Page 104 of Wrangled Love

Their exchange makes my heart swell. The bond between father and son is unmistakable, from their matching outfits to the joy mirrored in their smiles. Sharing this special day with them is a gift, and I’m beyond grateful to be the woman who gets to love them both.

“Did we miss it?” Mama Julie’s voice echoes down the hall, and I turn to find her and Pops coming our way.

I’m stunned speechless, overwhelmed with gratitude at the sight of them.

I spoke with Mama Julie last night, but she didn’t say anything about coming. I did mention how much I wished she and Pops could be here. They love Caleb like their own grandchild, and it felt wrong that they’d miss Jensen finalizing custody. They must have taken a red-eye flight to get here on time, and even though Pops isn’t fond of leaving Montana, they made the effort because they knew how much this meant to us.

The hearing may just be a formality, but it marks a newbeginning for all of us, made even sweeter by the fact that Jensen and Caleb are staying in Bluebell for good.

“Mama Julie, Pops. You’re here,” Caleb exclaims, running straight toward them.

Pops bends down and scoops him up. “Hey there, buckaroo. Couldn’t let you have all the fun in the big city without us.”

“Did we miss the hearing?” Julie asks again, her heavy breathing hinting that they rushed here.

I shake my head. “No, we’re waiting on the judge. I can’t believe you came.”

Mama Julie waves a hand like it’s nothing. “There’s no chance we’d miss out on Caleb and Jensen’s special day.”

“We’re really glad you’re here,” Jensen adds with a grateful smile.

It reminds me that the Halsteads aren’t just my family, but his as well. I’m so grateful we both have such an amazing support system. Judging by Jensen’s expression, having Mama Julie and Pops here means the world to him, too.

“There’s nowhere else we’d rather be,” she replies, pulling him into a hug.

Dawson stands a few feet away, phone in hand, giving us space for our mini family reunion. But the second the courtroom door opens and the court clerk calls his name, he squares his shoulders, shifting back into professional mode. He bends down to grab his briefcase from the floor before turning to Jensen.

“It’s showtime,” he says before striding toward the open door.

Mama Julie, Pops, and Caleb trail closely behind, but before I follow, Jensen catches my hand and pulls me in for a quick hug.

“I love you. So much,” he whispers in my ear. “And as grateful as I am for today, I can’t wait until we’re back in Bluebell.”

“I love you most,” I reply with a wink. “Let’s go make this official.”

As we enter the courtroom, my heart feels like it might burst.I’m surrounded by the people I love most as the hearing begins. Jensen stands beside Caleb, his hand steady on his shoulder. Mama Julie, Samuel, and I sit in the row behind them.

After reviewing the will and legal papers, the judge asks Jensen a few brief questions, and within minutes, he grants him full custody, and extends his congratulations.

Next to me, Julie wipes away a tear as Samuel gently squeezes her hand. When Caleb asks the judge if he can use the gavel, Jensen looks back at me, grinning—happier than I’ve ever seen him. He mouths, “I love you,” and I mouth it back with a smile.

I exhale slowly, a sense of peace settling over me now that the legal part of Jensen and Caleb’s journey is complete. Whatever the future holds, I have my family—and that’s what matters most.

While we were in the city, we spent a couple of days sightseeing. We kicked things off after the court hearing by surprising Caleb with a trip to the American Museum of Natural History. He often talks about visiting the dinosaur museum in Chicago with his mom, and while we couldn’t make that happen this time, he still enjoyed it. One day soon, we’ll take him back to visit all the places that were special to them. She may be gone, but Jensen and I are committed to keeping her memory alive, so Caleb will always remember how deeply she loved him.

We flew back from New York last night, and although we had a lot of fun, it’s so good to be home.

I started the morning with a maintenance check on the cabins and covered the general store for a few hours so Ethel could take care of her housekeeping duties. Jensen picked Caleb up from summer camp today so he could take him for his first horse ride. He wanted them to start riding together and in the coming weeks, will teach him how to ride on his own. I can’t wait for the day when we’re all able to go out togetheras a family.

On our way home from New York, Jensen told Caleb that we’re a couple and that they’ll be living in the cottage for the foreseeable future. What excited him most was finding out that he won’t have to say goodbye to Ziggy, and that he’ll still get to see Mama Julie at school every day when he starts kindergarten.

The plan is for me to continue watching him in the afternoons. I cherish our time together and wouldn’t trade it for anything. The only change is that I’ve told Jensen I won’t accept payment anymore. It was never about the money anyway. I could never replace Caleb’s mom, but I love him like my own, and I hope he knows he has a safe place with me—always.

It’s late afternoon by the time I finish at the general store and head back to the cottage. With Jensen and Caleb still out, I decide to unpack. We got in late last night, and I haven’t had the chance until now. I figured Charlie or Birdie would stop by today, especially after how many times they said they missed me while I was gone. But now that I think about it, the group chat has been silent today. That’s unusual, considering we text constantly.

Backroads & Bad Decisions Group Chat

Briar: Y’all have been awfully quiet today.

---