Pip, our newest rescue, gallops beneath me with a rhythm as smooth as a heartbeat. Up ahead, across a swaying sea of golden-red leaves, Alex rides Gloria like she’s part of the wild.
This stretch of our ranch, dressed in the vibrant palette of a Pacific Northwest fall, is where we come alive, away from the demands of daily life and the whispers of the road and my band, Less Than Zero, calling me back to the stage.
“Race you to the creek!” Alex looks back at me, her laughter mingling with the rustle of leaves and a distant call of a bald eagle overhead.
Without waiting for my reply, she nudges Gloria into a gallop. I can’t help but kick Pip to follow, feeling like a million bucks as the cool autumn air slashes against my face.
The thrill of the chase, the freedom—it’s a stark contrast to our structured days wrangling kids and handling chores on the ranch.
We reach the stream, where the clear water murmurs secrets to the smooth stones. Dismounting, I lead Pip to where Alex is securing Gloria to a nearby tree.
“Cheater!” I tease.
“Nope. Strategic advantage,” she tosses back, her blue eyes sparkling with that undimmed sense of adventure that first drew me to her years ago when she was only eighteen.
We unpack the picnic I packed earlier—a simple spread of cheese, fresh fruit, and cider—under an old maple tree. This is our secret place. Where the world shrinks down to just the two of us.
“How long do we have? Jen and Becca have some party to go to, right?” Once a week, my sister and her wife watch our kids so we have a few hours to reconnect and remember who we are when we’re not just mom and dad.
Alex’s blonde hair catches the light of the afternoon sun. “Not until later. I think they took them into town for ice cream.”
“Well, then we have a little leeway,” I raise my glass and she clinks hers against it with a smile.
She waggles her eyes. “I brought an extra blanket. To us.”
Alex reaches for my hand and pulls me down onto the soft blanket with a playful tug. She nestles into my side, her head resting against my shoulder, and I can’t resist wrapping my arm around her, drawing her even closer.
She tilts her face up to mine and I lean in. Our lips meet in a kiss that’s slow and sweet, filled with the love and laughter of over a decade together. It’s these moments, quiet and gentle, that remind me just how deep our roots go.
“Remember when we thought we could handle the comeback tour with a newborn?” Alex laughs, the sound richer than the coolest melody my band ever wrote.
I think back to a couple of years ago. “I was less wise then.”
“I still love it when we’re all together.” She twirls a lock of my hair around her finger. “With every day, every challenge. I just want us to always be together.”
Too soon, the sun begins to sink, painting the sky in strokes of orange and purple, We need to go back, but these moments with Alex and my family are what I live for.
The music, the fans, the open roads, they’re embedded in my soul but this, right here with her, is my life.
My heart.
WANT TO READ THE ORIGIN STORY, GET LIMITLESS HERE!
Or, get the series here.
DARING DESTINY TROPE REVEAL
And, without further ado…are you ready for Brennan and Astrid? I’m in the final editing stages and Book 2 of the Charming Irish series, Daring Destiny will be coming out in January!
Here is a little teaser (and make sure you sign up for your ARC!)
xoxoxo
Kaylene
