Chapter 53 Roan
ROAN
ONE MONTH LATER
“Mama,” a little voice whispered on the other side of the bed.
Cady was trying to be quiet, I’d give her that. But it was more of a whisper-shout, her excitement bleeding into her voice.
“Mmm,” Aspen mumbled, pressing her backside into me as she shifted.
I fought the urge to groan at the sensation. I mentally recited SAR procedures in my head.
“I gots to show you something,” Cady whispered louder.
I squinted against the early morning light filtering in through the bedroom windows. “What’s going on?” I grumbled.
“We gots to go,” Cady urged.
“The wedding isn’t for hours, Tiny Dancer.”
She bounced on her tiptoes, a ballerina through and through. “Not the wedding. Something else. You have to see.”
“You can keep sleeping,” Aspen told me as she sat up.
I blinked a few times, shoving up against the pillows. “No, I’m up.”
Movement caught my eye, and I tried to shift, but it was too late.
Pirate launched herself from her spot on our dresser and onto my damned head. Her claws dug into my hair and scalp. I spit out some words I really hoped Cady didn’t remember.
“Demon cat,” I growled as I pulled the thing off me.
She swiped at my nose.
“Shit!”
Then the damned cat headbutted my chin and started purring.
Cady and Aspen promptly burst out laughing.
“See, she loves you, Mr. Grizz,” Cady chirped.
I stood, setting the cat on the bed. “Well, her love’s toxic.”
Aspen stifled another giggle and turned to Cady. “What did you want to show us?”
Her eyes brightened. “Come on!”
Aspen grabbed my robe as I picked up a sweatshirt.
“I can’t believe she’s up. She didn’t fall asleep until after ten,” I mumbled as we followed her out the door.
Aspen shrugged. “Big day. She’s excited.”
I wrapped an arm around her and brushed my mouth across hers. “You ready?”
“Would’ve married you the day you asked.”
A burn lit in my chest—the best kind of pain.
Cady opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. There was a light dusting of snow over everything, a sight I’d never get tired of. “Dory came. She brought her family.”
I followed Cady’s hand as she pointed. And there Dory was, surrounded by her herd. That burn deepened and spread. You could never be sure if the ones you helped would make it, but she had. And she’d come to show us that she was okay.
I lifted Cady into my arms. “See those two little ones?”
Cady nodded.
“I’m pretty sure those are her babies. They’re sticking pretty close. She probably had them last spring.”
Cady’s eyes went wide. “I bet they missed her so much when she was gone.”
Aspen slipped under my free arm. “But think how happy they are now that they’re all together.”
A smile spread across Cady’s face. “I bet they’re the happiest. Just like us.”
The burn flared deeper. My girls. I wasn’t sure how, after everything, I’d gotten this damned lucky.
Aspen looked up at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. And I knew she felt the same way.
“Love you, Tender Heart.”
“Love you, too,” she echoed.
“I love you both. And Dory and Mabel and Emmaline and—”
A horn sounded, cutting Cady off and making all the deer head off in the opposite direction. Grae’s SUV pulled to a stop in front of us, and she, Maddie, and Wren jumped out.
“It’s wedding day!” Grae yelled, doing some sort of shimmy shake.
I frowned at her. “Isn’t it a little early?
” I wanted time with my family before we had to deal with all the people.
It was a small wedding, but it had still grown to more than I wanted to deal with.
I would only do this for Aspen. She’d insisted on Jonesy attending, but I’d drawn the line at inviting Dr. Miller, who continued to care for all the animals.
I wasn’t having a man who’d asked her out at our wedding.
“Early?” Maddie asked. “We need all day to prep. It’s girl time. You need to get.”
I jerked back. “It’s my house.”
At least it was for the moment. We’d cleared everything out of my A-frame so we could do a major expansion on the home. We were going to combine our two properties so we could have the view and our animals.
“Not today, it’s not,” Grae singsonged.
Wren patted me on the shoulder. “Holt’s heading up to The Peaks to meet the rest of the guys. Caden’s got them putting on quite the breakfast spread for you.”
“Whatever,” I grumbled.
Aspen stretched up onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips to mine. “See you at the altar?”
I smiled against her mouth. “I’ll be the one saying I do.”
“This collar is making my neck itch,” I muttered.
Holt chuckled. “At least she didn’t want you in a tux or even a tie.”
“Small mercies,” I mumbled.
