Rocky Mountain Daddy

by Lois Richer

  “No.” He liked the way she traced the curls at his nape and touched the tips of his ears and the corners of his eyes. But he needed more. “Olivia?”

  “I love you, Gabe. I want us to have a future together, too. You and Eli and me. A family. It’s what I’ve always wanted, even when I didn’t know it. But God knew. It’s been hard to learn to trust Him completely, but knowing you love me is so very worth it—”

  “Olivia, please.” Gabe caught his breath at her beauty as she tipped her head back to stare at him. “Can I kiss you now?” he asked.

  “I’ve been waiting and waiting,” she whispered.

  Olivia stood on her tiptoes and Gabe met her halfway, his lips touching hers with a promise that came from the depths of his soul. Without using a single word he told her that she was his beloved, the most important thing in his world.

  “You don’t need to worry, Olivia. You are and will always be first in my heart,” he whispered when at last they drew apart. She smiled and nestled her head against his chest.

  “And you’ll always be my cowboy knight in shining armor, minus his belt,” she teased with a giggle. Then she gazed at him, her silver eyes memorizing each angle of his face. “You’re always there for me, Gabe, from the first day I came home. You’ve helped me realize that here at The Haven is where I belong.”

  “Just to be clear—you don’t want to move to Edmonton?” he asked hesitantly.

  “No,” she whispered, her smile wide. “I want to be part of this amazing ministry. I want to trust God to show us how to help kids. I want to be here, so I can see their transformations. I want to be with you, Gabe, for as long as He gives us together, with Eli. I love you. If you love me, I have all I need.”

  He traced a fingertip over her lips, stunned by what God had worked out in his life. He didn’t deserve it, but he was going to grab it and squeeze out every precious second of the time God gave him with this amazing woman.

  “When can we get married, Olivia?” For the first time, when he cupped her face in his hands, his fingers tracing the scar in a gentle touch, Olivia didn’t move.

  “Well, you haven’t actually asked me yet, Gabe,” she giggled.

  He immediately went down on one knee. He was dumb but not that dumb. When God gave you something wonderful, you hung on to it.

  “My darling Olivia, I love you more than you will ever know. I want to marry you and share our wonderful future together. So, will you?”

  Her fingers smoothed across his face, memorizing each detail as she studied him. For a moment Gabe’s heart quaked, but then he remembered in whom he trusted and waited. At last a smile flickered across Olivia’s face.

  “Yes,” she said, head tilted to one side. “I’m thinking October. Any objections?”

  “Not a one,” Gabe said as he rose and embraced her. “Fortunately, I already have a place for us to live.”

  “A very nice place,” she agreed. “And a son we can love and raise to trust in God. Thank you, Gabe.” She kissed him. “Suddenly I’m not tired at all.”

  “Me, neither. Let’s sit here for a while and watch the stars.”

  So they did.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Gabe and Olivia chose to be married on Thanksgiving Monday at The Haven. Both the bride and groom wanted a simple family-centered event, outside if possible, in the splendor of the autumn-toned woods.

  Overwhelmed with her new job as codirector of The Haven’s outreach program, Olivia had only one weekend to shop for a wedding dress, but thanks to her aunties’ preparation, that was more than enough to choose a beautiful shantung suit in purest ivory with matching heels.

  The aunties also located the most perfect bridesmaid dresses with swirly chiffon skirts featuring Olivia’s signature orange tones among multi hues of autumn greens, grays and browns. Once the dresses were chosen, Tillie and Margaret ordered gorgeous russet mohair yarn and hand-crocheted shrugs for each sister to provide a bit of extra warmth if the day turned chilly.

  But, of course, it wasn’t. Monday dawned a glorious day with a warmly glowing sun that turned the hills into a splendorous setting, certainly a day for Thanksgiving.

  As Olivia waited for ring bearer Eli to finish his walk down the aisle to his father, she thought about how full her life was. The aunts, her sisters, their children, the youth who came to The Haven, and now Gabe and Eli.

  Trust God? Always. He had given her the desires of her heart.

  “Are you ready, dear?” Aunt Tillie’s arm slipped through hers on the left, Aunt Margaret’s on the right.

  “Ready, aunties.” Her gaze riveted on Gabe’s face, Olivia walked down the aisle, certain that whatever their future brought, she could trust her Lord.

  The couple repeated the vows they’d chosen with friends and family as witnesses and God’s spectacular creation in the background. Olivia was lost in her first kiss as Gabe’s wife when she felt someone tugging on her skirt.

  “Congratulations,” Eli said with careful enunciation.

  “Thank you, darling.” She bent and hugged him, hid a smile as the little boy shook his head. “Is everything okay, Eli?” she asked when his blue eyes, so like Gabe’s, locked with hers.

  “Yeah. I was just wondering. Are you my mommy now?”

  Olivia felt Gabe’s fingers tighten against her waist. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek for reassurance before bending to address Eli.

  “You had a wonderful mommy, Eli. I wouldn’t ever try to take her place.” She brushed her fingers against his cheek. “I’m just Olivia, same as always.”

