Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Porter says, “We’d be more than willing to take care of her for the foreseeable future.” His voice cracks with emotion, and he clears his throat. “Sorry, didn’t mean to overstep.”
“You didn’t overstep at all.” Mom squeezes his shoulder. “Sheriff, do you remember Porter Dixon? Grew up in Laurel Springs with his family.”
“Sure do. Your momma used to make the best pies for the county fair.” They shake hands as Porter offers a sad smile. “Anyway, that’s a mighty kind offer. I can send the social worker your way.”
We say our goodbyes, then watch him drive off.
“This day just keeps getting better and better.” I laugh humorlessly. “Poor Pixie. Maybe if I hadn’t told Randy—”
“Don’t you dare.” Dad’s tone is thick with annoyance. “He made his choices. He should be thankful we’re not pressing charges for theft. But I’m not one to kick a man when he’s down.”
Mom gives me a one-armed embrace. “Seems you got that trait from your father.”
I blow out a breath and look at Porter. “How about we go get Pixie before school lets out so she doesn’t hear about this from anyone else?”
The entire Sullivan family is on her emergency pickup list, so that’s a blessing for times like this.
Mom winks. “She adores the two of you, and something tells me there’s no other place she’d rather be right now.”
“We’ll make sure she feels loved,” Porter says, and then we head to his truck.
I slide in the driver’s side. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
“How so?”
I pull down the drive and toward the road. “Not only are you staying put and facing all this, but I also know full well you’ll be willing to take care of that little girl if the opportunity arises.”
“I know what it’s like to feel all alone, and I don’t plan on letting her experience that.” His lips turn down. “I’m glad Randy survived the accident, and I hope he’s able to fight his demons, but damn straight I’d be willing to raise her.”
“God, I love you, Porter Dixon.”
His eyes soften as he nudges my shoulder. “Love you too, Bishop Sullivan.”
I stare straight ahead but don’t really register the road as I imagine what our future might look like. “Dixon Sullivan,” I whisper to myself.
“What’s that?” Porter asks.
“I don’t rightly know. Just testing out how our names sound together.”
“You trying to marry me someday, Sully?” he teases.
“And what if I am?”
“I might consider it.” He leans over to kiss my lips. “They do sound good together, don’t they? Suppose that’s how my great-grandfather thought it would be too—the Dixons and the Sullivans in business together.”
Frustrated, I push a hand through my hair. “Wish I could make it right with him—with all your family.”
“Hey.” He knots our fingers together on the seat. “Something tells me you already have.”
Of course, I can only wish that to be true, but as it stands now, it’s not. “How so?”
“Well, I made my way back to Laurel Springs and the Sullivan Ranch. Can’t help thinking that someone was looking out for me and lit the way.” His lips tilt upward. “I’ve always been wild at heart. Turns out, I only needed to find my way home.”
I relax against the seat and let out a dreamy sigh. “I like the sound of that.”
Epilogue
Porter
Five years later
“And in first place, we have Patricia Wilks!” they call out as we all jump to our feet. Randy claps and cheers from the other side of Sully’s momma, who wipes tears from her eyes. My heart thumps against my chest as my gaze shoots to Pixie accepting her award for the dressage event. She’s gotten better and better over the years, almost always placing when she does competitions, but this is the first time she’s taken first at state.
“Woohoo! Go Pixie!” my husband shouts from beside me. Sully and I took her to her events while her daddy was away. Between jail time and the rehab program he went to, he was gone for about a year. At first he was angry, accused us of trying to take his daughter from him and all sorts of other things that weren’t true, but through the clarity of his sobriety and desire to change, Randy started to see we weren’t the bad guys, that the family loves Pixie and wants what’s best for her, and that despite everything, we want what’s best for him too.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. For a long time it was hard to reconcile our anger toward Randy for everything he’d done, with the fact that, no matter what, he was Pixie’s daddy and she needed our support in that too. That won’t ever change, just like some of the things my father did don’t change who he is to me. But Randy has made up for his mistakes, he’s proven that more than anything, he wants to be a good dad, and that he’s sorry for the things he’s done. The world isn’t full of perfect people. He’s not one, just like I’m not, but making changes, working to be better, that’s what matters. Randy has done that, and through it all, he’s seen that Pixie has a whole lot of people who love her, and he’s thankful for that. She’s got grandparents in Sully’s momma and daddy and uncles in us, and hell, everyone on the ranch. She just might be the most loved fifteen-year-old in the state of Colorado.