"Are you okay, dear?" Aunt Eileen, obviously fully recovered, crossed the room to her. "You look suddenly pale."
Did she? And why not. Didn't everyone turn just a little green at the gills the first time they realized they'd fallen head over heels in love?
"I see you're feeling better." Sean came in behind the others.
"Yes." Eileen hesitated for a second. "A woman can only handle so much time in bed."
Sean nodded and walked past the crowd in the doorway. "You young folks can keep talking, but I'm going to bed. Goodnight."
A round of goodnights filled the foyer, but one person was missing. And then she spotted him off to the right in the den. In his recliner, his ankle up, the boot off and a load of ice packing it on either side. Stubborn goat.
"I'm heading home too." Catherine turned toward the door. "Goodnight everyone."
Connor put a hand at the small of her back. "I'll give you a lift."
"Tonight, I'm not arguing." She kissed him lightly on the lips and, still carrying her daughter, trudged to the truck.
"Well." Aunt Eileen looked around, her gaze settling on Ethan and then to Allison and back. "It has been a long day. I'm turning in. Brittany just went down so you should probably do the same. Night."
Allison waved and Ethan winked. Apparently that was a family thing between those two because Eileen rolled her eyes and blew him a kiss.
Eileen was almost all the way up the stairs before Allison found the strength to put one foot in front of the other and join Ethan in the living room. "How bad is it?"
"Could be worse."
She couldn't argue with that. Making it all the way to the sofa at Ethan's side, she plopped down with absolutely no ladylike decorum. "My aunt is probably getting shivers."
"Why is that?"
"She can't roll over in her grave, she's not dead."
"Where is she?"
"England. She moved back when I started Stanford, but I like to think anytime I do something contrary to her British sensibilities she feels it."
"A little leftover teenage rebellion."
"Not leftover. It's all I've ever had."
With her eyes closed, she heard Ethan shifting in his chair, the ice fall to the side and then felt the sinking of the cushion beside her.
"I've been thinking." He turned her slightly, then his hands came down on her shoulders and his fingers began kneading.
"Oh my. I'll give you exactly two hours to stop doing that." She could so get used to this. "You were saying?"
"I may not be able to fly helicopters for Uncle Sam anymore, but I can still fly civilian helos."
Allison made an extreme effort to nod her head.
"And I can do that near San Francisco as easily as Texas."
Had she heard that right? Glancing at him over her shoulder she blinked. "Say again?"
"Brittany might like living driving distance to the beach."
Allison swung completely around and faced him.
"I know housing in California is pretty expensive, but I have some money saved and—"
Placing her finger on his lips, she cut him off. "You're willing to move to California?"
He nodded. "Or the Amazon if that's what you want."
"To… be … near me?"
Again his head bobbed.
Her finger fell and her mouth dropped slightly open.
"Why is that so hard to believe?"
"I, uhm…"
"Love you and want to be with you."
She had no idea if he was speaking to her or for her but her mouth fell open again. This time pretty wide open.
Ethan chuckled. And she snapped her mouth shut.
"You know," he continued to smile, "a man could get a complex if you keep looking at him likes he's speaking Martian. I love you Allison, I don't want to lose you."
The size of the grin pulling at her cheeks matched the swell in her heart. "What a coincidence because it just so happens, Ethan Farraday, that I love you."
"You do?" Now his voice seemed a little incredulous.
"Very much." She nodded. "And your whole family, and your friends, and the fresh air, and Sunday suppers, and people caring more about each other than themselves. I love the idea of helping build an A-class health facility so people don't have to travel a hundred miles for treatment. I love the balance of work, life and family." She hung her arms around his neck. "I love you, and, I don't want Brittany to grow up in California."
His eyes twinkled bright. "You don't?"
"No." She drew closer to him. "I don't. And by the way."
"Yes?"
"Did Connor get a chance to mention how we found the crash site?"
Ethan shook his head.
