by Joanna Sims
“Yes.” Skyler nodded.
“So your dad said I could stay in your old bedroom upstairs.”
That made Skyler laugh. Of course, her old-fashioned father would agree to Hunter staying with them, as long as he wasn’t staying with her in the apartment. No doubt Chester knew that they had been intimate, but he wasn’t modern enough to condone it under his own roof.
She showed him the upstairs, including her very girly room, still decorated from high school, with small pink-rosebud wallpaper, antique lace curtains and a twin-size bed. Hunter sat down on her bed and looked around curiously at her room.
“I’ve never had a boy in this room before,” she noted.
Hunter brought his eyes back to her with a possessive glint in his eye; she could tell he liked the fact that he was the first.
“I have to show you something,” she said, “but you have to promise that you won’t judge me and you won’t let it influence, in any way, your decision to marry me.”
The way he grinned at her let her know that his interest had been peaked. “What is it?”
Skyler opened her closet door, raised up on her tiptoes and pulled out a large photo album at the bottom of a stack of books on the shelf. She held the photo album tightly to her body, protectively, as she turned toward him.
“This might be a huge mistake.”
“Well,” he said. “Now you have to show me.”
She walked over to him slowly and then held out the heavy album to him. She sat down next to him and leaned into his body as he opened up to the first page of the album. The only thing on the first page was a large signed promotional picture of him on the show Cowboy Up! with a large heart drawn around it in sparkling red ink. Hunter stared at that picture, a picture that he had signed so many years ago.
“I wrote to you for an autographed picture and you actually sent one to me,” she told him, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and wonder that she was able to show him the picture now.
Still silent, Hunter turned the page and found the letter that he had sent along with the picture.
“I wrote this,” he said, examining the letter more closely.
“You did?” she asked, unbelievingly. “I always figured your manager wrote it and you signed it.”
“No.” He shook his head. “This is my handwriting.”
Hunter continued through the album that she had dedicated to the object of her affection: Hunter Brand from Cowboy Up! After they looked through all of the pictures and articles printed from the internet, Hunter closed the book, left it sitting on his lap and looked over at her with a strange expression on his face.
“I had a big crush on you,” she said by way of explanation to fill in the awkward silence. “Well, not you really. The TV-show version of you.”
Hunter appeared to be rendered speechless.
“Did I scare you?” She tugged her book out of his hands and carried it back to the closet. When she turned back around, he was standing up. In the small room, it was easy for him to reach for her and pull her into his arms. With a smirk on his face, he kissed her, long and deep.
“You don’t scare me,” he said, looking into her eyes. “Being without you scares me.”
She wrapped her arms around him, so happy to be back in them. He took her face in his hands, wanting more of her kisses.
“Where is this apartment of yours?” he asked against her lips.
“Out back.”
“We have to go there now.” He buried his face in her neck. “Unless you want to finally christen this sweet little bed of yours.”
* * *
The next night, Chester ordered takeout and invited Chase and Molly to join the three of them for dinner. Molly had a postengagement glow; Chase had given her the exact proposal she had always wanted—he got down on bended knee in Central Park. The conversation flowed easily and for the first time in a long time, the house was filled with laughter. Skyler could tell that Chester liked both of the men sitting at his table. Her father’s approval of her future husband wasn’t essential, but it was important.
“Pass me some of those potatoes,” Chester said boisterously, noticeably uplifted by the company in his house.
Skyler didn’t say a word. This night wasn’t about trying to regulate her father’s diet, a bone of contention between them—it was about celebrating Chase and Molly’s engagement.
“So when are you two going to tie the knot?” her father asked Molly and Chase, using his right hand to scoop up potatoes instead of his left.
“Not for a while,” Molly said as she and Chase exchanged a smile. “I want a big wedding. Lots of planning.”
“And I have to move out here and find a job,” Chase added.
“What kind of work will you be looking for, son?” Chester asked before he took a big bite of potatoes loaded with gravy.
“I’m not sure. Whatever I can get to get myself established.”
Hunter said, “Chase was a mechanic in the army.”
Chester and Skyler turned their keen attention to Chase.
“What kind of training do you have?” her father asked.
Chase wiped his mouth off with a napkin before he answered. “Diesel mechanic. I worked on M1 Abrams tanks and every truck that the army owns. If it’s a diesel I can fix it.”
“Well...” Chester sat back in his chair and Skyler could tell that his wheels, like hers, were turning. “You didn’t get marine training.”
“No, sir.” Chase smiled.
“But I imagine the army taught you how to at least hold a wrench right.”
“Yes, sir. They did.”
“I’ve got a job waiting for you if you want it.” Her father rested his forearms on the table and looked Chase directly in the eye. “But I’ll need you ASAP. I’m laid up for a while and I need a solid diesel mechanic to pick up my slack.”
Molly reached for Chase’s hand. “I’d be honored to work for you, sir.”
“Call me Sarge,” Chester said.
