***
“If you’re not actually training, we don’t see a need to stay here,” Chelsea’s mother said as she threw her many pairs of sandals in her suitcase. “We came here so you’d have access to a pool and therapy while we vacationed, and frankly, we’ve decided that we’ve vacationed ourselves right out. We’re going home, and you can check in with your doctor there.”
“I’m not ready to leave yet,” Chelsea replied, trying to stay calm. “I’d like to see Joey first.”
“Well, your father already bought the plane tickets, and we’re not sticking around.” Her mother paused and looked at her. “Someday, when you have a daughter of your own, you’ll understand why we’re doing this. It’s for your own good.”
“I’m sorry, Mom, but I don’t think it is for my own good. I think I need to make some of these decisions for myself, and this is one of them.” She turned and walked out of her parents’ room, bracing herself on the wall for a moment once she reached the hallway. Standing up for herself was getting easier, but it still took a toll on her. She just hoped that she’d always be wise enough to know when to argue and when to give in—her parents did have good ideas sometimes, like coming to River’s End Ranch in the first place.
***
Joey’s knee bounced up and down as the bus drew nearer to the ranch. He’d taken the time to shower and get a hot meal, but he and the other volunteers were all of the same opinion—they wanted to get back home as soon as possible, so they hadn’t stuck around Walla Walla any longer than that. He’d never seen Dani so tired—she’d worked hard in the first aid tent. Every one of them looked like leftovers from a Halloween party—many were covered with bandages, some had black marks that looked like Frankenstein stitches, and all of them had dark circles under their eyes.
When the bus came to a stop, everyone aboard let out a whoop, and they all but scrambled over each other in their hurry to get out. Joey held back and let everyone else off first, then he exited, looking around with a sigh of satisfaction. It was so good to be home, and the ranch really was his home.
Then he looked over to the right and saw the McAllisters getting into their rental car, Chelsea sliding a suitcase into the backseat.
No. No, no, no.
He ran across the parking lot as fast as his aching body would let him. “Wait! Please!”
Chelsea looked up, surprise on her face. “Joey! You’re back!”
“Yes, I am, and you can’t leave, Chelsea. You have to know . . . I have to tell you . . . I love you.” He took her face between his hands and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “I know we have a lot to work through, a lot of baggage, so much to talk about. But it’s worth it. We’re worth it. We’re worth every second we put into figuring this out. Please don’t leave. Please give us a chance.”
She smiled and quirked one eyebrow. “I’m not leaving.”
“You’re not?”
“No. My parents are, though. They’re heading back home, and I’m going to stay here for the full three weeks we booked. Seems that I have some unfinished business here.”
“Do I get to know what that unfinished business might be?” His heart was beating so fast, he wondered if he’d even be able to hear her answer around the pounding in his ears.
“Well, let’s see. I seem to remember that someone had a ring for me in their pocket.”
“This ring? In this pocket?” He dug it out and held it up, and she looked at him with astonishment.
“You took it to the fire with you?”
“It was easier than taking you with me.”
She grinned. “So, are you going to put it on me, or are we just going to stand here and chitchat about it all day?”
He slid it on her finger, and then he bent down and kissed her like he’d been wanting to kiss her from the first second she’d arrived on the ranch. He only let her go when her father cleared his throat and peered out through the driver’s side window.
“We’re not entirely pleased about this,” Mr. McAllister said. “We’ll need to have some long conversations about this.”
“And we can, and we will. First, though, I believe I need to kiss your daughter again, sir.” And Joey did just that, loving the way she kissed him back. He was one lucky lifeguard.
About Amelia C. Adams
Amelia C. Adams is a wife, a mother, an eater of chocolate, and a taker of naps. She spends her days thinking up stories and her nights writing them down. Her biggest hero is her husband, and you just might see bits and pieces of him as you read her novels.
You can reach her at [email protected].
Please join Amelia on her website to learn more about her, sign up for her newsletter, stay on top of news and upcoming releases, and follow her on Facebook.
And if you’ve enjoyed any of her novels, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. It’s much appreciated!
The Kansas Crossroads Series:
A New Beginning (free!)
A Free Heart
The Dark and the Dawn
A Clean Slate
A Clear Hope
The Whisper of Morning
A Careless Wind
A Narrow Road
The Bitter and the Sweet
The Calm of Night
A Begrudging Bride
A Broken Wing (A Kansas Crossroads novella)
A Twisted Fate
An Unspoken Dream
The Nurses of New York series:
Sea of Strangers (free!)
Cause of Conflict
Touch of Tenderness
Heart of Hearts
Test of Time
The American Mail-Order Brides series:
Hope: Bride of New Jersey
Tabitha: Bride of Missouri
The Hearts of Nashville series:
Whiskey and Women
Records and Rebels
As part of the Brides of Beckham series by Kirsten Osbourne:
Mail Order Molly
As part of the River’s End Ranch series:
Accidental Agent
Rugged Rockclimber
Welcome Wagon
Santa’s Shopkeeper
Delivering Destiny
As part of the Grandma’s Wedding Quilts series:
Meredith’s Mistake
As part of the Magnolias and Moonshine series:
Sweet Georgia Peach
As part of the Burnt River series:
Ashley’s Hope
As part of the Rocky Mountain Romances series:
Utah Sunrise
As part of the Mail Order Mounties series:
Bride for Joel
Bride for Jonathan
Lucky Lifeguard (River's End Ranch Book 28) Page 10