Summer Blue

Chapter Nineteen

'You knew my dad? Have I ever been here before?' She asked so curious-like.

'You sure have, a few times when you were a little girl.' He gave her a gentle smile with his answer.

'Huh, I thought this place seemed familiar.' She said, a wide smile growing on her lips. 'Is this all yours?' she asked motioning around the ranch.

'It is, it's been in the family for a long time.' He told her.

'Well, I guess I have you to thank for letting me hang out with Knight tonight.' She said enticing a soft chuckle to fall from Casey.

'Anytime little Walker.' He said with a gentle tilt of his cowboy hat before his attention was drawn to his incoming son, a crate of beer hooked under one of his arms. 'And where are you going with that?' He directed the question to Lloyd.

'We have to keep the bunkers hydrated.' Lloyd grinned, and Casey rolled his eyes.

'Here, I'll settle knight in for you guys, go enjoy your night.' Casey ignored his son, completely used to his nonsense as he reached for knight's rains from Sage's hand, and she pat the horse bidding him goodbye. 'Come by anytime, knight seems to like you.' He said to Sage as he began to lead the horse away.

'Thank you.' She gave him a genuine smile, her eyes lighting up at Casey's generous offer, and then it was just the three of us.

'Blue.' Lloyd turned to greet me before his eyes landed on Sage. 'And who's this?' He asked, a mischievous smile tugging on his lips, he knew exactly who Sage was, he was the one who had covered for my tardiness this morning.

'Sage Walker.' She answered and just like she had done with his father she offered him her hand.

'Lloyd Morgan.' He placed his free hand in hers, pulling her hand to his lips as he placed a kiss on the back of her hand. That fucker was playing with me, and with the smug look on his face, I'm certain that the purpose of his action was to solely wine me up.

'Charming.' She praised, much to my ego's disappointment.

'Isn't he just.' I muttered, eyeing Lloyd and the mischievous glint in his eyes with a warning. He plays too much, he had it in him to cross a line and I'm fully aware of it.

'So, what's your plans for the rest of the night pretty girl? We are about to start tonight's entertainment, you should join us.' He asked her, ignoring me like I wasn't standing right here, right next to my girl.

'Oh, I don't know.' She glanced over to me, 'Blue?' she asked, the light smile on her lips a telltale that she sensed Lloyd's flirtatiousness and much to my pleasure she came to my side, her arms circling my waist.

'We can do whatever you want to do Darlin.' I offered, wrapping my arms around her as I watched Lloyd's smirk grow into a grin. He was highly amused, and I couldn't give two shits.

'Then I'm in.' she agreed, unwinding her arms and snaking her hand into mine.

'I like this one Blue.' Lloyd grinned a remark.

'This one?' Sage retorted, glancing at me as if the five words Lloyd spoke meant a damn thing to her.

'His last friend that was female was a raging psycho.' Lloyd answered her without a glimpse of thought. I shot him the only look that I could, one that said I'd kill him if he carried on. One thing was for sure, I didn't want Sage to hear about any of that.

Games with the ranchers

Sage

The ranch was bathed in the gentle glow of moonlight, casting elongated shadows across the expansive landscape. The night was alive with the chorus of laughter that filled the air as I stood beneath the vast Texan sky, holding the coiled lasso in my hands. By my side stood Blue, his silhouette outlined against the crackling campfire's warm glow.