by Vivian Arend
“Oh, thank God.”
His completely unexpected reaction made the last bubble of fear burst and joy well up in its place. She laughed out loud. “Daniel Coleman, you are impossible. What’s that supposed to mean?”
He picked her up and spun her around in a circle, clasping her close. “Just that it’s a good thing to know you’re falling, because when you land, I’ll be there waiting for you. I fell awhile ago, and I’ve been hoping you’d catch up.”
“Are you saying—?”
“I love you. I think the world of you and how you’ve faced your fears and made a new life for yourself and the boys. The way you smile and laugh, the way you pour yourself into your kids at home and at the school.” He set her back on her feet and wrapped his arms around her torso, pressing their bodies together. “I love the way you feel under me, and yet sex is a small part of it. I love the whole package, Miss Beth.”
She hugged him tightly as he spoke. He loved her. She could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice, and every bit of it rang true.
“So…what now?” she asked. He led her to a bale, and once again the coincidence of the situation hit her hard. They settled next to each other, hands linked.
“If it were just you and me involved here, I’d be willing to do whatever you feel needs to be done. I’d go down on one knee and propose if that’s what you wanted. I’d move in with you, and we could be partners for the rest of our lives without the need for any piece of paper or fancy words being spoken. But what about the boys?”
She lifted their joined hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles. It was so like Daniel to try to think the whole thing through. If she could be any surer, that would have been the final nudge she needed, that he was concerned about her sons.
He was the one they all needed in their lives, for better or worse.
Daniel could barely breathe, the raw emotion running through his body drawing his throat tight. He was looking at the possibility of forever hovering in front of him, and damn if he could figure out the right move to make.
“The way I see it, those kids have been through an awful lot over the past year, and they must be pretty confused. You were hurt pretty bad in the accident, and suddenly their daddy was gone. Yeah, the man wasn’t a good father, but he was still all they knew. You moved them to a new home and new schools, new friends. All that for the best of reasons, but it has got to make their heads spin. They might not take kindly to me coming in as someone other than a temporary babysitter.”
Beth shook her head. “I want what is best for my boys, but that doesn’t mean letting them dictate what I do with my life. It’s not going to be all sweetness and roses trying to make them understand who you will be in their lives, but just because they balk a few times doesn’t mean it’s not the best thing for them.”
“But should we push them too fast? Do we have to push them?”
“What are you suggesting? That we carry on like we have?”
“Hell no. I’m done with the hiding, and I thought you’d made it pretty clear the other day at the bar we were together. The boys can get used to the idea of me being around, slowly. It’s only a couple of weeks until Christmas, and while I want to be in your life and theirs, I don’t see any reason to rush it now.”
“So…we date?”
“Yup. You stay in the house with the boys for a while longer. Then I have another plan I’ve been working on, but I need your help with the numbers to make sure it’s possible. I’ve been chatting with Blake and Travis about buying out their portions of the furniture shop. Neither of them is interested in continuing, they’d much rather work the land and deal with that side of the ranch. I’m ready for a change and willing to sell them my share. I thought about finding a place right in town, a house. I think I’ve got enough money saved up, although I’d want to get my daddy’s blessing before heading into a new venture.”
She looked shocked. “You don’t want to ranch anymore?”
“Nope. Not if I can afford to change tracks.”
She laughed. “Daniel, we need to go somewhere, just the two of us and actually sit and talk for a couple days straight. How come I didn’t know you wanted to get out of ranching?”
He tweaked her nose. “Because we were too busy trying every non-vanilla experience we could think of.”
“True.”
They sat in silence for a minute.
“My mom offered to watch the kids.”
“Jaxi offered to watch…”
They spoke simultaneously then broke off.
Daniel grinned. “Heck, I bet half of Rocky would offer to watch the kids to let us have a getaway.”
“You honestly want to move into town?”
“Hell, yeah. Beth, I loved growing up on the ranch, and I love my family, but I feel as if I need to take the next step. What better time than now? We could find a house we both like close to the school for the kids. Easy for you to get to work.” Crap, there was another example of how little he knew. “Hell, I don’t even know if you still want to work if you don’t have to.”
They both took a deep breath and leaned together closer, her arms draped around his neck.
Beth shook her head. “This is one the strangest situations I’ve ever heard of. We love each other, but we’re going to take it slow for a while longer, until we can actually say that we’re friends?”
“Sounds about right to me.” He lifted her chin. “How long my folks thinking they got the boys for today?”
“Before I left, your dad had agreed to take over your duties at the pool today and your mom was asking what their favourite supper was. Does that sound like the whole day to you?”
Oh yeah. “How about we go back to the house, grab whatever you need and head out for a while? Spend some time doing some serious talking and planning and dreaming.”
“You don’t want to stay home?” There was a hint of mischief in her eyes.
“Only if you promise not to jump me.”
“What?” Beth laughed as he pulled her to her feet.
