A Family in Wyoming

by Lynnette Kent

  Chapter Eleven

  “I can’t believe it.” Susannah had just watched her son kiss a girl. In front of the entire camp. “What’s gotten into him?”

  “Love, maybe.” Wyatt was standing right behind her. “He woke up and realized what a prize Becky is.” After a moment, he said, “Takes some guys a long time to figure things out.”

  “He’s too young to be in love.” She watched Nate and Becky dance to a slow tune. Becky’s face absolutely glowed with happiness. “I’m not ready for him to grow up.” After a talk with Marcos, Thomas had allowed Lizzie to drag him onto the floor, where they were draped over each other like a couple of blankets.

  “I don’t think you get a choice in the matter. But you’ve still got some time. He won’t be getting married just yet.” Wyatt’s voice was low and easy, not tense in the way it had been for the last few weeks.

  But, then, he’d been a different man altogether since Travis’s arrest on Tuesday, more the assured and settled rancher she’d first come to know. He was out of the house a good deal during the days, slowly returning to his ranch duties. But when he was at home, he’d been more relaxed, more jovial than she could ever remember. He’d coaxed Amber into playing Candyland with him as well as sharing her coloring book. They’d been reading together before bedtime, and it was safe to say they were once again friends.

  Of course, that was actually a pretty big problem, since she and the kids would be leaving tomorrow.

  Susannah’s throat tightened as she imagined driving away from the ranch and not coming back. But once camp ended, she had no excuse for staying. Their apartment in Casper was ready for them. She didn’t have to be afraid of Travis anymore—this time she’d pressed charges and the judge had denied bail, so he wouldn’t be getting out of jail for a long, long while. And the divorce would be going through in a couple of weeks.

  In other words, a new world waited for her when she woke up in the morning. She’d be on her own, responsible for herself and her kids, making decisions and setting goals. Proving that she was her own person.

  All of which she would have to do without the man she loved.

  But that intention, she realized suddenly, made no sense. Why would she deliberately reject the chance for a fulfilling relationship? Just because he hadn’t professed his undying love? She hadn’t exactly laid her heart out for him, either.

  So Susannah decided that her first choice, in this new life of hers, must be to take a risk and fight for her own happiness. The secure life she wanted—for her children as well as herself—could be created right here on the Circle M, with the man who showed an unquestionable commitment to those he loved.

  She turned around and looked up at Wyatt. “We need to talk.”

  “Okay...”

  She glanced around at the crowd. “Not here.”

  “Anywhere particular you’d like to go?”

  Somewhere romantic, somewhere meaningful, somewhere she was comfortable... “The kitchen. We can take some of these empty serving plates to the house.”

  Strangely, none of the other adults offered to help, though Caroline did say she would watch Amber, who was dancing herself silly. As they walked down the hill, Susannah realized the rain had stopped and the sky was clearing.

  “Tomorrow should be a good day,” Wyatt commented.

  “I hope so.” The next few minutes would decide.

  Once in the kitchen, she resisted the urge to start loading the dishwasher. With only the light over the sink switched on, she faced Wyatt across the breakfast counter.

  “Earlier this summer, you said I needed the opportunity to make my own choices, to decide what I wanted my life to be.”

  “I believe everybody deserves that chance.”

  “But then you took away one of my options. Essentially, you made the decision for me.”

  He frowned. “How did I do that?”

  “After we kissed the first time, you told me we couldn’t get involved because I should go out on my own and determine what I wanted to do with my life. You also said you didn’t want to be involved with a woman who wouldn’t stay.”

  Leaning forward, he braced his forearms on the counter. “I did say that.”

  Susannah nodded. “But, in the time since, I have come to a conclusion of my own.”

  He raised an eyebrow in question.

  “You were wrong.” She clasped her hands near his, looking down at them. “I was in a bad situation, married since I was too young to a flawed man. But I’m thirty years old now, not innocent and not naïve. I know my own mind and what I want from life.” After a moment, she lifted her gaze to his. “You.”

