Page 82 of River Justice

He changed the subject, the fire and how they’d almost lost Holly Jo still too fresh on everyone’s mind. “You haven’t heard from Charlotte, have you?” She shook her head. “I feel bad about how I left things the last time I saw her. If you hear from her...”

“I’ll tell her you want to at least talk to her. How would that be?”

He smiled. “Thank you. I’m not doing this in the hope of bringing Charlotte back to Powder Crossing. It’s a chance to bring the families together. To put the animosity to rest.”

She cocked her head at him. “One word.Treyton.”

“Yes, he won’t attend the party, I’m sure. Hell, Bailey might not even show up, and Duffy’s down in Wyoming. Cooper and Tilly will come, though. Pickett and Oakley, too. Maybe you should see if Holly Jo would like to invite a few friends.” Again, Elaine looked skeptical, but said she would ask. “Ryder will probably come, don’t you think? Be sure and invite Deacon, too.” He saw her face heat for a moment. “I’m delighted that you two have—”

Her look made him choke back whatever else he’d planned to say.

“I’ll invite everyone,” she said as she started to walk toward the kitchen. “Let’s leave it at that.”

“Why is it that my love life has always been fair game?” Holden said under his breath, but loud enough that she could hear.

She didn’t take the bait, and he was almost relieved. The truth was, he didn’t have a love life and hadn’t for years. Who was he kidding? He was lonely and missed Lottie like a lost limb. He’d give anything if she showed up for the party, but he knew better than to hold out hope.

BRANDHADNEVERbeen this nervous in his life. He’d decided to ask Birdie to marry him at the Fourth of July party at McKenna Ranch.

As fireworks exploded all around them, he looked over at Birdie, instantly charmed by her expression. She was staring upward, eyes wide in awe, as if she’d never seen anything like this before. Maybe she hadn’t. Holden had gone all out, even though Brand had heard that Elaine had tried to dissuade him from buying too many.

All Brand knew was that he wanted to snatch a star out of the sky and give it to Birdie. Anything to see that wonder in her eyes when she looked at him.

She glanced over at him, her gaze softened in the lights bursting around them. He felt anchored to the spot as she reached out to cup his cheek, before she leaned in and kissed him. Drawing back, she whispered, “Thank you.”

He had no idea what he’d done other than invite her to the party—just that he wanted to do whatever it took to make her happy for the rest of his life. He pulled her to him. “Let’s take a walk.” He held her hand, and they wandered away from the barbecue area some distance from the new house and into the darkness of the thick cottonwoods along the Powder River.

Drawing her to a stop, he pulled her close and said, “I don’t want you to leave.” He rushed on before she could speak. “I know I probably wouldn’t be your grandmother’s choice for you, but I...I...” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I love you. Marry me, Birdie Malone. Make me the happiest cowboy this side of Chicago.”

She looked so serious for a moment that he feared she would turn him down. “You’re wrong. Nana would have loved you, Brand. Just like I do.”

Sweeping her up in his arms, he kissed her hard, then drew back to just look at her as he slowly lowered her to the ground. After his mother’s disastrous relationships, he’d had no plans to ever marry. But then again, he’d never been in love before. He’d never handed over his heart, not sure it wouldn’t get crushed or that he might never get it back.

“I love you,” he said again. “Heaven help me, but I love you more than my next breath. So, was that a yes?”

Birdie laughed. “You sure about what you’re getting into?”

“Not in the least,” he said and laughed, too. “But I can’t wait to find out. There’s never a dull moment with you, Birdie Malone. It should be one hell of a ride.”

“Then yes. I’ll marry you. Saddle up, cowboy. This is going to be fun.”

THESHERIFFHADbeen invited to the big shindig out at McKenna Ranch. Holden himself had called with the invitation.

“I don’t think I ever thanked you for saving my life,” the rancher said. “Thank you. You’re a good sheriff. Better than your father.”

The compliment had taken him by surprise in more than one way. His father had been kind of a legend in the Powder River Basin. “Thank you, Holden. But I’m afraid I can’t make the party unless I have to break up a fight or haul someone off to jail.”

The rancher had laughed. “I understand.”

Stuart had thought about it, but the Fourth usually came with its own challenges for law enforcement. He was back to just two deputies and couldn’t leave them alone tonight.

He leaned back in his office chair as he finished the last of the paperwork on Boyle Wilson’s confession to killing Dixon Malone. Wilson had been transferred to the Billings detention center. Still exhausted from everything that had happened, Stuart couldn’t have felt more relieved—or surprised—to finally be able to wrap up the case. Holly Jo was home, Holden McKenna was going to live, and Darius Reed was no longer a threat.

From the ashes of the McKenna Ranch house, a new structure had emerged. “It will be bigger and better than before,” Holden had said, and Stuart had heard it was. The fire had to have destroyed a lot of memories since it was the original portion of the homestead that had burned—the part Holden’s grandfather had built more than a hundred years ago.

Holden, though, had seemed to have taken it in his stride, as if almost glad to have some of those memories gone. Stuart wondered where that left Charlotte, who’d exited town after paying her fine for helping Elaine dispose of Dixon’s body.

Charlotte and Holden were just full of surprises, like offering her house until Holden’s was rebuilt—and Holden accepting—let alone her leaving town. No one seemed to know where she’d gone or if she’d be back.

---