Forget Me Knot (11 page)

“I don’t know. I loved your mom Lacy. She was my entire world.”

“I know, but Dad she loved me that much. So much that she was willing to give up everything to give me life.”

“She should have told me.”

“Yep, she should have, but would it have changed anything?”

Leo sighed heavily. “No probably not. Your mother was stubborn, and she had a plan for her life. She wanted a family, and nothing was going to stop her from having one.”

“I know someone like that,” Lacy said with a small laugh.

“I didn’t know how to be a dad, Lacy, but I did try my best.”

“I’m in love with Drannon, Dad, and although he hasn’t said it yet, I know he loves me, too. I’m staying in North Dakota, Dad. I just wanted you to know because you’re my father.”

“Okay. I hope you’re not doing this because you lost your job.”

“No, that might be the reason I ended up on the ranch, but it’s not the reason I’m staying. I’ve just recently realized that the best laid plans should always be written in pencil because they’re going to change.”

“Your mother would be proud of you, Lacy.” Tears clogged Lacy’s throat, and she sniffed into the phone without responding.

“Well, best of luck to you both. I need to go. I have a dinner engagement tonight.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later then.”

“Oh, and Lacy? Happy birthday.”

She choked on her pain, and in that moment, she realized that her father was who he was, and it wasn’t up to her to change him. It was more important that she change her expectations, and live her life based on her own needs. He was right, her mother would have encouraged her to pursue love, and she would have been proud of her.

“Thanks Dad. Have a good night.”

The click of the phone was his only response, and Lacy brushed her tears away. With a new iron-clad understanding of what she needed in this life, she tossed her phone on her bed, and went to send an email to the dog food company. Once she clicked
Send
, she could get on with her life.

~ ~ ~ ~

Drannon was in the barn again when she found him in the middle aisle doing something with the stirrup on a saddle. He looked up and smiled. “Hey! You should be inside where it’s warm. What are you doing out here, sweetheart?”

“I was just inside checking my email, and there was a response from the company I’ve been waiting to hear from.”

His smile was still on his face, but his eyes dimmed. “Really? What did they say?”

She moved close, holding her surprise tightly behind her back so that he wouldn’t see it. “They offered me the job. I can start March first.”

His shoulders visibly deflated, but he continued to smile with forced joy on his face. “That’s great. They’ll be lucky to have you.”

“There’s only one problem...” She paused, and his smile slipped from his face. “You see, something special happened on Valentine’s Day this year, and I’ve suddenly found that I can’t take that job.”

Hope flashed in his brown eyes as she drew close enough to reach out to him. Pressing one hand to his chest, she leaned forward, and he had to tip his head to hold her gaze. “Do you see this...”—she gestured and he took her arm in his big hands, making her wrist look tiny against them—“here on my wrist?”

“That’s a rope burn. Damn, I’m sorry sweetheart...”

“That’s right; it’s a rope burn, because a big, sexy cowboy roped me for Valentine’s Day this year. He tied me down and had his wicked way with me.”

Drannon’s eyes slid from tawny to green and his nostrils flared. “And what’s a little scrap like you going to do about it?”

“Nothing. I’m happy to be tied down for him. In fact,”—she held up the rope she was hiding behind her back and grinned wickedly—“I’m hoping he’ll let me have a go at roping him this time.”

Drannon’s adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and Lacy felt his cock thicken against her stomach. “What are you saying, sweetheart?”

“I’m saying that I want to stay. For now, for a while, forever if you’ll have me. I came to North Dakota a sad and lonely shell of a woman who had no idea what it was like to take a risk and enjoy a little freedom. Somehow, I’ve found myself falling in love with a cowboy who had a soul-deep wound of his own, and needed me. If you still want me—”

“I want you!” He interrupted her with a hard kiss on her lips. “I love you, Lacy Denvers, and I want you, for now, for a while, and forever. Roped and tied to my bed, or riding Toto through the hills. I love you.”

“Good, because, cowboy, it’s your turn for a little rope burn,” she answered with a wicked smile as she rose up on her toes and kissed him with every ounce of love she never knew she had.

Who knew that this year she would find the best Valentine’s birthday gift ever...

A cowboy.

