by Sable Hunter
“Love works in mysterious ways.” She was a firm believer in soul mates. After all, she’d found hers when she least expected it.
After Bull left, the real work began. Luke found his second wind and their nap went out the window. Nothing seemed to entertain the little boy for very long. They played GI Joe, hide and seek, watched a movie about an alien cat, and built a fort with Legos. She even mixed up some homemade playdoh and helped him shape clay animals. Soon, even all of that wasn’t enough. Isabella did her best to keep Luke busy, but quickly learned that the three-year old had a mind of his own.
“Bulls! Daddy said I could see de bulls.”
Isabella was unsure. He had mentioned it, but she didn’t want to take any risks. “How about we go see the horses instead? Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
“Yay! Horseys!”
Taking Luke by the hand, they set off. As they walked, the little boy chattered, asking question after question.
“What’s that?”
“A bird, I think it’s a hawk.”
“Look at that bug, Bella.” They stopped and admired the bug.
“If I’s not supposed to get dirty, why is der dirt on de ground?”
This one stumped Isabella for a bit. “Well, we need dirt to grow food.”
“Oh.” He kicked a rock with his tennis shoe. “I wish I had some cowboy boots like Daddy.”
“You do?” She smiled, knowing a secret. “Well, hold on.” Isabella felt in the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a penny. “Take this and we’ll throw it in the well by the barn and make a wish.”
Luke accepted the penny and raced toward the barn at full tilt, swaying and nearly falling several times. Isabella was right behind him, laughing as he giggled and squealed. When they came to the old stone well, she picked him up and let him drop the penny through the hole and into the water below. “There, we’ll wait and see if your wish comes true.” She gave him a big kiss.
“Now, the horseys!”
“Yes, boss.” Taking his hand, they entered the barn and paraded down the aisle. She swung him up in her arms so he could see each horse and stop to say hello.
“Oh, look at this one, Luke. She looks like my horse, Bonita. Are you gentle, pretty girl?”
An answering whinny gave her a pretty good idea. She sat Luke on a hay bale. “You stay right there while I saddle this horse, then you can take a ride.”
When she was finished, Isabella lifted the little tyke into the saddle. Luke was a ball of energy and she was glad the little boy relaxed when she placed him on the mare’s back. “Giddy up!”
“You are a cutie!” She headed out into the pasture, leading the mare by the reins, keeping a close eye on Luke. “Hold on tight!” she directed him. “You look just like your daddy on that horse.”
Across the way, Bull watched in the rearview mirror as he backed the truck up to align the gate of the stock trailer with the gate to the holding pen. Several of his men jumped out of their trucks to help. It had taken almost everyone to round up the wandering livestock. The wrecked rig was a total loss, but he hadn’t lost any animals. For that, he was thankful.
As he stepped down from the cab, his eye was drawn to a horse loose in the open pasture, prancing around. “Hell. Bonnie’s just wandering out there by herself!” Chasing after another stray was the last thing he wanted to do. Slapping his Stetson against his knee, he started in her direction. As he drew closer, he could see someone was leading the mare. “What the…?” Picking up his pace, he winced. His ankle was sore. What did he expect? He’d kicked the remnants of the tire that had blown on the trailer causing the truck to veer off the road and into a ditch. The whole shebang had rolled over on it’s side, skinning up a couple of the broncs. Nothing too serious, thank goodness.
“Well I’ll be.” Bull stopped in his tracks and shaded his eyes from the harsh glare of the sun. Smiling, he could see Luke sitting high in the saddle and Isabella walking beside him, one hand on the reins and the other on his little boy’s back, supporting him.
“Now, that’s a sight for sore eyes.” He couldn’t help it, he’d fallen hard for Isabella. To see the woman in his life nurturing his child made his heart glad. Luke was in his life to stay and any woman who wanted to be with Bull would have to love Luke as well.
Shaking his head, he remembered how Isabella stood up to Carol. She’d put the older woman in her place with ruthless precision. He couldn’t blame his ex for thinking she was young, he’d made the same mistake the first time he’d seen her at Terra Dura. After spending any time with her at all, no one could deny that she was smart, loyal, and breathtakingly beautiful. Isabella was the total package. Now, she was proving to be capable and caring with his son and Bull was falling deeper in love with her every day.
