by Nora Roberts
“Cards has had nothing but shit for luck all season. Cards was Jim’s spotter. You have to respect the streak, good or bad, but when you break it down it seemed like maybe it wasn’t a matter of bad luck. Then Matt couldn’t bring himself to look at Yangtree once we got him down.
“You were too busy to notice,” he added, “but Matt was the only one who couldn’t. When Janis said none of the three of you answered the radio, it was point A to B.”
He looked back over at DiCicco. “That’s it. There’s nothing more to tell you.”
“I’ll do whatever I can to close this without bothering you again,” DiCicco said to Rowan. “And I’m pulling for your friend, for Yangtree.”
“Thanks. What happens with Leo Brakeman?”
“He’s cleared of the murders, and as Brayner detailed the shooting at the base in his journal, how he had the combination for the safe—from Jim through Dolly—he’s clear of those charges. Regardless, he jumped bail, but given the circumstances, we’re recommending leniency there.”
“Matt didn’t kill him,” Rowan murmured, “but he shattered his life. He did it so he could get the baby for his mother.”
Quinniock rose. “A smart man would head to Nebraska and work to put his life back together. That’ll be up to Brakeman. Despite the circumstances, it was a pleasure meeting both of you. Thank you for your service.”
“I’ll say the same.”
Rowan chewed over a bite of steak as they walked away. “That was kind of weird at the end.”
“Just at the end?”
She laughed. “You know what I mean. I need to spend some time with my father. You could get in on that.”
“Sure. Is that before or after shower sex?”
“After, for a variety of reasons. Right now, I need a walk. Moon’s rising.”
“So it is.” He got up, reached for her hand.
It would probably be more appropriate, she thought, if they got cleaned up first, if she waited until the base slept and they were alone.
Then again, covered with soot, smelling of smoke and sweat? Wasn’t that who they were?
“I did a lot of thinking in the shake and bake,” she began as they strolled toward the training field.
“Not much else to do in there.”
“I thought about my father. The two of us at little moments. About him and Ella. I’m only going to admit this once, but you were right about my first reaction to them, and the reasons for it. I’m done with that.”
“You don’t have to say it again, but maybe you could write it down, for my files.”
“Shut up.” She hip-bumped him. “I thought about Jim and Matt, about all the guys. Yangtree.”
“He’s going to make it. I’d put money on it.”
“I believe that because he’s a tough bastard, and because there’s been enough loss this season. I thought about you.”
“I hoped I was in there somewhere.”
“Little moments. And when you narrow it, look at them really close, they can turn out to be key.” She stopped, faced him. “So. I want to get married.”
“To me?”
“No, to Timothy Olyphant, but I’m settling for you.”
“Okay.”
“That’s it?”
“I’m still dealing with Timothy Olyphant, so give me a minute. I think I’m better-looking.”
“You would.”
“No, seriously. I’ve got better hair. But anyway.” He swooped her in, right up to her toes. The kiss wasn’t casual or lighthearted, but raw and deep and real. “I was going to take you on another picnic and ask you. This is better.”
“I like picnics. We could—”
He laid his hands on either side of her face. “I love you. I love everything about you. Your voice, your laugh. Your eyebrows when they grow back. Your face, your body, your hard head and your cautious heart. I want to spend the rest of my life looking at you, listening to you, working with you, just being with you. Rowan of the purple lupines.”
“Wow.” He’d literally taken her breath away. “You’re really good at this.”
“I’ve been saving up.”
“I didn’t want to fall for anybody. It’s so messy. I’m so happy it was you. I’m so happy to love you, Gulliver. So happy to know I’ll have a life with you, a home, a family with you.” She pressed her lips to his. “But I want a bigger bed.”
“Big as you want.”
“Where are we going to put it? After the season, I mean.”
“I’ve been thinking about that.”
Naturally, she thought. “Have you?”
“First, I think I should get my pilot’s license. We’ll be doing a lot of zipping between Montana and California.”
He took her hand and, as she’d once seen her father do with Ella, gave their linked arms a playful swing.
“Maybe we’ll find a place between, but I’m fine setting down here most of the year.”
She cocked her head. “Because Missoula needs a family fun center?”
He grinned, kissing her knuckles as they walked again. “I’ve been doing some research on that.”
“I really do love you,” she told him. “It’s kind of astonishing.”
“I’m a hell of a catch. Really better than Olyphant. Where we dig in, that’s just details. We’ll work them out.”
She stopped and, trusting them both, linked her arms around his neck. “We’ll work them out,” she repeated.
“Hey!” L.B. shouted across the field. “Thought you’d want to know, they’ve got her contained. They caught her, and they’re taking her down.”
“Go Zulies,” Gull called back.
She grinned at him. More good news, she thought. They’d go in soon, give their own good news to her father, to their family.
But for now, she’d caught her own fire and wanted to walk awhile sharing the warmth of it, just with him, under the rising moon.