Chapter Fifteen
Ember printed off the documents her lawyer sent her on the printer in the hotel office. She thanked the manager and left him a tip for his trouble. She spent the next hour reading over the contract, making sure she understood exactly what she was signing with her lawyer on the phone explaining the details. And when she was ready, she got in her car and followed her GPS to Vern Acres.
As she drove up to the main house, her heart was in her throat, and not because she was buying this ranch, either. Somehow, that personal achievement had paled in comparison to her feelings for Casey. She’d promised that she’d say goodbye, but this parting would be a difficult one.
Would he even be here? She’d called ahead and told Mr. Vern that she was coming. He’d asked if he could tell Casey, and she’d agreed. Would he want to see her? Or would he rather avoid her altogether? She wasn’t sure she’d blame him if he didn’t come...
Ember parked her car and got out. The warm air ruffled through her hair, and she looked around, soaking up the view. The trees, the looming jagged mountain peaks... One day soon this view would just be home. She started toward the house and the side door opened. It wasn’t Mr. Vern who came out, but Casey.
He’d come! Her breath caught in her throat as he stepped outside and headed toward her. That dark gaze locked on to hers, and he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her, not saying a word. His lips came down over hers, so warm and strong and confident. She closed her eyes and sank into his embrace...but this wouldn’t make their goodbye any easier. She reluctantly pulled back.
“No...” she said, her eyes brimming with tears. “Don’t toy with me, Casey. We’ve been through this—”
“I know.” He stepped back, his eyes still locked on hers pleadingly. “I’m sorry. I just—I’ll stop doing that when I see you in town or whatever. I promise.”
It was true—she’d see him around. Even if he didn’t work for her, maybe he’d work in the area. Ember looked down at the pages in her hands.
“The final papers?” Casey asked.
“Yeah...” She sucked in a breath. “Casey, I saw my son.”
He blinked at her, then squinted. “What?”
“The new pastor of the church and his wife—the Mitchells. That’s the couple who adopted my son ten years ago. And I saw them in Pop’s Diner.”
“You’re kidding!” Casey shook his head. “That must have been... Are you okay after that? Are you—I mean—” He didn’t seem to know how to put it all into words, but she could feel the depth of his concern.
“I’m okay,” she said. “It was so wonderful to see him. He’s tall for his age, I think. He’s got this headful of curly brown hair—it’s so cute. And the big brown eyes. He’s beautiful. And he’s happy. That was my biggest worry, that he’d be empty and searching because of what I did, but he’s not. He’s a happy kid. He’s definitely loved.”
“That’s awesome,” Casey said, and he reached a hand out and ran a finger down her cheek. “I’m glad you got that.”
“It changed things—” Ember wasn’t sure if it was even fair to bring this up. They’d already gone over why they’d never work as a couple, but she was still so overflowing from the experience that she felt she had to talk to someone, and there was no one but Casey who she wanted to share this with.
“Changed what?” he murmured, stepping closer.
“I prayed every day for my son,” she said softly. “I prayed so hard, and I loved him just as hard... I wanted to make up for not being there. But when I saw Sue and Ted again, and when she told me how they’d stayed up with him around the clock to make sure he didn’t feel alone in those first few days... Casey, they were the answer to my prayers!”
“That’s beautiful,” he said quietly. “I like that.”
“And I know it doesn’t change anything else, Casey, but it does change whether or not I could be a mom again. I didn’t want to betray my son on some level, but I realized that he has a mom now—and it’s Sue.”
“Wait—” Casey’s voice lowered, and he put his hands on her shoulders. “Are you saying you’ve changed your mind about that?”
“Wyatt and Will had a mom,” Ember tried to explain. “If she were able, I’m sure her very last prayer would have been for her boys, too. Sue was the answer to my prayers, and if all things were equal, I think I’d like to be the answer to that mom’s prayers.” She blinked back tears. “But I know it doesn’t change the rest. I know that. I shouldn’t even have brought it up.”
Casey stepped closer again and ran a tendril of her hair through his fingers. “I’ve had a good talk with Bert, too.”
“His job—” she started.
“No, not about his job. He’s happy to retire, apparently. This was about me. He had a whole lot to say, and it all made sense. Thing is, I’ve been so focused on owning my own land for so long that I counted my own faith in God’s ability to give me my desires as if God had promised me that land. But what if God wants something different for me? What if—” Casey smiled hesitantly. “What if God had brought me the woman He’d created for me instead of giving me a ranch?”
Ember’s heart sped up in her chest, and she stared at Casey, dumbstruck.
“Thing is,” Casey went on, “I’ve wanted to teach the boys the perseverance and steadfastness you learn on a ranch—very important character traits, might I add. But Bert pointed out that flexibility will give them happy marriages.” He smiled regretfully. “And that’s important, too.”
“What are you saying, exactly?” Ember asked, shaking her head. “Because you’re going to have to spell this
