Chapter Seven
“So what’s so important that you had to drag me and Erin out here, Mom?” Jay inquired as Bella maneuvered him into the darkened guest center at the ranch.
“The lights aren’t working.”
“There are a load of Morgans up here to deal with that kind of thing,” Jay protested. “Why—”
“SURPRISE!!”
Billy snapped the lights on to reveal the fifty or so guests Bella had invited to celebrate her son and new daughter-in-law’s Vegas wedding. Following Bella’s instructions, he immediately shut the door just in case Jay decided to bolt.
“Mom?” That was Erin’s delighted voice. “You and Dad are here
?”
Whatever Jay might have been going to say was lost as his wife ran over to her parents and started hugging them. Jay stared down at Bella, who gave him her best wide-eyed, innocent look.
“You did this?”
She shrugged. “With a little help from my friends.” She touched his sleeve. “I wanted to do something special for you both.”
He let out his breath and looked around the crowded room. She knew he wasn’t at his happiest in crowds, but hopefully, seeing as he knew everyone who was present, he’d soon relax and enjoy himself.
“It’s all good, Mom. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Jay.” She gave him a little push in the right direction. “Now go and say hello to Erin’s parents while I see how everything’s going in the kitchen.”
Bella rushed through the swing doors, her hand to her heart. She leaned against the wall and slowly exhaled. “I thought he was going to bolt.”
Billy and Sonali looked up from whatever they were doing and stared at her.
“Yeah, there was a moment when I wondered the same thing,” Billy said. “Probably not a good idea to spring too many surprises on a retired Navy SEAL.”
“Tell me about it.” Bella looked around the kitchen. “Now, what can I do to help?”
“Nothing. You’re the mother of the groom, and you’re the one throwing the party. Go out and be sociable.” Billy came over and pointed at the exit.
“I’d much rather be helping in here.”
“We’re good.” Billy held the door open. “Off you go and charm the pants off Erin’s parents.”
She raised an eyebrow and whispered, “The only pants I want to charm off are yours.”
“Good to know.” Billy’s blue eyes glinted with warm amusement. “But you still need to get out there.”
“Will you come and join me?” She stroked the collar of his shirt.
“When the buffet is all set up I’ll come and sit with you, okay?”
“I suppose it’s the best I can hope for.” She sighed. “Maybe I’ll go and talk to Chase. He still won’t look me in the eye.”
Billy grinned. “Not our fault that he’s a prude.”
“And then there’s BB, who keeps winking and grinning at me like he thinks the idea of his father having sex is a big joke.”
“BB does think that, but you can ignore him as well.” He hesitated. “You might want to talk to Maria. She and I are very close, and I’d love it if you two could be friends.”
“I’ll do my best.” She went on tiptoe and kissed him. “Don’t be too long.”
Bella made her way out to the dining room and was immediately engulfed in a crowd of friends and family. By the time she’d talked to everyone, Billy and Sonali had already put out trays of appetizers, and Nancy, Jay’s second in command, was doing brisk business at the bar.
Bella spotted Billy’s granddaughter curled up on one of the big couches in front of the roaring log fire and went over to join her. Maria wore jeans, a black T-shirt with some kind of cartoon character on it, and a black hoodie.
“Are you having a good time?” Bella asked as she sat beside her.
Maria made a face. “Not really. It’s all adults here, and Grandpa’s busy in the kitchen, so I have no one to really talk to.”
“You know, that’s my fault,” Bella confessed. “I didn’t think to include any other kids your age when I was making up the guest lists.”
“There aren’t any kids out here,” Maria pointed out. “That’s why I have to go on the bus to Bridgeport for high school.”
“That sucks.” Bella nodded. “You should taste the food though. Your grandpa is a really good cook.”
“I know. He’s made me taste every single thing about fifty times, so I’m good.” Maria grinned. “He really wanted to make things right for you.”
“That’s because he’s a really nice man.”
“And he really, really
likes you,” Maria said. “You know that, right?”
Bella glanced at the teen. “You think so?”
