Jill raced down the steps and leapt into Logan’s arms from the third step. His family surrounded him along with a few nearby fans. Logan twirled her around as he held onto her with one arm, throwing his cowboy hat straight up and into the crowd for some happy fan to keep. His final career ride had been an enormous success. The Lander crowd was still standing and clapping for him. The wranglers had lined up along the yellow gate and held their hats in their hands against their chests as a sort of final salute. The moment would live on in their hearts and memories for the rest of their lives, but especially for Logan. He looked positively elated.
When the rodeo was nearly over, Logan left to return clothing items to the bronc riders and thank them for coming to make the grand opening a wonderful event. Jill left the children in good hands with the adults and headed to the main house to dress for the concert. She locked the door to her office and made sure the blinds were drawn before slipping into a pale pink, tiered skirt with a matching blouse and short-sleeved pale pink sweater. She added a belt with a chunky western buckle before dropping into her office chair to pull on her brown suede boots. She plugged in her curling iron. While curling her hair she whispered up a prayer of thanks to the Lord for preserving Logan and giving him such a great last ride. She unplugged the curling iron and placed it in the travel bag with her purple plaid shirt, red lanyard, and jeans.
Humming “Silly Love Songs,” she managed to make her way toward the barns in search of Logan, but it was beyond the arena where she spotted him crossing the covered bridge. She would recognize his tall frame, his favorite blue flannel, the slight limp that endeared him to her, and his white cowboy hat anywhere. As if his internal radar was in tune with hers, he turned and waited for her to catch up.
“That was some ride!” she commented as they crossed the bridge hand in hand.
“It sure was!” He smiled, his blue eyes lit up with joy.
“Where ya headed, cowboy?” she asked coyly as they continued along passing a few new flowerbeds and shrubs the landscapers had managed to put in place before opening week.
“I just wanted to go sit in the church for a few minutes and thank the Lord for the best ride of my entire career,” he explained.
“Sounds wonderful! Mind if I join you? I’d really like to thank the Lord for answering my prayers for your safety, too.”
Logan stopped in his tracks. “You are always welcome to join me there! In fact,” he added, “nothing could make me any happier than you wanting to pray with me in the Lord’s house.” He swooped her up off her feet and into his arms.
She laughed at his amazing strength and how giddy he made her feel. He gave her a long, tender kiss… interrupted by a rustling and a giggle coming from the shrubs behind them.
Logan heard it, too. They froze in place.
Jill would know that giggle anywhere. “Savannah?”
Looking over their shoulders slowly, they turned to find her youngest grinning up at them. “How’d you get all the way out here without Grandma Betty?” Jill asked.
“I don’t know, Mommy… but does this mean Logan’s going to be my new Dad?”
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11
Chapter 18.
Amazing Grace
Investor’s Week went off without a single hitch! Logan and Jill were on cloud nine when the week ended with praise and complements from every single investor. It had even been enormously fun getting to know them. Some of the investors had quirky habits and traits, but then perhaps these were the very characteristics which made them great men. They were wealthy, interesting characters who looked forward to the week in Wyoming.
They brought their wives and children; their wallets; small jets and aircraft; their hummers, sporty cars, all-terrain vehicles, and pick-up trucks. Jill found them to be keen observers, genuinely inquisitive, highly intelligent, congenial to the same degree they were shrewd men of business, full of ideas, and out-of-the-box thinkers. They played as hard as they worked.
Logan’s idea was to hold a brief mixer at the beginning of the week with western hors d’oeuvres. Then, at the end of the week, he held a brainstorm meeting. Each investor brought a distinct personality to the table. They liked Logan and knew him from his reputation on the national rodeo circuit. They particularly enjoyed some of the enormous black and white photos Jill had blown up and framed to create a display in the sunken living room from highlights of Logan’s bronc riding career.
Once they were through Investor’s Week, they sailed into November planning a Thanksgiving banquet of sorts to pass along praise for a job well done to the entire team at The Sweetwater. Logan was thrilled to have eighty percent church attendance from all the guests combined during October and had worked diligently at creating sermons to stir their hearts toward Christ. They went into the rest of November and the Thanksgiving season with truly thankful, united, triumphant hearts.
On the Tuesday following Investor’s Week, Logan approached Jill with a huge smile on his face. “Good morning sunshine! Whaddya say we have devotions every morning together now that we’re on track and the ranch is open?” She paused at Logan’s desk, her chin holding down the top package on a stack of Christmas gifts for the kids, a wide smile spread across her face. “You mean like Philomena and Chase?”
He nodded and stood up. Coming around the desk, he took some of the packages to help her carry them to her office. “Hiding gifts in your office from the snoopers, eh?”
“Yeah,” she admitted. “They don’t mean to snoop, but sometimes I get home late from work and some days, it’s hard to tell what they’ll get into next.”
“So, devotions in five minutes with Mrs. Wright’s delicious breakfast?”
“I’d love to!” she replied. Spending time in the Word had literally transformed her life. She wasn’t the same person she used to be. Jill had learned so much in a short time from making her time with the Lord a daily priority. “I just have to drop this thank you card in the mail to Philomena and Chase for helping us get the ranch up and running.”
