Epilogue
MARA
One Year Later
“Colin Shaw, if you look at me before I reach the end of this aisle, I will turn around.”
“I’m not looking.”
“He’s looking,” Trigger says.
“Shut up.”
“He’s definitely looking.”
I stand behind the closed tavern doors, holding a bouquet of Texas wildflowers.
Nora adjusts the skirt of my dress.
Rylie fixes one loose strand of my hair.
Outside, the backyard of the Last Stand Tavern is filled with everyone we love.
Rangers.
Deputies.
Magnolia Ladies.
Twenty-three families.
They came to Eagle River for yesterday’s memorial dedication.
Twenty-three names are carved into black granite beside Grant’s.
No erased files.
No missing men.
No forgotten graves.
Arthur Harlan is awaiting trial on twenty-four murder charges, conspiracy, obstruction, and treason.
Captain Fred Miller accepted a plea agreement and will spend the rest of his life in federal prison.
Hampton pleaded guilty to shooting Parker and received a reduced sentence in exchange for his testimony.
Kane remains under federal protection while investigators work through fifteen years of evidence.
He sent one message for today.
Tell Doc I’m sorry I can’t be there.
Colin didn’t answer.
Not yet.
But he kept the message.
That’s a beginning.
Nora looks at me.
“Ready?”
I peek through the narrow opening between the doors.
Colin stands beneath an arch covered in white flowers.
Dark suit.
Grant’s dog tags around his neck.
Rangers beside him.
Wolf.
Trigger.
Saint.
Blaze.
Beast.
Ace.
Havoc.
They’re all smiling.
Colin is pretending not to watch the door.
He’s terrible at pretending.
“I’ve been ready for fifteen years,” I say.
The doors open.
Everyone rises.
Colin looks at me.
The love in his face steals my breath.
I walk toward him.
Past the Rangers.
Past the deputies.
Past the twenty-three families who finally know what happened to the men they lost.
Past Sheriff Tate, standing beside Rylie with tears in his eyes.
Past Grant’s empty chair.
His photograph rests on the seat.
A Ranger patch lies beside it.
Colin’s eyes move to the chair.
Then back to me.
Grant isn’t giving me away.
He never needed to.
But he brought Colin here to Eagle River and to me. Maybe that was his plan; if something happened to him, he knew Doc would be here.
Maybe that was his last promise to both of us.
When I reach the arch, Colin takes my hand.
“You’re beautiful.”
“You looked before I reached the aisle.”
“I’ve never been good at following orders.”
“That’s going to be a problem.”
“I’m willing to risk it.”
Sheriff Tate performs the ceremony.
Colin promises to love me, protect my heart, argue with me only when absolutely necessary, and never make decisions for me.
I promise the same.
Except for the arguing part.
Everyone laughs.
Then Colin slides the ring onto my finger.
His hand trembles.
Mine does too.
“You came back,” I whisper.
His eyes shine.
“To you.”
Sheriff Tate smiles.
“You may kiss your bride.”
Colin doesn’t need to be told twice.
His arms come around me.
I rise onto my toes.
Our lips meet while the Rangers cheer loud enough to shake the tavern windows.
When we pull apart, Colin rests his forehead against mine.
“I love you, Mara Shaw.”
“I love you, Colin Shaw.”
Trigger shouts, “Finally!”
Rylie elbows him.
Colin laughs.
I look toward Grant’s photograph.
For one second, I can almost see my brother standing beside his Rangers.
Young.
Smiling.
Home.
The ache will always be there.
So will the love.
That’s the thing about promises.
The ones that matter don’t end when someone dies.
They wait.
They survive.
And sometimes, fifteen years later, they bring a Ranger home.
THE END