At the end of the last guest performance, Molly and Jim got up and thanked all of their guests for coming and encouraged them to make reservations to come back soon. Then Molly said, “As our final thank you this week, Jim and I have prepared a little skit for you, too.”
Everyone leaned back in their seats to be entertained one more time. She would miss the owners of this ranch. They were really starting to feel like friends.
Molly and Jim started with their banner, “A Colorado Sunset.” Their scene unfolded with them sitting in rocking chairs as if on a porch, talking about the beautiful sunsets on the ranch. “How many of you enjoyed our sunsets while you were here?” Molly asked.
The crowd responded with loud cheers and enthusiastic clapping.
June fought back the tears that rapidly welled up in her eyes as the image of her and Jeff’s first kiss, while watching the sun go down on his porch swing, played in her mind. Please, she willed herself; don’t let me fall apart until I get back to my room. Pay attention. She returned her focus to the skit.
“Ladies and gentlemen please welcome our special guest who would like to say something about his views on our Colorado sunsets,” Jim announced with a flair.
June looked up. Out of the nowhere, Jeff walked onto the stage, dressed in his finest jeans, a light blue dress shirt (the same color as his mesmerizing eyes), and a black felt cowboy hat, which looked like it was only used for special occasions. Every nerve in June’s body suddenly was on fire. My God, he’s gorgeous.
Jeff’s sexy eyes scanned the crowd, until they found June’s and locked into her warm gaze. The most amazing smile lit up his whole face. June smiled back, captivated by his presence.
“Hi,” he said somewhat nervously. “For those of you who haven’t met me, I’m Jeff Walker, and I own a ranch down the road a piece. I’ve lived on that ranch all my life. I have always loved the Colorado sunsets, but I have to tell you, never as much as I did this fall, sharing one with Ms. June Meyers. June, can you come up here, please?”
June floated as if in an amazing dream. She felt herself get up from her chair and, with her eyes still locked on Jeff’s, walk over to where he stood. She was unaware of Molly and Jim returning to their seats. Everyone was focused on her and Jeff, but she barely noticed. His steaming eyes bore into hers; taking her to a place she’d never been before.
Suddenly her hands were grasped in both of his, and she watched as he carefully lowered himself to one knee in front of her.
“June,” he said with the hoarseness of passion in his voice, “my life changed the first moment I saw you scowl at me at that little gas station in eastern Colorado. You stole my heart away. It will never be the same, and I know now that I can’t live without you in my life. Will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me? Stay here on my ranch with me for the rest of our lives?”
The room had fallen into a hushed silence. Everyone seemed to await her response. Jeff had dropped one of her hands, and held out a beautiful, large, solitary diamond ring.
“Absolutely!” June replied. “Nothing would make me happier than to be your wife.”
He did remember meeting her at that gas station after all. And despite the fact she had been at her worst that day, he still wanted her.
The room erupted in clapping and cheers as he slipped the perfect-fitting ring on her finger and stood up to take her mouth with his. All that existed for June was that kiss, her usual modesty regarding any kind of public display of affection, momentarily forgotten. She passionately returned his embrace. His arms surrounded her in instant warmth. She closed her eyes, afraid that she’d awake to it all being a dream. She was in heaven.
Slowly, she came back to earth and pulled herself back. There would be plenty of time for passion for the rest of her life. When she opened her eyes and smiled out at the crowd, they cheered some more. She was mobbed by guests and staff all with well wishes and congratulatory hugs. She looked around and saw Violet beaming with a huge smile on her face. When had she gotten here? She noticed that Luke had also snuck into the room. He was standing in the back talking to Molly and Jim. Beside him was another handsome young man, who looked very much like Jeff and Luke.
When the line of guests had faded away, Jeff grabbed her hand and led her over to where they stood. June looked accusatorily at the group.
“Were you all in on this?”
“Yep,” they said in unison.
