“Yeah. It’s already got the stables and the pastures. Plenty of trails, too. And that’s your dream, right?”
Her eyes grew wide. “Well, yes, but...”
Brian went down on one knee. Danny, who knew what was coming, came to stand at his side and put a hand on his shoulder in support. “Victoria Donovan, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Of making us—the three of us—a real family?”
Both of her hands came up to her mouth. Tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Brian, are you sure?”
“Tori, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. And Danny has already given his approval,” he said, grinning.
“Then yes,” she said. “Yes!”
Brian slipped the ring on her finger, and stood to kiss Tori, then pulled Danny in for a hug.
“When can we move in?” Danny asked, making both him and Tori laugh.
“How about this weekend? In fact, why don’t you go pick out which bedroom you’d like?”
Danny whooped and ran down the hall. Brian took the opportunity to pull Tori closer and deepen the kiss. By the time he pulled away, they were both breathless.
“You are a wonderful, amazing man, Brian McCain.”
“I’m glad you think so,” he told her. “Because now you’re stuck with me.”
Epilogue
Almost two years after she’d attended Phoebe and Josh’s wedding, Tori found herself once again at St. Patrick’s, only this time, she was the bride. She was the one standing in the back room, dressed in white while her soon-to-be sister in-law made final adjustments to her veil.
“You look so beautiful,” Lacie said with tears in her eyes. “I am so happy for you and my brother.”
She looked around, her heart swelling as she surveyed seven women, now friends. Strong women who, over the last year, had offered their unconditional support, shared their own stories, and been there every step of the way. Danny’s Happy Trails Ranch was well on its way to becoming a huge success, thanks in large part to them and their husbands.
“None of this would be possible without you,” Tori said. “All of you.”
“Stop,” chastised Nicki, though her eyes were a bit misty, too. “It took too long to do your hair and makeup to cock it up now.”
“You mean like you did?” Taryn smirked.
“I did not cry at my own wedding,” Nicki countered. “I had something in my eye was all.”
Maggie came over and fluffed up Tori’s train. “Every one of us has stood in this very room and gotten married in this church, so we know exactly what you’re feeling.”
“Technically, Rebecca and Kane eloped to Vegas first,” Lexi piped up.
Eloping didn’t sound like such a bad idea, not when compared to facing a church full of onlookers. She and Brian had been living together for a while now, but that was up in their own secluded haven. The ceremony was really just a formality. Weddings were not so much for the ones getting married, Lacie had told her during one of the many wedding planning sessions, but for family and friends. A few years ago she might have taken issue with that, but she was no longer an outsider. Brian’s family and friends had become hers, as well. For the first time in her life, Tori felt like she belonged.
Still, the thought of having all eyes on her was enough to give her hives. What if she tripped? Or stumbled? Or what if the butterflies in her stomach decided they wanted to be free and she ended up hurling on some guests on her way down the aisle?
“None of that will happen,” Faith said on a laugh. “Believe me. I felt the same way. But once I got out there and saw Kieran waiting for me, I couldn’t get down that aisle fast enough.”
A soft knock sounded on the door. “That’s our cue,” Taryn said. She looked down at her daughter, Riley and grinned. “Ready, babe?”
The little girl grinned back and said, “Yeah, I got this.”
The Callaghan kids, Tori had come to realize, were every bit as amazing as their parents. Just as the Callaghans had rallied around her and Brian, their children had taken Danny under their collective wing and included him as one of their own. That didn’t mean to say that everything had been easy, but Danny never had to worry about feeling left out, and the socialization they had provided had done wonders for bringing the special little boy out of his shell.
After weighing the pros and cons of various options, Tori had decided to home school Danny, at least to start. While he was an exceptionally bright child, the lack of formal schooling meant he was behind other children his age. Tori and his “Aunt Lacie” were making significant progress. He was adjusting well, too. He loved horses and liked helping out at the ranch. Many of the kids who came for therapy gravitated towards him, and their parents often told Tori what an inspiration Danny was. Tori couldn’t have been prouder.
Riley grabbed the basket full of flower petals, joined Ian’s son Patrick just outside (who was serving as the official ring bearer), and led off the procession. She was followed by her mother and her aunts. One by one, Tori’s seven bridesmaids walked down the white runner, escorted by their husbands, Brian’s groomsmen.
