Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

B eau had imagined kissing Charlotte. Plenty of times. When he should've been getting paperwork ready, or paying more attention to what was going on with the vaccinations of their cattle dogs.

When he'd felt her mood shift so violently, he'd told himself sternly that he would not kiss her tonight. Not if it was going to make everything inside her into an earthquake. He'd told himself he could look up at the moon, and hold her hand as they walked along the fields of alfalfa, the scent of the good earth, and the dark sky above them.

But one look at her in the moonlight, and he'd just acted. He'd done what he knew how to do, and oh, kissing Charlotte in real life instead of in his fantasies was a hundred times better than anything he could've dreamed up.

She matched him stroke for stroke, and he cradled her face in both of his hands, feeling something shift powerfully inside him. He breathed in and pulled back. Charlotte edged forward, and he touched his lips to hers again, so much inside him now soaring as high as the moon above him.

He pulled away further and tucked Charlotte against his chest. He didn't mind looking a woman in the eye after he kissed her, but he thought Charlotte would like a few moments to herself. She sighed and nestled right into the space inside his arms he hadn't realized was shaped exactly like her.

"Wow," he whispered. "You're really good at kissing for not having done it for a while."

She jerked up and blinked at him. He grinned at her, and she caught on to his teasing a moment too late. "You're such a tease." She pushed against his chest with one palm while simultaneously fitting herself back against him. "Do you really want to go for a walk?"

"Not really," he said. "I can see the moon from here." He glanced up to it again, and it was so bright, it actually hurt his eyes a little. "Do I get another date?"

"Mm, yes," she said.

"Maybe we can take the horses out to the stream and have sandwiches tomorrow after work," he said. "Saves us the drive in and back."

"If I can take New Yorker, it's a deal."

He chuckled, because she had talked about the pretty bay several times in the two weeks she'd been working at the ranch.

"And." She pushed away from him again and searched his face. "You're not picking me up like you did tonight."

"Deal on both counts," he said. "Now, let's go see what the dogs have torn up and then get to bed."

"You keep saying your dogs are naughty when you're gone, but I've never seen it."

He turned around and tucked her against his side as they made their way around the side of the house to the front steps. "Pepper has a wolfish streak every now and then," he said. "You stay around long enough, you'll see it."

He opened the door to the cabin and guided her inside first. Charlotte took three steps, maybe enough to go behind the couch that he'd positioned facing the wall to his right.

Then she stopped abruptly and sucked in a breath. He entered and closed the door behind him, asking, "What is it?" Beau eased right in behind her, easily sliding his hands along her waist as he looked over her shoulder.

In front of him, the white ceramic bowl that usually held apples and oranges lay on the floor, one big piece broken off and leaving a macabre smile left in the dish. Not a single piece of fruit could be seen, but Beau scanned the floor in all directions, searching.

He glanced over to the couch, where Pepper and Ruby usually lay while he was out. Not a dog in sight.

"Told you," he said as he stepped past her. He whistled through his teeth as he bent to pick up the bowl. "Come on out, guys." He retrieved the broken piece of the fruit bowl and looked down the hall as nails clicked against the wood.

"Mm hm." He put everything on the counter and cocked his hip as Ruby led the way toward him, clutching a bright green apple in her mouth.

"She just texted to say she's on her way," Beau said as he brushed this hand along Tilly's flank. He loved her spotted complexion, and he'd just finished giving the white donkey with gray patterns running along her sides a bath. "You're all ready to meet her."

He'd put off bringing Charlotte over to the paddock where he kept his minis, only because they'd been busy on the ranch. And spending time together every evening. She was really good with horses, and Beau really liked that. Not all of his previous girlfriends had been able to saddle two horses and bring one to him while he finished up his day's work, and he'd super enjoyed that.

They'd ridden out to the stream and eaten sandwiches, and the next night, he'd made breakfast burritos for the two of them and they'd sat on the back deck and watched the full moon rise over the gorgeous Texas landscape.

Because they lived together, Beau didn't have to try very hard to see her. She hadn't asked to come with him in the mornings for his sunrise live-stream, and he hadn't invited her along.

Just because they lived together didn't mean he needed to rush into having her in every part of his life. Heck, it had taken another week since their first date—and their first kiss—for him to suggest she come meet the donkeys.

"So here we are." He grinned at his gray donkey with the black face—Jasper—as he trotted away from the gate and toward Pepper. Sometimes Jasper liked to play pretend and act like he could smell the same things the canines could. No matter what, he liked them best, and he palled around with them whenever Beau came to the paddock.

He chuckled at the sight of Jasper's little kick—his indication of excitement—the warmth of the summer evening sun casting long shadows across the paddock. "You're quite the character, Jasper," Beau said with a shake of his head. Tilly looked over to Jasper and the dogs, and Sprout ambled over to see what the fuss was about, her gentle eyes filled with curiosity.

