Take Me Away (Southern Bride 6)

As we headed down toward my truck, Linnzi looked at me. “Can I ask you a question, Nolan?”

I opened the passenger door and held her hand as she climbed up into my father’s old truck. “Of course you can.”

“Did you fly your own plane home?”

“Here, to Boerne?”

She laughed. “Yes, here.”

“I did. Why?”

She shrugged. “I was curious, that’s all.”

I walked around the back of my pickup and took in a few deep breaths before I climbed into the cab and started up the truck and turned to face Linnzi. With a smirk, I said, “I’ve got more planned than simply riding. You threw the gauntlet down on me last minute, so…”

A brilliant smile lit up her face. “Are you going to tell me the plans?”

I started down the driveway as I spoke. “I thought we would start with a quick car ride around the ranch so I could check on a few things. I’m only in town a couple of days, and I need to make sure a few things are taken care of before I leave.”

She frowned. “If you need to take care of things, we don’t have to…”

“I want you with me. It’s been too long since…”

I let my voice trail off, and for some reason, Linnzi didn’t press to find out what I was going to say.

“After that we’ll head to the barn and go for a horseback ride,” I said. “I’ve arranged to have a picnic waiting for us at a spot on the ranch my father used as a hunting cabin.”

“Have I ever been there before?” she asked.

“Yes, many times.”

She frowned, and I couldn’t help but notice the disappointment in her eyes when I looked at her. She stared out the window and didn’t speak for a few minutes. The silence wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable. It was…it was like old times. She finally spoke as I pulled up to the gate of the ranch. “This is your ranch, huh?”

“It is,” I said as I clicked the gate opener.

“Cattle, right?”

I nodded.

“What type of cows do you have here?”

“Black Angus, Hereford, Limousin, and my father had a love for Texas Longhorns.”

“All for beef, I take it?”

I nodded. “Yeah. My mother used to have some Holsteins. She grew up on a dairy farm and liked having them here.”

“You don’t have them anymore?” she asked.

“We have a few; I don’t breed them like the others.”

“So, they’re pets?”

I laughed. “I guess you could say that. They’re spoiled as fuck.”

We drove down the long drive and past the house.

“That’s your house?” she asked.

Coming to a stop, I looked over at the two-story, white ranch house that had been in my family for four generations now.

“Yes, it’s not fancy, and it’s been in the family since my great-grandfather built it. He moved here from Arkansas to raise cattle.”

“It’s adorable!” she said, staring at it.

Pulling off, I replied, “I’ll give you a tour later.”

Linnzi turned her head and watched it as I drove down one of the roads that led to the main barn. “Oh, look at the cows!” she gushed. “They’re so cute!”

As we drove by, a few of them lifted their heads to see who was disturbing their morning munches. “They’re cute, but they’re also very tasty.”

She turned her head and looked at me, a snarl on her face. “They’re so beautiful! I don’t think I could eat them after raising them.”

I laughed. “Trust me, I can eat them with no guilt at all. They live a good life and when, or if, they get slaughtered, it’s done in a humane way.”

“Ugh. You just went down a notch in my books.”

This time I laughed harder. “I’ll have to try and make up for that then.”

Her arms folded over her chest as she stared out the window at more cattle. “You can try, but no promises.”

Even though her face was turned away, I still noticed her slight smile.

I pulled up to the barn and parked, lifting my hand to greet Paul.

“Who is that?” Linnzi asked.

“Paul, the ranch foreman. He’s my rock, and the guy I depend on to keep this place running while I’m gone.”

After I opened my door and jumped out of the truck, I tried to jog around and get Linnzi’s door, but Paul beat me.

“Paul, this is Linnzi Cunningham. Linnzi, this is Paul Hart. Y’all have met before, but…” Paul smiled at Linnzi. “He keeps this place running,” I finished saying.

Paul reached out his hand and shook Linnzi’s. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Cunningham.”

“Please, call me Linnzi.”

With a nod, Paul replied, “Linnzi, it is.” He turned to look at me, and I could see it on his face. It was hard how everyone knew that in the past it had always been us together, and now they had to act like they didn’t know a thing. “I’ve got two geldings saddled up for you. And the group you were expecting earlier is up at the hunter’s cabin now getting everything ready for you.”