by Zoe York
“I think I have a new favorite smile,” Gabe murmured. “What do you think, Cody?”
“About what?”
“About getting what we need for the barbecue and getting out of here.”
“Yeah! We’re gonna have so much fun today.”
Annemarie nodded in agreement.
They finished their shopping, located the Tanners, and headed out to the truck. With the groceries piled in the bed, everyone buckled up, and Jamie and her family following, Gabe pulled out of the supermarket parking lot. Annemarie glanced out the window at the front of the store just in time to see Sandy storm out carrying several sacks with Tom hurrying along behind her. Even from the distance, Annemarie noted how stiffly Sandy walked and the uncharacteristically hunched and submissive way Tom followed her. She wondered if Sandy would finally leave him, then shrugged. Not her problem.
They stopped by Gabe’s just long enough to grab his barbecue—he promised to show Jamie the inside later—and drove north out of town. The sense of relief that had brushed away the last of the anxiety and righteous indignation deepened as they neared home. She sank into her seat and sighed, watching the landscape now dusted with spring green roll past.
She wasn’t naïve enough anymore to believe her troubles with Tom were over, but she knew now that she wouldn’t tolerate his bullshit or Sandy’s anymore, and there was a lot of peace to be found in that.
After a moment, she closed her eyes and smiled.
“Hey, Mom?” Cody asked.
“Yes, pumpkin?”
“How are we all supposed to go riding? Since we can’t ride Diamond Dot yet, we only have River and Sundance.”
“Well, we have the two four-wheelers, too.”
“Yeah, but that’s not as much fun. Caleb really wants to ride the horses.”
“Jamie and I can ride the four-wheelers and you and Caleb can ride double with Gabe and Tad. How’s that sound?”
“I guess.”
“Think Thomas would let us borrow a couple horses?” Gabe inquired.
“Probably, but I don’t think it’s a smart idea to be showing my face at Grant Ranch right now. Especially since I don’t know when Sandy and Tom will be getting home. Knowing my luck, they’ll have beat us home and have set up a road block.”
Inexplicably, Gabe chuckled. “I don’t think that’ll be a problem. We could call, ask Thomas, and have Jim bring them up.”
“It’s Jim’s day off.”
“Something tells me he won’t mind.”
She frowned at him. “All right, out with it. What’s with the…” She gestured to the whole of him, searching for the right term. “…that? I’m not sure you could look any more pleased with yourself, so what’s going on?”
“You’ll see.”
No matter what tactic she tried to pry the secret out of him, he only smiled. She crossed her arms and pretended to pout, but that didn’t last long. She was too curious and too excited about the prospect of spending a lazy day on her and Cody’s ranch with their friends.
She jerked upright. “Um, Gabe… you missed the turn.”
“No, I didn’t. We’re taking Garrett Ranch Drive.”
“News flash. It’s washed out.”
There was that sly smile again.
Several miles later, Gabe slowed and turned left off the highway.
She gaped.
She barely recognized the road. A brand new log gateway arched over the freshly graded gravel road, and hanging from it were iron letters that spelled out Garrett Ranch. It was plain compared to the main gate of the Grant Ranch or even the Collins Ranch, but Annemarie loved it. It suited her home just fine; Garrett Ranch wasn’t anything fancy, either.
Just through the gateway, Gabe parked off to the side, rolled down his window, and waved Tad and Jamie forward. They pulled up alongside.
“Would you mind meeting us at the house? I have a feeling I’m about to be skinned alive, and I’d prefer not to have an audience.”
“Um, sure. How do we get there from here?” Jamie asked.
“Just follow the road and turn right in about half a mile—only right turn you can make—and you can’t miss the cabin. It’s the first building you’ll see, by the pond. Door’s unlocked.”
“All right. See you all in a few.”
Annemarie didn’t wait for Gabe to roll up his window. “Out with it. How much did this cost you?”
“Just a couple hundred bucks for the sign. Sam and Isaiah cut the logs off our ranch, and I called in a favor for the road.”
“Who would owe you that kind of favor?”
“A friend whose shop I wired back when I was still with Leigh. We struck a deal just like the one you and I struck.”
“And you wasted your favor on me.”
“As I see it, I didn’t waste it at all. There’s something else I want to show you.”
“More?”
“Well, it’s part of this. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about the road washing out again now.”
She sat quietly in the passenger seat as Gabe pulled back onto the road and waited patiently for them to reach the part of the road that had washed out this past fall right after she and Cody had moved out here. Where there had once been a decrepit culvert was now a sturdy timber bridge plenty wide enough to accommodate even the biggest cattle truck and trailer. She pressed her knuckles to her lips, but that did nothing to stop the tears from burning her eyes.
Gabe parked the truck again, and she slid out to walk the new bridge with her lover and her son following a few paces behind.
No more dreading the drive home. No more unexpected and anxiety-triggering run-ins with Tom and his wife. No more feeling like a trespasser.
