by Dana Mentink
“When he’s released from the hospital, he’ll go to jail for his assault on you.”
Dory touched Chad’s arm. “It’s all over.” She kept imagining Blaze endlessly throwing that baseball, and she prayed that he would come to someday know about forgiveness and love.
Then there was Tom Rourke. His betrayal would sit heavily on Rocky’s soul and Chad’s, too. Rocky was now free of the guilt that had mired him, but she knew he would always wonder if he could have done more to save the life of Mary Robertson. She felt the lingering pain of the bruises, latent shivers of fear that rolled over her when she thought of the betrayal they’d endured and the betrayer they had loved. The healing would be slow. None of them would ever fully escape the consequences of what had happened the day The Second Wind went down.
Chad looked past her shoulder and chuckled. “Never thought I’d see those three at a family barbecue together.”
Rocky sat in the sunlight, chatting with Sarah while he ate chips and salsa. Dory’s father stayed close and probably only she noticed his nervous energy. Pete and Rocky were not friends. Likely they might never be, but they were making progress. Ivy’s two grandpas, she thought with a start. They’d gone from a tiny family to a sprawling ranchful of pseudo relatives in the space of days. God was good.
“Looks like the world is turning right-side up again,” he said softly.
She didn’t entirely agree. There was still the muddle to be sorted out of how to fold Chad into her family. “I’ve been thinking about the calendar, how we can make sure you have enough time with Ivy after we move.”
He frowned. “Is that still the plan?”
“Yes.” Tension teased her stomach. How could she take Ivy to a different state? But how could she stay when there was no future for her here? They would both grow and change. Since they were not a couple, would she see a new woman in Chad’s life someday? Someone he would feel as passionately about as he had her all those years ago? Would Ivy be just one of a brood of children for Chad? When the ache in her heart grew too much to bear, she set the thoughts aside. “Ivy loves the garden.”
“She sure does.” Chad took her elbow and walked her away from the gathering. “I want to tell you something.”
She swallowed. He would probably want to talk more about Ivy, nail down the visitation schedules and trips to the ranch. She couldn’t really blame him. In his position, she’d do the same. The only choice was to get it over with as quickly as possible.
Resigned, she allowed him to lead her away.
* * *
Chad watched Ivy follow the scampering Meatball through Aunt Ginny’s sprawling garden. She and Charlie had been helping Ginny construct a teepee out of slender poles to support the emerging pole beans. He suspected it had taken twice as long with the two kids and one three-legged dog helping, but everyone looked thoroughly satisfied with the outcome. He thought the garden, complete with giggling children and a three-legged dog, was just about the most perfect landscape he’d ever seen. It was only missing one thing.
Dory sighed.
Chad gazed at her profile. Dory Winslow was not the teenager he’d fallen in love with anymore, and he found he was heartily glad about it. She’d become a gracious and forgiving woman who put others first and gave the best of herself to her daughter. Dory lived beautifully, successfully and faithfully in that gray area that Liam had spoken about. Chad hoped with all his might that he had changed, too, from the man who could only see the black and white.
Ivy’s prayer echoed in his ears... Help me learn to love like You.
Had God grown him up enough to let the past go so he could take on the role of father to Ivy...and husband to Dory? It was time to find out. Swallowing hard, he turned to face her.
“Dory...” But as he looked into her rich honey gaze, all the words fled. He was left silent, motionless and dumbfounded, at the intensity of his thundering emotions. Reaching down, he kissed her gently on the cheek, grazing his lips over the freckled satin.
She let him for a moment, the warmth of their connection spreading before she edged back. “You wanted to tell me something? I’ve been researching the school calendar dates for Christmas break and long weekends. I...”
He shook his head. “That’s not what I want, occasional visits and long weekends. I need something permanent.”
She frowned. “Chad, if you’re talking about custody...”
“I guess I am, in a way.”
Her brow furrowed and she bit her lip.
He blew out a breath. “Let me try again. Yes, I want permanence and custody and everything.” He took her hand. “Most of all, I want you, Dory.”
Her mouth opened in a surprised circle. “I told you we can work out an arrangement...”
“The only arrangement I want is marriage to you.” He’d done it. He’d said it. He stroked her finger. “A ring—my ring, right here.”
Her face fell. “I know you want a marriage because you think it’s the best for Ivy, but...”
Now he cupped her shoulders and gently shook her. “I want to marry you because there’s no one else on this earth I want to spend my life with.”
She gaped. “Because I had your daughter?”
“I’m not going to lie. Yes, that’s part of it.” He would not allow her to look away. “When I see Ivy, I see the best parts of you. I see her joy and love and generosity, and I know she is that way because you are.” He struggled to find the words. “Looking at her helps me truly know you. You fill my head and my heart and my spirit, and I love you.”
She shook her head. “Oh, Chad. You loved me a long time ago. You’re trying to convince yourself of that now because of how you felt when we were teens.”
He touched her hair, stroking the soft strands that refused to lie straight. “I love you because of what happened then and the five years that followed.”
