Epilogue
Connor
FINDING OUR FOREVER
Matthew slides me another stack of papers across the table.
We’re meeting at the diner, partly because he’s been staying at the bed and breakfast a few streets over for the last week, and partly because I didn’t want to drag him out to the ranch for the third time in as many days.
I know it’s his job, but he has to be pissed he’s been given the task of managing… well, me.
The diner is reasonably full, but we scored a booth by the window.
The table is a neon pink plastic, and the booth seats are neon green.
The color combination alternates each booth down as they run along the window side, as do the stools that run the length of the retro-feel counter.
Sally-May used to own this place but sold up years ago to retire.
Or semi-retire. I’m not sure that woman will ever stop working.
But something this scale just got too much.
It didn’t look like this when she owned it, though.
It was filled with mismatched furniture, wooden stools that had been collected over the decades, and had a sweet country vibe.
This place is loud, even without the music playing on the jukebox in the corner.
“These, too,” Matthew says, and I pick back up the fancy pen he handed me an hour ago when we started.
Turns out taking control of a billion-dollar company and all associated assets is a little more complicated than I first envisioned.
My grandfather’s bank accounts were transferred over in a few days, the bank already having my biometrics and signature on file from when I was a very active member of the family, which helped in that regard.
Though it took me a second to remember my old signature, given that I hadn’t used it in over a decade.
I still can’t believe I’m the heir. The years were hard on the family.
After my mother died, my father wasn’t far behind.
My uncles passed before I was even born, and that just left me and my cousin to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps.
I guess that’s why the push was to marry and continue the family line.
My cousin was married, once, it didn’t last and they hadn’t had any kids.
I was genuinely surprised I was even still named in the will.
But I guess, given there were only the two of us, he kept me listed as a last resort.
“What am I signing now?” I ask, the pen at the ready beside the flagged section.
“Property transfers. There are several assets in the Richmont name that you will acquire. The main estate in California, land and a few office buildings in Texas, the New York apartment, and a few other investments in addition to the company-owned assets and ranches.”
I get to work, skimming the addresses as I move from one to the other. It takes another twenty minutes to get through them all, and I drop the heavy, fancy pen to the table with a sigh.
“Please tell me that’s the last of them?”
“For now,” Matthew replies, collating the stack into a neat pile and slipping it into his briefcase. It’s one of those black shiny ones that he closes and then snaps the locks into place.
A waitress arrives with our burgers and fries, and she waits patiently until he’s moved the briefcase to the seat beside him before she places our plates down.
“Anything else, honey?” she asked me.
“No, thanks, Patty, we’re good here,” I say, and she rips the bill from her paper notepad and pops it on the table. Matthew takes it, pulls out his wallet, and folds the bill over his black card, placing it beside him on the table for her return.
“You have the board meeting tomorrow at four, so I can meet you at the ranch, or you can come here. Whatever is easier for you?” he asks, dipping his fries into ketchup on his plate.
“The ranch is probably better. I don’t know what time I will get all the work done, so if I can just pop into the cabin for the meeting and then get back out there, it’ll be best.”
“Okay, I’ll be there just after three. Remember, they’ll be asking for your decision on the purchase of Collinswood Beef.”
“That’s the company my grandfather was flying out to negotiate with, isn’t it?” I ask as I make a start on my burger.
“Yes. He always met face-to-face with the people he worked with. Said it was his way of seeing if they were good people.”
I laugh.
“Rich of him to assume he knew what good was.”
“Well, you can do business in any way you see fit now that it’s yours,” he says matter-of-factly before biting into his burger. The thing is huge and barely fits in his mouth, and I have to laugh as the mustard drips down his chin.
“Here,” I say, passing him a napkin. “I think video meetings will be fine. Will you be heading back into the city afterward?”
“Yes, but then I’ll be back on Monday.”
“Really?”
“I’m your personal assistant, so I’ll need to be close at hand should you need anything.”
“Like what?”
“You mentioned a large purchase of feed and supplies for the ranch. I can negotiate terms for supply and delivery. Make payment to the companies, liaise when things don’t go as expected, which I can tell you happens more times than you would think.”
“You can probably do all those things remotely. Besides, I’m sure you’d rather be in the city.”
“I don’t know, this place is…nice,” he says, his gaze lingering on the horizon and the warm orange and pink glow the sun has cast behind the mountains as it slowly slips out of sight.
“Well, you probably need an office then. There’s not really room on the ranch, but I’m sure there’s a place in town we can set you up in.”
“I don’t mind working out of the bed and breakfast.”
“I’d feel better about you being out here if you had your own place. Please, let me do this.”
“I’ll look for suitable locations tomorrow and bring you a short list to review.”
“Great. Oh, if I’m not there when you arrive, just come on down to the stables. I’ll be giving Atlas a hand expanding them for the new additions we’re boarding.”
“So, Atlas is the horseman, then?”
“He’s the wrangler on the ranch, yeah, why?”
“No reason,” he replies, blushing a little as he picks up his soda and sips it slowly, looking back out at the mountain view, only this time, I have a feeling he’s not thinking about the gorgeous sunset.
He pays the bill, and I head back to the ranch. I’m pulling up beside the cuddle cove just as Hayden’s door opens. Did I ask Dean for cabin two because it was in eyeshot of where I spend almost all of my time? Hell, yes. And I have no regrets. Thankfully, neither does Hayden.
“How was your day?” I ask, and he practically skips all the way to me, the smile never leaving his lips.
“Amazing. The cop and the cowboy just got stuck in a snowstorm, but don’t worry, they’re about to stumble upon an abandoned cabin.”
I loop my arm around his waist and lift him to kiss me.
“And what will they do in this cabin?”
“They’ll have to find a way to keep warm, of course.”
“Sounds like you’re struggling with ideas. How about I take you through a few scenarios back at my place?”
“After you come see this,” he says, and I lower him down and follow him back to his cabin.
As soon as he opens the door, I smile. The shelves above his bed hold candles and a couple of books kept from falling by two cow head bookends. I step through.
“You decorated,” I say, turning to take in the whole room.
The shelves I installed around the desk a few days ago have a few things added to them, too, including a couple of photos, one of Wendy and him sitting at a table in the restaurant at Buxton Estate, and another one I can’t help but reach out for.
The stained oak frame holds a picture of us, a selfie I took with his phone while he posed with Winnie for the Christmas photos.
“I went into town and picked up a few things. Books mostly, but I was able to get a couple of photos printed, too.”
“It’s like you’ve actually moved in,” I say, and he snuggles at my side, filling me with warmth.
“Yep, so about these scenarios…”
“Forget my cabin,” I say, flicking the door closed with my foot and picking him up to straddle my waist. “I never thought I’d find a place I could stay, could build my life, let alone find a person with whom I could share it.
Now that I have, I don’t want to wait another minute to be with you.
I love you. And before you say anything, just know you don’t have to say it now. I get that it’s early and—“
“You’ll never have to wait for me, Connor. I’m here. I’m yours. Always. I love you, too.”