Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (top reads .TXT) 📗
- Author: Natalie Bright
Book online «Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (top reads .TXT) 📗». Author Natalie Bright
“Men, right?” Lola smiled and set a mixture of strawberries and blueberries on the bar before Carli.
Dumping the eggs into a serving bowl, Carli turned her attention to the fruit and scooped up a bite before talking. “Nathan invited me to go with him today to the studio of that artist guy we met at the museum. I think it’s near the town of Canadian.”
“You gonna go?”
Lola set a small plate down with warm biscuits and slathered them with butter, honey, and brown sugar. Carli shook her head. “I’ll stick with the fruit. Thank you though. And yes, I’m going with him.”
Lola shrugged and pushed the plate a little closer. “You know you want it.”
“Oh, good grief.” Carli rolled her eyes and took a biscuit. It was their never-ending, tug-of-war over portion control and food choices.
"Nathan can’t drive yet so I’m picking him up soon.”
“Nothing going on here. Don’t worry. Go off and enjoy your day.”
Carli stood in the doorway to the kitchen as Lank and Buck were coming in. Lank stopped, his eyes widened in surprise as he surveyed her from head to toe, and then he met her gaze. “Morning, boss.”
“Morning,” was all she said.
Buck tipped his hat and gave her a wide grin. “You sure clean up nice.”
“Thank you very much, Mr. Wallace.” Carli smiled and curtsied, then called out, “You guys have a great day. Bye, Lola.”
Taking extra time with her makeup this morning, she chose a tan fringe dress with the turquoise boots. She found one of Grandma Jean’s award buckles, which she attached to her old belt, added silver dangle earrings and a few silver bracelets. Just maybe she’d pass for a Texan. Not to give Nathan any more ideas that their relationship should advance to the next level, but because she’d worn mostly jeans since moving to the ranch. It felt good to be girly for a change, curl her hair and put on mascara.
As Carli drove to the Rafter O, she thought about the riding school. Actually, she had thought about working with kids again every day since that first disaster with Lexi and Bianca. She’d never been afraid to take a chance before. Taking a chance in Georgia and committing to her business partner Mark had been one of the scariest things she’d ever done in her life. But once she had made her mind up, she focused her full attention on it. Everything was zapping her strength, mentally and physically, but she also felt invigorated by the new project. Was this part of God’s plan? She still felt confused. Both Nathan and Lola talked about signs from God that might tell her she was on the right track. Two teenaged girls rolling around in the dirt, pulling each other’s hair out hardly felt like a sign from above.
Nathan was pacing back and forth in front of the Rafter O headquarters when she stopped. He tossed her the keys to his truck. “We can take mine.”
As they got closer to the river valley that dissects the Texas Panhandle, Nathan admired the flat, treeless ranch land turning to rolling hills. The scenery suddenly included trees on either side of them, the leafy green of new spring shading the two-lane blacktop. It was so different from the rolling pastures of the Rafter O Ranch. When Carli and Nathan drove up to the Travers home, a stone ranch building, Brad was in the side yard with a younger man throwing a rope loop around the horns of a dummy steer.
“He sure has a lot of energy for an old guy,” Nathan said.
Brad waved to Carli and Nathan as they got out of the truck.
“Hey, guys, glad you made it. I see you had no problem with my directions?”
“Well,” said Carli, “except for back there about a mile where you said there’d be a black horse in a corral. No black horse. We weren't sure whether to turn or not.”
Brad let out a hearty laugh. “Oh, yeah, sorry, I forgot. About this time every day, they bring him in for some feed. At least the rest of the directions worked.”
They all chuckled. The young man stepped forward with his hand outstretched. “Hey, I’m Tad. Theodore actually. Nice to meet you both.”
“My grandson. We’re Brad and Tad.”
Carli was polite, her lips still, but her eyes darted from one man to the other. Then her mouth erupted with laughter.
“Grandpa loves to say that. I’ve been called Tad since I was little. Tadpole. Also short for Theodore.”
“I know something about nicknames. I was never crazy about my real first name,” Carli said to the tall, lean, young man who looked like a younger version of his grandfather.
“Oh, yeah, what’s that?”
“Can’t tell you. I never say the name out loud, ever.”
Again, more laughter all around. Then Brad noticed Nathan holding his shoulder.
“Hey, how’re you doin’, man? You said on the phone that a green horse throwed ya. Dontcha know you’re supposed to stay on those things?”
“He punched the breeze all right. When there’s a crazy coyote around, horses tend to act a bit spooky. I’ll be okay in a few days. Dislocated my shoulder and a little muscle sore is all.”
“I hope you get better soon,” Brad said smiling.
A petite woman with a long gray braid pulled to one side appeared at the door and called out, “Brad, bring our guests inside. Or do you want me to set up refreshments out there?”
Nathan noticed her silver crutch with elbow support.
“Tilly, we’ll come in, so it’ll be easier. I’ll help.” Then to Nathan and Carli, he said, “She’s the love of my life. C’mon, I want to introduce y’all.”
For lunch, his wife had made some beef and bean tamales, salad, cornbread, and iced tea. Apple pie for dessert. Carli tried to offer to help, but Tilly would have none of it.
“Please, sit. You’re our guests. It’s no trouble. I just made us
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