Chapter 7

Amber begins to tell me about her life before we met, and how she had been hurt in the past. Her eyes searched mine for understanding as she spoke, and I could feel her vulnerability in every word. She had been married once, she says, but her ex-husband was a different kind of person back then. He had changed over the years, becoming someone, she didn’t recognize anymore. Her voice was soft, but there was an underlying strength in her tone that suggested she had faced her share of hardships and come out the other side.

Her heart had been through a gauntlet of emotions, she says, and now all she wanted was someone who could appreciate her for the person she had become. Someone who would cherish her quirks, laugh at her jokes, and hold her tight when the world got too much to handle. She didn’t need a knight in shining armor; she needed a partner, a best friend, someone who could share in the mundane and the magical moments of life.

When she hears about my plans to buy cattle, sheep, and pigs for a farm, her eyes light up with intrigue. She’d always been a city girl, but there was something about the idea of rolling fields and fresh produce that tickled her fancy. “You’re going to be a real farmer, then?” she asks with a playful smile. “I’ve never met a man who can handle a plow and still look good in a pair of jeans.”

I chuckle, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. Her words were a gentle tease, but I knew she was trying to get to know me better. “It’s going to be a lot of hard work,” I admit, “but it’s what I’ve always dreamed of.” She nods thoughtfully, and I can see the wheels turning in her head as she considers the implications of dating a farmer. Would she fit into this rural life? Would she be okay with the early mornings and the mud?

We settle down in the barn, the scent of fresh hay and earthy animals surrounding us as the first whispers of the winter storm begin to blow outside. The barn is cozy and warm, a stark contrast to the icy chill that has started to grip the land. Amber wraps her arms around herself, rubbing her hands up and down her arms for warmth. I stand and grab an extra blanket, laying it over her shoulders. “Thanks,” she murmurs, her eyes never leaving mine as she pulls it tighter. The air between us is charged with something unspoken, a current of anticipation that makes my heart race.

I light the stove, watching as the flames flicker to life and begin to lick at the kindling. The smell of burning wood fills the air, mingling with the sweetness of the hay. The warmth spreads gradually, pushing back the cold that seeps in from the cracks in the barn’s ancient walls. The sound of the flames crackling and popping is the only noise in the stillness, aside from the occasional snort from the horses in their stalls.

Amber watches me, her gaze thoughtful. “What’s it like, working with animals?” she asks, breaking the silence. “Is it as peaceful as it seems?”

“It has its moments,” I reply, leaning against the wall of the stall, my arms crossed over my chest. “But it’s also a lot of hard work. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment when you’ve managed to get a stubborn cow to cooperate, though.” I laugh, remembering a particularly challenging morning with one of the heifers. “But it’s not all fun and games. There’s the smell, the mess, the early mornings...”

Her smile widens. “I can imagine,” she says, her voice filled with a gentle amusement. “But it seems like you love it.”

“I do,” I affirm, feeling a sense of pride in the simple life I’ve chosen. “And the one cow I have now is just the start. I’ve got plans to expand with may more plus horses to look after the cows i will have to hire vaqueros to watch over them at night.”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “You’re going all out,” she says, a hint of admiration in her voice. “What made you decide on this path?”

I lean in, my voice low and earnest. “It’s something I’ve wanted since I was a kid. To work the land, raise animals, live off what I grow. It’s a legacy I want to leave behind.” I pause, searching for the right words. “And I want to share that life with someone special. Someone who sees the beauty in the hard work and the quiet moments.”