I started towards the kitchen and pulled out an entire carton of eggs to scramble. A half hour later I had a huge bowl of eggs, two plates of bacon and a tray of toast ready.
"The boys should be out back. You can go ahead and let them know breakfast is ready," Charlie said. "I've got to run and take a shower but I'll be right back down." He smiled and started upstairs.
"Hey Dad!" I called. He turned around. "I'm really happy I'm here." I was technically lying, but I hoped at some point I wouldn't be. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt his feelings and if a little white lie was what it took I'd do it.
"Me too honey." He smiled and kept going up the stairs.
I went outside and around to the back of the house. Emmett and Jasper were standing outside of the barn talking.
"Good morning sunshine," Emmett said. He nodded my way.
"Good morning. I made you guys some breakfast back at the house."
"Will you marry me?" Emmett asked. I guess Charlie wasn't lying when he said they liked food.
"Maybe in a few years," I teased.
"Edward's back in the stables, I'll run and get him." Jasper turned and started back towards a building in the distance. I hadn't even seen it before now.
"No it's okay. I'll go. I don't want your food to get cold. Just don't eat it all okay?" I smiled and started walking down the long dirt road that led back to the stables.
"Thanks darlin!" Jasper smiled and he and Emmett made their way towards the house.
I kicked a few rocks and grabbed at some grass as I walked down the path. I could hear the horses stomping around the closer I got to the stables. I guess I didn't even know how many we had. I barely remember riding one as a kid, but I doubted that it was still around.
I finally reached the stables and peeked my head inside. Edward was down at the other end dragging a bag behind him. Every now and then he'd stop and pour a little into the buckets hanging at each stall and I realized he was probably feeding them. He stopped and talked to each horse for a few moments before moving onto the next one.
"You gonna stand out there all day or are you gonna come inside?' He asked, never breaking away from his work.
"Sorry," I mumbled. "I didn't want to bother you. I made you breakfast. Well I made everyone breakfast."
"Oh Emmett's going to love you. He'll probably propose marriage or something."
"He actually already did," I laughed.
"Figures he would go for an engaged woman," he laughed. Engaged? I'm not engaged. The closest I'd come to a serious relationship was that asshole James from back home. "And you aren't bothering me. Come on in." He finally reached the stable right in front of me and set the bag down.
"So you take care of the horses?" I asked.
"Yeah. Mostly." He shrugged and started petting one of them. I glanced down the way again and counted six horses along the way.
"One for each of us. Well except for Lightning, she's new," Edward said.
"But there's only four of you."
He smirked and nodded back to the horse he was petting. "This is Bullet, my horse." He nodded to the next one. "Tumbleweed belongs to Jazz. Burger is Emmett's. Chief is your dad's." He turned back towards me before nodding to the one across from us. "And Princess is yours."
"Mine?"
"You don't remember?"
I turned and looked at the horse that was supposedly mine. I said I remembered riding one, but I didn't remember what it looked like. I guess this could be the same one.
"He kept it all these years for you, just in case you came to visit," Edward said.
I took a few steps towards Princess and reached out to pet her. She reacted instantly to my touch, almost like she knew me. I smiled and petted her again.
"Why the hell did I name her Princess?" I mumbled to myself. I was never a real girly girl so I couldn't imagine it.
"Well you were five years old. I'm sure you named everything Princess."
I gave Princess one last pat before we started back towards the house. Edward grabbed a stray piece of straw along the way and started chewing on it. I chanced a few glances at him and found myself smiling from ear to ear. Maybe this summer wouldn't be so bad after all.