She kept her tone light, and Shane gave her a soft nudge. “So long as you don’t mess it up.”
They laughed and walked hand in hand, following the boys as they ran toward the train. Once she got the boys settled in their cars and off on the ride, she let out a contented sigh.
A day like this was what she’d always wanted for her family. But having Shane here to share it with made it all the more joyful.
Maybe Helen hadn’t been able to be a part of their lives for as long as Leah would have liked. But she was still with them in spirit, and because she’d never given up on loving them, their lives were now full of blessings they could have never imagined.
Shane pulled her closer to him. “A penny for your thoughts.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “They’re worth a whole lot more than a penny. More like a ranch. And even then, I’m not sure you could put a price tag on them. Because the depth of love the Bible teaches us about is priceless, and I’m so grateful to have experienced it, thanks to Helen and thanks to you.”
He gently cupped her chin, then kissed her on top of her head. “Knowing Helen, she would say that all of the hardship she went through in life was worth it to have you say that. And I hope you know, that’s how I feel about loving you.”
Despite her son’s explicit warnings for them not to kiss again, Leah couldn’t help straightening to her tiptoes to give Shane a kiss. Just a little one, but enough for him to know how much she loved him. “I do know now. And it feels like coming home.”
Epilogue
They’d been riding in Shane’s truck over rough terrain for longer than Leah’s nerves would have liked. But when they arrived at the expansive land before them, with mountains peeking in the distance, she couldn’t complain. The scenery was breathtaking. Even the boys, who’d started to get cranky, seemed to know this was a special place.
“Come on, guys, we’re here.” Shane’s voice sounded as excited as it had Christmas morning, when he’d invited them over to his house.
He’d had special presents for them all, including a cowboy hat for Dylan. Which Dylan basically never took off unless it was improper to be wearing one. He’d probably sleep in it, too, if she would let him. That, and the cowboy boots Shane had gotten them. Both boys wore theirs with pride, saying they were just like Mister Shane.
Once they all got out of the truck and were standing at the fence, Leah noticed the cows in the distance. And they had clearly noticed them, too. Because they were all coming toward them. Now that she was back working with Shane, Leah knew this meant the cows thought they were getting fed. Unfortunately, there wasn’t more than the extra bale of hay Shane always kept in the back of his truck. Not nearly enough to feed these beasts.
One of the cows in particular came toward them, and Shane immediately climbed the fence and went over to her. He patted her and stroked her neck. He’d always told them that cows were not pets, but this cow seemed to be a favorite of his.
“What are you doing, petting that cow like a dog?” she asked.
Shane grinned. “This one is special. Her name is Petunia, and she and I have a special bond. You remember those cows that caused so many problems between us?”
Leah nodded. Even though they’d resolved their differences about the herd, they’d agreed, after Leah talked to the vet, that that herd was not for her to learn on. So she’d let it go and focused mainly on working with Shane’s healthy cows, learning about them and tending to the ones who became ill from time to time.
“Well, Petunia was one of the sickest ones. I only ended up losing four head, but there were a lot of times I thought I would lose Petunia. When things looked most hopeless between you and me, Petunia was who I talked to about it. And I told her, that if she made it through and you forgave me, I would invite her to our wedding.”
Leah stared at him. He did not just tell her he’d invited a cow to their wedding. Not that they had one planned. She knew they’d plan the future together, and for now, it was enough. Though her sisters teasing her about it was starting to get old.
“Come meet her,” Shane said. “You too, boys.”
“I pet a cow.” Ryan’s joyful laugh made her smile. He’d just turned three, too young to really know what he was going to do with his life, but given the joy he found in petting the animals, she knew he would someday end up working with them. Maybe he would be taking over the family ranch.
Dylan gave Leah a small shove in the direction of the fence. “Mom. She’s just a cow. She’s not going to bite.”
She glanced at her son, who certainly looked like he was scheming again. She’d handled plenty of cows and knew they wouldn’t bite. Once she and Shane had been together for six months and their relationship was looking stable, Dylan had started once again making noises about wanting Shane to be his dad. And as many times as both adults reminded him that it was a grown-up situation, it didn’t stop her son from continuing to ask.
Therapy had done wonders for Dylan, and she and Shane had joined in on a few of the sessions. She wished it had been something she’d done with Jason, not necessarily because she thought it would have changed the outcome, but maybe she would’ve been better able to handle the situation. Now, she felt she had the skills to deal with her relationship issues as well as handle the things from her past that still bubbled up. Most important, she’d seen the growth in her son and was grateful.