“Look! It’s Daddy!”
Luke spotted Bull before Isabella did.
“How’s my two favorite people?” Bull asked, falling into step with Bonnie.
Isabella studied his face, he didn’t look upset. “Would you like to take over?” She held the horse’s reins out to him.
“No, go ahead. You’re doing a great job.”
His praise brought a smile to Isabella’s lips. “Luke put a penny in the well to make a wish.”
“Oh, he did?” Bull gave her a questioning look. “What did you wish for, buddy?”
He kicked one leg straight out. “Boots!”
“Ah, boots.” He winked at Isabella. “Well, we’ll have to wait and see if your wish comes true.”
Bull stepped back and watched the horse make a couple more circuits with his little boy on its back. Isabella’s hair shimmered in the sun, bouncing back and forth as she walked. This was one of the few times he’s seen it up in a ponytail and he had to admit, he liked the possibilities.
“Why don’t you climb up there with him?” Bull suggested after he’d watched them for a bit. “What do you say, buddy? Would you like Isabella to take you for a real ride?”
Luke nodded his head enthusiastically. “Yay! Bella!” The youngster reached his hand out to her imploringly.
“Looks like you’ve got a nickname,” Bull announced with a big smile. “Can’t say no to that now, can you?”
“Yes, I think Bella is less of a mouthful. I’ll answer to most anything Mr. Luke wants to call me.” Accepting Luke’s hand, she put one foot into the stirrup and eased up on the saddle behind him, grateful for Bull’s guiding hand on her hip. “Easy, cowboy,” she teased when he grabbed a handful of booty. “There are children present.”
Bull gave her a long, hard look. An indication of what was to come later? Isabella hoped so. “Okay, I’ve ridden horses all my life, but never with an extra passenger. Any special instructions, Mr. Redford?”
“Nothing to it. Keep one hand on the reins, one hand on the boy, and try to keep it under a hundred.”
Isabella locked an arm around little Luke as tightly as she could.
“Don’t be nervous, La Diosa.” He squeezed her arm. “You look good up there with him.”
Isabella felt elated at his praise. “Maybe we’ll have to make this a regular thing. What do you say, Luke?”
“Yay!” He was all for it.
Bull grinned at Luke’s agreement. He also liked the idea, very much. “Go on, you two. Get out of here. I’ll go start dinner.” He gave the horse a light smack on the rump and headed toward the house. A few minutes later, when he climbed up on the porch, Bull glanced out to check their progress. “You drive like a grandma!”
“I’m being careful!” Isabella yelled back.
“Don’t worry. He likes speed. Ain’t that right, Luke?”
Luke raised a triumphant fist in the air. “Faster!”
Isabella gave him one final glance over her shoulder seeking approval.
“You heard the man. Faster!” Bull answered with a smile.
Isabella squeezed the horse with her knees. “Okay. Let’s go.” She flicked the reins and the mare’s walk became a trot. Luke cheered again.
“Faster?” she asked.
“Yes! Faster! Faster, Bella!”
She squeezed Bonnie again and the trot became a gallop. Isabella’s confidence grew with their speed. The horse knew the lay of the land, so they rode out in the field as far as a pile of scrub brush before heading back toward the barn. Luke cheered the entire time and Isabella found herself dreaming impossible dreams.
Once the ride was over, Luke flew into the kitchen, so excited he couldn’t stand it. “Daddy, Daddy! Bella took me on the horse and we went really fast.” He made a gesture with his hand. “Zoooooooom.”
Bull bent to pick up his son. “No way, buddy. How fast did Bella and Bonnie go?”
“Really, really fast.”
Isabella watched from the archway. Bull was such a big man, but he could be so soft and tender, something she’d learned firsthand in his bed. “I’m going to run upstairs and freshen up.”
Bull gave her an acknowledging smile.
When she rejoined them, there was the heavenly smell of melting cheese in the air. Father and son were standing at the stove, looking in through the glass. “About ten more minutes,” Bull told his little guy. “We should start making the salad.”