"Yeah, he's off with the dogs. You wanna go? Charlotte's gonna be here soon." Sprout didn't seem to care about becoming a dog, and she wandered a few paces away and bent her head to get more to eat. Of course. Out of the trio of mini donkeys, she ate the most.

A soft hum of an engine announced Charlotte's arrival before she even stepped into view. Beau straightened, his heart finding a new, strange rhythm at the thought of her meeting his cherished donkeys. It wasn't just an introduction; it was sharing a part of his soul that he kept hidden from most.

"You invited her," he reminded himself. "You can't hide them forever." Like the video games and the sunrise live-streams, if he really wanted to be with someone long-term, they'd have to learn everything about him. Even his semi-fascination with miniature donkeys.

A vehicle door closed with a thud, and moments later, Charlotte's figure came into sight. She had changed from her work clothes of men's shirts and jeans and into something more relaxed—a simple summer dress in lavender that would make her eyes shine like amethysts in full sunlight.

Her hair was still pulled back in a loose ponytail, strands framing her sun-kissed face, as she ducked her head shyly and came toward him.

"There's a gate right there," he said. "It's unlocked."

"Do you ever lock it?" she called, reaching up to unlatch the gate.

"Absolutely, I do," he said. "These guys are cute, but Sprout thinks she should have free range of the Texas Panhandle."

"Sorry, I'm late," she said, her smile reaching her eyes when she turned after closing the gate behind her. "Had to make sure the new foal was settled for the night."

"How's Peanut?" he asked. The mare had been an anxious mother in the past forty-eight hours, and Charlotte hadn't come in until ten o'clock last night, as she'd been out in the barn, trying to get Peanut to settle enough to leave her with her foal for the night.

"She's great," Charlotte said. "First-time moms are always a little jumpy." She looked down at Tilly. "How are you, princess?"

"That there's Tilly," he said as she started to stroke the donkey's neck. "She loves bath day." He indicated Sprout, who looked up somewhat lazily. "That's Sprout. Come on, girl. Come say hello."

"She'll come say hello for this." Charlotte reached into her pocket and pulled out a banana. Beau shouldn't have been surprised, but he sort of was. They hadn't talked about mini donkeys or what they liked, but most of them went nuts for a banana.

In fact, Sprout loved them so much, she made a high-pitched bray that almost sounded like a cry. Like she was in pain.

Charlotte laughed as she peeled the banana. Tilly crowded in close, and Ruby and Pepper, sensing the excitement, darted back to Charlotte in a welcoming frenzy. Of course.

"Guys," Beau said, moving to stand in front of Charlotte. "Mind your manners. It's a banana, for crying out loud."

Charlotte giggled as she patted the dogs, and then she broke off a chunk of banana. "Heya, Tilly." She spoke with a natural ease in her voice that soothed him as well as the donkeys. "You're so pretty."

Tilly extended her muzzle toward Charlotte's hand while Sprout expressed her displeasure at not being fed first with another braying cry.

"Sprout," he chastised, but the donkey didn't care at all. "She's a bit of an attention-seeker, and she loves to eat."

Charlotte's laugh flowed easily from her, and Beau liked the casualness of it. He liked how easy everything between them had become. "I think I can relate to that," she said playfully.

She fed Sprout and then Jasper, and then she went around again and gave each donkey a second bite of banana, reserving two chunks—one for each dog. She spoke to them like people too, which warmed his heart. In fact, as Beau watched, a deep sense of contentment settled in his chest.

He hadn't brought anyone to meet his minis in so long, and it felt good. Right. Easy.

With the banana gone, the donkeys wandered off to find greener grass, and Beau led Charlotte over to a quiet spot on a couple of hay bales. Pepper sighed and circled as he lay at Beau's feet, and he fell in love with his life all over again.

"Thanks for letting me come meet them," she said.

"Figured you'd have to sooner or later," he said. "And now you know why I like to come visit them when things get crazy."

She adjusted her hand in his and gazed at the donkeys with softness in her expression. "Do I?"

"Can't you feel it?" He shifted closer to her, and she leaned back into his chest with a sigh of contentment. "There's something about this place—these animals—that's soothing. I can talk to them, and they listen to all my hopes, fears, and prayers. I feel like God's closer out here, in the simplicity of green grass, and hay bales, and clean mini donkeys."

She turned to him, her gaze sparking with energy. "I feel that. There's a peace here that you can't find just anywhere. It's like you can hear Him in the quiet."

He nodded, finding courage in her shared sentiment. "Exactly. It's where I find strength, and when things are crazy on the ranch, or I feel unsettled, I come here. You sing to the horses in the stable, and I bathe my minis."

