Chapter 141. The Song of Them
On Thursday morning, when Julia awoke, she was still wrapped tight in Nathan's arms. And they were back in the big four poster bed, in their bedroom. When she'd drifted off to sleep last night, they were still laying outside, under the stars. Somewhere in the middle of the night, Nathan must have awakened, and carried her inside.
So, she found herself still wrapped in the strength of his arms, just as she'd been when she'd drifted off to sleep. What a way to wake up, she thought to herself, and she pulled back just enough to look up at him.
He slept so peacefully, once again. Nathan Grant, who was typically the first to wake up. What was it about a honeymoon, that allowed him to relax so? She hoped that whatever it was, they would carry it home, with them.
Finally, when Nathan started to stir, Julia reached up and gave him a sweet peck right on the lips. Nathan's eyebrows raised in surprise and contentment.
When she pulled back he blinked open his eyes and tried to focus. "What was that for?" He teased her with his crooked smile.
"That was just because." She told him softly.
He moaned happy. "Mmmmm. I like just because."
Julia chortled soft and asked him. "Shall I go make coffee, my love?"
He blinked a few more times and finally managed to focus. "That sounds nice."
Julia untangled herself from his arms, and reluctantly left his embrace. She found her robe next to the bed, and pulled it on.
But as she got close to the door, Nathan, who had been watching her, added. "Are there any of those pancakes left, by any chance?"
Julia turned as she tied the silk belt of her robe. "I'm not sure, Lawman. But I can always whip up some more." She told him, earning his stellar smile, before she disappeared down the hall.
Later on, at the breakfast table, after their coffee cups had been drained, and Nathan had put a serious dent in her huge pile of pancakes, he sat back in his chair and gazed out at the view.
"What's on the agenda for today, Lawman?" She asked coyly. Today was their last full day at the ranch, and she was sure he'd want to make the most of it.
He indeed had a plan, something he was sure she would like. "You brought your swimming costume, right?"
That got Julia's attention; the day had finally come. He'd promised to take her to a swimming hole, and it seemed that today, was the day. "You're serious?" She asked excitedly.
"Very serious." He told her happily, loving how excited the idea made her. "We haven't yet visited Cupid's stream or Lover's Lake." He reminded her. And today was the perfect day.
She liked the sound of both of those places, and the idea of swimming together. She looked him over, leaned forward, and kissed him on the cheek. "It sounds perfect!"
She rose and immediately began cleaning up, already impatient to get going.
He stood, chuckled and told her. "Slow down. The lake won't go anywhere." But, he had to admit, he was excited too. So, he went to the pantry and started packing a picnic.
Nathan and Julia rode fast and hard to the southern corner of the property. It was Nathan's favorite part, because it was lush and green, and scenic. And it was a beautiful ride to get there, a path he had taken a thousand times. It had been one of his grandfather's favorite places, too.
They slowed and rode along the river for several miles, so Nathan could show her the part of the river that his grandmother called Cupid's Bow. It was a nice place, and they stopped there a minute, so Julia could enjoy it. She understood right away why Rose had given it such a moniker. The river made several pools there, and from horseback, it did look like a bow ready to strike an unsuspecting lover.
They rode a while longer and came to a large clearing. There, the water collected into a huge pool, more the size of a small lake than a pond. And because of the current, the water was clear and blue, not the usual brown of a pond.
"Lover's Lake." Nathan told her, as they dismounted near several trees, on the far side of the field. There, Nathan tied up the horses. Then he took their saddlebags, and walked back towards the lake.
"This is my favorite spot on the property." He told her, as he led her to a tree, right next to the water. "My favorite meadow, my favorite tree." And he spread out a blanket just beneath it.
Julia took in her surroundings, and could understand why it was his favorite. The dark green rolling hills, the deep blue of the lake, the shade of the trees. And the sky - it seemed so big and vast, from this particular spot. "It's beautiful, Nathan."
And his tree was pretty great, too. It looked just about perfect for climbing, and she imagined he had spent his fair share of time up there, amongst the branches. "And it is a lovely tree."
He smiled and began pulling things out of their saddlebags. "Your swimming costume, Madame." He handed it to her.
She looked around, searched out a good spot to change, and went behind his big tree. She was sure he peaked in her direction, a few playful times, but she reciprocated by doing the same.
By the time she came out from behind the tree, he was already dressed. She let her riding clothes fall to the blanket, and when she did, Nathan's breath caught. His wife was beautiful. Clothed, unclothed, bathing costume, or wedding dress. He looked her over and took a deep breath.
