Chapter Thirty-One
When Trip opened his eyes on Sunday morning, he immediately reached for Shelley and relaxed when he felt her soft, warm body, and she snuggled closer. He hadn’t slept well; he’d kept needing to check that she was there with him — there and safe.
She slid her arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder as she murmured, “Morning.”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Morning, honey. How’re you doing?”
“I don’t know yet, I’m still asleep.”
He smiled. “Want me to go and make us some coffee?”
Her arm tightened around his waist. “No. I want to keep you here — you make a good pillow. And honestly?” She opened one eye. “I want to keep you all to myself. When you get up you’ll start taking care of everyone, and we’ll all have to go over what exactly happened last night. And then we won’t get a moment alone together today and…” She gave him a sleepy smile. “I don’t mean to be selfish, but I want you to myself. You see, Jack, I love you.”
A rush of warmth filled his chest. “I love you, too, honey. And it’s not selfish. Although…” A smile spread across his face. “How long do you want to keep me for?”
She opened both eyes and raised her eyebrows. “Do you mean in bed or in general? In fact, never mind — the answer’s the same either way. I want to keep you forever.”
“Forever and ever?”
She gave him a puzzled smile. “Yes, and always if that helps make it any clearer.”
He chuckled. “It does. I think the word to sum it all up would be for eternity, right?”
“I guess so, but…”
“Hold that thought.” He slipped out of bed and grabbed the pants he’d been wearing last night.
He’d wanted to give her the ring when they got home, but it had taken a while to get Jim and Harper settled into guest rooms. Then Cash had come over to check on them all and decided that he’d stay the night, too, to be around in case Jim wanted him. By the time Trip and Shelley had finally come to bed, she’d come down from the adrenaline rush and just wanted sleep.
He grabbed the ring box and flipped it open, smiling when the diamonds sparkled encouragingly at him.
“What are you up to?”
He turned around, keeping the ring behind his back as he climbed back into bed.
“I got you something. I’ve been trying to figure out the best time to give it to you, and this feels like it.”
She smiled like an eager little kid and held her hand out. “What is it? Can I have it?”
He took a slow, deep breath and caught hold of her hand. “You can have it if you want it, but first I have to ask you: Shelley, will you—?”
She pulled her hand back. “I love you, Trip. You know I do, but I don’t want to…”
He smiled. “It’s okay. You don’t want to marry me, do you?”
She shook her head, her eyes huge. “I don’t — do you… is that even?”
“No. I decided years ago that I never wanted to get married again.”
She visibly relaxed as he continued.
“And then I met you.” He leaned in to kiss her — gently, softly — before lifting his head. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Shelley. I’m hoping that you feel the same way with me, and that’s why…” He held up the ring box.
Her hand came up to cover her mouth. “Trip! It’s beautiful!”
“Not as beautiful as you.”
She made a face.
“It’s an eternity ring — and that’s what I’m asking you for, honey. Do you want to spend the rest of eternity with me?”
She flung her arms around his neck. “I do — at least, as much of it as I get a say over.”
“That’ll do for me. I don’t know how the afterlife works, but I reckon if we put in a request for eternity now, it should get taken into consideration.”
He slid the ring onto her finger and loved the huge smile on her face as she looked down at it.
“It’s gorgeous, Trip. Thank you.”
“Thank you for saying yes. I didn’t want to go down on one knee or any of that because…”
She nodded happily. “Because that’s not us, is it?”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “It isn’t, and that’s one of the many things I love about you, honey — you’re interested in what’s right for us, not anyone else. Not even just you, or just me — but us.”
She cupped his cheek in her hand and kissed him. “That’s what I used to want before I got married, and what I ended up believing was just some silly ideal that I’d dreamed up but didn’t really exist. I wanted an us that would still allow me to be me, and you to be you.” She chuckled. “I just didn’t realize I’d have to come all the way to Bumfluff, Montana before I found you.”
He laughed with her. “Let me guess, that’s Harper’s description?”
“It is.” She looked down at the ring. “She’s going to be so happy when she sees this on my finger. She was in your corner from the beginning, you know — Dr. Dreamy.”
He shuddered. “I was and still am grateful to have her on my side — but do me a favor and don’t remind her of that name. She hasn’t used it in a while.”
“Okay. And I definitely won’t mention it this morning. She’d have everyone teasing and calling you that by the time today’s over.”