She reported to work the Tuesday before Thanksgiving at ten o’clock in the morning humming “Amazing Grace” as she crossed the front porch and entered the foyer. The next five days she had scheduled off to spend time with her children for the holiday and a big Thanksgiving Day Dinner with Logan’s family, Alex’s parents, and her family. They were all invited to the main barn house at The Sweetwater for the celebration hosted by Logan and Jill. All three of the families were attending Logan’s chapel now fairly consistently. There would be a Thanksgiving service on Sunday to look forward to with more of Logan’s good preaching.
Today would include the Thanksgiving luncheon they’d been planning for the staff and then her vacation would begin. She could hardly wait to bake cookies with the kids, put up a Christmas tree, string lights outside, and spend at least one day writing in her attic writing office. Logan would hand out a turkey and a Christmas bonus check to every employee later in the day.
After arriving at her desk, she was surprised to find a vase of one-hundred, long-stem red roses wrapped with a single, white silk ribbon. She opened the envelope in the roses to reveal a card containing a message:
Follow the ribbons. You’ll find the next one in the barns. Then meet me on riding trail number one. -- Logan
Jill smiled. What could the man of her dreams be up to? Perhaps hiding her Christmas bonus on the trails?
The weather was chilly, but snowfall was late this year. Wearing jeans, a crimson blouse, and her brown suede boots, she slipped into her navy, wool, blazer and cream leather gloves. Jill took a short cut through the kitchen to the deck and cut across Sadie Lane to barn number one, thankful for the warm sunshine looking down from heaven.
She walked through the middle of the barn casually, trying not to attract attention so she could find whatever it was Logan had sent her there for. She noticed Storm wasn’
t in his stall. It was safe to assume Logan would meet her riding Storm.
“Howdy, Jill!” Jed tipped his hat in her direction.
“Hey, Jed!” she returned, her eyes still scanning each stall. She found the next ribbon tied around Mia’s neck with a large pink bow and another card. Mia had already been saddled for the ride ahead. Opening the card, she read the note inside:
I want you to consider Mia an early Christmas gift. I’ll be adding your name to her ownership papers. You’ll find the next ribbon by the wildflower meadow.—Forever Yours, Logan
Jill stuck one boot in a stirrup and mounted the horse. Logan was gifting her Mia? She trotted out of the barn holding her head high. Where could Logan be?
Arriving [R2]at a wildflower meadow, a wooden cross with a blue silk ribbon waving in the breeze caught her attention from astride Mia. She slowed the horse and reached for the ribbon, realizing upon closer inspection it was attached to a rolled parchment. Opening the parchment, it read:
Will you marry me Jill?
There’s no one more beautiful than you are to me.
I can’t imagine a world without us, without you.
I’ll live my whole life to make our five and you happy.
So say you’ll marry me without further ado…
All my love,
Logan
P.S. You’ll find me waiting at the next ribbon. Ride on a little further, my love…
Jill smiled and guided Mia into a trot further along the trail, her eyes scanning the trail for another ribbon. She pulled the reins back gently to bring Mia to a stop when she reached a lovely pine branch with a long tail of pink silk ribbon fluttering in the wind. Smiling, she pulled it down to find the ribbon wound around a shiny diamond cluster, gold banded ring with four elegant emeralds surrounding the diamonds. She was breathless with excitement upon seeing the beautiful ring, her heart pounding while she wondered where Logan might be.
Looking up, she searched the area for signs of him. He emerged from behind an oak tree riding Storm, that smile on his face reaching all the way to his blue eyes at the sight of her.
Jill thought her chance at love had ended when Alex died, but staring into Logan’s eyes, she knew God had something wonderful in mind for her future instead. She thought of that verse from the eighth chapter of Romans … and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Her trust and contentment were now complete, even though she didn’t know all of the reasons behind all of her circumstances.
He’d given her a precious gift—a second chance to find love. She was no longer scared to take the next step. Logan pulled Storm to a stop beside her, leaning over to kiss her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, “Yes! Yes, Logan Haven, I will marry you!”
Epilogue Appendix A
You are cordially invited to the wedding of
Jill Marie Michaels
&
Logan Monroe Haven
Saturday
December 23, 2017
3 o’clock in the afternoon
The Chapel
Chapel Hill Lane
Sweetwater River Ranch Resort
The Lander Gazette, December 30th, 2017 Issue
Michaels-Haven wedding
The stunning bride, Jill Fontaine Michaels, now Mrs. Logan Haven, wore a tea-length, white silk gown and veil in a vintage fifties style, sewn by Betty Anne Fontaine (assisted by Jacklyn Michaels) to the wedding ceremony.
Jill Haven changed into a long, cream silk wedding gown with a halter style bodice, shrug, and leather cowboy boots for the reception. The bride carried hydrangeas, roses, and lily of the valley. Betty and her granddaughter created vintage, red silk bridesmaids’ gowns, perfect for a Christmas, fifties themed wedding. The bridesmaids carried red and white roses and wore red pillbox hats with red netting veils.
