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.They d been saying it all summer long. I miss her, but I m& Elle shook her head sadly as she turned. I m glad she s notsuffering.That she s happy and at peace, and there s nothing that can hurt her anymore. I love that we were all there when she went. Allison snuck her fingers free so shecould wipe the tears from her eyes. Smiling just like always. Paul didn t speak at first.Cleared his throat and stared over the land. I understandbetter now why Mom did it.She wanted to be strong for us, didn t she? She was strong.To the end. Elle caught them both in a tight hug before stepping backand blowing her nose into a hankie. I ve got to go.I love you guys. Mind if I walk with you? Paul asked.Elle shook her head. I ll come by the house in the morning, Allison said, Right after breakfast. Paul leaned over and kissed her cheek, See you at the restaurant in the afternoon. Hetipped his head toward Gabe. Take care of her. I will, Gabe promised.Her brother and sister walked slowly back toward the trail that led to where they dparked.Allison watched them until they disappeared into the trees.It hurt terribly to have Maisey gone, but her family they were still there for eachother.Their family hadn t disappeared when their mom died.She tucked the small box back into Patches s saddlebag and turned to find Gabe at herside, his love-filled eyes staring down. You were the best daughter she could have ever hoped for. Allison rested her cheek against his chest and gazed over the land.He rubbed her back,his strength and power right there for her to cling to if she needed.But what sheappreciated even more was how he let her go when she straightened.How he acceptedher tight hug.He didn t just try to save her, he let her save him as well. Ready to ride for a while? Gabe passed her the reins.Allison swung into the saddle and nodded. You never did point out the section ofland you switched with the Whiskey Creek Colemans.Can we get there from here? He laughed. Gabe s Folly? Sure, I can show you that. Oh no, did the crew name it already? Hell, yeah. He pointed toward a shallow ford in the river, and she tugged the reinsto direct Patches that way. You knew it would happen.Not sure if it was one of theWhiskey Creek girls, but probably not.Karen wouldn t care, since it doesn t affect herprecious horses.Tamara s still too busy getting into everyone s business in other ways.Ifigure it was someone on the Moonshine side. Allison was quiet for a minute as a whisper of guilt rose. I never did tell yousomething. Gabe took her offered fingers and squeezed them before the horses stepped too farapart, breaking their handhold. A secret? Hmm, those aren t allowed, right? Right. Ever since they d turned this fake marriage into a real one. Way back when Ifirst contacted you, it was Tamara who d snitched about Mom being sick. He chuckled. Tell me something I don t know. What? That was good, yet surprising. All this time you knew? How? You told me. The splash of the water sounded rhythmically as the horses paced forward.Allisonsearched her memory for a time or place that she d shared that bit of info. I& was sure Ihadn t. Oh, darling, first day out you were spouting all kinds of things.Sleep-deprived, youdon t do so good.You ll never get a job as a secret agent. He grinned at her. Don tworry, I know how to keep my mouth shut. A little too well. She took it in.His love, his acceptance.Gave it back. I think youneed to open your mouth more often. Hmm, now that s an invitation I m happy to take you up on. He reached for her and she laughingly pulled Patches out of reach. No.No sex on ahorse. We ve had sex everywhere else, he pointed out.True. You ve very inventive, I ll give you that.Now hush and show me this land youfoolishly traded for. He sighed. Four more years until things are completely switched over.We ll just keepour heads above water until then, if no more disasters go south. Which partly meant Ben.He d stopped fighting the changes, and he d stoppedtaunting Gabe, but he d grown even colder in some ways.Allison avoided him as much as possible.They rode in silence, both deep in their own thoughts as the land passed under thehorses steady stride.She knew finances were going to be tight.She also knew if it really came down to it,the money her mom had given her would be the first thing they d use.The funds werehers to spend as she pleased.Not even Gabe, especially not Gabe, would deny her theright to use them however she chose.Allison stared across at her husband Lord, the word still made a chill zip along herspine and admired him all over again.From his boots on up to his firmly positioned hat, he was hundred-percent Canadian free-range cowboy.And hers.Heart of gold and all.Gabe shook his head. I like your smile. He slipped off Hurricane, tethering him to a nearby bush.Allison dismounted as well,securing Patches before stepping forward to accept Gabe s outreached hand. Look and weep.She s right there.We actually own both sides of the waterway now. Allison gazed over the section Gabe pointed out.Checked to the south.The north.Theriver wove its way along the western border, about the farthest thing from a straight linepossible. This piece? Uncle George said he felt a little guilty for switching the north section with me.Inexchange he got a parcel you could use a straight edge on you could fall asleep in thetractor and the lay of the land would nearly steer you home. A little bit of hope brightened inside her. So this piece that he gave you? He hasn tplanted it for a while? No.Pain in the ass to do anything here, he said.He s had the horses out for a fewyears at least.Karen would know more, she keeps all the records. Hope budded and grew, ready to bloom full out if given a chance. Gabe, don t golaying wagers or anything yet, but you might have struck gold, not foolishness, in yourswitch. He looked her over intently. Explain. What were you going to do with this bit of land? she asked. Turn the cattle out.Let it lie fallow.I wasn t sure yet. She smiled. How about checking with Karen, and if it has been sitting for at leastthree years, you can get a jump on your plans.At least in terms of starting a few animalsor maybe plant some alfalfa out here.You don t mind a little extra work to cultivate, doyou? Gabe s jaw dropped, and a light came on in his eyes.She could see him calculating andreasoning through her suggestion.A shortcut, not everything they needed, but it wouldcertainly help [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.They d been saying it all summer long. I miss her, but I m& Elle shook her head sadly as she turned. I m glad she s notsuffering.That she s happy and at peace, and there s nothing that can hurt her anymore. I love that we were all there when she went. Allison snuck her fingers free so shecould wipe the tears from her eyes. Smiling just like always. Paul didn t speak at first.Cleared his throat and stared over the land. I understandbetter now why Mom did it.She wanted to be strong for us, didn t she? She was strong.To the end. Elle caught them both in a tight hug before stepping backand blowing her nose into a hankie. I ve got to go.I love you guys. Mind if I walk with you? Paul asked.Elle shook her head. I ll come by the house in the morning, Allison said, Right after breakfast. Paul leaned over and kissed her cheek, See you at the restaurant in the afternoon. Hetipped his head toward Gabe. Take care of her. I will, Gabe promised.Her brother and sister walked slowly back toward the trail that led to where they dparked.Allison watched them until they disappeared into the trees.It hurt terribly to have Maisey gone, but her family they were still there for eachother.Their family hadn t disappeared when their mom died.She tucked the small box back into Patches s saddlebag and turned to find Gabe at herside, his love-filled eyes staring down. You were the best daughter she could have ever hoped for. Allison rested her cheek against his chest and gazed over the land.He rubbed her back,his strength and power right there for her to cling to if she needed.But what sheappreciated even more was how he let her go when she straightened.How he acceptedher tight hug.He didn t just try to save her, he let her save him as well. Ready to ride for a while? Gabe passed her the reins.Allison swung into the saddle and nodded. You never did point out the section ofland you switched with the Whiskey Creek Colemans.Can we get there from here? He laughed. Gabe s Folly? Sure, I can show you that. Oh no, did the crew name it already? Hell, yeah. He pointed toward a shallow ford in the river, and she tugged the reinsto direct Patches that way. You knew it would happen.Not sure if it was one of theWhiskey Creek girls, but probably not.Karen wouldn t care, since it doesn t affect herprecious horses.Tamara s still too busy getting into everyone s business in other ways.Ifigure it was someone on the Moonshine side. Allison was quiet for a minute as a whisper of guilt rose. I never did tell yousomething. Gabe took her offered fingers and squeezed them before the horses stepped too farapart, breaking their handhold. A secret? Hmm, those aren t allowed, right? Right. Ever since they d turned this fake marriage into a real one. Way back when Ifirst contacted you, it was Tamara who d snitched about Mom being sick. He chuckled. Tell me something I don t know. What? That was good, yet surprising. All this time you knew? How? You told me. The splash of the water sounded rhythmically as the horses paced forward.Allisonsearched her memory for a time or place that she d shared that bit of info. I& was sure Ihadn t. Oh, darling, first day out you were spouting all kinds of things.Sleep-deprived, youdon t do so good.You ll never get a job as a secret agent. He grinned at her. Don tworry, I know how to keep my mouth shut. A little too well. She took it in.His love, his acceptance.Gave it back. I think youneed to open your mouth more often. Hmm, now that s an invitation I m happy to take you up on. He reached for her and she laughingly pulled Patches out of reach. No.No sex on ahorse. We ve had sex everywhere else, he pointed out.True. You ve very inventive, I ll give you that.Now hush and show me this land youfoolishly traded for. He sighed. Four more years until things are completely switched over.We ll just keepour heads above water until then, if no more disasters go south. Which partly meant Ben.He d stopped fighting the changes, and he d stoppedtaunting Gabe, but he d grown even colder in some ways.Allison avoided him as much as possible.They rode in silence, both deep in their own thoughts as the land passed under thehorses steady stride.She knew finances were going to be tight.She also knew if it really came down to it,the money her mom had given her would be the first thing they d use.The funds werehers to spend as she pleased.Not even Gabe, especially not Gabe, would deny her theright to use them however she chose.Allison stared across at her husband Lord, the word still made a chill zip along herspine and admired him all over again.From his boots on up to his firmly positioned hat, he was hundred-percent Canadian free-range cowboy.And hers.Heart of gold and all.Gabe shook his head. I like your smile. He slipped off Hurricane, tethering him to a nearby bush.Allison dismounted as well,securing Patches before stepping forward to accept Gabe s outreached hand. Look and weep.She s right there.We actually own both sides of the waterway now. Allison gazed over the section Gabe pointed out.Checked to the south.The north.Theriver wove its way along the western border, about the farthest thing from a straight linepossible. This piece? Uncle George said he felt a little guilty for switching the north section with me.Inexchange he got a parcel you could use a straight edge on you could fall asleep in thetractor and the lay of the land would nearly steer you home. A little bit of hope brightened inside her. So this piece that he gave you? He hasn tplanted it for a while? No.Pain in the ass to do anything here, he said.He s had the horses out for a fewyears at least.Karen would know more, she keeps all the records. Hope budded and grew, ready to bloom full out if given a chance. Gabe, don t golaying wagers or anything yet, but you might have struck gold, not foolishness, in yourswitch. He looked her over intently. Explain. What were you going to do with this bit of land? she asked. Turn the cattle out.Let it lie fallow.I wasn t sure yet. She smiled. How about checking with Karen, and if it has been sitting for at leastthree years, you can get a jump on your plans.At least in terms of starting a few animalsor maybe plant some alfalfa out here.You don t mind a little extra work to cultivate, doyou? Gabe s jaw dropped, and a light came on in his eyes.She could see him calculating andreasoning through her suggestion.A shortcut, not everything they needed, but it wouldcertainly help [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]