I met Luke at the door, and without a word, he grabbed me and tossed me over a shoulder and swept me from the house.
“Luke! What’s eating you! Put me down,” I shouted against his strong back.
“Prudence,” he growled and patted my bottom with a firm palm. “Now is not the time to argue with me, woman. I mean to change this situation, and removing you from this place is the first step.”
“You will do no such thing, Luke Pierce! This is my fight and I intend to win or die trying.” I knew I would never best Luke in a physical fight, but I put one up nonetheless. The dead last thing I wanted was Luke punished for my sins.
“It’s set and done, Pru. You’re finished in the Acre and the sheriff has agreed to let all charges drop if you vacate. So that’s what we’re doin’, darlin’. Vacatin’ pronto.”
“But my house!” The customers and the girls were long gone and the property was the sole possession remaining.
Luke dropped me across the front of his saddle and climbed up behind me. “After we’re married, I’ll deed it back to you free and clear. You can do what you want with it then, on the condition you never live in the Acre or run a saloon down here again.”
In that moment I questioned everything. What I was fighting for, who I was fighting against, and what the future held.
And my dears, I had the final epiphany!
Love had arrived on a stallion with double-barrel shotguns and I would be twelve kinds of fool to shoo it away. So I did what any Irishwoman with good sense would do.
I kissed Luke on the mouth and smiled up into his warm whiskey-colored eyes.
“Take me home, sir!”
Epilogue
The open house for Miss Pru’s doubled as a reaffirmation of the wedding vows Lila had taken with Jake ten years ago.
At least that’s how she intended it, but some little old ladies had a different notion.
“Good grief, Lila Jean. Stop fussing. We only invited a few extra people. No big deal. We got more food and there’s plenty to drink. Have a good time.”
Granny patted her cheek and smiled, her blue eyes shining with happiness. Truthfully, Lila loved the attention. She’d been surprised when one of Granny’s Bombshells appeared in the doorway earlier announcing more chairs were needed, thirty more to be exact.
But then the realization sank in. The people of Hannington liked her. They’d come to wish her well.
Now it was Sarah’s turn. “You look beautiful. Let me see the whole picture.”
Lila dropped her mother’s hand and twirled a slow circle to show off her knee-length cream-colored dress. The off-the-shoulder neckline with cap sleeves showcased Granny’s pearls, while the wide taffeta bow made her waist appear tiny.
Lila loved it. And the fact Sarah had worn it when she married Michael made it all the more special.
“Thanks for letting me wear your dress,” she told her mother.
Don’t cry. Don’t cry.
Sarah clutched a tissue in her hand, lifting it to her eyes. “Oh, you’re very welcome.” She turned and smiled at Barbara. “And thank you for saving it all these years so I could see my daughter married in it.”
“Oh, goodness. Both of you stop crying. You’ll ruin my mascara.”
Lila laughed and pulled the women into a hug. She closed her eyes, making a memory to carry with her all the days of her life.
Lila opened her eyes to the sunshine streaming in the bay windows. She knew the room had once belonged to Prudence. She never found the proof, but she knew in her gut—her great-great-grandmother had once lived in that room.
“Is Threasa here?” she asked Granny.
“Yep. Front row. Next to that strong, silent hunk.”
“The Armstrongs?”
“Janie, but not Howard.”
Lila sighed. She and Threasa had eventually confessed to Howard about the journal. He had promptly thrown them both out of his office. Threasa said it had more to do with Janie’s leaving him than the restoration of Miss Pru’s, but to try to make amends, Lila invited him to the open house.
“You didn’t really expect him to show, did you?” Granny asked.
“No, I guess not. Thought I’d give it a try, though.”
Sarah captured her hand, folding it between both of hers. “This is your day. Focus on you and Jake, who, by the way, is waiting patiently downstairs for your arrival.”
Lila followed Granny and Sarah out of the room and paused in the hall before shutting the door. She turned back to the sunlit space overlooking the town square and whispered, “Thank you. Your wisdom made all the difference. I’m home. Happy. And I’m never leaving again.”
Acknowledgments
A cosmic-sized thank-you is due to the endless, unwavering support of Candace Havens. Without her dedication, this book would not have been published. Ever. She is the truest, most wonderful friend a woman could ask for. I am blessed.
About the Author
Growing up in Hell’s Back Forty, Shannon Leigh developed a fierce loyalty to all things Texas and pledged to share the romance of small town dance halls and the flavor of brisket BBQ with readers. Currently, she lives in Fort Worth with an extensive cowboy boot collection, a red and white, ’67 Chevy pickup and a mission to find the best taco stands in the city. You can reach her at: [email protected]. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
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