Epilogue
EPILOGUE
ONE WEEK LATER
Brody held Hannah’s hand tightly beneath the table in the den as his father read the lease agreement they’d had drawn up to allow Rocky Road use of Hannah’s land for cattle grazing. Many arguments and conversations had led to this moment, and if his father didn’t accept it, their relationship was going to be rockier than it was already.
As his father turned over the last page and set aside his new reading glasses, Brody’s gut tightened, and instinctually, he reached down to rub Cami behind her ear. She’d become his shadow whenever he was at the ranch since he’d moved in with Hannah.
“This seems fair. I’m guessing that if I sign this, you plan to attend the academy in January.” His father frowned, obviously not excited by that idea.
He wasn’t backing down. “Yes, I will.”
His dad surprised him by turning to Hannah. “And you’re okay with him taking on a new career away from here?”
She smiled confidently. “I am.” She turned to look at him. “If he gets a position in another part of the state, we’ll move there. We can always move back if we retain the land. And if we leave, it wouldn’t make a difference to the cattle.”
“Hmpf.” His dad lifted the lease agreement and continued speaking just to Hannah. “And you’re in agreement with this too?”
She nodded. “I am. This will give us time to decide what we want to do with the property, and you a chance to get the dude ranch profitable.”
“I have one last requirement.” His father set the agreement down and sat back in his wheelchair.
His gut twisted. “Dad, we talked about everything. You can’t suddenly add more requirements”
Hannah squeezed his hand tighter. “Hold on, Brody. Let’s hear him out.”
“I want grandchildren.”
“Dad! You go too far.”
“No, I don’t. I’m in my fifties and Tanner has no children yet.”
Brody was done with living by his father’s needs. “You have a grandchild. Jackson brought you home a granddaughter. Be satisfied with that. Hannah and I will have children if and when we want to. Now sign the lease.” He let go of Hannah’s hand and flipped the pages over, leaving the final page with the place for his father to sign facing up.
His dad sighed, but didn’t balk any longer. Leaning forward, he signed his name, or the best he could since the stroke. “There.” He set the pen down.
“And you’ll release Brody from his promise, right?” Hannah’s back was straighter than a pitchfork handle as she looked his father in the eye.
“Yes. At the end of the year, I release you from your promise, Brody.”
Relief swept through him as if he’d just passed his final exams. “Thank you.” He rose. “We thank you.”
His father waved him away. “Go on. I expect there will be a celebratory dinner tonight. I’ll have Amanda make a copy and get it to you.”
His dad didn’t smile, but he sensed a feeling of relief from him as well. “Don’t worry. I have steaks and sweet potatoes planned for dinner tonight.”
His father just nodded before turning his wheelchair around to face the television.
Having been dismissed, he took Hannah’s hand and left the house. Once outside, he grinned. “We did it!”
She gave him a big hug. “We did! You’re free and we still own my land. We’re going to have to get Tanner a thank-you gift for his idea.” She let go of him, smiling as wide as he was.
“I agree. After talking with my dad, maybe we should get him some Viagra.”
“Brody!”
He laughed, too happy with the outlook of his future to let anything bother him. But then he sobered as he realized something was missing. “Where’s Cami?” He’d been leaving her at the ranch house at night because he didn’t want to crowd Hannah’s casita.
Hannah looked around, then pointed to the house. “Did you leave her inside?”
He turned on his heel, concerned. Cami never let him out of the house without begging to go too, especially now.
He opened the door expecting her to greet him, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Hannah stepped in behind him. “I’ll check the den.”
“I’ll take the bedrooms.” As they split up, he thought about calling her, but was far too curious to find out where she’d gone. Two of the bedroom doors were shut, his dad’s and Jackson’s, so he checked Tanner’s then his own at the end of the house. That’s where he found her.
Cami lay on his bed, her head between her paws as she looked up at him. “Ah, girl. Do you miss me?” He sat down next to his dog and stroked her, his heart aching that she had to stay at the ranch. He really needed to get the addition to the casita started soon.
Hannah peeked her head in. “Oh, you found her.” She walked closer.
Cami lifted her head for a pat, and Hannah didn’t hesitate.
He liked that she was far more comfortable with Cami. “I think she misses me at night, even though I’ve been able to have her with me during the day now that it’s cooler.”
Cocking her head, Hannah lowered her brows. “Why don’t you bring her home at night? I thought it was because she likes being here.”
Surprised, he shook his head. “No. I was keeping her here until I get the addition done. She’s a big dog and the casita is, well, small.”
Hannah squeezed herself in on the bed at Cami’s head. “You mean like this.”
He grinned. “Yes, exactly. Could you imagine walking around her, or sleeping with her?”
“Yes, I can. And we can always get her a doggy bed.”
He pointed to the one on the other side of the room. “I tried that already.”
Hannah shrugged her shoulders. “So we try again. Our bedroom is a lot smaller. She’s part of our family. I think we should take her home.”
If he didn’t already love Hannah, he was certain he would have fallen in love with her right then. How the heck had he gotten so lucky? He pulled her toward him over Cami and kissed her.
Cami lifted her head and licked at their chins, and he pulled away laughing. “Yes, girl. You can come home with me.”
