by Emmy Eugene
“In the end, I think she wanted someone who spoke more than I did.” He drew in a deep breath. “Which was why I was a bit sensitive when you said I don’t talk much. And I’m pretty sure she thought I was just…simple.”
“I like simple,” Millie said, and Travis really wanted to believe her. “Life is complicated enough, you know?” She put her other hand on his arm, and Travis liked the way she clung to him like she needed him.
“It is,” he said, the echo of Dani’s voice telling him she liked simple haunting him. “Anyway.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know why I wanted you to know.”
“Because you just want to be who you are,” she said. “I get that. It’s too hard to live with ourselves if we’re constantly trying to be someone we’re not.”
Travis nodded, thinking truer words had never been spoken. And he’d work on believing that Millie liked simple, because she did hold his hand and kiss him like she liked him. So maybe it was true.
They arrived at the shed where the ranch vehicles were kept, and he took the keys for the newest and nicest four-wheeler from the pegboard just inside the door. “Helmet?”
“Are you going to wear one?”
“No.”
“Then I’m good.” Millie followed him to the vehicle, and he checked to make sure the tools he’d put in the bag on the back were there. Satisfied they were, he climbed on the vehicle first. She straddled the seat behind him, snuggling in really close and wrapping her arms around his waist. “Ready. Don’t try to throw me off to prove I haven’t ridden one of these in fifteen years.” She laughed, and Travis turned his head to look at her.
“Hold on, baby.”
She already was, but her grip on his body tightened anyway. It was a quick ride out to the well, and he dismounted and turned back to help Millie get down. “Here we are,” he said.
“It’s so pretty out here,” she said. “Your whole ranch is simply amazing. How long have you guys had it in the family?”
Travis knew this bit of family history. “My great-great grandfather came to Chestnut Springs only a few years after the town was founded,” he said. “The Johnsons have been here ever since.” He collected the bag from the back of the ATV. “When did your family come here?”
“I’m not as old blood as you,” she said. “But my great-grandfather relocated here and set up shop as a butcher.”
“Where’s your dad now?” he asked.
Millie pulled in a breath, and Travis knew instantly that he’d hit a nerve. “You don’t have to say,” he said. “Forget I asked.”
“No,” she drawled, really drawing out the word. “It’s okay.”
Travis glanced at her and started toward the well. He wasn’t sure what was wrong with it, only that the water being delivered to the horse pasture was a trickle of what it had been before. Sometimes debris clogged up the well, and he had an extendable rake he hoped would clear anything in there so he wouldn’t have to go down into the well.
“My dad left when I was fifteen,” she said. “Well, fourteen, but it was the night before my fifteenth birthday, and I didn’t find out until morning.”
“He left on your birthday?” Travis stalled and looked at Millie, pure compassion moving through him. “Mills, I didn’t know that.”
She shrugged, but the pain was right there on her face. “He called from wherever he was, but I don’t remember anything he said. He sent cards for a few years, I think, but after that…” She trailed off and shrugged again.
She sniffed, and Travis wanted to draw her right into his arms and hold her tight. He did, stroking his fingers through her ponytail. “I’m so sorry,” he said once and then twice. “What a terrible thing to have to deal with as a kid.”
“I honestly think he thought we’d all be fine without him,” she said. “Once, he did tell me that I was old enough to understand what was happening, and he hoped I’d understand.” She shook her head and stepped out of his arms. “I didn’t understand. I don’t understand.” A fierceness entered her face. “I went to therapy for a while, and I learned a few things that have helped me deal with the anger and resentment.”
She rubbed her hands up and down her arms as if cold. It was December, but it wasn’t terribly cold. Probably sixty degrees by now. “I’m still pretty bitter about it, though.” She met his eyes, worry in hers. “Does that make me weak?”
“Of course not,” he said quickly. “It makes you human.”
“Are you still bitter toward Danielle?”
Travis thought about it for a moment. “Honestly? I’m not sure. I don’t think so?”
