Page 37 of Long Hard Ride
“Where are we going?”
“It’s just around those trees. That way you won’t have to walk too far from the house, but you’ll still have privacy, you know, when you want to work on your art.”
We take a right at the first tree, where I’ve been spending every free second I’ve had for the last two months.
It’s a small structure, with just one room. But there’s a big window in every wall, so she’ll have plenty of light. I painted it all white, so it’s sort of like a blank canvas for her. I didn’t want any colors competing with whatever she’s working on.
“You built this?” Her pretty face lights up like a firecracker as a grin covers her face from ear to ear. “For me?” She turns back to me and then rushes to the building, holding her hand over her heart.
“It’s your art studio.” I raise my voice so she can hear me inside. “I added electricity and a wood stove, so you’ll have light and heat in there year round.”
She rushes outside.
“You like it?”
“I love it!” She comes running into my arms, and my heart melts for the fiftieth time today.
I hold her close and bury my nose into her shoulder. I smell orange blossoms, cake and pussy, and everything that makes her so sweet. “I love you, baby. Thank you for waiting around for a hard-headed man like me to come to my senses. We might not have been born in the same decade, but we are one and the same, Brooke.”
She grins up at me, the sun adding flecks of gold to her chocolate eyes. “How?”
“We waited for each other,” I say kissing her cheek. “You were a virgin. I’ve never been in love before. You were saving your virginity for me, and I was saving my heart for you.”
I drop to one knee. “Brooke Carlisle, I will love you for the rest of my life. Will you please not divorce me?”
“Shane, you’re all I’ve ever wanted, and I will love you until my last breath.” The tears tumble down her cheeks. “I would love to not divorce you.”
***
FOUR MONTHS LATER
I’m so overcome with happiness for Shane and Brooke, I don’t know what to say. In a span of six months, Shane’s made me the last single sibling standing. I laugh because I know how ridiculous it is to compare myself to my brothers. After all, I was the first to be married and have three kids to prove it.
Chase and Ryder took the news of Shane’s arranged marriage in stride. They were much calmer than I was when I got the news. And in another three months, I’ll be an aunt.
My brothers and their wives are all kicking back around the new fire pit Shane made in front of Brooke’s studio. It’s the cutest place I’ve ever seen. I’m not an artist, so I’d probably turn it into a she-shed, a place to get away from the kids and read.
It’s been so long since I’ve done anything for myself.
“What were you about to ask us, Jenny?” Lexi strolls over and refills my wine glass.
“Yeah, out with it,” Ryder asks. “What do you need?”
I sigh, hating to ask anyone for anything. As a single mom with a full-time job as an elementary school teacher, I’m used to taking care of everything myself, but I’m at my wits’ end. And once Brooke has the baby, we’re all going to want to spend every free second with them.
“What I need is a little time to myself. I have some time off in November and thought I’d take a drive to the cabin.”
“Done,” Emma offers. “I can babysit, no problem.”
“I was thinking of going away for at least few days.”
“Remind me to look at your car before you go.” Chase nods, grabbing another beer from the cooler. “The weather can get awfully dicey up in those mountains that time of year.”
“It isn’t the drive I’m worried about—it’s the kids.”
“Naw, they’re outnumbered.” Shane reaches for Brooke’s hand and kisses it. “There’s only three of them and six of us.”
I laugh. “Now that you put it that way... Are you sure you can manage?”
