“Sorry, it’s a cold camp for breakfast,” he said as he placed the saddle bags on an even piece of ground.
“No worries. I’d even eat peanut butter I’m so starved.”
Ethan grinned and handed her a pre-packed container of yoghurt and granola. “Lucky for you Rosa knows you don’t eat peanut butter.”
After they’d eaten breakfast, Bridie wandered off to take water bug pictures for Finn. Ethan stepped over creek stones to reach a large flat rock on the opposite bank. He stretched out, hat over his eyes. The warmth of the rock warmed his back through his shirt, the gurgle of running water sounded beside him and birds called in the trees to his left.
Then boots clattered on stone and he smelled roses as Bridie joined him.
“You’re not sleeping on the job are you, cowboy?” Her words were light and teasing. “There could be a bear over there.”
He didn’t move. “Which would be bad luck for the bear because Zane told me you used at least three practice canisters of bear spray and could hit a fly on a wall.”
Her boots clunked as she sat on the rock and stretched her legs out before her.
“See, you’re not the only one who likes to be prepared.” She paused. “Tell me about your ranch in Colorado Springs.”
He lifted the hat from off his face and sat up. An unexpected seriousness had edged her words.
“What would you like to know?”
“What’s it like?”
He looked around at the creek, pine trees and distant peaks. “Much like here but it’s not as big as Larkspur Ridge Ranch. I have my black Angus breeding herd, a few quarter horses and a ranch foreman I’d trust with my life.”
Her gaze searched his. “It sounds perfect and that’s great you have such a foreman because it means you can spend the summer here.”
“Yes, much to Henry’s disgust. My cattle are also on their summer pastures so there’s not as much ranch work to be done like in the spring.”
“Henry doesn’t fool me. He loves having you stay.” Bridie gazed around. “Why doesn’t he graze his cattle up here too in the summer? Zane has his cattle on the mountain pastures he leases off Fire Weed Ranch.”
“Henry doesn’t actually have any cattle or run the ranch like he used to. He says he’s too old, has more than enough money, and is too ornery to live near a bunkhouse of rowdy cowboys. The cattle that you see are Cordell’s and Payton’s. They use the land nearest their ranch.”
“So Henry’s free to leave his ranch if he wanted to as well? You know how Lesley asked if he was planning a trip? I think perhaps he is. At Mom’s lunch he asked me all sorts of travel questions.”
“With Henry nothing would surprise me.” Ethan rubbed his chin. “So ... have you given any more thought to where you’ll head next?”
He toyed with a twig so she wouldn’t glimpse just how important her answer was.
“To be honest, no, but after this morning I see things more clearly now, so will need to do some serious thinking. But for the moment, I’m happy living between Mom’s house in Marietta and Hollyhock Creek Ranch. I’ve been able to work online with my agricultural training organization so I think Montana is stuck with me, at least until the end of the summer.”
Throat tight with relief, he glanced at her as she spoke again, tone soft. “I’m sure Henry won’t complain if I steal you away for a few more trips.”
Their gazes locked and after a beat he too spoke, his voice husky. “Sounds good to me.”
He tossed away the twig and came to his feet. She’d had a morning filled with high emotion, today wasn’t the day to take risks, rush into anything or revisit their non-kissing agreement, even if she was now staying until the fall. “Okay, we’d better get moving, because you might have had sugar, but there’s no coffee until lunch.”
As the sun climbed to it’s zenith, Ethan wound their way through the forest and ridges until he reached a large meadow covered in a carpet of swaying wildflowers.
“Please tell me this is where we’re stopping for lunch,” Bridie asked reaching for her camera. Color now warmed her cheeks and her eyes were bright. The sugar and sunshine had worked their magic.
“It is. Over near the spring-fed creek there’s a log cabin built by Henry’s grandfather. The pink rose Henry’s grandmother planted still blooms.”
After the short ride to the cabin, Bridie explored while Ethan laid out the picnic rug in the shade of an old pine tree. He then lit a small campfire. Bridie briefly sat on the rug to eat her beef and vegetable kebabs and drink her coffee before, smile apologetic, she left to take more photographs.