Page 61 of Perfect Enough
Josh laughed. “I can honestly tell you he wasn’t lying. I’ve never brought a woman to the ranch, or home to meet my parents.”
“I feel honored.”
He glanced over at me, and I was struck by the look on his face. Was he feeling the same thing I was? That this might be turning into something more than a friendship?
I glanced ahead, not wanting to get my hopes up. Josh was so different from any other guy I’d ever known. The man wassaving himself, for goodness’ sake.
“We’re almost there. Let’s get off and tie up the horses. We need to hike the rest of the way up.”
“Okay,” I said, following him to an area just off the path. We slid off the horses and tied them up so they could graze while we went farther up the trail.
It was a short walk up to a clearing, and Josh took my hand and helped me up the last bit. Once there, I stood frozen in wonder.
“I hadn’t even realized we were climbing this whole time,” I said softly, as I let my eyes slowly scan the horizon before me.
“This is the tallest spot on the ranch. A lot of good things have happened right here.”
“I can imagine,” I said, as I turned in a circle. Off in the distance were open pastures, some flat, some rolling hills, with cattle dotted across them and the occasional horse sprinkled here and there. Toward one end, a lake butted up against the mountain range and mirrored the sky above.
“Beautiful,” I whispered. “No wonder your family members never move away from here. It’s…magical!”
“It is. This is one of my favorite spots because you can see half of the entire ranch.”
Turning, I studied him. “You truly do love it here, don’t you?”
He smiled. “I do. When I was younger, all I wanted to do was get away from the ranch. Get away from what was expected of me.”
“Which was?” I asked as I sat down on a huge round rock.
“Bull riding was one of them.”
“Is that only because your father did it?”
He sat down as well and let out a long breath. “Part of it. He rode, and then he raised bulls for the PBR, and I always felt like people in the industry assumed I would follow after him, like my cousin Bradly did with his father, Dirk.”
“Did you know right away that you didn’t want to be a bull rider?” I asked.
Josh laughed that time. “The first time I was launched off a bull, I knew it wasn’t going to be a career. I enjoy riding them…the tamer ones…but I don’t get an adrenaline rush from bull riding like I do being a firefighter.”
“I would have to guess that’s a rather smart decision. Well, I mean, firefighting isalsovery dangerous.”
He nodded. “It is, but it’s different.”
I looked back out over the ranch. “But you did get into ranching. How come?”
“It’s in my blood. Sure, I could just do the firefighter thing, especially now that I’m up for a paid position possibly and a possible promotion. It’s not decided on yet.”
I turned to gape at him. “Josh! You didn’t tell me you were up for a promotion!”
He shrugged. “City council still hasn’t approved any actual positions. But anyway, while volunteering, I need to make money. I would never just blow through my trust fund or take it for granted. And the easiest option was to work for the ranch. I know it like the back of my hand, and I’m damn good on a horse.”
I grinned. “That has yet to be proven.”
A single brow rose. “Are you challenging me, Soph?”
“You mean to like a horse race or something?”
He chuckled. “Or something. You have to know it wouldn’t be fair. Lou Lou loves to let loose and run, but Charlie would blow her away in an actual race.”