Page 17 of Lasso Lovebirds (Rainbow Ranch #4)
priscilla
Raindrops glistened under the early morning sun, the sky bright pink with a band of gray in the distance from the storm that’d passed over us.
The air was crisp, the garden ready to be worked. I pulled my gloves on and rolled my shoulders, thinking about all I needed to get done.
Also, very specifically, thinking about Beau and Sky.
I knew they’d come home in the middle of the night because I’d heard his boots on the wood floors and the soft click of Sky’s door. I wondered how their evening had gone, and couldn’t help but glance at the house occasionally, searching for Sky.
The heart moved faster than the head at times, I knew that much to be true. I’d spent the morning wondering how in the hell I was falling so damn fast—for someone I’d known for years and someone I’d only known for days.
I was cautious, reasonable. And yet, those two had my heart and mind’s wires crossed.
“Morning.”
I startled, my muscles tensing and then relaxing as I turned to see Beau at the garden gate. He leaned over the fence as I walked up to him.
“Look who it is,” I said, smirking as I approached.
He looked more tired than usual, and yet his eyes were brighter than the rising sun. I stopped right in front of him and he reached down, tipping my chin up and planting a kiss on my lips right in front of god and everybody.
“How was your night?” I asked softly.
“Wonderful,” he murmured, kissing me again. “We thought about you.”
My head spun as he offered a sweet smile. “Thought about me?”
“Mm-hmm. Several times.”
“I see.” I arched a brow. “Dare I ask what the context was?”
“You already know,” he chuckled.
“I bet it was the same way we thought about Sky when we were together.”
He nodded. “It was.”
My cheeks warmed. “What am I gonna do with the two of you, Beau Adams?”
“Share a bed with us? Maybe even a life?”
I laughed, and reached up, squeezing his bicep. “Weird way to propose, but sure.”
His cheeks reddened as I winked and spun, heading back to the patch of vegetables I was harvesting.
“I’ll see you at lunch,” I said over my shoulder.
“You sure will,” he called.
I snorted as I squatted down by the green bell peppers and reached for the shears.
Mornings like this were my favorites. It wasn’t too hot out, we’d have fresh produce for the Y’all Pride Picnic this weekend, and I got to do what I loved. I got lost in my work, forgetting all my worries and concerns until I heard the squeak of the gate.
I expected to see Beau, but Sky walked toward me wearing a denim shirt and loose jeans, a dimpled grin on their face.
“Well, well, well,” I teased. “Someone is up late.”
“Late?” Sky laughed. “All of y’all get up too early.”
They kissed the top of my head before kneeling down next to me, looking around at the patch.
“I want to tell you everything,” they said. “But don’t want to overstep?—”
“I think we’re past that,” I snorted. “I want to hear everything.”
Sky breathed out, planting their hands on their thighs. “He calls me little storm.”
My brows shot up—because damn, that man. That was the perfect nickname for Sky. “I love that.”
“Me too . . . And stargazing was a great idea . . .”
“Did you actually see any stars or were you seeing stars ?”
Sky’s laugh rang through the garden. “Both. I got both.”
“Good.” I smirked and bumped their shoulder with mine playfully. “So. Tell me more.”
“That cowboy is hot.”
“He definitely is,” I agreed. “And one lucky son of a gun. Two in one day.”
Sky laughed again and then surprised me by leaning over, resting her cheek on my shoulder. “I really like you, Pris.”
“I really like you too,” I whispered, swallowing hard. “I feel like I’m a mess, though.”
“Aren’t we all?”
Well, we were. But . . .
“What would happen if I stayed?” they whispered.
I stiffened. “Is that really what you’d want? To live out here on a rural ranch with no cell service?”
“It feels right,” they said. “It feels like home.”
“You’re just feeling that because of me and Beau.”
They shook their head. “It’s more than just the two of you.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong somewhere.
And I don’t mind the hard work. I think it’d be good for me when I’m not storm chasing.
Plus, when it is storm season, I’d be at the center of it all. It makes sense, doesn’t it?”
“Making sense and it being right for you can be two different things.” I breathed out slowly, trying not to get my hopes up. “I want you to stay, of course. But I never want someone to make a life-changing decision because of me. Or because they feel like they have to.”
Sky was quiet for a moment. “Did you have something like that happen to you?”
My chest squeezed. “Yes,” I admitted.
I didn’t talk about it very often, but there were days where that part of my life felt like a nightmare that would never go away. I hated that someone had made me feel like less, when I knew I was worthy of everything good.
Beau knew some of the story. Not all, but some.
Now it was time for me to tell Sky.
“I was married once. For a couple years, to a man named Jacob. And we were really good together at first, but it went downhill fast. I wasn’t allowed to be in control of my life or really anything. It took a lot of courage to finally leave him.”
“You’re courageous,” they said. “And strong. One of the strongest people I’ve ever met.”
I blinked back tears. “Sometimes I just want to be soft though, you know?”
Sky nodded gently. “I do. You can be soft with me. And Beau.”
I snorted, fighting the tears until I really couldn’t. “I’m scared of falling in love and losing myself.”
“When you fall in love with the right person, they’d be there to remind you of who you are.
If you got lost, they’d help lead you back.
They’d be there to support you and love you and cherish you.
” Sky swallowed hard, looking up at me. Sunlight highlighted the side of their face, turning their irises to honey.
“Call me a hopeless romantic, Pris, but that’s what I feel when I think of you and Beau. ”
I sniffled and they reached up, gently thumbing away a tear.
It was scary to feel all of these emotions. It made me feel like I was falling.
But maybe I was falling into something good.
Maybe I was falling right where I needed to land.