“Then you’re okay?”
He gave her a crooked smile. “Not yet, but I’ll get there. Making progress. Tonight showed me that I might not have everything I want, but at least I’ll be able to see you on a regular basis. We’ll have times like this. I’m already looking forward to Friday night.”
Her throat tightened. “So am I.”
“I also wanted to walk you out to prove I can do it without kissing you.” He backed away. “Sleep well, Kate.”
“You, too, Rafe.”
He walked away, his strides purposeful, his back straight. Jake and Millie came out. Jake said something and Rafe laughed.
The sound went straight to her heart and burrowed deep. She missed their intimate meals, their relaxed conversations and their passionate lovemaking. But more than anything else, she missed the joy that filled her soul when Rafe laughed.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Rafe had put himself in charge of the fire pit for Friday night’s gathering. He’d almost finished arranging logs inside the blackened stones when Nick approached.
“Thanks for the loan of your truck, bro.” He handed Rafe the keys. “Can’t believe that new fuel pump went bad.”
“Glad you could find a replacement so soon.” Rafe stood and pocketed the keys.
“Eva followed me back here with the truck. She’s inside working on a couple of centerpieces from the leaves she gathered in our yard.”
“That’ll be festive.”
“Yeah, she wanted to add a few touches. The word’s out that Wednesday night went well. Everybody’s eager for tonight, since you and Kate are solid.”
“That’s good to hear.” Solid? Not yet, but they would be. He’d dedicated all his resources to it. “I’m about ready to light ’er up, if you want to start arranging the chairs.”
“I’m on it.” He started pulling chairs from the stack and arranging them in a semi-circle around the fire pit while leaving space for dancing. “Do we have a plan for storing these, yet? We’ll have snow before you know it.”
“Nobody’s using Millie’s old room in the cottage.” He said it casually, as if talking about Millie’s old room was no problem at all. Eventually it wouldn’t be. “We could ask Kate if she’d mind shoving them in a corner for the winter. If they’re stacked, they won’t take up much room.”
“She might go for that. At least until Matt gets that storage shed built at his place. He’s talked about it but hasn’t made it a reality yet.”
“He’s busy. We’re all busy.” He wasn’t nearly busy enough, but he was working on that, too. He might take up whittling. He finished stuffing newspapers under the logs and struck a match. The dry kindling caught in no time. “I love this fire pit. I can’t imagine life without it.” He glanced at the time on his phone.
“Got an appointment?”
“I was just looking to see how much longer before Kate will be finished at the dining hall.”
“I guess you didn’t hear. Henri decided to have Gloria take over on Friday nights so Kate can get here when the rest of us do.”
“No kidding?” A jolt of pleasure hit his midsection. “That’s great.” She could arrive any minute. He was hungry for the sight of her, but he’d play it cool, just like Wednesday night.
“Henri had planned to make the change back in August, but then…”
“We all know what happened then.” He added another log to the blaze. “It’ll never happen again.”
“That’s obvious. I’m impressed with how you’ve handled this. I hear Kate is, too.”
“Oh, yeah?” That was happy news. “Bet that came from Millie.”
“I think so.”
“Is Kate coming over on her own?”
“Matt and Lucy are picking her up.” He glanced around. “The ice chest isn’t out here yet. I’ll get that going.” He started toward the bunkhouse and turned around. “Want me to bring you a cold one from the fridge?”
“We’re bringing him one,” CJ said as he and Isabel came out the back door. “Eva and Millie are stocking the ice chest. Matt and Lucy just pulled up.”
“Woo-hoo!” Nick punched a fist in the air. “Time to par-tay!”
“You can say that again.” CJ grinned as he approached, his guitar in one hand and his cider in the other. “Beautiful night, isn’t it, bro?”
“Definitely.”
Isabel glanced at the two bottles she carried and thrust one toward him. “Had to make sure I gave you the alcoholic one.”
“Thanks.” He’d nurse it the way he had on Wednesday night. Couldn’t afford to get toasted until he’d adjusted to this new normal.
She smiled. “I’m so happy to hear that you and Kate are okay.”
“I’m happy about it, too.”
“Nice fire.” CJ settled on a chummy stump and began strumming a few soft chords. “Checked the woodpile on the way out. We need to schedule a lumberjack day soon.”
“Yep.” Late fall was excellent wood-gathering weather. Last year Kate had made a bunch of pumpkin pies for lumberjack day, adding to the tradition. Thank God they weren’t at odds with each other. So many things depended on staying friends.
Nick and Leo came out with the ice chest, a monster the Brotherhood had just bought. When loaded, it took a guy on either end to manage that sucker. But now they had room for enough drinks to last through the evening.
“Stew’s almost ready,” Leo said. “Can’t wait.”
Millie and Eva came out behind them, each carrying an arrangement of autumn leaves for the table. Rafe kept glancing at the back door. Kate would walk through any minute now… there.
