"The sun's hotter during the day. So you stay here."
After finishing the meal, Ethan said, organizing the washed dishes to one side. Lynette reflexively raised her head.
"Can't I go with you?"
She looked at him with expectant eyes.
But Ethan, without replying, looked at Lynette, then slowly fixed his gaze back on the dishes. Lynette looked at him with a puzzled expression as Ethan returned to where they had eaten earlier.
But at that moment—
"Huh?"
She swallowed her breath.
He sat back down across from her, as if to prop up his chin, but moved his feet, brushing Lynette's inner thighs. The subtle contact made her body flinch.
"You worked hard this morning."
His low voice tickled her ear.
"If you rest well, you'll be able to take the lesson you really need later."
Her cheeks flushed instantly.
"Lesson...?"
She wanted to ask back, confused, but Ethan, with a nonchalant face, paused for a moment and stood up.
"So rest at the house."
Before leaving, he casually ruffled her hair, casually adding. But Lynette mulled over his words, watching his back.
"Ethan?"
Ethan shrugged his broad shoulders, casually closed the door, and left. Lynette, unable to retort, clutched the hem of her clothes with her fingertips.
Her heart was pounding.
Lynette, left in her seat, calmed her beating chest and looked at the door he had disappeared through. She thought she should ask him what the 'real lesson' he mentioned was that evening.
She placed her hand on her chest and slowly inhaled.
'Why is my heart racing...?'
His voice, warmth, and above all, just now—
Lynette felt her face get even hotter and shook her head.
"Wait, calm down."
She soothed herself and stood up.
In the kitchen where they had just been, his neatly organized dishes were arranged, and bright sunlight streamed in from the window.
'He told me to rest... Should I really stay put?'
But staying put wasn't easy.
Lynette aimlessly circled the dining table, returned to the kitchen, glanced in the mirror and tidied her hair, then suddenly looked out the window again.
She imagined the pasture swaying in the wind and Ethan, who would be busy working far away.
"...Haa."
In the end, she silently sighed.
'Yes, let's do what I can do now.'
And she headed back to the kitchen.
Although she was clumsy at ranch work, she could at least tidy up the house while Ethan was away.
The afternoon slowly passed.
Lynette looked around the house and did some simple tidying up.
She wiped the dishes in the kitchen once again, swept the floor, and lightly wiped the shelf where new dust had settled. It was completely different from life in the royal palace, filled with useless meetings, but Lynette liked it here.
Even after finishing the tidying, which was embarrassing to call cleaning, there was still time until evening. Since it had come to this, Lynette decided to treat him to a meal. He would surely be happy if she prepared a meal when he returned from work.
'But... what should I do?'
Standing in the kitchen and looking around, she immediately hit a snag.
Unfamiliar cooking utensils were placed on the countertop, and various ingredients were placed in the closet and on the shelf.
She didn't even know what was where.
"Hmm..."
Lynette, after some thinking, opened the closet.
Flour, whole grains, dried herbs, and cheese were inside. She carefully took them out one by one, examining them.
'I should have asked him what he usually likes...'
She recalled the meal Ethan had made for her during the day. Bread, cheese, milk, tomatoes. It was a simple but balanced meal.
'I can make something similar!'
Gaining confidence, Lynette began to prepare the meal.
However, since she had no idea where the pre-baked bread was, she had to bake her own bread. She took out the flour from the closet and decided to make dough.
But—
"Oh?"
Perhaps because she confused the flour with another powder, the dough became too sticky, or too stiff instead. With a flustered face, Lynette got her hands covered in dough and barely managed to shape it.
"It might be okay once it's baked."
She soothed herself and put the dough, which would take the longest, in the oven.
The next target was cheese. In her beginner's hand, Lynette lifted the shiny knife and tried to cut it, but the texture of the unexpectedly hard block of cheese required so much force that her wrist ached.
"Ugh..."
She pressed the knife with force, but the cheese was firmly resisting.