"Between the ditch and the grass and that tree, there was no way to see the van from the road. And the skid marks weren't very dark or long."
"The Brady boy wasn't in a place to really slow the van down. So how did you find it?"
"A gray dog came running out of nowhere barking."
"Dog?"
"Gray."
"I didn't see a dog."
"Yeah, well. Apparently that's how it works. So according to your aunt's matchmaking dog theory, we don't have any choice but to wind up happily together."
Ethan's lips hovered over hers. "Then by all means, let's tell my aunt about the dog."
Chapter Twenty - Epilogue
"Ya think folks may be getting tired of Farraday weddings?" Finn took a sip of champagne and wondered why this stuff was so popular for making toasts.
"Nah." Ethan downed a swallow of his favorite longneck beer. "Folks love any excuse for a good party that comes with free food and drink and a sappy romance to boot."
"Uh, oh." Finn shifted in front of his brother. "You'd better sit quick."
Immediately Ethan dropped into the seat beside him. "Did she see me?"
"Don't think so." Finn spied Ethan's fiancée cutting across the dance floor. She looked to be a woman on a mission.
Ethan tracked the room, his gaze landing on Allison's approach. For all his bluster, at the first sight of the woman he totally lit up like a Texas night on the fourth of July. Ever since the van accident a few weeks ago, the two had been inseparable. Together, Ethan and Allison met with the judge who granted the termination of Francine's parental rights. When Ethan had to report to an orthopedist for follow up on his leg, Allison had gone with him. When she flew home to San Francisco to take care of business, Ethan and Brittany had gone too. Finn had no idea who would tie the knot next, Declan or Ethan, but he hoped they'd give him and the town a chance to recoup before having to buy more wedding presents.
"Don't you dare stand up," Allison said to Ethan from several feet away. "You know what the doctor said. No more than twenty minutes at a time on your feet and then elevated for at least an hour. You're way over your limit for the day already." Allison reached Ethan as the last words rolled off her lips. Lips she used to sweetly kiss Ethan with just enough feeling to have Finn checking out the shine on his boots.
A lightweight hand came to rest around Finn's middle. His cousin, Hannah Farraday, the youngest female in the family, gave Finn a squeeze and peck on the cheek. "I don't know who's cuter, the bride and groom or those two."
Finn turned, pleased with the chance to visit with one of the Austin clan. Since they'd all grown up and stopped spending summers together, he didn't see enough of any of them. "Wait till Sunday supper tomorrow, it'll feel like a regular lovefest."
"Which would explain why Mom and Aunt Eileen are taking bets on who's going to be next." His cousin chuckled. "Listening to them talk about dogs and fate and destiny, I've never been so happy to live in Dallas."
"Oh yeah. I bet." He smiled at the cute way she wrinkled her nose. Less than a year younger than Grace, she had spent more time with the West Texas Farradays over summers and school breaks than any of the cousins. "So you're adapting to the big D?" he asked.
Hannah shrugged. "I'm a little south of Dallas proper so it's no
t as claustrophobic as it could be."
A few piano notes sounded and Hannah's eyes opened wide. "Oh no. Tell me Connor and Catherine hired a DJ and a band."
"I don't think so."
Across the room, Connor and his bride looked up. Adam had been sitting at a nearby table and pushed to his feet.
"Where did they get a piano?" Ethan asked while standing, despite Allison's insistence he stay seated.
Several more notes played followed by the familiar words, "The moment I wake up…"
"Never mind the piano," Finn said, "who gave them a microphone?"
"Them?" Allison asked.
The second line of the familiar tune "Say A Little Prayer" was sung by a more powerful voice.
"Oh," Allison looked around for the piano. "They're good."
Hannah groaned. "They must have been talking about My Best Friend's Wedding again. Every time they have a glass of wine at a wedding and someone doesn't hide the piano, we wind up with a serenade."
