Epilogue
Three months later
Larissa tucked deeper into her fleece-lined canvas work coat, letting the high collar protect her chin and mouth from the wind whipping off the mountains outside Split Fork. Snow had come early this year, and the cold air swirled flurries in a dizzying snow globe around her while she watched Matt unload her new ewe lambs—specially delivered today.
Her birthday.
A parade of woolly white bleated and stamped their way down the metal ramp, the faces of twenty-five adorable Corriedales making her smile. She and Matt had agreed on an ambitious breeding program for the first two years to develop flocks at both Split Fork and Briggs Ranch. They were consolidating some of the assets of the two operations to cut costs while they expanded in a new direction. His grandmother, Hattie, was as excited about the new direction as they were. Hattie had already adopted Reba, claiming the “old girls” needed to stick together.
After seeing how much Hattie enjoyed the placid ewe, Larissa agreed Reba should board at Briggs Ranch. Together, Larissa and Hattie were making projections for future wool production, hoping to turn a modest profit by their third year in business. Matt liked to tell her they were all profiting already since the family was visibly healing from the loss of his father. Somehow, it healed Larissa too, in a way that dancing never had. She understood now that what her mother had truly wanted for her was to live her passion.
Her mother just hadn’t understood what that passion would be since Larissa had been too young to recognize it for certain herself. But these days, she felt sure she was exactly where she was always meant to be. Every night she and Matt fell into bed together after long days on the ranch, but she was tired in a good, happy way. And, of course, never too tired to thoroughly enjoy the gift of the generous, sexy man in her life.
“I love my birthday present!” she called to Matt as he released the herding gate that allowed the new additions to her flock into the barn for tagging. He’d taken her to several breeders, patiently waiting for her to choose the ewe lambs she wanted for her twenty-ninth birthday.
They were perfect.
Her new Australian shepherd puppy, Mina, barked excitedly at the newcomers, trotting alongside the sheep run. With startling blue eyes and tri-color coat, the puppy was already showing off her future herding prowess, even if the metal chutes were doing the work for her right now. Matt stooped to scratch Mina behind the ears before he strode Larissa’s way in all his cowboy glory with his Stetson dotted with snowflakes, his boots crunching through the crisp, cold snow cover.
“My sister told me that livestock was a bad idea for a birthday present.” When he reached her, his broad shoulders blocked the wind, his arms looping around her waist.
Her pulse still fluttered when he did that, her body hyper aware when he came near.
“Callie will change her stance on that when she comes out for a visit next weekend and meets them in person.” Larissa had been to Casper twice to help Matt’s sister settle into her beautiful new home. Callie swore she was homesick, but from what Larissa could tell, she was accumulating friends quickly.
It helped that she was in love. Being with Reggie full time seemed to make up for any moments she missed her home. Matt said his sister only threw around words like “homesick” to coax friends and family into visiting often, but even so, he’d made the trip to Casper already too.
For her part, Larissa was planning a trip to the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York before Christmas to see her friend Rachel. Apparently, Rachel was getting ready to make peace with her own past—just like they’d made a pact to do—and her past was in a sleepy village near Lake Placid. Larissa had read about the town, and it was famous for its over-the-top Christmas celebrations, so December seemed like a fun time to go.
“Nevertheless, I figured I’d hedge my bets and get you a second birthday gift. Just in case she was right.” He smiled in a way that carved the dimple in his left cheek.
Larissa lifted a gloved finger to trace the spot that assured her he was happy. Just like her.
“Now you’ve got me curious,” she admitted, tilting her head to one side to clear the brim of his hat and kiss his cheek. “But you didn’t need to get me anything else. I’m excited to get to know all my new ewes.”
“And you will,” he promised. “But first, I want you to see this.” He kissed her lips once. Twice. And for a third time that was slow and sweet and so melting she almost forgot they stood in a snowfall with noisy, anxious animal newcomers.
He grinned when he pulled back, a heated, very male knowing in his eyes.
“Come on.” He folded her hand in his and drew her toward the small barn she’d converted into an office for herself. She hoped one day to use the space as a showroom for specialty wools and handmade crafts similar to the kinds of things her mother used to make.
That kind of business would probably never be a viable revenue stream, but it would help raise awareness of local artisans and be a way to connect with the spinner and weaver communities. For now, however, the space remained just an office. She’d bought a desk and a couch for it, liking the idea of being closer to the lambing area in the spring.
“My present is in here?” Larissa hurried her step to match his. She whistled for Mina, not ready to leave the pup with the sheep just yet.
The puppy rushed to her side, ears flopping as she ran.
“You’ll see.” Matt stepped up onto the building’s narrow steps where Larissa dreamed of a wide front porch one day. He took his hat as he tugged open the door. “You have to close your eyes as you come in.”
