Cowboy to the Rescue

by Trish Milburn

  She should be sleeping now, but her brain wouldn’t settle. She kept reliving everything she’d been through in the past day. The horrible phone call from Holly, the fear that had flown with her back to Virginia, the relief when the girls were safe, the knowledge that she might die, the bone-deep happiness that Holly and Clay didn’t hate her, then the seemingly endless questioning by the police after her rescue. Through it all, Ryan had been with her either in spirit or body.

  She turned and soaked in the view of Ryan’s form. She loved him so much, more than should be possible. Holly had seen it as clearly as their mother would have.

  “You love that man, don’t you?” she’d asked when she’d caught Brooke watching Ryan and Simon talking across the main area of the police station in Front Royal.

  “Yes, I do.”

  Holly smiled. “No wonder you like that ranch.”

  Brooke had laughed, and it felt alien after all the fear and anger. Alien, but oh so good.

  Careful now not to bump into anything and wake him, she wandered through her condo, trailing her fingers over all the pieces of her life she’d had to leave behind to flee Chris. Simon had brought them back here but insisted on spending the night in a hotel himself, saying he wanted to stay near the airport since he was flying back to Texas in the morning. The look on his face, however, had told her that he knew how much she and Ryan wanted to be alone. He’d cemented a spot in her heart with that gesture, and she’d lifted on her toes to kiss his cheek.

  When she reached the living room, she stopped in the middle and scanned the half-lit furnishings. The connection she’d once had to this place was gone. This wasn’t home anymore. She had no idea what her next step would be.

  “Brooke?”

  She looked back toward her bedroom. “Did I wake you?”

  He crossed to where she stood and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “No. But I’d hoped to wake with you still next to me.”

  She ran her thumb over his fingers clasped in front of her. “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “About Chris? No. I’m done giving him any thought.”

  Ryan turned her to face him. “Then what’s bothering you?”

  “I can’t stop thinking about how scared the girls were, how what I did could have led to someone else getting hurt.”

  “But it didn’t.”

  She looked up at him, so close. “But it could have. I can’t help thinking that even though it’s over, I still feel lost.”

  He caressed her jaw then gestured to their surroundings. “It’s because this isn’t you anymore.”

  She marveled at how perceptive he was, more like Merline than Brooke had realized.

  “How can you all ever trust me again after the lies I told? Your family could have been in the line of fire.”

  “Let’s get one thing straight,” he said. “How upset I was before, forget it.”

  “No, you were right to be angry.”

  Ryan slid his hands to either side of her face and gently forced her to meet his gaze. “Listen to me. Stop punishing yourself. You did what you had to do. We all understand that.”

  “But—”

  He cut her off with a kiss, one she was powerless to resist. When he broke the contact, he ran his thumb along her bottom lip.

  “Stop looking back, and really see what’s in front of you. We all love you. I love you.”

  “You…”

  He smiled. “That’s right, I said it. I love you, Brooke Alder.”

  She bit her lip at the sound of those words combined with her real name, her real self. And all thoughts of ever living apart from this man fled. The smile that started quickly consumed her.

  “I love you, too.”

  “Good, because I wouldn’t help just anyone pack all this stuff up. Or drive the truck it’s going to take to get it all back to Texas.”

  She laughed then kissed him again, long and very, very thoroughly.

  “So, you’re going to help me pack, huh?”

  He swept her off her feet and into his arms. “Maybe tomorrow,” he said as he retraced his steps to the bedroom.

  Yes, tomorrow was soon enough. Tonight, she had to show Ryan Teague just how much she loved him.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Going to be a gorgeous sunset,” Grace said as she drove up the road leading into the ranch.

  Brooke looked out her window at how the sun had painted the western horizon a stunning palette of orange, red and pink.

  “That, it is.” Despite the fact she’d lived almost all of her life back East, now she couldn’t imagine spending the rest of her days anywhere but the Hill Country. Anywhere but this ranch.

  Every day, she found herself more a part of this place and the lives of the people around her. Case in point, she’d just finished working with Keri Mehler of the Mehlerhaus Bakery on a reception for a local artist at Merline’s gallery. Unhindered by the fear of being discovered, she’d had a wonderful time getting to know Keri better, as well as a lot of other Blue Falls residents. She was free to be herself—a mixture of the person she used to be in West Virginia then D.C. and the woman she’d become since coming to the ranch.

  She returned her attention to the road in front of them and noticed a slice of unexpected color rising above the live oaks and cedars. Leaning forward, she asked, “What is that?” When Grace didn’t answer, she looked at her friend and saw she was trying to hide a smile.

  Grace steered around the last bend, and Brooke gasped. A tethered hot air balloon sat in the field to the right of the barn. “What in the world?” she asked as Grace parked.

  “You’ll have to ask Ryan.” Grace winked and got out of the car.

