Brielle was terrible at it, but no one seemed to mind, and her laughter was mixed with everyone else’s hoots and hollers and yee-haws. She and Colt stayed on the dance floor for nearly an hour, until she was hot and sweaty and in desperate need of something to drink.
He led her to an area on the rolling lawn with blankets spread out, and he sat, pulled her down onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. As the fireworks began, he kissed her neck and whispered sweet promises for later that had her heart pounding.
People all around them laughed, chatted excitedly, and cheered as explosion after explosion filled the night sky with color.
Maggie stood up on the stage when the celebration was concluding, and she thanked everyone for another great year, announced that they’d raised more than ever before for the fire department, and sent out a stern motherly look as she reminded them all to use their designated drivers.
Brielle stood up slowly, knowing that Colt would come home with her, but still reluctant to leave. She found herself wishing for a time loop in which she could replay this day over and over again.
Eventually, the two of them were going to need to talk about where they were headed. Brielle had fought being in Montana, had fought against living this kind of life, thinking she was much happier in a city where they didn’t even know what line dancing was. But she had found something here in Big Sky Country, and she never wanted to let it go. She only hoped that Colt’s feelings mirrored her own.
“I have to say, Brielle, that this has been one of the best days I’ve ever had.”
“I was just thinking the same thing, Colt.”
He drew her into his arms. “I know I’m probably going to scare you to death, but I love you, Brielle. I can’t go a single minute without thinking about you. I can’t imagine you moving away from here, leaving what we have together behind.”
After a brief silence, she lifted her hand to cradle his face. “I won’t lie and say I’m not terrified to say this, Colt...but I love you, too.”
But was love enough? Sometimes it was, but unfortunately, sometimes it wasn’t.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It was the first day of harvest, a process that would take weeks, and Brielle wasn’t as confident as she should have been in her ability to help. But she was bound and determined to give it her best. Though she knew Joe was worried, Colt had told her that a combine was easy-peasy. It was just like driving a car, really — a really, really big car.
Hey, what could go wrong?
After her shower, Brielle dressed and came downstairs in a hopeful mood. The sun was just beginning to rise in the sky and she was ready to get started with the workday. Before her job at the mall last year she hadn’t worked for a paycheck once in her life. She’d gone to school and she’d done a lot of service work with her brothers when she was younger, but she hadn’t punched a time clock. It was one of the advantages of being raised in wealth.
So Brielle was completely surprised by how much she was enjoying running this ranch. Sure, there were some tasks and projects she despised, but she adored others, and all in all, she was happy with her large spread here in the middle of Montana.
Once she made it outside, she watched as her large crew gathered together. She didn’t know whether she was relieved or sad when she didn’t find Colt among them, but it didn’t matter. She would prove to him today that he hadn’t been wasting his time on her, that what he’d been teaching her over the last month was sticking.
“Hi, Brielle. What are you doing up so early?”
“I’m going to help harvest the fields, Joe,” she said with a confident smile. If she appeared to know what she was doing, then surely the men would welcome her help.
“Are you sure you’re ready?”
“You showed me what to do. I can handle this,” she said, sending him a look that told him he would be unwise to argue with her. He looked as if he was about to object, but he finally just shrugged and muttered under his breath. “What was that, Joe?” she asked.
Quickly turning back to her, he flashed her a big grin. “Nothing, boss.”
She knew he was being cheeky, but she couldn’t prove it, so she decided to let it go. After all, they’d be working together all day.
“All right then. Let’s get started.”
When Tony stepped out and saw her standing there, he was wise enough not to say a word to her. “You all know what to do,” he told everyone. “Let’s have a productive day, because this will be a long three weeks.”
And then Brielle followed the crew out to the harvesters. Man, were those machines intimidating.
It didn’t matter. She could do this. Climbing up into one of the giant beasts, she tried desperately to remember how to get it going. When she started it on only the second try, she was feeling pretty damn accomplished. When the others pulled out and she was still sitting there, she picked up her pace, and soon, though the combine jumped a little, she had it moving and a satisfied grin split her face.
“You take the field on the right.”
Looking down, Brielle found the CB that Joe’s words had just come through. She’d never used one before, but picking up the handle, she pushed the button. “Roger that,” she said and then a giggle burst from her mouth.
For some strange reason, she’d always wanted to say that. Oh, how her old friends would mock her if they could see her now. But as she sat there, she realized how vain an existence they had all led. Yes, she’d traveled to numerous other countries, lounged on beaches around the world, and sat in the VIP section of all the best clubs, but she had nothing to show for it.
Today, she was doing something that mattered. The wheat would be harvested and then used all around the world to fill bellies, to provide nourishment. That was something much more important than lying topless on the sands of Brazil.
She felt pretty dang cool sitting in this behemoth harvester. Taking a few minutes, she watched what the other men were doing, and soon, she was on the edge of the field and cutting away. As the blades on her combine knocked down row after row of wheat, Brielle knew there was no way the men could say she didn’t know what she was doing anymore.
Sure, her rows might not be as smooth or straight as the men’s, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she was out here working. She was being productive, and she was learning something new.
Halfway through the field, Brielle grew concerned. She couldn’t quite put a name to the odor, but it was certainly a burnt smell. But it had to be that the machine was working so hard. Not that big a deal. She continued on for a few more minutes, until smoke began drifting inside her cab.