She’d never have to cross the Grant Ranch again to get home.
“Thank you,” she whispered, turning to them. “But you shouldn’t have. I’ll never be able to repay you.”
“Sure you will. The way I see it, this is an investment.”
“It is, is it?”
“Yep.”
She frowned at him, and it didn’t click in her brain what he meant until at least ten seconds after he sank to one knee on the bridge and Cody handed him a tiny box. She took in the bright-eyed hopefulness on both their faces and the way her son tucked his arm around Gabe’s neck and leaned into him. How long had they been planning this together? And good lord, they were in on it together. Together!
“The only payment I need or want is your heart, Annemarie Elizabeth Garrett,” Gabe said softly.
She couldn’t recall ever telling him her middle name. “How did you…?”
“Your parents told me. Right after I asked for their blessing.”
“You…?”
“I told you. I want to be a gentleman because you deserve to be treated like a lady.”
“So you did.”
“Will you do me the honor of sharing my life? Will you marry me?”
“Please say yes, Mom,” Cody said. “So we can be a family. The three of us.”
The tears spilled over then, and she embraced them both together, laughing. She kissed the top of her son’s head, then turned to Gabe and kissed him fiercely. “Yes. Unequivocally yes. Oh my God, I love you.”
“We love you, too,” Gabe and Cody answered together.
She laughed as the tears streamed down her cheeks, and she buried her face against Gabe’s neck. After a minute or so, she leaned back, frowning. “Either you think I’m mean, or there’s something else you haven’t told me yet. Why did you tell Jamie I was going to skin you alive?”
“The road, for one,” Gabe replied.
“For one? What else have you done?”
“I hired Jim. Full time. He’s going to move into that little cabin down by the soon-to-be hayfield as soon as we can make it livable, and he’s even agreed to help me get it there.”
“I can’t afford that, Gabe.”
“No, but I can. At least until the ranch is making enough money to cover it. And it’ll ge
t to that point a lot faster with a full-time hand. You’re not in this alone anymore, Annie.”
He took her left hand and slid the ring onto her finger, and she finally looked at it. It was simple but beautiful—a solitaire triangular diamond set in a band graced with antique-style engraving that reminded her of the Old West.
“We might want to wait until Tom’s had a few days to calm down before we tell him we’re stealing his best hand,” Gabe mused.
“We,” Annemarie murmured. “I don’t think it’s going to take me long to get used to that.”
“In that case, we should probably hurry down to the cabin.”
Back at the house, Annemarie called Thomas about borrowing two horses and saddles. He had no problem with that as long as he got to tag along, and she had no problem with that. Jamie put groceries away while Gabe and Tad got the barbecue ready for later in the evening. The two boys raced around the cabin in a riotous game of tag with their dads as soon as they were done with the barbecue. Annemarie’s lips twitched into a smile. Might as well get used to referring to Gabe as Cody’s dad now that it was blatantly apparent he wanted the job. She covertly studied the beautiful piece of jewelry now adorning her left hand and smiled coyly.
She and Jamie joined the menfolk outside, and together, they headed down to the barn. Thomas arrived with three horses already saddled, and the first thing he noticed was the new ring on Annemarie’s finger.
“I should’ve bet you money, Gabe,” he remarked, taking Annemarie’s hand and holding it up to inspect the ring. “You have a good eye. It suits her.”
“What suits…?” Jamie’s voice trailed off, and she snatched Annemarie’s hand from Thomas and let out a squeal. “Oh, my God, Annemarie! It’s gorgeous! Tad, lookit!”
Annemarie shifted her weight. She wasn’t completely ready to share this yet. It was too new and too wonderful, and she wanted to keep it all to herself until she had quiet time with just Gabe and Cody to fully process everything that glittery ring meant. With the horses all saddled, she shooed everyone away and climbed into Sundance’s saddle.
Gabe and Cody led the way on one of Thomas’s horses, and Annemarie rode beside them. Peace settled over her, penetrating her more fully than any she had felt in maybe ever, and she breathed deeply. With the sun warm on her back and shoulders, fresh, sagebrush-scented air in her lungs, and acres upon acres of wild land that was all hers and Cody’s and soon Gabe’s, she embraced the true meaning of home. There would be struggles, but she didn’t have to face them alone anymore.
Reaching over, she took Gabe’s free hand, smiling when he turned his head to meet her gaze.
“I guess my mom is right. Looks like guardian angels exist after all.”
“Do they now?” Gabe asked. “And what changed your mind?”
She leaned precariously in her saddle to kiss him, and he met her halfway. With a hand on his shoulder for balance, she gave him a grateful squeeze. “When I most needed one, you showed up.”
* * * * *
Thank you for reading The Road to Garrett. I hope you’ve enjoyed it! If you have…
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Ready for another book to read? Turn the page for a sneak peek of my latest release, Last Surrender…
Part XVII
A Pinch of Salt
by Bethany Lopez
About This Book
For the past year, talented chef Millie has been consumed with running her new catering business with her sisters, Dru and Tasha. It isn't until Jackson walks through their door that she realizes something may be missing in the recipe of her life.
