He was once again working in the corral with Tornado. Lindsay stopped and watched from a distance at first so her presence wouldn’t distract the horse.
“I told you, you can’t sneak up on me. My heart knows when are close by.”
Lindsay chuckled and moved a bit closer. “I wasn’t sneaking up on you. I didn’t want to distract the horse from you.”
“It’s okay. Come closer he needs to be distracted some so I can bring his focus back to me.”
Lindsay walked up closer and the horse focused on her for a while until Nick worked with him to change his focus. “Did my Mama embarrass me some more after I left?”
“No, she was telling me that I made you happy and she was glad for both of us.”
“You do make me happy.” Nick spoke softly to her but stayed focused on the horse.
“You make me happy too.”
“I’m glad to be changing the bad memories of me into good and happy ones.”
“I am glad that is happening too. Most of the memories weren’t bad but some made me very sad. But that is all changed around now that we are a couple. I am not thinking on the sad anymore.”
“I still do some. I was so stupid around you.”
“Please don’t. Let’s forget about that for now, if we need to talk more about that another day then we will but not today.”
“Okay.” He paused “Can you try to distract him again? Climb up on the rail or something.”
Lindsay climbed up on the rail and got the horse’s attention. Nick worked on him again to bring it back. “Good job Tornado.” He crooned.
Nick finished his work with the horse and led him back to his stall. Lindsay watched from where she was as Nick fed, watered and groomed him. Then Nick came to where she was and picked her up in a big hug.
“Knock that off.” David said walking up to them “He is doing good Nick.” He said pointing to Tornado.
“He is. I believe I am ready for the saddle tomorrow.”
David was about to comment again as a livestock truck pulled into the ranch. “Time to get to work. Lindsay will you go greet our guests and direct them to the south corral. Nick and I will be there in a second.”
Lindsay left the barn and went to the driver’s door of the truck. “Hi” she said climbing up to talk to the driver “I’m Lindsay Matthews. David wants you to go down to the south corral. Follow that drive and go past the south barn. Pull past it a ways and then back up to the unloading shoot that is there. You can’t miss it.”
The driver nodded and she hopped down and went to the SUV that had pulled in behind the truck. “Welcome to StageWest. I’m Lindsay Matthews.”
“I am Trent Dean and this is my wife Kelly.”
“Nice to meet you. You can go on down to the south barn and David will meet you down there. Do you have some paperwork for me?”
“Here it is.” He said as he handed it through the window.
“I will see you later then. Enjoy your day.”
“Thank you.”
Lindsay went inside with the paperwork as the Dean’s drove down to the barn. She went right to work on the software for the breeding scenarios. Nick’s brother Travis had designed the software with possible and probabilities that were pretty accurate.
Lindsay was printing off the results when her intercom buzzed.
“Lindsay, David is ready for you if you are done.” Nick said from David’s office
“I am finishing the printing right now. Is he going to his office in the barn?”
“Yes, he is showing the Dean’s around but he is headed here next.”
“I’m coming right now.”
Lindsay beat David to his office by just a minute or so. He took the reports from her and reviewed them as Nick showed the Dean’s the barn.
After he finished reviewing her data, he asked her to take the Dean’s up to the house so he and Nick could talk about the results.
Lindsay left his office and went to find Nick. As she approached them she noticed that Kelly Dean was standing a little too close to Nick and flirting with him. “Mr. and Mrs. Dean if you will come with me, we can sit in the cool house and enjoy our lunch while David reviews the paperwork you brought.
“That would be lovely” exclaimed Mrs. Dean “but please call me Kelly and he is Trent.”
“Certainly. Please follow me.” Lindsay led them to the front of the house and showed them where they could freshen up and directed them back to the living room.
“This is lovely house, Lindsay.” Kelly said as she entered the living room
“Thank you. My mother and father designed themselves with future generations in mind. My brothers and I each had a wing and that can be remodeled to fit our family’s needs.”
“How wonderful and how far sighted your parents were.”
“Yes, they hoped for all of us to live here for a long time and so far that has worked.”
Dalton and Sarah arrived a short time later. They entered the living room and Lindsay introduced everyone. “This is my brother Dalton and his wife Sarah. Dalton, Sarah this is Trent and Kelly Dean.”
Dalton stepped forward to shake their hands “Welcome to StageWest. Have you enjoyed your visit?”
Trent spoke first “Yes, your family has a huge and well respected facility here. The quality of stock we have seen is outstanding.”
“Thank you. David is the best at what he does.” Dalton replied
“He is amazing at what he does” Trent returned “Just mention that he has looked at your stock or bread a horse with yours and the price at least doubles.”
“That’s David.” Dalton agreed
“And Nick is an excellent with horses also. He noticed one of mine had a problem and we had missed it.”
Dalton agreed. “Nick has an affinity with horses. It is almost like he can read them.”
Mr. Dean agreed and the conversation continued until David and Nick joined them. Gabby called them all to lunch.