“Congratulations,” Luke said as he stepped up to give her a warm hug.
“June, I’d like you to meet my other son Matthew.”
“It’s so nice to meet you. Did you come all the way from Denver, just to meet me?”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” Matthew beamed as he hugged her warmly. “It’s not every day a guy has the pleasure of watching his dad get engaged. Welcome to the Walker family!”
“I’m so happy!” Molly said. “I know that you and I are going to be best friends now that you are staying in Peakview. It was so hard watching you mope around here for the last couple of days. I wanted to tell you so badly, but I couldn’t spoil JW’s surprise.”
“It’s okay. You’re forgiven. I’m too happy right now to be upset about anything. I’m looking forward to our continued friendship.”
Violet hugged her next. “I’m so happy for you. I knew there was something special between the two of you that day you came in the café after you picked up your car last time you were here. I’m so glad that Jeff was smart enough to not let you go this time.”
Jeff laughed. “I told you not much that happens in Peakview gets by Violet.” He leaned over to hug his longtime friend. The friend who had been such an integral part of getting him through those tough days and months after Susan’s death. “You’re next, Violet. We need to find a nice man for you.”
“No thanks,” she said. “I’m happy just to share in your excitement. Susan would be pleased.”
At her words, Jeff wiped a stray tear from his eye—a tear of joy, different from all those sad tears he had shed over the past few years. He knew Susan was looking down and smiling.
Jeff snuck his arm back around the shoulders of his soon-to-be bride. “As much as I hate to break up this party, it’s getting late. He winked at June.
“If you don’t mind, Molly, I think I’ll check June out a little early and take her home.”
Home. June beamed. Her home at Walker Ranch. She was going to be a Walker.
“No problem,” Molly answered. “You two kids go ahead. Since June is staying, I’ll know where to find her. You can come back and settle up with me in the next few days. No rush.”
“I hate to leave all this fun, but there is someone else at my ranch, anxiously waiting to congratulate her.”
“Who?” June asked puzzled.
“It’s a surprise.” He hugged her to his side. “You’ll see soon enough. I’ll help you get your things and drive you home in your car. My boys can take the truck back.”
There was that word again; home. To think only a week ago, she had felt homeless. She sure didn’t feel that way now.
She smiled up into his sparkling blue eyes. “Sounds good to me. Let’s go.”
As they walked hand-in-hand through the crisp night air toward the ranch house, June felt a little disappointed. After all of the fuss of the last hour, she wanted Jeff alone. Now there was apparently someone else to make small talk with at the ranch. She couldn’t imagine who it could be—maybe some neighbors or Matthew’s girlfriend? All she wanted was to fall into Jeff’s embrace and hold him all night long. Oh well—an hour ago, she thought she was going back to Ohio with a broken heart. Now she was the happiest woman in the world. She didn’t really care if he wanted her to meet a thousand of his friends, as long as they were together.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
When they had loaded all of her belongings, June said a quick goodbye to Molly making a promise to be back soon to discuss wedding plans. Jeff walked around to the passenger side and helped
her into the Subaru. She could get used to this treatment. Climbing in the other side, Jeff started the engine and turned the heater to high. He pulled June to his side and after a long tender kiss, he put the car in drive and headed down the road.
June ignored her strict “always wear your seatbelt” motto and slid even closer to Jeff, resting her head on his strong shoulder. Maneuvering the familiar roads with his left hand, Jeff laid his right hand in her lap gently caressing her leg as they drove. June’s body quivered at his touch and she moaned in delight. This is what her life was going to be like from now on.
“Oh by the way,” Jeff said breaking the silence, “I love you, June.”
“I love you, too, with all my heart,” she purred in contentment. “Now that we’re engaged, can I ask you a personal question?”
“I’m an open book. Ask me anything.”
“Our new horses.” June smiled as she used the word our. “You promised you would tell me how you came up with their names.”
