Epilogue
A few months later
Montana was so beautiful. Oscar had brought Grace up here every weekend they could spare, and she loved it. The mountains and the wide-open spaces were so different from the city where she’d spent her whole life so far, and there was no denying that the lifestyle was entirely different from what she’d lived so far. She smiled. She’d adapted quickly and easily to it; if she was honest, this life suited her, and she hoped it would be a big part of their future.
She stood on the deck of Oscar’s house and looked down at the yard by the river. Dozens of people were milling around. It was Johnny’s birthday, and Oscar and his brothers had wanted to throw a party for their dad.
Grace smiled as she spotted Terry sitting beside Oscar’s uncle, Seymour Davenport. The two of them were deep in conversation about something. She shook her head. Terry hadn’t been so sure about coming, but TJ had talked him into it, and she was glad. Like her, he’d always wanted to see Yellowstone, and TJ was going to take him and Spider and Louise down there tomorrow. It was strange for her to see her friends in this setting—strange, but good. Her two worlds were very different, but they were merging into one more easily than she would have imagined. Terry, the guy who’d lived on the streets for years, was lost in conversation with Seymour Davenport, a man who Grace had only previously known as a billionaire mentioned on the news occasionally. Spider was talking to Chance, Hope Davenport’s husband, who looked a lot more at home up here in the mountains dressed in butt-hugging Wranglers and a cowboy hat than he had the last time Grace had seen him, in a suit at Six.
She scanned the crowd and chuckled when she spotted Louise. TJ had been fending her off ever since that night she’d invited herself into the limo. It looked like his struggle was over; for now, at least. She’d transferred her attention to the third brother, Reid. Grace wasn’t sure what to make of him. He was quiet, and from what Oscar had told her, somewhat reclusive, but when they’d been introduced, he’d given Grace a warm smile and had a friendly air about him. She was looking forward to getting to know him.
“How are you doing, Grace?”
She turned to smile at Jean who’d come to lean on the deck rail beside her.
“I’m great, thanks. How about you?”
“I couldn’t be happier. My husband is loving his birthday and having so many friends here—old and new. I have my three boys home for the first time in I don’t know how many years, all thanks to my almost daughter.”
A lump formed in Grace’s throat. She’d grown to love Jean and Johnny. They were good people, and they’d welcomed her into their family in a way she’d been searching for all her life. She sniffed. “Oscar did all the organizing.”
Jean put a hand on her arm. “Maybe, but only because of you. You’ve made him understand just how important family is. In wanting to share it with you, he’s come to appreciate the value of a loving family, and now he’s drawing ours back together. We’ve always been close, but we were drifting. None of us made the effort to get together. That’s changing, and it makes me so happy.”
Grace nodded. It made her happy, too. She smiled as Johnny came to join them and slid his arm around his wife’s waist. Grace loved seeing them kiss and the way Jean rested her head against his shoulder—just like she did with Oscar.
“This is a great party; thank you, ladies.”
Grace smiled at him. It was hard to believe that this man, this renowned, very wealthy doctor was thanking her for a party. She caught herself thinking it and stopped. She should believe it. She did believe it. He wasn’t just some fancy doctor. He was Oscar’s dad, and he was a wonderful human being whom she was happy to know.
“Something wrong?” asked Johnny.
She shook her head. “No. Everything’s right. I’m glad you love your party, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
“Were you judging us again?” asked Jean with a knowing smile.
Grace nodded. Jean had been helping her work on that. Oscar had been right. His parents didn’t judge people by their circumstances, but by their character. She was trying to learn to do the same.
Johnny smiled at her. “You’re going to have to stop doing that when—”
Jean dug him in the ribs. He looked mortified and then they both smiled.
What was that about? She didn’t get chance to find out as Oscar came to join them. He gave his parents a look she didn’t understand. She got the impression they were hiding something, but she didn’t know what. She looked around. Maybe she’d messed something up, and they were being polite about not telling her. Everything seemed okay. There was plenty of food and drink, and people were enjoying themselves. Though, on second thoughts, it seemed people were no longer talking and milling around. In fact, most of them were looking up at the deck where she was standing.
She turned to look at Oscar. There was something going on. He brought his hand up to his face, but his thumb couldn’t hide the smirk underneath it.
She raised an eyebrow. “What I am missing?”
He grinned. “I’m not sure I’m ready to tell you yet.”
She turned to his parents. They obviously knew something. They smiled at her. Jean looked as though she was fit to burst. Most conversations had stopped. She saw Hope smiling at her encouragingly. Then she spotted TJ and Chance carrying Terry and his wheelchair up the steps to join them. Louise was standing close to Reid, her arm linked through his while he looked slightly uncomfortable.
Grace pursed her lips and turned back to Oscar. “What’s going on?”
He looked over at Terry and Spider who both nodded before turning back to her. “Okay, now I’m ready to tell you.”
Grace’s hand flew up to cover her mouth as he went down on one knee before her. “Grace Evans, I told you when I met you that you are one unusual lady, and I was right. You’re special. I love you, I love everything about you. I love what you do for the people in your life, and most of all I love what you’ve done for me. I love who you are, and I love who I’ve become through knowing you. We’re building a great life together, but I want more. I want to know that we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together. Grace, will you marry me?”
Her heart was pounding in her ears as he held up a ring. It was the biggest diamond she’d ever seen. She looked at it and then looked into his eyes and he winked; the arrogant prick actually winked. “I’ll get you a smaller one if you insist.”
She laughed. She had to. That was Oscar. That was the man she loved, and for better or worse, she knew she’d love him for the rest of her life. “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, I will marry you.”
He slid the ring onto her finger and got to his feet. He closed his arms around her, and she buried her face in his chest. That warm feeling, the intimacy they shared, the happiness in her heart filled her up and overflowed. It came out as tears—happy tears—and they flowed down her face as he lifted her chin and she kissed him. She had to be the happiest woman alive.
She got lost in a sea of hugs and well-wishes. His parents, his brothers, Hope, even his uncle, they all hugged her and welcomed her to the family—she was a part of a family! And she loved it. Louise bounced around her and demanded to be maid of honor. Spider wrapped her in a very rare hug. He didn’t have many words, but the two of them didn’t really need words. He was so happy for her, and she knew it. Terry held his arms up to her, and she sat down in his lap and for a moment they just stared at each other, each with tears streaming down past big smiles.
Oscar patted Terry on his back as Grace got up, and to her surprise, he squatted down beside Terry’s chair and hugged him. “Thank you.”
A fresh wave of tears came as she watched the two men embrace. She knew Oscar would always be grateful to him.
Jean and Louise were going around making sure everyone had a drink for a toast. Louise’s tray was almost empty by the time she reached Terry. “Do you want something?” she asked. “I’ve got lemonade or…”
Terry laughed and tugged Grace’s hand. “I don’t want no lemonade. Me and Gracie, we’re holding out for champagne and strawberries, right?”
Grace laughed with him. “Yes, we are, Terry. We certainly are.”
Oscar gave her a puzzled look. He passed her and Terry a glass of champagne each. “There are strawberries inside. I can go get you some if that’s what you want.”
She shook her head and hugged him tightly. “You’ve already given me everything I could want and more.”
He smiled down at her and dropped a kiss on the end of her nose. “We’re only just getting started Mrs. Davenport.”
As the tears filled her eyes again, she knew it was true. This was just the beginning, and she couldn’t wait to live the rest of her life with him;