The crowd started to thin out as the night grew late. There were chores to do early in the morning and Carolyn had just left. It took some effort, but Lacey convinced the old woman she wanted to stay and help clean up, because by the looks of the men bugging out before they had to do dishes, Wesley was going to be left to do it alone. Lance was the last one to get ready to go as he finished up in the back, scraping the grill.
Wesley put the rest of the food away, organizing the fridge. He'd have to open up to Carolyn during the week to keep the stuff from going bad. The dinner was good, and healing. It was like old times. Everybody enjoyed themselves, especially with Lacey's return. She'd been given quite the joyous welcome.
Lacey stood at the kitchen sink, an apron tied around her waist as she washed and dried the last of the dishes, picking her way through the kitchen expertly as if she already knew where everything went. Lance walked through, brushing his hands on his jeans and walked up to her to hug her from behind and kiss her cheek. "Welcome home, Lace," he said before moving to Wesley and slapping him on the back as he stood up from where he had been bent over to put things in the fridge. "You kids have fun now," he said with a grin and nonchalantly shoved a couple of condoms into Wesley's back pocket while Lacey's back was turned.
Wesley eyed his friend as he left and chuckled as he felt the "gift" he'd left and shook his head. That man was always prepared everywhere he went. How he did it, Wes didn't really want to know. "Thank you fer helpin' clean up Lace... ya didn't have to."
Lacey took one last look around the kitchen to make sure she hadn't missed anything, and then turned with a soft smile to face Wesley, drying her hands on the apron before she reached behind her to untie it. "I wanted to, Wes. Tonight was great. The food was delicious, and it was a lot of fun." She folded the apron and set it carefully on the counter before her gaze fell on Wesley once again.
He cleared his throat rather nervously and scratched the back of his head. Now what? They were alone in his huge ranch house that had only him and his trusty dog for years. "I could show ya the house if you'd like. It's... pretty big."
Lacey smiled and nodded gently, pushing away from the counter to take a step closer to him. "That would be nice," she murmured softly. Clearly she didn't want to go quite yet.
"Well, this is the kitchen. And that over there is the den." He motioned toward the room that opened up past a bar counter. It was fully furnished with leather couches, and an ottoman, but looked unused. He took her hand and led her back to the main hall "There's two bedrooms and a bathroom down here on this floor. Anne wanted babies. Yer daddy had the house built fer us." He then took her up the stairs, seeing she was going slow to take a look at the paintings and pictures on the walls. Anne had fixed the place up real nice, and he hadn't changed a thing except for taking down any pictures with her in them.
Lacey held onto his hand, her fingers absently stroking his as he led her through the house. It was real nice and decorated with the style that she would imagine a cowboy would enjoy best, but with a touch of class. Even though it was nice, and furnished well, it obviously lacked "life". She smiled, listening to him tell about it and the plans that he had once made, ducking her head into the rooms as they slowly passed. "It's beautiful," she murmured, truly meaning it.
Wesley showed her the empty room at the end of the upstairs hall he'd never gotten around to furnishing, and just hadn't after Anne died. It could've been used as another bedroom, or a play room for kids, or even a real nice office that any Foreman would need. Wesley had just made a habit of using Old man King's office in the main house for his work.
He then took her hand and showed her the rest of the house on the top floor. There was an open common area at the other end of the hall where a big picture window opened to the scene of the Rocky Mountains and the south pasture of the ranch. There was a cushioned bench and a big open space that could be used for a study, or a woman's room. On either side were two more bedrooms and a half bath. They'd passed the master bedroom and bath at the center of it all. This wasn't just a house. It had been intended to be the center of operation. It'd just never blossomed into that.
Lacey beamed and oo'ed over the beauty of the house, loving the upstairs scenery and tightened her fingers on Wesley's. "Wes, it's beautiful ... truly breath-taking," she cooed, a soft smile lighting up in her eyes.