“Oh that,” Jeff chuckled. “After you left in September, nothing at the ranch seemed right anymore—there was this gaping hole without you. No matter what I did or how hard I tried, I couldn’t get you out of my mind. I kicked myself a thousand times for not getting a phone number or address from you, so we could have kept in touch. A couple of weeks passed, and I gave up hope of ever seeing you again. But still I didn’t ever want to forget the impact you had on my life in the short time you were here. I thought about naming the horses June and Jeff to remember you—to remember us. That would have been too obvious though. Luke was already harassing me about you and the feelings he knew I had. So I named them Lil, for the smell of your perfume, and JJ, short for June and Jeff. Every time I called them by name, I thought of you and smiled. Pretty corny, huh?”
“Not at all. It’s sweet. You’re sweet.” Content, June laid her head back on his shoulder and gave his muscular arm an affectionate squeeze. This night was magical. Her Prince Charming had arrived.
Gravel crunched as they pulled to a stop in front of what was now her home. As she climbed out of the car, Luke opened the front door and then she heard it. The unmistakable happy, welcoming bark of her Laddie as he tore across the yard and threw his seventy-five pound frame at her, nearly knocking her to the ground in excitement.
She knelt down and buried her face in his fur and laughed as he licked her eyes. “It’s so good to see you, boy!” Then she looked up at Jeff incredulously. “How? You are full of surprises tonight.”
“Well,” Jeff started as they walked into the house closing the door on the chilly night outside and entering into the warmth from the fire, “on Thursday night, when it hit me that after twenty-four hours away from you I never wanted to be apart from you again, I did some serious brainstorming with my son and co-conspirator, Luke. I knew that the celebration would not be complete without Matthew, so I called him and asked him to come up for the weekend. Since you’d told me you virtually had no home, I was hoping I could convince you to stay permanently. I knew that wouldn’t happen without Laddie being here, too. Thank God, Hayville is a small town. I remembered you had mentioned the names of your neighbors, so I was able to find their phone number. That part was easy. Convincing Betty to take your beloved dog to the airport and send him in a crate to a man in Colorado she had never heard of, well that was another story. Finally, I think she just gave in and decided my story was too crazy to be a lie.”
June laughed. “That explains a lot. I called her last night to see how he was doing, and she sounded so strange. I was really worried. I’m glad she decided to trust you.” June looked down at Laddie who thumped his tail as he lay contentedly at her feet.
Luke walked into the room carrying a tray with three cups of coffee and a cup of green tea for June. June was touched again by the fact that not only Jeff but also Luke had learned what she liked. They spent the next half hour talking and laughing as families do. June soon discovered that Matthew was as polite and charming a young man as Luke. She would have expected no less. He apologized that his girlfriend, Heather, had not been able to come along and promised they would meet soon. Jeff apologized that he had no idea how to get ahold of her kids and bring them here for the occasion.
“It’s okay,” June said. “They’ll meet you very soon, I’m sure!”
At a lull in the conversation, Luke and Matt exchanged glances and excused themselves. Finally, Jeff and June were alone in front of the cozy fire.
As soon as Jeff heard their respective doors shut, he wasted no time pulling June into his lap and engulfing her in a long, slow, passionate kiss.
June responded with an ardor that she—until recently—didn’t know existed inside of her.
“Promise, you’ll never let me go.” June whispered into his ear when he finally came up for a breath.
“Never!” Jeff promised. He scooped her into his arms and gently carried her up the big winding staircase to their bedroom and their future.
EPILOGUE
It was Christmas Eve. June wiped her hands on her apron and smiled as she heard the snow crunch as a car came to a stop outside the ranch house. Now everyone was home. She rushed to the front door. She had not seen Mary, her oldest daughter, since she had left for Argentina in June.
“Welcome home,” June yelled against the cold Colorado wind as she ran across the porch and threw herself into Mary’s waiting arms.
