“There’s no way you could be more beautiful than you are right now.” He pulled her lips to his for the first morning kiss. “Think your mother will show up and surprise you?”
“It would be a big surprise all right.” Bonnie threw back the covers and got out of bed. “She’s still runnin’ with that motorcycle gang, and they’ve joined up with more bikers somewhere up near the Canadian border in Washington. She called yesterday and tried to talk me into gettin’ on a plane and coming out there to live with them.”
Rusty got out of bed and picked up a pair of jeans. Bonnie stopped what she was doing and stared at his fine naked body—all hardened muscles, a broad chest, and a heart inside that was so full of love for her that sometimes she still found it hard to believe. In only a few hours, she’d have a piece of paper that said he belonged to her. She full well intended to frame it and set it up on the mantel above the fireplace in the living room for the whole world to see.
“I’m a lucky woman,” she whispered.
“What was that?” Rusty asked.
“I said I’m one lucky woman,” she repeated.
“Not as lucky as I am.” He grinned and rounded the end of the bed to take her in his arms. “I’d like to go back to bed with you, but we’re kind of on a tight schedule here. We’ve got brunch at Shiloh’s, and then we’re supposed to go straight to the church.”
“And Abby Joy says once I step foot in the church, I can’t see you anymore until the wedding.” She tugged on her jeans and stomped her feet down into her boots. “Let’s go get the feeding chores done and then head over to Shiloh’s.”
“Lovers forever.” She held up a pinky.
“Married couple from today until death parts us.” He wrapped his pinky around hers.
“Ranchers together.” They both said it at the same time and held up three fingers.
* * *
Rusty looked out over the congregation that Wednesday afternoon and thought again that New Year’s Day was a strange day for a wedding, but there was no way he was going to argue with Bonnie. She wanted the ceremony to be on the very day when she took ownership of the ranch. After her mother had come for that crazy visit, they’d signed papers back in the summer, and those papers said that on the day they married, the Malloy Ranch would belong to the two of them—and that on that very day, the name of the place would be changed to Sunrise Ranch.
The pianist began to play “The Rose,” and Shiloh came down the center aisle with her arm looped in Waylon’s. Abby Joy and Cooper followed behind them. In less than an hour, Rusty would have two sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law—he’d have family for the first time in his life. The preacher raised his arms for everyone to stand, and the pianist began to play the traditional wedding march. The double doors at the back of the church opened, and Bonnie came down the aisle alone. Jackson Bailey had offered to escort her, but she had refused. She told Rusty that she was giving herself to him in marriage, and she didn’t need anyone else to do that for her.
She was wearing a lovely white lace dress that stopped at her ankles. Peeking out from under its hem were the same biker boots that she’d worn a year ago on that very first day that Rusty had laid eyes on her. The day that I fell in love with her if I’m being honest about the whole thing, he thought. His eyes met hers, and he couldn’t wait for her to reach the front of the church. He met her halfway back down the aisle and hugged her tightly to his chest.
“I’m the luckiest man alive this day,” he whispered.
“I’d say we’ve made our own luck,” she said. “Now let’s go get married so we can tell the whole world about this baby we’re going to have in four months.”
He tucked her free hand into his, and together, they stepped up in front of the preacher. She handed her bouquet to Shiloh and turned to face Rusty, just like they’d rehearsed, but the night before, she hadn’t looked so much like an angel straight from the courts of heaven. Suddenly, he was tongue-tied and was glad that he’d written his vows on a piece of paper.
* * *
The party for just the wedding party after the reception was held at the newly named Sunrise Ranch. While the ladies were in the bedroom helping Bonnie get out of her fancy lace dress and into a pair of jeans, Rusty slipped away and walked down to the cemetery. The wind whistled through the bare tree branches and blew powdery snow up from the ground, which chilled the bare skin on his face. He pulled the collar of his fleece-lined jacket up to keep his ears warm and bent his head against the cold.
The gate into the cemetery squeaked loudly as if it were competing with the noise of tree limbs rattling against each other. He wasn’t aware that the dogs had followed him until he had brushed away the snow and sat down on the bench in front of Ezra’s tombstone, and the three of them gathered around him.
“My faithful old friends.” He took time to pat each of them on the head with a gloved hand. “We’ve come together to tell him goodbye, haven’t we?”
He sat there for a full minute before he began to talk to the tombstone, which was half covered by a drift of snow. “I’m here again, Ezra. It was a year ago today that we put you in the ground, and I doubt that you would believe how much things have changed. Why you did what you did is still a mystery to me, but I have to admit, there’s three cowboys in this part of the canyon now who are mighty glad that you did it for whatever reason. When Abby Joy got married and left the ranch, the other two sisters came right here and talked to you. When Shiloh did the same, Bonnie came to talk to you. I figure now that everything is settled, it’s my turn.”
He patted the bench, and all three dogs jumped up on it with him.
