Page 22 of Take My Kiss
I raise my brows at Colton, sucking in a deep breath so I don’t say anything I’ll regret—like how I don’t want him getting my son’s hopes up by promising him things or him getting too attached when we’re only here temporarily.
“Only if it’s okay with your mom,” Colton clarifies when he notices me struggling to respond.
“Can I, Mom? Please? I wanna ride in his canoe!”
“Acanoe?”
I want to wrap him in a bubble burrito and protect him, but since this should be harmless, I push my fears aside.
“That sounds…” I swallow down the anxiety threatening to consume me. “Fun.”
“Yay! Can we go tomorrow?” Sam asks Colton.
“They bite the best in the early mornin’, so maybe this weekend when I don’t have work?”
“Cool!”
Colton glances at me, and when our eyes lock, a full-body flutter rips through me. He’s going to be impossible to resist if he makes my son fall in love with him within the first twenty-four hours of being here. Sam never met his father, so I appreciate any male role model he can have in his life, but with Colton, there’s a higher risk of both our hearts breaking when it’s time to leave.
The distance alone wouldn’t make it feasible to maintain any kind of stable relationship, and moving up here wouldn’t be an option either. Taking Sam away from his school and friends when he finally made some wouldn’t be fair to him. And after everything Wilder and his family have done for us, they’re mine now too, and I love living at the ranch with them.
Not to mention I’d miss Raven, Bailey, and Mattie, too.
So, I need to keep any thoughts of wanting more out of my head. Friends, we can beplatonicfriends.
“Is it okay if I make somethin’ for Lily? She needs to take a nap but should eat lunch first.”
“You don’t gotta ask permission, darlin’,” Colton responds, lowering his gaze to my mouth for a split second before he lifts them again. “Think of my house as yours. Eat whatever you want and use anythin’ you need. I want y’all to be comfortable.”
Darling. The last time he called me that, I nearly melted into a puddle at his feet.
He knowsexactlywhat he’s doing.
Nodding appreciatively, I move to the fridge. After listing a few options, Lily picks a hot dog and some fruit.
“I didn’t get the chance to get a booster seat, but I’ll have Bellamy bring one up so she has one for dinner tonight.”
“It’s okay. She can sit on my lap and eat,” I tell him, not wanting to inconvenience anyone else.
Colton sets Sam’s plate in front of him at the table, then sits across from me with his.
“It’s not a burden to get whatever y’all need,” he says as if he can read my mind. “Plus, it’s kinda her job. She’s the resort concierge.”
“What’s that?” I’ve never heard of that job title before.
“She manages guest services, so she’ll do the shoppin’ when they have specific needs or wants, bring ’em extra towels, sheets, or if anyone needs a crib or carseat, she’s the one who coordinates it. We keep a ton of supplies stocked at the Branch Haven of anythin’ and everythin’.”
“She doesn’t work at the ranch?”
“No, she preferred the resort duties but loves horses too, so she rides in her free time. Only Warren and Bodie work on the ranch side. Warren’s the stables manager and Bodie’s been trainin’ to be a farrier. Posey’s at the goat farm and helps run the goat yoga classes twice a week. So it’s only Bellamy and me who work on the resort side. Aunt JoJo manages the Summit Views Restaurant and is one of the chefs. We’re scattered throughout the property doin’ different tasks, but there’s a lot of other employees too helpin’ us run both sides.”
“That’s interestin’. I think all of the Hollis siblings work on the ranch, but some have various other jobs they’ll do at the retreat.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. They’ve always been good with horses, especially Noah.”
“She’s awesome to watch when she’s trainin’.” I nod, handing Lily another small piece. “How many horses do y’all have here?”
“Honestly, I don’t even know.” He scrubs a hand along his jawline, covered in thick facial hair. Although it’s longer than itwas the night we met, it looks good on him. “Quite a few. The guests can ride ’em through the trails, and we use some for ranch work too.”
