“Long story,” Cody chuckled. “I’ll tell you on the way home,” he said, and then focused on Stevie. “I guess your rainbow isn’t so bright, but there is coffee and chocolate in the bunkhouse, and you can have my room for privacy. It’s got a big bed and a bathroom with a tub.”

“Thank you.” Stevie was a bit disappointed, but hey, like Cody had said earlier, she would make the best of the situation. She practically drooled at the idea of a cup of coffee waiting on the other end of the trip to the ranch.

They loaded the cats and Dixie into the van. Stevie tossed her go bag into the front seat and made sure all the doors were closed. Then Jesse and Cody hooked the vehicle up to the back of the tractor and Jesse pulled it out of the barn.

“You ready?” Cody asked Stevie.

“For a cup of coffee, I’d walk from here to the ranch,” she said as she climbed up into the cab of the tractor.

“I wasn’t talking about getting out of here.” Cody followed right behind her. “I meant, are you ready to share the seat with me? This tractor only has two seats.” He picked her up and set her in his lap. “Unless you want me to sit in your lap, this is where you’ll be for the next two hours.”

“You did say there was chocolate at the end of the road, right?” Stevie wasn’t quite ready for the sizzle the contact with his thighs made her feel, but she was determined not to let him know that he affected her so much.

“Yep, and about five miles down the road, we will probably have cell service. Mama and Addy are putting supplies in the bunkhouse for you—girl stuff,” Jesse said. “She said that if you think of anything special, to call her.” He drove the tractor slowly down the lane. “She and Addy were making cookies and talking about what to fix for lunch when I left. I reckon there’ll be a hot meal waiting for y’all.”

“That is so sweet of them.” Stevie’s voice cracked.

“Now, tell me about this cat thing. Why are we taking a mama cat and kittens to Sunflower Ranch?” Jesse said.

Cody explained how Dixie had adopted the cats, and ended the short story with “I’ll take them back when the cria adapts to her new family on the ranch.”

Jessie stopped at the end of the lane and pointed to his right. “See what I’m talking about?”

Stevie and Cody both turned their heads at the same time. The entire cab and hood of Cody’s truck was covered with snow, and all that they could see of the back end was the tailgate. A huge tree was lying over the top and spread out all the way to the other side of the road.