Daniel held her hands in his, rubbing his fingers over her knuckles. “Us getting alone has usually meant sex up to now. We need more. If we can keep from getting distracted, then the house would be fine. We’ll light the fire and cuddle on the couch and talk each other’s ears off. And hopefully by the time we head over to join my folks for supper, we’ll have an idea of how we’re going to explain our plan to the boys.”
Beth squeezed his hand. “I’m looking forward to becoming your friend.”
The hopeful expression in her eyes made the future seem damn bright.
17
“How much longer you think the boys are going to last?”
Beth turned and smiled at Daniel’s whispered question. “Robbie is a goner already, and Nathan probably won’t be too far behind. But you know Lance is going to try to stay awake until the last possible second.”
The noise from the Wii filled the room as Blake and Lance fought another pitched battle. On the couch next to them, Nathan leaned against Jaxi’s side, her arm holding him vertical more than any power of his own.
New Year’s Eve, and the party was so much milder than any he’d attended in a long, long time. It was also the most exciting ever because Beth and the boys were there with his family.
Jaxi adjusted Nathan then cheered Lance on. “Get him. Knock him out of there, Lance. That’s it. Sweet…”
“Hey, that’s enough. Stop pulling for the enemy. I’m your husband, you’re supposed to want me to win,” Blake complained.
Jaxi stuck out her tongue, and Lance snorted, then destroyed another of Blake’s strongholds.
Daniel held his hand to Beth, and she took it. Jaxi wiggled her fingers in farewell as they snuck out of the basement, up the stairs to the main living room.
“It’s a quiet New Year’s. I hope this isn’t disappointing to you.” Beth slipped her hand around his back and tugged him to stop before they lost their privacy.
“Disappoin
ting? No way.” He fit his hand around her nape and held her close, staring into her eyes. “Try perfect. I’ve been worried the past couple weeks might have been overwhelming for the boys and you, since the entire clan has been around all the time. What with spare Colemans popping in and out at random moments without any warning, I wondered when you were going to turn and run for the hills.”
Beth cupped his face in her hand, her thumb gently stroking back and forth over his cheek. The smile she gave him was real and content and made his soul satisfied. “How could you even think that for a moment? The Christmas holidays have been filled with one wonderful experience after the other for the boys and me. Your family is incredible.”
They kissed, lips gentle and soft against each other. Tongues dipping and brushing, nothing panicked or rushed. Just a comfortable and celebratory motion that said more about belonging to each other than ownership.
Daniel savoured it even as he made plans for some ownership kind of sex later that night. He liked having both sides in their relationship, and Beth was still enjoying the lessons.
Damn, his life was good.
He pulled away and gave her a wink. “What do you think about having that conversation with my folks now?”
“Tonight? But it’s New Year’s Eve…?”
“As good a time as any for making plans for the future. Ain’t this when you’re supposed to do up resolutions?” He wasn’t sure what he was going to see in her eyes, but the sheer joy reflecting out took him by surprise. “I like that expression, Miss Beth. You gonna tell me what’s going on in that pretty head of yours to make you look all shiny like that?”
She squeezed his neck so hard he thought he heard a crack.
“You are the best man I’ve ever met. It’s as if you…”
Beth pulled away and composed herself for a moment.
He waited. With what was written on her face, this wasn’t anything he wanted to miss out on having her share.
“I can’t even explain it. Telling you I love you seems inadequate. I love your family and how they’ve welcomed us in. Things like your parents having my folks over at Christmas, making sure everyone was friendly and accepting—you can’t understand what a gift that was after how my husband treated them for years.”
“Bastard.”
She pressed her fingers to his lips. “And I’m not bringing him up except to point out how much better this is. Richer. Warmer. Safer. So if you think it’s time for the next stage of the game, I trust you.”
The light in her face didn’t only shine out and turn her ten kinds of beautiful, it warmed him through and through.
They slipped into the living room, hand in hand.
His ma lifted her head, and he caught another glimpse of family that made him even happier. Robbie was curled up in her lap, body draped against her, hair wild as he slumbered.
“I told you he’d be asleep already.” Beth squeezed Daniel’s fingers and made as if to release him. He held on tight and tugged her across to the couch between his parents’ recliners.
“You’re not stealing him away yet, are you?” Marion Coleman rocked slowly, adjusting her grasp on the boy, her smile growing wider if anything.
“You’re not going to get him out of her arms without a crowbar, I’m thinking.” Mike’s chair squeaked slightly as he slid forward and headed to the liquor bottles on the side table. “Either of you want a drink? It’s a quiet party, I know, but we’re able to have a celebration of our own right here. Not as wild as what the rest of your brothers are up to, I bet.”
“I’m having a wonderful time, Dad. No need for the noise and craziness to make me happy.”
Beth’s bright laugh was quiet enough to not wake Robbie. “As if it was anything that could be considered quiet in here earlier. I’m sorry, Marion, the boys were so excited at dinner, I really didn’t…”
“Hush.” Marion waved her fingers in dismissal. “Trust me, they were nothing on our six back in the day. And frankly, I think it was mainly Blake and Daniel causing all the ruckus tonight, and not your angels.”