Brian had come a long way, too. Shortly after her rescue, he started going to a place called Sanctuary. It was a great place, run by vets, for vets. Once an old mountain vacation resort tragically destroyed by fire, the Sanctuary was being rebuilt into a place where service men and women could ease their transition back into civilian life. Brian not only volunteered his time there, but he also worked out a pretty sweet arrangement between Sanctuary and Happy Trails. Guests of the Sanctuary were welcomed at the ranch at no charge in exchange for help with the care, feeding, and upkeep of the horses and stables. Hippotherapy was not only good for physical rehab; just being around the animals was proving cathartic for several of those with PTSD.
“Are you ready?” Jack Callaghan asked, holding out his arm. Tori had become very fond of the clan patriarch. When he’d offered to walk her down the aisle, she’d been so touched she couldn’t have said no.
Tori took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So ready.”
They stepped out and the entire packed church stood and turned her way. Her eyes sought out Brian, needing to see him, to know that this was really happening. There he was, right up front, looking back at her with love shining in his eyes.
Faith had been right. The moment their eyes met, her nervousness vanished, replaced by the joy of knowing that she was marrying her soul mate.
When they neared the front of the church, Jack slipped to the side and it was another hand that led her the rest of the way. She looked down, beaming at her son. He looked so handsome in his tux, custom made to look exactly like Brian’s.
The two most important men in her life had become so close. They often worked side by side at the ranch, and Brian was teaching him how to throw a baseball and fish and track. They never told her exactly what they talked about, answering only vaguely with “guy stuff” when she asked, but whatever it was, she believed that male bonding time had helped both of them.
Danny still woke up with nightmares sometimes, but they were becoming fewer and farther between. It didn’t take long for Ian to ferret out the truth about what had happened that night in Texas so many years earlier. Tori thought it was important that Danny know his mother loved him. When she and Brian sat down and tried to explain, Danny had just looked at her and said, “I know. She told me all the time.”
Thinking about it still gave her chills.
Ian also used his magic computer skills to discover where Danny’s mother had been laid to rest. Sean had flown them out to Texas in his plane—even allowing Danny to sit up front with him in the copilot’s seat—so they could visit her grave and put flowers there. Danny didn’t remember much about his mother, but he remembered enough, and the counselor they’d been seeing suggested that it was an important part of the healing process.
Danny didn’t speak much about his father, at least not to her, but the counselor said they were making good progress. Everyone agreed
that Danny didn’t have to know the specifics of what his father had done. Perhaps someday when he was older, that would change, but for now he knew just that his father had been ill and as a result, had done some bad things.
In Joe’s own, messed up way, he did love Danny, and that’s what Tori tried to focus on during those rare occasions when Danny did bring him up.
Brian’s nightmares were far less frequent now, too. But when he did have one, she was right there, ready to hold him and bring him back.
As for her, well, she couldn’t have been happier. The ranch was doing very well. She was marrying the man of her dreams. They had a happy, brilliant, compassionate son. She’d finally planted her roots. And later on that night, she was going to surprise her new husband by telling him about the two new branches they’d be adding to their family tree come spring...
The End
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If you liked this book...
... and enjoy military heroes, independent heroines, and slow burn, small town romance, then you might also like the first book in my new Sanctuary series, Protecting Sam:
Steve was already halfway down the block, tucked invisibly between buildings when Sam emerged the next morning. Using the skills for which he’d been nicknamed, he stayed in the shadows while following her progress. When she first passed by where he was hidden, she hesitated slightly as if sensing his presence, then quickened her pace. Steve smiled grimly to himself. The woman had good instincts, and that only reinforced his somewhat questionable decision to play silent bodyguard.
He tried to tell himself that he would be compelled to do the same for anyone, that protecting others was wired into his DNA, but that wouldn’t be true. For some reason he couldn’t quite fathom, he couldn’t stop thinking about his neighbor.
It wasn’t as if she’d been trying to get his attention, either. Just the opposite, in fact. She didn’t seem interested in him at all. Maybe that’s what had garnered his attention. Women, even those who had no intention of engaging, often flirted with him or looked at him a certain way. Just because he wasn’t interested didn’t mean he wasn’t aware.
That wasn’t an overinflated ego talking. He wasn’t special. Every man on his team got the same treatment. Just as most men couldn’t help but notice a beautiful, curvaceous woman, most women responded to cut physiques and the quiet confidence that said they knew they were the biggest, baddest things in the room.
