It Goes On - Book l

Watch Em Ride Away

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"How long are we supposed to be out again?" Baler asked as he adjusted his chaps before mounting his horse - a horse that he had grown to love and learn from with consistent riding lessons from Kiera since spring. 

"About four days," Simon huffed, he too adjusting his chaps. "Did you get your sleeping bag to put on your saddle?" 

"Yes. Is Soap coming with us?"

"Unfortunately." 

"I feel the love, L.T.," Johnny snickered from the back of his horse, turning the ballcap backwards on his head to prevent it from flying off, he and Simon being the only two men who preferred to wear a regular baseball cap instead of a cowboy hat. Johnny didn't like wearing one because he felt silly where, in quote, he "wasn't a true American cowboy" while Simon didn't like wearing one because he just preferred to wear a regular hat. 

Although Simon liked seeing Kiera wear a cowboy hat. God, I wish she was coming with us.

"Face it, you'd be upset if Teeter and I weren't coming with you."  

"Just don't be running off to play bloody Big Chief when we have work to do." Simon huffed.

"Hey, we in the perfect area to play Big Chief!" Teeter chimed.

"What's Big Chief?" Baler asked, his brows furrowed. 

"Don't even ask." 

"I have a feeling I shouldn't have asked in the first place." 

"You're catching on quick, lad." Simon scoffed, ensuring Baler mounted his horse before Simon did, Kiera catching him before he was able to put his foot in the stirrup. 

"It's going to be a long four days without my boys at home." Kiera frowned, Evie bouncing on her hip. 

Simon couldn't help but smile when he closed the gap between them, his horse standing loyally in place without moving a step forward to follow his rider, "I know, love. Consider it as a little vacation from us," He chuckled. "Those four days will go by quick." 

"I doubt that, babe," She smiled, letting him close the gap between them further to place a kiss to her lips. "I don't like when my boys aren't coming home every night for dinner." 

"We'll be back before you know it, love," He assured her. "Maybe we'll get lucky and come back a day early." 

"Eh, you're driving cattle with my dad, you'll be out a day later for sure." She teased. 

"You're probably right," He smirked. "We'll see you when we get back. I love you." 

"I love you too." 

"Kiera, sweetheart, he's not going off to war," Bud chimed in, the collar of his coat blocking his bare neck from the early-morning wind. "He's just driving cattle to the far pasture for the fall." 

"Daddy, you're just jealous because I didn't tell you I loved you first." Kiera giggled, amused at how his face flushed with a warm smile behind his thick mustache.

"You know me so well, sweetheart." 

"You all take care of each other, alright? There's a big day coming up in a couple of months and I need you all in one piece!" She giggled. 

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, honey. That's why I'm not getting off of my horse for anything unless it's to sleep on my raggedy old sleepin' bag." 

"So that's why you wanted Baler to come along?" 

"Gotta teach the youngin's since it's easier for them to get on and off their horse!" Bud laughed. "It's hard on an old man's bones gettin' on and off his horse all the time!" 

"See, love? There's a reason for everything!" Simon snickered, sneaking another kiss from Kiera before he mounted his horse. "You sure you have another ride in you, old man?" 

Bud raised his brows playfully before standing up in his saddle, "I'll race your ass to the top!" 

"I'll take your bet on that." Simon chuckled, nodding his head for Baler to ride in front of him so that he could ride alongside Johnny and Teeter. 

Bud chuckled, "Alright, we're gonna push 'em up to Mount Shasta, then hold them overnight at Lick Creek. It's gonna be empty stomachs and cold backs for a few days," He announced. "Yeehaw." 

That was the most sarcastic yeehaw I've ever heard, Simon mused to himself, knowing that the old man loved what he did, but he hated it, too. 

The group chuckled softly, each fighting the urge to fall back to sleep with an occasional yawn.

"You might want to hold on, Baler!" Kiera shouted once the men rode past the main gate leading towards the valley that held the herd of cattle. 

"What did you say, momma?" Baler shouted back, gasping when he watched Simon and Bud nudge their horses into a competitive gallop, Johnny and Teeter following suit before Baler's horse began to pick up speed. 

"They weren't lying when they said they'd race each other!" Kiera replied, seeing that Baler was too far away for him to hear her warning. "Well, I guess he'll find out," She said to Evie, waiting for the day that her own children understood her. "You look hungry - let's go get you and your brother some breakfast, huh?" She smiled at Evie before placing a kiss to the baby's forehead. "You owe your grandma some morning cuddles, too. Jacob isn't a fan of grandma's morning cuddles." 

Kiera walked peacefully back to the lodge, Kimber staying at a slow pace alongside her owner as they made their way back to the lodge - the lodge being Kiera's home-away-from-home for the next four days, keeping her own mother company as well as hating the thought of coming home to an empty house that she had worked so hard to fill with life. "I'm surprised you didn't watch them ride off into the sunset like in the spring, momma." Kiera poked after she entered the lodge, smelling cinnamon from the kitchen.

"You know it breaks my heart to watch them ride off into the sunrise," Eva smiled. "If it doesn't make you cry to watch them ride away, then you probably shouldn't have a cowboy." 

Kiera nodded in agreement, "I wanted to cry, but I fought so hard to keep those tears in." 

"I know, sweetheart. It's too early in the mornin' to cry," She smiled. "They're watching over each other. It makes your dad so happy to be able to do this every year. I just know he hates that you couldn't go with him like you did in the spring." 

"I know. There's no place I'd rather be than riding alongside my dad and future husband listening to them banter back and forth." She giggled. 

"You've always been daddy's little girl. It broke his heart to give Simon permission to propose to you, but he told me later that night that he sees Simon as a son of his." 

"I'm glad, momma. I knew daddy would love him after he warmed up to him." 

"That he did. He speaks highly of him." 

Kiera hummed, setting Evie in the highchair close to the kitchen islander to free her hands before helping her mother with making breakfast for the pair of them, "And to think I'd never see the day where Simon would be willing to ride a horse and actually work cattle." 

"He hadn't done it before?" 

"Not that I know of." 

"He's a natural at it. Him and Johnny both," Eva smiled. "What do you want for breakfast, sweetheart?" 

"Whatever you're making. Jacob and Evie love eating scrambled eggs lately. I'm going to go wash up and help you." 

"No need, sweetheart. You just being here to keep me company is good for me."