"CeCe Rae," Wade greets in his gruff, settled voice, tugging on my ponytail, always adding in my middle name.
"Sergeant," I retort naturally.
He has a lot on his shoulders—our entire ranch for one, but it hits me so much more now than it ever did before. He looks exactly like my dad and just seeing his face reminds me that my dad is still here.
I let go of Harley and give Wade a big squeeze. He tenses a little as he always does. He's not the touchy-feely type, but I know his heart is somewhere under that tough exterior.
"I'll get your bags; Mama has you set up in Stardust." He mentions one of the five tiny help cabins, each named after Willie Nelson albums on our ranch. Spirit, Stardust, Blue Eyes, Legend and Bluegrass.
"I got you new linens and it's all clean and fresh for you, darlin'. I even stocked it with food."
"Thank you, Mama," I say as she tucks an errant strand of hair behind my ear, keeping her hands at the side of my face to look at me.
Jolene Ashby is still beautiful, and vibrant at fifty-eight and she never takes shit from anyone. She's a true free spirit. I strive to be more like her every day.
"You look like you've been crying, baby."
I make the universal sound for "yeah-huh."
"So, how many times has that good-for-nothing bastard called you?"
I laugh at her assessment of my ex-fiancé, and sit down on the edge of the living room sofa. She looks at me expectantly, hands on her hips, but I don't answer her, I just sigh in response because at this moment I'm not ready to talk about Andrew with everyone.
"Can I just have tonight? I promise I'll fill you in tomorrow, all the details. I just want to breathe in the fresh air, unpack, and hide in my cabin with a book."
Ginger creeps in from the shadows of the kitchen at the back of the house like my stay home plan summoned her.
"Oh, no you won't." Her boots make a quick tapping sound on the floor as she comes into the living room with a glass of Mama Jo's sweet tea. "I already told everyone you're home, we're not missing Sangria Sunday. You can sleep tomorrow, no time for wallowing."
"Who's everyone?" I groan.
She flashes me a gorgeous, perfect smile, her pretty caramel eyes dance with mischief and her deep brown natural curls frame her face. She's always been one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen in real life.
"The girls, of course. It is ladies' night after all." She grabs my wrist. "Now let's get some dinner into you and get ready. You are going to look like the single hottie you are."
I look at my mom for help but she raises her hands like she wants nothing to do with it.
"Beats staying home alone with your vibrator." She giggles.
"Mother!" I yell as she and Ginger double over in laughter.
This goddamn town.
* * *
Two hours later, Mama Jo and Ginger's wardrobe consultation service has put together an outfit I would never, ever wear in public at any other time. But, as they so eloquently put it, "the whole town knows I have a personal stash of sex toys now, so I may as well own it."
There are more clothes spread out than this space can handle. My cabin is small, almost like a little apartment, but this one is my favorite because it has a big picture window over the kitchen sink, that looks out to one of the large horse corals on our property. And in the distance, you can see Sugarland Mountain in all her glory.
Mama has it set up like I've lived here forever—complete with decorative candles, throw pillows, and magazines on the living room coffee table. It only has one bedroom and one bathroom with dark cabin walls, but it's perfect for me to start over in.
Back in the old days on our ranch, we had multiple horse trainers live on site, especially during my dad's derby years. For the last ten years, we've had Wade leading the pack, so two of these cabins usually sit empty now that Cole lives in town with my favorite girl—my seven-year-old niece, Mabel.
