Wild Horses©

Free Online Short Love Story

Written by American Author Sky Taylor

"Grandfather, I’m on the outskirts of town. The Jordan Ranch should be coming up any minute now," Lacy Petticoat informed her grandfather over the cellphone, her eyes appreciating the beauty of ‘the birth of spring’ surrounding her along the drive.

"How’s Sam handling the trip?"

"Sam’s just fine. Not a peep out of him over the last eight hours."

Lacy smiled as the Bichon Frise tweaked his head in her direction upon hearing his name. He was her grandfather’s dog, her recent gift to him in celebration of his sixtieth birthday. That was the night the candles had almost caught the ranch house ablaze, she smiled again in retrospect.

"I’m coming onto this spectacular display of wisteria. Mmmm, the scent is as beautiful as the sight. It’s the most impressive thatch of wisteria I’ve ever seen. It’s so gorgeous here, Grandfather. I know why the town is named Paradise."

"Just keep your eyes on the road," Tyler directed in an authoritative voice over the cellphone.  

No one knew his granddaughter like he did. He’d raised her from infancy – knew all her likes, her dislikes and her very unpredictable

demeanor. And that unpredictability was the reason they were relocating from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Paradise, Texas.

Tyler had to wonder how he would embrace early retirement. He’d known nothing except horse ranching his entire life.  

Decades ago, he’d hoped that Lacy’s father – his son and only child, would take over the reins of the ranch when he reached retirement age.

However, life was cruel – and death even crueler, taking his only son, his beloved pregnant daughter-in-law and his lovely wife Lilac away in one fell swoop.

It would be difficult saying goodbye to the ranch…so many memories. Good ones where his baby doll Lacy was concerned – mostly painful ones otherwise, the tragedy of death outweighing precious memories of life.

As to Lacy’s unpredictability – oh yes, he knew it well. On the night of his sixtieth birthday – the day that he’d almost burned down the ranch house by the simple act of blowing out the small inferno on top of his chocolate birthday cake, Lacy had surprised him with Sam and a deed to a small ranch in Paradise, Texas.  

The ranch had a few acres of grazing pastures and running room for his horses, and she had assured him that the ranch house was in

impeccable order – although the Johnson Ranch dated back some one-hundred years, and she’d never set eyes on the place. Well, sorta.  

Like most youngsters these days, her purchase of the Johnson Ranch had taken place electronically.  

Thank the good Lord that she hadn’t fancied thoughts of online dating – but given time, he was certain that Lacy would get there.

His granddaughter had gone on to announce that she had rented a building in Paradise where she planned to open a bakery.  

Simply put – Tyler could have been knocked over with a peacock feather.

Sure – he’d announced his early retirement to her last winter, but he hadn’t planned on spending his so-called Golden Years in a strange town he knew nothing about while his granddaughter entertained thoughts of being a dough girl.  

Albeit, she knew her way around the kitchen – her baking talents obviously inherited from her dearly departed grandmother. As much as Tyler had loved Lacy’s mother, the woman could scorch a pot of water.

In the beginning, he’d balked over Lacy’s suggestion. He was too old to be dream-chasing like his little Lacy. The ranch was all he knew. It had been in the Petticoat family for two generations – the legacy of his father, Lacy’s great grandfather Tyler Alan Petticoat, Sr.

However, she’d been correct about Tyler’s depressive state – his nonexistent drive to live. Long story short - in the end she’d won him over with her charm and good graces combined with her Gift of Gab and the overpowering amount of chocolate in his sixtieth birthday cake.  

Although it wouldn’t be easy saying goodbye to the ranch, he felt an excitement about life that he hadn’t felt in quite some time – as if something very wonderful was about to happen to him. As if he were about to embark on a wondrous adventure.

He couldn’t pinpoint this feeling and he talked about it often with his dearly departed Lilac.  

Some would consider him a madman – talking to a dead woman. But she listened – better in death than she had in life; although he couldn’t see her he could certainly feel her sweet supportive spirit.

Lacy…. He entertained silent concerns about his granddaughter never experiencing love as he had; perhaps that online dating thing wasn’t such a bad idea after all.  

And at sixty, his concerns for her were rising rapidly. She was such a beautiful woman with a beautiful heart. She could have easily pursued modeling as a career. Such a picky little thing when it came to male suitors, however.  

As life was becoming more and more uncertain given his age, he was intent on seeing her married and settled into her own life before he

passed. Perhaps Paradise would offer her more than the opportunity to prove herself as a professional baker and businesswoman.

Lacy regained his attention when she informed over her cellphone, "There it is – the Jordan Ranch! I told you I’d find it. And you doubted me," she teased and Tyler could picture her beautiful smile which drew a smile to his own tanned face.

Tyler chuckled, Lacy smiling in the process. She loved his laugh – loved everything about her grandfather, the man who’d given up so much in order to raise her. So many sacrifices…

"Lacy, I’m glad you found it – you homing pigeon you. And I hope that you find this ranch that you bought up to snuff – as well as the building you rented for that up and coming bakery of yours," he toyed, knowing that she had tensed over his comments. "Don’t be expecting too much darling; that way – the fall will be short to the ground and you won’t get hurt nearly so badly after the ker-plop."

"Not to worry; as I’ve stressed previously - the realtor sent me detailed photos of everything – and I hired a reliable contractor to personally check out the place," she assured for at least the tenth time since she’d informed her grandfather of her relocation plans for them. "I’m certain everything will be just as described. We’re going to have a perfect ‘rest of our lives’ Grandfather. I promise. And please, don’t warn me about making promises that I cannot keep. I have this….sense about me that everything is going to be….well, just peachy."

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