She rested her head against his shoulder. “We probably should get up, shouldn’t we — check on Jim and Harper and start getting things ready.”
He curled his arm around her waist and scooted them back down under the covers. “They can wait a little longer. Anita’s coming to organize the food, and between her and Cash, they’ll organize everyone else.”
He caught her hand and ran his thumb over the diamonds. “It’s not every day you get to ask the woman you love to spend the rest of her life with you.”
She cupped her hand around the back of his head and drew him in for a kiss — a kiss that felt like eternity.
~ ~ ~
Shelley sipped her drink as she stood just outside the kitchen door, taking it all in. The house was full of life—full of people. She’d never seen it like this before, and she loved it.
Trip was in his element, it seemed, and somehow it didn’t surprise her. He wasn’t the most outgoing guy in the world, or even in his group of friends, but somehow, he’d always felt to her like the glue who held them all together. He didn’t need the spotlight, he just worked quietly in the background. She smiled as she looked down at the fabulous ring on her finger. He knew how to go big when he wanted to!
Harper came to stand beside her and nudged her with her elbow. “How’s it going, Bells?”
“I can honestly say that I’ve never been happier.” She glanced over at where Jim was sitting in a big wooden rocking chair. The Benson brothers were gathered around him, and Cash hovered at his side. “It’s hard to believe that I’m feeling so ecstatically happy today after being afraid for our lives only yesterday.”
Harper brought her hand up to her face, which was badly bruised and swollen. “Hmph. I wish Cash would have let me have a few minutes with that little weasel before he dragged him away last night. Oops, sorry. What I meant to say was that I was more angry than fearful last night—and don’t go making out that you were some scared little damsel, either. Backbone of steel—that’s what you’ve got, my friend.”
Shelley held up her glass and Harper tapped hers against it with a nod.
“How do you think he’s doing really?” Shelley jerked her chin toward Jim. “He says he’s fine but …”
She laughed when Travis appeared behind them and slung one arm around her shoulders and the other around Harper’s.
“He’s fine,” Trav said. “The whole thing shook him up a bit—and made him a bit more aware of his own mortality, but … he’s singing your praises—the two of you—to anyone who’ll listen.” He turned to Harper. “You’re going to stay in the cottage, aren’t you?”
“I am. That was always the plan. There’s nowhere else I want to be, and after last night … I’d camp out in his yard before I went to stay anywhere else now.” She shuddered dramatically. “And you know my feelings about the bugs and wildlife out here!”
Travis laughed. “You might be some floozy from the city, lady, but you get my vote.”
Shelley loved seeing the two of them high-five each other—and loved knowing that her and Trip’s best friends got along so well.
She only half listened to the two of them chatting as she surveyed the back patio. She hadn’t known that Trip even possessed that many outdoor tables and sofas. From what she could tell, the whole MacFarland clan was here. Little Mateo and Maya were running around with Ashton—and even they seemed to adore Jim. They ran by his chair every now and then to stop and chat with him—Maya even presented him with a wildflower.
The brothers had joined the group gathered around Jim, and it seemed that the sisters were drifting that way, too.
She smiled when she spotted Emmett talking to Deacon and Ace. His girls were upstairs going through Trip’s mom’s old clothes. She’d had a tiny moment of hesitation when he told her that he’d kept his mom’s old ballgowns and some of her other clothes, but she understood it now. Alana and Tanya, and even Brooke, had been excited to see them and maybe take them. Shelley had assured him that she had no interest in any of them.
She waved when she spotted Laney climbing out of her truck; Luke had arrived a little while ago and explained that she’d be here as soon as she could.
She came straight to Shelley and surprised her by greeting her with a hug.
She looked a little embarrassed when she stepped back. “I’m not much of a hugger, but I’m glad you’re okay.” She shrugged. “And now that you’ve put this Gavin business behind you, are you going to come over to our place to start your riding lessons soon?”
They both looked when Brody spoke behind her. “Hey, Laney-Lou. Why are you going to go dragging Miss Shelley over to your place when she can learn to ride here? It’d make more sense, don’t you think—if she learns on the horses that live here.”
Laney scowled at him. “Are you saying that you want to teach her? Because I …”
He held his hands up defensively. “Cool it. Damn girl, you never did get a handle on that temper, did you? I’m saying that you should teach Miss Shelley to ride—but here, not at your place.”
