Read Forever Kisses (Romance on the Ranch Book 7) Online
Authors: Verna Clay
Toby tossed another bale of hay off the bed of his pickup and said a few choice words. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out what he'd done to change Dovie's attitude toward him. They'd been having a wonderful time at the Barn and then she'd gotten all skittish. He wondered if something had happened in the restroom, but what could he say?
Hey Dovie, what happened in the bathroom?
He jammed his pitchfork into another bale and tossed it into the pasture, cussing some more. His cell phone rang with a familiar song.
"Hey, Mom. What's up?"
"I need you to help me with something."
Toby didn't feel like helping anyone with anything, but he said, "Sure. What and when?"
"I've got a load of supplies in the green truck that need to go to the cabin. Some of the packages are too heavy for me to unload. Your father's got Skipper and Beaner doing emergency repairs on some fence line, and since its Sunday, the other hands are gone. So it looks like you're elected. I thought maybe we could ask Dovie to join us. She's never been to the cabin."
Toby's bad mood suddenly brightened. Maybe he could get Dovie alone and get to the bottom of whatever was bothering her. He replied. "As soon as I unload this hay off my truck I'll drive over. It'll take about twenty minutes."
"Sounds good. I'll call Dovie." She hung up.
Toby sure hoped his mother could persuade Dovie to join them.
Twenty minutes later he pulled to the front of the ranch house. The old pickup used for chores was loaded with supplies for the cabin his family and their employees used for getaways. It was about a hundred years old, but had been restored and refurbished inside and out and ran on solar power. Toby's mom and dad usually spent a few days there every fall when things slowed down. Years ago, Toby and Preston had named the cabin the "Honeymoon Hang Out." And, in fact, Preston and Freckles had spent several days of their honeymoon there.
Toby walked in the house and from the expression on Dovie's face he knew she was surprised to see him. He removed his hat and said, "Hi, Dovie. Hi, Mom."
Sarah said, "Oh, Dovie, I got sidetracked and forgot to mention that Toby is joining us. He'll be the muscle emptying the truck." Before either Toby or Dovie could respond, Sarah continued brightly, "Well, kids, let's go. There's work to do."
Toby waited for the women to precede him from the house and then followed them to the truck. He had a sneaking feeling his mother was up to something. Sarah opened the king cab door and said, "I'll ride back here. Dovie, you ride up front with Toby."
Toby stepped over to help Dovie, but she already had her door open. "I've got it," she said.
He didn't know whether to insist on lifting her onto the seat or give her space. The cab wasn't high, so he decided to give her space.
The drive to the cabin near the northern boundary of their land took about forty minutes and traversed hills and meadows and afforded beautiful views of mountain peaks. Sarah kept up a running conversation. Toby only half listened as he again pondered the sudden change in Dovie.
When the cabin first came into sight, Sarah leaned forward and pointed out the front window. Dovie responded by releasing a long sigh. "Ohhhh, it's so beautiful. I feel like I just time traveled to the 1800s."
Toby grinned. "I know what you mean. It's a popular place with the hands and their families during the summer, but I love it during winter snows. Hey Mom, remember the time we got snowed in?"
"I do," Sarah laughed. "You and Preston were ten years old and Hannah was a toddler. I also remember your father almost missing his plane for an overseas job. He was on pins and needles waiting for Newt and Beaner and the hands to arrive on snowmobiles to rescue us." She reached to touch her son's shoulder. "It's also one of my fondest memories." She was silent for a long moment and then said, "I hope this cabin holds many more memories for you throughout your lifetime, son."
Toby glanced sideways at Dovie who was staring straight ahead. Would this cabin hold their memories? He shook his head at his runaway thoughts and pulled to the front of the cabin.
Sarah climbed excitedly out of the truck and opened Dovie's door. "I can't wait to show you around, Dovie."
Dovie smiled. "I can take pictures with my cell phone."
Sarah said, "Oh, please send me copies."
