Jack knew he was a lucky man. He may not have thought so years ago when he'd had to bury Lyndy at a much earlier age than expected, but years of healing and now of moving one made him realize once again how lucky he was. As he sat back on his saddle and watched ahead, watched Marion and Lisa riding together and laughing even on a rainy cattle drive, well, he knew he'd found an amazing wife in Lisa and really appreciated the special bond and friendship his wife and daughter had formed.
They had finally finished moving the herd, the two-day job almost over, now with the only thing still left was the ride back to the ranch. They were about an hour out now, almost home, and as much as he loved a good cattle drive, Jack was looking forward to a hot shower and a good, hot meal, whatever it was. Lisa had mentioned throwing together breakfast for dinner because it was quick and hot. He wasn't about to complain about that. Right now, anything hot sounded fantastic. As much as he loved a good cattle drive, his old bones were showing their age, giving him all kinds of aches and pains. His arthritis had him barely able to get on and off his saddle after two days of solid riding, not that he wanted to admit that to anyone. It was pretty obvious, though, just with his gait, as his movements were slow and labored. Regardless, he was a cowboy through and through, and no arthritis, even as bad as it might get, would keep him from riding the range of his beloved property.
"Hey Grandpa," Jack heard and turned his head to see his younger granddaughter had ridden up alongside him. Jack was in the middle of the pack right now, enjoying the solitude, not that he wasn't happy to see Amy, but after two days of riding, the family had all taken turns riding together, well except for Tim and Jack. Yes, they'd had to ride alongside each other a few times, but thankfully those instances had involved specific discussions about the herd and not idle chit chat. Amy had been riding in the back with Tim, and now, he gave a nod and smile over to her as she joined him.
"Amy, have you had a good time on the cattle drive?" Jack asked her as he patted his coat to shake off some of the pooling water. The rain was picking up instead of tapering off, much to his chagrin.
"Oh, I love a good cattle drive," she smiled widely, no mistaking her for having an enjoyable time. Lou had not enjoyed cattle drives and had stopped going on them some time ago, so with as much as he enjoyed them, Jack was happy to see Amy's smile. "It's so great to just be out here, riding in the silence, just you and your horse, and who doesn't like to irritate a cow?"
Jack chuckled at that, nodding at her. The two looked forward at the sound of Lisa and Marion laughing, Jack shaking his head at them. Whatever conversation they were in, the two were having a great chat. Lisa had impressed him on the drive, only complaining when she needed to stop and use the restroom, not that he could blame her. She'd been a real trooper, rain and all, not even minding the primitive bunking conditions overnight.
"I can agree with you on that, not much better than aggravating a cow. Thanks for your help these last two days, getting them moved. Your riding is really coming along, I mean, for this type of thing," he gestured with his hand. "I'm glad you've enjoyed it too."
"I have, and ahh," she paused, frowning as he could see she was trying to put together her thoughts. "Thanks for being okay with Dad here too. He's really good at this, I mean," she grinned, "you're better, but he's younger and learning." Jack broke into an all-out laugh at that, and Amy followed in that laugh. He looked up to see Lisa glance back at them, probably hearing his laugh too, and he tipped his hat at her. Even from this distance, he could see her bright smile. He'd catch up to her later, but it was awfully nice to ride with his granddaughter right now.
"Amy, I have a long history with your dad, as you know, but yes, he's a good cowboy. Knew that the first time I met him at a rodeo. I also know he's hurt your mom and you girls a lot, and that's not something I will ever forget, trying to forgive," he said with a single nod of his head. "I realize your mom is working through that, but as a parent and grandparent," he met her gaze as she listened intently, "it's always going to be in my nature to protect you ladies, not that I have to from some manly, macho thing, but because I love you girls, all of you, and I don't want anyone hurting you. I'm glad you dad was reliable here, and yes, we did need his help."
"Well, I know it's hard to be around him, but thanks. I'm glad to have Mom and Dad here. It means a lot to me. I can't believe his tent had that huge hole in it!" Amy exclaimed. "Thanks for letting me bunk with you and Lisa last night. Mom's tent was really small, and I figured you'd much rather bunk with me than with Dad."
