Untangling the Web

Chapter 22

By the weekend, Reyhan feels like she has gotten settled in at the ranch. She loves this place so much more than the mansion. So much more than Istanbul. She has to wonder if it's the lack of Cavidan and Cemre making her feel so at home. Or if it's because it reminds her a little of her home village. There's a sense of family and cooperation amongst the locals that's missing in the city. She's not sure she wants to go back.

Especially when she's treated daily with the sight she has before her of her oh so sexy husband in rancher mode. Ranch Emir is just as sexy, if not sexier, than Business Emir. But seeing him in this environment keeps her stomach constantly fluttering. She looks across the expansive fields over to the horse yard where Emir is giving Zeynep horseback riding lessons. Masal waits patiently in Kemal's arms for her turn on the horse. The rest of the family had arrived the night before. The decision to leave Zeynep in town with Kemal and Narin had been a hard one, but they wanted the girl to be able to continue with school until her break. With it being the weekend, Kemal and Narin packed up the girls and brought them out to the ranch. And Reyhan couldn't be happier to have all her family around her. She feels incredibly lucky.

"Zeynep is like a mini version of Emir," Reyhan says to Narin, smiling at her husband and their soon to be daughter. "She's a natural with the horses, just like he is."

"She loves it here," Narin adds. "I've never seen her this happy in all the time I've known you two. Poor thing was so sad when we all first met. You both were."

Reyhan sighs. That was her mistake. Leaving Emir the way she did, taking Zeynep away from him for those months .... it caused nothing but heartache.

"I should never have separated them," she admits. "That wasn't fair. And it was all for nothing. It was all because I didn't listen to him. Didn't believe him. He swore he didn't have anything to do with that girl. Why didn't I listen, Narin?"

That time had been so terrible. It was confusing and she was hurt. She didn't know what to believe. Sadly, she didn't believe Emir and she allowed a cruel trick by Cemre to separate them. Just like so many times before. Her whole marriage has been one big game to Cavidan and Cemre. And while Reyhan and Emir have overcome it all, there's just so much they fell victim to along the way that communication and trust would have defeated.

"Hey you," Narin calls to her, coming over to pat her on the back. "Don't cry now. Emir is going to think I'm doing something to you."

Reyhan sniffs and wipes at her cheek, not realizing the tears were there.

"I'm fine," she smiles at her friend. "And he's used to the tears. Hormones."

Nevertheless, she sees the crew heading her way from the horses. A look of concern is on Emir's face. It's like he sensed her sadness.

"What a sweet man I have," she thinks to herself, her heart filling with love for him.

She looks at Kemal and sees a similar look of concern on his face, his attention focused solely on Narin. That makes her heart grow even more. Looks like her friend has a sweet, wonderful man of her own. A thought comes to her. She'll have to talk to Cookie about setting up another dinner at the gazebo. This time for Kemal and Narin. Her friend can use a little magic and romance too.

Emir is visibly relieved when he gets to her.

"You're fine now," he says, framing her face with his hands and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. It's not a question and Reyhan smiles at how attuned to her he is now. He really can sense her moods, even a mile away.

He sits next to her and puts an arm around her shoulder.

"Where are the girls?" Narin asks, looking for Masal.