“No, love.” He cupped her face as he held her gaze with fierce tenderness. “You did that yourself. I just had the privilege of loving you while you did.”
The truth of it settled in her heart like a missing puzzle piece. She had done this… fought her way back from darkness, faced her demons, and discovered her strength. But his love had been the light guiding her home.
“I love you,” she whispered against his lips. “With everything I am, and everything I’ve become.”
His kiss was gentle, reverent, a promise sealed in the fading mountain light. “And I love you, Sienna Weathers. Until the last star falls from the sky.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The Double L Ranch
Sienna
The house radiated warmth, filled with laughter and the rustle of ribbon as women gathered around a coffee table. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, bearing witness to Sienna fussing over Milly.
“Are you comfortable, Milly? Can I get you another pillow?” Sienna adjusted the cushion behind her friend’s back. “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate your help, but that little poppet is due any minute. Tying bows must be torture for your back.”
“Stop fussing, Sienna.” Milly’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she stroked her swollen belly. “I’m fine, and I need the distraction. She’s been extremely active this past week. I feel like a washing machine with a soccer ball bouncing inside me.”
The room was filled with warm laughter and chatter as the women struggled with ribbons and cards as they helped prepare for the wedding—her wedding, because neither she nor Crone wanted to wait. Jagger and Moira’s insistence on hosting the reception at The Double L Ranch filled Sienna with a profoundsense of belonging. It was the final confirmation of acceptance of her place in this family she had found.
“Fine but promise to tell me the moment you’re tired.” Sienna squeezed Milly’s hand, grateful for the friendship that had blossomed between them. Milly saw past her walls, understanding the complex layers of loss and healing that made up Sienna’s heart.
“Or hungry,” Ines chimed in, her face lighting up. “I make a mean double-cheese toasty.” Everyone smiled at her newfound confidence as a chef in the cafeteria kitchen.
The peaceful moment shattered as two small tornados burst into the room. “Aunty Si!” George and Gloria raced each other, landing simultaneously in Sienna’s lap. Thank you cards and ribbons scattered like confetti.
“What did I say about behaving?” Moira’s stern tone was undermined by the affection in her eyes as she waddled closer, pressing one hand to the low of her back.
“But we missed Aunty Si,” Gloria wailed, her small fingers already tousling Sienna’s hair in what she probably imagined was an elaborate braid. George, meanwhile, scrambled to collect the scattered cards, his face screwed up in concentration.
“Sorry, Aunty Si,” he mumbled, carefully placing them on the table before beaming at his mother. “See, Mommy? Like Dad says”—his little face scrunched up thoughtfully—“no ’arm no fall.” He tilted his head. “Why fall, Mommy? I doan get it.”
Moira rolled her eyes heavenward. “You take way too much after your father, young man. Go find him and ask him to explain. He’s with Uncle Derek in his office.”
“Kay,” George nodded sagely before turning to Sienna. “Check ya later, Aunty Si.” He took off, sliding across the polished floor.
“That’s what happens when you let your son spend too much time with Jagger,” Moira muttered, watching him slide intothe hallway. She turned back to the group, rubbing her hands together. “So, what can I do?”
“You’re already doing so much, and you’re about to pop as well,” Sienna protested. “You do nothing other than to just sit and keep us entertained.”
“Ooh! Is Mommy gonna sing for us?” Gloria bounced excitedly in Sienna’s lap, nearly upending the ribbon box. “Daddy says she sings like a... a…” She looked at her mother questioningly. “What again?”
“A nightingale.”
“Yes, dat!” Gloria nodded vigorously. “But I tink she just humms.” She smiled proudly. “But pretty humms.”
“Thank you, sweetheart, for that ringing endorsement,” Moira laughed as she settled into an armchair. “Speaking of her daddy’s sayings, do you know what he told the new ranch hand yesterday? Poor boy was struggling with the fence posts, and Jagger just stands there, cool as you please, and says?—”
The story was interrupted by a crash as Gloria, attempting to demonstrate proper fence post installation techniques, knocked over a stack of place cards. “Oopsie,” she giggled, diving under the table to retrieve them.
“Gloria, honey,” Sienna tried to maintain a straight face as the little girl emerged with her hair full of static and ribbons, “maybe you could be our quality control supervisor? You know, make sure all the bows are pretty enough for the wedding?”
“Like Daddy does wiff de horses?” Gloria’s eyes lit up. She straightened her tiny shoulders, adopting what she clearly thought was an authoritative pose. “I can do dat. I’m very good at... at…” She looked at her mother. “What’s dat word Daddy says?”
“Inspecting.”
“Yes! I’m very good at ’specting tings.” She picked up a bow, examining it with exaggerated seriousness. “Not enough… hmmm… more…” She waved her hand vaguely.
