Epilogue

Ophelia

6 Years later.

Nicolas Locke!” I shouted. “You let go of your brother right now!”

I turned to glare at my husband who was trying to hide his laughter by taking a swig of his beer.

“They are your boys! Make them behave!” I snapped. James grinned and tugged me close, then kissed me deeply, one hand coming to rest on my swollen belly. When he finally freed my lips, I was a little dazed, but I knew his game. “You aren’t going to distract me with your mouth, no matter how sexy it is. Now go get your sons and make sure they don’t kill anyone or each other.”

I stomped into the kitchen in a snit. “Mommy?” I looked at the island to see our five-year-old, Felicity, munching on a cookie and looking at me curiously.

“What, sugar?” I asked in a softened tone.

“Why does daddy kiss you when you’re mad?”

I laughed and then glanced around conspiratorially. “Can you keep a secret?” She nodded excitedly. “Daddy has magical kisses.”

“He does?” she asked, her eyes big with wonder.

“Yep. But don’t tell him I told you, okay, sugar?” She stuck out her pinky and we pinky swore over our little secret. I kissed her forehead and snagged a snickerdoodle before going across the kitchen to see if Cookie needed help.

We had quite a crowd gathered for our big barbecue. Rose had graduated from Stanford University in the spring and we’d spent a week with her in California before she took off for a summer-long trip to Europe. Now, she was finally coming home. Everybody was so excited and wanted to be there when she arrived, so we decided to throw a party.

Us Southerners did love to entertain.

“Lia!” I spun around and run toward Rose and she launched herself at me. I missed her like crazy when she went away to college, even though she came home often. But the four months she spent in Europe were the longest we’d ever gone without seeing each other.

“Primrose!” I’d taken to James’s habit of calling her by all sorts of flower names. Our kids didn’t get it and often reminded us that we were “so lame” but it made Rose laugh and feel loved. “I missed you so much! I hope you’ll stay for a while!”

She smiled at me but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Rose? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she insisted. Her eyes dropped to my stomach and she squeaked with delight. “Look how big you’ve gotten!”

“I feel like I’m twice the size I was with little James and he was my largest,” I laughed. “And I still have three months to go.” I let her change the subject but the look I shot her made it clear we would be revisiting it. She gave me a minute nod and then hurried off to say hello to Felicity.

The party was a huge success, meaning we were left with no food, no beer, and a crowd of laughing people. As it got late, everyone pitched in to clean up and then the crowd started thinning. I sat in my rocker on the back porch that James built after Nicolas was born and waved as the last of the guests trekked to the open area we cleared for everyone to park.

Rose wandered over and sat on the highest step, near my feet. “You gonna tell me what’s on your mind, katydid?”

She rubbed her forehead wearily and looked out over the ranch. “I never realized how much I loved this place until I missed it so much I ached. Not just my family, though I missed you most, but the land, the sky, the horses. It’s in my blood more than I thought.”

Excitement thrummed through me and I was dying to beg her to move home. Instead, I listened quietly, letting her get it out, waiting until she was ready for me to speak.

“I’ve been thinking about Red Hill Ranch.” She glanced up at me and I raised my brow.

“Maybe I could live there and you could teach me how to manage a ranch?”

I smiled brightly and clasped my hands together. “Bluebell, I would love nothing more than to have you close. It’s perfect! Next door so you have some privacy but close enough that I won’t have the chance to miss you!”

James wandered over and looked curiously between us. “What’s going on?”

I looked at Rose, letting her decide what she was ready for. She dug the toe of her boot into the dirt and expelled the air from her lungs. Then she looked back up and smiled. “I was asking Lia if I could live over at Red Hill and learn to run a ranch.” She watched James nervously, clearly afraid he wouldn’t approve or like the idea.

I knew him better, so it was no surprise to me when he grinned and let a whoop before picking her up and swinging her around.

“My little Forget-me-not is coming home for good!” he shouted.

“Put me down, you crazy man!” Rose shouted, but she put her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. “Thanks.” She said it so quietly, I almost missed it.

“What’s with all the hoopla over here?” Garrison asked as he ambled up to the porch. His gaze landed on Rose and he frowned. I’d seen sparks between them for years, but I was glad Garrison stayed away when Rose was younger.

I had to wonder now though, they were both adults. Rose’s reaction was telling, as in, she didn’t react at all. Perhaps the years and distance had burnt out the spark on her end.

James told Garrison Rose’s plan and his scowl deepened.

“She can’t live out there all by herself, it’s too dangerous,” he scoffed. “She’s a teenager, for shit’s sake.”

Rose’s whole body stiffened but she showed her maturity by not taking the bait. She was twenty-two and Garrison damn well knew it. I frowned at him, letting his see I was on to him and warning him to knock it off.

His shoulders hunched a little and he started avoiding my gaze.

James was oblivious to the tension and waved him off, hugging Rose close. “Bullshit, my girl knows how to live on a Texas ranch, I raised her, didn’t I?”

Rose’s whole countenance lightened and she leaned into James. “I missed you, big brother.”

“You’ve never had any interest in ranching before,” he accused Rose. “You don’t belong here.”

The world stopped spinning for half a second then it started moving again in a rush of activity, I gasped, Rose’s eyes filled with tears, Garrison looked struck at his own and words, and James . . . well, he was pissed.

He swung around and took a menacing step toward his best friend and ranch manager. “I don’t know what died and crawled up your ass, but that’s no way to treat anyone and to make matters worse, it’s my sister. Now, I’m going to let this go without kicking your ass or firing you this one time, and one time only, because you are my best friend and I’d like to think I know you well enough to assume whatever it is that’s bringing out the motherfucking asshole inside of you, won’t be taken out on my sister again.”

Garrison looked at Rose. “I’m truly sorry, Rose. James is right, I was taking out my frustrations on you.” She just shook her head and stomped off around the side of the house. “I do apologize, James. I promise it won’t happen again.”

James nodded and grunted, “See that it doesn’t because if it comes to you or my sister, I won’t think before I kick your ass to the curb. Now go home.”

Garrison nodded and looked off in the direction Rose had gone. Then his shoulders slumped and he put his hands in his pockets and shuffled off in the direction of his house.

James shook his head as he took the steps up to the porch. He bent sown and lifted me up before taking my seat and settling me in his lap.

“Family,” he grunted. Then he dropped his face to my neck and nuzzled.

“You’re the one who wanted four,” I teased. “You already knew the little hell-raisers Nicolas and little James were gonna be.”

He sighed, but it was one of contentment. “It was just me for so long. Even though Rose and I were close, she didn’t come to live with me until she was fourteen.” He kissed my cheek and then tucked my head under his chin and rested it on top. “Family can be a pain in the ass. But, I wouldn’t trade mine. Garrison included.” Then he added, “Unless he hurts Rose.”

I chuckle and snuggle in closer. “I love our life. Our family. Mostly though, I love you.”

His arms closed tight around me and he kissed the crown of my head. “I love you too, baby.”