  “You can’t be.” Eli shook his head firmly. “Daddy said today makes us a family. I got a daddy.” He grinned at Gabe. “But I hafta have a mommy, too. My other mommy would be happy,” he assured her seriously. “’Cause she loved me.”

  “So do I, Eli, and I would love to be your mommy. Thank you.” Tears filled her eyes at the wonderful gift of this little boy.

  “You’re a lucky kid to have the two best mommies in the world.” Gabe swung his son into his arms, then threaded his other arm around Olivia’s waist. “Now we’re a family.”

  “Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Gabe Webber. And family,” the pastor added, after Eli glowered at him.

  The bride and groom laughed, hugged and enjoyed the afternoon. Though they were eager to be off on their short honeymoon, they were delayed by questions about their plans for the future.

  “What will you do now?” people asked Gabe.

  “Settle in to Trust Farms, that’s the name of our spread. Keep working at the Double M and with the foster youth who come to The Haven for respite.” He winked at Olivia. “In our spare time, I’ll start a petting zoo with my wife and son and try to do whatever God asks of us.”

  Later, as they lifted off in an aircraft that would take them on their honeymoon to Maui, Olivia leaned her head against Gabe’s shoulder.

  “Aside from falling in love, getting married and finding your son, what’s changed with us, Gabe?”

  He thought for a minute.

  “We’ve put the past in the past, where it belongs. Now we’re focused on our future together, with God, whatever it is.”

  “Yeah.” She smiled and nodded. “I finally figured it out.”

  Gabe arched an eyebrow, waiting.

  “Home isn’t where you are. It’s who you’re with.”

  “Now you’re talking.” He stole a kiss. Then she giggled.

  “I forgot to ask if you liked your first wedding gift.”

  He patted his flat waist. “Love it, though I’ve never had a belt made of rope before.”

  “I’m thinking it might be a good craft when we’re snowed in this winter. We always need a good craft to keep the kids busy.”

  They leaned back into their seats and began planning for their future.

  Together
.

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this story, pick up the first two

  Rocky Mountain Haven books,

  Meant-to-Be Baby

  Mistletoe Twins

  and these other stories from Lois Richer:

  The Rancher’s Family Wish

  Her Christmas Family Wish

  The Cowboy’s Easter Family Wish

  The Twins’ Family Wish

  A Dad for Her Twins

  Rancher Daddy

  Gift-Wrapped Family

  Accidental Dad

  Available now from Love Inspired!

  Find more great reads at

  www.LoveInspired.com

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Her Colorado Cowboy by Mindy Obenhaus.

  Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!

  Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards

  http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010003

  Dear Reader,

  Hello! Welcome back to my Rocky Mountain sanctuary, The Haven, a place of respite for foster children. I hope you enjoyed Olivia’s journey to find out where she belonged, and Gabe’s struggle to forgive when the cost was so great. And Eli’s search—to find a home.

  The past year has brought loss and birth to our family, struggles and blessings. And yet, God is always there for us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us. I hope that you have found His solace in your life’s journey. Please join me again soon for Gemma’s story, the final book in this series.

  I’d be delighted to hear from you via my website at www.loisricher.com, email at loisricher@gmail.com or by snail mail at Lois Richer, Box 639, Nipawin, Sask. Canada S0E 1E0. It’s always a blessing to hear from readers and I’ll do my best to respond quickly.

  Until we meet again, may you know the everlasting love, joy and peace that God offers to all His children.

  Blessings,

  Lois Richer

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

  You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives—always.

  Enjoy six new stories from Love Inspired every month!

  Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

  Harlequin.com/newsletters

  Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

  Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

  HarlequinBlog.com

  Join Harlequin My Rewards and reward the book lover in you!

  Earn points for every Harlequin print and ebook you buy, wherever and whenever you shop.

  Turn your points into FREE BOOKS of your choice

  OR

  EXCLUSIVE GIFTS from your favorite authors or series.

  Click here to join for FREE

  Or visit us online to register at

  www.HarlequinMyRewards.com

  Harlequin My Rewards is a free program (no fees) without any commitments or obligations.

  Her Colorado Cowboy

  by Mindy Obenhaus

  Chapter One

  Lily Davis had lost her mind.

  She loathed horses. Yet, somehow, she’d allowed her children to talk her into taking them horseback riding. What was she thinking?

  Knuckles white, she guided her luxury SUV across the cattle guard of Abundant Blessings Ranch and Trail Rides, her gaze darting from the majestic mountains that backdropped the picturesque setting to the menacing red-and-white metal building that sat a short distance from the road.

  She swallowed hard. Any other time she would have put her foot down, but she was desperate. They’d only been in Ouray for three days, and already her kids were begging to go back to their friends and electronic devices in Denver.

  Okay, so it was her ten-year-old son, Colton, who did most of the complaining. He thought everything was boring. On the contrary, her seven-year-old daughter, Piper, had proclaimed Ouray, Colorado, the most beautiful place ever. Which was good, because returning to Denver before the end of the summer was not an option. Not if she wanted to save her son from following in his father’s footsteps.