Jack chuckled again, nodding at her his acknowledgment of sharing his tent. He had his suspicions about Tim's tent "hole" as they'd been told and the "luck" of Tim to have to share a tent with someone, although Tim had offered to sleep under the stars, which Jack thought was a great idea. Now, not that he'd commented on it because he had no interest in that conversation, but he'd listened to things and knew that Tim, always the schemer, had a bout of good luck when Marion jumped at the chance to offer accommodations. Marion had offered to share, of course, out of the goodness of hear heart because even with all his mess, Jack knew Marion loved Tim deep down. She wouldn't let him sleep out under the stars with spitting rain, and yes, as Amy had said, Marion's tent was even smaller than his. Amy was also correct that, yes, he and Lisa would gladly share with Amy but Jack would not have considered having Tim Fleming share a tent with Lisa and him, no way. Amy was fine, and the three of them had gotten along well in the tight space.
"Well, I hope I didn't snore last night," Jack said in a teasing tone to Amy and added with a wave of his hand, "Lisa says I snore a lot."
"You do," Amy laughed. "You snore even when you fall asleep on the couch at home. You were snoring last night, and it was pretty loud. Lisa and I looked over at each other, and even with as dark as it was, we could see each other and started laughing. After I fell asleep, though, you didn't wake me."
"Good to hear," he nodded at her. "I think Lisa is going to make breakfast for dinner when we get home, that is if we can all stay awake long enough to eat. These cattle drives are some of my favorites, but I know I'm always ready for my nice, warm bed, tired too."
"Not going to argue with you there," Amy smiled. "Oh, breakfast, that sounds amazing! I'm starving," Amy told him. "I'm cold too. This rain is really annoying."
Jack chuckled with a nod, "Yeah, I told Lisa it rained a lot on these things, but I never expected it to rain almost every second of the last two days."
"She's done a good job," Amy smiled again. "I mean, Mom said it was her first cattle drive, and last night, when we were getting things set up in the tent, she didn't seem to mind. I know she's not really used to cowboy life."
"She's not," Jack shook his head, "but she's embraced it well. I told you she did really well learning to fly fish, even caught a few over the days we were there."
At the mention of that, Jack smiled, thinking back to the trip, one that he'd started on alone, but had turned out to be a very special trip for the two of them. He loved that Lisa had gotten home early from her Florida trip and surprised him at the cabin. They'd been able to spend three days at the cabin, alone, enjoying the solitude and the chance to just be-no one else around, no schedules, no trips, no alarms-just be. She really had enjoyed fishing, way more than he had expected, and she had equally enjoyed his trout dinners. Honestly, that had surprised him a little, and she had even joked it would be so much less work to just go to a nice restaurant. Lisa was a gem, embracing all things about the cabin. Sure, they'd made fun of a few things, but he'd told her story after story after story of the place, of his times there, and Lisa had listened to each one. Prior to this trip, Jack would have said his favorite trip ever to the cabin might have been when he and Lyndy had gotten married, but now, well, he was just glad no one was asking because he knew this trip was the trip he'd never forget, his best 'd had a wonderful time and the alone time was something he cherished and would never forget.
"Grandpa?" Jack looked over at Amy, unsure of what she'd said but hoping he hadn't missed too much of a conversation. "Do you mind if I ride up to hang out with Mom? I've been trying to spend time equally with everyone."
"Sure, Amy," he said with a nod, smile, and small chuckle. "We're not too far from home now. You get a hot shower first, you hear me?"
"I'm all cowgirl, Grandpa," she grinned. "I can wait my turn." At that, she kicked up her speed and rode ahead to catch up with Marion and Lisa. The women must have heard her coming, as they both turned right as Amy approached. Jack then watched as the three of them chatted briefly, again, smiling at the scene. He had a mental picture in his head of them right here, right now, and that made him a happy man. Lisa had even worn her cowboy hat, the same hat he'd bought her almost a year ago now and paired with her brown leather duster coat and even some chaps, which he'd told her she would be glad to have. She really did look the part.