“Dude, he like can’t stop talking about you, and his face goes all funny and goofy.” Maria shook her head. “It’s hilarious.”
“Really?” Now Bella sounded like a teenager herself. “I like him, too.”
Maria’s smile disappeared. “I hope you mean it. Grandpa’s life hasn’t been easy, and I don’t want anyone to hurt him again.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” Bella reassured Maria. “Did he tell you that I’ve known him since kindergarten? That’s a long time to know someone and still like them.”
“That’s true.” Maria nodded. “Ruth said that you always stuck up for him even when some of the people around here were saying he was a murderer.”
“As I said, I knew he couldn’t have done that. He loved Annie, he really did. It’s a real shame she died before he could make things right with her,” Bella said. “So are you okay with me and your grandpa being a couple?”
Maria shrugged. “You make him happy. He smiles a lot more, and that makes me happy because now I live with Dad and Jenna I can’t take care of him myself all the time.”
“He’s wonderful.” Bella hesitated. “I never thought I’d find someone I could love again.”
“That’s awesome.” Maria offered Bella a high five. “You should tell him.”
“Tell me what?”
Bella looked up to see Billy smiling down at them, a tray of canapés in his hand.
Maria groaned. “Jeez, Grandpa, I ate about two million of those things last week! Take them away!”
“I thought you liked them,” Billy protested.
“I liked the first couple of hundred.” Maria stood up and stretched. “Is there any of that shrimp thing left?”
“Plenty,” Billy said as Maria wandered off. “Poor kid got stuck being my number one taster for everything. She was really helpful, but I think I put her off eating for life.”
“I think she’ll pull through.” Bella also rose and directed her gaze over to the buffet table where Maria was piling her plate with food and chatting to her father, Blue. “Are we almost ready to set out the main course?”
“Sonali and I decided we’d do it in about ten minutes. Do you want to make an announcement or something, or have a few speeches?”
“I’d rather not,” Bella said. “It all seems to be going really well at the moment. Even Erin’s parents are being gracious about the whole wedding fiasco—in fact, I bonded with Erin’s Mom over our shared wish to have seen Erin in a beautiful wedding dress.”
“Good for you.” Billy gestured at the tray. “I’m going to put this down on the table. Is there anything I can get for you?”
“I’m good,” Bella replied. “I just need to speak to Yvonne about the cake.”
“She’s in the kitchen right now setting it up.” Billy looked down at her. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s wonderful.” She smiled into his eyes. “Jay’s happy and Erin’s parents have finally accepted the fact that their daughter hasn’t married a potential member of Congress.”
She went through to the kitchen and spoke to Yvonne, who had designed, baked, and decorated the most beautiful cake Bella could ever have imagined. They would set it out after the buffet along with champagne and hope that by then, everyone would be too full of good food and benevolent thoughts to do anything but toast the happy couple.
Billy came into the kitchen and caught hold of her hand.
“Come and see this.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be managing a kitchen or something?” Bella asked.
“Sonali, Avery, and Yvonne are in charge. We can goof off for a few minutes.”
He took her to put on her coat and they walked out into the crackling stillness of ice and the gentle fall of snow.
“Look up there,” Billy said.
“At what?” Bella stopped and raised her face to the inky night sky. Billy stood behind with his arms wrapped around her waist. “Wow, that’s a big moon, and the stars are so clear!”
“Now come and look at this.” He led her toward the old barn that housed a mixed collection of farm animals and the family horses.
He paused by one of the stalls and unlocked the top half of the stable door. Bella stood on tiptoe and looked inside to see a newborn foal and her mother.
“Oh, my goodness,” she whispered. “What a beautiful sight.”
“Roy just came in to tell me the mare had foaled before he went off to take a shower.” Billy’s chuckle warmed the back of her neck. “Luckily for us we also have a vet in the family, and Jenna was right here on the spot. She’s probably taking a shower, too.”
Bella turned in Billy’s arms to face him as he secured the top door again.
“Thank you for showing me such beautiful things.”
He angled his head and looked down at her. “You’re welcome.”