  She eyed her firstborn in the rearview mirror. With his sandy brown hair and green eyes, he favored her, though his blatant lies were a hallmark of his father. Something Lily found increasingly disconcerting. But learning of how he’d bullied another boy at school had spurred her into action. Because despite what Wade Davis might believe, the fact that they had money did not make them better than anyone else.

  He’d agreed to let her take the kids away for the entire summer, instead of splitting the time the way they usually did. Whatever deal he was working must be big. She could only pray he wouldn’t change his mind before August 15, the date they’d agreed upon for the kids’ return.

  Easing to a stop between another SUV and a sedan, she shifted into Park. Why couldn’t they have just gone on another Jeep tour?

  The kids were out of the vehicle before Lily even turned off the engine.

  “Hurry up, Mommy.” Piper’s excitement had her blonder-than-blond ponytail swishing to and fro. The perpetually cheerful child had always been eager to try new things. A trait Lily usually admired. Until she suggested horseback riding.

  Too bad Lily hadn’t had the guts to say no.

  Setting her booted feet onto the gravel, she rubbed her arms, eyeing the two chestnut-colored horses staring at her from the adjacent paddock. Did they know? Were they able to sense that another horse had once gotten the best of her?

  “Aww...” Piper noted the pair. “Aren’t they cute?”

  Lily cleared her throat. “Horses are some of God’s most beautiful creatures.” Not to mention frightening. Her kids didn’t see it that way, though, so she wasn’t about to pass her fears on to them.

  She drew in a deep breath, the once-familiar odor of horse and hay tightening her stomach. How was she ever going to pull this off?

  “This is boring.” Colton shuffled toward the entrance. “I want to ride them, not look at them.”

  Lily’s gaze lifted to the mid-June sky. God, please help me. She glanced at her son. In every way.

  Inside, the walls of the small but tidy lobby were lined with rustic wood planks. A couple with two boys who looked to be a little older than Colton sat on an old wooden church pew that hugged one wall.

  “Mommy, look.” Piper pointed above the doorway of what appeared to be an office. “A horseshoe.”

  “It’s a horse barn.” Arms crossed, Colton rolled his eyes. “They probably have, like, a million of those things.”

  “I don’t care, Colton.” Hands on her hips, his sister glared at him. “I still like them.”

  Before Lily could intervene, the sound of footsteps on concrete drew their attention.

  She turned, feeling as though she’d suddenly stepped into a country music video. From his boots and Wranglers to the shiny belt buckle and straw Stetson perched on his head, this guy was all cowboy.

  He stopped to address the other family. “If you all will head straight down this corridor—” he pointed to the long aisle behind him “—and to the right, Amber and Jackie are waiting with your horses.”

  As the group departed, he turned his attention to Lily and her children. “Welcome to Abundant Blessings Ranch.” Tall and clean shaven, he tipped his hat back just enough to reveal dark brown hair and even darker eyes, like a rich espresso. He was older than she would have expected. Perhaps even older than her thirty-eight years, but not by much. And while his smile was pleasant enough, it did little to put her at ease. “I’m Noah Stephens. How can I help you folks today?”

  Pressing one hand against her stomach, she fingered the silver chain around her neck with the other. “Um—”

 
“We want to ride horses.” Piper stared up at the man, looking very matter-of-fact.

  “You do?” His smile grew wider, forming creases around his eyes. “Well, I guess you’ve come to the right place then.” He reached for one of a series of clipboards that hung on the wall. “I’ll just need your mother to sign these papers.” He handed the clipboard to her, along with a pen.

  The knot in Lily’s stomach grew even bigger as she filled in the required information. Why was she putting herself through this? She should have simply said no in the first place.

  But then Colton and Piper would have wanted to know why. She couldn’t bear the thought of telling them she was afraid. After all, she was their mother. The one who was supposed to be strong. And she was, most of the time. Right about now, though, she felt like that four-year-old girl who’d just been bucked off her first, and last, horse.

  “How much riding have you kids done?” The cowboy looked from Colton to Piper.

  “I’ve never been on a horse.” Piper’s blue eyes sparkled. “But I can’t wait.”

  “That’s good to know, because I want to make sure I pair each of you with the correct horse for your level of experience.”

  “What does it matter?” Colton shrugged. “It’s just a stupid horse.”

  The cowboy straightened to his full six-foot-plus height, and Lily froze. What would he do? Everyone knew cowboys didn’t tolerate disrespect. And her son had plenty. Would he tell them they couldn’t ride?

  Wishful thinking on her part.

  Arms crossed, the man stared down at Colton, his expression stern. “Actually, horses are quite smart.” His deep voice left no room for question. “And they’re able to sense what kind of people are riding them.” His gaze narrowed. “So you might want to keep that in mind, young man.”

  Under different circumstances, Lily might have chuckled. But by the time she handed the completed paperwork back to the cowboy, her stomach was churning.

  His brow lifted. “Are you all right, ma’am?”