“I have to say, I never thought I’d live to see the day you’d settle down. It didn’t seem to be your thing.”
“Meet the right girl and it suddenly becomes your thing.”
“That’s how it tends to work for everyone else.” Flint set the wiggling goat back down. It tromped off to butt the brown one again.
“Your day will come. I’m sure it will.”
“Me? No.” Flint pulled a face, as if he was offended Heath would broach the topic with him. “I have my hands full keeping Logan in line. I’ve been down that road. I’m not going down it again.”
“You may change your mind.”
“I won’t.” Flint rubbed his hands together. “But we’re talking about you here. Are you ready?”
“I think it’s time.” Heath pulled both the goats out of the stall they’d weaseled into, holding one in each arm. “Will you pray for me?”
Flint pulled a face. “That’s not really my thing anymore. Besides, even if it still was, I don’t believe you’ll need it.”
Heath sighed. With all Flint had been through, the man had fallen away from God, hadn’t he? Heath should have picked up on that before now. He should have been praying for his friend, encouraging him and talking to him about God more. He’d do so going forward. “We always need it.”
“Then, sure. Although I don’t believe anything I say will make a difference.”
Heath took a big breath and pushed the door open with his foot.
This was it.
* * *
The mingling scents of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves heating in the busy kitchen made Josie’s mouth water. People hustled around her as she fit bowls full of baked sweet potatoes topped with brown sugar and pecan crumble onto large trays. A line of older residents who hadn’t gone home for Thanksgiving waited to take the trays to the tables outside.
Thankfully, the vandalism from the day before wasn’t the topic of conversation—yet. Josie prayed that the troubles they’d experienced over the past two months wouldn’t overshadow all the good happening at the boys ranch.
Please let people see the good. The positive. And please let us catch whoever is trying to make the ranch look bad. Work on the wrongdoer’s heart, Lord.
“Hot rolls coming through. Fresh from the oven. These are hot, hot, hot.” Marnie held a tray above her head and bustled through the kitchen.
Bea, the director of the boys ranch, tapped Josie on the shoulder. “I think we’re about set here. You can head outside and help corral people toward the tables.”
Josie braced her hands on the counter and dipped her head. “Thank you, I think I’ll take you up on that.” A handful of them had been working in the kitchen since six o’clock in the morning, and when they weren’t busy mixing and chopping, Abby had them out beautifying the tables and eating area. All of that amounted to one pregnant woman in a dress with very sore feet and an equally achy back.
Stephen slung open the back door. “Ms. Josie, I think you better come out here quick. There’s something you need to see.” He held the door for her and moved his hand in a circle, silently asking her to move faster.
Despite the sadness she felt about all that had happened, Josie smiled. “Sorry, Stephen, this is as fast as you’re going to see this pregnant lady move today.”
Stephen’s grin was wider than she’d ever seen it. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
Odd. The boy had been downright moody earlier, upset that his family wasn’t bothering to come to the celebration even though, all things considered, they lived pretty close to the ranch.
Josie stepped outside and shielded her eyes from the early afternoon sun.
Diego came running up the walk. “Look! Heath’s back!”
In the past, Josie had listened to people talk about moments when time stood still for them. She’d always brushed off their stories as overly sappy. She’d known love, been married and had never experienced what they were talking about. Time didn’t stand still. Time moved on, dragging a person to the next second, even if they didn’t want to go.
But when her eyes landed on Heath Grayson...handsome as the day was long with his wide shoulders, tight button-down and adorably hesitant smile...everything else in Josie’s world faded away. The more than one hundred guests milling around the yard didn’t exist. Stephen and Diego chatting about goats vanished, too. Heath cut down the yard, a baby goat bobbing under each of his arms, and headed straight toward her.
There was only Heath and Josie and for one irrational heartbeat, she wished life could stay that way. Wasn’t she supposed to be angry with him?
But all she wanted to do was toss her arms around his neck and never let go.
“You’re here,” she breathed.
Heath’s eyes took her in and his chest puffed out. “I told you I would be.”
“You brought goats?” Really? That was the best she could do?
“For you. A peace offering.” He lifted them up a little, but instead of handing them to Josie, he passed one to Diego and one to Stephen. “Well, peace offering isn’t correct, either. I need to say this right.” Heath stepped forward and took both her hands. “I brought those for you because I want you to know that I believe in you. I support your dream of running a successful ranch and I want to do everything I can to make all your dreams come true.” His lips parted and he exhaled softly. “I’ll do everything within my power to make your dreams come true for the rest of my life, if you want me to.”
“The goats mean all that, huh?”
“You said you wanted goats, so I brought you goats.” He took another half step closer. She had to tilt her head up to keep eye contact. “Anything you want, I aim to see that you have it. If you’ll let me.”
She swung his hands a little. “I just want you.”
“I love you, Josie Markham. I was a fool to walk away from you the other day. I never want to spend another day without you in my life. Forgive me for being so stubborn and blind. I don’t have a ring with me but I had to come and ask right away.”
