Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20430 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20430 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
“Well look at you. All dressed up and fancy,” my uncle says as I approach the table. “You didn’t dress up this nice even when you were going out to the saloon. You’re really falling for this Rowdy boy, aren’t you?”
“You can tell just from my clothes?”
“You’ve spent the last week with a nonstop grin on your face, Cassie. I’ve never seen you happier than you are now.”
“Oh, and he definitely notices these things,” my aunt says from the kitchen. “When we started dating, it took him asking me the same thing for weeks before I managed to summon the courage to tell him that it was because I was spending so much time with him.”
The last week has really been a dream. We’ve been apart during the daytime. I still have to look after Zack and Zoe and Cash has to tend to the cattle. But we finish around the same time each night and I’m always right out the door after dinner, spending the rest of the night with him and sliding back home a little bit after midnight.
Aunt Debra was concerned for a day or two, but I had such a spring in my step that she didn’t make an issue of it. I shouldn’t have been surprised that they’ve been putting the pieces together.
“Not to mention you invited him over for dinner,” my uncle adds. “That’s a pretty big sign too.”
“Probably the biggest. And you’ve only known this guy a week?”
Smiling and embarrassed, I sit down at the table. The kids are opposite of my uncle, happily coloring away in their coloring books as dinner is being prepared.
“Are you talking about Mr. Cash?” Zoe says.
“The horse guy?” Zack chimes in. “He’s fun. We go really fast sometimes.”
My uncle cocks an eyebrow. “The horse guy? What have you been doing with our kids, Cassie?”
I shyly giggle. I haven’t told him about the kids’ new favorite activity – we’ve gone back to the ranch to visit the ponies almost every day this week. “Cash has a stable of horses and a couple ponies. I’ve taken the twins out there a few times. He’s very gentle with them, very concerned for their safety.”
“I’m sure they’re fine, Jeffrey,” my aunt calls in from the kitchen. “He takes good care of his horses, so I’m confident he knows what he’s doing.”
He sighs. “Guess I should have expected that when we moved to a small town like this. He literally shows up on a horse when he picks you up in the evenings. Does he even have a car?”
“Yes,” I say. “He just saves it for longer trips. People around here don’t need to go into the city all that often, really.”
“Seems more convenient than a horse even for short trips, but what do I know.”
“Jeffrey,” Aunt Debra says in an annoyed tone. “If the boy likes riding a horse everywhere I can’t see a reason he shouldn’t.”
“I’m just saying that a car isn’t going to leave its exhaust in a heap in the street...”
Through an open window I hear the familiar clip-clip of hooves and my heart leaps into my throat at the mere thought of Cash. It’s one thing for me to be smitten with a guy I just met. It’s another for it to be going where I think this is going.
“Speak of the devil,” my aunt calls out. “You should go and open the door, Cassie. Your beau is here.”
I rush to the door and step onto the porch. My man is hitching Monterrey to the post at the corner of the porch, the horse’s reins in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other. He’s as snazzily dressed as I’ve ever seen him, along with a cowboy hat of course.
Good to know I’m not the only overthinking dinner with my relatives.
He raises a feedbag to his horse's mouth so the poor thing doesn’t die of boredom while we do our thing.
Roses in hand, he approaches me. He presents me with the flowers, and I take them happily, giggling. We share another kiss. It’s not surprising anymore, it’s simply expected, but damn it's nice to enjoy it all the same.
Hand in hand, we head in to meet my aunt and uncle. The twins' eyes light up in excitement when they spot Cash.
“Showing up on a horse again, I see,” my uncle shakes his head. He can’t get over the horse thing, I guess.
Cash smirks. “It’s what’s expected of me now, sir. It’d be boring if I showed up in a Toyota Corolla, wouldn’t it?”
Zack runs up and pulls on his hand. “Mr. Cash, can I ride Monty again?”
“Monty?” my uncle says in confusion.
“That’s my horse,” Cash replies. “Or what your son calls him, anyway.”
“Well, can I?” Zack asks, pulling at Cash’s hand more.
Cash kneels down. “I’d love to let you, champ, but tonight after dinner I want to take Cassie out for a ride, and by the time we get back you’ll be in bed. How about I come by tomorrow and see how fast Monterrey can go? That sound good to you, Zack?”