Still, she shook her head. “You only just found out that you’re a father. You need more time...”
“We’ve spent roughly two thousand days apart,” he said. “I don’t need time. I need you. I love you. I love being with you, Dory. I want to be there every day to see what you’re going to become, what we can become together. You, me, Ivy and whoever else God lets us bring into this world.”
She’d squirmed out of his grip and gone stone-still, eyes wide, lips apart.
Summoning a deep breath for courage, he called to Ivy. “Hey, pumpkin. Can you bring that box I gave you?”
Ivy raced over with the exuberant Meatball. “Daddy, Polly Pumpkin is doing great in Aunt Ginny’s yard. She’s got a yellow flower and three new leaves.”
“I can see that. We’re gonna have the best pumpkin patch in the whole county.” He looked in the half-empty Cracker Jack box. “Looks like we’re missing some snacks.”
Ivy pulled a face. “Meatball was hungry. You said I could share the treats but not the prizes.”
He laughed. “I sure did.” He handed the box to Dory. “The prize is for your mommy.”
Dory’s bemusement spoke volumes, but he could not read from her expression how she felt about his proposal. His breath cinched tight as she pulled two tiny pouches from the box while Meatball happily scarfed up the dropped pieces of caramel corn.
“The big prize is for you, Dory.”
He watched with a jackhammering heart as she tore open the paper pouch and pulled out the diamond solitaire, the biggest one he could afford. “It’s not the one I was going to propose with five years ago because I figured we needed a new start.” He dropped to one knee. “Will you take it? Will you marry me? I promise I will never let you and Ivy down.”
Tears started to course down her face. “I...”
The other little pouch fell to the ground and Ivy picked it up. “What’s this one, Daddy?”
“That one’s for you.”
She opened it and held up the little gold pumpkin cha
rm with three initials on the back. D plus C plus I. “It’s for me?” she squealed.
“Yes, ma’am. To remind you that we’re a family.” He turned to Dory. “I haven’t heard your answer. Will you marry me, Dory Winslow? I’ll live in Arizona if that’s what you want. Or we can make a home here. Whichever you think is best for Ivy.”
She was still blinking, but now he saw tears in her eyes. It was not enough. He’d not convinced her. He felt the blow deep in his core. “I...I love you,” he repeated. “All I want in the world is to marry you.”
And then she was smiling. That smile held his future, their future, struggles, triumphs, hopes and dreams. A glorious electricity raced up his spine.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I love you, Chad. I love you so much.”
He swooped her up and swung her into a circle. “Ivy, your mommy is going to marry me. What do you think of that?”
Ivy laughed. “Hip, hip, hooray!” she said.
“That’s for certain. Hip, hip, hooray!” he shouted. “Dory’s gonna marry me.”
That earned a joyful whoop from the family collected on the porch. From the corner of his eye, he saw Rocky shaking Pete’s hand. The world blurred until all that remained was their tiny family, haloed in the golden spring sunlight. He buried his head in Dory’s neck to hide his sudden tears.
Meatball yipped at the family commotion.
Dory laughed. “I don’t think Ivy will settle for leaving Meatball out of the family.”
Chad threw back his head and guffawed. “Of course not. That dog is going to be her best friend ever. He’s Meatball Winslow Jaggert, after all.” He kissed her then, long and slow, and reveled in the wonder of his long-ago family, born anew.
* * *
If you enjoyed this story, look for the other books in the Roughwater Ranch Cowboys series:
Danger on the Ranch
Deadly Christmas Pretense
Cold Case Connection
Keep reading for an excerpt from Texas Twin Abduction by Virginia Vaughan.
Dear Reader,
Life is messy, isn’t it? I am typing this in the days following the loss of our beloved Grandpa Mentink, a fantastic man who enjoyed sixty-nine years of marriage to an exceptional lady. Listening to the stories of their years together reminds me how precious love is and how dear families are. God knows how difficult the days can be here on planet Earth, and He places people in our lives to help us along each treacherous mile. I witnessed many of those dear people coming forward during the funeral preparations to assist and comfort in every way possible. Each and every one of them was a blessing to our Mentink family.
In this novel, Chad and Dory are going to get a second chance to repair their family and let go of the anger and resentment that has torn them apart. Of course, reconciliation is so much easier in fiction than in real life, but it is my hope that each one of you knows what unconditional love and forgiveness feel like.
God bless you, my friends, and thanks for coming along on this journey with me. As always, if you’d like to contact me, you can send a message via my website at www.danamentink.com. There is also a physical address listed there.
Hugs and much love,
Dana Mentink
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Texas Twin Abduction
by Virginia Vaughan
ONE
Deputy Lawson Avery was counting down the minutes until the end of his shift when he could go back to his ranch. He’d given this law-enforcement gig a try, but it wasn’t for him. He’d much rather be in jeans and boots than a uniform and could only be grateful that this was his last assignment.
He’d agreed to take this one last shift to appease his brother, Josh, the current sheriff of Courtland County, Texas, when Josh had called him in to sub for a deputy out with the flu.
