can change from one second to the next, and I wanted to spend all the seconds I had left on this earth with Montana.
After the doctors had discharged me from the hospital, I’d moved into her teeny cabin. She made sure I got enough rest both physically and mentally. The doctors said it could take up to three months, maybe more, for the concussion symptoms to fully vanish.
The fatigue frustrated the crud out of me. Most days I had to take an afternoon nap like I was sixty-six and not thirty-six. Sometimes I had a touch of tinnitus and blurry eyesight, but I was thankful I hadn’t suffered any memory loss.
When Mason instructed no physical exertion, Montana took him at his word. I think he purposely told her no sex until he gave the all-clear. Jerk.
The headaches were the worst, and when one came on, I had to lay in a darkened room for a few hours until it passed. All through it all, Montana had been at my side. I kind of liked her fussing over me like a mother hen.
A few weeks ago, when she was at her therapy session, Tricia and Jonah sat me down and asked if I was interested in buying the ranch from them. I explained that while I’d be honored to take over, I didn’t have the kind of cash needed to buy the ranch. They said they’d lease me the land until I was in a position to buy.
I’d wanted to take them up on their offer there and then, but I asked that they clear it with my cousins first. I didn’t want any noses knocked out of joint.
Kayden started to fuss, and Tricia stood, jiggling him on her hip. “Well, what do you think? We ain’t got all day.”
“You’d get a hell of a lot more if you put it on the market,” I said. Beneath the table, I jiggled my legs up and down, and I hoped beyond all hope they wouldn’t consider doing that.
Jonah waved my concerns away. “I don’t want some stranger taking over my ranch. Keeping it in the family is all that matters.”
I stood, smiled, and held out my hand. “I think you have yourselves a deal.” Jonah hit his palm against mine. “We couldn’t be happier, son.”
“Right there with you,” I said, pride surging in my chest.
My cousins all stood, pumped my hand, and slapped me on the back.
Feeling on top of the world, I walked outside and found Montana sitting on the porch steps with Colt’s wife, Natalie.
Natalie strummed her guitar while Montana furiously wrote on her notepad.
“Mind if I steal you away?” I asked.
Montana glanced up, fierce concentration lining her face. “Two seconds, I don’t want to lose this thought.” She scribbled down something indecipherable then tapped her pen against her lower lip. “I was thinking this for the top of the second verse.”
Natalie rolled her lips between her teeth then pursed them before nodding. “I can work with that.”
“I’m all yours, cowboy.” Montana hooked her arm through mine, and we strolled toward the paddock.
Sampson and Winston were busy playfighting with each other by exchanging nips and nibbles to each other’s faces.
“What did Tricia want to talk to you