  After a moment of silence, he said, “You’re sure of that?”

  Susannah nodded. “I’m sure that I can take Nathan and Amber to Casper tomorrow, settle into our little apartment and start fresh. I’m prepared to work as hard as it takes to give my children safety and stability while they’re growing up. I’ll get my high school certificate and maybe a college degree, too. I’m determined to take care of them and myself. And I’ll do it alone, if I have to.”

  She put her hands over his. “But what I really want is to share my accomplishments with you. To smile with you during the good times. To feel your arms around me when Nate leaves home for college or Amber gets her first apartment. To watch the delight on your face when our first grandchild is born. I love you, Wyatt. My choice is to make you a part of my life for as long as possible.”

  His hands shifted to grip hers. “Susannah—”

  “You have a choice, too,” she said, holding his gaze. “You don’t have to decide for me, only for yourself. If you don’t want me...if you don’t feel the same way—” she drew a deep breath “—then I will be just fine on my own. I promise. You don’t have to feel responsible.”

  “That’s good to know.” For the first time, he smiled at her. “Although I do try to be a responsible kind of man.”

  “Yes. That’s one of the things I love about you.”

  Keeping her hands clasped in his, he came around the end of the counter to stand in front of her. “And some of the things I love about you are your determination and independence. I have no doubt that you can go out and achieve every goal you set for yourself and your kids. You’re a strong woman.”

  Her cheeks flaming with embarrassment, Susannah stared up at him with hope blocking her throat.

  Wyatt pulled her closer, setting his hands at her waist. “I wasn’t used to making choices about my life. I expected the future and the past to look about the same. Maybe I figured I didn’t deserve a choice.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I hadn’t considered that possibility until you came along. My barriers were pretty strong, I guess.

  “But Tuesday, when I almost lost you, the wall came crashing down. I realized I could stay where I was, or I could take the risk of being happy and share my time with the woman I want more than I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her with tender passion, and an immense joy swelled up in her heart. She leaned into him and circled her arms around his neck, reveling in the closeness she’d thought she would never feel again.

  Long before she was ready, Wyatt drew away. “So I’m making a choice, too. I choose to offer you my home and myself, with no strings. If you want me, I’m yours.”

  Closing her arms around his shoulders, she gave him as strong a hug as she could manage. “Wyatt Marshall, you’re a smart man—another thing I love about you. Now, kiss me again, and don’t stop for a very long time.”

  His arms wound tight around her, and he grinned. “It will be my pleasure, ma’am.”

  * * *

  BECKY WOKE UP early on Saturday morning and lay in bed as streaks of sunlight crept across the bedroom floor. Her feelings tilted like a teeter-totter between gladness
and gloom.

  Last night had been amazingly, wonderfully incredible. In front of everybody, Nate had kissed her. And then he’d danced with her the rest of the night, which pretty much made them a couple. They hadn’t gotten a chance for another kiss—the grown-ups kept a pretty close watch on them after the first one. But when they’d said good-night, his smile had been all for her.

  Today, though...today was the end of camp. She wouldn’t be seeing Nate every day, all day. Wouldn’t be riding her horse or joking with Mr. Dylan or sitting by a bonfire listening to Mr. Ford sing. By lunchtime, she’d be at home again, dealing with whatever condition her mom was in, listening to the blare of the TV competing with the roar of the radio. The usual chaos.

  Then, in a few days, school would start. And Nate wouldn’t be there. So she had a boyfriend she would never see. Fun times.

  But when she stepped inside the bunkhouse as part of the crew to fix their last breakfast, he grabbed her by the arms and turned her around. “Guess what! Guess what’s happened! They’re together!”

  “Who?”

  “My mom and Mr. Wyatt. I was sure they liked each other. And they finally figured it out, too. That means I don’t have to move away. I get to stay here, on the Circle M.” He winked at her. “And I get to go to my regular school.”

  “Oh, wow.” There were too many grown-ups in the room to give him a hug, so she settled for a big grin. “That’s awesome!”

