Page 30 of River Legacy
“One of my favorite memories,” he said. “Except for the times you chased me off with that bullwhip of yours.”
“I’ve retired it.”
“Good to hear.”
“You heard that I got CJ out of jail and the charges have been dropped,” she said. “I hope it wasn’t a mistake, but I had to do what I thought was right. I changed. Maybe he can too.”
Holden didn’t look hopeful about that, but quickly said, “I’ve hoped the same thing with Treyton.” He shook his head. “Our sons are a lot alike.”
“Except Treyton hasn’t been behind bars.”
“Not yet,” he said with a sigh. “But I fear he’s headed in that direction. CJ was at least trying to get the Stafford Ranch. Treyton doesn’t seem to have any interest at all in his family ranch.”
“They aren’t going to be happy about the wedding, you know,” Charlotte said. “My fault for turning my son against your family.”
Holden took her hand. “Lottie, this is a new beginning. Our sons will come around or they won’t. A lot has changed. Cooper and Tilly are married and now have a daughter of their own. Oakley is married to Pickett. There aren’t any hard boundaries between our families anymore and I’m glad of it. Of course there are going to be problems, but we’ll deal with them.”
He drew her to him again, and she pressed herface against his strong shoulder before pulling back to admire her ring. “Holden, it’s beautiful.”
“Oh my God, you’re . . . you’reengaged?”
They pulled apart to see Oakley standing over them, her mouth open.
Charlotte looked up at her daughter. “Holden just asked, and I accepted. We’re going to have a large wedding so we’re going to need help planning it. I hope I can count on you.”
“You’re really doing this?”
“We are,” Holden said. “I believe congratulations is in order, don’t you, Lottie?”
“Or at least best wishes,” she said.
Oakley was still staring at them. “I never thought I’d see the day.” She seemed to shake herself before she broke out in a grin. “Congrats. Does Tilly know?”
“No one does but you,” Charlotte said. “We’ll put something in the local shopper, but I think word will get out on its own, don’t you? But let’s make this day Tilly and Cooper’s.”
Her daughter nodded, still looking dazed. “When is the wedding?”
“The sooner, the better,” Holden said, taking her hand. “Your mother and I are in love.”
“That isn’t anything new,” Oakley said. “Where do you plan to live?”
“We still need to iron out the details,” Holden said. “But I hope she will live on the McKenna Ranch.” He looked over at her. “If you want, I’ll build us our very own house.”
“We have time to talk about it,” Charlotte said,reflecting how different all of their lives would have been if she’d been his bride living in that house all those years ago. But then, they wouldn’t have the children they did or have lived the lives they’d had.
She felt a surprised sense of accomplishment for having built her own ranch with little help. Same with raising her children, even if she did wish she could do that part all over again, knowing what she did now. Still, her life had made her a strong woman out of necessity, and she couldn’t help being proud of that.
“Oh, wait until everyone hears,” Oakley said. “Treyton is going to flip when he hears about this. Not to mention CJ.”
“Let us worry about that,” Charlotte and Holden said in unison as they rose to go see their first grandchild together.
Back in the hospital, Charlotte was surprised to see her son Ryder had gotten here so fast. She was even more surprised to see that he wasn’t alone. He had a pretty young woman with long curly coppery red hair, fair skin and jade-green eyes with him. She was stunning—much like her mother had been, Charlotte thought with a jolt as she recognized her.
As large as the state of Montana was, it never failed to astonish her how small it seemed when it came to running into people she knew or had a connection with.
“Mother,” Ryder said, not appearing all that happy to see her. “I heard you were back.”
She’d left the ranch for him and Brand to run without a word. She’d known he and his brother would do a great job. She would make sure that they knew that. She’d neglected both of them in the past. Ryder probably thought that nothing had changed.