“She hurt you badly enough that you didn’t date for four years,” Millie said. “You aren’t bitter or angry or anything?”
“I think I just felt so foolish,” Travis said. “Like, I should’ve been able to see the signs that she wasn’t happy, you know?”
“What kind of signs?”
Travis dropped the bag next to the well and looked down into it. Darkness didn’t allow him to see much. “I don’t know, Mills. Just that she said she was okay with me ‘just’ being a cabinetmaker. Or that she didn’t mind ‘carrying’ the conversation when we went to dinner. That kind of stuff.”
He unzipped the bag and pulled out a high-beam flashlight, clicking it on and peering back into the well. “I have a hard time believing women now, as a result.”
Millie joined him at the well. “Do you believe me?”
The light glinted off the water in the well, so it was there. It just wasn’t getting delivered where they needed it. He really hoped he didn’t have to find a broken pipe somewhere between here and the stables.
“Trav?” Millie ran her hand down his arm.
“I’m trying,” Travis said, refusing to look at her.
Millie sighed and turned around, leaning back into the well. “Every man who’s ever come into my life has left.”
“Have they, though?” Travis asked. “What about your brothers? You said the other night that you stay in touch with them, and they help with your momma as much as they can from where they are.”
“You’re right. My brothers have been constant.”
“We don’t all leave our families,” Travis said. “In fact…I’m wondering how you feel about having a family.”
“Oh.” The surprise in her voice didn’t comfort Travis, and he bent to get out the expandable rake. It was made specifically to comb through debris at the bottom of a well, where he could then scoop it out with the expandable rod with a scoop at the end of it.
“Haven’t thought about it oh, or oh, I don’t want to talk about it, or oh, I don’t want kids.”
“Oh, like I just wasn’t expecting that question.” She watched him pull out the rake, and Travis didn’t dare look at her. He’d asked, and he couldn’t take the words back.
“I’d like a family,” he said. “In case you were wondering. I liked growing up with brothers, but sisters would’ve been awesome too.” He finally glanced at her, only to find her smiling.
“I’ve always wanted a big family,” she said. “Lots of kids and grandkids to keep me company when I’m old.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to end up like my momma.”
Travis didn’t know what to say to that, but he sure did like that she wanted a family. At least they were on the same page when it came to important things. “Understandable,” he finally said, leaning out over the well and extending the rake down inside it. “Can you hold the flashlight for me?”
“Sure.” She took it off the ledge and shone it down onto the water. He felt and saw when the rake entered the water, and he clicked the rod out one more time. Then again, feeling for the bottom. He finally hit it and began scraping.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “Lots of debris here.” He pushed it to the side closest to him, always raking toward him. “Branches, leaves. There’s been so much coming down the river this year. We’ve had to rebuild a couple of bridges already.”
“The Hill Country has a reputation fo
r flash floods,” she said.
“Yeah, and undergrowth is a real problem—at least for us.” He couldn’t feel a lot of debris anymore, and he added, “Okay, now I need my scoop.” He pulled the rake up one click at a time. “Leave the light there, sweetheart. I’m gonna need it.”
He looked at her, and their eyes locked. Time slowed, and Travis’s emotions softened for this woman. He knew what love felt like, having been that deep in a relationship before. So far that he’d bought a diamond ring and set a date.
And he was definitely falling in love with Millie.
Chapter Sixteen
Millie sure did like watching Travis work. He was efficient and strong, and while he didn’t say a whole lot, what he did vocalize was important. She hadn’t expected the conversation about her father or the question about having kids.
“Got it,” he said. “Let me call Darren.” He pulled out the long, extendable rake he’d been using to clear the well and balanced it against the stones. “You don’t have to hold that right now.” He gave her a quick smile before lifting his phone to his ear.
Millie set the flashlight on the well and took a few steps away. It wasn’t even lunchtime yet, but she thought she should call Momma too. She did, a stitch of worry working its way into her lungs when her mom didn’t answer.
