The Maverick Returns

by Roz Denny Fox

  Coop squared his shoulders. “I’d say it sounds good—and it’ll still work when one or both of us add to our families,” he said, slanting a wink toward the women.

  He dropped his hand after a last small squeeze of Willow’s waist and set Lily down by Gray. The brothers took off to inspect their two herds, cattle on one side of the road, horses on the other.

  “That was a nice gesture,” Willow murmured to Blythe. “I worried a lot about coming here with Coop. I’d made up my mind that, no matter what, I’d never stand between Coop and his brother.”

  Blythe linked arms with Willow. “I’m so glad it didn’t come to that. While they’re off doing what Drummond men do, why don’t you and I go inside and check the calendar for an end-of-summer wedding date? The home place, which now belongs to you and Cooper, has the perfect bridal staircase. You know their parents, Matt and Lily, were married there? So were Sully and I. Or if you’d rather book a church, we can do that,” Blythe said as they walked through the door.

  “The family house would be lovely, if it’s okay with Coop. Thank you and Sullivan for making me and Lilybelle feel welcome. For making us feel like family,” she said with a catch in her voice.

  “You are family,” Blythe insisted staunchly. “Coop said you named Lily after his mother. That’s special, Willow. Oh, I promised him I’d research schools that teach language skills and cognitive development.” Blythe pulled a packet of brochures from a credenza drawer and handed them to Willow. “You can evaluate the facilities after you get settled, and choose the one you like best for Lily. The program I’m most partial to is housed in the private school Gray attends. That way, he’d be there as her older cousin, to look out for Lily.”

  The men walked into the house in time for Coop to hear his sister-in-law’s suggestion. Sliding both arms around Willow, Coop brushed his cheek over hers. “How does that sound to you, Willow? Hey, did Willow tell you she might go back to school herself, to finish her teaching degree? She could end up teaching Gray or Lily.”

  Blythe and Sully immediately congratulated her and offered her their support.

  “This all seems too good to be true,” Willow murmured as she clutched the brochures. “A day ago I was made homeless by my former father-in-law. Life was completely uncertain. Now I’m standing here in the middle of my new extended family. A real family,” she whispered, reaching up to frame Cooper’s other cheek. “I can’t tell you how deeply that touches me.”

  “Uh, speaking of extended family—there’s other news you may not have heard,” Sully said. “Bart Walker sold the Bar W to Jud Rayburn. ’Course Bart knew I’d jump at a chance to buy land bordering our pastures. But he never would’ve sold it to me.”

  “Interesting,” Coop returned, tightening his hold on Willow. “The sheriff in Carrizo Springs said Bart stole Willow’s ranch because he expected to strike oil. But…drilling on the neighboring ranch went sour. It seems Bart may have screwed himself all around. Willow, are you okay with that? He is Lily’s grandpa. But we could try, for Lily’s sake, to sue his socks off.”

  Willow waved her free hand. “He’d have to change a whole lot for me ever to welcome him into Lily’s life. If you’re leaving it up to me, I say let him keep the ranch down south. Lilybelle and I are leaving our entire past behind, Coop. Soon we won’t be Walkers. Lily and I are going to be the best Drummonds we can be.”

  “You’re both perfect as you are,” Coop said.

  The others circled around Willow, hugging her, and suddenly Sully drew attention to the fact that Gray and Lily had gone to the porch, where his son was showing Lily how to snap together big, colorful plastic blocks.

  “Would you look at that?” Coop said with feeling. “Our girl has made her first friend.” He trailed a light hand up Willow’s back and murmured, “The road to getting here has been a long and winding one, but we’re all home at last.”

  Tilting her head until it touched Coop’s shoulder, Willow nodded, but her heart was too full to speak.

  *

  ISBN: 9781459227729

  Copyright © 2012 by Rosaline Fox

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