The bridal party arrived at the chapel wearing white capes and matching fur muffs. The matron of honor wore a forest-emerald green gown and the youngest bridesmaid wore red and green plaid. The flower girl’s red silk dress had lovely folds of rouching and a gold sash. The men wore black tuxedos with white shirts, red bowties, red silk vests, and white boutonnières. The best man wore a green silk vest and green tie. The bridesmaids changed into long, red silk gowns and leather cowboy boots for the festive reception.
Photos were taken at The Sweetwater River Ranch Resort Chapel where the ceremony was held and after the nuptials, at the covered bridge. The bridesmaid names were Madison Kent (Kansas), Lindy Shields (New York), Jacklyn Olivia Michaels (Wyoming), and Grace Anne Walters (Wyoming). Philomena Haven (Wyoming) served as matron of honor. Logan’s best man and grooms were, Chase Haven, Buck Maxheimer, Zachary Alexander Michaels, McGuire Halston, and Bronson Edwards (all of Wyoming). Savannah Marie Michaels was the flower girl and Micah Joseph Walters, ring bearer (both of Wyoming).
Also in attendance were mother of the bride, Ms. Betty Anne Fontaine; parents of the groom, Jack and Sadie Haven; Meredith Johnston; James and Joan Michaels; and the rest of The Sweetwater staff; along with many friends and guests.
The reception took place in the main house at The Sweetwater with candles; lanterns; light green hydrangeas; red and white roses; lily of the valley; and evergreen branches, wreaths, and boughs tied with red and white silk ribbons spread about the room.
The DJ played “We’re Goin’ to the Chapel” as the wedding party and happy couple entered the reception wearing sunglasses in fun, loving spirit.
The wedding menu included:
Appetizers
-Artichoke hearts with marinara sauce
-Salad with lobster and avocado with oil and vinegar vinaigrette or ranch dressing
-International cheeses with sliced baguettes
-Seasonal fruits and melons
Main Course
-Turkey breast with stuffing and cranberries
-Monterrey Jack Chicken accompanied by
wild forest mushrooms and shallots served on a bed of rice
-Porterhouse Steaks with Portobello mushrooms
sautéed in Worcestershire sauce and butter
-New Potatoes with herbs and butter
-String green beans with garlic, butter, and almond slivers
Desserts
-Milk chocolate fondue fountain with
Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, brownies, biscotti,
lemon cake, orange cake, and other fresh fruits
-Wedding Cake
-Pumpkin , Lemon Meringue, and Cherry Pies
-Root Beer Floats
When “Silly Love Songs” began blasting during the dancing after the cutting of the cake and an elaborate Christmas themed dinner, Logan is reported to have said, “They’re playing our song Jill…”
The couple has decided on a four phase honeymoon. They will enjoy several days in a Wyoming log cabin on their resort, followed by a house boat getaway on a Wyoming Lake in the summer, one week in the spring honeymooning in Ireland, followed by a week of exploration on the Oregon Trail by Recreational Vehicle (R.V.).
Epilogue Appendix B
An Excerpt fromMarry Me Katie
By Lisa M. Prysock
Coming Soon
“Flight #753 to Rockport Regional, come in Rockport Regional Airport… repeat… requesting permission to make an emergency landing… repeat… Flight #753 requesting permission to make an emergency landing. Low on fuel. Repeat… low on fuel.”
“Hello flight #753… please be advised you are clear for an emergency landing at The Sweetwater River Ranch Resort nationally registered airstrip field. Coordinates to follow… repeat… coordinates to follow.”
“Are we going to die?” Katie sobbed in the passenger seat of the Cessna. They’d been flying on empty for at least three minutes now.
“I see it! I can make it out just up ahead…” Senator Williams attempted to reassure his twenty-three year old daughter as the plane began to sputter and lose altitude. He reached for
a cushion behind his seat and handed it to Katie in the front passenger seat. “Here, put this cushion in front of your head, put your head down, and brace for impact! Hold on!”
Five minutes later, the Cessna flew in nice and slow, bouncing on the ground three times as he made an emergency, crash landing at The Sweetwater. The plane had grazed through some tree branches before reaching the airstrip. That part had been scary and bumpy.
The Senator, shaken but relieved, managed to climb out of the plane to view the damages. He had avoided a devastating crash and landed them safely except for the tree branches one of the wings had collided with, but he had held on and maintained control. Squinting his eyes, it appeared as though four men on horseback with lanterns were approaching the air strip.
He turned to briefly inspect the small pleasure plane. The right wing needed repair, as did some of the body after they’d bounced into that patch of trees before he could make it all the way to the air strip. Breathing a sigh of relief to be on the ground and alive, he moved around to the passenger side quickly to assist his daughter in exiting the plane. As he circled around he noticed the engine seemed fine. He didn’t see or smell any signs of fire or damages to the engine.
The Senator opened the passenger door and held his hand out.
“Daddy,” Katie took her father’s hand and climbed out of the airplane in her red heels and dress. She blinked, looking out into the darkness and fields surrounding them. “Where are we? I see dirt. Dirt everywhere... I hate dirt!”
Dreams of Sweetwater River (Whispers In Wyoming Book 3) Page 14