As he watched three of the four women most important to him, he noted Lisa started to drop back, allowing Amy and Marion some time to ride together. He took that as his sign and kicked up things with Paint, riding up to her a short time later.
"Well, by the looks of it, I would have sworn you've been doing cattle drives your entire life. How are you holding up?"
"I'm good, Cowboy, but I will admit a hot cup of tea, a hot shower, and a good meal sound delightful right now. More than anything, I can't wait to get out of these wet clothes."
Jack smiled at her as he started to chuckle, gesturing toward her, "I'm happy to help with that if needed."
She doubled over laughing, Lisa in a really good mood even with the weather, and she grinned at him.
"I'm sure I can manage, but I must say, I've been soaking wet more days in the last week than I have my entire life. I blame you for that," she grinned at him as she pointed at him with her reigns in her hand. Lisa wasn't wrong. Her waders had worked well, but they had been caught in the rain at the cabin, and for that, waders did little to help. Jack felt his face redden as he thought back to that, the two of them getting caught in the downpour on their walk back fro the river or run on that day, knowing that rain was coming, but misjudging its arrival. They'd laughed, tried to run, but with their boots and all, it had been a mess. The two had stood on the covered porch of the cabin, dripping wet, and well, he was thinking back and now blushing, he remembered how the two of them had to 'help' each other get out of their wet clothing. Thankfully, with its remoteness, Jack was sure they'd had their privacy.
"Well," he winked at her as he reached over to pat her leg, "if it's possible, you look even more beautiful dripping wet." She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head, as Jack chuckled, shrugging and seeing nothing wrong with his comment. "I'm with you, though, really looking forward to getting out of these wet clothes. That washing machine is going be working overtime tonight."
"Hmm, yes, and," she tilted her head and smiled at him, "while the trout you cooked up at the cabin was delicious, I'm very excited about cooking something at home. I've missed that, and I'm looking forward to anything but trout, oh, and simple sandwiches." Jack gave her a nod as he laughed in agreement.
"I will admit I'm also looking forward to anything you cook up, especially since you must head to France in a few days. I'm going to really miss you. I know you have to go but understand that I'm very lonely here without you. Funny how you can be alone for so long and be okay with it, but you fall in love with an amazing person and suddenly, being apart at all is a hardship."
"I know," she frowned. "I do love going to France, and even I'm, well," she nodded, "kind of ready to just be home for a while. I think having two back to back long trips is doing that. I mean, Florida for three weeks, home a week now, in total it will be what, 10 days, and off again for a few weeks," she sighed. "I'm hoping I can get some rest even while working in France because even the 10 days I've been home, we've been very busy here, the cabin and now the cattle drive. I have a feeling that when I finally sit, I'll crash," she chuckled.
"I hope that too, Lise, that you can rest some," Jack said, reaching over for her hand. She gave it to him, and even though she had on gloves, he kissed her hand. "You've been working so hard and then roughing it even while back at home. You deserve to relax and even be pampered, which I know you definitely deserve."
The two continued to ride, looking ahead at Marion and Amy, and Jack finally broke the silence with a nod, "What were you two giggling about up there? It was nice to hear you laugh."
She smiled, winking at him, "Marion was telling me stories about you, some really funny ones, I might add. Most involved cattle drives, you know," she shrugged, "with this setting and all."
"Me? That was all the laughing?" Jack rolled his eyes.
"I heard how you brought canned beans and all canned goods one drive and forgot to bring anything to open them, I mean, anything that actually opens them," she tried to hold in her laughter. "She told me you gentlemen were trying to pry it open with a knife, and that was a sight."
"Not my finest food trip," he grumbled, looking down before Lisa giggled at him. "I also heard about how Paint got spooked going through a creek, which tossed your bedroll in the river."
"Not Paint's finest time either," Jack grumbled, and Lisa laughed again. When he looked back over at her, she smiled at him with a nod, "I'm very glad we had no issues this trip, just a lovely, very rainy cattle drive."
"You just said it-it rained the whole time. Would you ever come again?"
"Oh, yeah," she nodded with a smile. "I'll gladly come again. Count me in for the fall. I mean, I'm not volunteering to help other ranchers with their cattle, but I'll come along anytime. I mean, we had a night almost under the stars-"
"Except Amy bunked with us," he frowned. She laughed and frowned back at him.