She didn’t leave a message, but instead hung up and immediately dialed her again. If she didn’t answer this time, she might be asleep. Or she could’ve fallen, Millie thought. Or left her phone at home and gone somewhere.
But her mother wouldn’t do that. She wasn’t supposed to drive, and Millie’s anxiety pinched through her as the call once again went to voicemail.
“Momma, it’s me,” she said. “Call me when you wake up, okay?” She hung up and turned back to Travis, who’d also finished his call. He was shrinking the rake, and he glanced at her.
“All fixed,” he said. “Ready to head back in?”
“Sure.” She approached him, putting a brave smile on her face. Or what she hoped was a brave smile. “Should we go over your party during lunch?”
“All right.”
“You don’t have to look so terrified.” She giggled and wrapped her arms around him, glad she could do so without a bit of trepidation. “I’ll do all the hard work, cowboy.”
“Mm.” He abandoned the rake and took her into his arms. “I just want something simple, Mills.”
“Oh, Travis,” she said, tipping up to kiss him. She stopped with her mouth a breath away from touching his. “Don’t you know by now that I don’t do simple?” She smiled as she kissed him, only realizing too late what she’d said.
Travis kissed her back though, and Millie relaxed in his arms. He pulled away when his phone rang, but he didn’t answer it. “Mills,” he whispered, keeping her close. She tucked herself right against his chest and swayed with him as if they were back on the dance floor at his brother’s wedding. She couldn’t believe that had only been eight days ago.
“I really am simple,” he said.
“I know,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean the party will be.” She stepped away from him, seeing the concern on his face before he could wipe it away. “I wasn’t talking about everything in my life when I said that.”
“Okay.” He nodded and bent to pick up the bag of supplies he’d brought with him. His phone rang again, and he picked it up this time, saying, “What, Russ?” before walking away.
Millie hoped the annoyance she heard in his voice really was for his brother and not for her. He strapped the bag to the four-wheeler and climbed on, scooting forward and making room for her behind him.
She clung to him while he finished his conversation, and then he sighed, a lot of the tension releasing from his shoulders. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he said. “Russ was just calling about the well and to say lunch was ready. He doesn’t like it when I don’t answer the phone and I’m out on the ranch somewhere.”
“You’re not out here alone,” she said.
“Tell me which direction to go to get back to the homestead,” he said, and Millie looked around. Travis started laughing, and Millie sure liked the sound of that. She liked the way his body vibrated, and she liked that she was completely in his care.
“That’s what I thought,” he said. “And we have to go west, baby. Which way is that?”
“Uh.” Millie looked around again, trying to use the sun as a compass. But it was very nearly overhead, and she wasn’t sure. “That way.” She pointed to her left, and Travis shook his head.
“Lucky guess, Mills.”
“Hey, I’ll take what I can get,” she said. The ride back to the barn where they kept the vehicles happened quickly, and she and Travis walked over to the homestead hand-in-hand. “Let me go grab my folder.” She hurried through the house and down the front steps to her car, her stomach growling at the scent of whatever Russ had heated up for lunch.
When she got back inside, everyone was there, not just Travis and Russ. Rex, Griffin, Darren, Tomas, and Brian all crowded into the kitchen, ladling something that smelled like tacos into bowls.
“Taco soup,” Travis said, taking the folder from her and replacing it with a bowl of soup with corn, beans, and ground beef in it. “You can sit by Janelle, if you want.” He leaned closer. “I think she’d like that.”
Millie spied Janelle and her two girls sitting at the dining room table, bowls of soup already in front of them. She went over to them and found sour cream, corn chips, and cheese in the middle of the table too.
“Hey, y’all,” she said. “Can I sit by you?”
All three of them looked up at her, and Millie smiled. “It’s good to see you, Janelle.”
“Millie Hepworth.” The woman got up with a smile on her face and hugged Millie quickly. “I knew you were back in town, but I haven’t seen you.”
