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Luther grinned. “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”
“Me neither,” Stacey said, holding Luther’s arm. They shared a quick look that made Rafe smile. It was nice to see the two of them together. Luther was a good man who deserved someone special.
Rafe and Russell, along with the dogs, made their way to where people were gathering around the sign.
“We’ll be starting in about five minutes,” someone informed the crowd.
Rafe stood off to the side. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he told Russell. He handed him the leashes before striding down the sidewalk to where Duane was walking away. He thought of calling out but doubted it would do any good. With his father on his way to prison and the ranch gone, Rafe was sure he was the last person Duane wanted to see.
Elliott had helped Rafe arrange the purchase, and he’d added the land to his ranch. The plan was to let it heal from Grant’s overgrazing, and then he and Elliott would increase the beef herd. Rafe sighed as he watched Duane’s retreat—shuffling along, shoulders bent—and felt no joy in what had happened. But it hadn’t been Rafe’s fault, no matter what Duane might think. Grant and Duane—who Grant had fingered for nearly setting Rafe’s barn on fire—had paid a high price for their actions… and would for a long time.
With a sigh, Rafe turned away and went back to the gathering.
“Thank you for being here today,” Mayor Jane Wilkins said, smiling at the audience. “I spend most of my time dealing with problems of one kind or another, but today I get to enjoy the best part of my job. We’re here to celebrate someone who gave a great deal to this town and the people in it. He never asked for anything in return… not even recognition. I’ve always thought it’s a shame that we don’t find out what we have until it’s gone, so today, we’re going to rectify that.” Mayor Jane, as she was known, stepped aside, and Rafe took a deep breath as he stepped forward.
Rafe swallowed hard before looking out at expectant, friendly faces. “I’m Rafe Carrera, and I’m a cowboy. I have the kicks, weird tan lines, and scars to prove it, just like all of you. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. A cowboy’s life is richer than most people would believe. It’s filled with the land, our herds, the ones we care for and love. I’m not exactly good with words, so I’ll rely on someone else’s.” He unfolded one of the letters Uncle Mack had written to Dale, and his eye went right to the appropriate passage. Rafe had decided to read part of one of his uncle’s letters because his uncle’s words said what he was feeling better than he could himself.
“A cowboy is strong and rides the range, as I do every day. He tends his herd and watches over his charges with the protective fervor of the bulls I once tried to tame. Day in and day out, cowboys and nature do battle just to see the herd safely home. But a cowboy’s heart has wings, and the distances don’t matter. My heart flies to you, the one I love, holds on, and stays with you always. Time and miles mean nothing, because my heart is always with you, no matter where I am.”
Rafe managed to get through the letter without his voice breaking, and then Mayor Jane returned and he stepped aside again.
“Thank you,” she said with what might have been a slight sniff. “Up until today, this park was always just referred to as Birch Park because of the street it was on.” She motioned, and servers approached the crowd with trays of sparkling wine for the adults and glasses of cider for the kids. “But from this day forward, I’m pleased to say that it will be officially named the Greene-Westmoreland Community Park.” She pulled away the covering on a huge piece of white granite with the name deeply carved into the stone. When she raised her glass, everyone did the same, the dogs woofing as though they too knew that something important had happened. Rafe lingered, looking at the names of his cowboy uncle and the man he’d loved. Then he made his way through the crowd as people asked to speak to him. Most asked about riding bulls or just wanted to say hello. A few of the kids asked for his autograph or wanted to pet the dogs. Rafe obliged, and so did Riker, May, and Lola, shamelessly soaking up the attention.
AS PEOPLEeventually faded away, Rafe stood in front of the naming stone. No one in the town needed to know who the two men were beyond the fact that they were the ones who had made sure that the park existed for everyone. For them, that was the point. But for Rafe, it was so much more. This was where his uncle had lived and where he had given Rafe a home. It was time that his uncle’s love was celebrated, even if most people didn’t know that was what it had been.
“Are you ready?” Russell asked.
Rafe nodded, then paused and took a picture of the stone.
“Yeah.” He smiled as he brought the image into a message and pressed Send.
Russell narrowed his gaze. “Did you just do what I think you did?”
Rafe grinned. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it. A cowboy is many things, and today, I think I deserve to be a little bit of an ass.” He put his phone in his pocket, not caring if his parents responded to the message. “Let’s go home.”
