His gaze darted to the back of her car. The brake lights turned off, and she vanished into the early-morning rain.
His heart raced as he touched her name. Her text read, Read Jeremiah 31:3 out loud three times. He frowned and pulled out the Bible tucked in his jacket.
“So, are we going to be breaking in a new wrangler, or is everything good?”
Unable to really focus on Wade’s voice, he shook his head to process what they had asked him.
“I think he needs coffee.” Philip smirked.
He wanted privacy to read the passage she’d sent him. “It’s all good. They found the person responsible.” He didn’t want to be standing here, talking about nothing. “I’m going to get some coffee.”
They both laughed. He didn’t care. As soon as he stepped into the small living space, he opened his Bible to Jeremiah. “‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness, I have drawn you.’”
He read it out loud again. With one hand, he poured a cup of coffee. Spilling some, he brought his hand to his mouth and licked it off. Sipping the black liquid, he read the verse again.
Something shifted inside him as he repeated the words. God made him and loved him with an everlasting love. He sat in a chair at the old table. No matter what, God loved him.
Despite what his father or mother had done, even despite what he’d done, God wanted him in all his wretchedness and sin. Vile and disgusting, he still had a Father who was willing to wash the filth off him with His own two hands. Reid was only lost, not forgotten. He buried his face in his hands. He fought back the emotions that overwhelmed his body, but he knew without a doubt that God loved him.
Later today, he would find out once and for all if he still had Danica’s love, as well.
* * *
Danica picked up one of the ribbons and rubbed her thumb over it. At their daughters’ age, Reid had already been left alone in the world.
He didn’t know it, but what he was asking for was a family. A home to call his own. A place to belong.
Tears fell. She needed to make a decision, and she might not be able to trust her heart.
Dear God, I love him so much. I want to give him that home and family. But is this Your plan for me? Has it always been Your plan for us, or am I trying to control things again?
Sitting in the driveway, she pressed her head against the steering wheel and prayed. The screen door opened and Jackie stepped out into the rain. Nikki followed her. Her twin walked to the car with a pink-and-white umbrella. Nikki just pulled her jacket over her head and ran for the Suburban. The wind pushed rain in when they climbed into the back seat.
Jackie shook out the umbrella and tucked it under her feet. “I can’t believe you chose today to sit out in the car.”
“Um...I didn’t ask you to join me, and I thought you would both have gone to your own homes by now.”
“After everything that happened today? You’re joking, right?” Jackie, her straightforward no-emotions-needed sister, had tears in her eyes. “You’re married, and you never said anything.” She blinked and bit her lips, as if that would stop any unpleasant reaction. “I thought we told each other everything.”
All the sisters went quiet, one of the few times in their lives when they had nothing immediate to say.
“I’m sorry.” Danica reached out and took her sister’s hand. “I was so embarrassed. It was impulsive. When we went back to school, I was so mad at everyone for not giving Reid a chance, then I thought I’d find a way to tell you over the summer. But...well, you know what happened next. He disappeared on me. I was humiliated and ashamed. Instead of trusting you or God, I hid.”
Nikki leaned forward. “I wish I had been here for you. Maybe if I had been honest about my pregnancy, instead of hiding, you would have felt safe enough to tell us everything.”
Jackie put her hand on top of Danica’s and Nikki’s. “No more secrets. Agreed? We are a solid wall of love.”
“Agreed,” they all said in unison.
The screen door opened and Sammi stuck her head out.
Jackie sighed. “Looks like little sister found us.”
“Were we hiding from her?” Nikki opened her door and waved her over.
“No, I just think of her as the little sister. We really need to start inviting her to these meetings.”
Climbing into the front seat, Sammi shook the water off. “I’ve given up waiting for an invitation.” Her tone brisk, she looked at her older sisters. “So, have we decided what Danica is going to do about her husband?”
Jackie and Nikki giggled like girls. Then Nikki rubbed Sammi’s arm. “First, we’re glad you joined us. Second, that’s what we’re trying to find out.”
They all looked at her. Her sisters. Her best friends.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I loved him so much, but that doesn’t mean Reid should be in my life. Six years ago, one impulsive act set all this in motion. I don’t know if I can trust my own judgment.”
Nikki sat back. “I can understand that. I was so afraid of my love for Adrian, I almost lost him.”
Jackie grunted, sounding just like their dad. The other sisters grinned as they looked at each other. “What?”
“You sound just like dad when he doesn’t want to talk about something.” Danica winked at her.
Sammi nodded. “Yeah. Like Sonia. I know they’re dating, but he won’t admit it.”
Jackie threw a hand in the air. “Don’t get me started on that relationship.” She sighed. “But going back to Nikki and Adrian. You can’t compare the two men. Adrian was born with an oversize dose of responsibility. He’s a solid guy that would never run. Reid is more like Nikki. Adrian loved her, despite her being a flight risk.”
“Thanks.” Nikki glared.
“Well, it’s true. I’m just saying, people can change. A flight risk can settle down.” She smiled at Nikki.