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For the past year, Jackson has been dealing with the fallout of his wife's abandonment. He's had to learn how to be a single father to their eight-year-old daughter, and will do anything to fill the void her mother left. It isn't until he commissions Millie for his daughter's birthday party that he realizes he's forgotten that he's not only a father, but a man.
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They both think they're content in their lives, but sometimes the right amount of spice can turn an okay dish into a magnificent one. A Pinch of Salt may be all that's needed to bring Millie and Jackson the flavor they've been missing
To the amazing Bloggers who are willing to take chances on writer’s they’ve never read before. Thank You for your support!
Prologue
“To Three Sisters Catering,” my sister Tasha said, her face beaming as she raised her glass of champagne. “May it be a smashing success.”
“And make us happy,” my twin, Dru, added as our glasses came together with a tink.
“And, allow us to share our gifts with others,” I said, my eyes tearing up as I looked at the happy faces of my two favorite people in the world.
“Salude,” we chimed, then tipped the pretty flutes back.
I sighed as the chilled bubbly liquid trailed down my throat. Champagne tasted happy, like a celebration, and drinking it I just knew we’d made the right choice in opening our own business. Even if our Aunt Priscilla told us we were nuts, or the guy who ran the restaurant on the corner glared at us every time we walked by … I felt it in my gut.
I’d always dreamed of not only cooking and baking for a living, but also of doing it my own way, in my own business. It just so happened that my sisters were my best friends who just so happened to share the same dream of being their own bosses.
“Momma would be so proud,” Tasha said, her smile dimming a bit at the memory of our mother.
“She’d have said, ‘forget the champagne, this calls for tequila,’” Dru added softly, causing Tasha and me to laugh.
Rather than respond, I raised my glass in memory of our mother, and took a sip.
We’d taken the death of our mother very hard. She’d always been our rock, our sounding board, and our champion. We’d talked to various doctors and specialists, but in the end, the best we could do was be there, and make her comfortable.
This is for you, Momma. I swear, I’ll do everything in my power to make this business work, and I’ll take care of my sisters just like you’d want me to.
The chimes in the window made a beautiful melody, even though the windows were closed, and I knew it was our mother acknowledging my promise.
“I can’t believe we get to move into our new building tomorrow and actually get started,” Dru said excitedly. After months of planning and paperwork, it was hard to believe that our dream was finally coming to fruition.
“We’re going to be crazy busy for the next few months, so I say we enjoy a nice dinner, then get some rest,” I said practically, my mind already plotting out all the things I wanted to do in the kitchen.
“That sounds good, Millie, but first, we need to make a little pit stop.”
“What for?” Dru asked Tasha.
“Tequila, of course,” our raven-haired sister replied, and I went from daydreaming about stocking my new pantry to hoping I didn’t wake up on my first day as a business owner with a massive hangover.
Millie
“Where the hell is Dru?” Tasha asked with a scowl as she stomped into my kitchen.
“Ah, I think she said she was going to check out decorations for the upcoming Wilson event,” I answered as I rolled out dough on the floured table. “Why, what’s up?”
“Mrs. Chapman just corned me for forty-five minutes about her daughter’s baby shower,” Tasha complained. “Dru promised me she’d handle it. She knows how that woman drives me batty.”
“Where’d she catch you?” I asked as I kneaded.
“On my way out of the bathroom at the deli.”
“Yikes,” I said with a chuckle.
“She blocked the sink, so I had to li
sten to her gripe while I waited to wash my hands. She held me hostage, Mills.”
I laughed at the look of pure horror on my younger sister’s face.
“What else do you have this afternoon?” I asked, trying to take her mind off of her hostage situation.
“I’m going to stop by the printers and pick up the new business cards, then run over to the event space and make sure everything is on schedule for tonight. Can you hold down the fort?”
“Sure thing,” I replied, smacking my lips together to blow her a kiss, since my hands were covered in dough.
“Thanks, babe,” Tasha said, then left as quickly as she’d entered.
Three Sister’s Catering had started out as strictly a catering business, but over the last year we’d added a small seating area and counter in the front of the store. Now, not only did we offer a full catering menu for events, but we sold assorted coffee, tea, and pastries.
We’d never planned on having a storefront, it had just happened organically.
I loved trying out new recipes and baking when I didn’t have an order for catering, and I’d ended up with an abundance of product. Initially, I’d just bring some out when Tasha or Dru were meeting with clients, then it had morphed into a daily occurrence.
Now, we were open every morning, except Mondays, for people to stop in and grab a snack.
Dru had relished the opportunity to decorate the front of the house, and had made the little dining area into a warm and sophisticated place to stop and enjoy a quick break.
I was just putting the bread in the oven for tonight’s bridal shower, when I heard the telltale jingle of the door being opened in the front.
