Chapter 10
Light chatter ensued as they made their twenty-minute drive up the mountain to their final dinner destination. Megan eventually relaxed, not letting the afternoon’s events hinder their evening. She finally convinced herself that she was fine in McKenzie, that she and Jax were safe. No one knew where they were, nor could they.
Colton had noticed a distance about her, her mind elsewhere, clearly shaken by what happened at Blooming Grounds. He noticed that before – was it a pattern? Was she afraid of something or just the jumpy paranoid type? She was single with a toddler, in a new town, so it could be both. It was his mission to give her a fun and relaxing evening, despite any earlier hiccups.
Her breath caught at the stunning sight that came into view as they rounded the last curve in the road. They drove through a large wooden threshold, which held a rustic sign that said Pinecrest Ranch. The gravel road grinding beneath them took them to a stunning log ranch house that had beautiful grounds surrounding it and a spectacular snowcapped mountain backdrop.
In the distance, there were multiple buildings that looked to be a mix of barns, silos, and several small log cabins sprinkled about as far as she could see. Horses flanked the north side while cattle flanked the south. A slew of various animals were mixed in between, including a few roaming dogs and wandering cats.
There were fields of grape vines climbing the slight hills, while acres of pumpkins were nestled below. She assumed the cleared meadows scattered about were for other crops that were no longer in season. This place was massive. It was an image right out of Hollywood or a fantasy from a favorite book. Gorgeous.
They drove past the ranch house, following the gravel road to the north, behind the many structures and corrals, and to a field that held dozens of parked vehicles. Colton parked his truck and rounded the front to let her out. A true gentleman.
“What is this place? It’s amazing,” she asked.
He smiled, pleased that his choice in location met her liking. “It’s a Dude Ranch.”
“A what?”
“A Dude Ranch. Come on, you’ve heard of a Dude Ranch. Haven’t you?”
“Well, yeah, in movies maybe, but what are we doing here? Are we learning to be cowboys or something?” she quizzed, not sure she was going to enjoy his answer.
“Sort of,” was all he said before placing his hand at the small of her back and nudging her along with his charming wink.
“I don’t know if I like the sound of this,” she chuckled.
Weaving in and out of the rows of cars, their destination finally came into view. They were nestled in the midst of the small log cabins they could see while driving in. There was a large pergola type structure that had something much like a gazebo with an open top right in the middle. There were rows and rows of large family style wooden picnic tables filling the space from one end to the other. They were organized in a sunburst pattern, surrounding the gazebo with stacks of baled hay that appeared to be used as the seating at each table.
On closer look, she noticed the gazebo housed a large, open, fire pit covered with a metal grate used to cook the Texas sized steaks resting on it. They were pulling corn on the cob from the large stock pots cooking over the fire as well. She could see small football shaped objects wrapped in foil, sitting below the grate at the edge of the fire. The same foil footballs were stacked in the buffet line that circled the gazebo…they were baked potatoes!
This place was absolutely fabulous. Colton said hello to the various staff who recognized him in passing as he guided her to a numbered table, holding two place cards that had “Sparks” printed on them.
“Here we are, table 7. After you.” He gestured to the makeshift seating, holding her hand to help her navigate her way over the narrow bale of hay that would be her seat for the night.
“This is such a charming place. I had no idea this was up here,” she admitted.
“This is Morgan’s ranch,” he said.
“This
is Morgan’s? She’s a cop. How does she do this too? This can’t be an easy hobby.”
“It’s been in her family for generations. It’s a real operating ranch that she has employees for. It’s also a big tourist attraction as a Dude Ranch. People come from all over and pay to be a cowboy for a week,” he laughed.
“This is amazing. I mean, I knew she had horses and volunteered at the equestrian center a lot, but this? Wow!”
“She’s an only child, so when her parents retired, it became hers. This is where they feed the ranch hands, tourists staying here, and it’s open to the public by reservation for dinner only.”
“Like a restaurant…let it pay for itself. Brilliant,” she admired.
“This part is only open to the public on weekends from the end of spring until around the first snow, so they will close for the season soon.”
“It’s amazing. So what do we do, sit here and wait for service, or do we serve ourselves?” she said with enthusiasm, anxious to take in the whole experience.
“A girl after my own heart! Grab your plate, let’s go!”
They made their way through the buffet where they gathered very simple options. Steak was on the grill tonight, nothing else. There was a salad with only two dressing options, baked potatoes with all the fixings, and corn on the cob sat at the end of the line. The tables were lined with big baskets of fresh sweet rolls and farm fresh butter. Simple, but plentiful, and absolutely delicious.
The tables were lined with metal pitchers of iced water and clear glass pitchers of sweet tea to accommodate the two glasses set at each place setting. No soda, no alcohol, simple and perfect. This wasn’t the bucking bronco hoe down she thought he had brought her to. It was a new kind of elegant – quaint and completely unique.
