My Cowboy Prince

Chapter 32

It's almost done, just a few more chapters

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It has been a week since I've returned to Manhattan, and I am not sure how I feel about it. The city feels familiar and foreign all at once. I am in the kitchen of my apartment, leaning against the counter while I wait for the coffee machine to finish its slow drip. The view from the large window is breathtaking as always--- Manhattan's skyline is now being bathed in the soft morning light. Though the view is nice, it doesn't shake away the quiet tension inside me.

I am gonna meet Jordan for lunch later. She'd insisted on bringing the last box of my things from the office, even though I could have easily picked it up. I knew she'll want to talk about the elephant in the room--- my abrupt decision to quit. She haven't said it outright, but I can sense the questions brewing.

My phone is propped up on the counter with FaceTime already connecting me to Luke. This has become sort of a daily routine for us.

The man's familiar and slightly rugged face fills the screen, though he is miles away in Vancouver seeing him immediately puts me at ease. He looks a little tired, his light stubble is more grown out than usual and his dark hair is the messiest than I've ever seen it. He seems to be swamped with work.

"Hey there, darlin'," he greets. His soft voice soft carries that unmistakable warmth in it.

"Hey," I smile back at him as I try to push away the weariness that had settled over me all morning. "How's Vancouver treating you?"

The man sighs and run a hand through his hair. "Well, it's... okay, I guess. A lot I gotta get through, but I'm makin' progress."

I nod, though I can sense the weight behind his words. He never liked to complain, especially about business, but I can see that these meetings have been draining him. This isn't his world--- Texas is. The wide-open spaces, the sun, the land. That's where he belongs, and I can tell being cooped up in boardrooms is wearing him down.

"You'll get through it," I say, trying my best to sound reassuring.

"Yeah," he replies with a soft chuckle. "Guess I ain't got much choice, huh?"

We lapse into a comfortable silence for a moment. It is strange how, even through the screen, I feel very much connected to him. It's as if he is right here with me in this kitchen.

I try to shift the conversation to lighter things, hopefully it will put him at some ease. "How's Grandma Bea? The ranch holding up without you?"

Luke's expression brighten slightly at the mention of the ranch, I can see that familiar spark returning to his eyes. "She's good. Damn woman's tougher than I'll ever be. She hired a couple more hands to help with the daily stuff--- guests been pourin' in this season. Can't say I'm too surprised though. Who wouldn't wanna be out there, right?"

I smile, imagining the ranch with its wide-open fields, the horses grazing, and it's slow, steady rhythm of life. It is a far cry from the rush of Manhattan. "You miss it, don't you?"

His chuckle deepens. "Hell yeah, I do. Ain't no place like it. Bein' stuck in whatever city, surrounded by folks in suits who don't give a damn about the land... it's rough sometimes." He pauses but his eyes flicker with an unspoken emotion. "But I gotta do what needs doin'. For the ranch, for Grandma."

I study his face for a moment and the a small tug pulls in my chest. Luke willingness to put the ranch and his family above his own desires is admirable, but I do wonder if it weighs too heavily on him.

"You're carrying so much, Luke," I say softly. "Do you ever just... take a moment for yourself?"

He shrug, leaning back in his chair. "I'm doin' fine, Amelia. Don't you go worryin' 'bout me now. 'Sides, you've had your hands full too. You all settled back in the city?"