Page 102 of Christmas with Three Cowboys

“You won’t find them,” Ethan says. “They’re long gone, and they have no intention of showing up in the area again. They got what they came here for.”

“I’m guessing that’s Jake Miller,” the sheriff grumbles.

“Yeah. Melissa’s safe, and we have everything we need to push forward with her exoneration. That’s all that matters right now,” Colton says. “I doubt we’ll get anywhere with bringing Kyle and Jason’s killers to justice.”

It feels wrong and it makes me sad.

It breaks my heart altogether when Darla and Sammy come outside. It’s so cold, and they don’t even have their coats on. I’m wrapped up in my parka and glued to Mitch’s side. I’m warmand calm, but they’re shivering and reeling from a horrendous tragedy. They saw their friends get killed, and they will never be able to forget that.

“I thought I’d lost you all,” Darla bawls and throws her arms out.

Mitch and I are the first to catch her, while Ethan and Colton hug Sammy so tight, I can hear his bones crackling.

“Are you two okay?” Mitch asks.

“It’s so good to see you boys.” Sammy pats them both on their shoulders. “We’re as well as we can be all things considered.”

“The crime scene fellas will send a cleaner in the morning,” Darla sobs in my arms, then gently kisses my cheek. “Gosh, Melissa, I’m so glad you’re okay. We were fucking mortified. I am so sorry; I had no idea what that idiot was planning. Louisa, the little shit, she was in on it.”

“Yeah, it’s okay, Darla. I know it just happened, and it happened fast,” I tell her. “What matters is we survived, and we’re going to honor Kyle’s and Jason’s memory.”

“We’re going to take care of their families, too,” Colton adds. “They deserve that much for getting caught in the crossfire like that.”

“Those poor boys,” Darla mumbles, then gives me a worried look. “How are you feeling, honey? Babies okay?”

“I think so, yeah,” I reply. “It was scary as hell, but I kept it together for these two little lives.”

Sammy comes closer. “That’s your survival instinct, kiddo. We all have one, even when we think we’re gonna freeze up and get ourselves killed. You did what you had to do to protect thoseprecious ones.”

He hugs me, and I hug him back. I welcome the fatherly affection, too. I bask in Darla’s loving cuddles. And every second that goes by reminds me of how lucky I truly am to be a part of the Path to Freedom Initiative. I wouldn’t be where I am today without these incredible people.

“Our guys are going to finish up with the crime scene by dawn,” the sheriff politely interjects. “Like I said before, y’all have the rest of the house to yourselves. Just don’t touch the living room until I give you the go ahead.”

Sammy clears his throat and turns to Darla, prompting the rest of us to go quiet. There’s a sense of anticipation swirling through the biting January air.

“I made you a promise, you firecracker of a woman,” Sammy says with a trembling voice. “I don’t have a ring on me right now, but I’ll get you one as soon as the jewelry store opens, I promise. But I gotta ask you…”

“Sammy,” Darla gasps. “You’re crazy.”

“No, I just love you. I’ve always loved you, Darla, even when I wasn’t supposed to. Maybe that’s why I acted the way I did when we finally got together. Part of me didn’t feel like I truly deserved you. Like it was too good to be true, after so many years of yearning… I love you, honey, and what’s left of this life, I wanna spend it with you.”

“Oh, Sammy.” She tears up again, but this time, the most beautiful smile blooms across her face. “You’ve lost your goddamn mind to shack up with a crabby old lady like me.”

He chuckles and takes her in his arms, and it’s the sweetest thing to witness, as they finally surrender to one another, as they finally accept each other as they are—as they’ve always been. “I may be old and rickety, I may have a foul mouth and a few bad habits I’m never gonna lose, but you know I love you; you know I’m loyal. You know I’ll take a bullet for you, baby.”

“Fine, I’ll marry you. Just don’t bust out into a song,” Darla jokes and rolls her eyes, then laughs as Sammy lights up like a firebug and gives her a long, heartfelt kiss.

I look with joy as Colton, Ethan, and Mitch happily congratulate the newly engaged couple. Kavanaugh chuckles and slaps Sammy on the back.

“You’ve finally done it, old pal. You finally got the nerve,” he says.

“I promised her,” Sammy quips. “I promised Darla that if we survived tonight, I’d make an honest woman out of her. I’m a man of my word, y’all know that.”

“You most certainly are,” Darla says, softening in his reassuring embrace.

This is the closest we’ll ever get to a happy ending, considering everything that happened here tonight. I wasn’t sure I’d make it back. Staring down the barrel of that gun… all I could think about was the future my babies would’ve missed out on. For a second, I prayed their souls might find their way back into this world.

I lock my arms around Colton’s waist, feeling his heart thud against mine.

---