The Rancher Wore Suits
Page 19
A voice over the speaker announced the flight was boarding.
“Ten more gates,” Ty yelled.
Jessica raced after him, her shoes clacking. George took the corner on one wheel of the wheelchair, and nearly knocked over a nun. Ty’s grandmother shrieked, threw out her legs as if to brake, and sent one of her shoes flying.
“My shoe!” Grandmother Montgomery shouted.
“We’ll get it on the way back,” George called, heaving as he jogged faster.
“Ladies and gentlemen, that was our last boarding call.”
“They’re closing the gate!” Ty shouted.
“Stop!” George yelled.
Grandmother Montgomery leaped out of the wheelchair and flagged down an attendant. “Tell them to hold that flight to Bozeman! My grandson has to get on it.”
“Ma’am…”
“Do it,” George ordered. “It’s an emergency!”
Grandmother Montgomery dropped back into the chair and flicked her hand toward the gate.
Ty heaved a breath. “We’re almost there.”
Jessica was panting as she ran behind him.
The attendant started to close the gate.
“Wait!” George yelled.
“Hold the plane!” Grandmother Montgomery shouted.
Ty and Jessica shoved their tickets into the attendant’s hands.
The flight attendant narrowed irritated eyes and told them to hurry.”
Grandmother Montgomery straightened her silk pantsuit and stood, hobbling to say goodbye on one shoe. Somehow, she still looked dignified, Ty thought, affection warm in his chest. George mopped his brow with a handkerchief.
She hugged Jessica first. “I’m so glad you’ll be in the family, dear. You take care of my grandson.”
“Don’t worry.” Jessica hugged her in return. “I will.”
“And bring him back to see me.”
Jessica nodded and stepped aside for Ty to say his goodbye.
“Thank you, Grandmother. I…I’m glad I came and got to know you.”
“And I’m proud to have you as a part of the family.” She pulled him close and hugged him fiercely. “Now, be good to that girl. And bring my great-grandkids to see me.”
George pounded him on the back. “Don’t forget my chaps, Mr. Ty.”
“I won’t.” Ty shook his hand. “And I won’t forget you, George.”
George straightened, that twitch of a smile in place. “Just invite me to the wedding, sir. I’ve always wanted to travel out West
Ty nodded. The attendant cleared her throat. “Let’s go, folks. We do have a schedule to keep.”
Ty and Jessica joined hands and rushed through the door to board.
Seconds later, they slid into their seats. Ty threw his arm around Jessica and hugged her to him. “I can’t wait to make you Mrs. Ty Cooper.”
Jessica laughed. “That sounds like a macho cowboy thing to say.” She tugged at his denim shirt. “Especially for a rancher who wore suits the last few weeks.”
“I hated those danged things,” Ty admitted. He nuzzled her neck. “But I will wear one for our wedding if you want.”
She kissed him tenderly. “I want you just the way you are, Ty. In your cowboy boots and hat.”
Epilogue
Ty squeezed Jessica’s hand as the plane took off, his heart full of love and hope and the future.
A bittersweet feeling followed.
Was this the way his father had felt when he’d left the Montgomerys and flown to Montana with his mother to become part of the Cooper family? Ty now understood why his Grandfather Cooper hadn’t cared about making more money. The Coopers already had everything they needed—each other.
His only regret was that the Montgomerys and Coopers hadn’t ended their feud. And that Grandfather Montgomery hadn’t accepted him or the Coopers as family.
As Atlanta faded behind him, Ty realized he had a lot of things to tell his brother—all the things he’d discovered about Grandfather Montgomery and the way their parents had parted, the reasons Grandfather Montgomery had held on so tightly to the boys’ father, the way his grandmother had hugged him and assured him that one day things might be all right. Dex probably had a lot to tell him, too. In fact, now that he thought about it, Dex had sounded a little strange when they’d last spoken on the phone. Ty had been so absorbed in his own problems and worried about his grandfather that he hadn’t thought much about it at the time. But now, worry sneaked in on him.
Dex had asked a lot of questions about Leanne.
What exactly had happened back at the ranch…
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7872-5
THE RANCHER WORE SUITS
Copyright © 2002 by Rita B. Herron.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
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* The Hartwell Hope Chests
† Trading Places
** Nighthawk Island
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Sev
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Epilogue