Cherished (Wanted 4)

I threw my head back and let out a laugh. “Yep! Ells and I were sitting across from each other, and Alex just started walking toward me. It was one of the best moments of my life…and I’ve been having a lot of those lately.”

“Did you cry?”

I slowly looked at my grandfather. I tried to picture him during the first time his sons had taken steps. I would bet the ranch that he cried like a baby!

“Okay, I’ll be a man about it. Yes, I cried…a little.”

“Yeah, the first steps your father took were toward me. I cried like a dam had broken. Emma laughed and told me that was one of the reasons she would love me forever.” Gramps let out a chuckle.

I looked down and then back up at the clear blue sky. It was a beautiful Texas day in December. It couldn’t have been more than sixty-five degrees outside.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath before slowly letting it out. “God, I love it out here. I never want to be anywhere but here,” I said.

“Drew…”

I opened my eyes and saw something I’d never seen in my grandfather’s eyes before—fear. “Gramps…are you okay?”

He smiled slightly and nodded. “I am, son. I truly am. It’s just…when the whole heart attack happened…well, I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

I nodded. “Yeah, me, too.”

He stopped Big Roy, so I did the same with F

irelight.

“It’s gonna happen someday though, son. I’m not a young stallion anymore,” he said with a grin.

My heart dropped to my stomach. Is something wrong? Oh god, please no…not with the new baby coming. Please…no.

“Jesus, Drew. Stop thinking so hard. I see your wheels spinning in that head of yours. Nothing is wrong. Matter of fact, I’m probably more fit now than I have been in a long time. The ticker is tickin’ just fine. It’s just…I was thinking this morning. Someday, I will be gone. I sure as hell hope I got at least another ten years or more, but—”

“Gramps, why are we even talking about this? I don’t want to talk about how you’re going to die someday. I know that.”

“Because I want you to know something. I want you to know that I couldn’t be more proud of you, son. You’ve done an amazing job, taking over the whole ranch with the help of Jeff and your father. To look out my window and see you and your father walking together with smiles on your faces…it makes my heart swell like you wouldn’t believe. If I had died—”

“But you didn’t!”

Gramps gave me a look. “Don’t interrupt your elder, boy. It’s rude.”

I tried to hold in the smile, but I couldn’t. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry.”

He nodded. “If I had died, I would have died as the happiest man on Earth. I have a woman who has loved me beyond my wildest dreams, two sons whom I’ve never been more proud of, and my grandchildren and great grandchildren…well, hell, they’re the best blessing of all. I just want you to know…I’ve lived a very good life.” He slowly smiled. “A very good life indeed.”

I smiled, knowing he was thinking of Grams. “Gramps, I bet your story with Grams is probably the best love story ever.”

He looked at me and raised his eyebrows. “It is. Someday, I’ll tell you how I had to fight like hell to win that woman’s heart.”

I laughed. “Really? I figured Grams just took one look into those baby blues, and that was it.”

“Shit, I wish. That woman made me work my ass off to win her love, but it’s been a forever love.”

I started laughing as I noticed my father quickly riding up.

“Hey, y’all,” he said as he stopped his horse on a damn dime.

I had yet to ever win a race with this man.

“Ells? Alex?” I asked, trying not to sound panicked.