Gentle Cowboy Take My Heart (Maxwell Love #2) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 19

Groggily Gary reaches over and turns the blaring alarm clock off. He rolls out of the twin size bed onto the cool hard wood floor. It takes him a moment to remember where he is. In the bunk house on the Quarter C ranch. It only takes him a minute to pull on the clothes he had laid out the night before.

He opens his bible and begins to read in Matthew chapter fourteen when Peter walks on water. After his morning bible time is over he flips the light switch off and heads out the door to fulfill the request Mrs. Carol had made for him to join her for breakfast.

In the two weeks that followed Peter's service Gary gathered his stuff and tied up loose ends in Fort Stockton before moving down to the ranch outside of San Angelo. He did all of Jaelyn's clients while also helping with Alyssa and teaching Cane some of the ropes. Busy doesn't come close to what he was during that two weeks.

Only one thing still hangs over his head since he arrived at San Angelo; what he thinks about Brooke. He knows he cares about her more than is probably healthy, but he still doesn't want to ask her to sacrifice everything she knows in Stockton for him.

As he walks in the back door of the very familiar two story home he can already smell the biscuits in the oven. "Good morning Mrs. Carol," he calls as he hangs his hat on a peg by the door.

"Good morning Gary! Come on in here."

He settles him on a bar stool and looks around. "It sure does smell good in here."

"Well thank you, it's nice to cook for someone."

In just a few minutes they are sitting side by side at the bar with biscuits, gravy, and sausage in front of them.

"So I was thinking," he begins, "that today I would just scope things out; check waters; all that kind of stuff. Then maybe tomorrow we can sit down and kind of talk about what goals you have for the ranch and what things need to be done."

A smile perks Mrs. Carol's lips up. "That sounds like a wonderful plan! I have all of Peter's most recent records if you want them."

Even just the mention of his name stabs at Gary's heart, but he pushes past it with a nod. "I'm sure that will be a big help."

Soon after they get done eating Gary gathers up their plates and takes them to the sink. Much against the usual, he grabs the soap and a scrubby to begins to wash the dishes. As he does he hums the tune to one of his favorite hymns, Come Thou Fount. His mind flows through things he is thankful for as he gazes through the window and gets distracted. That is until he hears Mrs. Carol's foot steps coming down the hall.

"I think I found all Peter's papers." She looks up with a smile on her face as she enters the room.

He too smiles as he dries his hands and tosses the towel in the direction of the counter. As she hands them to him he looks over the chicken scratch like handwriting. A deep grin pulls his lips up. "I think I'll need a translator for some of this," he chuckles as he utters the words.

Mrs. Carol laughs. "I never did get him to understand taking his time to make it readable wouldn't kill him. He was too concerned with being busy, I guess."

They share a laugh and Gary moves to the table.

"You sure you don't want to take those to your house?" She quickly adds, "Not that I don't want you here I just was thinking-"

He holds up a hand with a smile. "You and I both know that you don't want me to string this stuff all over the house. No worries, I'll be glad to take it at the bunk house."