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“You can stay, too, Tanner,” Jasper said. “You’ll need a place to rest up and heal. You’ll have it at the ranch.”
“Thanks, I may take you up on that,” Tanner said. “Meanwhile, I’ve got a lot of thinking to do and some big decisions to make.”
She gave him a questioning glance, wondering if his decisions involved her. “Well, take your time,” Jasper said. “As long as you do right by our girl, Bull and I will be happy.”
* * *
After Jasper had gone, Tanner took Rose’s hand. The whole time Jasper had been talking to Rose, the arguments had been warring in his mind. Now that the answer—the only answer—had fallen into place, he knew that, for her sake, he couldn’t leave things unsettled.
“I have something to say to you,” he began. “Hear me out. If you need time to think about your answer, I owe you that much, at least.”
“I’m listening.” Her eyes were soft and dark. She was a woman who’d lost almost everything, a woman who’d been terribly hurt. Was he about to hurt her again? Tanner cleared his throat.
“I love you, Rose. I want you at my side forever. I want to raise our babies and grow old with you. But here in Texas, I’ll never be more than just a man with a job.”
He saw the subtle shift in her expression, as if she’d already guessed what he was going to say next. He knew how much she loved her land and how hard she’d fought for it. But one of them had to make a choice. Maybe it would be him.
“Right now, that parcel of land is all you have. I know how much it means to you. But I have land, too. Land and family in Wyoming, a place to put down roots and bring up our children. We wouldn’t have to live with my brother. We could rent a place in town while I build us a home on the ranch . . .”
Her face reflected shock. “You’re saying you want us to go back there?”
“I’m not saying. I’m asking. More than anything else, I want a life with you, Rose. If that little parcel means so much to you, I’ll try to stay and make things work. But think about the constant struggle you’ve had there, and the danger. Think about what we could have in Wyoming—our own land and cattle, satisfying work, safety, and plenty of family around.”
Seeing her unreadable expression, he trailed off. Had he said too much? Did that parcel of creek land mean more to her than his love?
“What is it?” he asked.
After an agonizing pause she spoke. “My grandfather died for that creek land. He left it to me as a legacy. I came home to Texas, thinking that nothing was more important than making a home on it. But I’ve come to realize that the land will always be there, whether I choose to live on it or not. But if I make the wrong choice, I coul
d lose what means even more to me—I could lose you.”
“Rose—”
“No, wait. I need to know this. What about your memories? What about your wife and son?”
“We’d be building a new life. The memories will always be there, but they won’t stop me from being happy. Not with you.”
“Then I have just one question,” she said. “And I need an answer now.”
“Ask it.” Tanner held his breath, sensing that the rest of their lives could depend on his answer.
A radiant smile lit her face. “Can I have chickens and goats in Wyoming?”
* * *
Three weeks later they were married on Rose’s land. They stood next to the fallen tree where her grandfather lay, his grave marked by a granite stone that Bull had placed there as a token of thanks for saving his sons.
Bull had also cleared away the burned remains of the trailer, pickup, camper, and chicken coop. The earth lay bare and clean, ready for the new grass that was already beginning to sprout.
A justice of the peace performed the ceremony. In attendance were Bull and his sons, Jasper, Bernice, and Joe. They watched, smiling, as Rose said her vows to Tanner in a simple white dress with a garland of summer wildflowers in her hair.
After a farewell luncheon, it was time to take leave of their friends and start north for Wyoming. Rose was looking forward to a new home, a new family, and new adventures with the love of her life. But she would always keep her Rimrock family in her heart. Saying good-bye wouldn’t be easy.
Joe had already gone back to work. Standing beside Tanner’s loaded pickup, Rose hugged Bernice and the boys. “Can we come and visit you, Rose?” Beau asked.
“I hope you can. That will be up to your father,” Rose said. But something told her that Bull’s attachment to the Rimrock was so deep he would never tear himself away, even for a visit.
She flung her arms around Jasper’s neck, almost weeping. He had been her dear friend and staunch ally. She would miss him most of all. “Things are gonna be a lot less interesting with you gone, darlin’,” he said. “Take care.”