* * *
After dinner, Skyler had shooed him out of the kitchen while she cleaned up, and Hunter took the opportunity to speak with Chester alone.
“I appreciate the hospitality,” he told Skyler’s father. Chester was a good man—stern but fair. And it was obvious that Skyler was the apple of Chester’s eye.
“Well—” Chester turned the TV on mute “—I appreciate you taking such good care of Skyler while she was in Montana.”
Hunter nodded, finding now that he was alone with Chester again that it was difficult to formulate the words he needed to say.
“I’d like to be able to take care of Skyler...” Hunter said quietly. “For the rest of her life.”
Chester looked over at him, his eyes narrowed a bit, before he turned off the TV. “Speak your piece, son.”
“I’d like your permission to marry Skyler.”
Chester thought for a minute or two, time that seemed to stretch out much too long for Hunter’s comfort.
“I’d like for Skyler to go to college. She left to help me take care of her mother. I’ve always regretted that for her,” Chester said. “You got a problem with that?”
“No, sir.”
“Are you planning on setting up house in Montana?”
“Yes, sir,” Hunter said, not sure if Chester would be happy to hear this news or not. “I just bought a little place outside of Bozeman. A place that we can make our own.”
“Good. Good.” Chester nodded. “She was better in Montana. Happier. And, she couldn’t—” Skyler’s father waved his hand “—hover over me like she is now. I don’t want her to waste her time trying to manage my life when she should be out living her own.”
Chester pushed forward so the recliner was upright; he looked over at him. “I’m too damn old to have my daughter telling me to eat my vegetables.”
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Hunter laughed. “Yes, sir.”
“Come with me.” Chester stood up, a bit unsteady at first, but he found his balance quickly. Hunter followed the man to a bedroom down a hallway. Chester opened the top nightstand drawer, grabbed a box and then handed it to him.
“Give this to Skyler when the time is right.”
Hunter opened the box and inside was a diamond ring. A round cut stone set in antique platinum.
“It was her mother’s ring.”
Hunter closed the box and tucked it into his pocket.
“Thank you, sir,” Hunter said. “I love your daughter very much.”
“Good.” Chester nodded, turning his head but not soon enough. Hunter saw tears in the man’s eyes. “Very good.”
Chester cleared his throat several times before he brought his eyes back to his, “You understand that she’s going to need doctors, specialists—we aren’t completely out of the woods with this damn cancer business.”
“I’ve already got doctors lined up for Skyler, sir. We can set up appointments for right after she arrives. Get her established.”
Chester put his hand on his shoulder for a moment. “You’ll take care of her.”
“Yes, sir. I will.”
“I’m counting on you,” Skyler’s father said. “Make her happy, keep her healthy.”
They walked out to the living room and Chester stopped by the kitchen. “Come join us.”
Skyler looked at Hunter curiously and wiped her hands on a nearby dishtowel. “Okay.”
She sat next to Hunter on the couch while Chester eased back into his chair.
“I want you to go back to Montana with Hunter.”
Skyler’s eyes darted between her father and Hunter. Hunter looked legitimately shocked because he hadn’t discussed a timeline with Chester.
“Dad—” Skyler began to protest.
“No.” Chester cut her off. “You get your way with me all the time, Sky. This time it’s my turn. I can’t have you wringing your hands and micromanaging my appointments or counting my calories. You’ve always been so busy telling me how grown you are—well, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty damn well grown, too.”
Skyler opened her mouth to say something, but Chester was determined to stay on center stage.
“Now, Hunter here is a nice young man. I like him. And even though he didn’t have to, he’s asked me for your hand in marriage and I’ve said yes.”
The longer Chester talked, the younger Hunter felt. It was like the two of them were sitting in the principal’s office after they’d got caught making out in the bleachers.
“Hunter tells me he bought a nice little place for the two of you. So go on and get on with it.”
“Dad...” Skyler began again.
Chester looked lovingly at his daughter; this look tempered the gruffness of his words. “I love you, Sky. You were happy in Montana—when you’re happy, I’m happy. If you want to do something to help me get better, go back to Montana. Go be happy.”
Wordlessly, Skyler stood up and hugged her father. “I love you, Dad.”
It was a long, poignant hug, a hug between two people who had leaned on each other to navigate some of their darkest days.
“Okay.” Chester patted her on the back. “Now you two go on and try to stay out of trouble. My show is on.”
* * *
“Molly, you aren’t going to believe how perfect this house is for me.” Skyler was video-chatting with her friend from the Rocking R Ranch.
“We can’t believe that we got to move into your apartment!” Molly laughed joyfully. “We swapped.”
“We did swap!” Skyler laughed, happy to be back in Montana with Hunter. “You’ve requested time off for the wedding, right? You have the dates?”
“Already taken care of. We will be there,” her friend said. “I love you, Sky. I’ll see you in a couple of months.”