“Heath.”
He drew as close as he could and lifted her hands so they were cradled in his, resting on his chest. “I’ve learned that I can’t promise tomorrow, but I can promise you that I will love you completely, with everything I have, every single day the good Lord gives me. You have my life, if you want it. You are my life.”
“I love you so much.”
His eyebrows rose and he whispered, “Marry me?”
“Are you sure?”
He touched her hair, and his fingers slipped between her auburn strands. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“Heath, I’m pregnant.”
With one hand he cupped the side of her head and the other he laid over her stomach. “Let me raise this child with you. I’ll be her father. I want to be there when the baby’s born. Be there for both of you every day I have.”
“Her?” Josie couldn’t resist teasing him. Even in the midst of a special moment. “So your guess is a girl?”
His lips twitched, hinting at a suppressed grin. “Doesn’t every dad want a little princess to spoil?”
Joking aside, Josie had to know. “You’re willing to raise this child as your own?”
“I’ll raise this child as ours, because if we’re married—” he moved his fingers ever so lightly across her stomach “—this is our family. My family. I’ll do anything for both of you.”
Josie walked her fingers up his chest, his neck, up until she could guide his face down to hers and kiss him soundly. His arms came around her and they sealed the promise she hadn’t yet answered. Because a kiss spoke louder than any words she could manage in the moment.
They might have enjoyed each other longer, but a huge cheer rose around them.
Heath and Jos
ie parted, laughing breathlessly.
Heath pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “I forgot about all them.”
“Me, too.” She laid her head on his chest. “Ranger, I know you’ve been slow on clues lately, so if you didn’t get that one, my answer is yes.”
His shoulders tightened when she said Ranger. “You don’t mind that I’m in law enforcement? We didn’t discuss that. I’m still a Texas Ranger.”
“Being a Texas Ranger...that’s who you are. Protective, caring, always looking for ways to solve problems. It’s one of the reasons I fell for you.” She circled her arms around his neck again and rose up on her toes to kiss him again. “Getting to love you is worth any risk.”
* * *
Heath pressed his hands to his stomach and groaned when Josie placed another helping of corn casserole onto his plate.
She winked at him. “Oh, stop your complaining. We all know you’re going to eat three more helpings anyway.”
She looked so beautiful when she teased him. It took every ounce of self-discipline he possessed not to lean over and kiss her. Again. But the boys sharing their table had started grumbling after their second, or perhaps it was their third, peck during dinner, so he reined in the affection, for now.
“Besides.” Stephen elbowed Heath in the ribs. He was sitting on Heath’s other side. “You can’t be out of room just yet. There’s still pie. And Josie even made it this time.”
“For me?” Heath grinned at Josie. He couldn’t stop. There was a chance he would never wipe the grin off his face. Josie loved him. He was getting married. He was going to be a dad.
“Sorry, Ranger.” She pouted her lips and wagged her head. “I didn’t even know you were coming.”
“She made it for me.” Stephen talked around a spoonful of sage stuffing. “I guilted her into it because my family refused to attend.”
Heath sobered. “I’m sorry for that. Real sorry. I would have liked to meet them.”
And given the teen’s stepfather a talking-to. Maybe in December.
Stephen shrugged. “Whatever. I’m not letting it ruin my day.” He turned to address the five other boys sitting at their table. “None of us are going to let the fact that our parents didn’t show wreck today, right? There’s pie and John set up hay bales in the formation of a bowling alley, and I could probably scrounge up some water balloons.” He rubbed his hands together like a movie villain. “We can ambush ourselves a Ranger.”
A blond boy at the end of the table stared at his plate as he pushed some green beans around with his fork. “Some of our parents can’t show up. It doesn’t mean they don’t want to.”
Josie pressed her fingers to Heath’s wrist and whispered, “Visitation rights.”
Heath nodded. Because of what he saw in his line of work, he’d already figured court paperwork played a role in many of these boys’ lives. However, like Stephen pointed out—it was within their power to not let those circumstances affect today. After dessert, Heath would do everything he could to make certain that the boys had a good time. The hay-bale bowling alley sounded like it might be fun. He made a mental note to keep an eye on Sam and try to involve him in whatever activity Heath ended up participating in.
Heath finished the additional helping of corn casserole and then shoved his plate toward the center of the table. No more. At least, not until dessert.
He leaned back in his chair, wrapped an arm around Josie and observed everyone else at the celebration. The candles in the decorated jars wavered a little. All around them, hundreds of people mingled, laughed, shared food—all coming together to give thanks for today. And he got to be a part of it. Despite years of isolating himself, God had drawn him into a community. A community that had been waiting to welcome him—God’s timing was amazing in that way.
Thank You for blessing me, despite the fact that I was living in fear. Help me use my life to bless others now.
Stephen laid down his fork and turned in his seat. “So I noticed that you didn’t argue about the water-balloon fight—does that mean you’re game?”