Sammi nodded. “Reid has worked so hard since he’s been here. I like him. Plus, if you have a parent who wants to be part of their children’s lives, you should let them. It’s the right thing to do.”
Danica’s heart broke a little for her baby sister. Her mother had left before Sammi even started school. Then she would return for short periods, playing hide-and-seek in her only child’s life. Most of the time it was hiding. “You’re right.”
“You love him?” Sammi whispered the words.
“Yes. It’s hard to believe, but I do now more than I did six years ago.”
Nikki leaned closer and reached for her hand. “He seems to love you.”
“He says he does.” She picked up the ribbons and told them the story of him waiting for his own father to come get him. “Tonight, he said he would stay away if that’s what I wanted.” She bit her bottom lip to regain some sort of control. “Then he told me his heart would always be mine. No matter what happened between us, he would always love me.”
Tears spilled over. She loved him so much, and no one else made her feel as loved as he did.
Jackie put her hand over Danica’s. “Do you have any doubt where you belong?”
She shook her head.
Sammi’s hand went over Jackie’s. “So, you already know what you want.”
Nikki joined in. “How can we help?”
Chapter Fifteen
The old ranch truck moved about ten miles under the speed limit as Reid hugged the edge of the curves, driving up and down the hills. The hills that he hoped took him home. Had he made a mistake giving Danica the ultimatum? Tapping the brakes, he slowed the truck again and pulled to the uneven shoulder.
The Bible Ray had given him in prison lay on the empty seat next to him. He wrapped his fingers around the warm leather.
“God, we know I’m not worthy of her, but I can’t imagine a life without her. Please hold me as I drive past her p
lace. Let me honor my promise to her to keep going if that’s what she wants.”
Fear made him sick to his stomach. He promised her that he’d keep driving if she didn’t want him. He’d never call or visit again. He’d make it as if he’d never existed if that was what she thought she and the girls needed.
Now, as he sat on the side of the road, he had to find the strength to walk away from the only life he’d dreamed of since meeting her.
The hope of Danica would be lost to him forever. To never see her or his daughters again, to not exist in their world, it would be the most painful life.
Cold sweat sent chills along his neck and down his spine. The sun sat right on top of the hills and slowly climbed into the sky. He lowered his head and prayed. He prayed with every ounce of his being. If he could have laid out flat on the road and turned everything over to God, he would have.
He’d stalled long enough. It was time to rip the bandage from the wound.
Hand over hand, he turned the truck back onto the old ranch road. A big green Suburban came at him. The driver honked, and an SUV full of females waved. It was the Bergmann clan. He glanced at the rearview mirror once they passed. Had Danica been in there? Where were his twins?
Was that his answer from Danica? He swallowed. Had they taken her away in case he didn’t keep driving? Taken her away from him?
His knuckles turned white, strangling the steering wheel. But when he saw the first yellow ribbon, his boot slipped off the gas. Pressure built in his chest. A few posts down, another yellow ribbon was tangled in the barbed wire, fluttering in the breeze left behind by the storm.
The big heavy tires dropped another ten miles per hour. Crawling along the road to the sanctuary’s entryway, Reid stared down the long line of cedar fencing. Yellow bows were wrapped around each rough gray post in the sunshine. At the stone-and-iron gate, huge yellow streamers intertwined with the arch of letters that spelled out the original ranch name.
He stopped the beat-up, worn-out truck as the dented grill crossed the cattle guard. The scene in front of him became watery as his eyes stung. She wanted him. She wanted them to be a family.
Voices from the past, his father, his brothers, his prison guards, commanded him to leave. They told him he wasn’t good enough. He wasn’t made for this life. He didn’t have the right to be part of a good family. He would never be the man they needed.
Heavy chains encased his rib cage, pulling tighter until his breath gave up the fight to get to the surface. He inched down the drive. God’s voice was stronger than all the other voices combined.
He passed the old bunkhouse where he had first seen her. Where the baby bats slept.
The yellow ribbons led him down a path to the old ranch house he’d helped restore. His dream stood on the porch. His vision blurred. Blinking, he needed to make sure what he saw was real.
Danica’s hair was pulled back in a yellow headband. Her curls brushed her bare shoulders. The yellow sundress fluttered at her knees.
The twins jumped in place and waved. Smiling at him, as if excited he had arrived from a long journey home. Wide yellow sashes were boldly tied around their middles over soft purple dresses.
The pressure from the chains pulled tighter. Reid’s hand went to the gears, and he put the truck in Park. Ice crawled along his veins, freezing his muscles. Was he dreaming? Danica turned to the girls and spoke with them. His gaze stayed glued to her as she slowly moved down the steps and started walking toward him. Was it a trick? Was she still mad at him, and this was her revenge?
“Reid?” She paused halfway down the drive. “Are you okay?”
Cutting the engine, he sat in complete silence. The voices from his past faded. He took one deep breath and tore away the chains that held him in place. God was on his side and would not allow his past to hold him prisoner any longer. Opening the truck door, he watched as she took another step toward him.
Each step that brought her closer was cautious. She tilted her head. “Reid?”
His gut tightened. Was she really trusting him with her heart? With their daughters?
