Page 100 of A Rancher's Bride
Kelli:I assume this means Luke is in trouble
Diane:calling
A moment later the phone rang, and Kelli answered instantly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, so spill the beans.”
Diane’s familiar sweet tones slid into her ear like warm honey. “Maybe I’m not supposed to say anything. I’m going to ruin the surprise.”
“Consider this like two presents. I get the surprisenowof you telling me what’s going on, and then I get to enjoy whatever it is that you’re going to tell me about.”
A low laugh bounced back. “You know your trip to visit your grandpa, and can I just say again how freaking exciting it is that Carlyn is your grandpa? Anyway, he gave us a shout, and Jack and I will be there, so we can get caught up while you visit. He said you didn’t want to be gone from home too long, so this way we get to catch up and spend time together and still get you home.”
Wow. “That is incredible.”
Out of nowhere a rush of emotion and what was suspiciously like tears flooded her eyes. Kelli fought for control while Diane babbled in the background for a minute before finally getting suspicious.
“Kelli, what’s wrong?”
She wasn’t sure if voicing it would make the dream vanish. “This doesn’t happen in real life. All this goodness. Finding friends like you and Jack, finding out I have a grandpa who is interested in me and cares about me. Falling in love with Luke—it seems too perfect to be true.”
“Oh, honey. You’re right. Maybe this doesn’t happen to everybody, but it’s definitely happening to you. You deserve it. Now you need to take both hands, hold on tight and enjoyed the ride.”
Kelli wiped away tears, working hard to pull herself together.
It was too late to hide her emotional outburst from Luke, though. He was already pulling away from where he was talking to some of the hands, concern on his face as he made his way toward her.
She hurriedly finished her call. “I don’t know if I deserve it, but I’m definitely sticking in the saddle for as long as I can. Thanks. Thanks for coming into my life and being a good friend.”
“It’s only going to get better,” Diane promised. “I’ve gotta run, but I can’t wait to see you, darlin’. Chat soon.”
She hung up after blowing a kiss, and Kelli put away her phone in time to lift her face to Luke’s to accept his kiss.
Luke’s fingers under her chin held her steady as he examined her carefully.
It was there in his eyes. It was there in his touch.
The way he felt about her—they’d been saying it on a steady basis, theI love youbusiness, but as much as she needed and wanted to hear the words, the truth was there each and every moment.
In every touch.
“Everything okay?” he asked
“I’ve got you,” Kelli said honestly. “Everything’s perfect.”
* * *
In early March,they gathered in the ranch house kitchen.
The signs of preparation for Ivy and Walker’s big event the next day filled the room. But in spite of the busy timing, Luke was grateful when Caleb had brought the four brothers together before the wedding to share the good news.
Luke stared down at the figures in front of him, relief and joy rushing his system. “Please tell me I’m reading this right.”
Walker spoke first. “That was my response too, but it’s real. Damn if you and Kelli didn’t come through for us.”
“The contacts you made at the gala helped. A lot,” Caleb agreed. “But, Walker, we wouldn’t have lasted this long without what you did for us back in the fall. That was enough to get us through the breaking point.”
“And Nemo. And Kelli—” Luke had been floored to find out that she’d gone back to the lawyer and made a few changes regarding her shares of Nemo’s earnings. “She didn’t have to split her shares with the other women.”
“You think you could stop her?” Walker asked with a laugh. “The three of them are calling it the Silver Heart fund.”
