Sheridan acknowledged his statement with a wide smile. There were tears in her eyes, making them shine.
“Dearly beloved,” the Justice of the Peace began, but Wyatt didn’t hear a word. He kept staring at Sheridan, hardly believing that this was really happening. He’d waited so long to find someone like her, someone to share his life with.
“I now pronounce you man and wife.” His Honor, Mr. Peabody, smiled. “You may kiss the bride.”
“I think I will.” And he did, leaning forward to capture her lips with his. When he broke the kiss, he could do nothing but stare at her, the love he’d been so afraid to give bursting fromhis heart. “I promise to love you, Mrs. MacLean, forever and always.”
Sheridan’s smile widened. “I’m going to hold you to that promise, Wyatt.”
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER…
“Come on, Ben! Open up!” Wyatt knocked harder on the door to Ben’s office, then jiggled the knob one more time, though it hadn’t budged the first, second, or third time he tried it.
“Wyatt?” He turned at the sound of the voice behind him to see Lucy standing on the porch.
“I need Ben.”
“He isn’t here. He’s out at the Franklin place. Jeb broke his leg.” She tilted her head as she looked at him. “Is it time?”
Wyatt heaved in his breath, his heart racing much too fast from both his breakneck ride into town, as well as the fact that his son was about to be born. “Yes, it’s time. Mama and Royce are with her, but we need Ben.”
“You should get Corianna.”
“Corianna? She’s not a doctor.”
“No, but she’s been working rather closely with Ben and Mrs. Haggarty to become a midwife when she’s not at Sullivan’s. Since Ben and Mrs. Haggarty aren’t in town at the moment, Corianna is your only choice, but I think she’ll know what to do.”
“Where is she?”
Lucy glanced at the timepiece pinned to her blouse. “I would imagine she’s at the store right now.”
He didn’t say another word, simply ran to his horse, mounted up and rode to Sullivan’s, his heart pounding as hard as Brigadier’s hooves.
He almost broke the bell as he slammed into Sullivan’s and started yelling even before the door closed. “Corianna!” He barely noticed Tresia standing behind the counter, rocking a small, swaddled bundle in her arms.
“Wyatt! What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
He could barely catch his breath. “Is Corianna here? I need her to come out to the ranch. Sherry is in labor and Ben is out at the Franklin place. Mrs. Haggarty is out of town, too.”
“She’s studying in the back room. I’ll get her.”
Tresia moved from behind the counter, much too slowly for his peace of mind, but brought Corianna out from the back storage room. She held a leather medical bag in her hand, from the looks of it, brand new.
“I’m ready,” she said as she moved toward the door, fully expecting him to follow. She seemed competent and sure, the complete opposite of how he felt at this moment.
“I’m sorry, all I have is my horse. You’ll have to ride behind me.”
“That’s fine.” She handed him her medical bag, the new leather creaking when he slipped the handle over the saddle horn. “And don’t worry. I’ve delivered babies before.”
He gave a slight nod, then climbed into the saddle and reached down for her hand. Like she’d been doing it all her life, Corianna settled in behind him. “Hold tight.”
She wrapped her arms around him just seconds before he spurred Brigadier.
The ride was silent. She didn’t speak and neither did he. Actually, he was having a tough time even forming coherentthoughts, worry for Sheridan and his unborn son uppermost in his mind.
“Where is she?” Corianna asked as she slipped from the horse’s back when they arrived at Stone Creek. She smoothed out her split skirt, reached up for her medical bag, then took the porch steps and waited for him at the door.
