Page 45

Epilogue

Ford

The wind races through my hair as her arms wrap my waist.

I can’t stop myself from pressing her hand into my belly and idly rubbing the small silver band.

“Did you want to stop at the house first?” I yell loudly enough she can hear me over the thrumming of my Harley.

“No, I promised Char I’d check that mare to let her know if it’s foaled.” Her lips are only inches from my ear, her hot breath matching the warm June air.

Slowing down as we turn onto the dirt lane leading into the ranch, she snuggles herself against my back.

I don’t know how much longer she’ll be able to ride behind me as her belly grows.

“It has to be something special that her horse is due the same time she had her twins.” Her voice has a wistful sing-song sound now every time she talks about babies.

It’s been almost impossible to peel her away from Mason’s newest.

I imagine Lori appreciates the help though. Two little boys barely a year apart, she’s going to have her hands full.

My motorcycle kicks up a low cloud of dust behind us that catches up when I pull to a stop next to the second barn.

April’s tanned arms shudder with a violent sneeze, then she starts giggling and makes a show of wiping down my back.

“Did you…?” I grin at her as I help her off.

“No, but you should see the look on your face.” She bounces past me into the dim interior.

When she reaches up to the rail on the gate and pulls herself high enough to see over the stall door, I can just see the swell below her belly button.

I can’t wait until I can feel our own child kick.

“Ford!” she exclaims, clapping her palm over her mouth. “It’s spotted!”

My hand wraps the top and I hoist myself next to her. “Huh. I guess that little bit of Appaloosa came through strong.”

“I gotta get a picture and send it to her.” She pulls her phone out of her cut-off jeans pocket and snaps a few quick shots.

Stepping down, her thumbs fly over her screen and an easy smile plays over her lips.

She brushes a strand of her hair behind her ear and glances up at me. “Char sent me a pic of the twins. She said the one on the right is Violet, and the other is Rose.”

Turning her wrist reveals two red, grumpy looking faces.

“Well, I see they have Dix’s personality already,” I chuckle. “While we’re on this end, I might as well check with Mason on herd assignments.”

It’s taken a couple of weeks to get back in the swing of things.

Spending ten days on the beaches of Italy with April for our honeymoon has my head in all the wrong places.

But in the best ways.

Threading my fingers through hers, I let my thumb rub across the fresh tattoos on her wrist.

Hey, wait a minute. “Ain’t these the same flowers that’s on your saddle you picked out?”

“Mmhmm.” She raises one eyebrow while her cheek teases up. “Forget-me-nots.” She holds up her other hand to show off the matching bracelet of delicate blue petals embedded into her skin. “This way I never forget the memories you gave me.”

I pull her fingers to my mouth and let a kiss pepper her knuckle. “Many more to come.”

Huh, I wonder why Blue’s truck is here?

Rapping on Mason’s door, I’m not surprised to see Libby answer. She’s been staying with Paisley the last few days while Char and Dixon have been at the hospital with the newborns.

“Hi, guys. Come on in. Lori’s taking a nap with Benjamin, so I volunteered for babysitting duty since Sophia’s at a rodeo this weekend.” Her blond ponytail waves as she turns, then scoops up Jack who’s fussing on the floor.

Carrying him to the kitchen, it looks like she’s making him a snack when I sit down next to Mason at the table.

Blue’s stretched out on the other side, but a glance of pain drifts over his eyes when he sits up.

“We were just going over the options on finishing acquiring those new cows.” Mason flips a paper around so I can see it.

I have to do a double take. “Since when are you a dairy farmer?”

Mason scratches his jaw. “Well, with all the kids running around here, can’t have too much milk. Ben is already nursing more than Jack did.” There’s a proud lilt to his statement.

April laughs from the couch where she’s playing with Paisley.

“Seriously though?” What the hell is Mason thinking? We aren’t set up for that.

“It’s a sound expansion, I’ve been running the numbers for a while. And Blue is going to make sure that it’s a seamless absorption.”

Blue leans forward and pulls another sheet from under to push towards me. “It won’t impact operations here, it’s a self-contained branch.”

He reaches across his body with his left hand to his coffee cup and pulls it to his lips.

That’s when I notice the dark blue across his right arm isn’t part of his shirt, it’s a sling.

“What the fuck happened to you?” I can see now why he’s wincing every time he moves.

He tries to shrug with his good shoulder. “No biggie. I can still write just fine.”

I’ve known him too damn long for him to be dancing around the subject.

“Blue…” I drop my tone. “Do we need to hunt someone down?”

His lips thin, but then unexpectedly he grins. “Alright, I got shot.”

“The hell? Who?” I don’t understand how he can be nonchalant about this.

He purses his mouth, fighting his smile, but his bright blue eyes shine.

Libby slides a mug of steaming coffee at me, then crosses her arms. “I did.”