Skyler hung up the phone and looked around her new—old—farmhouse. This was to be her first home as a married woman and she couldn’t feel luckier. With a lot of love, time and sweat equity, Hunter and she intended to restore the farmhouse to its original glory. Skyler finished washing the breakfast dishes and looked out the kitchen window to see Zodiac and Dream Catcher grazing in the pasture. Hunter had moved the horses to the property soon after they landed in Bozeman.
In the distance, she saw her husband-to-be walking toward the house carrying some tools he had used to repair one of the pasture fences. Eager to share the news from back home with Hunter, she grabbed her hat and raced out the front door. On the front porch, Daisy was sunning herself happily. The cat executed a barrel roll and then stretched out her legs and her toes. With a laugh, Skyler rubbed the cat’s belly, so happy to have her feline friend living with them at the Rocking R. She skipped down the steps and met Hunter in the yard.
They greeted with a kiss and a hug, which was their way.
“I just heard from Molly.” She fell in beside him as he walked toward a nearby barn that he had turned into his work shed.
“How’s everything on their end?”
“They love the apartment. How awesome is it that we actually got to just swap houses?”
“Pretty awesome.” He smiled at her.
“Chase is doing an incredible job for Dad, so he doesn’t have to furlough any workers. And Dad is getting rent from Molly and Chase so...”
Hunter put his tools in his toolbox. “All is well that ends well?”
She wrapped her arms around him, not caring that he was dirty and sweaty. “Exactly.”
Arm and arm, they walked together across the yard. She asked him, “What’s on your agenda for today?”
“I actually want to head over to Sugar Creek. Go pick some stuff up from the trailer. Did you get your application for Montana State done?” He held open the front door for her, the screen door creaking loudly. “I need to fix this,” he said, fiddling with the latch.
“You’ve got to fix a ton of stuff,” she agreed.
“So,” he said, taking his hat off and hanging it on the hat rack. “Are you done with your application?”
“I was just about to hit Send when Molly called.”
“Why don’t you finish it while I take a shower? Then we’ll head to Sugar Creek.”
* * *
Her application to college completed, Skyler walked out to the pasture to visit with Zodiac and Dream Catcher. Jessie, Hunter’s sister, had given Dream Catcher to her as a prewedding gift.
“Hi, sweet girl.” The mare walked over to the fence where she was standing. She rubbed the horse between the eyes and then fed her a molasses treat out of her pocket.
“We are going to be together for the rest of your life,” Skyler said to the mare, still in awe of the way her life had unfolded.
Soon Zodiac meandered up to the fence, poking his soft nose into her hand looking for a treat. She laughed, happy that Zodiac was still her miracle horse. According to Liam, he had made a miraculous full recovery and was cleared for easy trail rides. Hunter promised that they would go on their first trail ride as soon as he finished fixing the fence.
“There you are.” Hunter found her watching the horses as they walked out to the middle of the pasture.
He put his arm around her and they stood together, in silence, gazing out at their new home. Skyler leaned her head over and rested it on his shoulder. “I feel happy here.”
“I’m glad,” he said, tightening his hold on her. “You ready to take a ride over to Sugar Creek with me?”
She nodded with a smile, knowing that this beautiful view was hers to enjoy for the rest of her days. They walked together to his truck, arm in arm, discussing, as they liked to do, their plans for the Rocking R. Inside the truck now, in her spot, Skyler buckled her seat belt.
“I think we need to start painting
the inside of the house next week,” she said when he joined her in the truck.
“We’ll see.” He cranked the engine. “Let me get things straightened around outside first.”
“I’ll help you straighten things around outside and then we can paint together next week.”
He smiled at her as they left Rocking R land and pulled onto the highway that would lead them a short distance to Sugar Creek. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Our gravel is holding,” she said excitedly when they reached the main Sugar Creek Ranch road.
“You did a good job.”
“Yes, I did!”
Hunter took the roughly hewn road that would lead them to his trailer. Skyler hadn’t yet been back to the ancient Oak Tree Hill, where they had had their first amazing date. This was the place, she believed, that she truly fell in love with the real Hunter Brand.
Hand in hand, they walked beneath the canopy of the oak trees, and Skyler reveled in the cool breeze and sweet-smelling air that met them as they walked deeper into the embrace of the old trees.
“I love it here,” she whispered, always feeling a reverence for this unique spot in the world.
“I love you.” Hunter let her hand drop and he stopped walking. “And I really wish I could have given you a more romantic proposal.”
“That’s okay.” Skyler turned around and discovered her cowboy kneeling before her.
“Skyler.” Hunter held up a closed box. “Will you marry me?”
Her eyes immediately filled with tears as she nodded her head, too emotional to even get the word yes out of her mouth. Hunter flipped open the box and that was when she saw her mother’s engagement ring inside.
Tears of joy and sorrow for her lost mother flowed freely down her cheeks as Hunter stood and slid the ring onto her finger.
“Your father told me to give this to you when the time was right.”
Still crying, Skyler gazed at the ring on her finger—a ring that symbolized a happy marriage between her mother and father. The ring also symbolized her father’s approval of the man with whom she intended to spend the rest of her life.