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Jack and Knox sat together with their guitars, and soon the song had us laughing some more. By the last chorus, we were all singing along. I could hear Grant beside me, his arm around my shoulders as I tried to remember the words.
I looked over at Madeleine. She was watching Knox, her face so full of love that I had to smile.
Afterward, the conversation started up again. People leaned across their chairs to talk, held their mugs out for refills, and laughed about things that had happened during the month.
Grant bent his head toward mine. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” I said.
He’d folded the rope neatly in his lap. I touched it with one finger. “Will you keep it?” I asked.
“How could I not? It represents everything about this month. Courage.”
“Yeah, I guess it does,” I said softly.
He looked down at it for another moment before putting it safely in his jacket pocket.
He kissed me, then settled back in his chair with his arm around me. I tucked myself close and listened as my brother began another story.
26
GRANT
December 26
Boxing Day Party
Settled cold · Light flurries
Supper: Soup and Sandwich Bar
The moment after Jack gave me his blessing, I started thinking about a marriage proposal. It might have seemed quick to some, but, to me, it had been three long, aching years of yearning for a woman I didn’t think I could have. Now that she was mine, I wanted to marry her as soon as possible.
I also knew she deserved a real proposal and not talk of practicalities like we had done that morning before going to breakfast.
We’d decided to make this work we needed a compromise. She agreed to working less hours by hiring a nurse practitioner, which she could now afford thanks to Blake’s movie. I agreed to buying or building a house not far from her clinic. It would put me a little further from Nashville proper than I currently was, but that was a small sacrifice.
At breakfast on Boxing Day, I cornered Jack near the pastries. “Hey, I need your help.”
“Anything.”
“Will you go to Bozeman with me today? I want to find a ring for Luci.”
One eyebrow shot up. “That right?”
“I have your mother’s approval.”
He grinned, punching my shoulder. “Let’s do it.”
“You won’t get in trouble with Ivy for disappearing the day after your wedding.”
“Nah, she knows I come back,” Jack said. “Plus, we’ve celebrated all month. She won’t mind a day apart. Actually, she might be happy to get rid of me for a few hours.”
“One of the staff said they’ll drive us to Bozeman in the ranch van,” I said. “Talked to Finley before breakfast and she said she’d take care of it.”
“What do we say to Luci about where we’re going?” I asked.
“Bozeman for fly-fishing gear?” Jack asked.
