The Rancher's Redemption

“Well, yes and no, seeing as they did it in Vegas without anyone being present.”

He registered the hurt behind her smile and instinctively reached over to take her hand. “That’s kind of sucky.”

She sighed. “I know why they did it like that, and Jay did FaceTime me just before the ceremony so I could kind of be there with them while they said their vows, but it wasn’t the same.”

“I wouldn’t be very happy if any of my kids did that to me either,” Billy confessed. “I’d be happy for them, and I’d never say a word, but inside? I’d probably feel hurt as well.”

She squeezed his fingers. “Thanks for understanding. Jay knows I’m hurt, and he’s trying to make it up to me, and I’m trying to tell him it doesn’t matter, because it really doesn’t. . . .”

“But it does.” Billy nodded. “It’s okay. I get it.”

“So I thought maybe the best way to get it out in the open was to have a party for them,” Bella continued. “I’d invite Erin’s parents and family, and everyone here, and then we could all enjoy that and move on.”

Billy stared at her for a long moment. “I think that’s a great idea.”

“You do?” Her brilliant smile made him catch his breath. “Then that’s what I need to talk to you about. I don’t want to hold it in the bar because Erin’s parents aren’t that kind of people, but I thought they’d love it up here.”

“When were you thinking about doing this?” Billy asked.

“In the next couple of weeks?” She stared at him hopefully. “Or do you shut everything down between Christmas and New Year?”

“We’ll be here, but we’re no longer taking guests over the holidays because it’s too much work.”

“Oh, then never mind.” She bit her lip. “Maybe I can find another venue.”

“Don’t do that yet,” Billy suggested. “I’ll talk to Ruth and Chase and see what we can do. How many guests are you planning on inviting?”

“To stay over? Only Erin’s family. Everyone else is local. I doubt it will be above fifty in total.”

“So it won’t be that much work,” Billy mused almost to himself. “Gustav, the guest chef, is off to Switzerland for a month, which means I’d have to do the cooking.”

“We could do that together.” She raised their joined hands, kissed his knuckles, and laughed. “Now I’m getting ahead of myself.”

“Be my guest,” Billy said. “I’ll talk to Chase and Ruth, and get back to you.”

Confident that Billy would work something out, Bella gave him her cell phone. “Can you put your number in there for me, please?”

“Sure. Maria taught me how to text last year, and now there’s no stopping me.” He winked at her. “Who knew teenagers could be so useful?”

She stood up, and he walked her back to the mudroom so she could collect her boots and fleece.

“Is it weird having a granddaughter already?” Bella asked impulsively.

“It was something of a surprise to all of us,” Billy acknowledged. “Blue most of all. He had no idea he’d become a father at such a young age, but once he found out, he did the right thing and stuck by his responsibilities. We all love Maria very much.”

Bella gazed up at him. In the confines of the mudroom they were very close, and his eyes were very blue. “That’s because you brought him up right.”

His smile disappeared. “Not me. I wandered off in a drunken haze of grief, remember? Everything Blue became is down to Ruth.”

She cupped his jaw, amazed at how soft his beard was under her hand. “I think you’re undervaluing yourself here.”

“Nope, I’m really not.”

“Yeah, you are.” Her thumb drifted to the corner of his mouth. There was a small scar on his lip. She couldn’t look away from his eyes....

Behind her someone cleared their throat, and they jumped apart like guilty teenagers.

“Hey, Dad, I just wanted to run some stock numbers by you, but I can come back later if you’re busy.” Chase Morgan stood there, his interested gaze on his father. “Is everything okay?”