“Jennifer Collins, you’re not only a good woman. You’re the best woman—and the only woman for us. Sweet Jenny, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?”
Her gaze widened, and he didn’t worry about the misting he saw there, the beginning of tears. He was pretty sure those would be happy tears.
Dale used two fingers under her chin to turn her attention toward him. “Jenny, I love you with all that I am. I want to grow old with you and have babies with you. Will you marry me?”
Jenny gave a little sob and then looked back at him, tears now streaming, even though her smile beamed, simply radiant.
“Yes! Oh, yes! I want very much to marry you both.”
Cheers, whistles, and applause accompanied the moment he bent down and kissed his fiancée for the first time. Then Dale kissed her, too. Ari practically jumped out of her chair, came over, and hugged Jenny—then handed her a napkin to mop her tears.
In the midst of the happy chatter that followed, Parker heard a knock at the door. Jackson got up to answer it and returned moments later, a strange look on his face—as if he was trying to keep a poker expression but finding the task difficult.
“Parker? Dale? Can you come here for a moment, please?”
Parker looked at his brother, who must have been as curious as he.
Dale shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Parker cast a quick glance around the room. No one seemed particularly concerned about the interruption.
“You best go see what’s up,” Grandma Kate said.
Parker nodded, gave Jenny a quick kiss, and followed Jackson. Dale was close behind him.
Outside, a hundred or so feet from the house stood a Ford dually. Stencilled on the driver’s door were the words Jeb’s Horse Haulage. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t pull the memory close. The Ford had a large double horse trailer attached. Standing with two men he didn’t recognize were his and Dale’s coworkers—all their coworkers.
Dale shook his head. “What the hell?” he asked softly. Parker doubted anyone else could hear him.
“You coming down here, or what? Don’t be shy, girls. The horsies won’t bite you.” Chase Benedict laughed. That bit of cousin-speak was just enough to get them moving.
They approached the group standing around the trailer. As if they’d been waiting for just that, Jesse and Barry opened the doors and slid the ramp out.
A familiar nicker, a beloved black coat and white star, and wise equine eyes—the images hit him all at once, and Parker actually felt a sob escape before he could stop it. “Apollo.”
On shaky legs, he went up the ramp until he was inside the large box. On the wall of the trailer hung a pair of leads. His beloved Apollo wasn’t the only horse that had just arrived from Montana.
Parker grabbed one of the leads and clicked it to his gelding’s halter. As he unfastened the safety chains, he crooned softly to the animal, who nuzzled him, moving his head up and down—telling Parker in horse language that he was happy they were together again, too.
Then he led his horse out of the trailer, making room for his twin to go and get his own horse—a painted gelding named Einstein.
Parker looked at the assembled family. Grandma Kate came over, her smile pure, sweet sneakiness. She opened her hand, revealing an apple that had been cut in quarters. He took the fruit and gave it to his horse. Apollo daintily ate the treat.
“Say hello to Grandma Kate, Apollo.”
Apollo nodded his head then stretched his neck and lowered his head.
“My, you’re a handsome fellow, aren’t you?” Kate said as she stroked his neck. Apollo nickered in response, equine agreement.
Ari approached Dale, who’d led his horse out of the trailer after taking a moment to rest his forehead against the paint’s nose. She had the same sweet treat in her hand, a welcome-home gift that Einstein happily devoured.
Dale looked as emotionally rocky as he himself felt.
“I don’t understand. How…” Parker felt his throat tighten. He hadn’t thought he’d ever see his horse again. He’d actually been worried that Marcus would have sold him off to be slaughtered.
“Grandma Kate arranged for this,” Jackson said.
Parker turned his attention to her. “I don’t have words…thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. It just burned my butt when I found out what had happened. That’s not the way you treat family.”
“No, ma’am,” Dale said. “But that was family life as we knew it.”
“We both know better now,” Parker said. “So, thank you. Not just for the horses. But for being you. For showing us what grandmotherly love feels like.”
Parker kissed her left cheek, and Dale kissed her right.
“You’re both good boys. I’m so proud of you. I’m looking forward to watching you both become the wonderful husbands and fathers you were meant to be.”
Jackson led them into the second barn and the two stalls he’d had prepared for Apollo and Einstein. It took them a little while to see the horses were settled, and they used some of that time, getting reacquainted. They introduced the animals to Jenny, as well.
“Apollo is the better trained of the two,” Dale said. “If you’d like to learn to ride, he’d be the one to start out on.”
Jenny lavished love on both animals. “I think I’d like that.”
Once the horses were bedded down, they all trooped back inside the house for dessert.
“It must have been expensive to ship them here, Grandma Kate. We’d like to pay for that,” Parker said.
“Oh, there’s no need for that.” Grandma Kate’s eyes twinkled.
Jackson and Cord both chuckled.
“Apparently, your dad didn’t realize that Marcus had refused to let you load your own horses.” Jackson grinned. “According to our dad, your oldest brother