Eventually, after several attempts, she managed to cut the cheese, but the shape was a mess.
'...Hmm.'
Lynette soothed herself again and carefully placed the prepared cheese on a plate. She had to slice the tomatoes that would go on the platter neatly, but—
"Ah!"
She put the knife in too deep, and the tomato was crushed, its juice splattering everywhere.
Lynette quickly wiped it with the hem of her clothes and made a troubled face.
She hesitated briefly, but tried to smile brightly and put the crushed tomatoes on the plate as well.
'Maybe I'll tell him to eat it like a sauce.'
Lacking cooking experience to begin with, she had no idea 'how to repurpose failed dishes'.
She placed the tomatoes roughly on the plate and then poured water into a cup.
"Done!"
She lightly dusted off her hands and looked at the finished meal.
On the surface, it looked plausible... right?
Freshly baked bread, nicely cut cheese, and fresh tomatoes were presented. She couldn't find where the milk was stored, but at least there was water.
But in reality, the bread hadn't risen and was as hard as the floor, the cheese was cut haphazardly, and the tomatoes were mushy.
However, Lynette didn't mind much.
"I hope Ethan enjoys it..."
She covered her face with both hands, soothed herself with a positive attitude, and contentedly cleared the dining table.
Then she glanced out the window and noticed the sunlight was gradually declining as evening approached.
And—
'If you rest well, you'll be able to take the lesson you really need to take later.'
His words came back to her mind.
"..."
Lynette bit her lip and clasped her hands together. Strangely, anticipation and excitement seeped deep into her heart. She missed him as if she had already become a wife waiting for her husband to come home from work.
She opened the window to cool her flushed cheeks.
But even when the wind blew gently, the feeling of recalling his body temperature still did not disappear. The soft evening sunlight permeated the room, and fine dust particles sparkled in gold.
'It's almost time for him to come...'
She stood up from her seat and needlessly smoothed the hem of her clothes. For no particular reason, she brushed her hair again, tidied it with her fingertips, and took a deep breath. And looked at the door.
Soon he would return.
Lynette quietly clasped her hands and carefully looked at the door with an expectant face. Perhaps for the first time in her life, this was a moment to truly wait for someone's return.
“...”
A familiar footstep was heard from afar.
It was the sound of his boots. Lynette's heart skipped a beat. The door she had been eagerly watching opened slowly.
There—
Ethan stood there, the sunset glow on his back, having finished his ranch work.
Perhaps because of working in the strong sunlight, his shirt was damp with sweat, and dust remained on his rough fingertips. But as always, his steadfast attitude and underlying masculinity remained.
Lynette ran without a moment's thought, her body reacting naturally.
"Ethan!"
She jumped into his arms without a hint of hesitation. Ethan flinched momentarily, then set down the basket and immediately caught her firmly.
A small, delicate body burrowed into his embrace. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and buried her face in his chest.
It had been a long time since he had received such an intense welcome home from work.
"I'm home."
His low voice, a beat late, sounded above her head. Lynette listened to his heartbeat and quietly closed her eyes.
Though it was only a wait of less than half a day, she was overwhelmed just by seeing him again.
Lynette whispered softly.
"Welcome home."
Ethan silently patted her back. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply. A clean, clear scent that belied his morning's work. The scent contrasted sharply with the sweat and dirt from his work.
He was worried about getting Lynette dirty, but he didn't push her away.
He didn't push her away. Instead, envisioning a future where this daily life was natural as his wife, he cherished her body temperature, her touch, and this space that waited for him.
Lynette lifted her head from his embrace and looked at him. His face, bathed in the sunset glow, looked warmer and softer than usual.
The slight upward curve of his lips reassured her even more. Ethan looked into her eyes that he faced. Eyes so clear, filled with complete trust and love for him. He unknowingly cupped her cheek with his hand.
"Have you been well?"
Soon his head lowered, and he kissed her lips.