Page 39 of Forever Enough
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked as I looked between my parents, who were both clearly ignoring me. Avery giggled and stood up, making her way to the flowers.
“He can bring the pie,” Dad argued, as he pointed to said pie.
Rolling her eyes, Mom moved past him. “Avery, go get that nice silver Christmas wrap we used for Stella and Ty Senior’s gift.”
“Oh! Yes!” Avery said, dashing out of the kitchen as my father continued to argue with my mother, while she pulled the flowers out of the vase, cut the ends off with scissors, and carefully placed each bud on the island.
“What’s happening here with the flowers and wrapping paper?” I asked, making my way over to the pie. “And is this an apple pie?”
“Yes, it is, and I’m making a bouquet for you to bring to Mackenzie,” Mom said as she shushed my dad and told him it was a losing battle.
Walking over to me in a huff, my father pointed. “You owe me a bouquet of flowers.” Glancing down at the pie, he added, “And a damn apple pie.”
As he stalked out of the kitchen, Avery bounced back in. “Got it! I also brought some silver ribbon.”
“Nice touch,” Mom said as she watched Avery take over with the flower arranging. Then, as Avery held the bouquet, Mom wrapped them up in the silver paper. Finally, she held them while Avery tied a bow around the bundle to finish it off.
I stared at the beautiful bunch of flowers. If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve thought they’d just come from a florist’s. “Wow, you two could open up a flower shop.”
Avery grinned. “Oh my gosh, how fun would that be! We could grow the flowers on the farm.”
Mom chuckled. “Well, I have to say, you have an eye for arranging the colors. Those look even more beautiful than when your dad brought them home.”
“There! Now you won’t show up empty-handed,” Avery stated with a wide smile on her face.
I glanced at my watch. “I need to get on the road or I’m going to be late.”
“Let me get the pie in a carrier for you.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Turning to Avery, I asked, “Am I too dressed up?”
She gave me a once-over. “Not at all. The jeans are casual. The button-down shirt is a nice touch and dresses it up a bit. The cowboy boots are a given since it’s…well, you. I know you don’t want to wear a cowboy hat, but trust me on this one. Keep it on.”
“Really? You think? I’m just going to her apartment.”
Avery looked at me like I was crazy. “Oh, yes. You should know this. Women throw themselves at you when you wear a cowboy hat.”
I huffed. “They do not.”
My sister rolled her eyes. “Please. I’m not blind. I’ve grown up watching girls bat their eyes at you, and when I watch you ride on TV, I can see the way women look at you. Even some of the women reporters can’t help gawking.”
I gave her a light push. “I’m not wearing a cowboy hat.”
At that very moment, my mother walked into the kitchen and said, “Keep the hat on.” She crossed to me and smiled. Patting my chest, she sighed. “So handsome, just like your daddy.”
I heard Avery snort with laughter but decided to ignore her.
With the pie and flowers in hand, I headed out to my truck, forgoing a jacket, much to my mother’s dismay. “I’m literally driving down the road a few hundred yards. I don’t think I need a coat.”
By the time I got to my truck, though, I wished I’d put a jacket on. It was cold as hell. Or at the very least, wished I’d started my truck while I was inside waiting for pies and flowers. Once I got the truck warmed up, I headed down the road and toward Mackenzie’s place.
Pulling into the same spot where I’d parked last night, I glanced up to see the light shining through the apartment window. There were also lights on in the barn, which I assumed she had left on for me. To get to her apartment, you either had to walk through the barn, or go through a side door farther down the outside of the barn, which led to steps right up to the apartment. I decided to take the longer and warmer way. Say hello to a horse or two, and maybe catch sight of Pickles.
Once I stepped into the building and shut the door, I drew in a deep breath. The smell of hay, feed, and manure caused my heartbeat to pick up slightly. God, how I loved the smell of barns. A few of the horses that weren’t out to pasture poked their heads out of the stalls.
There was more than one barn on the ranch and this one over on the farm side. I wasn’t exactly sure why these particular horses were over here, and it bothered me that I hadn’t taken the time to learn more about the farm side. It was actually two different pieces of property. The farm belonged to my mother and uncle, and the ranch, of course, to my father.