Fall for Me (Cowboys of Crested Butte 1)

The day dawned a perfect, bluebird Colorado morning. Pooh wouldn’t be able to keep up with Micah, so Renie rode one of the boarded horses.

“Where do you want to ride today, Mom?”

“I’m gonna let Micah run.”

“To the meadow?”

Liv nodded.

“You’re sure?”

“Never more sure.”

As soon as they came over the hill, the prairie stretched out in front of them, and Micah took off like a rocket. Liv hadn’t felt this alive in months. There was no hesitation between her and her horse. It was as though they rode this way every day.

Ben walked out on the back porch with a cup of coffee in hand. In an hour, he’d leave to pick up the boys and bring them back for Thanksgiving dinner with his family.

He looked out at the valley and up at Mount Crested Butte. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and he was spending the day with family. He should be happy, but nothing could have been further from how he felt.

He went to The Goat the night before, wanting a distraction, and he found one. Pretty little thing, and sweet. Her name was Melinda, or Melissa…or Melanie. He couldn’t remember, so he called her Mel. She danced up a storm, like a firecracker. He had fun with her, the most fun he’d had in a long time.

“Let’s get out of here,” she said, pulling him by the hand. He grabbed his coat off the rack and followed her to the parking lot. When they got around the corner, she was on him so fast, Ben didn’t see it coming.

He picked her up and held her against him, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“Wait,” he said, unwrapping her body from his and setting her back on the ground.

“What?” she answered, breathless. “What’s wrong?”

“As much as I want to get close to you tonight, pretty girl, I can’t do this.” He was about to say it was him, not her, and he decided against it. Better to just walk away.

“Come here, girl, and give me a big ol’ hug,” said Dottie when Liv walked in the back door.

“Hey, Dottie.”

“God, I missed seeing that color of pink in your cheeks. How are you feeling? Billy said he saw you and Renie out ridin’ a bit ago. He told me it was like watchin’ a beautiful wind blow.”

“I can’t describe it. If felt right.”

“You goin’ back out then?”

“Soon as I can. Not much left this year.”

“Nothing stoppin’ you from training. Get yourself down to Texas in January and get busy.”

“Am I crazy, Dottie? Do you think I should just give up?”

“I’ve told you before, there hasn’t been a day since I’ve known you that I haven’t been proud of you, Liv. Don’t make it today. You’re no quitter, but what do the doctors say?”

“That I’m fit to ride, or do whatever else I want to do. My injury is healed, and that part of my spine is in better shape than the rest of me.”

“Any pain?”

“Not much.”

“What does that mean?”

“My pain has nothing to do with my injury, Dottie.”