  The good news got them both through breakfast with a smile, though they were the only ones—the rest of the kids were moping over the chore of packing their stuff to head home. Cleanup took as long as possible, but there wasn’t much hope for delaying the process. Sooner or later, they would have to get in the van and drive away.

  At ten o’clock, they gathered in front of the house where everything had started back in June. The Marshall brothers were standing there, along with Ms. Caroline, Ms. Susannah and Dr. Rachel. Amber sat on the steps to the porch with Honey right by her side.

  Nobody had said a word, but Becky realized she was going to cry.

  Then Mr. Dylan spoke up. “Your last chance to hear one of our lectures.” All the kids pretended to groan, and he grinned. “Yeah, yeah. I just wanted to say that we’ve enjoyed working with you, even when things didn’t go as planned. Each of you has taught us about patience, respect and compassion. We’re grateful we got the chance to know you, to learn from you.”

  Mr. Garrett pushed his hat back on his head. “I admire each of you for having the spirit to come here and succeed. It takes courage to change, and you’ve all changed in ways you might not even recognize right now.” He swallowed hard. “I will always remember you in my prayers.”

  Mr. Wyatt cleared his throat. “Good-byes are hard,” he said. “We’re going to miss having you all around, causing trouble and making us laugh. You’ve done a good job this summer, pitching in, taking care of yourselves and your animals. We’re proud of you. And you can be proud of yourselves.”

  Mr. Ford stepped forward. “So when you’re confronted with the chance to really mess up—and you will be, don’t doubt that for a minute—try to remember this summer and everything you’ve achieved. Remember we’ll be thinking about you, rooting for you to make the right choice. We trust you to know what that right choice is.”

  Becky wiped her cheeks with her fingers. Lizzie had mascara streaking her face and Lena had turned her head away. Thomas pretended to sneeze, and he wiped his sleeve over his eyes.

  Marcos was frowning. “Thanks,” he said suddenly. “For everything.” He marched over and hugged them all, starting with Mr. Ford. He finished with a pat on the head for Amber. “Hasta la vista, amigos.”

  Then he picked up his bag and went to sit in the van.

  When everybody else had done the same thing, Mr. Ford and Ms. Caroline got into the van with them. And they all went home.

  December

  WYATT STOOD IN the living room, appreciating the changes in his life. He’d lived here for close to twenty Christmases but never seen the house look so incredible, so festive and homey. A nine-foot tree occupied one corner, decorated with multicolored lights and ornaments chosen by a five-year-old—elves and reindeer and Santas, angels and candy canes. Greenery and candles graced the mantle, with more candles in the windows and a cluster of mistletoe hanging over the dining room entrance. So far, he hadn’t had a chance to utilize that particular trimming, much to his dismay. He’d make a point of it tonight.

  Among all the other special plans he had in mind.

  The crunch of truck tires on snow drew Honey to the front door. She sniffed at the threshold and then barked, in case Wyatt hadn’t noticed.

  “I heard,” he told her, reaching for the knob. “Back up, so I can get out.”

  Together they stepped onto the front porch in time to see Ford rounding the hood of the van to open the passenger door for Caroline. Snow had been falling since early that morning, accumulating about two feet at this point. But Wyatt had used the tractor to clear space for parking and a path up the hill to the cabin and the barn, while Nate had shoveled a walkway across the yard. Between the snow and Susannah’s outside trimmings—lights on the trees near the house, garlands around the doors and windows and a huge lighted wreath on the side of the barn—the place looked like a winter wonderland, if he did say so himself. She’d even decked the cabin, where she and Nate and Amber had been staying, with white lights, a wreath on the door and candles in the windows, making even that simple building special.

  Ford opened the side door of the van and the teenagers climbed out, chattering, laughing and exclaiming as they picked their way toward the house.

  Nate came outside as Thomas and Lizzie reached the porch. “Hey, man.” Thomas let go of Lizzie’s hand to slap Nate on the shoulder. Then he shook Wyatt’s hand. “It’s good to see the place. Thanks for asking us.”

