Chapter 1
Em
Present Day
I sit next to Dad’s hospital bed in the living room, holding his hand as my eyes are glued to the slow, labored rise and fall of his chest.
After trying to split my time between my home in Palmer and here at the ranch in Timber Falls, I’ve settled on working remotely since Dad’s rapid decline.
I made the decision as soon as we got Sutton Cooper’s partner—and renowned cardiologist, Dr. Blair Littlefoot—to carry out a house call and she informed us that Dad’s heart failure was terminal.
Since all he’ll let anyone do is keep him comfortable until the time comes, my boss didn’t hesitate to agree to my leave of absence from the office.
Yet, despite Dad’s impending fate, all he talks about is his lawsuit against the Cooper family—the same Coopers who are on their way here with Blair right now because Dad has taken a turn for the worse.
Dad’s sole focus is courting the mountain’s favor and bringing both ranches together to secure the old family prophesy for our own family. He believes we’re owed that due to our connection to the Cooper bloodline three generations ago through Henley Cooper and my namesake, Marion Wilson.
This prophesy is centered around a mountain spirit living within the mountain range that rewards the keepers of her land with their soulmates. It’s even been written about in multiple series of romance novels by bestselling author, Aster Hollingsworth.
The way Dad sees it, when our family took over care of Cooper Ranch after Henley’s tragic death, we became protectors of the land just as much as the Coopers.
Because of this ongoing battle and rivalry with the now late Ridley Cooper—grandfather of Sutton and his three brothers—Dad’s health is the last thing on his mind. That has meant my brothers and I having to fight him tooth and nail to get him to eat, drink, and rest.
I check my phone for the third time to see how long it’s been when Dad’s fingers twitch in mine. Looking up, I find tired sea-blue eyes watching me with a sadness that I’ve noticed has crept in over recent days.
“Hey,” I say, dropping my phone into my lap to give him my full attention.
“I’m goin’ to miss it… your face. Your fire.”
“Hey, now. Don’t go callin’ time yet, Dad,” I say, still holding out hope that positive thoughts are contagious and he’ll somehow find the will to keep fighting.
“The day you came into my life… I knew I’d never be whole again cause you’d stolen a piece of my heart,” he murmurs, his thumb slowly stroking over the back of my hand as I bite the inside of my cheek to hold back tears.
As his health has declined over the past few days, Dad has become more reflective. At first, he talked about Mom and how she was a saint for putting up with his “ornery ass.” He’s talked about how proud he is of my brothers too, even though the twins would “drive the strongest man to drink.”
Today seems to be my turn. If I’m being honest, I don’t know how I’ll be able to stay strong and survive it without breaking down.
“Never knew what I needed in life till Mamie placed you in your Mom’s arms and you wrapped your tiny little fingers around my big one,” he says between fought-after breaths.
“It was as if I was goin’ through the motions and suddenly, there you were, turnin’ my life on its head and stealin’ my heart before I could stop you. ”
“Dad,” I choke out. “You’re goin’ to make me cry.”
He covers my hand with his, holding mine in his grasp as if protecting me the only way he can now. “My biggest regret is knowin’ I’m goin’ to go without you havin’ someone watchin’ out for you.”
“Hey, now. You didn’t raise me to be a woman who can’t take care of herself,” I tease, though I’m sure it falls flat with the tears in my eyes. “Besides, I’ve got my brothers. There’s plenty of them to go round.”
“Doesn’t mean you don’t need someone who can let you be you and love you fiercely because of it. Someone who’s destined to be for you and you for them. Who chooses you like the mountain chose you for us.”
I realize then he’s talking about the Call.
“There’s still time,” I say, purely for his benefit.
As long as I’ve known about the prophesy, I’ve also known that I wasn’t the kind of girl to wait around for it to happen, let alone change the direction of my life waiting for a ‘maybe.’ I truly believe that if it’s true that there’s a man put on this earth to love me for me, then he’ll find me regardless.
When I see a single tear fall onto Dad’s cheek, I lose the hold I have over my emotions. It’s impossible to stay strong when you see one of the staunchest, held-together men in your life accept his fate.
“Dad…”
“Everythin’ I’ve done, I’ve done it for all y’all,” he says, stopping to take a very slow, shallow breath. “Wanted to walk you down the aisle… see you happy… to know you’d found it… like I found with your Mom. Like I see in you.”
I’m so focused on Dad and sharing this moment with him, that I don’t realize that we’re no longer alone until he looks over my shoulder and a strong yet gentle hand comes to rest on my shoulder. “Em…” Derrick says.
Giving Dad’s hand a gentle squeeze, I let him go before pushing up to my feet and turning around to greet our guests.
“Blair,” I say, shaking her hand. “Thanks for comin’ at short notice.”
“Anytime, Em. You know that,” the doctor replies. “This is my partner, Sutton.”
I take Sutton’s offered hand with a nod. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“You too, Em. Sorry about the circumstances,” he replies. His eyes are kind, gentle, and I can see why he makes a good therapist.
Then I see a tall man standing toward the back of the room near the front window, his dark brown eyes following me. His gaze is intense yet at the same time, there’s something reassuring about his presence. It’s like I know he’s safe. That’s weird. I don’t even know the man.
“Hope you don’t mind, Em. I was at the Coopers when you called and Jude wanted to come along,” Derrick explains.