He wanted to tell her just how beautiful, but she didn't give him the chance. She smiled huge, grabbed his hand, and pulled him toward the water. He followed, enamored now.
They waded in waist deep, and Julia stopped for a moment, realized how cool the water was. This was Alberta, after all. But once she acclimated, she dived forward, towards the middle, and disappeared under the water. Nathan did the same, tried to follow her.
They came up somewhere in the middle of the lake, treading water. "It's so nice." She told him, happy, and completely in her element. He thought she looked even more beautiful soaking wet.
"A little fresh." He told her, with a sort of smirk.
"We have to keep moving." She told him, and she took off swimming across the middle. She was fast, Nathan watched her for just a moment, but then took off after her.
He caught her quickly and they swam next to each other for a few minutes, towards the other bank. Then they played a while in the water together, racing each other and swimming side-by-side.
When they'd had their fill, and were spent and tired, they finally swam back to shore. Nathan held her hand as they made their way out of the water, and to the blanket. They wrapped up in their towels, and Nathan moved their blanket out into the sun. Then he set out their picnic. He noticed she still seemed cold, so he pulled out a second blanket and wrapped it around her.
They ate a nice picnic lunch together, and when they were all done, they laid down in the warmth of the sunshine.
Julia rolled toward him and laid her head on his chest. "You're a good swimmer, Lawman." She paused and laid her hand near his heart. "Where'd you learn to swim like that?"
"Right here." He told her as he shifted to look at her.
"You came here a lot?" She inquired, propping her cheek on his shoulder, so she could see his face.
"Yes. With my grandfather. It was one of his favorite spots, too." He told her.
"And let me guess, he taught you to swim?" She was fairly certain and ventured a guess.
Nathan nodded and smiled at her. "On one of our visits." The way he said it, she knew what he meant - one of the times when Archie had been in trouble.
"That must have been special." Julia tried to highlight the positive. "To learn here, with him?"
Nathan agreed. "It was." He paused and chuckled low. "The only incumbrance was my annoying sister, who kept splashing me."
Julia laughed out loud, could definitely imagine that. "Somehow, I can relate. Only for me, it was Jake being overbearing and not letting go of me. I couldn't even swim a full stroke."
Now it was Nathan who chuckled. He could imagine that, too. Jake was as protective as he was, so it made perfect sense. Plus, he could imagine she probably wasn't very big when she insisted to learn.
Nathan turned toward her just slightly, so he could see her better, and hold her closer. As he did, he felt her shiver. He rubbed her shoulder, trying create heat to warm her up. "Are you still cold, darling?" He asked softly. He started to move and sit up. "Maybe we should get you out of this wet bathing costume."
Julia pulled him back down onto the blanket. "I'll be okay, Nathan. Please, stay a little longer." She hated to let go of him.
He pulled her closer, and tried to warm her up. But, as he looked down at her, he was struck by the moment. He thought only of her, and how wonderful their honeymoon had been, how perfect their coming together as husband and wife. She must have been thinking something of the same, because when their eyes met, what he saw in hers, took his breath away.
He leaned down and gently claimed her lips. The kiss was loving, but passionate from the get-go. Something about this moment, and the rightness of them, fueled their attraction even more.
When Nathan finally pulled back just a little, he gazed down at her. She opened her blanket just a little and started to work one strap of her bathing costume off her shoulder. Nathan's heart began to race even faster when he realized what she was doing. He placed a kiss on her cheek, then trailed off toward her hairline, down to her neck. "Are you sure?" He whispered against her throbbing pulse.
She too, was taken by the moment now. She managed to find her voice and rasped out. "What better place, than here, in your favorite spot?"
Nathan couldn't even respond, he just began to kiss her bare skin as he helped her work her way out of that bathing costume. And then, she did the same for him. They covered up with that second blanket, and made a beautiful, wonderful, intimate memory right there. In Nathan's favorite meadow, under his favorite tree, next to Lover's Lake.
And in the afterglow, they held each other, cuddled together and warm, under that blanket.
Nathan liked her there, nestled and snug against his body. And he thought there was no better way to spend their last day of honeymoon. Their connection, here, was especially precious, and he was filled with contentment. It had always been a place close to his heart, but now it was even dearer, marked by their physical act of love.
She looked up at him, and his eyes communicated so much - in them, she saw deep, abiding love, and happiness, sheer happiness. And she knew the same sentiments must also be written on her face. But still, she spoke the words. "I love you."
"I love you, too." He whispered back.
She had more she wanted to say, and now seemed like the perfect moment. "Last night. I realized something."
He smiled crooked. "What's that?"