“All of them give me hope,” Bella said. “Jay finding himself again and falling in love, Erin, you . . .”
His smile was beautiful. “I give you hope?”
“Yes, that it’s possible to find two
wonderful men in one lifetime, and fall in love with them.”
He kissed her very slowly and carefully. “I can’t argue with that.” He hesitated and looked down at her. “I’d like to ask you something.”
“Okay.”
He grimaced. “But I’m finding it hard to come up with the right words because I don’t want to offend you, or presume too much, or—”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “How about you just ask?”
“You know that I love you, and—”
“I do?” Bella blinked up at him. “I don’t think you’ve actually said it out loud to me before, although I’d kind of assumed
that was where we were at—”
It was Billy’s turn to stop her talking by kissing her. When he finally drew back they were both breathless.
“Will you marry me?” Billy asked. “I know we have some issues here, like where we would live, and whether we’d both be able to keep working if we wanted to, and all that other stuff. Not even to mention Jay’s reaction, and Maria’s, and the rest of my incredibly supportive, but nosy as hell family.”
He ran out of breath and just stared down at her shocked face.
“Did you hear what I said?”
Bella nodded and bit her lip. “I’m just trying to process the first part.”
“My proposal of marriage?” Billy asked.
“Yes, that.”
“Am I being stupid here?” Billy asked. “Would we be better off staying as we are? I’m happy, you’re happy, and we’re old enough not to worry about what anyone else thinks about us being together and not actually married.”
Bella was still staring at him as if he’d grown another head, and he felt like a complete idiot. “Okay, then maybe we should shelve this discussion until after the holidays when things have calmed down a bit, and we know where we stand.”
“Billy.”
“Yeah?”
“Could you stop talking for a minute?” Bella asked.
He pressed his lips together and just looked pleadingly down at her. Around them the horses and cattle slumbered in their stalls and the snow continued to fall.
“Yes.”
Billy cleared his throat. “Yes, you’d like to marry me?”
She nodded.
A wave of happiness so profound that it consumed his whole body swept over him, and he framed her face in his hands. “Thank God.”
Her smile was so beautiful, and so full of trust that he fought back the urge to cry.
“You’ll never regret that decision, Bella.” His voice trembled with emotion. “I swear that I will do my best to never
let you down, and I’ll always be there for you.”
“I know you will.” She used her thumb to gently wipe at the corner of his eye. “It’s okay. We can work out the details later, or stay engaged until one of us decides to retire. We’ll work it out. I know
we will.”
Billy kissed her again and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
“Oh, jeez, not again
.”
That was Chase’s horrified voice. Billy buried his face in Bella’s shoulder and shook with laughter.
“Grandpa . . .”
And that was Maria. Bella pushed on his chest and he turned around to see his oldest son and granddaughter staring at him with matching expressions of horror on their faces.
“We came out to see the new foal,” Maria explained.
“She’s right in here.” Billy pointed at the stall and stepped back. “Don’t go in yet, okay?”
“I know that.” Maria rolled her eyes as if she’d lived on the ranch forever. “Why don’t you two go in? Chase can keep an eye on me, and Jay was
looking for Mrs. Williams.”
“Then we’d better go,” Bella said.
Maria had one last thing to say. “You know, Grandpa, if you keep behaving like this you should do what I suggested and ask Mrs. Williams to marry you.”
Billy nodded. “I just did and she said yes.”
Chase grinned and slapped Billy on the back. “That’s awesome
! Congratulations. I can’t wait to see Jay’s face when he finds out about this.”
“Then maybe we’d better mention it to him before Chase starts spreading rumors,” Billy murmured as Chase and Maria walked away hand in hand. “Are you okay with that?”
“Yes, better to be safe than sorry,” Bella agreed, and squeezed his fingers as they retraced their steps through the snow to the guest center.
They paused outside the kitchen door to remove their boots before returning to the warmth of the dining room beyond. Leaving Bella in the kitchen, Billy went and found Jay and persuaded him to step away from the noise, and into the quieter part of the building.
Knowing Jay was a plain speaker, Billy didn’t bother with a long, flowery speech.