But not his neighbor.
Oh, there’d been a brief flare of feminine appreciation in her pretty gray-green eyes, but she didn’t seem inclined to acknowledge it. And that, along with the sense that she was in danger, intrigued him. Besides, if he concentrated on her and her problems, he wouldn’t have to think too hard about his own.
Once he was sure she was safely in the coffee shop, he looped around and headed toward the park. It took only minutes to find what he’d been looking for: the depressions between trunks in a copse of thick evergreens that suggested someone had been standing there for some time.
He peered through the branches, confirming his earlier suspicions. Not only had he felt the sights on him after Sam’s light went out the night before, but he’d seen the telltale flash of something metallic, too. A watch maybe, or a ring.
Whoever the unwelcome observer was, he’d left no further evidence of his presence. He was a novice, but a novice with just enough skill to be dangerous.
Steve worked his way back to his apartment, his thoughts whirling. Who was stalking his neighbor, and why? Was he dangerous, or just a harmless peeping Tom? Steve made a mental note to talk to Cage. According to Church, Cage was the go-to guy when it came to needing intel. Maybe he could provide some information, fill in a few blanks. Starting with Sam’s full name.
~ * ~
Praise for Protecting Sam...
“This is an action-packed novel filled with romance, adventure, mystery, and family.” – Kindle Customer
“I loved this book! It was a quick read but loaded with emotion and suspense.” – Amazon Reviewer
“Kept me reading from the first page. Some twists you don't expect. Depicted the reality of living in a small town. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys suspense mixed with their romance.” – Amazon Customer
“Ms. Zanders has written a relevant and important story.” – Amazon Avid Reader
About the Author
Abbie Zanders is the author of more than 35 published romance novels ranging from contemporary to paranormal and everything in between. She promises her readers two things: happily ever afters, always, and no cliffhangers, ever.
Born and raised in the mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania, she has degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics. She worked for more than twenty-five years as a software engineer, designing and writing financial applications, though she has also held second jobs as a deli clerk, pub waitress, restaurant baker, and secretary that she draws upon to give real-life dimension to her characters.
Abbie has been crafting stories since elementary school, though she has only recently decided to start sharing them with others. When she's not escaping into another world of her own creation, she's a busy wife and mother of three, including a set of identical twins. Besides being an avid reader and writer, she loves animals (especially big dogs), American muscle cars, and 80's hair bands.
Also by Abbie Zanders
Callaghan Brothers - Contemporary Romance
Plan your visit to Pine Ridge, Pennsylvania and fall in love with the Callaghans
Dangerous Secrets
First and Only
House Calls
Seeking Vengeance
Guardian Angel
Beyond Affection
Having Faith
Bottom Line
Forever Mine
Two of a Kind
Not Quite Broken
Connelly Cousins - Contemporary Romance
Drive across the river to Birch Falls and spend some time with the Connelly Cousins
Celina
Jamie
Johnny
Michael
Covendale Series - Contemporary Romance
If you like humor and snark in your romance, add a stop in Covendale
Five Minute Man
All Night Woman
Seizing Mack
Cerasino Family Novellas - Contemporary Romance
Light, sweet romance you can read in one sitting
Just For Me
Just For Him
More Contemporary Romance
Enjoy these standalone, single titles
The Realist
Celestial Desire
Letting Go
Protecting Sam
Time Travel Romance
Travel between present day NYC and 15th century Scotland in these stand-alone but related titles
Maiden in Manhattan
Raising Hell in the Highlands
(also available as a box set)
Mythic Series - Paranormal Romance
Welcome to Mythic, an idyllic community all kinds of Extraordinaries call home.
Faerie Godmother
Fallen Angel<
br />
The Oracle at Mythic
Wolf Out of Water
Howls Romance - Paranormal Romance
Classic romance with a furry twist
Falling for the Werewolf
A Very Beary Christmas
More Paranormal Romance
Enjoy these standalone, single titles
Vampire, Unaware
Black Wolfe’s Mate (written as Avelyn McCrae)
Going Nowhere
The Jewel (written as Avelyn McCrae)
Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind
Rock Hard
Immortal Dreams
Historical/Medieval Romance
Get lost in another time and place
A Warrior’s Heart (written as Avelyn McCrae)
Not Quite Broken: A Callaghan Family & Friends Romance Page 22