Daniel bit his lip as he accepted a glass from his father. Yeah, the noise of laughing and happiness wasn’t something he’d complain about. That wasn’t the part he wanted to change, and that’s what he had to make clear.
“You folks okay if I bring up a question I’ve got? Regarding the ranch?”
Mike and Marion exchanged glances.
His dad sat back down and looked over at the couch, examining Beth and Daniel closely. “Sounds serious.”
Daniel took a deep breath. “Serious but nothing too worrisome, I hope. I’ve wanted to run something past you for a while, and I think I’ve got the numbers figured out. You know how you mentioned it might get tight when the twins finished school? Trying to support everyone on the profits from the ranch?”
His dad sipped his drink. He nodded—didn’t say anything though, and for a moment Daniel hesitated.
Just because his dreams lay in a different direction didn’t mean the ranch wasn’t a fabulous place to make a living. This change wasn’t supposed to be a poor reflection on his father or his abilities.
“You’ve done good, Dad. Real good over the years, in the decisions you’ve made. Things like setting up the workshop and diversifying our livestock. You’ve never stood still and that’s why we’ve done so well. But with the changes in the market, you’re right. Finances will get tight, and I doubt there’s any way the ranch can support seven families, if at some point we all settle down. It’s not like in Grampa’s day—we can’t split the land any more without losing the advantage of having a big parcel. So I’ve been wondering—what would you think of me moving into something else?”
“You want to leave the ranch?” Marion rocked her chair steadily, sadness on her face.
“Not to move far away. If I was to run the workshop full time, I could actually increase the orders we take in. There’s the possibility we could end up making more money than we are now, but I’ve got to be full time in the shop. Juggling two major endeavors would just get us in trouble.”
Mike’s slow smile eased Daniel’s fears. The twinkle of amusement that flashed in his father’s eyes a moment later piqued his curiosity.
“You know, it’s funny to watch you and your brothers tiptoe around me. I never thought I was the intimidating kind of father, but heck if you all don’t still take it real careful anyway.”
Daniel looked him in eye. The confession was easy to make. “It’s not that we’re afraid of you, it’s that we respect you.”
The pleasure on Mike’s face was easy to read. He coughed lightly for a moment, taking a sip of his drink before continuing. “You’ve obviously given this a lot of consideration.”
“I have.” The words spilled out now that Daniel had started. “And while I’ve loved working with you over the years, I just don’t enjoy ranching like you do, sir. Not like Blake and Travis especially. Or maybe I should put it the other way. I enjoy the woodworking so much more, and since I think there’s a viable living there, I want to propose a buyout.”
“Well, I can’t say as this is a real surprise to me. Before we make any firm decisions, I need to see some numbers. But, son, it’s your life and you’ve got to be doing what’s going to make you happy. If it works financially to all our advantage, who am I to say no? You still think on keeping the shop here? Or moving her to a new location—?”
“Enough.” Marion broke in. “You can talk through all that later. I want to know the important stuff first. Like, where do you plan on living, and it had better not be too far away.”
“Ma.” Daniel grinned at her. “I’m not thinking about going anywhere except maybe into town.”
She wrinkled her nose then shrugged. “You’re the one who’s got to live there, so I won’t mention how much you’ll miss hearing the frogs in the spring. Always your favourite thing.”
He snorted. “I’m never going to be more than five years old to you, am I?”
Marion
shook her head, her gaze darting over Beth. The questions were there in her eyes, but she held her tongue, and Daniel was grateful. Yeah, he had ideas that direction as well, but it wasn’t the place or the time. Yet.
The New Year was going to bring all kinds of wonderful things to him—to them—and he could hardly wait.
18
The look of disgust on his brother’s face made Gabe’s lips twitch as he fought to hide his amusement.
“It’s just mean.” Rafe growled out the words before twisting away and heading for the door.
Gabe felt for him, but there was not much he could do. “Don’t pout. You heard Dad as clear as I did—you’re working with him first thing in the morning. Going to a party tonight isn’t going to fly. Unless you think you’re good to get up at four a.m. and be alert enough to—”
Rafe kicked the garbage pail by the edge of the kitchen sink, the metal clanking as it struck the counter. The discord of the echo bounced off the walls of Gabe’s apartment like an out-of-tune cymbal. “I know why I can’t go out. Just, there’s all week to do the repairs in the barns. I don’t see any reason we’ve got to put in such an early day tomorrow.”
There was no reason Gabe could give him. No reason other than their dad had made the decision to work like a maniac, which meant they had to as well. “It sucks, but it’s life. Find something else to do tonight. Call someone. Text them, or organize a game online, or something.”
Rafe gave him another dirty look. “It’s New Year’s Eve. I had plans, remember? They’re all cancelled since I’m not allowed to grab a truck to get into town, and you’re being a shit and refusing to take me along with you.”
His kid brother might be feeling the weight of the world right now, but it wasn’t going to change Gabe’s mind. “Sorry, I highly doubt a seventeen-year-old would be welcome where I’m going. And besides, you’re operating machinery in the morning. I’m not keeping you up until all hours and then putting you behind the wheel.”