Another verse belted out, stronger, louder, and Finn spotted his two aunts sharing a mic as expected. What he hadn't anticipated was seeing Meg to one side of the older women singing along, with Grace and Becky on their other side doing a darn good impression of the Supremes. Or was it the Spinners? To his right, the sound of rhythmic clapping startled him. Not the clapping itself, but that it had come from Allison.
She shrugged. "I can't carry a tune."
By the time the words "forever and ever" came along, Catherine and Toni were huddled around Meg and Finn's aunts singing loudly.
"Well, maybe I can just hum a little." Allison patted Ethan on the shoulder and scurried across the floor to join her future in-laws.
"Dear lord," Hannah muttered.
"What?” Finn and Ethan echoed.
"I think," she waved an arm in the general direction of the two women hamming it up for the crowd with their entourage of backup singers, "Mom and Aunt Eileen have found their people."
"Well, you know what they say," Ethan shifted his weight and eased forward a step. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."
By the end of the song, everyone in the place was either singing, clapping, or channeling 1960s girl groups. Finn had to laugh. He loved his family. All of them. He even loved his aunt Eileen's crazy poker playing club. But the last few months had brought way more drama and excitement than he was used to. It was time for some old-fashioned peace and quiet. No matter what bets his aunts made, he wasn't worried about a disappearing dog, or fate, or destiny, or an on-your-doorstep mate. Nope. All this dog talk was pure hogwash. When he was ready to marry, he'd pick his own wife, one who was simple, uncomplicated, and most especially—drama free.
***
THANKS FOR READING! Here's a note from Chris:
Thank you so very much for returning to visit the Farraday family with me. I have loved spending time with these folks. It's so much fun to see the wonderful star ratings for all the books in the series and especially the reviews. Reading what you think of a book really can make my day!
For those of you who have not read a previous book in the Farraday series and have no idea why we authors keep asking you as a reader to take a few minutes to leave even a five word review, here's more explanation of reviews in this crazy business. And thanks again for hanging out with me and the Farradays in Tuckers Bluff.
Reviews (not just ratings) help authors qualify for advertising opportunities and help other readers make purchasing decisions. Without triple digit reviews, an author may miss out on valuable advertising opportunities. And with only "star ratings" the author has little chance of participating in certain promotions. Which means fewer sales offered to my favorite readers!
Another reason to take a minute and leave a review is that often a few kind words left in a review can make a huge difference to an author and their muse. Recently new to reviewing fans have left a few words after reading a similar letter and they were tonic to tired muse! LOL Seriously. Star ratings simply do not have the same impact to thank or encourage an author when the writing gets tough.
So please consider taking a moment to write even a handful of words. Writing a review only takes a few minutes of your time. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy book report, just a few words expressing what you enjoyed most about the story.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed Ethan and come back to visit Finn and his new love. I look forward to hearing from you.
Mahalo,
Chris K
***
Turn the page for an excerpt from Finn!
Curious to read more about Brooklyn? Find his story in the Aloha Series prequel SHELL GAME. Note: Shell Game contains one love scene inappropriate for minors.
MEET CHRIS
USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen contemporary novels, including the USA TODAY Bestselling Aloha Series, Chris Keniston lives in suburban Dallas with her husband, two human children, and two canine children. Though she loves her puppies equally, she admits being especially attached to her German Shepherd rescue. After all, even dogs deserve a happily ever after.
More on Chris and her books can be found at www.chriskeniston.com
Follow Chris on Facebook at ChrisKenistonAuthor or on Twitter @ckenistonauthor
Chapter Excerpt - Finn
"Man that feels good." Finn set his hat by his side, leaned against the post, and lifted his face to the sun.
"Move went pretty quick this morning.” Finn's dad, Sean Farraday, slapped his hat against his thigh and looked across the pasture at the contented cows, drinking and snacking and pretty much doing what cows do all year long. "Mothering up went well, too."