"I will." Dovie started snapping photos of the cabin. "Why don't you and Toby stand on the porch and I'll take your picture together?" She took several of mother and son and then Sarah offered to take one of Dovie on the porch. She said, "Toby, get in there beside Dovie. The two of you can pretend you're pioneers. I sure wish we had the Old West costumes for you to dress in."
Dovie didn't appear too happy about taking a picture with him, but he used the opportunity to place his arm around her shoulders. To stay in character he said, "Darlin' can you b'lieve we finally reached our homestead? What're you cookin' fer supper?"
Toby was rewarded by a smile and retort from Dovie. "We ain't eatin' nothin' lessin' you git out there and shoot us some game."
Dovie's momentary lapse into playfulness warmed Toby's heart. After picture taking, Sarah handed him the key to the cabin. "I can't wait for Dovie to see the inside." She waved them forward.
Toby held the door open for Dovie. She entered and stopped short. Then she whirled around to face them. "It's fantastic! Now I
know
I've time traveled."
Toby grinned. "Looks can be deceiving. It's got all the modern conveniences."
Sarah interjected, "It runs on solar power. Water is piped in from a well, and best of all, there's an indoor bathroom."
Dovie asked, "How many rooms are there?"
Toby made a waving motion. "There are six. As you can see this is the living area." He pointed to three doors at the back of the room. "The center door is a bathroom and the ones on either side are bedrooms." He motioned to their right. "Through that entrance is the kitchen that opens into a small dining room."
Sarah headed for kitchen. "Come on, Dovie, you've
got
to see the view from the dining room!"
Toby followed his mother and Dovie.
They entered the kitchen and Dovie exclaimed, "It's the perfect country kitchen!" Then they entered the dining room and she gasped. "I could sit here for hours staring at those mountains and writing my blog."
Sarah agreed. "I know what you mean. Sage and I sometimes sneak away to relax here and I've happily written several novels from this room."
After the tour of the cabin, Sarah clapped her hands. "Well, kids, are you ready to start unloading supplies?"
Toby inwardly grinned at his mother's reference to them as "kids." It was a term she often used.
When the supplies were unloaded and they were putting them away, Sarah's cell phone rang. Toby didn't pay much attention until she said, "Okay. I'll be right there." He sent his mother a questioning look.
"Toby, Dovie, I just got a call from Sage. Seems he was driving back to the house when his truck stalled. He said the engine won't turn over and he can't spare Skipper or Beaner from working that broken fence line. Do you suppose ya'll could finish unpacking supplies while I go to the rescue? It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours."
Toby was now sure his mother was up to something, but he said, "Sure Mom. It's okay with me. But I can go."
"No. You stay and keep Dovie company."
Toby glanced at Dovie. "Is that okay with you?"
"Oh, of course."
Sarah said, "Thanks, kids."
After Sarah left, Dovie started putting paper products and canned goods away in the kitchen. Toby hid a grin. His mother and father had just set him and Dovie up. He decided to give Dovie space and walked onto the porch to move the boxes of solar panel parts into the shed. After he finished with the boxes he grabbed an axe and began splitting logs. He wanted to ask Dovie flat out what had happened to make her so standoffish, but he didn't want to come off as overbearing. The woman had him in a quandary. Should he give her breathing room or demand she tell him what was wrong?
Dovie watched Toby raise his axe and slam a log. The wood split and he tossed the pieces onto a pile. His lean body was the stuff of dreams and she bit her lip. She wanted to lose herself in his embrace. She wanted him to kiss her and never stop. She wanted to know what it was like to make love with him.
Gripping the edge of the dining table, she lowered her head, trying to tame her emotions. When she finally felt calmer, she raised her head to see Toby talking on his cell phone. He hung up and started toward the house. Immediately, she went back to wiping dust off the table.
She heard the front door open and Toby's boots on the living room floor and then the kitchen floor. She glanced up and waited for him to enter the dining room.
