As her mother pulled into the Grandin ranch and parked next to the stable, she warned Aubrey for the fifteenth time to be safe. Aubrey promised she would and then practically ran from the car in pursuit of her newfound freedom.
An absolutely gorgeous redhead was angling for the front door of the ranch house, wearing a sexy floral dress and a pair of cowboy boots. Vic barely suppressed a smile as he cupped his palms around his mouth and shouted Aubrey’s name.
She turned and started his way, her soft auburn waves lifting on the breeze. He loved when she wore her hair down. And when she flashed him a dazzling grin, he felt Cupid’s arrow slide into his chest for the felling blow.
It was official. Vic was a goner for Aubrey Collins once again.
She broke into a run toward him, which caused another arrhythmic pattern in his heart. He caught her, hugging her close and inhaling the clean sunshine scent of her hair.
“The doctor cleared me to ride,” she said as he set her feet back onto the ground. “Let’s throw a saddle on Titan and take him out!”
Her eyes twinkled as she turned her head to look toward the stable where he’d just been. When she looked back at him and took in the state of his dust-covered attire, she frowned. “You’re a mess.”
“Thanks.” He swiped hay off his sleeves. “I was helping the stable hands feed the horses. I’ve been enjoying being out here in the elements lately. A good leader should know what the hell’s going on with his ranch.”
She propped her hand on her hip. “And this has nothing to do with proving to your sisters that you’re more than a delegator?”
“That’s...secondary.” He palmed the back of his neck, uncharacteristically sheepish. “Are you sure you want to take Titan out now?”
“Yes! I’m like a jack-in-the-box that’s been wound too tight. I have so much pent-up energy I feel like I’m going to explode. I want you to ride with me. Keep me safe.”
He found it particularly hard to say no to her when she appealed to his protective side. If he was sure of one capability in his arsenal, it was that he could keep Aubrey safe—especially from the vantage point of atop a horse.
“I have a confession first,” she said.
His heart sputtered to a halt as his mind introduced any number of memories she might confess. Had she remembered one of their arguments? The argument? “Oh yeah?”
“I don’t remember Titan, and I don’t know why.”
Well, he knew why she didn’t know Titan. Aubrey had been long gone from Vic’s life when he’d bought the horse five years ago. With no easy way to explain that, he said, “Titan responds to the genuineness of a person. And you, Aubrey,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the stable, “are as genuine as they come.”
He made short work of saddling up the horse. Titan was a gentle giant and had never been interested in tossing anyone off his back. Seeing Aubrey topple off that stage the night of the pool party had shaved years off Vic’s life. If the unthinkable happened and she fell off his horse, he’d throw himself off with her if he had a shot at preventing her from injury.
He helped her into the saddle and then joined her. Titan seemed to intuitively know he was carrying precious cargo. The horse took them the easy way, his gait rhythmic as he followed the fence line. It felt right to have Aubrey’s hair tickling Vic’s cheeks, her back leaning against his front as they rode.
They used to ride together, around the ranch. She always wanted to pet the cows, and he’d gotten the biggest kick out of that. Back then, while he’d respected and cared for the animals, he’d looked at them more like a commodity than living beings. Aubrey had opened his eyes to the kindness in theirs, to the literal sacrifice they were making so that Vic and his family could live a good life. He’d gained a lot of respect for the living, breathing creatures that were a part of this ranch. Aubrey had changed him for the better in that way—and countless others.
The midday sun played in her hair, which glimmered like spun, copper-colored silk. Having her around this last month was the ultimate second chance. Like in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, Vic was destined to wake out of the alternate reality to find everything as it had been. And when she remembered everything and resented him for playing her, he’d already decided what to do.
He was going to fight for her until his dying breath.
He hadn’t fought for her when she left the first time. That was a mistake he refused to repeat.
“I remember this,” she gasped. She snapped her head around to look up at him. “Vic, I remember riding with you. I’m sorry I stopped. I was so focused on school.”
He didn’t correct her, though he knew the real reason why she’d quit riding. It was because she’d never come to see him after the breakup. That night had been so final, so ruinous, they hadn’t even managed to salvage a friendship.
“God. It’s like it happened yesterday,” she continued. “Isn’t time weird?”
“The weirdest.” He’d been having major flashbacks himself.
“I just... I wish I could remember more. Dr. Mitchell told me not to worry, but how am I supposed to do that?”
“You never liked being out of control.”
“You’re one to talk.”
“We had that in common. Which is probably why...” We argued so much about our future. “Why, uh, we’ve butted heads on occasion.”