meet her.”
“It's simple, really. My mother’s a romantic, and she believes in true love. She can't imagine I could be happy unless I've found it,” he said with a shrug.
“I'm sure it isn't quite as simple as that, but I'll accept that for now.”
“I really have to get on the road.” He patted the horse that still stood patiently waiting for him. “But I guess this could work. I mean, it's not like we would actually be boyfriends, just two friends going to one of their houses for the holiday. If people assume it’s more than that, then that’s on them, right?”
“If your parents are anything like you, I’m guessing it’ll have to be a little more than that for them to buy it, but for the most part, sure. Just friends spending the holidays together.”
“Alright, fine. I guess it could work.” He gave the lead rope a little tug and said, “Come on, girl, let's get you to your new home.” He turned to lead her out of the barn but paused to look back over his shoulder at me. “We’ll need to get together to work out the details, but this will make it easier for me to go back home. Thanks, Miller.”
I watched him go out the door and then remembered I was supposed to be helping him. I hurried out after him. “Hey, Landon, do you need a hand?” I asked.
“To get her loaded? Not at all. She’s a good girl, aren't you?” He turned to the horse, and she let out a little huff and a head nod that I was positive meant of course I am. Then he grinned at me and winked. “Watch.” He draped the lead over her neck, gave her a little pat on the rear flank, and then firmly said, “Load.” And damned if she didn't do it.
He moved to the front of the trailer and secured her for the trip. “Wow,” I said. “Did you teach her to do that?”
“I did.”
“Well, I'm impressed.”
He shrugged. “Horses are easy. It's people who are difficult.”
I couldn't argue with that, so I just walked with him to the front of the truck. “Will you be back tonight?”
“No, I'm going to stay tonight with the buyers and work with them in the morning to make sure everything’s good. I'll be home tomorrow night.”
“Well, how about dinner at my place tomorrow then? We can talk about how this is going to work. Here”—I handed him my phone—“put your number in here.”
As he typed in his number, he shook his head. “This is crazy. You realize that, don't you?”
“It is, but it could also be fun. Think of it as an adventure.”
He chuckled. “You got a weird idea of what an adventure is, Miller Monroe. Let Reed know I'll call when I get there.”
He climbed into the truck, grabbed his hat out of the seat and put it on his head, and then drove off. On my walk back up to the house, I tried to figure out what the hell I'd been thinking, and of course the answer was I wasn't. But I'd offered, and he'd agreed so I guess we were doing this thing.
“Landon get off okay?” Reed asked when I entered the kitchen, and lucky for me, I spotted Annie at the counter before making a remark about all the ways I would like to see Landon get off.
“Yep, he said he would call you when he arrived.” I reached over and tweaked one of Annie's pigtails. “Whatcha doing, sunshine?” I asked.
“I'm making punkin butter,” she said, putting a huge wooden spoon up to her mouth and licking it. It looked like Ripley had involved the whole crew in his pumpkin butter experiment. Bart and Cruz sat at the table scooping stuff into jars, and Margo and Reed were hovering over the stove.
“How is it, Annie girl?” Ripley asked her.
She looked so serious as she thought about her answer. “It's good, doesn't taste like butter, though. Maybe we left some grediants out.”
He kissed her on the head and chuckled. “Maybe, you know I'm not as good in the kitchen as Frankie is.”
“Frankie's the best,” she said in a tone that brooked no argument. “He's gonna marry my Uncle Cap, and we're gonna be a family.”
“That's pretty awesome,” I said, smiling at her. And really, it was. I'd been friends with Cap since school. Hell, he'd even been my first real kiss, and I'd seen him go through a lot of ups and downs,