"Yep." A couple of mother cows were still looking for their calf, but not as many had been separated on route to this pasture as in days past. So far the few that seemed hell bent on going back where they came from were being held behind the invisible line in the grass the dogs had drawn. Scratching the dust from his hair Finn put his hat back on and listened to the steady thrum of cows calling out for their calves, or perhaps simply chewing the fat with their friends.
The best part of saddling up in the pitch black of early morning to start moving cows at first light was the chance to relax and watch Mother Nature at work until lunchtime. "Flow seems off on the water. I'll pull the pump tomorrow before we start working on the new fence section."
Sean nodded and sat beside his son. "Some days, I look out at the pasture and I'd swear I can see you and your brothers roping the dummy, or playing with the water, or even just worn out and napping."
A smile took over Finn's face. He remembered those days well. Especially when they wound up in pastures by the creek. Those were fun times swimming, catching toads, and all around doing his best to keep up with his older brothers.
"Gates closed. So far none of the herd isn't backtracking." Sam their ranch hand left his horse ground tied with the others and came up beside his bosses. "Are we taking turns heading back to the house for lunch?"
Shaking his head, Finn pulled a blade of grass from the ground. "Nope. Aunt Eileen is bringing lunch today."
"Sweet." Sam peeled off his gloves and shoved them in his back pocket.
Finn pushed to his feet, noticing a couple spots in the fence that would need to be fixed in the days to come. "She has been doting on Ethan and the baby."
"Speaking of which." Sean Farraday stood up beside his son and ranch hand, all three eyeing the large ranch truck making its way across the pasture. The men smiled like fools when the door opened and out popped Aunt Eileen.
"Y'all made good time this morning." She slammed the door shut with her foot.
"No water to cross. Calves kept up pretty good." Sam moved to reach for the aluminum tray. "Allow me."
As they'd done for ages and eons, the trays of warm food were spread out on the tail of the truck and one by one, Sean first, plates were filled and folks moved to sit and enjoy.
"Boy, I missed these hot lunches," Sam said.
Frowning, Eileen loo
ked up from her plate. "It's not like you don't have a freezer stocked with my casseroles."
"Gotta admit, it's nice to have a warm meal midday to fill the belly." Finn kissed his aunt on the cheek and turned to where the others sat.
"Hmm," Aunt Eileen groused, plate in hand, leaning against the truck. "Not my fault you two are still single."
"Now don't get your britches in a knot." Sean shook his head. "Sam and Finn didn't mean anything more than we just appreciate a hearty lunch is all. Thank you."
"Yes, ma'am, Miss Eileen," Sam repeated. "No matter who I marry, she'll have a hard time competing with your cooking."
Just a hint of pink singed his aunt's cheeks and Finn thought they really didn't pay her compliments nearly often enough. "Thanks, Aunt Eileen. This is delicious."
One of the dogs began barking and Sean turned, recognizing his dog King's sound. King was one of the best cattle dogs Finn had ever seen. The animal did the work of two men some days. Without the dogs they'd never be able to run all the cattle with just the three of them.
The louder lowing coming from the cows along with shifting by the animals near King, had Finn putting his plate on the tail of the truck and walking around to grab the rifle from the rack.
"You thinking the cows disturbed a rattler's nest?" Aunt Eileen scanned the ground around the truck. "All these years and those things still give me the heebie jeebies."
"You're not the only one." Sam smiled at her. "Back in Wyoming, we could kill a snake with a shovel, but down here, the snakes are bigger than the shovels."
The closer Finn got to where all the ruckus was, the less of the snake jokes by the truck he could hear. Sam was a nice guy, he'd come to Texas a few years ago during the rodeo circuit complaining about Wyoming being cold enough to freeze a cow to the ground where it stood. After a couple of days talking and drinking, the Farradays had a new ranch hand. First time anyone not a blood relative lived or worked on the ranch, and Sam hadn't yet done anything to make Finn or his dad regret the decision.
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