Page 32 of When It Reins (Three Rivers Trevors Ranch #5)

juniper

Quinn Trevors walks with a limp in her gait the next day at Sunday lunch on the ranch. I learned it’s called a hitch in her get-a-long , according to her father-in-law, Cal Trevors. You learn something new every day.

Last night, the lot of us were out until the early morning hours, the concert being a large success, and our adrenaline unable to calm.

The crowd didn’t disappoint at all. We raised more money than we expected, plenty for every single person to pay off their tax liens and enough for the rest of the community to have a little too.

I couldn’t believe it when we tallied the numbers last night, but I was beyond grateful. Mitch’s family and our friends stayed late to help all of us clean up last night. No matter how much we cleaned and bused tables as we went, there was so much to still do, even as three a.m. hit.

Now, we are at the ranch, all three of us sisters and the entirety of the Trevors and Cash families, plus a few more I don’t know well.

We closed down Bottle Grounds for the day, needing time to rest and regroup.

“Hey,” Thea says, sitting on the swinging porch swing adjacent to mine. I am still basking in the afterglow of the success we had last night, and the man I love declaring how much he loves me. There is literally no better feeling on earth than that one. “What would you say to closing on Sundays?”

I frown at her, my body relaxed against what’s essentially a porch swinging bed. I need to get myself one of these. “What do you mean?”

She shrugs, staring down the porch where there are several others sitting around in a circle, chatting.

Down on the lawn there is an intense game of cornhole going on.

I can hear Bonnie yelling every so often, and I chuckle hearing it.

“This is nice, isn’t it? All of us here and having a day off together? ”

“Better than nice.”

“So I was thinking we should close on Sundays. Our revenue isn’t that strong anyway, and we more than make up for Sunday the rest of the week.” Thea seems to be imploring me with her eyes, and I can see that she’s asking permission.

Technically, Thea holds the cards when it comes to the bar. It was her idea, her baby. Closing one day a week is her call.

But Thea has never been the dictator type. She’s a team player. She loves her sisters and won’t do anything without running it by us.

“I’m game for that,” I tell her with a soft smile. “Did you ask Annmarie?”

“Not yet, but I have a feeling she’ll be okay with it too.”

“Me too.” I smirk, thinking about last night all over again.

Commotion comes from inside the house, and Dani bounds over, her energy far exceeding mine.

I don’t know how she does it. She was out just as late as we were and has a toddler, yet here she is grinning like a fool.

Quinn walks much slower out behind her, and I grin at the sight, knowing that it’s not from anything other than dancing her ass off and having a kid-free night.

“Cade just told me we’re going on a cattle drive!” Dani plops onto the bench swing beside Thea, who smiles at her. Quinn eases herself down on the one I’m on.

“That’s so fun,” Thea says, laying her head back against the swing.

“A cattle drive? What does that entail?” I tuck my legs underneath me and lay my head on my hand, half-asleep as I stare at Dani.

“It’s pretty basic. We ride up into the mountains and push the cattle to the pasture they want them at. The one we’re going to is a day’s ride, so we’ll camp overnight and then come home the next day.”

“That sounds nice, like a little camping trip.” I yawn, covering it with my hand. “I’m sure you’ll have such a great time.”

Dani snickers and looks at me and my sister. “You two are coming!”

My eyes pop open at that, confusion coursing through me. “Coming where?”

“On the drive! The boys were just inside discussing the details,” Dani says, grinning at us. “It’ll be like a couples’ retreat without plumbing.”

I frown, not really liking the sound of that. Then I think about riding a horse. I really don’t know about that part. Then I think about going overnight somewhere with Mitch. That’s a little better.

In a tent, though…yeah, maybe not.

“Well.” I clear my throat. “As fun as that sounds, we have a bar to run. Don’t think I can take off work.”

“I’ve got it covered.” Annmarie comes out, pulling up a chair. Shelly is noticeably absent today, saying she had a work hangover from hell and stayed in bed today.

“No, that’s not fair. I’ll stay back. Juniper, you go,” Thea says, nodding at me.

“No, you go. I don’t remember the last time you and Logan got away,” I insist, the thought of this cattle drive making my anxiety go haywire.

Quinn chuckles. “I don’t think the Weaver sisters share your enthusiasm, Dani.”

“I’m a Cash,” Thea smirks, probably thinking of her wedding and ridiculously hot cowboy husband. I smile, thinking of my own Cash brother, the memory from the storeroom front and center in my mind.