Wesley smiled rather proudly. Being in the big house all alone bugged him, but it was his home. He'd slept in one of the downstairs bedrooms for a long time after Anne died. He didn't have the heart to sleep in his own bed until just about the last year or so. He was a slow healer, but he was getting there step by step, whether people really noticed or not. "Anne designed it.. yer daddy hired the contractors. Then he had all the hands' houses re-done."
Lacey smiled tenderly, letting go of his hand temporarily as she walked over towards the big plate-glass window. New York's skyline paled in comparison to the millions of stars that twinkled above the mountains. She could make out the shadows of horses grazing in the pasture beyond, and the moon never looked more bright. She couldn't even remember if she was able to see the moon in New York. She looked out for a long time before she spoke, her voice quiet but strong enough to be heard, "I missed you, Wesley. I'm sorry I just up and left."
Wesley stepped up behind her and his arms wrapped around her waist, his head resting against hers as they shared a quiet, healing moment. After several minutes he kissed the top of her head. "It's nothin' that can't be fixed."
Lacey smiled gently, closing her eyes momentarily as she leaned back against him, her hands tenderly caressing the strong arms around her. Then she opened her eyes again to take in the beautiful scenery stretched out before her as she shared this time with the man that she had fallen in love with it. It relieved her to know that she hadn't lost him completely in her stupidity and confused moments. She turned slowly in his arms, her blue eyes looking up, searching his face as her arms slipped around him to draw him close.
He gazed into her eyes gently. "It might take awhile.... but it can be fixed if we try." He pulled her closer, running his fingers through her hair. "Jus' depends on if we wanna try."
She was lost in his gaze as she felt his fingers slide into her hair and her own fingers caressed the small of his back as her lips seemed to part slightly as she gazed up at him. "I want to do more than try, Wesley"
He leaned down and kissed her gently for the first time since she'd come back. He'd wanted to kiss her ever since she left him. The moment was long and passionate. He held her close like he'd never let go, almost like he was afraid she'd vanish again.
Lacey clung to him, a soft whimper escaping her lips as they kissed. She had dreamed of this moment ever since she had pulled off the road that had led to the ranch and now that it was here, she was almost afraid that she was dreaming.
He pulled back to gaze into her eyes. "There's one more thing I want to show you."
When he pulled back, Lacey's eyes were glistening with both passion and relief that she had found her way back into his arms. She smiled gently at his words and simply nodded her head, wanting to see whatever it was that he wanted to show her.
He took her hands and turned down the hallway to the center and the double doors they'd passed. He pushed them open and led her inside as he flipped on some of the lights. The master bedroom was probably the grandest room in the whole house, aside from the kitchen. There was a huge picture window to the west with a matching padded bench to the one in the hall. Across from that, there was a big king sized bed. Above the bed was a big western style swag lamp. On the side of the room that didn't seem used much, there was a big vanity and a walk-in closet that connected to a large master bath with a big bathtub and full shower. There was no doubt all this was designed by a woman, for a woman. It wasn't just a house. It was a showcase. It was made to make an impression to whatever big business would come to the house.
Lacey gasped softly, glancing to Wesley before gently releasing his hand and wandered further into the room. It was gorgeous! It looked like it stepped right out of a magazine! Lacey walked through the room, touching things almost reverently, walking into the bathroom with a soft smile. Anne had thought of everything, right down to the his and hers sinks. It was perfect. When she came back out, her gaze met Wesley's and she smiled beautifully. "It takes my breath away."
"It's been photographed... fer magazines. The whole house has been. Yer daddy wanted it to be the base of operations. It just never got there. I'm glad ya like it."
Tick came trotting in then and looked between the two people and snorted in his little Corgi way and waddled on over to the dog bed Wesley had set beside the master bed and he curled up in it, huffing as if in irritation that the two hadn't gotten any further than this.
Lacey glanced to the dog and smiled gently before turning again to take in the room. "It's gorgeous, Wesley. I absolutely love it." She walked to where Tick was curled upon his little bed and crouched down beside him to rub and scratch on his head. "What's wrong with you, Tick? Wanting me to get out of your bedroom so you can sleep?"
