Standing His Ground: Greer (Porter Brothers Trilogy 2)

Slamming the cover back down, she was determined to confront her lying husband.

Picking her eggs up, she was practically in the door when she heard the sound of a truck coming up the driveway.

Going back to the porch, preparing to blast Greer when he got out of his truck, the sight of another truck following his had her egg basket dropping to the porch and her running toward the truck that Dustin and Logan got out of.

The brand-new Jeep that was as high as Greer’s truck was a pretty shade of pink. She laughed when she saw the license plate. “Hot Mama”

She ran, jumping into Greer’s arms. “I love it. Thank you!”

Twirling her around, he gave her kiss that blew Cash’s brass knuckles to smithereens.

“I love it so much.” Kissing him again, she then said, “Except I’m not a hot mama yet.”

“Who says?” His eyes crinkled. “You look pretty hot to me.”

She pushed him away laughingly. He had told her last week that she was pregnant. If she was, she was thrilled. But if she wasn’t, she looked forward to him trying to achieving his goal.

“Everyone hungry? Dinner’s ready. We can go out for a drive afterward.”

Greer carried her egg basket inside.

She was still admiring her present when Logan started to come down the steps.

“I forgot my backpack in your new jeep.”

“You go ahead. I’ll get it.”

Logan ran inside, slamming the door behind him.

Grinning, she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach his backpack. Shutting the door, she then caught a glance of a colored piece of construction peeking out. Unzipping the backpack, she pulled the bright yellow paper out. Tears filled her eyes at what she saw.

A man and woman were standing under a large tree that had her and Greer’s initials carved in it.

What had her smiling, though, were the four little daisies that were staring up in the sun with smiles on their faces.

“Woman, you coming?” Greer’s loud yell filled the air. Her man would never change.

Staring up at the bright blue sky above her, she said, “Thank you.”

A sudden breeze blew her hair against her cheek, as if lovingly stroking it. Holly brought her hand to her cheek, somehow recognizing the mysterious touch that had helped guide her back from death.

“I promise I’ll take good care of them.”

A tendril of her hair twined around her finger as the wind blew harder, holding them together and bridging the gap between the present and eternity. Greer’s mother was speaking without words, letting her know she would be watching. Then she left as suddenly as she had appeared.

Holly clutched Logan’s drawing in her hand, seeing the shadow next to the oak tree guarding the garden she loved.

“Woman, I’m hungry!”

Laughing, she ran toward the house, unafraid of what their future held, secured in the love of the family she had always wanted, and protected by those who would be endlessly watching.

Epilogue

Greer strolled into the sheriff’s office, giving a cheeky wink at the receptionist behind the desk.

“Don’t you look pretty in that dress. Is it new?” He leaned against the desk as he flirted with the older woman.

Her eyes brightened as she stepped around her desk to give him a big hug; he returned her hug, lifting her off her feet.

“If I had known you were going to stop by today, I would have made you some corn bread. I know how much you love it.”

He sat her back down on her feet; holding her hand, he stared down at it. “Is that a new ring I’m seeing, Ms. Combs?”

“No, I’ve had that the last time you came around. It’s almost time for me to splurge on something new.”

“You should go to the jewelry store in Jamestown; it’s where I bought my woman her ring.”

“I usually go to Dalton’s, but I’ll check out the one in Jamestown before I buy anything.”

“Make sure you tell the manager I sent you.”

“I’ll do that. When are you going to bring that pretty bride over to my house for dinner?”

“This Saturday soon enough? You gonna make me that chocolate cake I love?”

“I’ll go by the store and get everything I need.”

“Then we’ll be there. I can’t turn down a meal from the best cook in the county. If you hadn’t been married, Holly would have never caught me.”

She blushed under her leathery skin. “I see why she married you. I hope you’re spreading those compliments to your new wife.”

“Naw. I don’t want to spoil her.” He grinned. “How have you been doing?”

“Right as rain. I haven’t seen you in church lately. Pastor Dean is no Saul Cornett, but he’ll do.”

“There was only one Saul Cornett.”

“Amen to that. The younger generation will never benefit from him the way I did.” She took her hand away from Greer to wipe a tear that came to her eye. “When I tell people he cured my eyesight, no one believes that I was blind and that he healed me. I wish your grandmother were still alive. She’d tell them he did. When I tell them you were there, I’m sorry to say they still don’t believe me.”