  “You’re welcome anytime. Not just for parties.”

  Lizzie bent down to hug Honey. “It’s so beautiful with all the snow. You should have a Christmas camp.”

  Wyatt chuckled. “Would you get up at six in the morning in the dark to drive hay around the fields?”

  She straightened and smiled at him. “Maybe not, but I would help Ms. Susannah have your breakfast ready when you came in.”

  “That’s an important job.” He opened the door and ushered them in. “You can put your coats in the guest room—first door on the hallway. Check out the dining room for food.”

  As Thomas and Lizzie went inside, Justino, Lena and Marcos climbed the porch steps. “It’s soooo cold.” Lena hugged herself in her furry coat. “I need to get in by the fireplace.” She hurried inside as Wyatt continued to hold the door.

  “She’s been cold since September,” Justino said. “One day we’ll go live in California, where it’s always warm.”

  Marcos rolled his eyes. “You’d think they were already married.” He shook Wyatt’s hand. “Not me, man. Too many pretty girls in this world to settle on just one.” With his customary swagger, he entered the house.

  Nate stepped to the edge of the porch as Becky approached with Ford and Caroline. “I wondered where you were,” he told the girl, holding out his hand. “Come inside and get warm.”

  She didn’t immediately join him but motioned for him to come down, instead. “It’s so pretty out here. I want to walk in the snow. I’ve got my boots on.”

  “How about doing that after getting something to eat?” Nate said, grinning. “My mom made meatballs and I’ve been waiting all day to sample them.”

  Becky shook her head. “Boys and their food.” She looked over at Caroline. “Does it ever change?”

  Caroline laughed. “Not that I’ve noticed. Getting fed regularly is at the top of most men’s lists.”

  “I thought so.” Taking Nate’s hand, Becky followed him into the hous
e.

  Ford tilted his head as he gazed at Caroline. “Food is not at the top of most men’s lists. You know that, right?”

  Pretending to frown, she punched him in the arm. “I wasn’t going to say anything else to a thirteen-year-old.”

  He grinned at her. “Just so you’re aware.”

  “You two need a honeymoon,” Wyatt said, feeling his cheeks burn a little. “This is Wyoming, remember. Not Hawaii.” His heart beat faster at the idea of a honeymoon. Not much longer now...

  “June,” Ford said. “June fifth, if I survive till then.” He put an arm around Wyatt’s shoulders. “Everything going okay on the ranch?”

  Wyatt shifted his attention back to the moment. “Great. Nate’s a big help with the feeding. Between us, the hired hands and I are keeping an eye on the mama cows. Don’t see any signs of early births.” Caroline went inside and Ford followed, with Wyatt and Honey bringing up the rear. “The real work will start come January.”

  “Count me in,” Ford said as he helped Caroline remove her coat. “Even though I’m living in town, I’ll take shifts whenever you need a break.”

  “Thanks for the offer.” Just as Wyatt stepped away from the door, it opened again. Laughing, Dylan and his fiancée, Jess Granger, blew into the house.

  “We had a snowball fight,” Dylan explained, when he’d caught his breath. “I won.”

  “You did not,” she said. “I knocked you down with that last throw. That means I win.” Having realized she wouldn’t be happy without him, the reporter had returned to Wyoming for good in November, after she’d surprised Dylan at his gallery showing in Denver.

  Since then, the youngest Marshall had recovered his energy, style and enthusiasm. “My fall was unrelated to your pitch,” he insisted facetiously. “I slipped. Complete coincidence.”

  “We believe Jess,” Ford said. “You lose.”

  Dylan put a hand over his heart. “It’s a conspiracy. My own family, ranged against me.”

  “You have such a hard life,” Wyatt chided him. “In the meantime, have you heard from Garrett? He went to pick up Rachel in town, and I expected them to be here by now.” The most important part of the evening couldn’t take place until Garrett arrived.