Once Chase had set up the pen, he kissed her goodbye and drove away.
Hope spent some time getting to know the piglets, then went inside.
As she tried to fall asleep that night, she thought about the history of the ranch and how much she might enjoy recreating a similar environment.
Over the next few weeks, every chance she got, Hope invited Chase over. Most of the time she didn’t even need to invite him, because he was already there checking up on the pigs, doing small repairs, or even helping her with the yard maintenance. She expected to tire of his near-constant presence, but she didn’t.
Every time she thought that maybe they’d reached that place of safety—that she could begin to relax and consider him as a potential partner in life—Chase seemed to sense it and pull back. She never questioned why. She knew that it had to do with Karen and with his own fears.
At first she was patient, but as time went on, she became more and more frustrated. Waiting for those three little words became even harder when, after months, he still hadn’t said them.
Still, she was willing to wait. She knew how she felt about him by then and he was worth the wait to her. Despite his avoidance of that one special phrase, he showed her how much he cared in both his generous offers of help and the way he treated her.
Toby grew stronger and stronger every week. He’d reached a point where Hope could just let him loose in the paddock with minimal supervision. But he still only allowed her to approach him. If anyone else came close, the horse bucked and bolted away.
As time went on, she thought more and more about her future with Chase. For someone who once didn’t have a future to think about, her focus on it was a little unusual. She couldn’t resist imagining the two of them living together, going on trips together, and—though she’d never admit it to anyone else—what their wedding would be like.
It was silly to let herself fantasize. She knew that, but she couldn’t resist it. After going for so long without desiring marriage, and then facing the realization that she might never have it, she had to admit to herself that she did want to marry Chase. As early as it was in their relationship, she couldn’t imagine herself with anyone else. But she wouldn’t rush him into anything that he wasn’t ready for.
She only wanted to marry him if he truly wanted to marry her, and she was aware that the time might never come for him. If it didn’t, she’d have to find a way to accept their relationship for what it was and move on from there.
One evening, as they sat beside a fire near the stable, Chase bumped his shoulder against hers and smiled when she turned to look at him.
“This is one of those perfect moments, isn’t it?”
“I think so.” She slipped her hand into his.
“I know so.” He patted the back of her hand and looked into her eyes. “I really enjoy the time we’ve been spending together. In fact, the more time I spend out here, the more this idea in the back of my mind grows stronger.”
“Idea?” She rested her head against his shoulder and looked up at him. “What idea is that?”
“I’ve been hesitant to say it, because I don’t want you to feel like I’m pressuring you. If you don’t like the idea, I understand. I really do.”
“What is it, Chase?” Her eyes widened as possibilities filled her mind.
“Remember that photograph you showed me of Marianna?”
“Yes. Why?”
“It made me think about what this place was like in the past and your skill with animals. It seems like you have the same talent that she did.”
“I don’t know about that, but I have found that I really enjoy spending time with the animals and helping them.”
“I’ve noticed. That’s when this idea of mine really started to grow.”
“So tell me already.” She laughed. “I can’t stand the suspense.”
“Okay. Remember, it’s just an idea. When I could turn to you for a home for the piglets, it was such a relief. And seeing your eyes light up when you saw them showed me just how much you enjoyed it.”
“I did. I still do.”
“So why not just recreate history? We can create a shelter here for animals that we can’t find other foster placements for. I mean, if you wanted to. I would provide all the medical care for the animals and of course as much assistance as I can with the care.”
Her eyes widened as she nodded. “That’s a fantastic idea. I can’t think of a better thing to do with all this space. As long as you can give me plenty of guidance, I think that we can make it work.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. Why not? I have the space. There are animals in need and I can help.”
“Then let’s do it! I’ll find out what steps we need to take and we can get the ball rolling.”
“Great.” She smiled and kissed his cheek. “You’re such a good influence on me.”
“I plan to keep it that way.”
She snuggled close to him as the fire crackled. Maybe there was more of a future for both of them than she thought possible.
Chapter 28
The more time that Chase spent with Hope, the more he knew he wanted to spend even more time with her. He was thrilled when she agreed to the idea for the shelter. He was happy for the animals that would benefit, but he was even more thrilled that it would mean that his and Hope’s lives would likely be intertwined on a daily basis. This meant that they would always have an excuse to see one another, and that mattered to him.
As he set about investigating how to get the ranch licensed as a shelter, he also thought about how they would work together. So far, they’d complimented each other well. When he was cautious, Hope was bold. When she was nervous, he often felt confident. Would it continue to be that way or would too much time together put a strain on their relationship?
As he started going through the process of getting things set up, he thought less and less about Karen. In fact, when things reminded him of her, he was more annoyed than anything else.
One day he decided to surprise Hope with an outing—something to take their minds off paperwork and construction. He planned out the entire thing, then showed up at the ranch at a time that he knew she’d be taking a break for lunch.
When he knocked on the door, his heart fluttered. Would she be happy? Would she be mad that he didn’t tell her about it before he made plans? She didn’t answer. He knocked again. Again, there was no response. Where was she?
