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As her cousins took the hint and backed away, Rose gazed up at Mike through her lashes and smiled. They had finally found the place where they belonged.
With each other.
EPILOGUE
One year later
Mike couldn’t believe his eyes. All around him, people were coming and going, mingling and having a great time—at his house. Every member of the extended Reese family had shown up, along with those in the Boone clan and anyone else who currently worked at Sagebrush Ranch.
Rose had booted him from the kitchen while she put the finishing touches on the cake. His cake. Celebrating his birthday surrounded by all of these people made him happier than he’d ever thought possible.
It was strange to think that only a year ago, he wasn’t sure where his life was headed. Mike glanced toward the kitchen, where he could hear Rose’s voice above all the others. A smile stretched at his lips and he shook his head, still not believing how lucky he was.
There was a knock at the door. At first, Mike wasn’t sure he’d heard it. But then more pounding sounded. He hurried through a group of people and when he pulled the door open, his stomach dropped.
Standing in front of him was a pretty, slender sheriff’s deputy. He blinked. It had been a full year since he’d stolen the stuff from the hardware store, and Hanley had said he wasn’t going to press charges. He didn’t know the statute of limitations on all the stuff he’d been caught doing as a teenager, but he was pretty sure they couldn’t arrest him for any of it now.
He cleared his throat, unable to find his voice. Rose would be livid if he got taken away in cuffs today of all days. “Deputy, what can I do for you?”
The woman peered past him into the house. “I’m looking for someone. They said she might be here tonight.”
Relief washed over him. “Of course. Who are you looking for?”
“Charlotte Bradley.”
That name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place a face to it. Even after a year of being back in town, there were still some folks he hadn’t gotten to know well enough.
Mike rubbed the back of his neck and glanced over his shoulder. “This is really embarrassing, but I’m not certain I know who that is.”
The woman’s lips pressed into a thin line of disapproval. Before he could do anything to remedy the situation, she stepped forward, causing him to stumble back a few paces. Her voice hollered over the chatter of his guests. “I need to see a Charlotte Bradley.”
There was a ripple of motion within the room, and then a woman who looked about as old as Rose’s mother stepped from the crowd. “I’m Charlotte.”
The officer nodded toward the door. “I need to have a word with you.”
Charlotte looked around the room nervously. “What is this about?”
The officer hesitated but only for a moment. “It’s regarding your daughter and grandson.”
Charlotte paled. Aunt Jennifer charged forward and took her elbow.
“I’m sure it’s nothing. They’re fine. Let’s just see what the deputy has to say.”
Mike watched the two of them exit the room, a dark cloud now hanging over his guests.
“Do you think something happened to Dee? And what about Nick? They’re probably fine.” The murmurs of those who knew Charlotte’s family flooded the room until Rose entered, holding the cake up high.
Immediately, she started singing to him, her voice out of tune as she struggled to hit each of the notes of the birthday song. Others joined in until the end and cheered when he leaned forward to blow out the candles.
Ethan appeared next with a knife, and they placed the cake on a table where the rest of the refreshments were being served.
The deputy’s visit was all but forgotten as they served up the cake.
“It looks delicious,” Mike murmured in Rose’s ear. “You really outdid yourself.”
Rose grinned. “I’ve had a lot of practice recently. Decorating a cake isn’t all that different than painting.”
He laughed. “I’ll have to take your word for it.” Mike pulled her to the side, slipping her out of the crowd and heading toward the studio. “I have something special for you.”