  Brooke slid out of the car slowly, still unable to believe her eyes. The yellow and blue panels of the balloon reminded her of the fields of wildflowers through which she and Ryan had hiked a few days before.

  He approached her from the direction of the balloon, and she moved to meet him while still marveling at the sight of the balloon. “What is this?”

  “They tell me it’s called a hot air balloon.”

  She swatted him on the shoulder. “But why is it here?”

  He smiled as he took her in his arms. “A little birdie might have told me you’d always wanted to take a ride in one.”

  It took her a moment, but then she remembered a snippet of conversation right after she’d arrived at the ranch. “That birdie named Merline?”

  “Could be.” He nodded back at the balloon. “You like it?”

  “Are you kidding? I love it.”

  “Well, if you like that, I have something else you’re going to like even better.” He looked past her and nodded.

  Curious, she turned. Her eyes filled with tears, happy ones, at the sight before her.

  “Aunt Brooke!” Emma broke away from her sister and mother and ran toward Brooke.

  Laughing and crying at the same time, she leaned down and scooped the little ball of energy into her arms. She kissed Emma on the cheek, and then Caitlyn. After the intense fear of losing them, she didn’t think she’d be able to hug and kiss and love them enough. There would be no stopping her from being the aunt who spoiled them rotten with gifts.

  Holly caught up with her daughters and joined in the group hug.

  “How? When?” Brooke couldn’t manage to speak much beyond single-word questions.

  “Ryan invited us down for a surprise visit,” her sister said. “I had to see this new home of yours for myself.”

  After several minutes of catching up and more hugs, Holly pulled her daughters to her side. “Let’s give Aunt Brooke some space. She’s got a balloon ride to take.”

  Br
ooke glanced at the balloon, so magical in the waning light of day, but it was nothing compared to having her family with her.

  “Go on before it gets dark,” Holly said. “We’ll be here waiting for you.”

  “I have to prepare dinner. I’m already behind.”

  Holly grabbed Brooke’s hand and squeezed it. “For once, do what your sister tells you.” She leaned closer so only Brooke could hear. “Get in that balloon with that sexy man.”

  Brooke smiled wide. “You’re married, sis.”

  “But I ain’t blind. Besides,” she said as she nodded toward the barn, “I think the rest of this clan is trying to convert Clay from a dairy farmer into a cowboy. I might be all for the idea if he also converts to tight jeans.”

  Brooke eyed the entrance to the barn and saw Nathan, Simon and Hank giving Clay the grand tour. She laughed and hugged her sister close. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you so much.”

  “Me, too. Now go.”

  Brooke went, her insides vibrating with happiness. Ryan opened a little door in the side of the balloon’s basket and escorted her in. She was surprised that the balloonist didn’t get in with them.

  “Don’t worry, it’s tethered,” Ryan said. “I think I can manage the distance we’re going up.”

  The girls waved at them as they started ascending, and they waved back. Their little girl giggles carried up to them as they cleared the trees. When she looked out toward the west, not only could she see the last blazing streaks of the sunset but also the twinkling lights of Blue Falls down in the valley.

  “It’s so beautiful,” she said.

  “You’re beautiful.”

  When she looked at Ryan, he wasn’t paying the sunset or the lights any mind. His attention was firmly focused on her, and it made her go warm all over.

  “Thank you for this,” she said. “And for bringing my family here.”

  “Well, I didn’t have much choice. Your sister said that if she wasn’t here when I asked you, she’d have my head.”

  Brooke’s breath caught as Ryan pulled something out of his pocket and held her gaze as he slowly lowered himself to one knee.

  “Brooke Alder, would you make me the happiest man in Texas and be my wife?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. Then more strongly, she said it again. “Yes!”

  Ryan slid the diamond onto her finger then stood and pulled her into his arms. “Good thing you said yes, or I was going to keep us up here until you changed your mind.”

  “I can think of worse things.” She lifted onto her toes and touched her lips to his.

  “Me, too,” he said before he kissed her like she hoped he would keep kissing her for the rest of their days.

  “Is that a yes?” Simon yelled up from the ground.

  She looked over the side of the basket and saw that all the Teagues had gathered and Clay now had his arm around Holly. Brooke extended the hand with the shiny new ring on it. “It’s a yes!”

  A great whoop went up from the collection of people on the ground, so many people she loved. Her family, both of blood and of the heart. The girls jumped up and down in a circle holding hands.

  “They look happy,” Ryan said beside her.

  She looked up at him and hoped all the love she felt was reflected on her face. “Not as happy as me.”

  He caressed her cheek. “Or me.”

  And then her angel-carving, furniture-making, fiddle-playing, balloon-flying cowboy kissed her until she no longer needed the balloon to float on air.

  * * * * *

  ISBN: 9781459223561

  Copyright © 2012 by Trish Milburn

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