“They never knew I saw them make their journey here, and I’ll never know what they said to you, but I don’t imagine any one of them was telling you that she loved you. I may never come back here again except when it’s time to mow and keep the cemetery cleaned up. I owe you that much. But this will be our last conversation. Abby Joy has a beautiful little son, and Shiloh will be having a boy in a few months, so you see if you’d kept either of them around, you would have had a grandson to leave your ranch to, and it would most likely remain the Malloy Ranch. Bonnie and I got married today, and we’re having a daughter. We just found out yesterday that it’s a girl, and we’re so excited about her. I don’t care if we have all girls or if they want to be ranchers when they grow up or not. I can’t imagine some of them not wanting to take over for me and Bonnie when we get old, but that will be their choice. One thing for damned sure, they won’t be sent out into the world to fend for themselves like your daughters were. They’ll be raised right here on Sunrise Ranch. And another thing just as sure, they will be loved.” Rusty ran out of words and sat silent for a time. “I just wanted to tell you that, Ezra, and to thank you for giving me a job, because now I have a family. Goodbye, now, and I don’t know why I should, after the way you treated folks while you were here, but I hope you find peace somewhere along your eternal journey, because you sure brought happiness to a lot of us, whether you intended to or not.”
He stood up and started back toward the house, the dogs following at his heels. When he closed the gate, it didn’t squeak. The wind had stopped blowing and everything was eerily quiet. He looked up at the moon hanging in the sky just in time to see a shooting star streak across the darkness.
* * *
When everyone had left that evening, Bonnie slumped down on the sofa beside Rusty. “It was a wonderful day in spite of the snow.” She sighed.
“You were a beautiful bride, and now you’re my gorgeous wife,” he said. “Maybe in the spring we can sneak away for a honeymoon.” He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles, one by one.
“Honey, in the spring I’ll either be nine months pregnant or we’ll already have a pretty little daughter. Our honeymoon will be right here in this house, starting tonight and lasting through all eternity,” she told him. “Where did you disappear to while I was changing clothes?”
“I went to talk to Ezra
and tell him that we’d changed the name of the ranch,” he said. “Our new sign will be hung over the cattle guard as soon as the weather clears up. I forgot to tell him that.”
She snuggled in closer to his side. “Shiloh and I’ve had a few talks with him during this past year.”
“I know.” He nodded. “Guess what? I saw a shooting star on the way back to the house.”
“What did you wish for?” she asked.
“That you would always love me as much as you do right now,” he said.
“Darlin’, that was a wasted wish.” She smiled.
“Oh? So, you’re not going to love me always?”
She shifted her position until she was sitting in his lap. “No, I’m just not going to love you as much as I do right now. I plan to love you more every single moment of every single day. You had that already, so you should have wished for something else.”
“A new tractor, maybe?” He brushed a kiss across her lips.
“Why not?” She grinned. “Sunrise Ranch could always use a new tractor.”
Don’t miss all the Malloy sisters’ stories.
Read about Abby Joy in
Daisies in the Canyon
and Shiloh in
Wildflower Ranch.
About the Author
Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author and RITA finalist who has published more than one hundred books. She presently writes both women’s fiction and cowboy romance. She has also written historical and contemporary romance, both stand-alone titles and series. She lives in southern Oklahoma with her husband, a former English teacher who is also an author of several mystery books. They have three children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.
For a complete listing of her books (in series order) and to sign up for her newsletter, check out her website at CarolynBrownBooks.com or catch her on Facebook/CarolynBrownBooks.
Also by Carolyn Brown
The Longhorn Canyon Series
Cowboy Bold
Cowboy Honor
Cowboy Brave
Cowboy Rebel
Christmas with a Cowboy
Cowboy Courage
The Happy, Texas Series
Luckiest Cowboy of All
Long, Tall Cowboy Christmas
Toughest Cowboy in Texas
The Lucky Penny Ranch Series
Wild Cowboy Ways
Hot Cowboy Nights
Merry Cowboy Christmas
Wicked Cowboy Charm
Digital Novellas
Wildflower Ranch
Sunrise Ranch
High Praise for Carolyn Brown
“Carolyn Brown makes the sun shine brighter and the tea taste sweeter. Southern comfort in a book.”
—Shelia Roberts, USA Today bestselling author
“Carolyn Brown is one of my go-to authors when I want a feel-good story that will make me smile.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Carolyn Brown writes about everyday things that happen to all of us and she does it with panache, class, empathy and humor.”
—Night Owl Reviews
“I highly recommend Carolyn Brown as a go-to author for all things sexy cowboy.”
—Harlequin Junkie
CHRISTMAS WITH A COWBOY
“Carolyn Brown has captured the spirit of Christmas and the togetherness of family in this charming, warmhearted story…readers will be delighted.”
—Harlequin Junkie, Top Pick
“Another delightful story from the heart of Carolyn Brown, who creates some of the best characters.”
—Fresh Fiction
COWBOY REBEL
“Brown’s capable fourth Longhorn Canyon contemporary western romance…suggests that love can make even the baddest of bad boy cowboys want to settle down. Sweet, sexy romance and a strong heroine elevate the story. Fans of romance series filled with small-town charm and a cast of supportive family and friends will appreciate this installment and seek out earlier ones.”