Lacy woke to a cool breeze against her warm skin, and she blinked in the moonlit room.

“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”

She turned to find Drannon lying next to her, the covers having been pulled off her and bunched between them. A wave of
déjà vu
washed over her, and she frowned at him.

“Haven’t we done this before?”

His laughter wiped away any irritation she might have had at being woken in the middle of the night, and she scooted closer to him, pressing her body as close to him as she could.

He kissed her forehead. “I’ve got something special to show you.”

“I’ve seen it. Last night, I saw it twice before I fell asleep. If we keep going at this rate, your pecker will fall off from overuse.” She grumbled, nuzzling his collarbone.

“Not that, you perv.” He rolled off the bed, and stood looking down at her naked form. “Damn. If you keep looking at me like that I might change my mind about the whole thing.” He tweaked her nipple and she giggled.

“What time is it?”

He shrugged. “Early, or late depending on how you look at it. Come on. Out of bed, sleepy head.”

He passed her her clothes and waited by the window as she dressed. Her curiosity piqued, she followed along silently as they moved through the quiet house and out the front door. She was thankful there was no need for cold weather gear in the middle of June, but she found herself shivering with anticipation instead.

Drannon noticed and instantly grew concerned. “Do you want me to go back and grab your jacket?”

“No, I’m good. I’m still waking up, but I’ll be fine. What are we going to see?”

Unlike last time, Toto was nowhere to be seen, and Drannon was leading her into the pitch black yard. The one thing she’d yet to get used to living here was the vastness of the space around them. In the daylight, she could see for miles in almost every direction, and at night that same expansive feeling turned claustrophobic.

“Shhh, we don’t want to disturb them if we can help it.” Drannon tugged open the heavy barn door and directed her into the stuffy space. The smell of animals and hay filled her nostrils, and she smiled. Who’d have thought that it would all become so familiar to her after only a few months?

A soft sound drew her attention to Dorothy’s stall, and she knew what he’d brought her to see. “Oh, my God!” She tried to keep her voice down. “The foal! She had her baby?” Rushing to the wooden plank enclosure, she stood in awe as she took in mama and baby.

The tiny foal was its mother’s mini-me, and looked beautifully awkward moving on spindly legs around the small space.

“Aww, I’ve never seen anything so cute in my life. How’s mama?” she asked Drannon as he moved up to stand behind her, his hands resting on her hips.

“Mama’s great, and so is baby. It’s a girl, and she’s perfectly healthy.”

Dorothy whinnied a bit, and Lacy laughed. “Of course she is. She’s one of Dorothy’s babies. Isn’t that right, sugar?”

The horse lifted her nose closer to the gate, accepting Lacy’s affectionate pat to her nose. She and Dorothy had become fast friends even though Toto was still Lacy’s regular mount. The whole ranch had been anxiously awaiting the overdue birth of this baby.

“When did—”

“Hawke came and got me a few hours ago. She was nearly done by the time we got here. Just like a woman to do things on her own time,” Drannon said playfully, kissing Lacy gently.

“You like it when I do things my way, so I don’t want to hear it. Thank you for waking me. I’m so glad I got to see her.”

Drannon shook his head, and tugged her away from Dorothy’s stall, “That’s not all of the surprise. Come on, Hawke should have everything ready.”

Following along in confusion, Lacy was flabbergasted to find Toto saddled and ready just outside the barn. How had Hawke managed to do that?

“All set for you, D. I’m gonna go in and catch some Zs while I still can.” Hawke said, passing the reins to Drannon.

“Thanks, Hawke. I owe you.”

The blonde man kissed Lacy’s cheek and whispered, “Have fun,” before he disappeared into the darkness in the direction of the house. Her eyes had adjusted to the moonlight now, and she could see that Toto was saddled, and a blanket was draped over his neck.

“What’s the blanket for?” she asked as Drannon gracefully lifted himself into the saddle and reached for her. She was seated in front of him in the blink of an eye, and she settled back comfortably against his chest.

“You’ll see. Be patient.”

That was all Drannon would say. She tried several times to get him to tell her where he was taking her, and when she realized they were headed in the direction of the Turtle Mountains, she tried to get him to confirm their destination.

