{Chapter 17}

“Why can’t we find any?”

“Shh.”

“We’ve been out here for an hour, Wade.”

“It’s been ten minutes, sweetie. We’ve got to be quiet” Wade put a finger to his lips.

He had seen Aubrey patient, and that’s not what she was right now. The watering hole near their line shack was usually filled with frogs, but not tonight.

“Okay. I’m quiet. I’m quiet as a church mouse” Aubrey whispered.

“Then why are you still talking?”

“You’re talking, too.”

“Shh.”

“You shh too.”

Wade scowled back at her, smiling in spite of her insolence.

“I found one!” Jay hollered into the dusk.

They heard splashing water and a playful bark from Sadie. Then they saw Jay hold up a big frog.

“Look at him!” he grinned from ear to ear.

“He’s a big one!” Wade gave Jay a thumbs up.

He heard Aubrey squeal. “Eek! A frog!” She flapped her hands and hopped around like she was on fire as the nearby amphibian merely watched the show before hopping into the water.

She looked into the water after the frog and breathed a sigh of relief when she realized the frog was gone.

Wade stared at her, his eyes narrowed. Something was wrong with the woman. She needed to be “Texified”, and quick, too.

“Jay! Bring me that frog, will you?” Wade waved Jay over.

Jay walked around the watering hole and held the frog out to Wade. Wade took the frog and turned to Aubrey.

“What are you doing?” Aubrey took a step back.

“You’re gonna hold it” Wade smiled.

“No!” Aubrey put up her hands.

“It’s the only way you’ll get used to them. Now hold… What’s his name, Jay?” Wade looked down at Jay.

“Bob” Jay smiled.

“Hold Bob, then.”

Aubrey’s face contorted as she stuck out her hands and Wade put the bullfrog in them.

“This is so gross” She informed them.

“Don’t drop him” Wade cautioned.

She took the frog and looked down at it. “He’s slimy.”

“He was in the water, Bree.”

“You should have washed him off, at least.”

Wade sighed. “Have you eaten supper?”

“No, why?” Aubrey narrowed her eyes at him.

Just as he thought. Aubrey got grumpy when she got hungry. She was the same way when they were on their way back to Lovelace from being caught in the storm.

“Just curious” Wade answered.

Bob croaked, and Aubrey dropped it with a squeal.

“You killed him!” Jay exclaimed when the frog didn’t move.

Aubrey knelt beside Bob and the frog hopped off. She breathed a sigh and sat back on her heels. “He’s fine.”

Wade took her arm and helped her up.

“We can’t find too many this late in the year, but there’s a few still out” Wade looked around the bank of the watering hole. “They’re probably all in the water, anyway.”

“Maybe we can scare them out” Jay offered.

Wade looked at Aubrey then back down at Jay.

“Should we?”

Jay nodded him head vigorously.

Wade walked toward Aubrey.

“I know what you’re thinking! Don’t you dare!” Aubrey threatened.

Wade picked her up and carried her to the edge of the watering hole.

“Wade Dylan, if you throw me in there, I’ll…” her threat was interrupted by a squeal as she landed in the darkening depths of the water.

She came back up and gasped for air. “How could you!”

Wade laughed at her and helped her out. “I think they’re all scared out now.”

“That was the meanest thing anyone has ever done to me” Aubrey said, shivering.

Wade took off his coat and wrapped it around her, and his arm around her shoulders.

“How do you know I didn’t do it just so I could hold you close” he whispered in her ear so low that Jay didn’t hear.

She looked up at him, all the anger fled form her eyes. “Then I’d say there are better ways of doing it.”

“Another one!” Jay hollered as he ran down the bank a ways.

“Please don’t make me hold this one” Aubrey pleaded.

Wade kissed her temple. “I won’t.”

**********

“Storm, Cooper, Ginger, Lily, Abe, Snowflake, Abner, Winchester, Joe, and Chief” Aubrey named off all the horses of the MC Ranch.

“Now, who do they belong to?” Wade questioned her as he sat up with her by the fireplace as she dried out.

“Storm is Toni’s, Cooper’s Erik’s, Ginger belongs to Tiny, Lilly is Sandy’s pony, and Abe and Snowflake are yours. Then there’s Abner who belongs to Rawhide, Winchester is Gringo’s, Chief is Mark’s, and Katie has a horse named Joe” Aubrey smiled in pride.

“Which one is Erik working on?”

“That’s Biscuit, and he just sold a mare named Princess” Aubrey said.

“Very good. Now who’s the prized bull?”

“Sanctum.”

“Hmm…” Wade watched her a moment. “You’ve been memorizing haven’t you?”

Aubrey nodded. “I like learning the names.”

“Well, you know them inside and out” Wade smiled.

“Let’s not forget Mr. Cluck” Aubrey smiled.

“Oh, no. We can’t forget the terror of the MC Ranch” Wade smiled and looked over toward where Jay was sleeping on the bed.

Aubrey followed his gaze and saw Jay sprawled out, taking up the whole bed. “I don’t think we’re gonna get to sleep for a while.”

Wade smiled. “Probably not.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Aubrey asked with a yawn.

“It’s Thursday” Wade answered.

“Oh” Aubrey nodded. She was so tired she could hardly keep her eyes open.

Then the world went black.

She woke up early the next morning with her head in Wade’s lap. She jerked up.

“It’s about time you woke up” Wade rubbed sleep from his eyes and smiled at her.

She blinked her eyes a few times.

“Did I fall asleep?”

“Yeah, I’d say so. I wasn’t far behind though, so don’t feel bad. I’ve got to get to work, though. You don’t have to do today if you don’t want to” Wade stood and grabbed his chaps from where they were slung over a chair and his hat.

“No, I’ll come. Just wait for me to get Jay around?” Aubrey stood.

Wade looked at her and smiled strangely, flashing his adorable dimples.

“I’ll saddle the horses” he said.

He put his hat on and went outside hopping on one leg in his chaps, shutting the door behind him. Aubrey smiled and woke up Jay.

“Come on buddy. We’ve gotta get to the ranch” she told him.

She smiled as Sadie wagged his little tail beside Jay, though not moving other than that. The dog wasn’t usually allowed to sleep in the bed, but she and Wad had been too tired last night to argue. Jay got up and dressed, and she shooed him outside while she changed back into her jeans.

**********

That made five successful lassoes Aubrey had made. Wade watched her from his place in the barn loft while she practiced in the yard below. She smiled at herself and retrieved the lariat. Wade felt his chest swell with pride. She was trying so hard to fit in, but they all knew that she belonged in fancy things. Those jeans looked good on her, but they were out of place. That simple braid she kept her hair in didn’t belong there, either. Yet she was trying so hard. He knew that he was falling in love with her for that.

So he told her so, even though she couldn’t hear him.

“Aubrey Dylan, you’re fast becoming the love of my life. You’re everything to me. If I had no arms, I’d cry because I couldn’t pull you close. If I had no legs, I’d cry because I couldn’t take you on long walks. If I had no eyes, I’d cry because I couldn’t see if I made you smile. If I had no ears, I’d cry because I couldn’t hear you giggle at yourself. If I had no voice, I’d cry because I couldn’t tell you just how much you mean to me. One day I’ll tell you all these things, but not now.”

Aubrey resumed with her practicing as if he hadn’t just told her his heart.

God, if she never loves me, then I don’t know how I’ll get on with life like that. Can I have some sort of assurance?

1 John 4:7 - Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

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