She grinned at him and said, "I don't sing to them every day."

"I still haven't heard any singing in the stables," he teased.

"It's like you saying the dogs are naughty when you're gone," she said. "You stick around long enough, it'll happen." She faced the pasture again, and Beau did the same. They hadn't eaten dinner yet, and his hunger status would probably embarrass him soon enough.

Thankfully, his stomach didn't growl immediately, and he enjoyed holding Charlotte in his arms.

"There's a saying my mom used to say," she said. "‘Faith is not about everything turning out okay; it's about being okay no matter how things turn out.'"

Beau let the words roll around in his head, trying to make them line up. No, things didn't always turn out okay, but sometimes, it was about the learning, the growth, that happened as he went through something hard.

"I like that," he said.

"Being here with you, with them." She gestured at the paddock and the donkeys. Ruby had bedded down with Pepper, and they both watched the minis. "It feels like everything will be okay, and that if it's not, I'll still be okay. It's that kind of faith."

A smile tugged at his lips, one that was mirrored by Charlotte. He enjoyed the physical closeness between them, as he hadn't had it in a while, but the emotional bond tying him to Charlotte was just as important.

Shared beliefs. Mutual respect. A burgeoning love that promised to grow as steady and true as the land they both cherished. Could he even hope for that? After so many years of striking out?

He'd been praying for such a thing—for such a companion—and as the sun slipped lower in the sky, Charlotte seemed to etch herself right on the surface of his heart.

And he hoped she'd stay there forever, burrow deeper, and become part of him permanently.

"He did what?" Beau watched Squire pace in his office, sure his ears had malfunctioned.

"He joined the Army." Squire finally came to a stop and looked out the window. "Kelly's throwing a good-bye party, of course. Can you text out the details to everyone?"

"Of course I can." Beau didn't want to leave the office, though, because the unrest stomped along the walls and coated the ceiling. Squire's unrest.

What should I say here? he prayed, hoping God would give him the right words. Beau didn't have any kids, and certainly not a twenty-year-old leaving for Basic Training in a couple of days.

"Finn's a good man," Beau said. "He's been working real hard this summer, and I can't imagine he won't do the same in the Army."

"Yeah," Squire said. "I just know what that's like, and I worry." He faced Beau. "I can't be worried at home, because that upsets Kelly, and well, I have to pace it all out here." He flashed a smile in Beau's direction, not really looking at him.

"What can I do for you?" Beau asked.

That got Squire to look over to him. "I—don't know."

"I imagine there's not much to be done," Beau said quietly. "I'll pray for you. Did you call the pastor and put his name on the prayer roll?"

Squire shook his head, something storming across his face that Beau hardly ever saw on the strong, capable, hard-working boss's face.

"I'll do it," Beau said. Heck, he'd put not only Finn's name on the prayer list, but Squire's and Kelly's too. All of their children, who were probably worried about their older brother entering the Army.

Squire nodded just one time. "Thank you, Beau."

He nodded too, and said, "All right, well, I'll text out the details about the lunch, and I'm sure everyone who can be will be there." With that, he left Squire's corner office and headed into his.

With deft fingers, he sent the message, and then he sank into his chair and looked up to the ceiling. "Dear Jesus," he whispered. "Bless the Ackermans in any way they need it. Envelop them in protection and safety, both here on the ranch and wherever life takes Finn."

Texts poured in. Beau ran through them quickly, and then he sent another message. Y eah, you guys know how Kelly and Squire are. Providing everything for all of us here. Let's bring them all we can for this, okay? Flowers, cards, food, and all our best attitudes and prayers.

He sent that and added, If you get something specific, put it here so we don't double up.

Then he called Holly Ann, who answered with, "What's up, Beau? Ordering your own birthday cake this year?"

He chuckled and said, "Maybe, but not today. No, what I need from you and Three Cakes, Holly Ann, is a schedule and price sheet for those family meals you were talking about."

"Family meals," she said.

"I know your baby is due soon, but…." He might as well tell her. The entire town of Three Rivers would rally around the Ackermans once they found out Finn had entered the Army.

"Kelly and Squire are going to need them for a little bit. Finn's going into Basic Training next week."

Holly Ann pulled in a breath and then said, "I'll get it set up."

"I want to pay for it," Beau said.

She scoffed, and he could just see her swinging her head, her dark hair moving with it. "Not a chance. Thanks for letting me know, Beau."

"Holly Ann?—"

"I'll get the word out to the Glovers and text Kelly so she knows when I'll be bringing her meals. They've got three other kids?" She seemed to be musing to herself, and Beau recognized a runaway train when he saw one.

So he left her to her muttering, and he went back to praying for his friends who had become his family.