Page 21 of Sudden Summer

I smiled, my fingers pressing into the tight muscles around his neck again. “Sure thing, Cowboy. Whatever you say.”

Beau

Two days with a baby, and I was already back out on ranch duties. I mean, I was only going to be out on the ranch this morning. We had scheduled Juniper’s first doctor’s appointment which would be a few hours from now. Birdie had just one more day with us before she had to head back into work, so I knew she was happy to be soaking up the time with Juniper.

We spent the day yesterday lost in a sea of moving boxes and sweeping out dust from the room I basically used as a catch all for the better part of the last ten years. Juniper now had an actual room of her own with furniture that needed to be assembled and walls that still needed to be painted, but it was her space; filled with her clothes, toys that we picked out just for her, and the best baby monitor money could buy. It came with this fancy app, so I could click in on my phone and see what was going on if she was in her room while I was out on the ranch. I’d set it up and left it in my bedroom, where her bassinet was sitting now, hoping that on a break I might catch a glimpse of my girls together.

I was fucking sweating up a storm, having just gotten my ass back to the main barn where our office was. We had a couple of heifers who separated themselves from the herd, so after Kip and I reunited them, we joined Denver and Travis who were trying to clean out one of the main watering spots in the west pasture. It was fucking brutal work under a clear sky, and hell, it wasn’t even summer yet.

I pulled my ranch shirt off over my head, using it to mop the sweat off my face and head before I put my hat back on. Then out came my phone. A few clicks later, I could see Birdie and Juniper together in my room. Birdie was sitting in one of the rocking chairs I originally had on the back porch. She must have brought that in herself after I went out to work.

My head shook back and forth as I chuckled, turning up the volume. Birdie’s voice came through crystal clear.

“What do you think, berry girl? Are you ready for a nap? I was thinking about this little song I used to sing to my sister whenever she was missing our mom. Now, our mom wasn’t in heaven. No. She was probably driving around Las Vegas with some guy named Stu, or Mark, or Jeffrey. She wasn’t a good mom. But I tried to be for Lainey. Sometimes, right before bed when I tucked her in, she would start to spiral about the day I’d leave her behind, too. And I would tell her nothing, not even death, would keep me from watching over her. That’s the same for you, Juniper. I know I’ll always be here for you, and I have a feeling your mom will, too. Would you like to hear it? Oh, that was such a big yawn. Alright, gumdrop. Here it goes.”

I felt like I was watching a moment between them that wasn’t meant to be witnessed by anyone. Birdie had me choking on my emotions before the first note of her song even hit the air.

“My sweet baby, do not worry. For I’m not gone from here. I’ll be waiting at the springs until your time is near. You’ll step into the water and I will join you, too, and in the springs we’ll find the truth, that where life once ended, it begins again, anew.”

My throat ached at the raw emotion in her voice. I watched as she rocked Juniper back and forth, lovingly running her hand over the top of my daughter’s head. After a moment, when Juniper’s body relaxed in her arms, Birdie stood up and placed her into her bassinet.

I thought that was it, but as I got ready to put down my phone, I heard Birdie’s voice come through again, no louder than a whisper.

“I love you, Juniper. With my whole heart. It was instant, I hope you always know that. Just like with your daddy. He has my whole heart, sweet girl. I know you miss your mama. I know this has been so strange and probably scary, too. But you are doing such a good job. We’ll keep her memory alive for you, always. You can always talk to me about her. Or your dad. We’ll always tell you the truth. This family—your family—loves you so, so much. And even though I might never be a Ford, I’ll always love and protect you like I am.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Birdie’s words gutted me, in the most bittersweet way. I watched as the screen blurred, and I tried to blink the tears from my vision.

“Hey, sorry. I don’t mean to interrupt, but are you Beau Ford?” I wiped my eyes with my arm after slipping my phone back into my pocket and pulling my work gloves off my hands.

“Sorry,” I cleared my throat, “nothing like being a rancher with a hay allergy. But yeah, that’s me. What can I help you with?”

“My name’s Emmett Cassidy. Heard through the grapevine you might be looking for a ranch hand out here.”

“The grapevine?” I extended my hand to meet his. Clean shaven, dressed like he just came from church. Not the outward signs of a man used to the hard work done on a ranch, but he had a firm handshake.

The guy chuckled. “I live in Lark Lake. Don’t get out this way very much, but I was passing through town and stopped at Dolly’s.”

Ma was at the diner today and had clearly worked her magic with finding someone to come help out at the ranch. “Ah, so you met my mom.”

“I did.” He reached up and pulled his hat off his head, fiddling with the edges as he looked back at me. “I got lots of experience. Grew up on a ranch like this in Kansas, and traveled doing a couple rodeo circuits. Got a girl and a kid now I just want to be able to take care of.”

I nodded. “What’s your availability?”

“I could start today if you needed. Or I can come back tomorrow.”

Eager to work. I could use someone like that. “You looking to stay on the ranch? Or you wanting to drive out to Lark Lake every day?”

Emmett’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

“I only ask because we’ve got room in the bunkhouse. As long as you clear the background check, you’re welcome to bunk here with the other ranch hands—Kip, Travis, and Denver. They’re our full time guys, but sometimes Will and Archer stay out in the bunkhouse during the week if we need to start early or know we’re going to have a late night of work.”

“Gotcha. A place in the bunkhouse during the week would be great. I’ll probably try to head home once or twice a week to see the missus, but cutting out an hour drive from here to there would be nice.”

“Alright. Well, if you can get my mama to offer you a place out here, I can’t go against that. I got some paperwork you’ll have to fill out. Why don’t you come with me to the office and we’ll get that taken care of, then I’ll show you the ranch. You can start tomorrow. Six a.m. sharp.”

He smiled, holding out his hand. “Sure thing. Thanks.”