After lunch, David, Nick, Lindsay and the Dean’s went to Lindsay’s office to discuss what David and Nick had determined.
Lindsay took notes as the discussion progressed. She also noted that Kelly again was directing too much attention to Nick. He, thankfully, seemed to be ignoring it.
Lindsay typed up the contract that everyone agreed on and both parties signed it. Nick left to assist the hands with the Dean’s horses while David and Lindsay finished the business.
The Dean’s were getting ready to leave when Nick wandered back from the barn. Lindsay noted again that Mrs. Dean’s attention shifted right back to him. I’ll be glad when she is gone.
As they drove away, Nick wrapped his arms around Lindsay from behind and laid his head on hers. She spoke quickly “I’m glad that woman is gone. They don’t have to come back, do they?”
“What’s wrong with Kelly?”
“She paid you way too much attention for my peace of mind and for being a married woman.”
“She did? I didn’t even notice.”
“I’m glad about that at least.” She replied losing some of her temper at his comment.
“Lindsay, are you mad at me?”
“No, I just didn’t like her.”
“They probably won’t be back. They had a couple of good horses but not that many.”
“Good.”
Nick laughed and turned her around in his arms and kissed her. “I love you Miss Lindsay Matthews. Now, we have the rest of the day to be together. I am going to go shower and change and then see you at the pool.” He quickly kissed her again and left to change clothes.
Nick had finished changing clothes and was getting ready to leave when someone knocked on his door.
“Come in”
“Nick?”
“Hi Mama” Nick said coming from the bedroom “What are you doing here?”
“A mother can’t come to her favorite son’s house?”
Nick laughe
d “Favorite son? I don’t think so Mama.”
“Of course you are my favorite son, so are Travis, Colin, David and Dalton. And my favorite girls are Lindsay and Sarah.”
“What’s up Mama?” he said laughing at her logic
“I want to talk to you.” She said moving to sit in the rocking chair
“About what?” he asked a little concerned
“Lindsay”
“What about Lindsay?”
“Are you going to marry her?”
“Yes.”
“Have you proposed to her?”
“Unofficially.”
“Why not officially?”
“Well, at the time, some lunatic had just beaten her up. So she wasn’t exactly in the best shape to be excited about it?”
“So propose to her now”
“Lindsay needs a little time, Mama.”
“Why?”
Nick got up to pace. “To believe in me, to believe that my feelings for her are genuine. Did you know she has loved me for eight years?”
“I wondered about that.”
“What? How?”
“She acted different around you. With her brothers she was tough and could take what they dished out, but with you she was quiet and afraid. If she thought of you like a brother, then she would have been the same with you as she was with David and Dalton.”
“How long have you wondered this?”
“A few years, maybe? I don’t know.”
“And you didn’t say anything?”
“About what? If you two couldn’t work it out, it was going to be hard for both of you to live here. I kept my mouth shut and watched. I know, for once I didn’t butt in on my kids.” She added at his astonished look
“I love you Mama.” Nick said “Now, why all these questions about me and Lindsay?”
She reached into the pocket of her pants and held out a box for him. He reached for it with a question in his eyes.
“That was my grandmother’s wedding ring set. Lindsay may not like it and that is okay. You can use the diamonds in a different style. It was to be yours since you were my first born.”
Nick opened the box and looked with love on the ring set. “It is beautiful. Thank you Mama.” He said moving to hug her.
“Let her know she can change the style.”
“I will, but if I know my girl. She won’t.”
“Now when are you proposing “officially”?
“I am working on a plan for that but it is going to be a few more weeks. Can you wait that long?” he asked a little sarcastic.
“Barely. I am so happy for you two.”
“Good, because I will need your help with part of the plan.”
“Anything for my kids.” She replied happily
“Mama, she is soon going to be your daughter. I promise you.”
Tears came to her eyes as she looked at her son. “I know baby, I can’t wait.”
Nick hugged her again and she left.
Nick walked from his house to the pool but didn’t see Lindsay.
“Where is Lindsay?” he asked Sarah and Dalton
“We haven’t seen her.” Sarah replied
Nick walked to her room and knocked on the door. She didn’t answer so he knocked again “Lindsay?” and she still didn’t answer so he opened the door and her room was completely dark.
“Lindsay, are you in here?”
“Nick?” she said quietly
“Yes, where are you?”
“In bed, my head started hurting when I got back to my room.”
Nick rushed to the bed “How bad is it?”
“Bad.”
“Is it from your injuries?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’m calling Dr. Stephens in San Francisco and then we are going to the clinic.”
“But …”
“No buts.” He said moving to the bathroom so he could turn on the light and not disturb her. Dr. Stephens’ answering service took his message and he went back to the bed to wait on a return call.
“Can I get you anything?” he said as he gently touched her hair
“Will you hold my hand?”
Just as he reached for it his cell phone rang.
“Nick Cates”
“It’s Dr. Stephens. What is wrong with Lindsay? Can she talk to me on the phone?”
