“Well, hello, Mercy.” He reached out and stroked her neck. “You’re a pretty girl is what you are.”
She bobbed her head as if to say, “Hell, yes. I’m gorgeous. Stunning.”
“Oh, ho. So modest. I like her, baby. Have you had a good morning?”
“Every morning when the horses are healthy is a good one.” Jack moved to kiss his cheek. “Miss Grace is out with Princess and Ghost, dancing around.”
“Show me.” He took Jack’s hand, babbling as they walked together. “I got up on the second-floor porch this morning. Wow. What a view.”
“Isn’t it? He’s got a great view up there.” Jack let Mercy out, and it was amazing to see them play and run. Princess was the elder statesman of the bunch, that was obvious, but Ghost was having a ball.
“So how do you train them? Where do you start? How long before Mercy is working?”
“Well, I’m not riding rodeo, so I don’t have to get them used to hazing and such. I’m basically training them for roping. First I get them used to a swinging rope, then to working calves…”
“Does Mackey have calves? Cows? Whatever?” He looked around. “Sounds like work. Is it fun too?”
“Mackey doesn’t, no. He’s gone a lot, and he doesn’t want to be bound to being around. I will always have my horses.” Jack stared out into the pasture. “You got a lot of family, darlin’?”
He glanced at Jack, then followed his gaze out into the green grass. “Not a lot. My sister Ginny has a family in Boston—husband, two kids. We talk once a week. They’re good people. You?”
“Nope. Had a brother. He’s gone now. Mackey and the rest of the team, they’re my family.”
“Well, you have me.” It was that simple as far as he was concerned. Easy. If Jack wanted him, he was right here.
“You’re not family.” The words stung, and he had just sucked in a breath when Jack continued. “You’re a lot more to me than that.”
He remembered his father telling him that men never cried, and being afraid of the man, he hadn’t since that day. But the tears trying to come now were different, these were relief and joy. He held them back so they didn’t do much more than blur his vision, but he took Jack’s hand and held it tight. “I was worried I’d waited too long.”
That came out roughly, like he was a pack-a-day smoker.
“No. I’m not… this is hard for me, but you’re the one. My one, you know?”
“I want to make it easy. I see you, baby. All of you.” He turned to Jack and took his other hand too. “You’re my one serious thing. You have been for a long time.”
“Nothing sucks about that, does it?” Jack held his hands, fingers twined with his. “You want to drive over and see the property?”
He smiled and took a quick kiss. Something big was happening, and he didn’t completely have his head around it. “Yeah. I do.”
“Cool.” They stood there, just breathing and watching the horses. “I want your opinion on the land and all. It’s not as nice as this one, but it’s not awful.”
“They’re under the same amazing sky.”
“True that. And the mountains are right there, just like here.”
“Got enough room for a house and a barn?” They didn’t need a lot of house, but the horses needed room, and Jack should have a training ring.
“There’s a house and a decent barn, but it would need to be fixed up, you know?” Jack started walking them back toward the truck.
He hooked an arm through Jack’s. “Easier to fix up than to start over. Can you get decent Wi-Fi out here?”
“Mackey got satellite, and Sid likes it well enough, yeah.”
He grinned and let Jack open the passenger side door for him. “Works for me.”
“Me too.” Jack leaned in and stole a hard, quick kiss.
He was still smiling against Jack’s lips. “Okay, cowboy. Show me your land.”