Heath dropped his hand onto the teen’s shoulder and shook it a little. “Yes. I’m game. But first—” he pushed back his chair and offered his hand to Josie “—I’m going to take my gorgeous soon-to-be bride on a romantic walk.”
Josie slipped her hand into his and beamed up at him.
Wes Corman, one of the newer residents, pulled a face. “Right now? But you two are getting married. You have forever to spend time with her.”
Heath laced his fingers through Josie’s and pulled her close. “Time’s precious and not guaranteed. I have right now and I’m going to spend this moment with the woman I love.” He tucked a strand of hair behind Josie’s ear as her gaze captured his. “Besides, I forgot the yellow roses I was going to give you in my truck.”
Stephen folded his hands on the table. “But should you have time—say—a half hour from now?”
Heath laughed. “It’s yours.”
* * * * *
Read on for an extract from AMISH CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS—THE MIDWIFE’S CHRISTMAS SURPRISE by Marta Perry.
Dear Reader,
When I first started writing this story, I knew that one of the themes would be we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. In the past week, I know two people who have passed away due to cancer. Their sudden departures made Heath’s and Josie’s losses all the more acute.
We only have today. That’s not a trivial saying or license to “live it up” and make bad choices because life is short. Actually, it’s a call to urgency.
Do you need to tell someone you love them? Perhaps there’s a relationship in need of mending. Do you need to ask forgiveness or forgive someone? Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus?
We aren’t promised tomorrow. Make the life you’re living today count.
Thank you for spending time with Heath and Josie. For more fun and sigh-worthy heroes, be sure to check out the rest of the stories in the Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch series.
I love connecting with readers! Look for me on my author Facebook page, on Twitter, or connect with me through my website and newsletter at jessicakellerbooks.com.
Dream big,
Jess
Amish Christmas Blessings—The Midwife’s Christmas Surprise
by Marta Perry
Chapter One
If the door to the exam room at the birthing center hadn’t been ajar, Anna Zook would never have heard the hurtful comment.
“...so long as you’re the one to catch the baby, and not the Zook girl. She’s too young and inexperienced to be birthing my first grandchild.”
The door closed abruptly, cutting off anything else that might be said, but Anna recognized the speaker—Etta Beachy, mother-in-law of one of her partner Elizabeth’s clients. Despite the fact that Anna had been a full partner in the midwife practice for over a year, many in Lost Creek’s Amish community still saw her as the quiet, shy girl she’d been when she began her apprenticeship with Elizabeth.
The December chill outside seemed to seep into her heart. Would the people of Lost Creek ever accept her as midwife, or would she always be walking in Elizabeth’s shadow?
Anna tried to concentrate on the patient record she was reviewing, but the doubts kept slipping between her and the page. It was natural enough that folks turned to Elizabeth, she told herself firmly. Elizabeth Miller had been the only midwife in the isolated northern Pennsylvania Amish settlement for over twenty years. It would just take time and patience for them to accept her, wouldn’t it?
The door opened, and a little parade came out—Etta Beachy, looking as if she’d just bit into a sour pickle, her daughter-in-law, Dora, who looked barely old enough for marriage, let alone motherhood, and Elizabeth, whose round, cheerful face was as serene as always.
>
Small wonder folks trusted Elizabeth—she radiated a sense of calm and assurance that was instantly soothing. Much as Anna tried to model herself on Elizabeth, she never quite succeeded in doing that.
A blast of cold air came into the outer office as the front door opened, and Anna spotted young James leap down from the buggy seat, clutching a blanket to wrap around his wife.
Elizabeth closed the door behind them and turned to Anna, rubbing her arms briskly. “Brr. It’s cold enough to snow, but Asa says not yet.”
Anna nodded, knowing Elizabeth, so confident in her own field, trusted her husband implicitly when it came to anything involving the farm. Maybe that was the secret of their strong marriage—the confidence each had in the other.
“You heard what Etta said, ain’t so?” Elizabeth’s keen gaze probed for any sign that Anna was upset.
“Ach, it’s nothing I haven’t heard before.” Anna managed to smile. “Naturally Etta feels that way. She’s known you all her life.”
“Then she ought to trust my judgment in training you.” Elizabeth sounded as tart as she ever did. “I think Dora might be happier with you, being closer to her age and all, but she’s too shy to venture an opinion different from Etta’s.”
“It will all be forgotten when they see the baby. When are you thinking it will be?”
“Most likely not until well after Christmas.” As if the words had unleashed something, Elizabeth’s blue eyes seemed to darken with pain. She glanced out the side window toward the farmhouse, making Anna wonder what she saw there other than the comfortable old farmhouse that had sheltered generations of the Miller family.
“Elizabeth?” Anna stood, moving quickly to put her arm around her friend’s waist. “What is it?”
“Ach, nothing. Just foolishness.” Elizabeth shook her head, but she couldn’t disguise the tears in her eyes.
“Tell me,” Anna said gently, longing to help.
The older woman brushed a tear away impatiently. “Nothing.” She bit her lip. “It’s just...this will be the third Christmas without Benjamin.”
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