She climbed the fence, then she and Dylan helped Ryan through. When they got to Shane, Leah was pleased to see how well her boys were following the rules. They’d learned not to run or shout and to listen to Shane’s instructions.
“It’s all right, you can come close to her. Unlike most cows, she’s not afraid of humans. The vet says it’s because she bonded to me. And she’s one hundred percent healthy. As a matter of fact, they’ve all been given a clean bill of health and show no sign of disease.”
Leah, Shane and the boys approached, taking turns to pet the cow.
“What’s that around her neck?” Leah asked, reaching for what appeared to be a ribbon. She was starting to learn that Shane had a little bit of sentimentality in him, but she hadn’t expected that he would put a ribbon around a cow’s neck.
But then she noticed what was on the ribbon.
An engagement ring hung from it, glistening in the sunlight.
“That’s for you,” Shane said. “Actually, they’re all for you. Back in the old days, there were dowries and such, and many a man traded his cattle for a good woman. So I’m giving all these cows to you. You’re a good woman, and I wanted to give you a symbol, not only of my love, but of my absolute faith in you.”
He was giving her cows? Granted, there was an engagement ring dangling from the ribbon on the cow’s neck, but cows?
They’d talked about marriage, but seeing the ring made her chest tighten in a funny way and brought tears to her eyes.
Shane got down on one knee. “I promised Petunia that when the time was right, I would ask you to marry me. I talked with your boys and asked their permission, right after I talked to your sisters. But, ultimately, the choice is yours. Will you be my wife?”
Tears ran down her face as she saw the love shining in Shane’s eyes. She reached over and took the ribbon off the cow, handing it to Shane. “Will you put it on me?”
He stood and slipped the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. Dylan brought his brother around to Shane. “Does this mean we can stop calling you Mister Shane? Because me and Ryan have been talking, and we really want to call you Dad.”
At three, Ryan was hardly the conversationalist. But, as though he could sense her thoughts, he turned to Shane and said, “Dad.”
When Shane scooped the little boy up in his arms, there were tears in his eyes. “Your mom hasn’t said yes yet.”
Leah held her hand out to her son. “I couldn’t think of anything I want more. Yes, I will marr
y you.”
And even though Shane still held Ryan, and Dylan had his arms around them, she stepped up and kissed her fiancé. They were family now, and being together felt right.
But the kiss was over too soon, with Ryan squirming in Shane’s arms. Shane set the little boy down, and Dylan held his hand out to him. “Let’s go over there and pick some flowers for Mom. We can give the grown-ups a little privacy.”
He sounded so mature, so wise. When Leah glanced at him, he tipped his hat at her just like Shane did. A year ago, he would have thrown a fit at the idea of keeping his brother occupied for a few minutes so the adults could have a moment to themselves, but as she watched Dylan help Ryan up after stumbling over a rock or something, her heart filled with pride at how much her son had grown.
Between therapy, going to church and having the example of a good man who loved him, Dylan was thriving. And Leah had learned that love really was about seeing things long-term.
Everything from their Bible studies was true. Love was patient, being willing to see it through for the long term. Love was kind. Love was...
Before she could finish the thought, Shane’s arms came around her, and he gave her a proper kiss. Everything she’d learned about love during her time here in Columbine Springs was embodied in this one moment with the man who proved that there was such a thing as love like that.
Unfortunately, even with Dylan taking his brother away, there was still one distraction. Petunia let out a long moo to remind them that she was still there.
But that was life on the ranch. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
* * *
If you loved this tale of Western romance,
be sure to check out these other
stories of Western romance:
The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby
by Jill Lynn
A Cowboy in Shepherd’s Crossing
by Ruth Logan Herne
Her Cowboy’s Twin Blessings
by Patricia Johns
Beneath Montana Skies
by Mia Ross
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Dear Reader,
One of the things I’ve been thinking about a lot is what it means to love one another. The theme verse for this story—1 Corinthians 13, verses 4–8 and 13—has been on my mind a lot lately, especially as I look at how I love the others in my life. Leah has learned to see love as being one way, Shane another, and it took them being reminded about what the Bible says about love to truly understand how to love one another. Sometimes, we get our minds set on what we think love means—what has to happen in our lives to feel loved. And yet, so much of how we measure love isn’t how we’re supposed to measure love at all. Even though I know I don’t always do it right, I’m so grateful that God sees my heart and chooses to love me anyway. I pray that you, too, will know the kind of love Jesus teaches us about in the Bible.
