Lauren’s Epilogue #2
“You know my logic. If I dress too warmly now, I won’t have anything to work up to later this winter. I start out light.” He extended his bent elbow toward me. “Shall we?”
I took his arm, loving the way his sturdy bicep felt under my hand. “We shall.”
As we wound our way up the trail that would lead to a hill overlooking the ranch, we were both quiet, taking in the starry night sky.
It felt wonderful to stretch my legs and breathe in the fresh air after a long afternoon of sitting around in a warm room, eating way too much food.
When we got to the top, we paused to take in the view.
Matthew put his arm around my shoulder, and I melted into him.
“It’s been a perfect day,” I said with a sigh. “Or it would have been if Serge and Julien were here. I miss them.”
“Once we’re moved into our own place, we’ll get all the kids out here,” Matthew promised.
We turned to look back into the distance from where we’d come. Matthew got quiet, and I saw him reach into his pocket. My breath caught in my chest when he pulled out a small jewelry box and placed it in my hands.
“What’s this?” I wasn’t worried that he was prematurely proposing. We’d already discussed our feelings on engagement and marriage, and we were in agreement that, for now, we were happy to leave things as they were. At least I thought we were…
I lifted the cover off the box to find a keychain with a leather strap that could be held in my hand or worn on my wrist. The name Silver Sage was embossed on the leather, and five keys hung from the keyring.
“You’re a co-owner,” he said, “so you need a set of your own keys to everything. I wanted to make it look nice for you.”
I held the keys in my hands, emotion flooding through me. “Thank you. You always know how to make me feel at home here.”
He reached over and touched one of the keys.
“This is the master key for all the main buildings—the office, kitchen, dining room, and pool house.” He touched another key and gave me a knowing look.
“This one is for the wine cellar.” He touched the third key.
“Front gate so you never have to sleep on the ground again unless you want to, and” —he touched the fourth key— “this starts up the Suburban, which I’ll teach you how to drive. ”
I’d lived in New York City so long, using public transportation or riding in hired cars, that I wasn’t a confident driver anymore.
“Oh, gosh, that huge thing?” I took a deep breath, reminding myself that I was Lauren Wagonblast out here. “What am I saying? I can definitely learn to drive the Suburban.”
“That’s my girl.”
I touched the last key. “What’s this one?”
“That’s the key to Bluebell Cottage. I’ll make sure we’re moved in by the time you get back here in January.”
We were spending Christmas in New York so the next time I came back to Silver Sage would be the new year. A new year, a new house, a new life…
Matthew gazed into my eyes. “We’re moving pretty fast here, and I want you to know that I’m going to take care of your heart. I won’t hurt you the way that other guy did.”
Tears clouded my vision. “I’ll always take care of your heart, too. I promise you that, Matthew.”
A little over four months ago, when I was drowning in humiliation and self-pity, I thought my life was over.
I was right. That old life had to die for this new world to open up for me.
As much as I wished it had happened earlier, it had to be this way.
Timing was everything in life, and it had brought me to this wonderful man standing in front of me, asking me to put my trust in him.
Matthew leaned down and kissed me, and it was as sweet as the first time. He pulled me into his arms and held me to his chest, where I could feel his heart beating. The love we felt for each other burned as brightly as a meteor shower on a dark Wyoming night.
* * *
“Should we see how the card games are going in the Round Room?” Matthew asked when we were nearly back to the house.
“Sounds good to me.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him toward me for one more quick kiss. “I might need some tea. I always get sleepy after a big meal.”
Matthew pointed to a patrol car pulling up to the ranch’s main office, spotting it before I did. “What’s the sheriff doing out here?”
We walked faster as a knot of worry tightened in my gut. The sheriff, a middle-aged woman with closely clipped hair, stepped out of the car and put on a hat that matched her brown uniform.
“Evening, Matthew.” She looped her thumbs on the thick belt around her waist. It was impossible not to notice the gun hanging at her side. “I need to speak to your brother Bowie.”
Matthew and I were only a few feet away from her now.
“Is he in some type of trouble, Sheriff?” he asked. “Can you tell me what’s going on?”
“I need to speak to Bowie directly,” she said. “I have someone with me who I’m told belongs to him.”
“Someone who belongs to him?” Matthew repeated. “What are you talking about?”
“Look inside the squad car,” she said. “I’m supposed to speak to Bowie about this but you can draw your own conclusions. It’s a tale as old as time.”
Matthew and I looked at each other then peered into the dark depths of the back seat of the car. When I saw who was inside, I gasped.