Page 11 of Ropers Can’t Tie Knots (Kissing Ridge Cowboys #3)

But I don’t want to be like him in any way and, as uncomfortable as it is for me to do this, I grab his hand and pull him along with me into the small group .

“Everyone, before I speak a little about grooming your animals, I’d like you to meet someone special.

” Smiling at Gabe, I wrap an arm around his waist and pull him close.

“This is my husband, Gabe. He’s new in town, and he’s also a lawyer, so I’m shamelessly promoting his services because he’s super good at what he does. ”

The group claps, some congratulatory wishes float to us, and Gabe’s muscles relax. “You’re more than welcome to chat him up while I talk to the kids. Margie has her famous cookies under the tent, too. So you can stay while I talk to the kids or mingle…whatever you like.”

Gabe turns to me and lowers his voice. “Thank you.”

“Just keeping up my end of the deal. See the man in the overalls? He has a massive dairy farm, and his youngest son is getting ready to take over. He’s here with one of his grandkids. Go talk about baseball and slip him a card.”

With a nod, he slips away in his new rubber boots and chats with Mr. Bruce before they both head out to the tent.

Clapping my hands together, I wait for the kids to focus on me.

“Okay, gang. Listen up. Today, I’m showing you the different brushes and what they do and why it’s important to keep your animals brushed. Could be a calf or a rabbit, but they all need it. You ready?”

A chorus of yeses sounds, and for the first time in a very long time, I’m excited to be back in this meeting space and remember some of the best times of my childhood.

“Mr. Bruce is a die-hard Blue Jays fan. You should’ve warned me.” Gabe chuckles as he clears the table after our late dinner.

“I told you to talk baseball. That was your warning.”

“He thinks Bo Bichette isn’t good anymore because his hair was his secret. Like Sampson cutting his locks.” Gabe snort-laughs again while he loads the dishwasher. “I sort of agree with him and good news…he said he wants to discuss changes to his will and severing property.”

He snaps the dishwasher closed and beams a smile at me. “I owe you, Hunter. He seems like a well-connected guy. This could lead to more business.”

“You don’t owe me anything. In fact, I got the first advance from the trust today. So I guess they felt we met all the conditions of a genuine marriage.”

“That’s great news!”

“It is. Jackson and I are going to move forward with renovating the barn for rodeo clinics now that the property is settled. I can finally get this business started and do something with my life.”

Not that I’ve been a failure. Far from it, but I’ll always regret choosing to tie myself to my grandfather’s money rather than making my own way sooner.

Rodeo was the only thing truly my own, but it wasn’t a huge money earner.

I had plans, and those plans needed more than seasonal income and a mediocre rodeo stock-breeding business.

But this place…fuck, I couldn’t walk away.

Gabe remains silent as the water drains after I washed the dishes. I’ve enjoyed his company tonight. Dinner conversation wasn’t something I’d thought I’d crave, but it seems like I’ve missed it.

“Do you want to join me on the porch for a bit?”

I don’t want the evening to end, which is an odd feeling for me to have. Thankfully, Gabe agrees, and I don’t feel like an idiot for asking. The night is pleasantly warm, and even though the sun has set, there’s just something peaceful on the porch at night.

Gabe settles next to me on the porch swing, and we both laugh when the chains groan under our weight.

“Is this going to hold two grown men?” He laughs.

“I hope so.”

I replaced the cushions last summer, so they offer more padding to encourage a person to relax. To stay and enjoy the night sounds without getting a sore ass.

“You were good with the kids today,” Gabe offers.

“I didn’t know brushing animals was so important.

” He doesn’t laugh. He states it simply as a fact he didn’t know, while he stares out into the darkness.

“Maybe it’s a good thing I never had a pet growing up.

I’d only want to give it treats and sleep with it. ”

Gabe pushes the swing with his foot, so we have a lazy sway, and I glance over at his profile. His gaze seems far away, like he’s lost in his own memories. I don’t want to intrude, but it seems when I’m around Gabe, he makes me do a lot of things I’ve never done before .

“My grandfather said no pets inside. If an animal couldn’t be useful on the farm, then it was useless.

We had a few barn cats to catch mice, but nothing could ever come into the house.

” He was so insistent on that, I was afraid to push the envelope in case he hurt something I’d become attached to.

“I joined the 4-H club when Margie suggested it. I think I was ten. She let me keep a rabbit at her place, and I loved every minute of taking care of that rabbit.”

“What was its name?” Gabe turns to face me, and the single porch light illuminates his face. Behind those wire-rimmed glasses are eyes full of an understanding I’ve never met before.

“Bugs.” We both laugh. “Unoriginal, but it was the first thing I could think of.”

“It’s cute,” Gabe murmurs, turning back to the darkness.

“I wanted a cat. A stray was around our apartment building all the time, and she was the sweetest thing. I called her Blackie.” Gabe smiles as I chuckle.

“She had the best purr. I wanted to bring her inside so badly, but my mom said pets weren’t allowed in our building and she couldn’t afford cat food. ”

He sighs and pushes the swing again with his foot. “That’s as close to owning a pet as I ever got. One day Blackie disappeared and never came back. I was heartbroken. My mom died about a year later.”

“Gabe…I’m sorry.”

An image of a sad young Gabe grips me, but I don’t know how to comfort someone. I’ve been on the receiving end enough, but I struggle to reciprocate.

“Life isn’t always full of rainbows.” He shrugs a shoulder. “Anyway, I thought you did a great job with the kids, and I learned a lot. You have the gift of teaching. ”

He turns towards me again, and there’s a sincerity not just to his words but in his expression. I invited him to sit with me so I wouldn’t be alone, but I didn’t think it would lead to this charged moment.

“Thank you,” I manage. He smiles a small smile, like he knows how hard words are to come by at moments like this. His hands rest on his thighs as we rock lazily in the swing while the chains squeak.

My heart is thumping so hard in my chest, it feels like it might snap a rib.

I’ve enjoyed this evening more than anything in recent memory. A lightness I’ve missed has returned, and I know it’s partly because of Gabe. I can’t let him sit here by himself when he’s lost in sad thoughts.

Reaching over, I grab his hand and thread my fingers through his. Gabe inhales sharply and squeezes my fingers with his before he slides a little closer, leaning his head on my shoulder.