Page 45 of Dependable Cowboy

It was after the blowing out of the candles, during the present opening and just prior to the cake and ice cream eating when Joy had Aaron bring out the big gift. Even if the gift itself was actually quite small.

In his arms, he carried a teeny-weeny tortoiseshell kitten, a pink bow around her neck.

Kara gasped. And when the rest of the girls had squealed in excitement, Aaron had used it as a teachable moment.

“Now, listen, girls. This little creature is a baby and has tender ears. You’ll have to be a lot quieter from now on.” They’d proceeded to whisper for a while. Even if the quiet didn’t last long. That’s why Joy relocated Katie Purry—Kara had taken a vote to name her—to the far corner of the bedroom.

Aaron even kept an eye on the girls as Joy set up all the various necessities of food, water, cat bed, and litterbox. All this would no doubt take some getting used to, but her daughter was worth it. She was more than worth it.

Joy felt half dizzy from the level of sheer exhaustion kicking her in the behind that night, but the girls were at last all asleep. She’d gone around covering those who needed it, and then kissed her now nine-year-old daughter on the crown of her head.

Afterward, she joined Aaron in looking at each individual girl as they laid in a jumble in a pallet she’d prepared in the living room with blankets and pillows. “Thanks for all your help. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“You could have,” he countered with a soft chuckle. “But it would’ve been a nightmare.”

“Truth.”

“She’s super happy, though. You did good, Mama.”

Aaron had never referred to her in such a way before. Joy liked it more than she could express. But there was one sentiment shecouldexpress. And now felt like the right time.

“I love you, you know.” She stared into his eyes. Their gazes caught and held.

“You do?”

“I really, really do.”

“Well, I love you back.”

She smiled at him. “I know. So, why don’t you show me how much?”

He kissed her with as much emotion as he had when she’d first returned to Rocky Ridge, and she relished every second of it.

“I’m going to go,” he said between lip locks, and she merely nodded as she kissed him again.

“All right.”

They kissed over and over again on his way to the door, grinning at each other at the same time. She felt so much buoyancy filling her from head to foot. To know that even though he might be heading home, he’d be back. To feel all those pieces of her life that had been off kilter click into place. Joy knew this time she and Aaron would last forever.

She’d make sure of it.

EPILOGUE

Aaron didn’t wantto think of his agitated feelings as being the jitters, but there was honestly no other way that he knew how to describe them. So much rode on today, and even though he felt confident that this would all work out in his favor, some mean little part at the back of his brain kept reminding him of his past failures involving Joy.

He wasn’t failing this time, and their relationship had been strong for months and months now. But much as he tried to stomp it out, that annoying niggling never seemed to vanish altogether. That was probably the main reason he kept glancing down at his hands to find them shaking.

“You okay?” Joy asked him, dragging him from his worried thoughts.

“I’m terrific.”

He plastered what he hoped was a relaxed and pleasant expression onto his face as they entered the Overlook Grand Mountain Lodge. Although he’d driven past this locale on several different occasions, he’d never had cause to set footinside it until now. And the only thing he could think to call this place was swanky. At least by Rocky Ridge, Montana standards.

The exterior was constructed of dark wood and had a pale stone façade that fit right in with the rustic nature of the area. The walls were either painted or had been coated in rich bold colors of wallpaper, and the carpeting was so thick that he couldn’t even hear the sound of his boots stepping on the floor.

It wasn’t overly fancy like a museum, but it was upscale enough to have Aaron removing his hat upon entering. This made his hands tremble all over again.

“Hello and welcome,” said a woman with a shiny badge on her shirt that read Layla Bruce, Spa Manager. Despite being inside she was wearing several layers—a turtleneck and a sweater with corduroy pants. “How can I assist you today?”

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