by Holly Rayner
“I believe you have something to say, miss?” she prompted.
Delaney knew that the officer wanted a soap-opera-worthy finale to the gathering. After all, she’d turned off her show and let Delaney into the interview room with the hopes of hearing the words “I love you” come from Delaney’s lips.
But there was something else that Delaney needed to say, first.
“Sean,” she said softly. “I wasn’t at Jake’s house to see him. He called me, late in the evening, and told me that his horse was having a medical emergency. I felt it was my duty as a vet to go try to help. It wasn’t until I got there that I realized it was all a ruse that Jake had cooked up, just to get me to visit. I left right away. Please believe me.”
Sean looked stunned for a moment. “You mean… you didn’t go running to Jake after you and I parted ways?”
“No way,” Delaney said, shaking her head. “Sean… I’m not interested in Jake Millhouse. Not at all. There’s only one man I want—and that’s you.”
“Me?” Sean asked. His voice was low and smooth.
Delaney saw that her words had resonated with him.
He believes me, she thought. And he wants me, too.
She nodded. “Yes. You. If… If you want to be with me, that is.”
“There’s nothing else in the world that I’ve ever wanted so much,” he said.
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist. She let her body lean into his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head up, and met his lips with hers. As they kissed, the two officers in the room started clapping.
“Now this is even better than my soaps!” Officer Bryant said.
“My wife hasn’t kissed me like that in a decade!” Officer Lancet said with a laugh. “Woo! I think we have a love story on our hands, Bryant!”
“Sure do,” Officer Bryant said.
Delaney was breathless as she parted from Sean. She was barely listening to the two officers. All she could think about was Sean, and how relieved she was that he wasn’t being cuffed and led off to a jail cell.
“I love you,” she said.
“And I love you, Delaney,” he said. “I always have.”
The officer’s applause picked up.
“I’m going to go get us some sodas to celebrate!” Officer Bryant said cheerfully. “Who likes ginger ale?”
Sean laughed. Delaney joined in. She felt so giddy with the good fortune that they were experiencing.
“Thank you,” Sean said. “But we’d better hit the road. Would it be okay if we left one truck in your lot overnight? I think Delaney and I might want to leave together.”
He glanced at her, and she smiled and nodded. She wanted nothing more than to be alone with Sean.
The officers agreed that it would be fine. After bidding them goodbye, Delaney held Sean’s hand and walked outside with him. Under the stars, and finally alone, they kissed again under the buzzing electric station lights.
After a few lingering, tender kisses, they walked out to where their trucks were parked. She locked hers, grabbed her purse, and then hopped into the passenger’s seat.
Sam and Lila each had front paws up on the console, and both were licking Sean’s face with so much gusto that Delaney burst out into laughter.
“Looks like these two are happy you’re not being carted off to jail, too!” she said.
Sean patted Sam’s head. “All right, buddy, I get it!” he said.
Sam wagged his tail and barked. Lila was still licking Sean’s cheek.
“Girl, I’m not going anywhere, okay?” Sean told Lila. She wagged her tail and it made a thump thump thump sound against the backseat.
Once they’d calmed down, Sean laughed. He looked over at Delaney.
“I wasn’t looking forward to saying an extended goodbye to these two,” he said, gesturing to the back seat. “And I wasn’t looking forward to saying goodbye to you, either.”
His gaze lingered on hers. He reached up and placed a hand on her cheek.
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said. “I’d do anything for you.”
“Including going to jail,” Delaney said with a shake of her head. “I’m just so glad it didn’t come to that.”
He felt the front pocket of the jacket he wore.
“I thought I might have to do some time. I got you a gift… in hopes that it’d help you remember me.”
“There’s no way I’d ever forget you,” Delaney said.
She accepted the small box that he held out to her. As she opened the box, her eyes grew wide and she inhaled sharply.
“These are beautiful!” she exclaimed with her exhale. “Where in the world did you find them?”
The two perfectly crafted cranes in jewel tones took her breath away. Equally as stunning were the large gemstones that bookended each crane.
“An artist in Houston made them,” Sean said. “I wanted something that would remind you of our history.”
“The crane you made for me… all those years ago,” Delaney whispered.
Sean nodded. “I drove to Houston earlier tonight. I was returning home when I saw you at Jake’s. I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions.”
“You don’t need to apologize,” she said. “Honestly, Jake’s the one who should be apologizing. If it wasn’t for his lies, I’d never have been out there to begin with.”
“As a matter of fact, you’re right,” Sean said quietly, with a slight smile. “Do you have his number? I think I’d like to have a word with him.”
Delaney examined Sean’s knowing smile. It was obvious he had something up his sleeve, but she didn’t know what. She trusted that he knew what he was doing. She dialed Jake’s number and then turned her device to speakerphone.
After a few rings, Jake’s voice floated through the truck. He sounded groggy, as if he’d just woken up.
“You change your mind, Del?” he said sleepily. “Come on back over. Let’s talk. I’m here.”
Sean grinned. “Jake Millhouse? This is Sean Macintyre.”
