“I suppose real estate isn’t an easy business to get into.”
“It isn’t, but I’ll persevere,” Megan said. “Enjoy the snow sculptures, and I’ll see you at the wedding. When is it?”
Wye laughed. “Tomorrow.”
Chapter 11
‡
“She’s asleep,” Emerson told Wyoming when they sat down at a picnic table to drink some hot chocolate. He adjusted Elise in her carrier, wrapped a blanket around the contraption more securely and took the cup Wyoming offered him, careful to keep the hot liquid far away from the baby.
“You tired her out.” Wyoming smiled at him. “Thanks for bringing us here. It was a good idea to get away from it all for a bit. Being outside in the fresh air and sunshine puts things into perspective, too.”
“I had a good time. You know, when I was living on base, the real world often seemed like a dream. I like it better here in Chance Creek.”
“Sounds like you spent a lot of time with the General.”
“I did. He picked me as an assistant pretty early in my career.”
“Was that a good thing?”
Emerson thought about it. “It was. He taught me a lot about looking at the big picture. That’s the hard thing about being a general. Even if you know the details about people and their lives, you’re supposed to keep your focus on what’s best on the whole, which isn’t always what’s best for any particular individual.”
“Are you sorry you couldn’t keep your career?”
“Yes.” It felt good to be honest. “I’ll make a place for myself helping the General with reserve training, but so far it hasn’t felt like the best fit. I need something different.” He laughed. “Just figured that out as I was saying it.”
“What are you thinking?”
“I like what I’m doing at the Park—fixing up the trailers. I feel like I’ll do a good job managing them, too. I’ve got some savings. Not a lot, but enough to buy one or two more small houses, maybe. Fixer-uppers. Once they’re ready, I could rent them. Maybe I can make a career out of property management and repairs. It’s flexible enough to allow me to keep helping the General—and helping on the ranch when there’s work for me there. Flexible enough to be around to help with any more babies we acquire, too.”
“Sounds good.”
“What about you?”
She told him about her idea to go after remote paralegal work. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to find contracts or not, but no harm in trying, right?”
“Right. Sounds like we should be able to cobble together a living.”
“A good living,” Wyoming said. “I like the idea of controlling my own hours.”
“Me, too.”
“I like the idea of making a life with you,” she added.
“Are you proposing to me, Wyoming Smith?” He took her hand, leaned across the table awkwardly, making sure not to squash Elise, and kissed her.
“I guess I am. What do you say?”
“I say I’d marry you any day.”
“How about tomorrow?”
He pretended to think about that. “I guess I could do that.”
“Don’t sound so enthusiastic,” she said dryly.
“Baby, you want enthusiasm, you just wait until our wedding night.”
On the ride home, Emerson tried to keep his eyes on the road, but he was having a hard time keeping his mind from picturing what their wedding night would entail. They couldn’t leave town for a honeymoon, but Cass had assured him previously she would take care of Elise and make sure they had at least one uninterrupted night, so he’d gone out on a limb and booked a night at one of the bed-and-breakfasts in town, run by Ethan and Autumn Cruz. They’d have a luxurious room and private bathroom, and he’d heard the food was wonderful there. When he’d talked to Autumn, she’d assured him she’d happily deliver them room service. “No need to leave the room if you don’t want to.”
He didn’t think he’d want to.
First he had to get Wyoming down the aisle, though. All he wanted was a quiet night and for everything to go smoothly as they prepared for the wedding in the morning. He trusted Cass would have a wonderful dinner on the table when they got home, as usual, and that most of the work would be completed.
When they arrived at Two Willows, however, Cass met them at the back door, her face troubled.
“It’s Ward,” she said without preamble. “The General tracked him down.”
Wyoming entered Two Willows’ kitchen, Emerson’s hand wrapped around hers. He was carrying Elise’s car seat in his other hand, the baby fast asleep.
Without a word, Jo came forward and took Elise from him. “I’ll be in the living room with her,” she said.
“Where’s Ward?” Wyoming asked.
“San Francisco,” the General said from his seat at the head of the table. “Sit down, and we’ll talk this over.”
Wyoming sat, her heart in her mouth. Emerson sat next to her, Cass and Brian across from them. Cass’s sisters and their husbands filed in, too, as if they’d been waiting for them.
Maybe they had, Wyoming realized. They were family now.
“We’re here for you,” Cass assured her. “All of us.”
“I had some people I know see if they could track down your brother,” the General said. “They found him holed up in a motel on the outskirts of San Francisco—with his wife.”
“Mindy is with him?” The knowledge hit Wyoming like a punch to the gut. “Are they back together?”
“Seems like they’re working on it,” the General said.
“They’re in counseling?” That would be a wonderful outcome for her brother. Maybe Mindy had grown up a little in her time away—had realized she loved Ward and her baby—
“That’s right—and they want you to adopt Elise,” the General said.
Wyoming’s mouth dropped open. How could he even know that?
“My people sat them down. Talked to them. Laid all the cards on the table. That’s what your brother and sister-in-law decided.”
“But—”
“They aren’t coming back, honey,” Cass said. “Ward made that clear.”
A chill