Then he heard a loud neigh from behind the house. He walked around the side of it and stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened at the sight of Hope perched on top of Toby as the horse galloped around the paddock. Her hair flew in the wind as she threw her head back and laughed. He’d never seen her look more alive. But her beauty couldn’t distract him from the reality of what she was doing.
He dropped the flowers in his hand and rushed toward the paddock.
“Hope! Get off!” He launched himself over the fence and landed inside the paddock just as Hope looked in his direction.
“Chase? What’s wrong?”
“Get off the horse!” Chase stared at her as terror flooded through him.
Hope pulled back on the reins and the horse slowed. She eased herself off his back and looked over at Chase.
“What’s wrong? I thought he was strong enough. Did I do something wrong?”
Chase grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her away from Toby. His heart pounded so fast that he couldn’t think of words to speak. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. With his lips pressed beside her ear he spoke as calmly as his fear would allow him to.
“Never ride an abused or neglected horse without proper supervision. What if he threw you?”
“He didn’t. He was very calm.” She pulled away enough to look into his eyes. “Chase, you’re trembling. Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay.” He shook his head. “Anything could have happened. Why wouldn’t you ask me to help you? Why wouldn’t you wait until I was here with yo
u to try something like this?”
“I’m sorry, it just felt right. Toby walked up to me, and he nuzzled my cheek and just stood there, like he was waiting for me to climb on.”
“He wasn’t even saddled. You had no way of knowing how he would react when you climbed on.”
“I trusted him.” She smiled. “And he was just fine. Didn’t you see?”
“Oh yes, I saw.” He stared hard into her eyes. “Don’t do that again. Yes, I saw that everything seemed fine, but in a split second that could have changed. A horse as powerful as that and as small as you are—and you’re not even wearing a helmet. I don’t even want to think about what could have happened.”
“Chase.” She caressed his cheek. “I’m okay. See? Not a scratch on me.”
“I know you are. I’m so glad you are.” He kissed her and held her close.
Toby trotted over to them and stopped.
“You took good care of her, didn’t you Toby?” Chase reached out and stroked his nose.
“I’m sorry if I scared you. I didn’t know you were coming over.”
“It’s okay. I just don’t ever want to see you get hurt. I was hoping to surprise you.”
“Well, you did.” She grinned. “Let’s go inside. I have something I can make us for lunch. Let me just get Toby settled.”
Chase watched as she led the horse with confidence. It was much different than the first time she’d met Toby. In the few months that Chase had known her, Hope had been transformed before his very eyes. She arrived at the ranch uncertain and lost, but now it was clearly part of her.
When she returned from the stable, she noticed the flowers on the ground.
“Were those for me?” She reached down and picked them up.
“I’m sorry. I’ll get you new ones. When I saw you, all I thought about was getting to you.”
“I had no idea that it would scare you so much.”
“It should scare you too. Anything could have happened.”
“But it didn’t. Did it?” She shook the soil free from the flowers and smiled at him. “Sometimes you have to take chances in life, Chase.”
“And sometimes, you can call your boyfriend to supervise and make sure that you don’t get hurt.”
“Boyfriend, hm?” She smiled.
“Well—I just thought—I mean we have been seeing one another for some time now.”
“Oh I don’t mind. I like the idea.” She gave his hand a light squeeze. “How about some lunch?”
“Actually, I came over to surprise you. There’s somewhere I want to take you.”
“Okay. Should I change?”
“No, that’s fine. Don’t worry about lunch. I packed us one.”
“Wow, I could get used to this.”
He looked into her eyes and smiled. “You should.”
Chapter 29
Hope’s heart warmed in response to his words. When she felt Chase tremble out of fear for her, something shifted within her. She was certain that he would do anything in his power to protect her. That meant a lot to her. Then he called himself her boyfriend and told her to get used to him making lunch for her. Her heart fluttered with the possibility that he was getting closer to letting go of his past.
“Just let me put these in water.”
“I can get you new flowers. These are a little bruised.”
“No, I want these.” She smiled at him. “Bruises just add to the beauty. I’ll be right back.”
She hurried inside and put the flowers in a vase. It had been getting a lot of use, because every few weeks Chase would show up with a new bouquet for her. She had gotten used to the way he treated her and certainly didn’t want it to end any time soon.
When she met him at the door again, he held it open for her. She locked up and they headed to his car. As they started to drive she looked over at him.
“So where are we going?”
“Like I said, it’s a surprise.” He leaned close and kissed her cheek, then focused on his driving. “It’ll take a little while to get there. I thought we could talk about the shelter.”
“Sure.” She nodded.
She bit into her bottom lip and wondered if this was the right time to bring up some of her concerns. Her stomach ached at the thought. Chase was so excited about the idea, and she wanted to be just as excited, but she wasn’t so sure. She didn’t want to put a damper on their trip with that conversation, so she did her best to be supportive as he talked about the fees and requirements for certain structures that they needed to build.