“Oh! Right. Yeah. I’m not going to apologize though.”
Her fiancé Luke appeared at her side and laughed as he said, “As if Brody expects you to!”
Laney grinned at Shelley. “In case you were worried, we’ve known each other all our lives.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” She didn’t want to explain that for a moment there she’d been concerned by just how familiar Laney and Brody seemed.
Laney laughed. “Oh my god, no—you think that he and I?” She shuddered. “Nope. He’s my buddy. Luke’s the only guy for me. And besides …” She scanned the crowd and smiled. “Brody only has eyes for –” She stopped abruptly. “Shit! Sorry, I’m not supposed to tell, am I?”
Brody smiled. “You’re not, no, but it’s okay because Miss Shelley knows.”
“About Brooke?” Shelley asked.
“Yeah, but do me a favor and don’t say it out loud when …”
Trip appeared beside Shelley and slid his arm around her shoulders. “What’s going on here? You guys look kind of shifty—going to let me in on the secret?”
Brody looked so conflicted that Shelley felt bad for him. She turned and pressed a kiss to Trip’s lips. “Nope. You know that deal we have about secrets? Well, this is one of those times when I’m not going to share.”
She could feel Laney, Luke and Brody all watching them as they waited for Trip’s answer.
He just lifted a shoulder and said, “Fair enough.”
Laney leaned against Luke and said, “I hope we’re like them if we ever grow up.”
Brody made his excuses and slipped away, and Laney and Luke drifted away, too.
“Are you enjoying this?” Shelley asked Trip.
He pressed a kiss to her temple. “Best day of my life so far.”
“Aww, there you go, sweet talking again.”
He chuckled. “Believe what you want, but I know I’m telling the truth.”
She stopped to think about it for a moment before she nodded. “You know what? I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have said that—shouldn’t have assumed you were just being sweet, because it’s true for me too—this is the best day of my life so far.”
He dropped a kiss on her lips and murmured, “And this is just the beginning, honey.”
They stood side by side for a long few minutes, just watching their friends mill around, chatting and laughing, checking in with each other and teasing each other.
Shelley frowned when she saw Emmett standing by himself looking uncomfortable.
“Do you think he’s okay?”
“I don’t know,” Trip replied.
She looked down, surprised to hear Alana laughing beside her.
“What’s so funny?” she asked. “Is your dad okay?”
“He is—I don’t think he even knows it himself, but I think he’s a little bent out of shape that Uncle Cash stayed here last night.”
“Why? I don’t understand.”
Tanya appeared beside Trip and piped up. “I was sad, too!”
Alana rolled her eyes. “I told you—Uncle Cash isn’t with Harper. He doesn’t want to be and neither does she—they’re just friends.”
“You mean your dad…?” Trip began.
“Yeah! He likes Harper—a lot.” Alana looked up at Shelley. “Do you think she might like him too?”
Shelley didn’t want to say the wrong thing. “I …”
Alana laughed. “It’s okay. I know that look—you think so, but you don’t want to say so. It’s all right—I feel like she does. Oh, but shush, he’s coming.”
Shelley exchanged a smile with Trip.
Emmett held his arms out when he reached them, and the girls went straight to him.
“Did you say thank you to Trip for …”
“’Course we did, Dad.” Alana sounded older than her years, not like a complaining teenager.
“I did, too!” Tanya told him. “And you should have seen Brookie in the green dress!”
“Did she take it?” Trip asked.
Alana shook her head. “You’re going to have to give her anything you want her to have—she won’t take it.”
Trip nodded. “I’ll have to find a way to …”
“Maybe the girls can show me which ones she liked and I can set them aside for her. I can drop them off …”
“I can drop them off,” Trip began. “You’re busy enough …”
Shelley smiled as she said, “Or we could ask Brody to do it.”
From the way Alana grinned at her, it seemed that she knew Brody’s secret.
As if Emmett was in on it too, he looked around and asked, “Where’s Blane?”
“I thought you might have a better idea than the rest of us,” said Trip. “You went to Jim’s with him and Mav last night. We haven’t seen him today yet, either.”
“I doubt we will,” said Emmett.
“Why?”
Emmett looked down at the girls.
“It’s okay, Dad, we know,” Alana told him.
Tanya bounced up and down on her toes. “Auntie Libby was at Uncle Jim’s house!”
“When Mav arrived?” Trip asked.
