Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
“Hey, can you handle the rest of this?” Brent dragged his gloved hand across his forehead to wipe away the sweat.
His cousins Bo and Jack were wrestling one of the last of the cows into the corral to administer her annual vaccine.
They were just about done and at this rate, Brent was going to be late for a very important meeting.
Today’s work had taken longer than usual. They were down a few of the guys which left Brent cancelling some of his training sessions to help out.
Thankfully, Tate and Jason were understanding. They’d offered to work with the two boys that Brent was teaching, but Brent refused. He wouldn’t ever tell the twins this, but the kids liked him better. He understood them in a way that the twins simply couldn’t.
It had been Faith’s idea to send out the word to people in town that he was teaching now. With his wins last year, he’d drawn his fair share of interest. It wasn’t even just kids he taught. There were some adults who wanted to try their hand just because they wanted to see what it was like.
Suffice to say, the amateur competitions were filling up faster and faster in Rocky Ridge and the surrounding cities.
Word did get out who Brent’s biological father was, and his extended family took it all in stride. He wasn’t treated any differently, and neither were his parents. He didn’t know why he’d thought that would happen, but it was nice to know that his family had their backs.
Tate and Jason warmed up to him again once they realized he wasn’t going anywhere, which was probably the reason his phone had been buzzing nonstop for the last ten minutes.
Bo glanced up at him and nodded with a grunt as he released the cow he’d been holding steady for Jack. “Good luck tonight.”
Brent grinned. He hadn’t told many about his plans for tonight because he couldn’t trust the girls not to go spreading the news. Hallie and Faith’s relationship was still a little rocky, but he wouldn’t put it past Wendy or Serenity not to spill the beans.
Faith finished her first year of college and she was planning on diving right into the next. It had been torture to wait until after finals. But now that nothing hung over their heads, he was in the clear.
After showering and dressing in new clothes, he drove to the arena.
Tonight’s events were geared toward the masters in their fields.
They hadn’t had one like this in at least five years.
If the cash prize wasn’t enough to draw cowboys from all parts of the continent, then the prestige of going against the best of the best would.
Brent hadn’t had to deal with so much ego in a long time. The only reason he’d been allowed to compete today was due to his win last year. He didn’t expect to win or even place against the champions and honestly, that wasn’t his reason for entering.
After a few words with the organizers of the event, they were more than happy to give him the spotlight for a few minutes after his turn.
“Where have you been? You realize you were supposed to be here a half hour ago?”
Brent looked up from his phone as he entered the locker room to find a pair of angry twins. He flashed them a grin. Not even they knew what he was up to.
Someone’s hand came down hard on his back then his shoulders were grabbed and he was shaken. “Ease up, guys. You’re talking to the Brent Gilley. He’s rodeo royalty.”
Brent turned as Jacob came into view. “Nice to see you, man. You already go up?”
Jacob shook his head then reached for his helmet on a nearby bench. “Nah. I go on right after you. But from what I understand there’s going to be an intermission.”
“Intermission?” Tate barked. “What’s that supposed to mean? This isn’t Broadway.”
Jacob chuckled then gave a short nod. “See you out there, Gilley. Make your folks proud.”
That was also something that had drastically changed.
Brent had competed a handful of times over the last year but always locally and just to feel closer to the dad he’d never known.
The fact that his parents were here meant everything.
It had taken a lot to get them to even step foot in the stands again. But they were here.
He heard his name come from a walkie talkie and a man rounded the corner. He pointed his clipboard at Brent. “You go on in ten.”
That got his heart pumping. Shoot. He still had to get his gear on and convince one of the twins to help him out. They were still standing there, watching him with curiosity or confusion, he couldn’t tell which.
“Look, I know you expect me to ask you before I go through with it,” he cut a look to both of them, “but frankly, I’m over it.”
They both stiffened and he almost let out a laugh.
“I’m going to ask your sister to marry me.