She held a pile of plates topped with napkins and silverware. Matt was carrying a tray of stew bowls and Lucy had two huge baskets of dinner rolls.
The three of them were involved in an animated discussion that absorbed Kate’s attention. She flashed Lucy a smile and then turned her head as if searching for… him?
Maybe so. When she made eye contact, her expression brightened. And she blushed. Blushed? Why would she do that? Hadn’t happened on Wednesday night.
She walked quickly in his direction. Instead of taking the plates to the table, she came straight to him, her eyes bright, her cheeks still very pink. “Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.” His heart did a fast two-step. “Can I help you with that?”
She glanced down at the plates, napkins and silverware as if she’d forgotten she had them. “Nope! I’ve got it.” Pivoting, she headed for the table.
He stared after her, confused. “Hey, Matt.”
Matt was on his way to the table with his tray loaded with bowls, but he changed direction and came toward the fire pit. “Whatcha need, bro?”
Rafe lowered his voice. “Is Kate okay?”
“She’s fine. Why?”
“She… maybe it’s my imagination, but she almost looks like she’s on something. But I can’t believe she’d pop pills to keep her mood up. That’s not her style.”
Matt smiled. “She’s not popping pills. She’s just very excited to be here. This is a special night for her. Kind of like a reboot. Starting over.”
“Oh.” He’d try not to take it personally that she was celebrating the end of their marriage with such joy.
“The fire looks good. Come have some stew. Jake and Garrett are bringing the pots.”
“On my way.” He added a couple more logs and walked to the long picnic table where folks were jockeying for position, sitting close to make enough room.
The seating was different every time. In a new tradition, couples had decided to split up for chuck wagon stew night. Rafe found a spot between Jake and Leo. Kate was at the far end, miles away.
If Rafe didn’t know better, he’d say everyone was on something. Chuck wagon stew night was always rambunctious, but tonight the gang was more hyper than they’d been in months.
At one point, Jake stood, which took some doing because he was squashed in, and raised his bottle of cider. “I propose a toast. To Kate an
d Rafe!”
Damned if everyone didn’t join in the toast, lifting their bottles high and shouting To Kate and Rafe! He caught her eye to see if she was as bewildered as he was. She didn’t look bewildered. And she was still blushing.
CJ finished his meal and returned to the chummy stump. Picking up his guitar, he started playing.
After the first few chords, Rafe turned to stare at him. What the hell? Surely he wouldn’t play I Won’t Let Go. Yep, it seemed he would. This was all a dream. That was the only explanation.
Kate left her seat, walked down to where he sat and held out her hand. Yeah, had to be a dream. Might as well go with it.
He extricated himself from the picnic bench, walked with her to the trampled down area they used for dancing and pulled her into a waltz. “I know this isn’t real.”
“Actually, it is.”
“People in dreams say that all the time.”
“It’s real.” She pinched his earlobe.
“Ow!”
“See?”
“Kate, what the heck is going on?”
She looked up, her gray eyes luminous. “Just dance with me. Please.”
“If you say so.” He blocked the lyrics at first, but holding her was all he ever wanted to do and eventually he gave himself up to the moment. He’d pay for it later, but for now, for some unknown reason, he was waltzing with the love of his life to the song that had played at the Moose the first time they’d danced, the song that told her all she needed to know.
The music ended. “Thank you for that.” His throat ached and his breathing was wonky. “It was nice.”
“You’re welcome.” She stepped back, pulled something from her pocket, and dropped to one knee. “Rafael Stephen Banner, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?” She held up his hematite ring.
He gasped. Then he choked. Couldn’t breathe…. CJ jumped up, hurried over and whacked him on the back a few times.
Kate scrambled to her feet and clutched his hands, her expression stricken. “Oh, Rafe, I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s… okay…” His voice was strangled but workable. He could breathe again, sort of. But his brain refused to function. “Just didn’t… expect…”
She stepped closer, still clutching his hands. “I love you so much. I’ve been such an idiot, determined to throw away the best thing in my life, you. Wednesday night showed me what I was giving up, who I was giving up. Please say you’ll marry me.”
“Aren’t we…” He cleared his throat. “Already married?”
“Yes, but maybe we should do it again. Let’s get married. Do you know what I mean?”
Gradually his battered heart opened to her words, to the light in her eyes, the warmth in her voice. “Yes, I do.” He swallowed. “Now?”
“Not right now. When we do it, I’d like my mom and sister to be here. In the meantime, will you do me the honor of wearing this?”
“I will.” His heart thumped hard as she slid the ring on his finger. “Do you have yours?”
“Right here.” She dug in her other pocket. “I can’t wait to put it back on.”
“Let me.” His hand shook, just a little, but he got the ring on.
She gazed up at him. “You may kiss the bride.”
With a groan, he pulled her close. As his lips found hers, a deafening racket erupted from the picnic table. Wait. It wasn’t just coming from the picnic table. He lifted his head and glanced toward the bunkhouse, where the Babes stood clapping, cheering and whistling. Ben was there, too.
