Page 40 of Tack’s Bounty

My Sweet Sophia,

If you’ve found this, then I’m gone, and you’ve found the clues I left. I’d planned on sharing this with you when we hit the five-year anniversary of you joining the clinic as a celebration.

When you were ten years old, your mom and I had a horrible year. She found out that she couldn’t have more children, and it devastated her. She and I loved you, but she always wanted a houseful of children.

In an effort to cheer her up, I put together a time capsule of all the good things in our life. I decided to take her on a picnic by the tree she loved on our property, and we’d bury the time capsule. I planned on us promising to move forward and quickly stop worrying about what couldn’t be. You can imagine my surprise when I hit a metal box and found what your mom and I later guessed from all the research we did was treasure from one of the James-Younger robberies.

We used some to get the clinic back on its feet and some to send you to veterinary school debt-free. The remainder we put in the safe for a rainy day that you or your children might need it.

You were the greatest gift your mom and I ever got, Sweet Sophia, and I wish I were there to see your eyes widen when you glimpse the treasure. It’s yours to do with as you will—spend it, keep it, or change the world with it.

With all my love,

Dad

P.S. I was the happiest and proudest when you decided to join my practice. Know that the years I spent working beside you were some of the most blissful and rewarding of my life. The code to the safe is the numbers from the song your mom loved to sing after she saw that movie.

Sophia sniffed and wiped her eyes. She missed them so much, but reading her dad’s words made him feel a little closer today. She stepped up to the safe and punched in 925, changing the ‘to’ in the title to a number. A click signaled the safe unlocking.

“Oh my gosh, Sophia. It’s unlocked,” Lake breathed out.

Sophia took a deep breath and opened the door, revealing the treasure inside.

“Freaking hell,” Freedom exclaimed.

Freaking hell was right. Sophia couldn’t believe her eyes. Gold coins, paper bills, and jewelry were in the safe. Sophia had no idea how much was in there, but there was more than she’d seen in her life.

She turned back to Lake and Freedom with a huge smile on her face. “Girls, guess we’re getting that huge rescue I’ve wanted and anything else we want.”

Lake and Freedom threw their arms around her, screaming and dancing.

Lake paused, stopping all of them. “Anything we want?”

Sophia wasn’t sure what Lake was getting at. “Umm, sure.”

Lake jumped up and down. “Woohoo, we’re getting pigs,” Lake screamed.

Sophia stared at her. “Sure, but you’re not feeding Jolene and Rufus to them.”

Lake rolled her eyes, sighing deeply. “Okay, but they deserve it.”

Sophia chuckled. These women always had her back and made her smile.

Chapter Twenty-One

Sophia turned her back to let Tack put her Property Cut on her. The weight of the leather felt like Tack was wrapping his arms around her. She adored belonging to him. He showed her how much he loved her every day. She only hoped she showed him just as much. She spun around to tell him thank you, and he was down on one knee in front of her.

“It seems fitting that I do this here, in the front yard with all the squirrels around us underneath the tree where you came into my life. Sophia Woods, you stole my heart, and I’m not ashamed to admit that you have me wrapped around your little finger. I love your smile, your big heart for animals, but most of all, I love every sexy inch of the woman who lights up my days and sets fire to my nights. You’ve said yes to being my Ol’ Lady, but I want it all. Will you marry me?” he asked, his lips quirked in a smile, his eyes shining with love for her.

Her throat was so full she wasn’t sure she could speak, so Sophia nodded instead, holding out her left hand. Tack stood up, his rough hand holding hers while he slid two rings on her finger—one a beautiful princess-cut diamond that had to be at least three carats and a yellow band with a small diamond inset in it.

“Why two?”

“The first is so everyone will know you’re taken, and the second is for when you’re working in the clinic or with animals. The diamond is inset and covered with a light film so nothing can get caught in it. I want you to always have something on that reminds you that I adore you,” he replied, pulling her in to claim her lips, his hand sliding down to grasp her butt, giving her a little squeeze. She didn’t have to wonder if Tack loved her plush booty because he constantly reached to squeeze it or touch it whenever he saw her. He’d made her the happiest she’d ever been. To think that the people who hated her most had brought the love of her life to her with a fake abduction call.

Tack pulled away from her.

“I promised you a real date that no one interrupts, and I’m aiming to make that happen. Are you ready?” he asked.