“It’s great to be here, Mom. It’s so beautiful!” Their hug was quickly interrupted by a barking and jumping Laddie, excited to see another member of his family again.
“Oh, Laddie, I missed you too!” Mary knelt down to hug the collie.
“Come inside, it’s freezing out here!”
As June and Mary walked arm-in-arm into the large living room, they were quickly surrounded by the rest of the Meyers-Walker clan. Alexis had been there a week already. She was on her winter break from LSU. Paul and family had arrived last night from San Diego. After hugs from her brother and sister and adorable nieces, Mary turned to the others in the room.
“Mary, I want you to my husband, Jeff Walker.” June proudly put her arms around them both.
“I am so glad you are here.” Jeff gave her a small hug which she returned with a bigger one. “These are my two boys, Luke and Matthew, and Matthew’s girlfriend, Heather.”
It had been a whirlwind at the Walker Ranch since that night in early November when Jeff had asked her to be his wife. When he had brought her home that night, she knew that she never wanted to spend a night away from him again. She hadn’t. After some serious discussions during the following week, they had decided against a formal wedding. Being of the generation where they still had concerns about the idea of “living in sin” and what the neighbors might think, they had simply applied for a marriage license and headed down to the The Little Chapel by the River on Friday evening. There they were joined in holy matrimony by Reverend White, with only Luke and their friends, Jim and Molly Peyton, in attendance.
June settled into her new life on the ranch with a flurry of activity, decorating the enormous ranch house for Christmas. Her excitement spread over to Jeff and Luke. They were recruited to hang numerous strands of lights around the entire outside of the house and on many of the pine trees. After cutting down a 12-foot tall tree for the living room and pine branches to cover the extensive bannister on the huge curved staircase, June spent two weeks getting the decorations just right. After all, she wanted their first Christmas together to be perfect. Jeff and Luke, not having decorated in the eight years since Susan’s death, looked worn out by the time June declared they were done.
And now, for the first time, their whole, new blended family was together. She had never been so happy, and looking into those mesmerizing blue eyes of her new husband, she knew he felt the same.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to finish dinner.” June headed to the kitchen as the others sat down in the living room to get better acquainted.
Alexis followed her mother into
the kitchen. “I want to apologize.”
“My goodness, for what?”
“For giving you such a hard time about selling the house and leaving Hayville. I can see now that you needed to start your life over. I’m so happy for you.”
“No need to apologize, honey. Change is hard on us all. I only hope you’ll come to feel at home here on the ranch.”
“Mom, I already do.”
When they were all seated around the big, festive dining room table for their meal, Jeff raised his glass in a toast. “To the new and improved Meyers-Walker family. May we all have many more holidays together.”
As they all raised their glasses in response, June added, “And to Colorado Sunsets.”
DID YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH PEAKVIEW COLORADO? DON’T MISS THE NEXT BOOK IN THE PEAKVIEW SERIES, BREAKFAST FOR TWO, COMING IN SEPTEMBER 2015.
Violet has spent her entire adult life as the owner of Violet’s Café in the tiny, quaint mountain town of Peakview, Colorado. Ever since her only son moved away and her husband passed away from a heart attack eight years ago, Violet has lived a solitary life with her cat Lucky. Being in her mid-sixties all thoughts of romance died with Stan. They had a wonderful, long happy marriage, and she was content to live out the rest of her life with her memories.
Howard, Peakview’s only mechanic, is a confirmed bachelor and something of a hermit. He happened on Peakview when he was in his twenties, running away from a relationship gone terribly wrong. He had found solace in the small town and built a life that didn’t include female companionship. His only close friend had been Violet’s late husband, Stan. When Stan died, he took it upon himself to look out for Violet. Over the years, they had become friends, but it isn’t until his past suddenly catches up with him, that he opens up to the idea of finding love. Can these two lonely souls find love and happiness at this advanced stage in life?
Colorado Sunset (Peakview Series Book 1) Page 15
