Epilogue

 

Palo Duro Canyon had been beautiful to Declan when he'd first laid eyes on it, and grown only more so as he'd ridden the metes and bounds of the Bar J property. With spring in full bloom, heaven could not have been prettier than the Bar J on a fine morning.

"You think we can put in a basketball court between the creek and the bunkhouse?" Claudia asked.

They'd ridden to the top of the ridge, and in another hour, the temperature would climb past comfortable. The creek was a silver ribbon between green banks below them, with the cottonwoods leafing out around it.

"The bulldozers will be on-site to do the grading for the walking paths and hiking trails," Declan said. "We might as well have them do a volleyball court, a basketball court, and a pair of tennis courts. We might not get all of that finished by fall, but the corporate clients will expect those amenities, and the kids will love them."

"You are just full of ideas," Claudia said, turning Strawberry back to the trail down to the creek. "Always thinking, always finding a way to make a dollar do six jobs at once. You ever miss the paycheck Brewster paid you?"

Declan's horse was named Aberdeen, though his barn name was Abner. He was half plow horse and half puppy dog and all black. He'd been a wedding present from Kara and Claudia, and Declan loved him dearly.

Abner, like his owner, was always happy to turn in the direction of home.

"I don't miss anything about working for Brewster, and I get the sense he's amazed I lasted as long as I did. He's not a bad man, he's just…"

"All Brewster, all the time."

Oddly enough, Claudia had a way of talking sense to Thaddeus that Declan would never have predicted, and when Thad came to visit for project meetings, he was nothing but respectful and mannerly to the ladies of the Bar J.

Of course, he was probably trying to impress Miranda, who attended the same meetings, and what happened behind closed doors in the guest rooms was no concern of Declan's.

"Are you any good at thinking up names?" Claudia asked.

"I'm good at thinking up Gaelic names. My grannie was from Eriskay, and I spent plenty of summers with her as a boy. All of the crofts and houses on the island had Gaelic names. I think the Bar J should keep the name it's had since birth, though."

Part of the joy of being married to Claudia was slowly sharing stories with her. The kitchen table, for example, had been built by her great-grandmother, a talented carpenter. On the largest cottonwood, her father had carved his initials along with Claudia's mother's to mark the site where they'd first kissed and gotten engaged.

A wonderful picnic spot it was too.

Declan planned to take Claudia and Kara to Scotland in August, when the heat would slow progress on any exterior construction efforts, and festival in Edinburgh was in full swing.

"I wasn't thinking of renaming the ranch, Declan," Claudia said. "A Gaelic name might do just fine, though."

For an instant, Declan considered that Claudia might be asking him to name the foal due in a couple of weeks, but something about Claudia's smile—shy, sweet, tender—pointed him in another direction.

"What sort of name should I be thinking of?" Declan asked as the horses ambled into the shade by the creek.

"Let's give the horses a drink, and pay our respects to Mama and Daddy's tree."

That was already a euphemism for kissing by the riverbank. On picnic blankets beneath that tree, Declan and Claudia had done a whole lot more than kiss.

Declan swung down—thank God he was well past the saddle-sore phase—and led Abner to the stream. This spot was beautiful, and he'd sketched plans for a small home here, away from the noise and bustle of the ranch house, the stable, and the bunkhouse.

Claudia led Strawberry to the creek, and horsey slurping and pawing followed. When the horses had had their fill, Declan wrapped Claudia in his arms.

"I love you, Claudia MacLeod, owner of the Bar J and my heart."

"I love you, Declan MacLeod, partner in the Bar J joint venture, and sole proprietor of my heart. A Gaelic name would be nice."

"For the property?" Declan knew better, but he was Scottish, and not one to push his luck.

"For the baby."

With the breeze soughing through the new leaves, and the Canyon reaching for spring's glory all around them, Declan held his wife and silently rejoiced. Of all the joint ventures he and Claudia might be involved in, this was the one that mattered.

Building a family, building a dream.

"Kara can help create the child's name sign," Declan said. "We have time to come up with a name." Though he'd accelerate his plans for a house among the cottonwoods.

"You're happy?" Claudia asked.

"I could not be any happier, nor more grateful to you for the love and joy you've given me."

Declan felt her relief at his answer. They were always honest with each other, and that was a joy too. "Are you worried, Claudia?"

She slipped from his arms, but kept hold of his hand. "We haven't let any grass grow under our feet, Declan, and a baby is…a baby is a big change."

Another big change, she meant.

"We will face all manner of challenges, Claudia, bad years and good, trials and triumphs. As long as I have you at my side, I'll meet every problem and setback with the certain knowledge that it won't stop us. When I hold you, I have everything I need, right in my arms."

"For a Scottish engineer, you sure can turn up mushy at the nicest times."

"If I behave myself, I'll eventually be a Texas rancher, but I'm the practical sort too, Claudia."

She smiled at him as if he'd brought her all the rainbows in the Highlands. "You have a blanket in your saddlebags?"

"Aye."

And as their family grew, and the Bar J became a model for many other similar facilities, Declan and Claudia often stole down to the creek, to talk, to plan, to reminisce, sometimes to argue, often to dream, and always, always to love.

 

THE END

 

 

To my dear Readers,

I hope you enjoyed this tale of a Scotsman in paradise (Can I get a heck yeah!), and there really is a strong connection between Aberdeen and Texas because of North Sea oil. I was never so surprised as when I sat down to a fine Scottish dinner one night in Aberdeen, and in walked four guys in cowboy hats and jeans…sporting the thickest Scottish burrs you'd ever want to eavesdrop on. Delightful!

If you'd like to stay up to date on further releases (I have plans for Miranda and Brewster the Rooster), please follow my Amazon author page, . I always have more stories in the pipeline, and I love to hear from my readers.

 

Happy reading!

Grace Burrowes