“I wanted you to know that I asked your mother to marry me, and she said yes.”
Jay stared at him, a muscle moving in his cheek. “Okay.”
“That’s all you’ve got?” Billy asked.
“She loves you. That’s all I need to know.” Jay took a step closer to Billy. “And all you need to remember is that if you hurt her I’ll come after you, and no one will ever find your body.”
“Understood.” Billy nodded.
“Then we’re good.” Jay stuck out his hand. “Welcome to the family.”
* * *
Bella helped clear away the food and then returned to the dining room to watch Jay and Erin cut the cake. She’d barely had a moment to speak to Billy, but seeing as both he and Jay were still alive and smiling, she assumed everything had gone as well as it could’ve.
Billy wanted her to marry him . . . and the funny thing was that she wanted it, too. She hadn’t expected him to propose so quickly, but as Maureen would probably remind her, they weren’t spring chickens so they might as well enjoy their time together. The thought of that—the thought of being with him every day made her so happy she still couldn’t quite get her head around it.
She watched him now, as he passed Erin the knife to cut the cake, his blue eyes gleaming, and the harsher lines on his face disappearing beneath his smile. A man who had disappointed others, had paid dearly for his mistakes, and yet had come home to face his demons, and repay his debts.... That took courage and humility, qualities she could appreciate and strive to improve in herself.
And what about her? She pictured Ron and imagined him smiling down at her. She truly had been blessed in her life.
“Mom?”
She looked up, startled as Jay called her out to stand beside him and Erin.
“I’d like to thank my mom, Bella, for organizing this amazing party for me and Erin. I’d also like to thank Erin’s parents for coming all the way from the East Coast to celebrate with us.”
Everyone clapped, cheered, and drank champagne.
“And I’d like to thank Billy and Sonali for providing all the amazing food and Morgan Ranch and their staff for their hospitality,” Jay added. “I had completely
the wrong idea about why Mom was making me come up here to the ranch this evening.”
“What did you think she wanted then?” BB called out.
Jay’s smile was crooked. “I knew she was up to something, but I thought it had to do with her and Billy Morgan.”
“Well, we all know about that
,” BB joked. “It’s hardly a secret that they’ve got the hots for each other.”
Jay raised an eyebrow. “As it happens, there is something to announce about that as well, isn’t there, Mom?”
Bella tried to frown him down, but Billy stepped forward.
“Bella Williams has agreed to become my wife.” He held out his hand to her. “And she’s made me the happiest man on this planet.”
Bella walked toward him, aware that she was blushing. None of the Morgans looked particularly surprised by the announcement, and they all looked thrilled. Ruth was dabbing at her eyes and Maria was doing some kind of victory dance.
Billy took her hand in his and faced the guests. “Thank you very much, but tonight is about Erin and Jay, so let’s get back to cutting the cake, toasting their good health, and wishing them the very best of everything for the rest of their days.”
While everyone got on with that, Billy and Bella ended up in the kitchen, which felt right somehow. Billy grinned as she rolled up her sleeves, pinned up her hair, and set to work.
“I don’t think I’m going to persuade you to leave this time, am I?”
“Not a chance. If anyone wants to come and say good-bye they’ll know where to find me.”
He threw a dishcloth in her direction and she threw it back and they ended up wrestling over it and giggling like two kids.
“This is going to be fun,” Billy said.
“What is—us?”
“Yeah, us.” He kissed her nose. “I love you, Bella.”
“And I love you.”
“Will you stay over?”
“At the speed we’re cleaning up I’ll probably be here all night anyway,” Bella joked.
“We’ll work things out.” Billy looked down at her. “We’ll make
this work.”
“Yes, we will.” She nodded. “Despite my son and all the Morgans offering us advice.”
“They mean well.”
“Yes, but sometimes I wish they’d all butt out.”
“We could build our own house halfway between your place and mine,” Billy suggested.
“Or we could share our time between both places.”
They smiled at each other. Whatever happened next, Bella was quite certain that Billy was right and that they would have fun. Maureen would be so proud of her....