"What? Did you seriously think we'd fool around out here? Jack," she started to laugh, "no. Amy was fine. Besides," she gave him a nod and smiled brightly at him, "we had plenty of that at the cabin."
"Maybe we need to book a cabin trip before every cattle drive then," he grumbled, and Lisa laughed, nodding at him.
"I like that idea. Count me in. Now, we're almost back to the house, and are you still wanting breakfast?"
"My love," he reached over and gripped her gloved hand with a warm smile, "I'll eat anything you are willing to make."
Lisa's phone interrupted them, and she gave him a look as she stopped her horse and dug out her phone, "Huh, don't recognize this number, but it's local."
"Lisa Stillman," she said as Jack brought Paint to a halt while she took her call. Tim rode up, and Jack waved him on, pointing at Lisa before he said anything. He had done okay on the drive with Tim but really hated the idea that he and Marion were on their way to some sort of reconciliation. For Marion's sake, Amy's too, he was trying to keep his mouth shut. He'd been venting to Lisa when they were alone, and she had been a good ear for him. He appreciated that and also knew that she wasn't then going to Marion and telling her what he'd said. That took a lot of dedication, and it did not go unnoticed.
"I am?" Lisa said excitedly into the phone as she glanced over at Jack with a small smile. "Oh, well, that is a lovely surprise. Yes, I'm honored. "Ahh, June?" She made a face, not that the person on the phone could see it. "No, I'm afraid I won't be back in time for your next meeting. I have work in France and am leaving in just a few days, ahh May 12. Yes, I can't guarantee I'll be back by a meeting June 1st." Lisa paused and nodded, listening to the other person on the phone before replying, "Oh, yes, July would work just fine. I don't have a lot scheduled, other than to be back here at home. I work in Hudson most of the summer, as long as I don't have any major issues with my horses elsewhere." She nodded again, "Great, yes, July 10th for your July meeting should be fine. Yes," she chuckled after the person said something else, "I can definitely be there, and thank you so much." She paused again, nodding, "Great, I'll bring my husband. Okay, I'll look forward to that email with the information. Thanks again." She hung up, and Jack tilted his head and eyed her.
"Now, what in the world are you volunteering to bring me to July 10?" He said it in a teasing tone, knowing that whatever had her so happy, he'd glad attend for her. She was still almost staring at the phone before she turned to him and nodded.
"Ahh, that was from the city. I'm the Hudson Entrepreneur of the Year."
"Lise! Well, that is wonderful," he said, bracing his hand on her saddle as he leaned over to kiss her, and she smiled as he did. "Don't know why it would have taken them this long to figure it out."
"Umm, well, I guess they were told I'd donated so much to the school's riding club and have done quite a bit for the school, as well as the community over the years, and I guess," she paused and smiled at him, "it's my year. They wanted to honor me at their monthly meeting in June, but as you probably heard, I told them I'd still be in France." Jack nodded as she explained, "So, we're going to a luncheon they are going to set up for July 10."
"I'll be there. I'm just glad they are recognizing you for what I already know, that you're an amazing businesswoman and do so much for the community. You didn't even mention all that you donate at Christmas."
She shrugged, "I don't donate to the children's center and all to be noticed. I do it for the people in the area, same with how I treat my employees, but yes, this will be a nice luncheon. He said I could bring anyone with me, so we can see if Marion and Amy want to go."
"I'm sure they will want to come. You should bring Maggie too. I know she's been a close friend to you."
"Maybe I will," she said, putting her phone back into her pocket and then nodding toward the ranch. "Shall we? That was an exciting phone call, but I really want to get back to the house. I only have a couple more days here with all of you, and I want to enjoy that before I take off for a few weeks."
"Not quite a ride off into the sunset today," he said, as the two of them starting moving on the horses, "but awfully glad to be riding here with you alongside me, not even deterred after days and days of rain. I found a good wife," he winked at Lisa. She started laughing, laughing just as she had been with Marion, and the two continued on, following Marion, Amy, and Tim back to the house.