Isabella took a seat at the kitchen table. “What are we having?”
“Mac and cheese!” Luke yelled, running to her for a big hug.
“Yea, mac and cheese to go with the fried chicken you made.” Bull watched the tender moment. “You look nice.”
Isabella tickled Luke. The little boy’s laugh was so infectious that she couldn’t help herself. “Thank you. I wanted to look good for my men.”
He gave her a wink, then beckoned to Luke. “Come on back over here and give me a hand with this salad, you little varmint.”
“I want Bella to make it with me,” Luke replied.
“I think Daddy wants to make it with you.”
“No, that’s okay,” Bull told her, bringing things over to the table.
Isabella looked up at his face. “Are you sure?”
Bull kissed his boy on the top of his head. “I’m sure.” Next, he kissed Isabella on the head. After checking the contents of the oven, he leaned on the island and just watched Isabella and Luke. The boy sat on her lap at the table while they tore salad greens and added other vegetables. This felt like the absolute definition of domestic bliss to Bull. Luke had taken to the woman he loved right away. Any fears he’d had about her fitting into his life melted like the cheese in the oven.
After supper, Bull retrieved the ‘wished for’ surprise from the closet. “I’ve got something for you, Luke,” Bull whispered into his son’s ear, after hoisting him into the air, spinning him over his head, and bringing him back down, tucked near his face.
“Daddy!” Luke’s squeal joined the reddening of his face, as if the joy of being lifted and held by his dad was just too much for his little body. He couldn’t even process yet that he had something else special coming. The hug was enough.
Bull carried him into his bedroom and Isabella followed. Seeing Bull with his son like this made her want to be still, to soak it in. There was so much tangible love in the air she could feel it.
On the bed was a big box, wrapped in bright blue paper. Bull dropped Luke on the bed so he could crawl around and examine his gift.
“Daddy!” he squealed again, and wriggled over to the box. He stood next to it, and put his hands down on it, claiming it. He had to look up and be sure. “This is for meeeeeee?” The e in me stretched deep and long for such a little boy.
“Yessir, it is. Why don’t you open it up?”
Luke’s eyes grew huge and he started tearing into the paper, tossing little specks of blue into the air.
Isabella leaned against Bull’s shoulder to watch, a happy smile on her face. Luke ripped and he ripped and he ripped, eventually falling exhausted by the side of the box. There wasn’t any paper left, just a big thick cardboard box that said Luchesse. A lot of adults wouldn’t know what to do with that word, and Luke was just as impassibly stumped by it as anyone. “What is it?”
“Let me help you, Son.” Bull pulled the flaps out of the sides so the top could pop open. He placed Luke’s fingers under the lid so he could do it himself. Luke wasted no time throwing it open.
“Wow!” Luke gasped. In the box lay a small pair of fine leather boots, brown with silver threads weaving a pattern on the side, just like Bull’s. There was also a small leather belt with Luke embossed along the back, just like Bull’s.
“Oh, my goodness!” Isabella helped him take the items out to inspect them. “Look, I think there’s more.”
The little boy dug deeper and found a belt buckle and a cowboy hat. Luke picked up the hat, looked up at his dad, who was wearing the exact same hat. He breathed in, and a little tear came to his eye. “Daddy…” he whispered this time.
Bull swung over and picked him up. He spun him again and put the hat on his head. “What’s wrong, pal? Don’t you like it?”
Luke touched the brim of his own hat, and then touched the brim of his dad’s. “I’m like Daddy now?”
Bull smiled. “Yes, Son. Just like your daddy.”
Luke erupted into giggles and squeals, pawing down toward the bed to claim the rest of his goodies.
Sitting Luke down, Bull pulled off his tennis shoes and slid the boots on, pulling his little toddler jeans down over them like they should be. He hooked the buckle onto his son’s belt and laced it though the loops of his pants. Then, he stood him up.
A little off-balance, Luke stumbled forward, kicking with each step, but caught on quickly and stomped around the room.
“How does he look?” Bull asked Isabella.
“Unbelievably handsome. Just like his daddy.” She winked at him and he winked back.
