Tucker couldn’t remember a time he’d ever felt so proud. His son had not only graduated from high school less than an hour before, but Shawn had also been one of two salutatorians, the other being his best friend, Ryan. It was shaping up to be a surprise-filled night. He and Paige had shared their news with Shawn the night before, but they wanted to wait to tell the others, so Shawn could bask in the limelight before leaving for several other after-graduation parties.
“There you are!”
Tucker turned to discover his sister wearing a wide smile, as she grabbed his arm and tugged. “Where are we going?” he asked.
“You and Tanner are impossible to keep track of,” Nikki said, as he allowed her to drag him up the steps and into the house through the double glass patio doors. “The photographer is here and wants to get some family shots.”
“Can it wait just a few minutes?” he asked. “There’s someone—” And then he saw Paige, coming out of the kitchen. “I’ll be there in a minute,” he promised.
Nikki looked up at him, her usually up-turned mouth turned down in a frown. “If I have to come looking for you again—”
“You won’t.”
With a sigh, Nikki walked away, and he moved to where Paige had stopped to talk to Trish. “Now might be a good time,” he told her, when he was able to get her attention for a moment.
She looked at him and smiled, making him wish the evening was over and they could spend some time alone. He knew that wouldn’t happen, but it didn’t bother him as much as it might other men. His family loved her, and so did most everyone else in Desperation.
Putting his arm around her waist, he eased her away from Trish, whose eyes had grown wide and a smile was slowly forming. “Family photos,” he explained, as if that wouldn’t raise some questions.
“Can I put it on now?” Paige asked.
“Definitely,” he answered.
“I’ll have to get my purse. It’s in the kitchen.”
“I knew I should’ve kept it,” he called to her as she went to retrieve the ring. “Meet me out on the patio, okay?”
“Okay,” she answered, with a wave as she disappeared.
He looked down to see Kirby, Mac and Nikki’s son, watching him. “I’m supposed to tell you to hurry up.”
“Show me where I need to go.”
Five minutes later, Tucker stood on one side of the mother who had left them when they were boys, and Tanner stood on the other side of her. “I know how hard this has been for both of you,” Sally said, as the photographer adjusted his lens.
“Don’t worry about it,” Tanner answered. “Nobody in this family is perfect, and it’s time to put the past behind us.” He leaned in front of her. “Isn’t that right, Tucker?”
“Very right,” he answered, unable to keep from smiling. He’d thought it would be hard to meet Sally, but the instant he saw her, he was bombarded with happy memories, and it wasn’t long before all those years had melted away and they were all talking at once.
The picture was finally snapped, and the photographer looked around. “Are there any more I need to get?”
“Stick around for a few more minutes,” Tanner said. He quickly excused himself to Sally, leaving Tucker alone with her.
“None of this has been easy, has it?” she asked him.
Tucker shook his head. “I don’t think life is supposed to be.”
“I think you’re right,” she said, just as the sound of an old-fashioned dinner bell started ringing. “What the—”
Tanner, holding the triangular-shaped metal bell, made his way through the crowd to the steps leading to the house. “Stay right where you are,” Tanner said, when Tucker started to move away. “I’ve heard there’s some news you need to share with the family, and I’m sure all our friends would be happy to hear it, too.”
Tucker, totally taken by surprise, wasn’t sure what to say or do. He was immediately joined by Paige, thanks to some help from Jules and the other ladies.
“Shame on you for keeping secrets, Tucker O’Brien,” Jules whispered as she stepped aside.
Paige moved closer to him. “I think we’re supposed to make an announcement,” she whispered.
“Did you tell them?” he asked. They’d agreed not to tell anyone but Shawn.
“Not a soul,” she said. “Not even Garrett or my parents.”
“Then who—?”
Tanner, who hadn’t moved and stood as if guarding him, in case he might make a run for it, clanged the bell again. “We have some family news to share,” he said, in a voice loud enough to be heard in the next county. The crowd quickly quieted, and he continued. “As you all know, my baby brother came home a couple of months ago.”
“Baby?” Tucker repeated.
Tanner laughed. “Younger, then,” he said, grinning. “We haven’t had much time to get reacquainted with each other, and he’s still learning the names of new family and friends, but he’s coming along. There’s one thing we didn’t count on, though. While we were worrying about him and wondering if he’d want to stay and be a part of us, he was off finding someone to marry. Friends, please join in celebrating with us the engagement of Tucker O’Brien and Dr. Paige Miles.”
Friends and neighbors gathered around to extend not only their surprise, but also their best wishes. Because there’d been no wedding date set yet, and wouldn’t be until a finish date on the new house was known, there wasn’t a whole lot to tell people. Although Tucker felt totally out of his element, he also felt the love of everyone who spoke to them and wondered why it had taken him so long to return to the Rocking O.
Hours later, when the last of the guests were gone, and Jules had collapsed in the family room, along with Bridey, Nikki and Paige, Tanner and Tucker stood in the backyard, looking at the stars.
“I don’t remember ever being this happy,” Tucker said, his heart aching with joy.
“There’ll be more times,” Tanner replied. “You can count on it. You’re not too old to be a father again, you know.”
Tucker stared at him, not knowing quite how to answer. “I don’t know. Paige and I have never talked about it.”
“There’s no rush.”
“That’s good,” Tucker said with a nervous laugh.
“Ready to go inside?”
With a nod, they turned for the house. Once inside, Tanner went to sit by Jules, moving her closer when he put his arm around her. Tucker walked over to where Paige was sitting and bent down to kiss her.
“It’s been quite a night,” Paige said, as he sat beside her.
Tucker looked around at everyone, wondering how he could’ve been so lucky. “Don’t ever let me leave, Paige,” he whispered to her. “Not ever. Not for any reason. I know now that I belong here, and you belong here with me.”
She placed her hand in his, and he laced his fingers with her. He couldn’t understand why he’d been blessed, not only with the family he’d left behind, but with a woman as wonderful as her.
Bridey got to her feet. “Anybody hungry?” she asked, looking around the room. As if they were magic words, everyone jumped up at once.
“The O’Briens are finally complete,” Tanner said, as they all walked to the kitchen.
“That we are,” Tucker replied, and turned to his bride-to-be. “And so am I.”
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0607-6
THE MAVERICK’S REWARD
Copyright © 2011 by Roxann Farmer
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