Page 49 of Falling Together

It doesn’t look like my words appease him, but he takes it. My guess is he’s still reeling from how the conversation with Luke went down earlier.

“I’m sorry tonight didn’t go better,” he says. “I really thought he’d handle it better.”

I bump his shoulder with mine. “Give it time. I think he’ll come around.”

“And if not?”

I smile at him. “If not, there’s always horses.”

Chapter Fifteen

GRANT

“Have you ever been riding before, Dad?” Luke asks.

He tears off a bite of the jerky he’s eating.

“Not once in my life have I ever ridden a horse.” I laugh, turning down the main road the ranch is on. We pass under a sign reading The Lost Spur.

It’s a lot different from the last time we were here. Everything was covered in snow. Now it’s the perfect summer day.

“You haven’t?” he asks, looking over at me, finishing his snack.

I got an apology the morning after Georgia came over. He was up early and made breakfast before I got my run in. It was as simple as “I made eggs, sorry, Dad” and that was it. The fact that I even got an apology is more than I’ve gotten in the past, so I didn’t push it.

“I don’t know if you know this about your old man, but there’s not many places to ride in LA.”

“Might’ve interfered with baseball,” he says.

“That’s all I wanted to do at your age.” I follow the signs that point toward the barn as I drive down a dirt path, lined with pine trees. “Have you thought any more about joining a team here?”

“I don’t think so. It’s not really my thing.”

“That’s fine, but you might need to do something so you’re not in your room all the time.”

“Daaaad,” he groans.

“Fine, fine. Just think about it.”

“I’m not in my room right now.”

I roll my eyes because it’s the exact kind of thing I would have said at his age.

The main barn comes into view. I can see why Georgia loves it out here. The barn’s main doors are thrown wide open with people coming and going. With the sprawling grassy fields and blue skies, it’s like this is pulled straight from a postcard.

Pulling the truck to a stop, I hop out and Luke follows a few steps behind me. Horses are out in the fenced-in pasture, and the woman who I’ve had a hard time not thinking about is standing next to a horse with a gleaming tan coat.

I couldn’t care less about the horse. Not when Georgia is looking sexy as hell right now. The jeans she’s wearing show off her curvy hips. A cowboy hat rests on her head, and she’s wearing those boots. Those damn cowboy boots I’ve had far too many dreams about. I wouldn’t mind seeing her in that and only that.

I push those thoughts to the back of my head as she waves us over. A smile splits her face. It doesn’t help the little problem I have. I need to keep my feelings for her under control. Between Luke, the baby, the move, and a new job, it’s not like I don’t have enough to focus on. I don’t need to be falling for my baby’s mother. Jesus, even saying that still sounds foreign to my ears.

“Hey, guys.”

“Hey, Georgia,” Luke says.

“Hi.” I smile over at her.

“Are you excited for today?” she asks Luke.