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Jasper, muttering under his breath, took a few steps back. He glared at Boone.
“Keep talking, Joshua,” Hazel implored him. “Just ignore Jasper’s claptrap. We’re all ears.”
Joshua sent her a smile of gratitude. “Six years ago, I knew without a shadow of a doubt I wanted you to be my wife. There was no question in my mind we were meant to be. I would have joyfully walked down the aisle with you. I was ready to pledge forever to you. But life intruded on our plans.”
“Is that a genteel way of saying you set fire to the church?” Jasper barked.
“If you don’t hush I’m going to stick you in a snowbank,” Hazel said, jabbing Jasper in the side. He let out a howl.
“I’ve spent the past six years spinning my wheels and trying to rebuild my life. I’ve never managed to find anyone who makes me feel even a fraction of what you do. What I should have told you a long time ago is that we got it right the first time around. We knew we were destined to be together. Even at that tender age we knew our hearts.” He moved closer to Honor and pulled her toward him.
“In case you didn’t hear me earlier, I love you, Honor. I’m head over heels, crazily, helplessly in love with you.”
“Oh, Joshua,” Honor said, tears flowing down her cheeks.
“Please don’t cry,” Joshua begged, reaching out and swiping her tears away with his fingers.
“I—I’m just so happy. Hearing you say those words is a healing balm to my soul.”
“God led me back home. He led me straight to you. And Bud... I think he knew that by leaving the ranch to me it would cause me to remember all the things I loved about living here. That’s what he wanted, Honor. I’m certain of it.”
“But you’re selling Bud’s property to a developer,” Dwight Lewis, town treasurer, said in a scandalized voice. “Do you expect Honor to be okay with that? She’ll never turn her back on her hometown.”
Joshua turned toward Dwight. “Actually I’m not selling to the Alloy Corporation, Dwight. I’m keeping the ranch. Those developers are going to have to find another town to target. They’re not getting Ransom land. Not on my watch!”
“Are you serious?” Honor asked, looking up at Joshua with tears pooling in her eyes. “When did this happen? I thought it was a done deal.”
Joshua reached out and cupped Honor’s chin in his hand. “In my heart it was never a done deal. With each and every day I began to fall in love all over again, not just with you, but with this town and the Diamond R. I can’t imagine a better place to raise Violet. She’ll be happy here. And hopefully, so will we.”
Honor threw her arms around Joshua. “I love you, too, Joshua. I always have.”
He leaned down and pressed a kiss against her lips. For a moment it seemed as if they weren’t standing in front of a crowd in the middle of Jarvis Street with snow falling all around them. To Joshua, it felt as if it was only the two of them.
“That’s enough smooching,” Jasper barked.
Hazel raised a tissue to her nose and blew loudly. “I haven’t seen anything this romantic since our wedding,” she said, sniffing back tears.
“What about Theo?” Honor asked him. “I know how much he wanted to sell to the Alloy Corporation.”
“Theo knows how much Joshua sacrificed for him in the past.” Theo had made his way toward them. He was standing a few feet away from them with Violet in his arms. “I pretty much owe him everything. Joshua took the blame for the church fire when I was the one responsible. I wish I’d been more courageous at the time.” He turned toward the townsfolk. “I want to briefly explain what happened. I set the fire by accident. It was stupid and irresponsible, but not deliberate. Running away from the scene was cowardly.” He shook his head. “Joshua was with me at the time, but he didn’t have anything to do with starting the fire. Because I was in the army, he wanted to make sure my future was intact, even though his own was compromised because of it. He showed me such grace.”
“Such an incredible act of brotherly love,” Honor said, squeezing Joshua’s hand.
Joshua clapped Theo on the back. “Theo wanted to give me something to show his unconditional love for me. He’s giving me the Diamond R.”
Theo nodded at him. “Unconditional love. That’s what you gave me when you shielded me from responsibility for the fire. It was the most unselfish act I’d ever known. So it’s my turn to be altruistic.”
“You’re giving him controlling interest in the ranch?” Boone asked.
Theo grinned. “Bud’s will didn’t just name myself and Joshua. It mentioned Violet as well. So, to my way of thinking, Bud wanted Violet to have a say in things. Now she can grow up on the ranch and enjoy the sort of childhood we experienced. I know Joshua would have sold if I pressed it, but it wasn’t the right thing to do. Bud just wanted us to sort it out on our own. He had faith in us that we would make the right decision.”
“The bottom line is, the Diamond R Ranch is staying in the Ransom family,” Joshua announced. “No one’s going to be opening a tacky dude ranch on Ransom land.”
“Or anywhere else in Love!” Jasper shouted. He raised his fist in the air in a triumphant gesture.
A thunderous clapping rang out. No one was cheering louder than Honor. Joshua loved the transformation on her face. She was radiating joy like a beacon. Jasper stepped forward, quickly followed by Boone and Hazel. Jasper strode over to Joshua and stuck out his hand.
“You’ve done a good thing, son. I’m proud to shake your hand,” Jasper said, grinning at Joshua as if they were best buddies.