Julia clarified. "Actually, I've known it for a long time. But last night, it just hit me again."
He tilted his head curiously at her.
She paused and looked deep into his eyes. "Last night, as I followed the light home, I realized that home is not an address. It's you…" She smiled shy. "Nathan, you are my home."
After a long ride back, Nathan and Julia stabled the horses, and returned to the house. It had been a beautiful ride, and a beautiful day. And their time spent by the lake, was the perfect culmination of their time at the ranch.
After a hot bath, both descended to the kitchen to make dinner, together. Nathan washed and chopped vegetables, and Julia sautéed. They moved around the kitchen in sync. Nathan cutely reached around her, Julia opened a drawer flirtatiously next to him. There was a romantic energy, and a level of comfort in their working together, they both recognized and enjoyed.
"Lawman, how about those carrots?" She turned and asked him cutely.
Nathan picked up the bowl in front of him and carried it over. In fact he walked up really, really close, to deliver those carrots, then he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Julia sucked in breath, as she took his bowl. And she followed him with her eyes, as he pulled back ever so slowly. "Thank you." She managed to rasp out, barely audible.
When he walked back to his chopping board, he kept his eyes on her, over his shoulder, all the way. And only when he got there, did she finally turn and toss the carrots into her pot.
And so it went, until everything was simmering nicely. Then, Nathan snuck off to set the table in the grand dining room. He wanted their last meal at the ranch to be special.
Once dinner was ready, Nathan brought the fancy plates he'd set out, to the kitchen. They filled them, then took their place in the dining room.
Nathan told amusing stories over the meal, he was in a great mood. And Julia loved every minute, listening and laughing with him. And, she added her own clever bits in.
Then, they cleaned up together. Nathan stood close to her at the sink, his shoulder constantly brushing hers, as they washed and dried the dishes. Sometimes, it was the little things that mattered, and Nathan was great at doing those little things.
When everything was clean and put away, Nathan took Julia's hand. "Come with me?" He asked shyly, with his crooked smile.
She wondered at the nervous look on his face. "Of course."
He led her up the stairs, to his childhood bedroom. "Please, sit right here." He cutely implored, as he motioned to the bed. She did. Then Nathan picked up his old guitar, and sat beside her.
He started picking the strings and she realized the guitar had been tuned perfectly. "Nathan?" She softly questioned.
He finally looked up and met her gaze. "I have one more wedding gift, darling." The way he drawled out that last word, made her heart skip a beat. "I wrote a little something…for you."
Julia's jaw dropped open. He began playing a nice picked melody, turned it around twice. And then he began to sing. His voice was rich and deep, and the lyrics touched her deeply.
He sang of a love that caught him from first glance, and then, blossomed like a rose. A love that then deepened, with depths like the ocean. A love that, in the future, would be exquisite and fine, like wine of the highest price. And he mentioned growing old and gray, in that swing that would soon hang on the front porch of their house.
He included their important milestones and significant places: her meadow of wildflowers, and the first time they met, her running through them. Their view point and first sunrise together, as they shared that ride on Newton. And of course, he sang of their dock by the pond.
He mentioned the dart game and used the word distracted, which made her giggle. He spoke of how she bonded with Allie, and stole her heart, too. And of course, he sang of Julia's tenderness and care, as she nursed him back to health.
He sang of a true love, that inspired, and made both lovers better. A bond where one always fought for the other. And he sang of unconditional love, where acceptance was never ending, and they believed the best in each other. He described their harmony, and how they hoped and dreamed, in one accord.
By the time he finished, Julia was in tears, but happy ones. The lyrics were beautiful and heartfelt, and touched her deeply.
Nathan had taken them on a journey, a sort of poetic re-living of their love story. On musical wings, they revisited the landmarks of their forever. And it was only the beginning.
She wiped her eyes as he leaned on the guitar, and waited for her reaction. "Nathan. That was incredible." She whispered softly. "I had no idea you could write like that." She smiled through the emotion, pleased to discover another talented facet of Nathan Grant.
He stood and placed the guitar back in its place, then he turned and shoved his hands timidly in his pockets. "A man can do more than he thinks capable, with the right inspiration."
Julia stood and walked up close. Why did he look so shy, all of a sudden? She tilted her head and looked up at him. "I could say the exact same thing, Mr. Grant." She drew a ragged breath, and placed one hand on his chest as she said the next part. "You are pretty inspiring, yourself."
He looked down at her, and whispered soft. "I'm just thankful I get the rest of my life, to show you how I love you."
She left her hand on his chest, right over his heart. "And I get the rest of mine, to love you back."