“Yup,” said Emmett. “She’d gone to check on Jim. When those two laid eyes on each other, Blane went to take care of Banner, and I hitched a ride with Cash when he showed up.”
“Wow,” said Shelley. “I didn’t realize there was so much else going on last night.”
Trip tightened his arm around her shoulders. “Me neither.”
“That’s because you two love each other and you were in danger, and Uncle Trip was on a mission to rescue you,” Tanya said with a dreamy smile.
“Yeah, and that’s great that he wanted to,” said Alana, “but she doesn’t need a hero—she rescued herself—before they got there.”
Shelley looked up into Trip’s eyes, hoping that he didn’t feel … she didn’t even know what … like he was somehow less of a hero in her eyes with the way things had worked out.
She should have known better—he was smiling, and even kissed the tip of her nose before saying, “Alana’s right, you know. You both are—I was on a mission to get there, but Shelley’s more than capable and she rescued herself. In my book the hero’s just backup for if the heroine decides she wants him.”
“She wants him,” Shelley murmured.
Emmett herded the girls away to see Jim, and Trip wrapped both his arms around her waist as he turned to face her. “He wants you, too. I hope you know I’ll always have your back.”
She nodded happily. “I do—and I love even more that you don’t need to take over to be happy.”
“Don’t mean to interrupt the moment, guys—I just wanted a quick word.”
Trip reached out and grasped Cash’s shoulder. “I hope you’ve forgiven yourself—and I hope you know that as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing to forgive.”
Cash shrugged. “I’m not going to taint your day with my shit.” He turned to smile at Shelley, but he didn’t seem as full of life as he usually did. “I just want to say thank you for everything you did for Jim. That man …” He shot a look to where Jim was now chuckling as he listened to Tanya and Alana bicker as they told him some tale or another. “… he means the world to me. And I need you to know that I would never take advantage. If you want to draw something up that’ll make sure his wishes are locked in and ironclad, I’ll be happy with that. I’m not going to try …”
She reached out to touch his arm. “I know, Cash. And more importantly, so does Jim.”
Cash nodded slowly. “Okay.”
Travis came to join them and wrapped Cash in a hug. “What’s up, buddy? Cheer that face up—today’s a happy day!”
Cash rolled his eyes at Shelley before his familiar smile appeared. “Today is a happy day,” he agreed. “It’s Trip and Shelley’s day, but I think it might go down as a turning point kind of day for a few other people too.”
“You mean people like Mavy and Libby?” Travis asked with a grin.
“I do. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Ford and Amelia headed back to the ranch a while ago—to get some of her gear or something.”
Travis grinned and slapped Cash’s arm. “I knew you’d figure that one out.”
Cash shrugged. “All I did was get them in the same place—it’ll be up to them to figure it out.”
“What about Blane?” Trip asked. “Maybe if you can find a reason for him to stick around …”
Cash laughed. “Why do you think I was trying to help Brookie and Brody out? Brody’s good people, but Blane’s going to want to play big brother.”
“Are you thinking about staying then?” Trip asked.
Shelley held her breath while she waited for Cash to answer. She knew Trip would love to have all his friends home.
“I’m not just thinking about it—I’m going to tell Mav and Blane just as soon as I see ’em. I’m staying here—I want to be around for Jim. If they don’t want to come yet, they don’t have to, but …”
“It sounds like it’s time for you guys to make the big move,” said Trip.
“It is.” Cash smiled at Shelley. “But we can talk about that another time. Today’s about celebrating you guys.”
~ ~ ~
Trip held his arm out to Shelley and loved the way she nestled against his side. “You’re right, Cash. I have a lot to celebrate.”
He dropped a kiss on her lips and loved the way her arms came up around his neck, sending that prickly feeling racing down his spine.
He heard Trav say, “Come on, Cash, let’s leave ’em to it.”
He lifted his head, but Shelley didn’t let go of him. He smiled at her when they heard Cash say, “I like Shelley. She’s good people—and she’s just right for Trip. There’s a word but …”
Trip nodded as he looked down into her eyes with a smile.
“Yeah. I know what you mean,” Trav said.
Even though they were walking away across the deck, Trip could still hear them clearly.
“Compatible,” said Cash.
Trip rested his forehead against Shelley’s and murmured, “Irreplaceable.”;
I hope you enjoyed Trip and Shelley’s story. I fell in love with these two.