As if she understood him, she jumped off the bed and stood looking at him with her tail wagging.
Hannah stood, then walked over to the dog bed and picked it up. “Would you like that? Would you like to come home?”
Cami turned in circles before giving a short bark.
He rose and wrapped his arm around Hannah. “I swear I’m the luckiest cowboy in the world to have two such lovely ladies in my life.”
“Yes, you are. Now let’s go home and celebrate.”
They headed back out with Cami in tow. He opened the door to his truck and Cami jumped in the front passenger seat. “Sorry girl. You can come, but you need to sit in the back now. He pointed to the back seat and Cami jumped over the center console. “Good girl.”
He stepped back to allow Hannah to enter, then closed the door for her.
As he walked around to the driver side, he caught Jackson standing just outside the barn watching them. He turned toward his brother, but Jackson disappeared back into the stable. He hesitated, not sure what to do. The Jackson who had left Rocky Road on his last deployment was his fun self and even more adventurous, but the Jackson who came home was sullen and angry at the world. Hopefully, he just needed time.
Knowing how he himself felt when he was pissed, he decided to go home instead. Jackson wasn’t ready for his little brother to be bothering him. Still, as he got behind the wheel, he looked back at the barn where Jackson had stood, wishing he could help.
“It’s okay Brody. When he wants to talk, he will.”
He gave Hannah a nod and started down the rocky driveway. Halfway down, he turned to her. “Maybe Jackson needs a pet.”
She laughed. “He has a daughter. The last thing he needs is something else to take care of.”
“You’re right. I was just thinking about what makes me happy. If he doesn’t need a pet, then maybe what he needs is a wife.”
Hannah shook her head. “Don’t go there. Your success rate as a matchmaker is zero.”
“Hey, I’ve never tried to match two people up.”
“See, so why ruin a perfect record?”
He grinned, even as he slowed for a particularly large bump. “I understand what you’re saying. Stay out of Jackson’s life until he invites me in.”
“You’re so smart. That’s why I fell in love with you.”
“And here I thought it was because of how handsome I am.”
She coughed as if choking and he stopped the truck. “What?”
She rested her hand on his face. “You are handsome, but that’s not why I fell for you. You make me feel safe and like I belong somewhere.”
He turned his face to kiss her hand. “You belong with me always. Now, let’s go home. I have a special treat to celebrate.”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “Oh, I bet I know what it is.”
He laughed, “Well, that too, but that is a special treat every night. This is something else.”
Despite the myriad questions she asked him all the way back to the casita, he wouldn’t tell her. It needed to be a surprise.
Once inside, Hannah brought Cami into the bedroom. He went into the kitchen where he’d hidden the Tres Leches cake he’d finally perfected at the ranch the day before. Pulling it out, he set it on the small table they had added to the kitchen since he’d moved in.
“We’ll have to use some of the dishes for food and water for Cami. I’m sure—” Hannah halted. “What’s this?”
He held up two forks. “It’s Mr. Dunn’s Tres Leches cake.”
“Oh, you did it?” She moved forward and accepted a fork.
“Yes. Or at least, I believe so. Sit.” He held out the chair for her. Then sitting across from her, he held his fork above the cake on his side.
“We’re not going to cut it?”
“Why? It’s just the two of us. And if it’s as good as I think it is, we may just eat the whole thing.”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “I can’t wait.”
“Ready?” He held his fork just above the cake and waited for her to do the same.
“Ready.”
They both took a forkful into their mouths. Shit, it was really good, but he enjoyed watching Hannah’s eyes close in delight even more.
Her eyes opened and she gave him a big smile. “It’s perfect. No, better than perfect. I think it’s even better than Mama Juanita’s!”
Her compliment made him feel invincible. “Thank you.”
She rose and pulled her chair next to his. “We need to practice for our wedding.” She took another forkful out of the cake and held it up.
Understanding dawned. “I don’t think I need any practice.” He dipped two fingers into the cake and held it before her mouth.
“Oh, I like this.” She opened her mouth and he gently inserted his fingers.
As she sucked the cake off, he felt himself harden.
“It’s even better that way. Now your turn.” She held up the fork.
Obediently, he opened his mouth.
She started forward with the fork, and then with her other hand, smashed the cake off it onto his face.
Immediately she jumped up to run, but he grabbed her hand and spun her around and onto his lap. He grabbed a handful of cake and stuffed it down her button-down shirt.
She squealed. “That’s cold.”
“Is it? Then allow me to wipe it off.” As he unbuttoned her shirt, she remained still, until his tongue found the cake and licked at her skin. When he’d cleaned everything off, she cocked her head at him. “I think I like it this way best. There’s only one other place that might be better. On you.”
His groin reacted to her suggestion. “Since you are the bride to be, I am at your service.”
She rose and with one hand took a handful of cake before kneeling before him to unzip his jeans with her other hand. “Now, cowboy, let’s see who does it better.”
Even as the cold cake hit him, he was sure she would do it better. Her tongue took its first stroke and he gave himself up to her ministrations, content at last.
She would always be his better half, the best part of him. All his life he’d looked for the career of his dreams when all along all he needed was Hannah, the woman of his heart.