Dutifully, she lowered her lids, feeling the snow fall on her face. All her other senses seemed sharper when she wasn’t relying on her vision. She felt Mina brushing against her leg. Smelled the pine scent of the log building. Heard the rush of Matt’s breath close to her ear as he tucked her under his arm and guided her into the office.
She wiped her feet on the rug at the door, feeling the rough texture beneath her boots as she entered. She heard a soft thud nearby and guessed it was Matt’s hat landing on the new leather sofa. Mina’s nails clicked on the barnboard floor made with salvaged pieces of wood from another building that Matt had recently repurposed.
“Are you ready?” Matt’s lips brushed her ear as he leaned close to speak to her. He ended the question with a kiss on her cheek.
“Ready,” she said softly, her body already warming from his proximity.
“Open your eyes,” he instructed.
Bright colors swirled on the wall in front of her, above the new sofa. A huge weaving covered most of the space, the wool varying from super fine to bulky roving, the shapes organic and asymmetrical, a modern art style splash of reds and golds, purples and blues.
Larissa recognized her mother’s work immediately. Unlike the weaving in Hattie’s private sitting room that had been created to sell, this beautiful project had been more personal.
“Oh, Matt.” She reached toward the wall, her fingers stopping just short of touching the soft threads hanging loose along the bottom. “It’s one of my mother’s. How did you ever find it?”
“Hattie told me some of her friends collected your mom’s weavings and I thought I’d see if I could convince any of them to part with one for you to have in your office.”
It was so much more than she’d ever expected for a birthday gift. Heart in her throat, she pulled off her glove so she could touch the threads with her bare hands. It was almost like touching her mom, having her fingers rest on the yarn that her mother had worked with for months. In her mind’s eye, she could see Laurie Martine weaving this piece while in her nightgown, her hair in a long dark braid down her back.
“I found my mom working on this one night when I was about sixteen, I think.” The memories that for years had been painful were welcome friends now. “I got up for a drink of water in the middle of the night, and there she was at the big loom in the living room, humming to herself while she wove. She would be so exhausted from chemo and she’d drag herself to that loom as often as she could anyhow.”
Matt snaked his arm around her waist. His cheek tipped to her head. Listening. She felt more comforted by his presence than by any words he might speak. For a moment, she closed her eyes and just soaked up that strength of his.
And his love. So much love.
“That night, she told me this is what she saw when I danced.” Larissa pointed to the rays of colors spinning out from the center of the weaving. “She thought that when I twirled around on stage, I brought color and light to everyone in the audience, like a spray of joy.”
“Will it make you sad to think about that?” Matt asked, turning her in his arms, his brown eyes full of concern. “I chose this one because the woman who had it told me that when your mom sold it to her, Laurie told her it was special because it reminded her of her daughter. Of you.”
“I know. I think she made it for me, but she had some weeks when she was so exhausted that she got confused and she sold it during one of those times when she was very tired and doing more than she should have.” She slid her hands up Matt’s strong shoulders and then up to cradle his face. “You returned something precious to me, Matt Briggs, you amazing man. Seeing this in my workspace would never make me sad.”
Her words eased the worried look in his gaze.
Some of the tension slid out of his shoulders. “I wanted to give you presents that would make you happy.” He kissed her forehead and then angled back to study her. “And as far as I’m concerned, you still spread joy all around you, dancing or not.”
“You think so?” She felt the smile all the way from her toes. For a quiet, broody cowboy, he sure said some nice things.
“My whole family loves you. Me most of all.” He reached in his pocket and came out with a small box. “That’s why I had another gift in mind for you. Callie didn’t know about this one. I wanted it to be just between us.”
Stunned speechless, Larissa stared down at the small box.
Velvet. It was a velvet, small box. Bright blue.
She blinked fast and the magic mirage didn’t fade. The man she loved still stared at her, strong and sexy and so thoughtful she couldn’t believe her good luck.
“Marry me, Larissa,” he said simply. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone. More than I ever imagined I’d ever love anyone. And every day with you is better and happier than the day before.”
Tears of joy welled in her eyes. Her throat burned. Even Mina was quiet in that moment thick with emotion, sitting half on their feet as she stared up at them.
“Yes.” She kissed him fast, needing to seal the deal on the most perfect moment of her life. “A thousand yeses.” She kissed him again, her smile so big she kissed him with more teeth than lips. It made her laugh even as the happy tears slid down her cheeks. “I love you so much and want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Later, she would realize she never even saw the ring then. She didn’t need to. She felt the love for Matt spread all around her just like the bright colors in the wall hanging. His love, her love, theirs woven together, was so rich it touched every corner of their world.
The End