Silence filled the truck. Delaney broke it with a giggle. She couldn’t help it. It was just so good to know that Jake was speechless for once. She waited with anticipation, eager to see what Sean might say next.
Sean cleared his throat. “I hear you’re intent on turning me in to the law,” he said in his deep, calm voice.
Jake finally found some words.
“That’s right,” he said. “I’ve got a cousin at the Sheriff’s station, and if I hear… I’m going to—” He stopped abruptly and then sounded confused as he said, “Hey… are you with Delaney right now? This is her number.”
“That’s right,” Sean said. “I’m with Delaney.”
He looked across the console at Delaney with his deep blue eyes. Delaney felt her heart flutter.
“We just paid a visit to the cops,” Sean said casually. “They informed me that thanks to the statute of limitation laws, Derek Bradshaw’s not a wanted man. I’m in the clear, Jake. And that means you’d better stop bothering Delaney and me.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Jake fumed. “You’re a no-good criminal. Your name’s not Sean, it’s Derek. You’re trash, Derek, you hear me? You always were, and you always will be. If I hear that Delaney is—”
“You’ll do nothing,” Sean said calmly, interjecting before Jake could go on. “You know what, Jake? I was just thinking… I’ve got a nice shotgun out at my ranch that I’ve never had the pleasure of using. Thing is, I’d be happy to use it, and well within my rights, too, if you ever set foot out on my property again. You hear me?”
“You—you can’t threaten me like that!” Jake stuttered.
Sean smiled. “I can, and I just did. And I asked you… Did you hear me?”
“I heard you,” Jake growled.
“That’s good. Bye now, Jake,” Sean said. He hung up.
Delaney looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“What’s this about a shotgun?” she asked.<
br />
Sean laughed. “Don’t worry,” he said, his features softening and relaxing now that he was off the phone. “I just said that to shake him up a bit and make sure he doesn’t bother us anymore. I really have put my life of crime behind me. No guns on my property, not even for hunting.”
“Good,” Delaney said.
She laughed again. The happy, light laughter welled up inside of her as if it was bubbles in a glass of champagne.
“He sure did sound shaken up! I’ve never heard him go speechless before, ever.”
Sean put the truck into reverse. As he pulled out of the lot, he said, “I guess he wasn’t crazy about having a man with a criminal past threaten to use a shotgun on him.” He transitioned the car into drive.
“I guess not,” Delaney said. “Little does he know that you’re really a sweetheart.”
She reached out and placed a hand on his upper arm.
“My sweetheart,” she said.
Behind her, Sam and Lila started to bark.
Delaney laughed again and turned to look over her shoulder at them.
“Oh, don’t worry, you two. I know how to share.”
Epilogue
Five Years Later: Delaney
“Delaney, girl, how are you?”
Delaney turned away from the gaggle of girls she was conversing with in time to see Marybeth approaching. Her husband, Tommy, was on her arm.
Marybeth smiled. “Looks like you did it again! This place looks just as fab as last time!” She motioned to the surroundings.
Delaney smiled as she looked around the barn.
“Yeah, this barn shapes up pretty nice. Thankfully, this time around, the other class officers weren’t tied up, so I had plenty of help.”
It had been five years since she’d planned the last reunion. This time around, she had been careful to inform her classmates that she wasn’t interested in hosting without help. The other class officers were happy to oblige.
“And it must have been easier for you to set up, now that you live here,” Marybeth said as she gave Delaney a wink. “You go, sister. I hear you and Sean are living the married life these days. Am I right?”
Delaney blushed. “Actually, yes,” she said.
Marybeth leaned in, peering at the ring on Delaney’s left hand, which was holding a plastic cup.
“Let me see that thing,” Marybeth said happily.
Delaney felt a little bit self-conscious as she transferred her drink to her other hand and then held out her left hand. She usually kept the ring in a safe in the house, especially if she was out working with the horses. She and Sean owned six of their own, now, and it was a lot of work taking care of them. It was work Delaney loved with her whole heart, but it was work nonetheless, and best done without bejeweled hands.
“That is some rock!” Marybeth gushed, which only made Delaney blush more.
“Thanks,” Delaney said. “Sean had it made by a designer in Houston. The gems around the sides match my earrings.”
She tilted her head slightly to the side so that Marybeth could see the crane earrings she wore.
Tommy, Marybeth’s husband, approached. He had a beer in one hand and a plastic cup of wine in the other.
“Here you go, hon!” he said as he approached. He handed Marybeth the glass of wine.
She accepted it and then slapped her husband’s upper arm with her free hand.
“How come you’ve never had custom jewelry designed for me?” she asked him.
“I didn’t know you wanted that!” Tommy protested.
“Well, I do. Look at how beautiful Delaney’s ring is.” She pointed to Delaney’s hand.
“Just looks like a ring to me,” Tommy said, which earned him another slap from his wife.
“You buffoon—can’t even appreciate art,” Marybeth quipped while rolling her eyes.
Just then, Sean joined them. He slipped an arm around Delaney’s waist and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“How’s it going over here?” he asked.
“Good,” Delaney said happily. “How was everything over at the house?”