“Jude?”
“Cooper. Jude Cooper,” he says, still not taking his eyes off me. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, a wave of calm washes over me. It’s so unexpected that all I can do is nod. I watch him for longer than I should before I tear my gaze away and turn back to where Blair is tending to Dad.
A glance over toward the door shows Asher, Emmett, and Bennett are standing watch too.
Needing to be closer to him, I move around the bed and reach out to hold Dad’s hand while Blair listens to his chest and adjusts his IV drip.
When she’s finished checking his vitals and administering some more fluids, she tilts her head toward the door as if wanting to talk outside but I shake my head. Dad made it clear that he doesn’t want any of us to talk about him like he’s already gone or that he doesn’t have a say in his own life.
Out of everything my father has ever asked of me, there’s no way I won’t respect his wishes now. I’ll do whatever he asks, whatever it takes to keep him happy.
“Whatever you need to say, you can say in front of all of us. Yeah?” I say, looking from Derrick to the rest of my brothers and then back to Blair. “Dad’s already given you his permission, remember?”
“OK,” she says gently, taking Dad’s hand in hers and giving him her full, undivided attention. “As you know, we’ve talked about what will happen when the time came.” Dad nods and I bite my lip to distract myself from the huge lump in my throat.
A hand presses into my back, a warm, comforting, calming touch that I lean back against before I even know what’s happening. It feels right. And somehow, I know it’s Jude standing behind me because the moment he moved close to me, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
“How long?” Dare asks, his voice stronger than his wrecked expression.
“Days. Maybe a week, but not much longer than that I’m afraid.” Blair sounds just as sad as all of us as she strokes Dad’s arm. “I’ll do everythin’ I can to make you as comfortable as possible.”
Dad nods, his face more at peace than I’ve seen in weeks, maybe years.
He looks over my shoulder and I see a glimpse of the staunchly proud, determined father I’ve always known. “Your family owes me. There’s only one thing I want.”
“Dad—” Dare says but stops when Dad slowly lifts his palm in the air.
“Just… one… thing, Cooper. Then I can leave this earth in peace,” he rasps.
“What is it, sir?” Jude’s strong steady voice asks from my back, his palm firm against me as his body heat brands my skin as if there weren't two layers between us. What is happening?
“Take care of my girl.”
“I will,” he says back without any hesitation.
Dad slowly shakes his head on the pillow as a breathless cough wracks his frail body. “I need to know she’s goin’ to be taken care of. Wanna see it with my own eyes.”
My body stills as it hits me what Dad is asking. “Dad, no…”
“My boys, they can look after themselves. Em, I know you can too, but there’s this soft spot that you let nobody see that is so rare and precious…
that is what I need to protect,” he rasps.
“And I know this man will do it.” He coughs again and Blair reaches out to support Dad’s neck as she holds a cup of water to his lips.
Once he’s settled back down again, he continues.
“The Coopers might be many things, but Derrick tells me this generation of brothers are honorable.” He struggles to breathe for a moment but when Blair offers him the oxygen mask, he takes it in his hand but refuses to put it on.
“My girl brought this family together and it’s her that will unite the mountain again.
” He strains his neck to look around the room before fixing his eyes on me first, then Jude.
“I promise it’s the last thing this family will ever ask of yours. ”
“Anything you want, Sir,” Jude replies without any sign of uncertainty. In fact, his answer is so automatic—so sure—that I wonder if this is truly happening. He’s a stranger. He doesn’t know me at all. Why would he agree to this crazy proposition?
“You know what I want, Jude,” Dad says.
The room is deathly quiet as I hold my breath, waiting for Jude’s answer. Surely he’ll change his mind. Dad can’t be serious…
What Jude says next is the very last thing I expect. “I have your blessin’ then?”
Dad studies him for a moment before he slowly jerks his head. “Knew it the minute you walked in the room, didn’t you? I saw it in your eyes when you saw her.”
“What are you talk—”
Jude’s fingers flex against my back and whatever I was going to say gets stuck on my tongue.
Glancing around the room, I don’t miss the way everyone’s eyes are glued to the two of us, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion.
Not EJ and BJ of course, they’re leaning against the back wall with their arms crossed looking like they’re enjoying the show.
Dare frowns, Blair and Sutton are sharing a silent conversation with each other, and Asher is scowling at Jude.
Before I can process or react myself, firm yet soft hands gently press on my shoulders to slowly turn me around.
Jude’s finger lifts my chin, a warm tingle I don’t expect spreading out over my body from where he touches me. I lose myself in his soulful brown eyes before his gaze roams over my face, as if he’s taking me in.
Then he says the last thing I ever thought I’d hear.
“Marion Wilson, with your father’s blessin’, and in front of your family and some of mine, will you do me the honor of marryin’ me and becomin’ my wife today?”
“What?” I squeak, my body stuck in place as his words race through my head on repeat.
“Will. you. marry. me?” he repeats.
“What?” I’m a little louder this time.
Jude dips his head and leans in to touch mine so that he’s all I can see, his eyes boring into mine with such intensity and beauty that my mind goes blank of everything but him before he says the words that seal my fate.
“Give the man his dyin’ wish, Em. I promise I will never let you regret tyin’ yourself to me. Whatever happens, you’ll always be safe with me.”
What the—