—Publishers Weekly
COWBOY BRAVE
“Sizzling romance between believable characters is the mainstay of this whimsical novel, which is enhanced by plenty of romantic yearning.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Over 300 pages of warmth, humor and sweet romance…Carolyn Brown always manages to write feel-good stories, and this is definitely a…special read.”
—Harlequin Junkie, Top Pick
COWBOY HONOR
“The slow-simmering romance between Claire and Levi is enhanced by the kind supporting characters and the simple pleasures of ranch life in a story that’s sure to please fans of cowboy romances.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Friendship, family, love, and trust abound in Cowboy Honor.”
—Fresh Fiction
COWBOY BOLD
“Lighthearted banter, heart-tugging emotion, and a good-natured Sooner/Longhorn football rivalry make this a delightful romance and terrific launch for the new series.”
—Library Journal
“Cowboy Bold is the start of a new and amazing series by an author that really knows how to hook her readers with sexy cowboys, strong women, and a bunch of humor…Everything about this book is a roaring good time.”
—Harlequin Junkie, Top Pick
“Everything you could ever ask for in a cowboy romance.”
—The Genre Minx
“Western romance lovers are in for a treat. This wickedly saucy series is unputdownable. There’s no one who creates a rancher with a heart of gold like Carolyn Brown.”
—RT Book Reviews
Looking for more hot cowboys?
Forever has you covered!
COWBOY STRONG
by Carolyn Brown
Alana Carey can out-rope and out-ride the toughest Texas cowboys. But she does have one soft spot—Paxton Callahan. So when her father falls ill, Alana presents Pax with a crazy proposal: to pretend to be her fiancé so her father can die in peace. But as the faux-wedding day draws near, Alana and Paxton must decide whether to come clean about their charade or finally admit their love is the real deal. Includes the bonus story Sunrise Ranch!
COWBOY COURAGE
by Carolyn Brown
Heading back to Texas to hold down the fort at her aunt’s bed-and-breakfast will give Rose O’Malley just the break she needs from the military. But while she may speak seven languages, she can’t repair a leaky sink to save her life. When Hudson Baker strides in like a hero and effortlessly figures out the fix, Rose can’t help wondering if the boy she once crushed on as a kid could now be her saving grace. Includes the bonus story Wildflower Ranch!
Find more great reads on Instagram with @ReadForeverPub
MY KIND OF COWBOY
by R.C. Ryan
Avery Grant hates to admit it, but super-sexy rancher Brand Merrick is testing her patience…and her professionalism. She’s a born-and-bred city girl, yet she finds herself drawn to the rugged wilderness of Montana and the equally rugged cowboy she’s here to help. But when a threat from her past comes calling, can she put her trust in Brand and the growing feelings in her heart? Includes the bonus novel Cowboy Rebel by Carolyn Brown!
Discover bonus content and more on read-forever.com.
Connect with us at Facebook.com/ReadForeverPub
COWBOY COME HOME
by Carly Bloom
As far as Claire Kowalski is concerned, Big Verde, Texas, is perfect, except for one thing: the lack of eligible men. Some days it feels like she’s dated every single one. It’s too bad that the only man who ever tickled her fancy is the wandering, restless cowboy who took her heart with him when he left her father’s ranch years ago. Just when she’s resigned herself to never seeing him again, Ford Jarvis knocks on the door. Includes a bonus story by Sara Richardson!
FIRST KISS WITH A COWBOY
by Sara Richardson
With her carefully ordered life crumbling apart, shy and sensible Jane Harding welcomes the distrac
tion of helping plan her best friend’s wedding. When she discovers that the boy who once tempted her is now the best man, however, her distraction risks becoming a disaster. Toby Garrett may be the rodeo circuit’s sexiest bull rider, but his kiss with Jane has never stopped fueling his fantasies. Can this sweet-talking cowboy prove that the passion still burning between them is worth braving the odds? Includes the bonus story Cowboy to the Rescue by A.J. Pine!
Follow @ReadForeverPub on Twitter and join the conversation using #ReadForever.
A COWBOY FOR KEEPS
by Laura Drake
Not much rattles a cowboy like Reese St. James—until his twin brother dies in a car accident, leaving behind a six-month-old daughter. Reese immediately heads to Unforgiven, New Mexico, to bring his niece home—but the girl’s guardian, Lorelei West, refuses to let a hotshot cowboy like Reese take away her sister’s baby. Only the more time they spend together, the harder it is to deny the attraction between them. Opening their hearts to a child is one thing—can they also open their hearts to a chance at happily-ever-after?
MY ONE AND ONLY COWBOY
by A.J. Pine
Sam Callahan is too busy trying to keep his new guest ranch afloat to spend any time on serious relationships—at least that’s what he tells himself. But when a gorgeous blonde shows up insisting she owns half his property, Sam quickly realizes he’s got bigger problems than Delaney’s claim on the land: She could also claim his heart. Includes a bonus novel by Carolyn Brown!
Sunrise Ranch: A Daisies in the Canyon Novella (The Canyon Series) Page 8