“We could even house cows, and of course more horses.”
“Wonderful.” Hope looked out through the side window and wondered what she’d gotten herself into. Didn’t Chase realize that she might not be capable of handling all those animals? Was he expecting too much of her?
“Hope?” He glanced over at her. “Ah, this isn’t exactly romantic conversation, is it?”
“Not exactly.” She smiled. “Can you tell me anything about where you’re taking me?”
“It’s one of my favorite spots. Not too many people know about it. I would sneak out in the middle of the night just to see the sunrise.”
“Sounds lovely.”
“I can’t wait to share it with you.” He squeezed her hand.
That subtle squeeze reminded her that he was on her side. When she was ready to tell him her concerns, maybe he would understand.
Chase pulled off to the side of the road and parked the car.
“Are we out of gas?” Hope glanced at the gauge.
“No, this is it.” He grinned as he opened his door and popped the trunk.
Hope stared at the thick foliage beside them. “This is it?”
“Don’t worry. Like I said, not many people know about it.” He grabbed a picnic basket from the trunk. He walked toward some of the thickest brush and pulled back a branch tangled in the midst of it. It was as if he’d opened a door to a clear trail behind it.
“Wow, I never would have guessed that was there.”
“Isn’t it great?” He waited for her to walk through then followed after her. “It’s a little getaway, I guess.”
“It sure is.” She gazed at the sunlight that shimmered through the tree branches above her. Not a trace of the modern world interfered with this place. It was as if she’d been transported through time.
“It’s not too far ahead, but it’s a bit uphill. If you need to rest just let me know.”
“Thank you. I should be okay.”
As they hiked up the trail, Hope took in the beautiful sights around her. These were all things that she never thought she’d have the chance to see again, and her immense gratitude for her second chance at life filled her with joy. However, a shortness of breath reminded her that she was not quite the person she’d been before her illness. Occasional struggles with the side effects of her treatment worried her, as did the haunting potential for the cancer to return.
When Chase looked at her, he saw a vibrant, capable, and energetic woman, but she knew there were also moments of weakness and fatigue. Every time she felt a little ill, she wondered was it just a fever, or was the cancer growing inside her again? She hoped remission meant the journey was over, but she knew that the memory of cancer and the possibility of its returning would be her constant companion.
Chase slipped his free hand into hers and smiled. “Almost there.”
She nodded and slowed her pace some.
He matched it. “When I was younger, this place was like my refuge. Whenever I had a problem I couldn’t solve or I just needed to get away from the rest of the world, I would come out here.”
“Alone?” She glanced at him.
“Not always. Sometimes Joe would come with me.” He hesitated.
“Sometimes Karen?”
“Yes.” He lowered his eyes. “Sometimes.”
“You don’t have to hide it, Chase.”
“I don’t mean to.” He paused and turned to face her. “I brought you here because I
want it to be filled with our memories now. I hope that doesn’t make you uncomfortable.”
“It doesn’t. I’m looking forward to getting to share it with you.”
“It’s just a few more minutes up the trail.”
Hope tried not to think about Chase with Karen when they’d walked this same path—young kids in love without knowing they were in love, giving one another shelter from the rest of the world. She knew that Karen and Chase were just friends when they were kids, and it was years before they’d ever considered a relationship, but they had a history that Hope couldn’t compete with. They’d grown up in the same environment, sought shelter from the same pressures.
“Here we are.” He smiled as he led her up over a ridge and onto a cliff.
All her concerns were washed away by the sheer beauty that she witnessed. From the cliff, she could see part of the town, endless fields, rock formations, and streams. It reminded her of paintings hanging on the walls of homes in the city or suburbs—homes of people who longed for the picturesque environment of raw nature, without even realizing it.
“This view is amazing, Chase.”
“Not as amazing as mine.” He smiled as he gazed at her.
Right then, Hope let herself believe that she was really and truly alive again. There was no expiration date hanging over her head. The fresh Colorado air filled her lungs, and her heart swelled as Chase held out his hand to her.
She thought back to a time when she lay in a hospital bed, listening to the sound of her own heartbeat. Now she didn’t need a stethoscope to hear it. It pounded in her ears as Chase’s hand closed over hers.
This was it. This was the life that she’d fought so hard for, and she was overwhelmed with sudden gratitude that she was able to experience it.
Chapter 30
Her profile framed by the horizon, Chase drank in her beauty as he grasped Hope’s hand in his. Not a single regret crossed his mind as he spread out the blanket for their picnic. It was almost as if his sacred place hadn’t been complete until he brought her there.
As they sat down to share the meal, he noticed the way she brushed a hand along the curve of her neck. Her fingertips lingered on the scar that peeked past her high collar. He never really thought about how often she wore shirts with collars that covered most of her neck before now. As her hand fell away he reached up to lightly touch her neck where the scar was.
Forty and Free: A Sweet Romance Series Bundle - Books 5 - 8 Page 48