Don’t think I’ll ever forget that.

I sigh. He hasn’t said a word about going on a cattle drive, much less taking me with him. But maybe this is important to him. Maybe this is part of reconnecting with his brothers again. It sounds like most of them are going. Maybe he is reaching out again.

“Actually…” I start, painting a smile on my face. “It does sound fun. If Mitch wants me to go, I’m in.”

“Oh. Well, Mitch said he’d go only if you went, so I’m thinking you’re coming.” Dani says, smiling devilishly at me. She is an ornery one.

After Mitch assured me of my place in his life, I really can’t deny that we are heading in a direction I am excited about. So doing this one small thing for him is really not a sacrifice at all.

I think about the label offer and glance around for Felicity. Everything has been happening at warp speed, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to anyone about it, not even Mitch.

We spent a few hours in his bed before we were due at the ranch today, most of us skipping the normal Sunday morning church service to get the extra sleep.

I really need to talk to him about it.

“Hey.” Quinn nudges my shoulder, and I turn my attention to her. “You did a great job on the concert last night. I might need to snag you for help with the festival.”

Just then, the rest of the group comes out to join us, and Felicity smiles at me. “She’s not going to have any time soon! She’ll be in the studio nonstop making her new album.”

I stare in shock at her, and my gaze switches to Mitch, who’s frowning at me. A collective gasp goes around the circle, and the group congratulates me. Felicity looks worried, and I catch her gaze and smile.

“Thanks,” I tell everyone, standing from the swing. “I only got the email yesterday.”

“Sorry, Junie. I thought you would have said something.” Felicity looks genuinely upset, and I reach out to pat her arm.

“No worries,” I say with a bright smile, accepting the hugs from my sisters before making my way to Mitch. He grabs my hand, immediately interlocking our fingers.

“Wanna go walk?” I ask, and he doesn’t respond, just leads us off the porch and down toward the barn. We walk the outside runs, and I pet the horses begging for attention, unable to help myself.

I turn to Mitch, who’s stayed quiet. “So, cattle drive?”

He smiles and nods. “Wanna go?”

“I’d love to,” I say, even as nerves roll through my stomach. “Do I have to ride my own horse? ’Cause I’ve never done that before.”

Mitch takes in my nervously wringing hands and grabs them. “Don’t worry. CT’s got some trail horses that will babysit you.”

“Good.” I exhale a breath, thinking about climbing onto the back of a horse. “Still nervous, but I’ve never done a cattle drive. Could be fun.”

“I’ll stay by your side the whole time.”

The words are meant for just the cattle drive, but with the way he’s staring deeply into my eyes, the way his hand is running up and down my arm, has every hair sticking up on end. The effect the man has on me is wild.

“So…have some news, huh?” Mitch asks, his tone light. But there is a hint of concern behind his gaze that has me wanting to comfort him.

“Yeah, um.” I swallow, looking over my shoulder at the horse who is nudging me. I laugh and pet them, then turn my eyes back to Mitch. “I just heard yesterday. They want me to do an EP, like a small album, to see how it goes.”

“A test run?”

“Yeah.” I shrug, then give him a look. “I really have no idea.” I laugh a little, trying desperately to play it off like it’s no big deal. “Sorry I didn’t tell you. Everything kind of got away from us last night, and then I was so busy that I didn’t even think about it.”

“It’s not a big deal, Starling.” He shakes his head at his words. “I mean, it’s a huge deal. I’m proud of you. I’m not mad you haven’t told me yet.”

He leans in, pressing his forehead to mine. “When do you leave?”

“Um.” I fidget, my heart leaping into my throat. Why am I getting emotional? Here I am, living a dream. I have a man who loves me, a family that supports me, and now I am about to sign a record deal.

The thought of leaving plagues me as I stare at Mitch, though. Knowing that soon, I could be leaving town for a while to make that record happen.

Is that what I want to do? Do I want to go off and make music, leaving everyone behind? I swallow down doubt and anxiety and wrap my hands around the back of his neck. “I don’t know. I don’t think soon, yet. We have to plan it all out first.”

He hums, and just that bit of sound sends a pulsation through me. My body and heart and mind and soul tell me to get as close to the man as possible, and I do just that. I wrap my arms around him tighter, and his head falls to my neck, breathing me in, and we just…hold each other.