“Let’s go break your boots in, boy!” Bull grabbed Luke’s hand and they left the house together.
After a short walk through the woods, Bull carried Luke back into the house. The little boy was practically panting from all the excitement. Leaning over to Isabella as they strolled by her on their way in, Bull whispered, “I think he likes his presents.”
She answered him with a smile. “I think you’re right. Did you two work up an appetite for a snack?”
“We sure did.” Bull sat Luke down at the dining table and went to the fridge, pulling out one of his most prized possessions.
His bag of Oreos.
After grabbing a roll of paper towels, glasses, and some milk, Bull joined his son at the table. Isabella helped, taking the milk and filling two of the glasses. She was in awe. “Are you really going to share your Oreos with somebody else?”
“Well…” Bull said as he carefully removed the sticky note attached to the top of the bag that read, in big, bold letters, don’t touch my fucking cookies! “Yea, I guess, but only with someone who is worthy. Someone who rode a horse for the first time today.” He started to pull out some cookies, and then thought of something to add. “And only if they eat a number of Oreos that is divisible by three.”
“Of course, that makes total sense.” Isabella crept forward, and considered reaching for exactly three cookies, but decided against it. Better leave this sacred ritual to the men in the family.
“Do you know how to eat these, Luke?”
“Yeah!” Luke picked the cookie up and started bringing it recklessly to his mouth.
“Oh, no, Son!” Bull stopped him before he could bite it, and felt a tremulous little whisper come from his son’s mouth. “Oreos are special, Luke. They need to be eaten in a special way.”
He sat Luke’s cookie down, and picked up one of his own. “Watch this.” He exaggerated his movements and repeated them slowly, so Luke could absorb them. “We twist the cookie open, like this.” He opened the Oreo slowly, separating the two chocolate halves. One side was covered densely with cream, the other completely bare.
It never looks that pretty when I try, Isabella complained to herself.
“Then you dunk the side without cr
eam into the milk.” He put the cookie down in the cold white glass. “Don’t pull it out quickly. You leave it for just a second. That way, the cookie soaks up the milk and…” Bull’s eyes got big, like he was imparting extremely secret and important information, “tiny little pieces of the cookie fall off in the milk, which will slowly turn it into chocolate milk.” The emphasis was heavy and deliberate, and Luke’s eyes grew wide at the news. This was truly magical wisdom. “Then you eat that part.” And Bull popped the milk-sopped cookie into his mouth. “Lahk dis.”
Luke giggled.
“You try,” Bull said through chews.
Luke twisted his cookie and off it popped. This talent must run in the family, Isabella thought, closely observing as they ate their bedtime snack. Who knew Oreos could be such a religious experience?
When they finished, and had drank all their newly chocli-fied milk, Bull stood up next to Isabella and they watched as his head bobbed up and down at the table. Sleep was only moments away.
“He had a big day, your boy,” Isabella told Bull.
“Yes, he did.” Bull picked the small child up to carry him to bed. “He’s my little cowboy.”
…The next day, their visit came to an end. “You are gonna be coming back more often to see me.” Bull squeezed his son tightly to him. “Understand?”
Luke hugged back as hard as he could. “Yes, Daddy.”
Carol didn’t come to the door, she’d called from her car in the driveway and Bull had taken the boy outside after he and Isabella said their goodbyes.
From inside the cabin, Isabella watched from the window. Carol would be a nightmare to deal with in the future, she was sure. If Isabella were fortunate enough to have a future with Benedict, she could be civil to his ex. Luke was worth the hassle. She was just grateful the man she loved was able to spend time with his son.
When Bull returned, he found her reclining on the couch, watching an old rerun of Bonanza. “You and those cowboy shows. How can I compete with Little Joe Cartwright?”
“You could try.” She gave him a challenging grin. “I think you’re much better looking.”
Placing the tip of his index finger to her chin, he lifted her face, then lowered his head to brush a soft kiss to her mouth. “Let’s go upstairs. This was a good day and I want to celebrate with you.” Isabella held up her arms in acceptance and Bull scooped her up, carrying her up the steps to his room.