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“Okay, guys, I think he’s coming. Be quiet.” I looked around the room and glared at my brothers so that they didn’t dare talk.
“Okay. I mean, wow. Mom and Dad are coming back from their second honeymoon. Yay.” Austin rolled his eyes.
I gave him a quick glare and looked over at Olivia. She touched my hand gently, and I smiled back at her in appreciation. She was the only one that knew how momentous this really was.
Mom had called me two days ago to say that the surgery had gone well and Dad was recovering. He needed to watch his diet and his exercise level, but the doctors were hopeful that he had plenty of years left as long as he took care of himself.
“He’s coming,” Sadie said, running back into the kitchen. “They’re coming, they’re coming!”
“Shh, Sadie,” I said. “Hide.”
“Yeah, Sadie,” Wyatt added as she crouched next to him behind the kitchen table. They’d been arguing all morning because Sadie was going to go to Idaho for a week to hang out with her cousins and party, and he wasn’t happy about that.
But I figured it would do Wyatt some good to spend time without her. Maybe he’d realize what he was missing if she wasn’t there. Olivia kissed me on the cheek and I grinned at her.
“What was that for?”
“For being strong, and for being the sort of man that looks after his family and makes things okay.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said with a small smile.
We heard the door open and then footsteps in the direction of the kitchen. As my parents approached, it suddenly struck me that this might not be the best idea. If Dad had heart issues, was it really smart to give him a surprise party? I didn’t want to give him a heart attack.
I looked around at everyone waiting in anticipation. I didn’t want to ruin the surprise that Wyatt and Sadie had come up with, but I also didn’t want to tell them why the surprise might not be a good idea.
“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” I whispered to Olivia. “With Dad’s heart issue, what if the shock gives him a heart attack?”
“Oh, I didn’t think about that.” She put a hand to her mouth. “What do we do?”
“I don’t know, but we don’t have long. They’re about to walk into the kitchen.”
“Okay.” She jumped up and ran out of the kitchen. “Amelia, Ranger. It’s so great to see you both! Everyone’s in the kitchen. Come on in.”
I looked around the kitchen. Expressions ranged from disappointed to hurt to angry. My brothers were pissed, and I knew they were going to give Olivia a hard time because of this. But I knew why she’d done it, and that’s why I loved her. She didn’t care what my brothers thought about her, and she also knew I didn’t want to betray my parents’ trust. So she did the only thing she could do. She ruined the surprise before my dad walked into the kitchen. I jumped up and followed behind her.
“Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad, how was Seattle?” I said as if I didn’t know what was going on.
“It was fine. Thank you, son.” Dad gave me a firm pat on the arm. “I’ll want updates on everything that’s been going on since I’ve been gone.”
“Sure. We can talk tomorrow morning?”
“Sounds good.”
Amelia looked back and forth between me and Olivia and she smiled. “Am I picking up a sign that you two are possibly together?”
“Yes.” I wrapped my arm around Olivia’s shoulder. “Olivia and I are in love and we will be getting married. Not right away, but she’s going to stay here in Montana, and we’re going to work on the eco-retreat together. She’s going to take some classes online and learn more about the ranch.”
“Well, I guess we need to go away a bit more often, then.” Mom gave me a big hug and kiss. She then turned to Olivia and gave her a big hug and kiss as well. “Welcome to the family, dear. We’re so happy to have you.”
“Thank you,” Olivia said. “I hope you don’t think this is absolutely way too fast and crazy.”
“Not at all. I’ll tell you a little secret.” Amelia lowered her voice. “The first time Lucy told me her best friend was coming, I had hope.”
“Mom, do not tell me that this was part of your plan as well,” I interrupted.
“Of course not.” She shook her head. “I’d never even met Olivia, but I knew whoever was a good friend of Lucy’s had to be a wonderful woman, and when she showed up and I saw the way you two were together, I did have my hopes and dreams, and I guess they came true.” She smiled. “Now, where are my other boys?”
