Page 30 of The Hardest Part

Three.

Two.

One.

“Happy New Year, Emily.” His dark eyes shining, Jake pressed a kiss to her forehead and guided her to his brother’s waiting arms.

Billy’s lips took hers, soft and sweet. Tasting the champagne on his tongue, he deepened the kiss until everything else faded away. Jake held her from behind, warm breath fanning her nape, his fingers strummed her middle. Lightning erupted in her belly, the blood rushing to that empty place between her legs, making it so heavy she ached.

Jake’s tongue traced the pulse beneath her ear. “Michante.”

Emily opened her eyes.

Her mother still stood there with Justin, looking on as Victor kissed his wife. Uncle Matty was kissing Jennifer, while Grams hid a chuckle behind her hand, watching Tanner and Kellan chase after their stepsister.

A smile coming to her lips, she closed them again. How lucky was she to call these people her family?

“Happy New Year, Em.”

“Happy New Year, Billy.” And she kissed him again for good measure. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, baby.”

She turned to the man behind her. “And I love you, Jake. I hope your birthday wish comes true.”

“Already did.” A smile in his eyes, he kissed her crown. “I’ve got you.”

On the trail, grief was a luxury no one could afford. There wasn’t a single soul amongst them who hadn’t left behind someone, given up something, to make the difficult journey west. Levi often wondered if everything they’d endured, all they’d lost, would be worth it in the end.

Many of them would never see it.

The emigrants grew weaker and more haggard by the day.

Walker dropped back to ride beside him. “If we can keep ‘em goin’, at this pace we should reach the fort by week’s end.”

“Then what?” With a pent-up snicker, Levi clawed at his beard. He needed a shave. His skin itched.

“Get supplies. Rest a day. Maybe two.” Then he said in all seriousness, “You got some decisions that need makin’.”

Levi turned his head and just looked at him.

“You’re runnin’ out of time.”

He knew it. Mid-September, the days were pleasant, but the nights had become increasingly colder—darn near close to freezing. Winter was coming. They were running out of time quick.

Levi stopped chewing on the nub of flesh inside the corner of his lip to ask, “You been there, Josiah?”

“Been where?”

“California.”

The mountain man leaned back in the saddle, removed his hat, and raked gnarled fingers through his scraggly hair. “Yeah, I’ve been there.”

“Is it all they say? Is it worth it?”

“Well, son.” And he put the hat back on his head. “I s’pose that depends on what you’re hopin’ to find there.”

Another clearing lay ahead.

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