“What time?”
“Six o’clock. Bring your whole family.”
They shook hands again, then started toward their trucks. “Clay,” Gavin called after him.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
Clay touched the brim of his hat, checked oncoming traffic and jogged across the street.
Cresting the top of the long drive, Gavin studied the ranch with fresh eyes. The house, the grounds, the barn and stables might be in need of repair, but they were strong and solid and built to weather the worst storms. Like his family. Like him.
He would fix the place up. A little at a time in the Powell tradition. For Cassie and Sage, too. If she’d have him.
He found her behind the old cattle barn, soon to be the new mare motel.
“I wasn’t sure where you wanted to put him up tonight,” she said, meeting up with Gavin at the rear of the trailer.
“I’m not sure, either.” He unlatched the trailer door. “Let’s see what kind of mood he’s in.”
The mustang backed out, not charged out, as was his customary exit. And rather than fight the lead rope, he stood, surveying his newly permanent surroundings. With a satisfied snort, he lowered his head and bumped Gavin’s arm in what could be considered affection. At least, that was what Gavin chose to believe.
Sage laughed. “I think he’s happy.”
“He’s not the only one.”
Over in the pasture, Avaro whinnied. The mustang turned to look at her, his regal head raised high in the air. The other mares bunched together at the fence. He was special. They knew it, and he knew it.
“Principe,” Sage said.
Gavin spoke enough Spanish to recognize the word. “Prince. That’s a good name for him. Prince of the McDowell Mountains.”
“I’m happy for you, Gavin.”
With his free arm he hooked her by the waist and hauled her against him. Both she and the mustang were startled by the abrupt move. Both also quickly settled, Sage into Gavin’s embrace.
“I’ve been an idiot the last couple of days.”
“Glad you came to your senses.”
“If not for you, I wouldn’t have Prince.”
“You’d have caught him on your own eventually.”
“No, I mean now. Your idea that Clay and I become partners, it was…”
“Genius.”
“Half-genius.” He bent and brushed her lips with his.
“What?” She withdrew, feigning insult.
He pulled her back into his arms. “Clay will make a great business partner. I have someone else in mind for my life partner.”
“Are you sure?” she asked hesitantly.
“Move to Mustang Valley. You and Isa. Marry me. Make this rambling old place into a home again. I know it won’t always be easy. I can be stubborn sometimes.”
“Sometimes?” she chided.
“I love you, Sage.”
She repeated the sentiment, in a whisper against his lips, right before she accepted his proposal with a kiss.
Epilogue
Three months later
Gavin and Sage sat in the courtyard on chairs his father had built for his grandparents, enjoying the view and each other’s company. They held hands, as was typical when the two of them were within touching distance. Sunlight poured through the branches of the trimmed trees and glistened off the water trickling down the center column of the fountain.
Those weren’t the only changes around the Powell house.
At Gavin’s urging, Sage and Isa had moved in. They’d done so shortly after she started her new job with the Game and Fish Department. At the same time, Ethan moved out, though he went only as far as the old bunkhouse behind the barn. The weekend warriors who were helping them construct the mare motel, all friends and neighbors, including Clay Duvall, also lent their talented manpower to converting the bunkhouse into a cozy apartment.
Isa had her own bedroom, as did Cassie. She’d returned to Connecticut for the two weeks over Christmas, then flew home early January right before school started. Gavin hadn’t known when he put her on the plane if she’d be back. Cassie had called him Christmas day to deliver the good news. Next to Sage setting a wedding date for May seventh, it was the best present he’d received.
That left one empty bedroom in the house. Gavin thought it might make a nice nursery when they were ready to add to the family. Next year, maybe. When Sage was more settled in her new job, the stud and breeding business operating solidly in the black and the wild mustang sanctuary they were starting this spring fully operational.
Prince, as everyone called him, was still a handful but he knew his job on the ranch and did it well. Nine mares were already carrying his offspring, one of them Avaro. Ethan continued the task of training Prince—when he wasn’t teaching riding classes or breaking horses. Dan and his family left Mustang Valley and moved to Casa Grande. Ethan, the only other experienced horse trainer in the area, had picked up many of Dan’s former clients.
As far as Gavin knew, no one missed Dan. Certainly not he and Sage. As long as the child support payments came like clockwork, he hoped to never see the man again. Sage, of course, had left the door open for him to visit Isa. Maybe someday he’d realize what a treasure he had in the little girl. Well, his loss was Gavin’s gain.
Bringing Sage’s hand to his lips, he kissed the sensitive skin at her wrist.
“I was thinking,” she said wistfully, her gaze taking in the view of the valley below. “The courtyard might make a great place for the wedding ceremony. Late afternoon. When the sun is just setting.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Anna offered to lend me her dress.”
He imagined Sage in a white wedding gown and coming down the steps into the courtyard. The picture made him smile, as did the small, precious item he carried in his pocket.
“I guess that’s everything,” he said.
“All the important stuff.”
“Except for one.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a diamond-and-emerald ring. “My father gave me this today.”
Sage gasped.
“It belonged to my mother. Dad said he’d be honored if you wore it.” Gavin got out of the chair and went down on one knee in front of Sage. “So would I. Deeply honored.”
“Oh, Gavin. Yes!” She extended her left hand for him to place the ring on her finger. “It’s beautiful. I love it. I love you.”
He stood and pulled her to her feet, sealing their now official engagement with a kiss that conveyed everything in his heart more than words ever could.
As they walked into the house to show off the ring to the rest of the family, Gavin swore he could feel the presence of his grandfather and great-grandfather. In the pictures that hung in the hallway. In the tiles beneath their feet. In the walls that had sheltered and protected five generations of Powells—and would continue to for many more generations to come.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0967-1
LAST CHANCE COWBOY
Copyright © 2011 by Cathy McDavid
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* Fatherhood
Last Chance Cowboy Page 19