“We’re going the same way as last time. Are you taking me to the valley for an early-morning camping trip? If so, I should have grabbed a few supplies before we left.” Her voice was the only recognizable sound. Creatures in the trees called out to their relations, and the dense growth on the forest floor crackled beneath Toto’s hooves.

She was out of her mind with frustration and curiosity when the break in the trees appeared, and she got her first glimpse of the mountain range. The peaks were lit up by the just-risen sun, but the valley was still in heavy shadow.

“That’s pretty,” she marveled. “I bet the sunrise is phenomenal from up on the mountain.”

Drannon nodded as he climbed down off of Toto. He helped her down and rubbed the small of her back when she stretched her muscles. “Come on, we don’t have much time.”

She followed along as he took the blanket and Toto’s reins and led her to a rock ledge that seemed to hover over the valley floor unsupported. It was a half circle about eight feet wide at its widest point.

“You want me to go on there? Is it safe?” she asked warily.

Drannon rolled his eyes. “Sweetheart, I wouldn’t risk your safety. It’s a piece of a much larger boulder, and it’s been here for centuries, I’m sure. We can stay back here, but you’ll get the best view from the ledge.”

Swallowing back her fear, Lacy took his hand and carefully moved onto the platform. Drannon spread the blanket on the rock, and then gestured for her to sit down.

“What are we doing here?” she asked.

“Watch. It should happen in the next few minutes.” He propped his back against the cliff, and she leaned into him, grateful for his support even if they were on stable ground. Turning her eyes in the direction of the mountains again, she watched for something spectacular.

It was a couple of minutes before she realized that the line of light was traveling slowly down the mountain as the sun crept higher in the sky. With every foot gained, more of the breathtaking vista came into view, and she heard herself gasp with delight as a blue carpet of flowers spread out in front of them.

“The forget-me-nots!” she exclaimed, remembering his comments months ago about this being his favorite place and time. He’d brought her to share it with him, and that meant the world to her. Each day, he seemed to show her more how much he loved her, but this was overwhelming. Tears slid down her cheeks as she stared out at the majestic site before her. It was the perfect combination of strong mountains and soft flowers. No artist could have done it justice. “It’s magnificent. So beautiful.”

“I knew you’d like it.” Drannon shifted, turning to face her, and pulling her hands into his. “Lacy Denvers, I realize we’ve only known each other for a few months, and before I met you I laughed at the notion that someone could fall in love so quickly, but that’s exactly what happened. I love you more than anything else in the world, and I want to watch the sunrise with you every day for the rest of my life.” Dropping to his knee, he slid a small white velvet box from his pocket. “Will you marry me?”

Lacy swallowed hard, struggling to keep control of her emotions. As always humor was her first reaction, “I’m not much of a morning person, but if you’ll consider sunsets rather than sunrises…”

Drannon laughed, and shook his head. “As long as you say yes.”

“Yes! Of course yes! I love you Drannon Russo, and I’ll never forget this moment for as long as I live.” Their kiss broke any record they’d already set for passion, as they both poured their hearts into the connection.

When they separated, he held up the box and laughed, “Are you going to look at the ring?”

“Yes!” she snatched the box and clicked it open to find a ruby and diamond engagement ring inside. Eyes wet with tears, and cheeks hurting because her smile was so wide, she slid it on her finger. “It’s beautiful.”

“I picked it out while you were packing up your stuff in Chicago last March, but I wanted to give you some time before I asked. The color reminded me of your hair when it’s wet.” He said, kissing the spot on her finger where the ring rested.

“You’re perfect for me, cowboy. I would have said yes then, too, but I’m glad you waited. I will enjoy telling this story to our grandkids someday.” She whispered, wrapping her arms around the man of her dreams.

As her future husband began to make love to her, Lacy couldn’t help but think how lucky she was, and how glad she was that she’d taken a leap of faith. With Hawke’s ingenuity, and her skills in marketing, the ranch was already well on its way to becoming a therapeutic retreat for individuals seeking solace from their demons. Soon they would have their first foster child on the ranch, and a new therapist was scheduled to start a permanent position at Crawley Creek next month.

Her future was clear, and as bright as the sunshine kissing the valley below them.

The End