Nick held the phone to Lindsay and the doctor asked her several questions and she answered then gave the phone back to Nick.
“What should I do?” Nick asked
“I think it is just a headache, but take her to an urgent care just in case. As a result of her injuries, she may have developed migraines. Have the doctor at the clinic call me and I will talk to him.”
“Thank you. We will leave right away.”
“Don’t panic. She is probably fine.”
“Thanks bye.” Nick said and hung up. He rushed for the bedroom door. “I’m going to get Dalton so he can drive.”
Nick rushed out the door and yelled for Dalton as he ran to the pool.
“What?” Dalton replied
“Get your car; we need to take Lindsay to urgent care.”
“Why?”
“She has a bad headache and we called Dr. Stephens and it was his suggestion.”
“Ok, we will be right back.” Dalton said as he and Sarah moved to get their car.
Nick rushed back to Lindsay and gently picked her up. Gabby met him at the door because she heard the commotion. “What’s wrong?”
“We are going to urgent care, she has a bad headache. Find David and tell him to come to the clinic in town.”
Nick was carrying Lindsay to the front door as Sarah rushed in. He helped Lindsay into the back seat and then climbed in with her. She moved to lie down in his lap as Dalton left the house. Sarah reached over the back of the seat to hold her hand.
“Hey girlfriend. What’s wrong?”
“My head started hurting very bad when I went back to my room.”
“What did Dr. Stephens’ say?”
“Something about migraines, I don’t know.”
“We are almost there, sweetheart.” Nick assured her.
They reached the clinic and Nick and Sarah walked beside Lindsay. Sarah went to sign her in as Nick found her a place to sit down. Thankfully, the clinic was not too busy today.
“Lindsay Matthews” called a nurse from the door
Nick helped her walk to the room. They took her vital signs and made her comfortable on the exam table. Nick walked to her side; he brushed her hair gently as they waited.
The doctor came in a few minutes later and asked what had happened. Lindsay explained how she felt and about her attack a few weeks ago. The doctor examined her and asked a few more questions. Nick gave the clinic doctor the phone number for Dr. Stephens and then he left again.
The doctor returned several minutes later; “I spoke to Dr. Stephens and we believe this is a migraine. Maybe it is a new thing for you since your injuries but maybe not. We are going to give you a shot for the pain and this prescription will help with the pain in the future. You need to see your regular doctor and have him run some tests. Get your records from Dr. Stephens and the hospital before you go.
“Thank you doctor.” Lindsay said as he left. “Take me home. I just want to sleep.”
“I know.” He said as he walked her back to the waiting room. David had joined Dalton and Sarah and they all rushed to see her when she came in.
“It is probably a migraine.” Nick answered before they even asked. “She has some medicine and wants to go home to sleep.”
“I’ll go get the car.” Dalton said after Nick’s explanation. David and Sarah waited with Nick and Lindsay then they all went home. Nick carried Lindsay inside and met his mother on the way through the door.
“David called me. I know what happened.” She said before he could explain. “I have her room ready.”
“Thanks Gabby
.” Lindsay said as Nick laid her on the bed.
Everyone else followed in a few minutes later but Lindsay was already asleep from the medicine the doctor had given her.
Nick ushered everybody out the door. “I am going to stay here in case the nightmares come back also. Mama, can you go to my house and bring me some clothes?”
“I’ll be right back.”
David patted Nick on the shoulder “we will be around if you need us.” he said and Dalton and Sarah agreed but left Lindsay’s wing of the house.
Nick went back to Lindsay but left the door open so his Mama could come in with his clothes. He looked down at Lindsay and waited. She had already curled up with the stuffed bear he had given her in San Francisco. He will protect you, sweetheart. And so will I.
“Nick, here you go. Call me if you need me.” Gabby said as she put his clothes down and left.
“Thanks Mama.” He said softly
Nick went to change clothes and then went back to Lindsay’s sitting room. He turned the TV on low so he wouldn’t disturb her and he could also hear her if she called for him.
Lindsay’s computer was on so he checked his email and found an email from both Scott and Katie. That would brighten his day so he read Scott’s first.
Hi Nick,
How is Spade? I want to come to Azona to see you but mom said no. When are you come here?
Scott
Hi Scott,
I miss you too. Spade is fine. I rode him this morning as I worked with some other horses.
I will come to San Francisco as soon as I can. Will you draw me a picture and send it to me?
I love you cowboy.
Nick
Hi Nick,
Are you coming to see me? I want to ride horses again. My boots got dirty but mom fixed them.
Katie
Hi Katie,
I miss you too. I will come see you soon. My boots get dirty too but I clean them instead of my mama. She is busy.
Will you draw me a picture and send it to me?
I love you sweetie.
Nick
Nick wrote an email to both sets of parents asking how they were and how the kid’s checkups had gone. He also found an email from Cassie Reynolds.
Hi Nick,
It was great to see you again in Las Vegas. When are you coming back? We can meet for drinks or something?
Call me