There were strings of lanterns floating above them. Individual lanterns were hanging from every post and strategically placed at each table for light as the evening sky settled in. Burlap table runners with ribbons of lace woven through them lined the centers of the tables with Mason jar glasses to drink from. Rows of milk glass vases, full of fresh fall flowers, offered a lovely fragrance and punch of color to each table, along with black and white plaid napkins strategically folded and wrapped in twine bows.
It may not be her style, but she found this country chic setting adorable and absolutely charming. There wasn’t anything like this, with this ambiance and wow factor, in the city. Maybe small town, simple life living was starting to rub off on her. This gave her an incredible idea for the Holiday Fair’s final event.
Colton was a gentleman, making sure she had everything she needed first. He also made it clear who she was with. He held her hand or had his hand at the small of her back as they made their way down the buffet line. He was sweet, kind, and even laughed at her jokes.
He loved watching her joy flood the place they were in. She laughed all night and made fast friends with everyone around them. Her outgoing spirit was mesmerizing. He couldn’t get enough of her, and he was also tired of sharing her.
Dinner was replaced with dessert at the buffet while coffee and tea stations were set up around the perimeter of the pergola, granting easy access to guests wandering the grounds and mingling. Peach cobbler was the featured dessert, but seasonal pumpkin pie and apple pie were served as well. On the side of each plated dessert was a generous scoop of freshly made vanilla bean ice cream. Unable to make their choices, they settled on a dessert each with a plan to share. Colton grabbed the third dessert for good measure.
They found a lovely spot near the log railing that lined the perimeter of the property. This particular railing protected people and animals alike from the steep rocky terrain of the ridge beyond. They took a seat on a vacant bale of hay that boasted the best view on the entire property. The ridge overlooked the moonlit town below, sprinkled with the few city lights there were. A mirror-like maze that was Bear Creek trailed through town, disappearing in the distance while reflecting the gorgeous star speckled sky and silvery light of the moon. It was a magnificent sight as even the newly snowcapped mountaintops at the highest elevations glowed from the same silvery light against its freshly lain snow.
It was a magical night, thoughtfully planned, and neither wanted it to end. From the fun campfire-like singing and mingling with strangers from all over to their sweet romantic spot on the ridge…it was perfect.
Staring off in the distance, Megan said, “I’ve never seen such beauty. Absolutely breathtaking.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Colton said, referring to his view, which was all Megan.
“You’re sweet. Really, tonight has been…amazing,” she confirmed.
“Well, I’m glad you liked it. I had a feeling you hadn’t been out here, so it seemed like a good choice.”
“It was. Oh, my God, this dessert! I can’t believe you stole an extra!” She joked.
“It isn’t stealing. It’s just…sampling,” he said with confidence, taking a hearty bite of dessert.
She laughed at his defense and said, “Well, thank you for inviting me. It’s nice to get out and adult
a little! I love Jax, but tonight was so needed and so…worth it,” she finished, locking eyes with him, hoping he heard all that she was trying to say without giving everything away.
“I enjoy spending time with you and Jax. I think you know that by now. Tonight, I just wanted to be with you,” he admitted, figuring he had nothing to lose. He wasn’t ready to propose anything more than dating but needed her to know that she was quickly becoming a priority and someone he saw some form of future with.
“Colton…” she interrupted, putting her guard up ever so slightly.
“Meg, I know something happened to you or someone hurt you. I see the walls you hold up, the anxiet that it provokes. I’m in no rush to turn this or us into anything you aren’t ready for. I want you to know that. Whatever your past holds, you can tell me when you’re ready, and maybe you’ll never be ready. In the meantime, you can count on me. You can trust me. I won’t let anything happen to you or Jax, and you can count on that.” His sincerity and vulnerable heart on the line, he said everything she needed to hear.
Tears threatened as his words sunk in, and he found his way to her heart. How did this incredible man find her? He accepted every piece of her without even knowing what he was signing up for. There wasn’t a word she could say that conveyed how he made her feel in that moment. She leaned in and kissed him, hoping he read every page of her story and everything she was feeling in that kiss.
Their steamy kiss was interrupted by the ping of her phone. She was reluctant to check it, but it could be about Jax and couldn’t be ignored.
“It’s a text from Sam,” she said while reading it.
“Really, what’s it say? Everything okay?” He said with concern.
Megan handed him the phone, smile on her face, so he could read it for himself.
M-
Kids are sleeping in the blanket fort that they made with D. Can J just stay over? Get him in the morning after breakfast?
-S
Colton grinned and looked at her. It seemed their evening just got a little longer. He raised his eyebrows, questioning her response. To his delight, she gave him a dramatic nod and wicked raise to her eyebrows. He looked back to the phone and replied,
S-
I love you, girl. We’ll see you in the morning!
-C
Colton grabbed her hand and pulled her from her seat, giving her a quick kiss before dragging her through the parked cars, once again, all the way to his truck, causing her to laugh breathlessly the entire way. Once there, he opened her door and lifted her to her seat, giving her one final kiss before he drove them down the mountain.
Megan was certain this was a premeditated event planned by the menacing matchmaker fairies again, but she wasn’t complaining. They had already planned to finish their evening with a movie, but both were hoping it would end with a sleepover of their own.