Boots to the ground, he stood next to the truck. The giant pecan tree that shaded the house was covered with long yellow ribbons dancing in the breeze. Even the porch was covered in yellow. Then he realized he’d painted her home a soft yellow with white trim. He had been asking her to invite him in from the very beginning.
She stood halfway down the drive, concern in her eyes. A golden-red curl crossed her face. With a graceful movement, her long fingers pushed it back, getting it under control.
He took a deep breath. “Are you sure?”
He moved one foot forward, then the ice returned. If she changed her mind, he’d shatter. “Danica, if I go up those steps and walk over that threshold, there will be no going back. I’m never leaving.”
A soft smile and a gentle love filled her face. “I’m counting on that.”
The last of the chains shattered. He charged forward until she was in his arms. He lifted her up, loving the feel of her as she wrapped her arms around him. She fit against him in the most perfect way. “I’m staying with you forever until God takes me away.” Her hands moved up his arms to his face. Soft hands cupped his rough jawline. Now he wished he had taken the time to clean up. “I’m sorry. I should have shaved before I came over.”
Leaning closer, she looked straight into his eyes. “You’re perfect the way you are.” Her lashes lowered, and she pressed her lips against his.
His body melted into her warmth. He was hers. He had always been hers, but now she claimed him. Setting her down and cupping her hands, he pulled back an inch. “I never imagined someone like you could love me.”
“Momma!”
“Can we come off the porch now?”
He stepped back. “Do they know?”
She grinned at him. “Maybe. I asked if they thought you’d be a good father for them.”
His heart launched out of his rib cage. Swallowing it back down, he glanced over her shoulder to the porch. “What did they say?” The gravel in his throat made it hard to get the words out.
She laughed. “They said they’d been praying that you’d be their father.” She took his hand and pulled him toward their girls. “Come on. Let’s introduce you to your daughters.”
His fingers squeezed hers. His boots hit the steps with a solid thump. They rushed him, their small bodies almost knocking him backward.
Love was a powerful thing. Tangible in his arms. Thank You, God.
He closed his eyes and used all his senses to absorb this perfect moment. Danica’s hand pressed against his back. The girls’ arms tightened around him as they hugged him close.
He was home.
Epilogue
Reid stood on the top step of the restored ranch house. It was finally happening. The old pecan tree shaded the guests sitting on the front yard. The sun was shining, and the air was crisp. A perfect February day in Texas.
Hanging from the tree, long yellow-and-white ribbons danced in the wind with tiny paper hearts tied to the ends. Large white spheres that radiated with light were scattered among the hearts and lined the porch.
They were all waiting. Over three hundred people stared at him, but he didn’t notice.
Pastor Levi leaned over. “You need to breathe. You don’t want to steal her moment by passing out. I’ve seen it happen.”
As best man, Adrian was on his left. “They aren’t even late yet. So, relax. I guarantee you, they aren’t letting you get away this time.”
On the lower steps, Bobby and Philip chuckled. Reid pulled at his collar. He had never worn a tie in his life.
Derrick, one of the teens from church, sat on the far end of the porch and strummed on a guitar. Then the music changed. Lifting his head, Reid stopped breathing.
They were here. A small herd of women gathered at the ne
w archway that stood at the front of the yard. Samantha opened the wooden gate and marched toward them with the biggest grin on her face. For the first time since he’d known her, she was wearing a dress. They’d joked with her about being one of the groomsmen instead just so she could wear jeans. She did win the battle over shoes, proudly striding forward in her cowboy boots. As she moved to the side, she winked at him. Next was Nikki, followed by Jackie.
His daughters danced through the gate next, waving to people as they threw yellow petals on the ground. When they saw him, they yelled and ran to him. Going down, he opened his arms and pulled them close.
Jackie tried to get their attention. There was some soft laughter from the yard. He was sure they’d broken protocol. But he didn’t care. Today, they would become an official family in front of God, the Bergmanns and the whole community of Clear Water.
“We’re all getting married today, Daddy.”
“Do you like our dresses? Momma said they were a birthday surprise.”
“You’re beautiful.” To be honest, if asked, he probably couldn’t tell anyone what they were wearing, but it didn’t matter. His daughters loved him.
Little white flowers were pinned in their red curls. “Happy Birthday,” he whispered as he kissed each of them on their forehead before sending them over to their aunts.
He couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate this day than showing them how much he loved their mother. The music changed again. Under the wooden arch, standing on this side of the gate, was his bride. His. Bride.
The world disappeared and he lost contact with his own body. Danica was stunning. Tall and elegant, she seemed to be floating toward him. Her hair was pulled up with those same little white flowers, and a yellow ribbon. Long curls fell down her graceful neck.
The February breeze played with her hair. She looked straight at him. A secret smile curved her lips. She was his. And in front of all these people, he would get to stand next to her in holy union. This amazing woman was his. Even more stunning? He was hers.
He clenched his fists and took a deep breath. His dream was within reach. If he went down the two steps, he could hold her and make sure this was real, but he waited. She finally reached him and stopped.
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