“You run the biggest law office in town.” Millie waved her half-apology away. “You don’t have time to worry about me. Though, if you’re planning a party, I’m your gal.” She laughed and looked at the girls.
“Girls, this is Millie. Millie, my daughters, Kelly and Kadence.”
“Ma’am,” the oldest one said, and Millie almost died.
“Am I really a ma’am?” She looked at Janelle, somewhat horrified.
Janelle’s laughter pealed out, and she pulled out Millie’s chair for her. “I’ve been teachin’ ‘em to be polite to anyone older than them.”
“Look who’s talkin’ like a cowboy now,” Russ said, suddenly appearing at the table. He flashed a brilliant smile at Janelle, who ducked her head and tucked her hair. As a female, Millie recognized the signs that Janelle sure did like Russ, and she wondered how long they’d been seeing each other.
She wasn’t going to ask. Her momma had taught her some good ole Texas manners too. “How old are you girls?” she asked instead, and she got the girls talking about themselves, school, and what they wanted for Christmas. The men at the table didn’t say a whole lot—well, besides Rex—and neither did Janelle.
“Let’s talk about the party,” Travis finally said, bringing out the folder he’d taken earlier.
“Yes, lets,” Rex said, getting up and leaving the table.
“Does he not want to have the party here?” Millie whispered to the others at the table.
Travis rolled his eyes. “He just thinks he’s funny.” He flipped open the folder, and Millie’s nerves bounced through her body. Her intake forms were really for her own eyes, and she didn’t want him looking at them. “I have no idea how to read this.” He gave her a sheepish grin and pushed the folder toward her.
Millie had already made some notes about color schemes and where food and drinks could go, based on her previous visits to the homestead. “It’s not that hard,” she said. “I just need to know what y’all are thinkin’ about food.” She glanced down the row of cowboy across from her as Rex retook his seat, more soup in his bowl now.
“Pizza,” he said at the s
ame time Russ said, “Anything but pizza.”
Millie smothered a laugh and made a note. No pizza. “It’s a Christmas party, boys. Think holiday. Upscale.”
“Upscale?” Travis asked. “You think we’re upscale?”
“Yes,” Millie said simply. “Just because you guys run a ranch doesn’t mean you have to eat trash at your family Christmas party.”
“Steak,” Travis said. “My mother likes steak.”
“Yeah,” Millie said dryly. “I’m sure she’s the only one.” She glanced down at her paper. “I already have steak on the menu, Trav. What else?”
“Cheese fries,” Rex said, not smothering his laugh.
Millie glared at him, and to her surprise, he sobered. His face turned red, and he ducked his head. “Sorry, Millie.”
Travis elbowed him, and Griffin watched them all like they were a great comedy act. Millie hadn’t realized she’d be doing the party planning meeting with a whole crew. Dealing with multiple opinions was always hard, and she’d rather it just be her and Travis.
“Potato bites would be easy,” she said. “Rustic, but still a little bit extra, you know?” It was clear from the expressions on all the men’s faces that they did not know.
“My firm had a party once where we had apple fizzers,” Janelle said. “It’s just apple cider with some popping candy in it, but it was festive and fun. That extra you’re looking for.” She smiled at Millie, and appreciation moved through Millie.
“Yes,” she said. “Like that.” She looked at Travis and Russ, the two cowboys she thought she’d get the best ideas from.
“Mills,” Travis said. “Just set the menu. You know what kind of food we like, so make it…extra, and it’ll be fine.” He got up and picked up a few bowls on his way into the kitchen.
“Back to work?” Russ asked, yawning.
“If you want,” Travis said. “We’ve only been in for thirty minutes.”
The ranch hands got up, thanked the brothers for lunch, and left through the back door. Rex and Griffin moved over to the couches in the family room and lay down, plunking their hats over their faces as if the bright sunshine would keep them awake inside the house.