Love Under the Western Skies

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜱɪxᴛᴇᴇɴ

ꜱᴛᴇᴠᴇ

➵➵➵➵➵➵➵❂➵➵➵➵➵➵➵

"You bought her horse?"

Bucky was leaning against the door frame in the empty stall of the stable, holding Rhett while I shoveled hay off the floor to replace for Peanut. I didn't need another horse, hell, I barely had the room for another horse, but I knew it would crush Madison to lose her, so now I'm cleaning up at a stall I hadn't touched in years so this damn horse had a place to go. "Yes," I leaned against the wall, wiping my forehead with my shirt before turning to look at my friend, "Go ahead, talk your shit."

"No no," Bucky chuckled, hoisting Rhett up higher on his side when my kid started kicking his feet, "I just remember when you were told you were going to have a babysitter, you were so mad, saying if Sawyer's daughter was anything like him you'd quit the second she walked in," I rolled my eyes, going over to the bale of hay and spread it across the floor, "Now she's sleeping in your bed, you're calling her mama to Rhett, and you bought her horse, seems like the playboy Steve Rogers has officially settled as a family man."

"I haven't settled as anything," I took Rhett back when I heard the trailer coming up the drive, "If I call her mama to Rhett that's none of your business, at the end of the day once my reputation is repaired enough to Nash's liking, she'll be packing up and going back to Houston," I started walking out of the stable, Bucky following close behind, "at least she'll know her horse is here and well taken care of," I shook the drivers hand, a young man named Justin, "we'll take her to the pasture so she can adjust."

"Yes sir," Justin replied, going to the trailer to open the back, the beautiful chestnut-colored Appaloosa carefully trotting down the ramp, pausing when she noticed Rhett. "Peanut's the horse we used for the toddler riding classes, the previous owner used to teach them when she was younger, Peanut loves kids," the horse blew air out of her mouth, and I carefully walked Rhett up to Peanut, she might love kids, but she was in a new place, I didn't want to spook her, "She's a gentle giant." Justin chuckled, rubbing Peanut's neck.

I slowly placed my hand on her nose, stroking it gently. "Rhett buddy," I guided his chubby palm over to her head, letting him pet an animal for the first time, Peanut was still, but her eyes showed comfort, like having a child around made things easier for her, "This is mama's horse Peanut, she might be yours one day."

We led Peanut into the pasture and I signed the paperwork, sending Justin on his way.

My phone buzzed seconds later, Madison's name popping up on the screen with a new message.

Madison: If Rosie feeds me anymore I'm going to be sick, I'll be back at the ranch in fifteen

Me: Bring me some of her pie, see you soon

"Do you want me to take Rhett?" Bucky asked, walking over to his truck, the lights flashing when he pressed the unlock button.

"No," I threw Rhett up in the air, his giggle infectious when I caught him and swung his legs back and forth, "I've missed my kid, he needs some daddy time," Rhett giggled more when I pressed a noisy kiss to his cheek, "Let's plan a barbecue though, tonight, I'll grill ribs. Call Sam?"

"You got it," Bucky offered a two-finger salute, climbing into his truck and heading back to town. I wanted this moment just to be Madison, Rhett, and I. She deserved to know that her horse was here. She needed to know that I would always allow her to come to see the horse when she wanted, even when she left, even if the idea of her leaving made my heart crack in ways I wasn't sure I understood.

Fifteen minutes later, I heard Madison's truck, the gravel crunching when she parked and I walked out of the stable with Rhett, my t-shirt now hanging out of my back pocket since I've been cleaning the stables. "You didn't tell me that tea with Rosie," Madison started, shutting her door and walking over to where I was standing, wrapping her arms around my hips, and kissing Rhett's cheek before leaning up to peck my lips, "was a full four-course meal, I don't think I had ever seen so much food so early in the morning, plus a dessert! I-"