Rancher's Law

Epilogue

The true dog days of summer came in late August, weeks after Oliver Taylor had been found to be in full remission. On the morning the child had been declared cancer-free, Ford called Maple to tell her the good news, and later that night, after they’d celebrated with champagne and cupcakes from Cherry on Top, she’d found him with his arms around Lady Bird’s thick neck, weeping quietly into the dog’s soft fur.

They’d been happy tears, but they’d also been much more. Ford had told Maple about his childhood friend Bobby shortly after she’d surprised him at the hospital with the basket of puppies for Oliver, and she knew that in so many ways, their friendship had made Ford into the man he was today. Driven, responsible, fiercely protective of the people he loved. But once Oliver was released from the hospital—an occasion marked with a goodbye party, complete with cake and a real, live golden-retriever puppy that Maple had helped his mom adopt from a local rescue group—Ford seemed less wistful when he talked about his old friend. He shared good memories of their years together. Bobby’s grandfather sometimes gave them sugar cubes to feed the ponies at the family ranch, and Ford smiled when he told Maple about the feel of the horses’ velvety muzzles against his sticky palm. He drove her down a dusty country road to show her the ranch where Bobby’s family used to live and whooped with joy when he realized the treehouse where they’d played together still stood among a cluster of live oak trees. The grief was still there and always would be, but it was less sharp than it had been before. Ford could finally let his dear friend rest in peace.

Between the pet clinic and trying to get Comfort Paws off the ground, Maple was as busy as ever—but not too busy to slow-dance in the kitchen whenever Ford’s favorite country song came on. Adaline had made good on her promise to take Maple shopping for more practical footwear, but she’d instantly fallen in love with a pair of western booties so bedazzled with rhinestones that they could’ve doubled for a pair of disco balls. She wore them almost daily, and they glittered like crazy every time Ford spun Maple in a twirl and sang to her with his warm lips pressed against her ear.

Ginger grew healthier by the day and, with Lady Bird as their self-appointed canine Mary Poppins, the puppies had hit all their biggest milestones on the holidays that dotted the summer calendar. On Memorial Day, their bright little eyes opened. By the time Bluebonnet’s annual Fourth of July parade marched through the town square, they were eight weeks old and ready to explore the big wide world outside the Sunday house. Peaches and Fuzz loved everyone they encountered, greeting strangers with an adorable wiggle that always transitioned smoothly into a sit position without any prior training. Maple knew without a doubt they’d both make perfect therapy dogs. Both pups displayed the true Cavalier King Charles spaniel temperament—gentle, affectionate and eager to please.

And now, on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, the time had come for them to go to their new homes. Adaline was adopting Fuzz, whom she’d taken to calling Fuzzy. Belle had staked her claim on Peaches, and both women were fully invested in completing therapy-dog training. So was Jenna, who couldn’t wait to bring Ginger home and give her all the love and spoiling she deserved. Comfort Paws was really happening! On Maple’s birthday, her parents had surprised her with a large donation—enough to fund dog training, buy T-shirts with the new Comfort Paws logo, and purchase therapy-dog-in-training vests for the pups scheduled to start class in the fall. Charles and Meredith Leighton hadn’t been back to Bluebonnet since their surprise trip a few months ago, and when she’d come home from County General that night, they’d already gone. But slowly and surely, they were coming to accept the fact that Maple had decided how she wanted to live her life and she wouldn’t be swayed.

“Ford, what’s going on in there? The girls are going to be here any minute,” Maple called from the living room, where he’d ordered her to stay put while he got the puppies ready for one last picture with her before they left for their new homes. He’d been holed up with the dogs in the kitchen for several long minutes. She had no idea what they could possibly be doing in there.

“We’re just about ready. This is a big day. Peaches and Fuzz are the foundation puppies of Comfort Paws. It seemed like they should dress up for the occasion,” Ford yelled from the kitchen.

Dress up?Where had that idea come from? Maple had never once mentioned putting costumes on any of the dogs before. However, Lady Bird was going to make an awfully cute pumpkin when Halloween rolled around.

“Here they come!” Ford announced. Then, in a whisper just loud enough for Maple to overhear, he said, “Wait, Peaches. Come back here. Fuzzy was supposed to go first.”

Too late. Peaches came bounding around the corner, scampering toward the living room in a Tiffany Blue sweater with white lettering that Maple couldn’t quite make out.

“He dressed you in a sweater?” Maple squatted and called Peaches toward her. “Does he realize how hot it is outside?”

The little dog’s tail wagged so quick and fast that it was nothing but a blur. Her paws skidded on the hard wood floor as she flung herself at Maple before landing in a clumsy sit.

She scooped up the puppy and inspected the sweater. An M and an E were positioned over the dog’s back.

ME?Maple was more confused than ever. “Ford, this is super cute, but I’m not sure I get it.”

Fuzz came stumbling into the room next, ears flying as he tripped over his own paws. The sweater stretched over his pudgy little body was identical to the one Peaches had on, with one notable exception.

“What does yours say, Fuzzy?” Maple set Peaches back down on the ground and tucked her hair behind her ears for a closer look.

MARRY.

She glanced back and forth between the two dogs. “Me marry?”

Ford strolled into the room behind the dogs with a sheepish grin on his face, the likes of which she’d never seen before. “Fuzz was supposed to go first.”

He reached down to rearrange the puppies. “See?”

MARRY ME.

Maple’s heart flew to her throat. She was so stunned that she hadn’t realized Ford had dropped to one knee when he’d bent to rearrange the dogs and pulled a small velvet ring box from the pocket of his denim shirt—the same one he’d been wearing on the day they’d met, with the sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms, just the way she liked.

“Is this a puppy proposal?” she blurted through giddy tears.

“It seemed only appropriate. How else would I propose to a woman like the love of my life? I’m not sure you realize this, but you have a thing for dogs.” He flipped open the box to reveal a sparkling emerald-cut solitaire surrounded by a frame of slender baguette diamonds. Maple had never seen another ring like it before.

“I love you, sweetheart. I want to keep building this crazy, unpredictable life with you,” he said as the puppies climbed all over him in their delight at having one of their favorite humans down on their level. “Me marry?”

It was the most ridiculous proposal Maple could’ve imagined—as ridiculous as a man bringing a robot dog into the vet’s office with a dead battery and a green bean stuck in its mouth.

And that’s precisely what’s made it perfect.

“Yes, a thousand times yes.”