He glanced at Kate as the light dawned. “They all knew you’d be doing this.”
“Everybody knew. Except you.”
“I’ll be damned. That explains a lot.” He searched her gaze. “Are we supposed to… is this a party… for us?”
“It is, but nobody expects us to stay.”
“Thank God. Let’s get out of here.” Grabbing her hand, he automatically headed toward the back door. The Babes were in the way. “We’re going around.” He raised his voice. “Great to see you, ladies. Thanks for the support!” He walked faster, skirting the building.
But as he did, a commotion from the picnic table made him look over his shoulder. They were all up and coming his way. “Hey, we don’t need a sendoff! We’ll just—”
“Wrong-o!” Jake called out. “You’re getting a sendoff whether you want one or not!”
“This is insanity.” He made it to the front of the bunkhouse and searched for his truck. Nick had backed in. But that wasn’t all he’d done.
Numerous tin cans dangled from the bumper and Finally Married!! was painted on his back window, beautifully lettered and embellished with wedding bells, rings and flowers. He started laughing.
“Lucy painted the window and I gathered up a bunch of cans from everybody,” Kate said. “I was hoping it would make you laugh.”
He looked at her, still grinning. “It’s a riot. Great job. I hope the paint lasts a while.”
“Lucy said it would unless you want her to take it off.”
“I don’t. It makes me happy.” He paused. “When did you decide?”
“When you walked away Wednesday night. It felt so wrong to have you going in one direction and me in the other.”
“Let’s not do that anymore.”
“Let’s not. But I didn’t mean to make you choke when I—”
“I love you. You can make me choke any time you want.”
“Will you choke if I tell you I want babies?”
“Human babies?”
“Yes! For goodness sakes. Did you think I meant goldfish?”
He smiled. “Just checking.”
“You didn’t choke.”
“No, because I already know you want babies. Let’s go home and start making some.” He swept her up in his arms and carried her to his truck.
The crowd went wild.
She grinned. “They liked that.”
“Then they’ll like this even better.” He paused by the tailgate and kissed her, long and passionately. Slowly he lifted his head. “That was for the gang, because after all we’ve put them through, they deserve a show.”
She pulled his head down. “And this is for you, because you deserve a lifetime of making love with someone who loves you. Which is me.”
He went very still as her lips touched his. She’d kissed him many times in the past week, but never like this. Slowly, tenderly, she pledged her love. At last, her kiss tasted like forever.
Coming December 2020!
Cowboy Leo Marston needs a little help from Kris Kringle to woo Fiona Hildebrand in SECRET-SANTA COWBOY, book six in the Buckskin Brotherhood series!
But Wait, There’s More!
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Praise for Vicki’s cowboy series
“Vicki Lewis Thompson has a reputation for putting enough sizzle between the pages to actually create steam.”
Fresh Fiction
“This modern cowboy tale expertly balances sex and emotion with a touch of humor. It’s one of the hottest western romances of the year!”
RT Book Reviews
“Once again Ms. Thompson’s writing is crisp and straightforward, with an uncanny ability to weave the beautiful western landscape of the Grand Tetons into the storyline. Overall a hot, sexy read.”
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Also by
Vicki Lewis Thompson
The Buckskin Brotherhood
Sweet-Talking Cowboy
Big-Hearted Cowboy
Baby-Daddy Cowboy
True-Blue Cowboy
Strong-Willed Cowboy
The McGavin Brothers
A Cowboy’s Strength
A Cowboy’s Honor
A Cowboy’s Return
A Cowboy’s Heart
A Cowboy’s Courage
A Cowboy’s Christmas
A Cowboy’s Kiss
A Cowboy’s Luck
A Cowboy’s Charm
A Cowboy’s Challenge
A Cowboy’s Baby
A Cowboy’s Holiday
A Cowboy’s Choice
A Cowboy’s Worth
A Cowboy’s Destiny
A Cowboy’s Secret
A Cowboy’s Homecoming
Wild About You
Werewolf in Manhattan
Werewolf in the North Woods
Werewolf in Seattle
Werewolf in Denver
Werewolf in Alaska
Werewolf in Las Vegas
The Nerd Series
Nerd in Shining Armor
The Nerd Who Loved Me
Nerd Gone Wild
Gone with the Nerd
Talk Nerdy to Me
Nerds Like It Hot
My Nerdy Valentine
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Vicki Lewis Thompson’s love affair with cowboys started with the Lone Ranger, continued through Maverick, and took a turn south of the border with Zorro. She views cowboys as the Western version of knights in shining armor, rugged men who value honor, honesty and hard work. Fortunately for her, she lives in the Arizona desert, where broad-shouldered, lean-hipped cowboys abound. Blessed with such an abundance of inspiration, she only hopes that she can do them justice.
Strong-Willed Cowboy (The Buckskin Brotherhood Book 5) Page 19