Rebuilding Valley View (Valley View Book #4)

Chapter 24

After our little love and hug fest, Betsy calls everybody to the table. Raymond had already called the ranch hands in and they sit at a huge table with their own turkey and all the fixings. The gals and I help to set all the food out and then we sit at the table. I’m sitting next to Tyler, of course, with Holly on my other side. We chat a little bit until Raymond clears his throat and stands up at the head of the table.

“We are here today to celebrate another Thanksgiving meal. Thank you to my beautiful bride for once again spending the day in the kitchen to make this glorious meal.” Raymond looks over at Betsy and she has a smile on her face and is looking at him with so much love and admiration in her eyes.

“Thanksgiving is the day that we give thanks and I can’t think of a better way to spend it than with the people who mean the most to me. I am thankful for the hard-working men that keep this ranch running day in and day out. I am also thankful for my sons who have grown into the men that I always knew they could be. To their significant others, because ladies I am so thankful that you are all willing to deal with them so Betsy and I don’t have to anymore.”

The soft sound of laughter is heard around the table. I slip my hand onto Tyler’s leg and squeeze his thigh. He links his fingers in mine and squeezes back. “Finally, I’m so thankful for my four, soon-to-be-five grandchildren. They brought life back into this house. Hopefully, by the time we meet again like this, we will have number 5 here with us.”

“We better.” Everybody laughs again at Taryn’s comment. She’s due right before Christmas and I doubt she wants to have the baby late.

“Cheers and enjoy your meals!” Raymond lifts his glass up to finish his toast and we all do the same. We dig into Betsy’s feast, and a feast it truly is. I load up on turkey, stuffing, and the green beans that I helped to make. I almost run out of room on my plate before the whipped potatoes make their way around, but I do manage to get a small spoonful of those as well. Tyler loads up his plate to the point that it is overflowing. He just smiles at me before digging in, not a care in the world.

“Don’t judge me. I’m hungry.”

I look him up and down, “I’m not sure where you’re going to put it.”

“Don’t doubt me, woman,” he rubs his belly, even though it is flat.

‘Me? Never!” I end up trying a little bit of everything and it was well worth it. I’m also glad that I wore leggings instead of the jeans I originally was going to wear. I’m pretty sure that I’ve gained fifteen pounds just in this meal.

We’re all sitting around in the living room when my phone rings. I look down and see that Dean is calling. I flash the phone in Tyler’s direction so he can see who it is, “I better go take this.”

“You can go use my office if you’d like,” Raymond points to the front of the house and I head that way, answering the call on my way.

“Hey, Dean. Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Hey, Charlie. Haven’t talked to you in a while.”

“I know, I’ve just had a lot going on.”

That isn’t a total lie, but maybe a bit of a fib. Since I got back in August, things have been super strained between Dean and me. I try to text or call once a week, but over the last month, I’ve been going closer to two weeks without communication.

“Les was kind of disappointed that you didn’t come home for Thanksgiving.”

I sigh, taking a seat in Raymond’s chair, “I told her I was sorry already. We just had plans here that I wanted to be here for.”