Epilogue
“Tommy, run down to the barn and tell your father that Papa and Nana are here.” Mona stood on the porch, holding squirmy, six-month-old Sophia in her arms.
Grace and William Bryson parked in the driveway and climbed out of the car, one carrying a pie and the other a casserole dish.
“Good grief, Mom.” Mona shook her head. “When I invite you two to dinner, I don’t expect you to bring the food.”
“You know she can’t go anywhere empty handed.” William smiled at his wife and helped her up the steps. Only a slight limp and a droopy eye remained as a reminder of Grace’s stroke five years ago.
“Here, you take the pie. I want my granddaughter.” Grace handed Mona the pie and relieved her of Sophia. “Where’s Rosa, Fernando and Catalina?”
“Rosa and Catalina are inside setting the table, where I should be.” Mona leaned into her daughter’s face and kissed her nose. “Miss Sophia had other plans, didn’t you? Fernando is with Reed down at the barn.”
William glanced around the yard. “Where’s my little man?”
At that moment, Reed, Fernando and Tommy rounded the corner of the house.
“Here I am!” Tomas William Bryson dropped his father’s hand and raced into his papa’s arms.
William lifted the child high into the air before settling him on his shoulders. “What have you been up to today?”
“I rode Dingo all by myself, didn’t I, Daddy?”
Pride shone in Reed’s eyes and smile. “Yes, you did, son. He rode all the way out to the north pasture and back.”
“You’re a regular cowboy, aren’t you?” William said.
“Yes, sir.” He looked at his mother. “I’m hungry, when do we get to eat?”
Mona laughed. “Not yet, sweetie. Not until the whole family is here.”
A truck rumbled down the gravel driveway and pulled in next to William and Grace’s car. Uncle Arty climbed down and smiled. “Is it too late? Did I miss the dinner bell?”
“No, Uncle Arty, you’re just in time. Now that the whole family is here, we get to eat.” Tommy wiggled free of his papa’s arms and ran for the house.
Mona stared around at the people she considered her family gathered on the porch and at the cowboy who’d made her family so full and complete. Her heart swelled with love and happiness.
Everyone filed into the house for dinner. Reed held the door for her, but she didn’t go in immediately.
“What are you thinking?”
“What a wonderful husband you are, and what a terrific father you are to Tommy and Sophia.”
“I love them, just like I love their mother.” He pulled Mona into his arms and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
She laughed, shaking her head.
Reed’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“It’s funny to think it all started with one newspaper ad.”
“Lady, I think your ad-writing days are over.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, wiping all thoughts of ads completely out of her mind.
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