Lawson had given being a deputy the same chance he’d given the other four jobs he’d taken in the past few years to try to find his place. He’d gone through the police academy, gotten his certifications and given the job eight months before deciding it wasn’t for him. He was more and more convinced that his place was at Silver Star Ranch. He’d never wanted anything other than managing his family’s twenty-six acres. His ex-fiancée had called him unambitious for not wanting something more, and he’d spent the past few years trying to prove her wrong until he’d finally realized that she was right. Ranching was in his blood and Silver Star Ranch had been in the family for six generations of Averys. His deepest desire was to keep that legacy going. If that was unambitious, then so be it.
His radio squawked, relaying a call about an abandoned car on the side of Boyce Canyon Road. He was only two miles away so he responded to Dispatch that he would check it out. He’d make sure it was his last official act as a deputy sheriff before he hung up his star for good.
He rounded a corner and spotted the abandoned vehicle. It was half on the shoulder and sticking out into the lane. A definite hazard to oncoming traffic. He switched on his lights to alert anyone rounding the curve and was about to run the license plate when he noticed something unusual. The back of the car was riddled with what looked like bullet holes. Someone had been shooting at this car.
He used his radio to call in the make, model and license plate, and also mentioned the bullet holes. He didn’t recognize the car and his instincts were on high alert. They only spiked higher when, as he approached, weapon at the ready, he spotted someone slumped over on the front seat. Long dark hair covered the face, but he could see from the petite form it was a woman. He checked the backseat and saw nothing. No one else was inside, but a purse and a duffel bag sat on the front floorboard.
“Ma’am?” Lawson knocked on the window and called to the woman. She was eerily still and didn’t respond to him. “Ma’am? Can you hear me?”
He tried the door and found it unlocked. He touched her arm and she let out a soft moan. She was alive. “Ma’am, can you hear me?”
She moved and he jerked backward. Suddenly, she sat up and glanced around. When she pushed the hair from her face, he gasped.
Ashlee!
He holstered his gun and knelt beside her. “Ashlee, it’s Lawson. Can you hear me?”
She turned to look at him, dazed and visibly confused. There was a gash on her forehead near her hairline. “What happened?”
“You tell me. Are you okay?”
She shook her head, but he thought it was more to clear it than to respond to his question. She grimaced and touched her fingers to her forehead. “Are you hurt?” he added.
She checked herself. “My head hurts, but otherwise I—I don’t think so.” She looked at him. Her eyes were just as deep a green as ever, albeit clouded with puzzlement at the moment. “What...what did you call me?”
“I called you Ashlee.” Was she having trouble hearing him? He’d heard that some head injuries could cause a ringing in the ears.
“Do I know you?”
That stung. “Considering we used to be engaged, yeah, you know me. Lawson Avery?”
“Engaged?” He still couldn’t be sure she was hearing everything he was saying...but there was no mistaking the confusion in her expression. Or the lack of recognition. “Where am I?”
It didn’t make sense that she didn’t know him. They’d been a couple for years and very nearly married before she’d left him the day before their wedding to pursue her career in the big city.
True, it had been six years since then—but surely that wasn’t long enough for her to forget him completely. Then he remembered her sister, Bree. Her identical twin sister. She’d left town over ten years ago and hadn’t even returned for the wedding-that-wasn’t. Even though they’d all gr
own up together, he supposed he might have changed enough in ten years to be harder to place. Was it possible he was talking to her instead? “Bree? Is that you?”
She glanced at him again, still confused. “I thought you said my name was Ashlee.”
Understanding dawned and he pressed her. “Don’t you know your own name?”
Anger flashed in her eyes. “Of course I do.” Yet he saw her mind turning over and over, looking for answers, until tears pooled in her eyes. “I don’t. I don’t know who I am.”
Amnesia. Possibly from whatever had caused those bullet holes—or maybe from hitting her head.
He used his shoulder mic to call Dispatch for an ambulance before questioning her further.
“Do you remember what happened? How did you get here?”
Panic set in and her breathing grew heavy. “I don’t know. I can’t remember.”
He reached in for her hand, noticing it was still small and delicate in his. “It’s okay. We’ll figure it out. We’ll figure it out.” He gestured to the purse on the floorboard. “Maybe your identification is in there.”
She snatched it up and dumped the contents onto the seat, grabbing for the wallet. She opened it, then handed it to him.
He focused on the driver’s license. Ashlee Taylor. Just as he’d thought. But how had she ended up in a shot-up car stranded on the side of the road here in Courtland County? Her parents no longer lived here, and she wasn’t close to anyone in town anymore. There was little reason for her to come back home for the first time in six years.
Little reason except him.
Stop it. Their relationship had ended the day she’d fled town, leaving him only a handwritten note and a broken heart. She’d said she couldn’t live her life in a backwater town. She wanted a big-city life and someone with ambition to be more than a rancher.
She’d ripped out his heart and hadn’t looked back.
Now she was in town again and needed his help.
