Page 98 of A Rancher's Bride
Luke wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling their bodies together. “I couldn’t agree more.”
This meeting should have felt more worrisome, having Mr. Carlyn—hergrandfather—there. Knowing what a difference he could make, in so many ways, but Kelli had already decided what was most important to her.
Luke had agreed, and no matter what happened, they were in this together.
Kelli took a deep breath. “We’ve talked about your invitation. We’d be very happy to come visit your ranch, but this is home. We’re needed here, and this is where we’ll spend most of our time.”
“But we want you to know that you’re always welcome,” Luke added. “And there’s nothing to say that Kelli can’t visit you on her own sometimes. Occasionally.”
Her grandfather laughed. “Not too often, though, if I’m hearing this right.”
Kelli’s cheeks were flaming. “There’s a lot of work to be done,” she began before caving and admitting the truth. “And we’re two people in love who don’t want to spend a lot of time apart.”
Around her shoulders, Luke’s arm squeezed tight, as if he couldn’t stop himself. As if he was never going to let go, and Kelli was just fine with that.
Timothy Carlyn held up a finger then reached into his pocket to pull out an envelope. “I forgot. Dean wanted me to make sure that you got this. Yes, we rushed the testing, but it’s proof that you really are my granddaughter. Not that I ever had a doubt, but any naysayers can take their complaints elsewhere.”
Kelli nodded, not sure if she was brave enough to do the next part. But she’d spoken with Luke about, and it seemed right.
Hard, but very right.
She spoke quickly, before she lost her nerve. “When you want, I’ll give you all the details I know about my mom if you’d like to try and track her down. To be clear, I’m not at all interested in a reunion, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have the chance to find her.”
Her grandpa caught her fingers in his rough hand and squeezed them tightly. “My concern right now is you. We’ve got a lot of years to catch up on. I don’t expect it to happen overnight, but I hope you’ll let me enjoy your company as much as possible.”
Kelli’s world got fuller and more hopeful by the moment. “Of course. Like Luke said, you’re always welcome here. It’s not much, but Luke suggested we could set up a spare room here for you when you’d like to stay.”
Grandpa Timothy, as she’d have to work on thinking of him as, looked pleased as punch at that announcement. “And I know it’s a lot to expect, but I really hope I can be involved in your wedding.”
The dancing beans in her stomach switched to a two-step.
“We need to set a date, but we’d be honoured to have you participate,” Luke said softly.
That was another thing that was real. Really engaged,reallyplanning on spending the rest of their lives together.
Really becoming a permanent member of the Stone family.
Luke and Grandpa Timothy got to talking about bloodlines and the upcoming trip down to Kentucky. Kelli tossed in a few comments here and there, but mostly she listened, her gaze travelling back and forth between the two men. One from her unknown past, the other definitely her future, in a way that she’d never dared dream.
When her grandpa left, Luke tucked his arm around her, and she turned to him and kissed him as sweetly as she could.
He pulled away, a twinkle in his eyes as he smiled. “I’m not complaining one bit, but what was that for?”
Kelli slipped her fingers into his and held on tight. “Because all those years ago when I first caught a glimpse of you, I never dreamed this day would come. You looked so amazing up on your horse. You worked hard yet never complained. Just did what needed to be done, always with encouraging words for everyone around you. And even after all those years that I watched you and thought about how amazing you were, and how much I admired you—that feeling inside me just keeps growing as if I tapped into an artesian spring, and it’s flooding everywhere.”
He tugged her against his body, holding her firmly in place as he grinned at her. “I’m glad. It’s good to know I’m not the only one getting in over my head.”
“Definitely not.”
* * *
A cold snap set in.Winter darkness lay across the deep drifts and filled their time outdoors with icy cold hands and clouds that formed around their heads every time they breathed.
But inside the barns it was warm. And inside the house, in front of the fire, Kelli and Luke spent hours talking about everything under the sun. Her mom, his parents, their hopes for the future.
Talked, and kissed, and talked some more.
“I still want to know how you ended up at Silver Stone,” Luke said when they took a break from the kissing part.