"Hey, Dovie, the place looks great. But I don't think cleaning was part of the plan. Please don't feel like you have to."
"Oh, I don't mind. In fact, I'm enjoying it. This may be my one and only experience of cabin living."
Toby inhaled a long breath and said, "Well, you'll be experiencing it at least overnight. I just got a call from my mom. They couldn't get my father's truck running, so she took him home, and now the old green truck won't start. None of the hands are expected back until dark. And the keys to my truck are in my pocket. She and Dad think it'd be best to pick us up tomorrow."
Dovie's mouth parted. "Ah…ah…" She wanted to scream,
No! I can't spend the night in the same cabin with you!
Toby studied her face. "I guess I could call my brother and get him to drive out here."
"No. He lives in town. I'll be fine." Although her words sounded calm and rational, her heart was anything but.
Toby said, "You can have whichever bedroom you want. I'll go make sure there are sheets on the beds." Something flickered in his eyes before he abruptly turned away.
While Toby was checking the bedrooms, Dovie's imagination went ballistic with images of the two of them in the same bedroom and the same bed. She needed to do something to curb those thoughts—dinner. Rummaging through the well-stocked pantry, she retrieved a couple of cans of chili beans and a sleeve of crackers. Sarah had said that although the cabin was equipped with a fridge, it was only turned on and used when occupants stayed at the cabin.
She spied a can of applesauce and fruit cocktail and turned the fridge on so the fruit could chill. The only thing inside the refrigerator was a bottle of unopened wine.
Toby reentered the kitchen. "I checked out the bedrooms. There are sheets on the beds, but if you want to change yours, there are fresh ones in a cupboard in the bathroom."
Dovie held up a can of beans. "I hope you like chili beans and crackers."
Toby grinned. "What cowboy doesn't? But I think I have something better than crackers."
Dovie couldn't help her smile. "Yeah?"
Toby walked to the pantry and pulled out a box. "Yeah. Cornbread mix. You go pick out your bedroom and I'll start on the cornbread."
Dovie nodded and fled the room. She chose the smallest bedroom and forewent changing the sheets. She remained in the quaint room with its four-poster bed and sat on the wedding ring quilt covering it until she'd fortified herself for the coming night. When she returned to the kitchen, the cornbread was already in the oven and the beans simmering on the stove. Toby had laid place settings on the table and the bottle of wine. There was a wine glass beside each plate. The affect was intimate and romantic. Dovie almost turned and fled the room.
Toby glanced up from stirring the beans. "Did you decide on your room?"
"Yes. The one with the blue and red wedding ring quilt."
"Are you sure? The other room is larger."
"I'm quite sure."
For a moment there was an awkward silence and then Toby said brightly, "The cornbread should be done in fifteen minutes. And it was a good idea for you to chill the canned fruit. I noticed the bottle of wine and thought it would be the perfect accompaniment to beans," he joked.
Dovie asked, "Is there anything you want me to do?"
"Nope. Got it covered."
"Well, I'll just go wash up." For a moment her gaze locked with Toby's and her imagination again went wild.
Dovie held her wine glass out for a refill. The wine had tasted awesome with chili beans and cornbread, and now the chilled applesauce for Toby and the fruit cocktail for her, finished off their feast. Rather than become overly nervous during dinner, Toby's funny stories had relaxed her. She chuckled, "So the legendary Harvey Livingston of Livingston Fashions is one of the most egotistical men alive?"
Toby poured a refill of his own wine and grinned. "According to my father that's a definite yes. Whenever he returns from one of Mr. Livingston's fashion layouts, he swears he'll never work for the man again. But then, something always needs to be fixed around the ranch and they offer him so much money that he gives in."
"Well, your father is a legend and his name is synonymous with high fashion." She giggled and wondered if it was her or the wine. "If I hadn't seen for myself what a cowboy he is, I wouldn't have believed it."