Page 200 of Beat of Love
New beginnings he was eternally grateful for.
Elsa gave a soft whinny from her side of the fence. He turned at the sound, already smiling. He crossed the short distance to her paddock and rested his arms on the top rail, letting her nuzzle his forearm. “You’ll get your turn to meet the little one,”he murmured, reaching to stroke the length of her neck. “Just give mama and babe tonight.”
She bumped his shoulder lightly with her muzzle, as if to sayI’m ready now.
He chuckled. “I know. You’ve been waiting a long time for this. But it’s her moment, Elsa.” He paused, rubbing under her forelock where she liked it best. “Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you. Slow and gentle. Like we talked about. Yeah?”
Elsa let out a breathy sigh, shifting her weight as though understanding — or maybe just accepting his promise.
He leaned his forehead briefly against hers. “You’re good with babies,” he whispered. “You proved that with Nadie and Connor. You’re gonna be great with this one too.”
The way Elsa had taken to the young ones hadn’t surprised him. She had a quiet, instinctive empathy for wounded souls — human or animal. And lately, he’d been turning over ideas in his head on how to harness that gift.
Elsa turned her head, and her ears pricked, eyes trained toward the gate. Preston came into view first, Nadie perched on his shoulders, her little hands tangled in his hair.
“’Urry, Pres. Nadie see Bambi!” she called out, half-whisper, half-shout.
Connor jogged behind him, Olivia and Amelia on his heels. The boy’s eyes were wide with excitement, though his steps hesitated near the pen.
Rafferty met them at the gate, opening it for them, and walked them over to the stall. “She came out about ten minutes ago. Everyone’s just great,” he said proudly.
Preston knelt to let Nadie slide down, and she toddled over. “Bambi,” she breathed, the words reverent.
“She’s perfect,” Mimi added, voice quiet with awe.
Connor stood still, watching Rosie nuzzle her newborn with slow, tender licks. “She’s not scared of us?” he asked.
“No,” Brandy-Lyn said, crouching beside him. “She knows you’re safe.”
Connor nodded slowly, his face a mask of solemn wonder. “I’ll never hurt her.”
Brandy-Lyn joined Rafferty, and he pulled her in front of him, slipping his arms around her waist, nestling her back to his front.
Around them, the kids murmured soft questions, made quiet observations. No one shouted. No one jostled. Even Nadie seemed to instinctively understand the need for calm.
And in the golden hush of late afternoon, with the fawn nestled against her mother and five kids gathered around, Rafferty saw it all clearly.
New life. New beginnings.
A family bound not just by blood, but by love, by choice.
He leaned in close, his lips brushing Brandy-Lyn’s ear. “Love you, Red,” he murmured, pressing soft kisses down the side of her neck.
She turned to face him, her hand gliding over his chest, then curling around his neck as her fingers threaded through his hair. “Love you more,” she whispered back.
“Impossible,” he said, just before claiming her mouth.
The kiss was gentle — restrained in the presence of their watching brood — but it thrummed with promise.
Of more. Of later.
Of everything they were building together.
Epilogue
Lawson’s Landing, end April
Early morning draped the world in a quiet hush. Mist curled up from the lake’s surface, shifting and stretching in the pale light. The rocks along the shoreline glistened, slick with dew and the gentle splash of water that trickled and tumbled over them. Every droplet caught the rising sun and scattered it, diamond-bright. The air was still cool, rich with the scent of damp earth and moss, and the only sounds were the soft lap of water and the distant trill of a waking bird.
