Dean's Cowgirl /✔

Chapter Thirty-One

i grabbed onto popcorn's reins, holding her in place. i looked down at Dean's face. he was a mixture of angry and sad. he started towards me and popcorn danced sideways at his sudden movement. i struggled to get her under control as she spun in circles, backing away from Dean. i gripped her reins tightly and clutched threw out my left arm for balance.

"Ho! Ho, Popcorn!" i said firmly. ho is the word horses were trained to understand for 'stop'. "Popcorn, easy! ho!" i exclaimed, pulling the reins tightly, pulling the bit to the back of her mouth and she finally settled down. Dean walk to her, and stroked her nose and jaw. she was such a pretty horse.

"why are you riding?" he asked. i stared at him as if he had grown a second head, making it unbelievable.

"how could i not ride?" i snapped. "riding is majestic. and it makes you so free and wild..." i trailed off, closing my eyes as my heart warmed at the thought of riding through the pasture with my brothers, moving the cattle to the vet clinic.

"Sara, i was looking at houses while i was in Kearney, and i almost got one, but i thought i should take your opinion first." i gaped at him. he ducked his head, knowing my answer.

"you couldn't get me to live in a town of five hundred, let alone Kearney." i looked down at him, narrowing my eyes. "if we're getting a house, it's not going to be in town. it will be a farm house, with a barn for popcorn and goats. there'll be a chicken house and a huge yard for the kids to play. you can't separate me from the country, and you can never force me into the city. the only reason i was in the city in Texas, was because there was nowhere else to go."

he opened his mouth to argue, but i dug the heel of my boot into popcorn's side, making a clicking sound, and she took off. i flew across the ground, across the field to the pasture. i flew down to the cattle trail and slowed to a hard trot, going down the gradually sloping trail, parting the weeds and sunflowers. i got to the bottom of the trail and loped across the ground, cautious of potholes and snakes. i followed another trail back up, going up the hill on the opposite side of the pasture.

i stopped at the top of the hill to look back, spotting the house and silos. i turned and continued my ride, riding away from home.

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Dean's pov

i let my mouth drop open as Sara turned her horse, clucking her tongue and riding off at full speed. i'll never understand how people can ride horses that fast and still cling to their backs, not falling off. I'm sure it was just talent and practice, but i still couldn't shake that thought. i turned to go back into the house to get a drink, but stopped when i saw Sam standing on the porch, in my way. i stepped up to him and tried to step past him, but he put his hand on my chest, stopping me. i turned to look at him.

"how could you even consider taking her away from the country. every girl has to grow up and leave home, sure, but you can't take the country out of the girl." he said.

"how would you know? you know just as much about farm life as i do." i said.

"you didn't watch her ride." he simply said. "when she was saddling the horse, she was calm and happy. then when she rode around the barrels and field, she had this look of peace, and love on her face. she's in love with the land, Dean."

"what? that doesn't make sense." i said, trying to push past him again. he stopped me again and i looked up at him, annoyed.

"she's calm and patient. and, and this land, the farm and horses. you can't compete with that. not if you tried, not in a million years. you can compete with other men, but not the horses, not the cattle, not the mud, dirt, corn, wind, grease, saddles, hay or rain." he looked at me, sad. "I'm sorry, dude. but if your going to try to make her more city, it isn't going to work. i just wish you could see that."

"I'm not trying to make her more city. I'm trying to get a house with her. live with her." i say. I'm starting to get pretty pissed, and i can't help but wonder, am i pissed because he's right?

"no you're not, Dean. you might be trying to convince yourself that, but your wrong." he finally stepped aside, and i walked inside, going to get a drink.

as i stood there, in the cozy little kitchen, gulping down the sweet tea i had poured from a pitcher on the counter, i thought. what if Sam's right? maybe i should just let Sara pick the house and give her suggestions? it didn't seem that she was the kind of girl to let anyone make choices for, and without her. i nodded. that's what i'll do. i'll find house all over, and let her pick the ones she likes. then we'll go look at them, and pick one. i walked outside to find Sara taking off the saddle and brushing down popcorn's sweaty coat. she led the horse over to the tank of water, letting popcorn drink down half of it. the tank started to refill and Sara led popcorn back into her stall. she filled up the much smaller tank in the stall and i watched as she left the stall, walking to the far side of the barn and picked up a bale of hay. she carried it halfway but i had jumped up, taking it from her. she looked up at me smiling but then frowned. she was obviously still mad at me. she still let me carry the hay to the stall and put it in the tall bucket, snapping the bailing twine and unrolling the bale. she walked out of the stall after me and latched the door.

"I've decided to let you pick the house." i said. her head snapped up at me and her bright blue eyes shone with thankfulness and happiness. "i was just thinking, if you wanted a farm house, it wouldn't be that bad. just as long as it's close to a hospital so you can get to it." i looked down at her belly and back up to her eyes. they had darkened to the kind of dark blue before a storm. i inwardly flinched.

"I'm not going to a hospital." she said defiantly.

"why?" i asked. she lifted her head as if she had prepared for this conversation -which she probably had- .

"I'm having a home birth. my mama's going to be my midwife. I've already asked her to. she said she would if she wanted me to."

i wanted to argue with her, and i started to, opening my mouth. but when i saw her jaw clench and her eyes darken more, i closed it again, thinking of what to say.

"ok fine. but we still have to be close to a hospital in case something goes wrong." her eyes brightened up to bright blue again, and she jumped up and down, clapping her hands.

what did i just get into?

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i hope y'all are ready for the ending! it's coming in several more chapters. i plan on writing a second to it, but i won't tell you what it's about. secrets make great curiosity boosters. *wink wink*

anyway, i hope y'all are enjoying it so far and i hope you read the second when i finish this one and start that one. don't forget to vote and share with your friends if you like it, and don't be shy to comment your ideas and thoughts on the book so far!

~sillylovebug432