Chapter Twenty-Five
R estructuring a business took a lot of work. In the two weeks since the podcast episode aired, the online community had exploded again, but this time, it resulted in a landslide of support. Donations flooded in. All his legal fees were now related to setting up the scholarship part of Maverick Wilderness Tours. Naysayers retreated back under their rocks. It was hugely affirming.
But he hadn’t heard a peep from Bayleigh.
His mother—his real mother, he clarified to himself—had read him the riot act about leaving Belle Vista the way he had.
“Go back and fix this,” Marlene demanded. “You care about Bayleigh. I haven’t even met her yet and I love her. Stop dithering about and make this right. That’s my grandchild we’re talking about. Don’t ruin this for me, son. I’ll have your head.”
So, finally, he was on his way back to Grand. Yesterday, he’d sent Leila the link to the podcast and she had listened to it with Bayleigh. Apparently, it had done the trick. He sure hoped so because this time, he wasn’t going away.
He hadn’t expected this to happen. Bayleigh had awakened something in him that he didn’t know was there, lying dormant. He wasn’t the same person he’d been when he first arrived at Belle Vista, hostile and guarded. In the short time they’d spent together, she’d helped him shed that persona, or work through it. Her love—and yes, he recognized that she’d given him her heart well before he’d been ready to receive it—had made all the difference.
She didn’t care that he had cerebral palsy. She didn’t care that he’d made mistakes. Everyone made mistakes. No one was perfect. She saw the best in him, and because she saw it, he could see it too. He’d been hiding from his life and it was time to stop that.
He could have the wonder of the outdoors and the joy of introducing it to others. And he could live in the community, too. He didn’t have to worry about people always being at his throat, waiting for him to trip up so they could attack.
He was going to be a father and yes, he was scared. But it was a good kind of fear. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Bayleigh. He wanted to raise this tiny human with her, teach his child to ride, to enjoy the wilderness, to love animals, to love the surprise family that surrounded them.
He was later than he wanted, thanks to a dogleg to Bozeman for the small box tucked safely in his pocket, but he reached Grand in time to hit the local florist.
Then he went to Belle Vista, parked his truck, snapped open his cane and made his way to the front door. He had Patch on a leash. Next time, he’d bring Stella.
When she opened it, her eyes flew wide. Mr. Darcy went mad with joy, leaping and piddling, and begging Patch to play.
“Lucas? I didn’t know you were in town.” She looked at the roses and the bottle of non-alcoholic wine under his arm. “What’s going on?”
“Mr. Darcy might be ready for the snip-snip,” he said, watching the smaller dog trying to get a grip on Patch’s side. “Can I give Patch a chance to get away?”
She laughed and they let the dogs into the yard. She was wearing the pretty pajamas he knew she liked to lounge in before bed. Her hair was scooped up in another messy ponytail. He wanted to tug it free and bury his face in it, but first things first.
“Bayleigh Sutherland,” he said, bending awkwardly onto one knee.
Her hands flew to her mouth. “Lucas! Get up!”
“Mom?” Ted’s voice came from inside the house. “Who is it?”
Lucas laughed. This was perfect. Messy, awkward, unscripted, and perfect.
“Bayleigh Sutherland,” he began again.
“No,” she said, shaking her head.
He laughed again. “This is a really bad start, you know.”
She pressed her hands to her mouth. She had tears in her eyes. “Lucas,” she whispered. “You are not proposing.”
“Correct,” he said. “I’m propositioning. You had your turn. Now it’s mine.”
She gave a convulsive, teary laugh. “I don’t believe you. Come here.” She took his hand and led him to the couch. “I heard you on that podcast.”
“And?” He held his breath.
“Lucas.” She bit her lip. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I know. I want to. But listen, I’m no bargain—I know that. It’ll take me a while to get my business back on its feet. You’ll have my parents to deal with. I’ve got a birth mother I’m just getting to know. I still haven’t found my birth father. And of course, my CP.” He stopped and cleared his throat. “Naturally, my delightful personality makes up for all that.”
She laughed and he held up a hand.
“Let me finish. Bayleigh Sutherland, a few months ago, you offered to help fix the shitty time I’d been having. You said you’d make it a week I’d never forget. Well, you did it. I’ll never forget it. And now, I’d like to make you a counteroffer.”
He pulled the box out of his pocket and opened it. Inside was a silver ring set with Montana jade, simple, elegant, yet something she could wear around the ranch and not worry about snagging it on things.
“I want to be around for my kid. I’d like to be around for you, too, if you can stand me,” he squinted, calculating. “Just fifty or sixty years, that’s all I’m asking. You hold all the cards since you’re the one carrying our baby.”
Her shining eyes gave him courage.
“I’m absolutely not proposing marriage. I can rent a place in town, unless...” He looked past her and raised his voice. “You’re moving out soon, right, kid?”
Ted made a rude suggestion but Lucas heard the laughter in his voice.
“If you want,” he continued to Bayleigh, “to be legally hitched to my sorry ass, we can discuss it later, but the whole institution is riddled with patriarchal bullshit, from what I’ve been told.”
Bayleigh swatted his arm. “So romantic.”
“Hey, you started it. Whatever way we choose to do it,” he said, growing serious, “I’ll be here for you. Partners in life, in parenting, in meeting challenges, in celebrating triumphs, to comfort each other and help us be the best people we can be. That’s what I want, Bayleigh.” He paused. “My hip’s killing me, so can we continue this conversation in the hot tub?”
Bayleigh swallowed hard and took a shaky breath.
He brushed a tear off her cheek. “I hope those are happy tears but I have to say, you’re making me a little nervous here.”
“For God’s sake, stop talking,” came Ted’s voice from the far room. “I’m gonna puke.”
She threw herself into his arms and they sat there, laughing, and crying and clinging to one another.
“I think we can come to an agreement,” she whispered, finally. “I’m so glad to see you again, Lucas. You have no idea.”
“Yeah.” He kissed her. “I think I do.”
Partners in parenting. Partners in life.
A whole new world, together.
The End