Page 130 of Wilde Ride

“Do you?” I asked, my brows lifting.

“Yep!”

“Okay, then you’re in charge of the stuffing.”

“And the pumpkin pie.”

I laughed. “And the pumpkin pie.”

We rode in comfortable silence for a bit longer before I looked up at the sky. “Mind if we stop a minute?”

“Not at all,” Emeline said as she brought Starlight to a stop.

I slid off of Comet and tossed the reins over his saddle. Emeline did the same. I walked up to her and cupped her face in my hands.

“I love you, Em.”

Her eyes grew wide—then immediately filled with tears. “I love you too.”

Pulling her to me, I looked into those blue eyes. “I kept trying to find the perfect place and time to tell you, and this suddenly felt like it was the right time. Just the two of us, with one spirited horse and one calm as hell.”

She laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck. “You could have told me anywhere, and it would have been special.”

I ran my finger down the side of her beautiful face. “You have no idea how much you’ve healed us. Your love is something I will never take for granted.”

A tear slipped free and slowly made a trail down her cheek.

I leaned in and kissed it before pressing my forehead to hers. “God, this feeling, Emeline.”

Her hands came up to my face. “I know. I feel the same. You were so worth the wait, Levi.”

We drew apart, and thunder rumbled across the meadow. We both laughed.

“We should turn back before this storm moves in.”

“I agree.”

We climbed back onto the horses and turned them around. Starlight kicked at Comet, but he simply sidestepped. I was beginning to think his indifference pissed Starlight off. She snorted, and Comet answered with a snort of his own.

“Guess he’s tired of her shit and is telling her so.”

Emeline laughed, then looked at me with a mischievous grin.

“Oh no. I don’t think I like that look.”

“Let’s see how they do in a trot.”

Before I could reply, she and Starlight were taking off, leaving me and poor Comet in the dust.

Smiling, I said, “Come on, boy. Let’s put her in her place once and for all.”

Emeline

The Sunday dinner of Thanksgiving week was like a prequel, or at least that was what my mother always called it. Instead of turkey, the meal Mom always made was roast with mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, green beans, homemade gravy, and sourdough rolls, and cherry or apple pie for dessert. It was a tradition that my great-grandmother, Lileth, started, and one that my grandmother and mother continued. Joining us was the entire family and a few friends.

“Wow, this is the most food I think I’ve ever seen outside of a holiday meal,” Levi said as he set the basket of rolls on the table.

“It’s the traditional pre-Thanksgiving Sunday dinner,” Ensley said as she placed the carrots on the table. “It’s like a warm-up.”