We were all in navy suits and white shirts.
Nice, but not stuffy. Given we were getting married at Caden’s fancy-ass resort, things could’ve been a lot worse.
But I’d give it to Aspen, the room she’d picked was perfect.
An all-glass conservatory full of plants that looked out at the mountains—just enough space to fit our twenty or so guests.
Nash popped some sort of appetizer into his mouth. “You can get married anytime if these are the snacks Caden provides.”
Caden snorted. “We need an extra food budget just for you.”
Nash patted his stomach. “I’m a growing boy.”
“Yeah, your gut’s growing,” Caden shot back.
Nash glared at him. “I’ll have you know I still have a six-pack. But you look like you’re getting a little soft.”
“Let’s hit the boxing ring tomorrow so I can show you how soft I am.”
Holt shook his head. “At least the black eyes will be after the wedding photos.”
The door to the suite burst open, and Lawson hurried inside. “Sorry I’m late,” he muttered as he ran a hand through his already disheveled dark hair. But it was more than his hair that looked out of sorts. It was him.
“You okay?” I asked.
He jerked his head in a nod. “That interview with the nanny candidate went longer than expected.”
“How’d it go?” Holt asked.
The first few interviews had been disasters: a woman who acted more like a drill sergeant, one Lawson had said spent more time coming on to him than answering questions, and another who had only seemed interested in Lawson’s cable package and snack selection.
Lawson swallowed, his throat working as his hand flexed. “Good.”
Nash arched a brow. “That’s all you’re giving us? You sound like Roan used to.”
“Yeah, man. At least give us another hilarious interview story,” Caden said. “I’ve been living for those.”
“She’s nice. I hired her,” Lawson said.
Holt sent the rest of us a quizzical look. “What’s her name?”
“Hallie.” Lawson cleared his throat. “We’ve actually met before. A long time ago.”
My brows rose at that.
“Where?” Nash asked.
A knock sounded on the door. “I’ll get it,” I said.
Crossing the room, I pulled it open and froze.
Aspen stood in the hall, creating an image that would be burned into my brain for all eternity. She was always beautiful, whether working at The Brew, mucking out stalls, or simply laughing. She could steal my breath anytime. But this was something different.
Her red hair was curled in loose waves around her face, and whatever she’d done with her makeup made her green eyes pierce straight to my soul. And the dress...
I’d never given a damn about a dress until this one.
The straps were a see-through gauzy fabric that made it seem like it was being held up by nothing at all, dipping into a V at the front, showing just a tease of the swells beneath.
It hugged her body and then flared out at the waist in layers of delicate fabric with flowers embroidered on them.
“Tender Heart,” I croaked.
The corner of her mouth kicked up. “You like it?”
“Never seen a more beautiful sight.”
“Roan,” she whispered, emotion clogging her throat.
“Mama, now?” Cady asked at her side.
It was then that I finally took in my Tiny Dancer. She wore a dress similar to her mom’s but in a pale pink with larger flowers.
Aspen grinned. “We were supposed to do this after the ceremony, but someone didn’t want to wait.”
Cady bit her lip and tugged on her mom’s arm. Aspen bent, and Cady whispered in her ear. “What if he doesn’t like it? What if he doesn’t want to?”
I crouched low, taking in the box in Cady’s hand. “You know I’m gonna love whatever you give me because it’s from you.”
Cady’s eyes got glassy, but she still looked a little unsure.
Aspen crouched, too, the fabric of her dress swirling around her. “Sometimes, we just gotta be brave, Katydid. It can feel scary to show people just how much we love them, but Roan loves you right back.”
“To the moon and the stars, Tiny Dancer,” I said.
Cady looked at me, hope in those green eyes. She slowly handed me the box.
I carefully undid the ribbon and opened the lid. There was a stack of papers inside. I scanned the first few lines, and then my gaze jerked to Aspen. “Is this what I think it is?”
Aspen’s eyes filled. “We went to see a lawyer in town, and he helped us with the paperwork. You just have to sign, and then we file.”
“You wanna be my real dad, Mr. Grizz?” Cady asked.
The burn of tears built in my eyes. “Nothing would make me happier, Tiny Dancer.”
She flew at me then. I stood, lifting her into the air, then wrapped Aspen in with us. “Not sure how I got so lucky with these girls of mine.”
Aspen pressed her lips to my throat. “Love you, Roan.”
“In this life and beyond,” I whispered back.