“You got it.” Clay eased his gun from his holster. “You do what you need to do, and we’ll cover you.”
“Thank you. Thank you all.” Ignoring the approaching braves, Reno guided Traveler a few yards from the entrance. He needed the extra distance to gain the speed he’d need.
As he got into position, the others moved into position around him to form a barrier. “Be careful, Reno,” Cole called. “You’ll always be my brother.”
“We’re all brothers,” Gentry raised a hand in farewell. “Godspeed my friend.”
Reno tipped his hat to these men who meant the world to him, then he let out a war whoop of his own, urging Traveler to lunge forward into a run.
…Some distance away, Journey heard that war whoop and recognized it for what it was. “Reno!” Flicking her reins, she gave Cinnamon her head. “Faster than ever, girl. There’s no time to waste.” With her heart in her throat, Journey bent low over the saddle, knowing she might not make it in time.
With every second seeming like an hour, she rounded the upper rim of the canyon, her horse’s hooves sending rocks skittering down the hill as she fought time and space to reach her beloved in time. “Reno!” Journey screamed. She didn’t understand why this was happening, but she was determined to stop him if she could.
As she came in view of the canyon’s mouth, Journey was shocked to see three men facing off four Indians in what appeared to be a stand-off. For just a split second, she marveled at the sight. Truly, she was back in time. “Reno! I have to stop Reno!”
As for the cowboys and Indians, any offensive measures were stalled at the sight of the young woman and her horse barreling toward them, her dark hair flying behind her in the wind.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Clay breathed.
“Is that…?” Cole was so stunned; he couldn’t finish his sentence.
“Journey. Yes, indeed. I do believe that would be Mrs. Reno Black.” As she passed between Reno’s friends and his enemies, Gentry tipped his hat in greeting.
After witnessing this spectacle, the braves retreated, leaving the men to watch the remainder of this unbelievable drama play out before their eyes.
…Racing through the canyon, Reno was oblivious to anything other than what lay ahead of him. He was drawing near to the canyon wall. As before, he could feel the unrest in the air. He could see the portal was beginning to open…but what his eyes could make out didn’t look right. Instead of seeing the countryside he’d come to know so well, Reno saw a cloudy sea of nothing.
At that moment of horrified realization, his ears detected an unbelievable sound.
His Journey’s voice.
“Reno! Reno! I’m here. Don’t go. Stop!”
With everything in him, Reno pulled back on the reins. “Whoa! Whoa, boy! That’s not where we need to be.” Regrettably, compelling the stallion to stop and the stallion coming to a stop was two different things. Traveler’s forward momentum was so powerful, it threatened to carry them through the portal whether Reno wanted to go or not. “God, help me,” he prayed as he put his full weight into forcing the thousand-pound horse to bend to his will. All appeared lost, until the very last second when Traveler reared up on his hind legs. Reno watched in disbelief as the horse’s pawing hooves seemed to disappear into nothingness. “Oh, hell no.” He jerked the reins to the left and Traveler lurched to one side. The narrow miss forced all the air from Reno’s lungs.
“Reno! Reno!”
Without hesitation, he flung himself from the saddle. His feet had no more than touched the ground before Journey ran to him, launching herself into his arms. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you, Reno.”
“Yes, you do, love. Yes, you do.”
He held her so tightly, she could barely draw breath. Journey didn’t care, she’d breathe later. Right now, she wanted to revel in the fact that they were together.
As Reno’s mind tried to make sense of what happened, he cupped her head, kissing her face repeatedly. “I can’t believe you’re here.” The momentous fact of her arrival was just beginning to sink in. “Are you all right? Is the baby all right?”
“I couldn’t be better,” she assured him.
Reno was unbelievably happy, but after what he’d just witnessed, he couldn’t help but be frightened out of his mind for her. “Do you know what a risk you took? Do you know what could’ve happened? What almost happened to me?”
“Hush, beloved. It’s over. We’re together and we’ll never be apart again.”
The absolute adoration he felt for his wife didn’t stop a small growl from rising in his throat. “I can’t believe you did this. I’m weak just thinking of all the ways this could’ve gone completely wrong.”
“But it didn’t.” She framed his face. “Everything is perfect.” Journey took his hand and placed it on her heart. “Feel it beating? I’m real and I’m with you. Forever.”
Reno hauled her close once more. “Yes, you are. But I still can’t get over…”
“Fine. You can spank me tonight. Would that make you feel better?”
“Maybe.”
“Ahem.” A cough behind them drew the couple’s attention.
“Oh, hello.” Journey moved forward to greet them. “I’m Journey.”
Reno made the introductions. “Gentry Nelson, Clay Bennett, my brother, Cole Black – meet my wife, Journey.”
All three stepped near to take her hand in turn. “We assumed as much when she came flying by.” Gentry had a big grin on his face. “We appreciated her timing; she scared the Indians plum off.”
“I appreciated her timing too. If she hadn’t brought me out of my daze, I don’t know where I would’ve ended up. I got a glimpse
