19. Trick

We take a private plane to Wyoming that night. I've kept my return top-secret for now. There will be opportunities later to celebrate the win with my extended family, and the people of both Wildflower Hollow and Climax Springs, the closest towns to my ranch an hour outside of Laramie.

But tonight, I want to be alone with my bride-to-be.

My ranch manager, Raul, is waiting for us at the airfield. He tips his hat to Sinclaire when I introduce them, then hands over the keys to my truck. He'll return to the ranch with one of the hands who followed him to the airport.

I help Sinclaire into the passenger seat, making sure she's buckled in.

She stares out the window into the inky black night surrounding us as we hit the highway. "It's so…dark."

I grin. "Yeah."

"I don't think I've ever seen…" She opens her window and cranes her neck out. "Trick! Oh my God!"

"What?" I loop my hand around her wrist. Even though she's seat-belted in, I want to hold on to her for safekeeping all the same.

"The stars!"

I let out a surprised belly laugh. "Yeah, we have stars out here all right."

The whole drive, she is plastered to the door, staring out and up and all around.

My ranch is at the end of a dusty road, off a slightly less dusty road that's off the highway. There are two other ranches that we pass, their gates whizzing by in the dark. And then I turn in and drive under the arched sign that always fills me with a sense of peace and rightness. Wildfire Ranch.

The lane curves past the front pastures, climbing up towards the main house. Lights are on, so I don't blame Sinclaire for thinking that's where we're heading.

But I take a turn just before we get there, and when she twists away from the window and gives me a look, I just smile and say, "our house is a little further on."

"Oh," she breathes.

Since I'm only here in the winter, my younger brothers live in the main house. It's close to the bunk house where our ranch hands sleep, too.

When I come home, I want more privacy than that. So ten years ago, I built a house for myself in the hills half a mile deeper into the ranch, well on the other side of the horse barn.

We curve around the barns, around the fenced-in paddocks, the truck bouncing a bit.

"There," I say, letting go of her hand to point ahead. Only one light is on, the porch light. Inside, I know my staff has stocked the fridge and aired out the rooms. "That's?—"

"Your home," Sinclaire breathes. "You told me you were going to build it."

"I did?"

She nods. "When the team came here, and you taught me how to ride a horse. Don't you remember?"

I remember that day. We played a special home town series against Chicago, who also had a player from just outside Laramie on their team at the time. So three games in a row were played here in Wyoming instead of at either of our own stadiums. Instead of staying at a local hotel, I hosted the team here at the ranch. Back then, I slept in the main house, but with that many guests, I went to the bunk house—and now that I think about it, it was around that time that I got the idea to build my own place set back from the hustle and bustle of the working ranch. "I guess I do," I say slowly. "I'd forgotten."

"You told me that you'd build a house in the hills one day, and if I came back to visit again, I'd be able to stand on your front porch and look out across the entire ranch. I wanted you to take me up here on the horse but you said it was too far."

My chest squeezes. "It's not too far now. You'll be able to ride back and forth as much as you want."

"You may have to give me refresher lessons," she says softly.

I park in front of the house and look across at her. "Whenever you want. Stay there, okay? Let me get your door for you because the ground might be uneven."

I hop out and circle around.

When I open her door, she flies into my arms, hugging me tightly.

"Okay, okay," I murmur, spinning her around.

"I want to see my porch," she says, her voice raw.

It's only fair. I probably did build it for her, on some level. I set her down and she runs ahead, youthful legs flying.

I grab our bags and follow.

Of course she can't see much right now, but that doesn't stop her from planting her fists on her hips and gazing out into the night.

"It's all yours now, if you like it," I say. "You want to come inside?"

She blushes. "Yes."

The front door opens into a mudroom space, because this is a working ranch and it often looks well-used when I'm here. It's sparklingly clean now though, a couple of pairs of boots tucked into nooks, and one of my older cowboy hats hanging on a hook.

I put the hat I brought back from Florida on the hook next to it. "Do you want the whole tour now, or are you tired?"

"Tour. Now." Her eyes are as big as dinner plates. I set our bags inside the door, because the stairs to the upper level are right in front of us, and we'll circle back around.

The whole house is built around that central staircase. To the left is a living room with a fireplace on the outside wall, and oversized, well-loved leather couches. The walls are covered in bookcases I've only started to put things on.

"The empty shelves could use some text books or something," I say gruffly.

She giggles. "How about my rom com collection?"

"Even better." I point to the doorway leading to the back. "The kitchen is through there."

It's as nice as any kitchen she grew up with, I'm sure. A big butcher block island and an extra-large sink are my favorite features. Two dishwashers are great, too.

She opens the fridge. "Who played the food fairy?"

"Inez, the housekeeper. She's Raul's wife."

"Not your brothers?"

"They don't know I'm here. Unless they happened to be looking out the window as we drove up, but they might assume it's Raul. He's the only one I told." I wrap my arms around Sinclaire's middle from behind. "I want a little bit of time with you here, just the two of us, so we can be on the same page about if you like it, and what our plans will be next, before the tidal wave of people hits us."

She twists her face sideways, her breath softly brushing my cheek. "I'm going to like it here."

I fucking hope so.

"What's through there?"

"Dining room. A den. Another mud room for heading out the back, and laundry." I take her all the way around the circle of the main floor, finishing in the small front room on the opposite side of the stairs from the living room. "And this is…I don't know. A bonus space for now. Maybe you might like it as an office?"