Page 86 of The Rancher's Wedding

“Believe it or not,” Estelle said, “I’ve learned quite a bit out here.”

“In that case,” Richard said, “I’d be more than happy to take you up on that offer.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

For all the land that Holden Ranch held, there wasn’t much space for if a guest was to spend the night. Richard would have to make do with a few blankets and quilts and a pillow on the floor of the living room, which he preferred to having to make a trip to town after dark in order to find himself a motel.

As a result, it seemed the only place Estelle could find peace and privacy from her father was in the comfort of the stables, which is where she went with Michael after Ethan left.

Immediately upon finding themselves within the cover of the two walls, Estelle found herself in Michael’s arms, lips locked to his, in a loving embrace. Her heart could rest and love fully, knowing that Ethan couldn’t come in and spoil things for her and her husband. This was, after all, the first true kiss the couple had shared together. It was the first time they kissed since Michael had learned all the secrets Estelle had been keeping and accepted her despite them.

And it was a beautiful relief.

Estelle could finally love without boundaries and give in to her heart without fear of it breaking. It wasn’t just with Michael, but herself. She realized she could have everything that she wanted without compromise and didn’t just need to accept the fate that she was handed. She wished she could go back to the little girl, looking through the crack in the wall of her father’s office and talk to her, letting her know that everything would turn out okay.

“We did it,” Michael said to her, once the kiss finally ended.

Estelle nodded. It was only three words, but the one she cared most about was the first. She couldn’t have gotten rid of Ethan on her own, nor could Michael have. It was her and Michael and her father that did it, working together as part of a family that did it.

“How does it feel?” Michael asked.

She considered the question. Was there even a way to express it? It was a day she’d been waiting for that she didn’t believe would ever come. How could she ever thank him for not only being her escape, but being what she never knew she wanted?

“I feel like today is the first day of my life,” Estelle said. “And I can’t wait to spend the whole thing with you.”

“You know,” Michael said, “now that I think about it, I think that’s how I’ve felt every day since I met you.”

***

The four of them, including Jacob, sat around the small table in the kitchen, which was filled to the brim with food. There were potatoes and dried meats, made from elk and bison, a bowl filled with leafy greens and cut up fruit, and a plate of biscuits. Estelle had come a long way from meals of just beans. Their elbows were bumping into each other, but they didn’t mind.

“This is wonderful, Estelle,” Richard said.

“I worry it isn’t enough,” she said.

Richard laughed. “My dear, this will be more than enough to send all of us to sleep tonight with full bellies and big smiles on our faces. I don’t believe the chefs in our kitchen ever made us a meal quite like this one.”

Estelle blushed. She’d gotten used to Michael praising her cooking, and Jacob, too, would offer a compliment with every meal, but hearing her father’s approval meant the world to her.

“It’s remarkable how quickly she’s learned so much since arriving here,” Michael said.

“Yes,” Richard said. “I believe she gets that from her mother. Same as her stubbornness.”

It was a bit of a gentle tease toward Estelle, something her father always pointed out to her, especially when she was in trouble. Her father always told her her stubborn nature would get her in trouble. In a sense, he was right, but in another, it was also what ended up saving her.

“That’s the same stubbornness that made me come out here to avoid marrying Ethan,” Estelle said before taking a bite of her biscuit.

She saw her father’s face turn from laughing to serious in an instant. “That’s true,” Richard said. “It tends to be even more frustrating when you’re right.”

A small smirk forced its way onto Estelle’s face, no matter how much she tried to hide it. She couldn’t remember another time in her life when her father had said something like that, admitting that he was wrong and she was right. Even if those weren’t his exact words, that’s how Estelle chose to hear them.

“I happen to admire that about her,” Michael said. “Estelle is a woman who knows what she wants.”

“That she is,” Richard said. “Let me tell you something. When she was a little girl, she used to have quite the imagination. She’d put on shows for the family with her best friend. They’d pretend to be animals or do reenactments of stories they read.”

Jacob’s eyes perked up at the mention of Estelle’s friend. “That friend from her childhood,” he began, “wouldn’t by any chance have been Megan, would it?”

“Why, yes it would as a matter of fact,” Richard said. “Why do you ask?”

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