While she’d been socializing as guests started to arrive at the twenty-year reunion, Sean had slipped back to the house to make sure Sam and Lila were settled.
He’d thought it might be a bit much to have them running around in the barn, as entertaining as they were, and Delaney had agreed. Plus, she wanted Mr. Butters to have some company inside while she and Sean spent the evening out in the barn. The three—Mr. Butters, Sam, and Lila—had become fast friends, though when Mr. Butters felt like it, he could put the two dogs in line. It was clear who was boss in their little trio.
“Great,” Sean said. “They’re all curled up together by the patio doors, happy as three peas in a pod.”
“Your kids?” Tommy asked, before taking a big gulp of his beer.
“No, our fur babies,” Delaney said with a smile.
“No kids yet?” Marybeth asked. “You two have been married a while, right?”
“Three years,” said Delaney.
She looked up at Sean lovingly as she said this. The past three years had been the best of her life.
“We actually just got back from a cruise along the coast of Mexico, to celebrate our third anniversary.”
This news caused Marybeth to hit Tommy in the arm again.
“How come we don’t go on cruises for our anniversary?” she asked, then she turned back to Delaney and muttered, “Tommy here thinks that going to a sports bar to watch a football game counts as a romantic night out.”
“But you like football!” Tommy protested.
“Not all the time,” Marybeth said.
“Okay, okay… custom jewelry, cruises… I’m taking notes here,” Tommy said. “But Sean, man, I gotta say, it’s a tall order to keep up with all this. Where’d you learn all this stuff? You said you were homeschooled, right? Did your parents teach you?”
Delaney looked up at Sean expectantly. She knew he wanted to be open about his identity at the reunion, and she wondered if he was about to tell Marybeth and Tommy about his past.
He cleared his throat. “Actually—there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you about that. My real name is Derek Bradshaw. I went to Pepper Ridge High. I—I went through some personal matters and changed my identity.”
Marybeth smiled. “Derek—really? Oh, my goodness, I remember you!”
“So do I!” Tommy exclaimed. “Once, I forgot my science textbook and was gonna fail if I showed up to class without it. You let me borrow yours. You took an F that day to save my butt!”
Tommy stepped in closer to Sean and slapped him on the back. “Man, it’s great to see you!” he said.
Sean smiled. Delaney loved seeing how free he looked whenever he opened up about his identity.
Tommy went on. “Let me go pour you a drink. Delaney, you too. Let’s celebrate! Doesn’t feel right standing here drinking while you two hold off. You did supply all this booze. Anyway, you might as well drink some of it!”
Sean chuckled. “I’ll have a beer,” he said carefully. “But… I’m afraid Delaney’s not going to. Maybe a seltzer and juice, though?” He looked down at Delaney with a knowing grin.
Marybeth squealed. “Oh, my goodness! This is too good to be true. You guys are—” She stopped short.
“What?” Tommy asked. “Allergic to alcohol?”
“No, you doofus!” Marybeth stepped in and hugged Delaney. “They’re pregnant!”
Delaney nodded as Marybeth released her. She couldn’t help but beam as she shared her good news.
“We are,” she said. “Due this winter… a little girl!”
She wrapped her arm around Sean’s waist and held him close. She looked up into his eyes and smiled.
As it turned out, she hadn’t run out of time to be married and have kids, after all. Her life was filled with love and happiness, and she counted herself one of the lucky ones.
She couldn’t wait to see what the next cha
pter of life with her handsome cowboy would hold.
The End
I hope you’ve enjoyed Sean and Delaney’s story! In case you missed it, keep reading for the first chapter of the previous book in my Billionaire Cowboys series, The Cowboy’s All-Business Bride
Happy reading!
Holly x
The Cowboy's All-Business Bride
Chapter 1
Leyla
“Thank you so, so much.” Leyla squeezed her eyes shut to hold back tears, her heart fuller than it had ever been.
The award was smooth and heavy in her hands, a representation of the dreams and hard work that had been a part of her life for years.
“It’s a true honor to be standing here today, accepting this award,” she went on. “I want to thank the Academy, my friends—”
A sharp knock interrupted the speech.
Opening her eyes, Leyla caught sight of her reflection in the living room mirror. The fantasy dissipated, the “award” clutched against her chest becoming a rolling pin once again. There was no audience, no stage, no gown that cost thousands of dollars draped across her form.
It was just her, a twenty-nine-year-old unknown actress wearing blue jeans in the middle of Austin, Texas.
“Coming,” Leyla called, pretty sure she already knew who it was.
Sure enough, London stood on the other side of the apartment’s front door.
Leyla’s best friend’s face scrunched at the sight of the rolling pin. “Are you baking, or planning on fighting off intruders with that thing?”
“I was visualizing,” Leyla laughed. “You know, getting in the feeling place of my desires.”
“Hmm…”
“Don’t look at me like I’m crazy.” Spinning on her heel, Leyla walked back into her living room.
London didn’t need an invite. She practically lived at Leyla’s anyway, even though her own apartment was literally right across the hall.
“We watched that video together,” Leyla added, depositing the rolling pin on the kitchen counter and continuing to the bathroom.