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Sending love and prayers to you and yours,
Danica Favorite
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Their Family Blessing
by Lorraine Beatty
Chapter One
The office was exactly what widow Carly Porter Hughes had expected from a small-town attorney. Wood paneling, thick carpets, massive desk and walls lined with legal books. It had been designed to instill trust and confidence in those who entered, none of which she was feeling at the moment. Nathan Holt came around his desk, greeting her with a smile and a firm handshake before smiling down at her six-year-old daughter, Ella.
Carly hugged Ella close to her side. “I hope you don’t mind me bringing her along. I had no one to leave her with.”
“Certainly not. In fact, I have some books over here she can look at while we talk business.”
With Ella settled in, Carly took a seat in front of the desk, smoothed the front of her gray skirt, then clasped her hands tightly in her lap. The reading of the will. The whole situation seemed surreal. She never expected to be back in Hastings, Mississippi, and she certainly hadn’t expected to inherit anything from her father. They hadn’t spoken in years. Mostly she resented the demand for her presence at the reading.
Carly swallowed past the tightness in her throat. All she wanted to do was get through this ordeal and head back to Atlanta, where she belonged. “Can we get started, Mr. Holt? I’m anxious to get back home.”
Holt nodded slowly. “I understand, but we’re waiting for the other beneficiary to arrive. He should be here any moment.”
“Other beneficiary?” Who in the world could he be talking about? She had no siblings, and only a very distant cousin she’d never even met. She started to ask who it was when the door opened behind her and Holt stood, a welcoming smile on his round face.
“Ah, there you are. Have a seat, Mr. Bridges, and we’ll get started.”
Carly’s heart skipped a beat. No. It couldn’t be. She turned her head to the side and her gaze traveled up the long length of the man who had entered. Her gaze collided with his and her mind hiccupped. Mackenzie Bridges. The last person on earth she wanted to see.
He held her gaze, a hint of amusement lifting one side of his mouth. “Hello, Carly.” He took the seat beside her and crossed his long legs.
It took her longer than it should have to find her voice. Mack had changed. He’d be thirty-four now, two years older than her, and the years had been very kind to him. The tall slender boy she remembered had grown into a very handsome man. His six-foot frame had developed a pair of broad shoulders that spoke of his strength. His dark brown hair, once so long and careless, was now trimmed neatly, wavy enough so it invited a woman to run her fingers through it. His sky blue eyes still held a perpetual sparkle, and his crooked smile was still very much in evidence and hadn’t lost any of its charm. “You’re the other beneficiary?”
“It appears so.”
She should have known. Her father had always loved Mack, his surrogate so
n, more than her.
Holt opened the file and Mack leaned forward, looking over at Ella. “Yours?”
“Yes.” Carly tried to not look at him, but he was still very hard to ignore. Dressed in dark slacks and a pale blue shirt, he looked professional. Not like the jeans-and-T-shirt-wearing boy she remembered. Pushing her hair behind her ear, she refocused. She wanted to get through the reading and go home. Holt began explaining about the unusual nature of the will, which sent a small frisson of concern along her nerves.
“To my daughter, Carly Porter Hughes, I leave the Longleaf Lodge and all its contents.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. This was the first light at the end of the dark financial tunnel she’d been in for the last few years. Things had been hard enough after her husband had died, but the addition of Ella’s surgery had only made things worse.
“To my dear friend, Mackenzie Scott Bridges, I leave all the land on which Longleaf Lodge sits, including the cabins, canoe livery, pool and campgrounds.”
Mack rubbed his forehead. “This doesn’t make any sense. Why not divide it up equally between us?”
Holt peered over his glasses. “There’s more.”
He read a long passage of legalese that left Carly more confused than ever. “I’m sorry, but could you just spell it out for me.”
The attorney sighed, removed his glasses and then leaned back in his chair. “Basically it comes down to this. Neither of you can sell your portion of the estate unless both agree. You are required to live at the lodge for the next two months, reopen the business and run it for the duration of this agreement. At the end of that time if you haven’t agreed to either keep the estate and continue to run it jointly or mutually agreed to sell, then the estate will be put up for auction and the proceeds given to charity.”
Carly’s mind was reeling. “Can he do this? We either follow his dictates or we get nothing?”
“I’m afraid so. I understand this is an unusual situation, but I assure you it’s all legal. Of course, if you both agree to sell, we can start that process right now.”
Her Cowboy Inheritance Page 18