One Summer At The Ranch. Rebecca Winters

      “I was a child once and had my share of fears to deal with. Peer pressure was a killer. I’m thinking that if he doesn’t like the balloon idea, then we’ll take a longer horseback ride tomorrow and enjoy an overnight campout on the property.” He put his hat back on, ready to leave. For once she wasn’t ready to let him go, but she had to.

      “I can tell you right now he’ll be in ecstasy over that option.”

      “Good. If it turns out to be successful, then he’ll probably be ready to do another one in Teton Park. We’ll take the horses up to String Lake. It’s a great place to swim and hike around.”

      “Sounds heavenly.”

      She had to remember that he was working out the rest of their vacation agenda rather than making a date with her. Yet that’s what it felt like. Her reaction was ridiculous considering she was a mother of twenty-seven instead of some vulnerable nineteen-year-old.

      The only time she’d ever felt like this before was when she’d driven to Cleveland with some of her girlfriends from college. They were having a picnic at Lakefront State Park when a crew of firefighters had pulled up to eat their lunch and toss a football around. The cutest guy in the group started flirting with her. Mr. Personality. He could talk his way in or out of anything. Tony was a mover who told her after one date that he was going to marry her.

      When she thought of Carson, there was no point of comparison because he wasn’t pursuing her. That was why she was a fool trying to make one.

      “All we’ve talked about is Johnny’s pleasure. Since this vacation is for you, too, why don’t you tell me something you’d like to do while you’re here?”

      She laughed gently. “If he’s happy, then that’s what makes me happy, but I have to admit I enjoy riding. I had no idea I’d like it this much. You’re a great teacher.”

      “That’s nice to hear.”

      “It’s true.” After a brief pause because she suddenly felt tongue-tied, she wished him goodnight. He tipped his hat and left.

      Tracy closed the door behind him and locked it. Though he’d walked away as if he was glad the air had been cleared, she was afraid she’d offended him. It was humiliating to realize he’d figured out her lame hang-up about being around a man again before she’d articulated it.

      To make certain she didn’t get the wrong idea about him, Carson had revealed his own surprise at meeting her. Then, in the nicest way possible, he’d let her have it by spelling it out she wasn’t the only one suffering emotional fallout from the war.

      When she finally got into bed, she felt worse than a fool.

      * * *

      WHEN TRACY STEPPED out of the shower, she could hear Johnny talking to someone. Throwing on a robe, she walked into the bedroom just as he put her cell phone on the bedside table.

      “Who was that, honey?”

      “Grandma and Grandpa.”

      “Why didn’t you tell me?”

      “Because you were in the bathroom. They said they’d call back tomorrow morning ’cos they were in a hurry.”

      “How are they?”

      “Fine. They want to see me ride Goldie. I told them Carson’s been teaching me and took us to get my cowboy outfit and cap gun.” He ran over and gave her an exuberant hug. “I’m having the best time of my whole life!”

      “I’m so glad.”

      “When are we going home?”

      Uh-oh. “Next Saturday morning. Why? Are you missing them too much?”

      “No. What’s today?”

      “Monday.” Time was flying.

      She could hear him counting in his head. “So we have five more days?”

      “Yes.”

      “Goody! I don’t want to go home. I can’t leave Goldie.”

      Tracy knew he’d said it in the heat of the moment, and she was happy about it, but the implication for what it might portend for the future stole some of her happiness.

      Though home would be wonderfully familiar to her son after they got back, he would suffer his first attack of culture shock, because nothing in Sandusky or Cleveland compared remotely to Wyoming’s Teton Valley.

      “Mom? Do you like it here?”

      That was one of his trick questions. He needed to find out what she really thought before he expressed exactly what he thought. No doubt her in-laws had asked him the same question.

      She ruffled his hair. “What do you think? I got on a horse, didn’t I?”

      “Yes,” he answered in a quiet tone.

      Something else was definitely on his mind, but she didn’t know if he was ready to broach it yet, so she asked him a question. “How would you like to go up in a hot-air balloon today and see the whole area?”

      Tracy had to wait a long time for the answer she knew was coming. “Do you?” That lackluster question told her everything.

      “I don’t know. There are so many things to do here, it’s hard to pick. We could fish or swim, or go on a hike.”

      No response.

      “Maybe we ought to have a break and drive into town to do some sightseeing. I’ll buy you some more caps.”

      “I don’t want to do that,” he muttered.

      “Or...we could go horseback riding. I like it.”

      He shot up in her bed. His dark brown eyes had ignited. “I love it.”

      His reaction was no surprise, but the intensity of it had come from some part deep inside of him. “Then it’s settled. Hurry and have your bath. After we’re dressed we’ll have breakfast and walk over to the corral.”

      Johnny pressed a big kiss right on her mouth. That told her everything she needed to know before he scrambled out of her bed to the bathroom. When he was out of earshot, she called the front desk and was quickly put through to Carson.

      “Good morning, Tracy.” His voice sounded an octave lower, sending vibrations through her. Maybe it was due to his coughing, or maybe he sounded like that when he first awakened. “What’s the verdict for today?”

      She smiled. “Surely you don’t need to ask.”

      “Well that answer suits me just fine, since there’s nothing I’d rather do than be on the back of a horse. I’ll tell Buck to go on without you. After you’ve eaten breakfast, I’ll come by the cabin. You’ll need saddlebags to pack your things to stay overnight and go swimming.”

      “Swimming?”

      “Yes. We’ll be camping next to a small lake on the property. If Johnny has a camera, tell him to bring it. He’ll have a field day taking pictures of the wildlife I was talking to you about.”

      An unbidden thrill of excitement ran through her. “We’ll hurry.”

      * * *

      FORTY-FIVE MINUTES later Carson swung by the cabin in the Jeep, having sent some of the hands to the lake to make preparations for everyone. Johnny was outside shooting off caps.

      “Carson!” Like a heat-seeking missile, Tracy’s boy came running in his cowboy hat. “Mom said we’re going on a campout!” He clasped him around the waist, hugging him with such surprising strength, his hat fell off. Johnny had never been this demonstrative before.

      Without hesitation, Carson hugged him back. “We sure are, partner,” he answered in an unsteady voice, loving the feel of those young arms clinging to him. Nothing had ever felt so good.

      As