Page 108 of The Lucky Heart (Jamison Valley 3)
“Do you think the branding is going to hurt the calves? I really hope not. They’re so cute and happy.”
“Silas says that calves are a lot tougher than we’d expect, and the pain only seems to bother them for a second. He promised me that by the end of the day, they’d all be back to running around and playing with one another in the pasture. Still, I feel bad for the little guys too.”
“Did you know it’s the law to have them branded? Jess told me that, and I thought he was joking. He made me Google it when I didn’t believe him.”
“Well, one thing about today is for certain—it will be educational.”
Hours later, the ranch was packed full of laughing and smiling people. The branding wasn’t just a necessary task but also a chance for neighboring farmers and ranchers to spend time with one another. The fence next to the corral was lined with people watching the crew work in the arena.
My eyes constantly wandered to Silas. He looked so handsome and commanding, as he always did riding Courage. I felt so proud to call him mine, and in twenty years, I wanted to be in this exact place, watching him manage another branding.
The fence line erupted in laughter when one of the bigger calves almost got the best of Jess and Paxon and the duo was sent flying into the dirt, smiling and cursing at the same time. They, along with the other wrestlers, were all filthy but happy.
Silas called for a lunch break and the crew disbursed to grab sandwiches from the table Olivia and I had set up for them. After tying up Courage, Silas sauntered over to me at the fence. “Hey, babe.”
“Hey, yourself. Looking good out there, baby.” I winked
He tipped back his cowboy hat and leaned down to brush his lips against mine. “Having fun?”
“This is amazing. Do you still think I could try to wrestle one of the calves later?”
It wasn’t really wrestling the creatures, just holding down their legs so they didn’t kick when Elliot came over and gave them their brand. I wasn’t known for my upper-body strength, but I could give it a try. There had been other women in the corral today, and seeing them had given me confidence.
Silas grinned and kissed me again. “You bet. Let’s grab a bite to eat first.”
Not long after, I was sitting on the ground, dirty, sweaty and so damn proud of myself. Silas had helped me wrestle three calves while his dad had looked on in disbelief. It hadn’t been easy, my arms were burning and tired, but I hadn’t given up. I’d used all my might and followed his instructions without error.
Silas stood and helped me off the dirt, immediately pulling me into his chest. His mouth came down on mine and quickly swept his tongue inside. Right in the middle of the corral, he kissed me like we were alone in his bedroom.
I kissed him right back. Tongues twisted. Teeth nipped. Lips explored. Neither one of us held anything back.
“That’s my sister!” Jess called from beside us. “Do you mind, Grant?”
He broke away, and we both smiled like silly fools as the crew around us laughed.
“You did awesome, babe,” he said. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”
My heart soared with the praise. “I’m proud of me too.”
If not for Elliot glaring at us, it would have been the perfect moment. Whatever. I turned back to Silas and started laughing. “I’m covered in shit. These jeans will never be the same again.”
“Eh,” he said. “It’s just green grass and water.”
“I’d better head inside and you’d better get back to roping.”
“Okay. See you in a bit.” He gave me a quick kiss before I climbed over the fence and crossed the gravel lot toward the main house.
The Grants’ sprawling house was one of the nicest I’d seen in all of the Jamison Valley. Elliot and Olivia’s log home had a wide porch that ran the length of the front. Its first floor was full of windows and the roof had two large dormers cut into the tin.
Inside, the house was full of rich maple and hickory woods. Olivia had decorated with espresso leather and deep-green upholstered furniture that gave the entire place a rustic and woodsy atmosphere. The kitchen was the only room in the house that wasn’t dark and cozy. It was full of cream cabinets, stainless appliances and yellow granite slabs. It didn’t match the rest of the house but somehow it all went together perfectly.
“Hi,” I said to Olivia and Mom, who were standing in the kitchen. “What can I do?” I was eager to learn all about preparing a meal for this many people. I wanted to know everything about being a branding hostess, like Olivia.
Because in twenty years, I wanted to be right here too, working to prepare the celebration meal for a branding that was wasn’t just Silas’s big day. It would be ours together.
The rest of the branding went by in a flash. I worked tirelessly with Olivia to prepare a prime rib and turkey feast for the evening’s big dinner. She might not have been outside in the dirt but Olivia had worked harder than anyone else on the ranch today and she’d made it seem easy.
Not once had she gotten stressed or rushed. She’d moved with grace and efficiency, knowing exactly what to do to prepare a gourmet meal for over forty people. My respect and admiration for Silas’s mom had grown tenfold in one afternoon.