And ultimately, it’s her decision. So don’t bother trying to convince her otherwise.
” He rose to his full height and crossed his arms as he stared them down.
“I love her and I’m not going to hurt her, so you can save that argument. We’ve come a long way and—”
The twins glanced at each other and then they laughed. Brent couldn’t remember the last time he heard such a sound come from Jason. But it was Tate who spoke. Of course it was. “We already knew this was coming, man. Actually, we were wondering why it hadn’t happened sooner.”
His brows rose. “Really?”
“Really,” Tate confirmed.
Brent pulled out the ring from his pocket. “Then will you bring this to me when I get off the horse?”
The surprise that filtered through Tate’s eyes was worth it.
Brent turned to Jason. “And can you get Faith to come out as well? Don’t tell her what’s happening.”
Jason nodded curtly.
Then Brent smiled and pulled them both in for a brief hug. “Thanks guys. I owe you.”
Those eight seconds on the back of the horse lasted an eternity.
Brent hadn’t gotten his footwork quite right, but at least he’d stayed in the saddle. At least he’d held on.
Now, as Tate ran out to him with a microphone and the ring, Brent wondered if he was going to collapse. His legs felt like jelly. The adrenaline coursing through his body was fading. His hands were slick, and he half wondered if he should have kept his gloves on.
But then she appeared, flanked by her brothers and all those thoughts faded into nothingness.
The crowd went deathly still and he brought the microphone to his lips.
“Faith, you are like a guiding star in my life, showing me what I’m capable of and what paths I should take.” His voice trembled as she approached him, her brothers staying back.
He could see the emotion in her eyes and all he wanted was to drop the mic and run toward her so he could pull her close to his chest. His heart thundered so loud against his ribs he was certain the mic could pick it up.
Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye and he glanced over to see Wendy, Serenity, and Hallie nearly pressed against the rail. They were jumping up and down but staying quiet enough he couldn’t hear their voices.
A little to the right of them, Jacob was preparing to mount his horse. He gave a thumbs up and a nod before he put his helmet on his head.
Brent turned his attention to Faith once more.
He swept his arm wide. “This was all the life I thought I needed but then I realized there was something missing. Something right here,” he placed the fist holding the ring over his heart.
“A piece of me I didn’t know was missing. A piece that only you could give.”
Slowly, he lowered to one knee and looked up at her. A cheer swept through the crowd and Faith threw her head back with a laugh. He’d never done something so public, and neither had she. The old Faith was quiet, reserved, and she faded into the background to everyone else.
But to him?
Faith was everything.
Over the last year, she’d come out of her shell. She’d accomplished things she hadn’t planned. And while he liked to believe it had partly to do with the love and support he offered her, he knew better.
This was her chance to shine. She’d finally found the person she wanted to be and she’d blossomed.
When the crowd settled, he continued. “Someone very special once told me to follow my heart. It might not be easy, but it’s how I found my way to you. What do you say, babe? Be with me forever?” He opened his palm, revealing the ring in his hand.
A hush went through the crowd. He held his breath. Maybe that’s what everyone was doing in this moment. A brief flicker of insecurity wrapped around his heart and squeezed. Maybe she wasn’t ready yet. They’d talked about their future enough to know they would end up together, but was this too soon?
Then Faith exhaled and nodded. She flung herself at him, nearly knocking the ring from his hand and into the dirt.
Cheers ripped the silence in the space to shreds and Brent collided with the ground.
Faith straddled him, smiling down at him as they were both coated in dust. Then she leaned down and kissed him deeply.
When she pulled back and allowed him to get to his feet, they let the sound of the crowd fade to nothing as he put the ring on her finger.
She admired it for a moment then slipped her hands behind his neck and tilted her head. “I don’t think forever will be nearly enough.”
Have you read the original Sagebrush Ranch series? Find out what happens with the Tyler brothers as they try to run their ranch while they’re falling in love!