Midnight Roots (Silver Creek Ranch)

Chapter Twenty-One

Dillon

I feel like we're taking a huge step in our relationship. Is this a relationship? Are we officially dating?

Maybe that's something we can discuss tonight.

I rush home from the diner and grab my overnight bag. I rifle through my limited wardrobe, trying to think what to wear. It's still warm out, even at night, so a summer dress should be fine for today. Tomorrow I can wear a pair of hot shorts and a T-shirt. Then I need underwear and toiletries. Oh, I can't believe this is happening; it feels so fast.

Is it too fast?

Heston seems confident in his decision, so I'm confident about spending the night with him. I pack the overnight bag, shower and change into the summer dress. I spritz the perfume on my neck and wrists and pack it into the bag. I brush my teeth and apply a little light makeup. Nothing that will smudge or make me look unsightly if I don't get a chance to wash my face before bed.

I put my trainers on with some hidden socks. I check myself in the mirror.

I look great. Perfect for an overnight at the boyfriend's ranch.

I've been to ranches before but never for long, and I don't really know what they do there aside from herd animals. I wonder if it's a cattle ranch. I should have asked. I love cows, so that would be perfect.

I try to read to pass the time, but I can't concentrate on the page. I pace around a little restlessly. I double and triple check my overnight bag and that I have everything that I need.

When it's almost five, I head downstairs and wait on the curb, pacing around there and trying not to psych myself out. Suddenly, I'm filled with nerves. I mean, I'm going home overnight with a guy who is probably my boyfriend. Can things really be looking so far up for me?

I see his truck coming and I pick up my bag. He stops the truck and gets out, coming to take my bag. He puts it in the back and helps me into the truck, reaching around me to buckle me in. I smile brightly at him.

He grins, goes around to his side, and climbs in, buckling in.

"Oh, I got something I thought would suit you," he says, digging into his pocket. He produces a pretty pink shade of lipstick. I smile, flip down the visor, and use the mirror to apply a layer .

"How do I look?" I ask, smacking my lips.

"Gorgeous." He puts the truck into gear, and we are off. We leave town and start driving through the country. I look around, winding the window down to let the wind blow through my hair.

We take a graveled road through some trees, and then we pull up to a ranchhouse. We pull under a carport that's attached to the house before we climb out. "Looks great. So what do you breed here?"

"Cattle mostly. Though we have some pigs." Heston grabs my bag. "You get comfy on the porch, and I'll take your bag upstairs. Then we can barbecue some burgers for dinner."

"It's a lovely evening for it," I say, walking to a porch swing and sitting down.

I wait for what feels like quite a long time before he comes out again. "I'm just going to grab everything for the burgers."

"Do I need to do anything?" I ask.

"No, you just relax." He smiles and heads back inside.

He comes back out carrying a bag of groceries and sets them down on the table on the porch. He goes over to the grill and fires it up.

"Gas grill, nice," I say, feeling a little awkward. "And I love burgers."

"Well, you know I do, too," he chuckles.

He unpackages everything and sets the burgers on the grill, adjusting the temperature. He then takes out some beers and cracks one open for me. He hands it to me, and I come to sit at the table. "Thanks. "

"You like onion on your burger?" he asks.

"Yeah, I do," I say.

He nods, and while the burgers sizzle over the fire, he starts slicing the onion into rings. He takes out some relish and some hamburger buns.

"Oh, I forgot the butter. Let me get that quick." He hurries inside.

I sip my beer and look out at the ranch. I wonder where all the cattle are. He comes back outside with the butter, a butter knife, and a bread knife. He cuts the hamburger buns and starts to butter them on both sides.

He turns and flips the burgers and sips on his own beer. "So, how was your day?"

"Nerve-wracking, to be honest," I say. I sip my beer again, and maybe some liquid courage will loosen our tongues. "I wasn't sure what to expect tonight."

"Just a tour, some talking, maybe more." He wiggles his eyebrows at me, and I smile.

"That sounds lovely," I say. "So when you're not breeding cattle, what do you do for fun around here?"

He glances at me and smiles. "Nothing much. I work a lot of the time. Sleep the rest. I go into town every day, but you know that."

I nod. "I do know that. Tell me something I don't know. What did you do before you worked here?"

"I was in the navy," he says, but a darkness shadows his eyes. I nod and try to brush it off.

"I used to work in retail, but that ended dismally." I try to change the topic. "Retail attracts the worst kind of people. I worked in a clothing store."

"You ever work with cattle?" he asks. "Just out of curiosity."

I smile. "Why? Are you hiring?"

"Maybe," he jokes. At least, I think he's joking.

He flips the burgers again and goes back inside—this time, he reemerges with some paper plates. "I didn't want to make too many dishes. Do enough chores around here."

"I can do the dishes," I offer.

"No, no. You relax." He laughs, and I smile.

"A girl could get used to being treated like this," I point out.

"As you should," he responds .

He compiles the burgers. "Relish?" He asks.

"Please."

He puts some on and hands me a plate with my burger. He sits opposite me with his burger. "There's more if you're hungry after that one."

"One is enough," I say, biting into it. It's good. It's not quite as good as the Catch + Candle burgers, but it would do for dinner.

We eat in silence. The sounds of nature surround us. The silence is only broken by the distance moos of cows.