Page 105 of A Rancher's Love

Caleb didn’t seem to notice. Luke and Tucker gave each other looks but tucked in like everything was normal. Walker smirked but dug in resolutely. Dusty asked for a second bean-stuffed tomato.

Ginny stared at me for the longest time before a noise escaped her. I thought for a second she was choking, but it was giggles.

Do you know how hard it is to keep a straight face when your daughter is snickering like crazy even as the menfolk dig into miniature castle-shaped creamed-chicken-Jell-O? Or a very bold pink Salmon Shortcake Delight?

I think every year on Canada Day, I’ll make one of these old-fashioned monstrosities.

Ginny wiped away the tears, because the meal really had been that bad. The tastes, the colours—all of it incredibly terrible. When she peeked into the pocket on that page and found the actual recipe cards, she laughed all over again.

The next time Dustin and Shim came for supper, she was totally making the creamed chicken recipe.

Still snickering, she put aside her mom’s journal and picked up her own, flipping as usual to an open page about a third of the way in.

At the top of the page, words poked her.

My one regret.

Interesting how with every one of these prompts, she could come back again and again, and every time the answer might be slightly different. If she’d read this question a year ago during her travels, she might have regretted not having asked all the right questions before she’d even left.

But here and now, the answer rising up the clearest was how she felt deep inside, and how she hadn’t shared it nearly enough.

How much she loved and appreciated Caleb for everything he’d ever done, not just for her, but Dare as well. How much she enjoyed Walker and Ivy’s company, how much big brother Luke and live-wire Kelli meant. How Dustin made Ginny laugh and smile, and his wide-open future was something she couldn’t wait to encourage him to explore. How Tamara was magically meeting Ginny’s needs for a mother figure and a good friend at the same time.

How much she loved Tucker. Body, mind and soul.

That one was too huge to rush past.

The feeling inside wasn’t something new. She’d probably loved Tucker in some way since she was a giddy youth. But the real moment of the change, she remembered so clearly.

Out on the dance floor. The end of January. In that moment, she’d known that everything he’d said before was absolutely true.

He’d claimed her. Straight up, no doubt about it, he’d made it plain that he wanted her. Damn the consequences; damn her trying to make his life easier.

I want you even if it’s not easy.

She glanced in her notebook.

My one regret.

She was pretty sure Tucker knew she cared about him. He had it down pat that she liked having him around. But given his background, given hisparents, how often in his life had he heard the actual words?

She’d been holding them back, and that was wrong.

Ginny dropped the journal onto the bench and shot to her feet.

Here’s where the magic took place, because the prompt from her mom didn’t feel like a chance to pour out her heart and set a solid foundation to build on.

This one felt like the encouragement to fix a mistake.

She pulled on her boots and coat, and headed into the sunshiny day.

Crossing the path between the cottage and the main ranch house was easily done. She knocked briefly then let herself in, happy to discover Tamara in the kitchen with Caleb by her side.

Ginny paused for a split second when she realized she’d interrupted them kissing. But then again, who cared? “I need to tell you something,” she announced.

Tamara’s cheeks were rosy, but she stayed tucked up against Caleb’s side. “Yes?”

Ginny marched up to Caleb and looked him straight in the eye. “You are amazing, and I am so glad you’re my big brother.” She turned to Tamara. “I think you’re the coolest sister-in-law ever, and I’m so glad you’re in this family. I love you both so much.”