The entire town had turned out for the event, held on the Garrett Ranch every year. This was the second time Gage had attended. He could see why it had become such a popular tradition.
Sheriff Eli Garrett and his wife, Sadie, were running around making sure every plate was filled and that people were having fun. Connor and Liss Garrett were standing off to the side, Connor gazing intently at his wife, who was smiling up at him. Like they weren’t aware they had a ranch full of guests.
“Hopefully Ace will get a chance to sit down with us for a while,” Rebecca said, moving over to the West family’s patch of grass, which had been claimed earlier in the day.
Sierra was already sitting there along with Colton, who was watching as his wife, Lydia, did the rounds. Since she was mayor of Copper Ridge, it was difficult for her to get a moment when she wasn’t being bombarded by people.
“I thought the Wests were supposed to be the pillars of the community,” Gage said, sitting down on the blanket next to his siblings. “You both married people that outshine us.”
“How about you?” Colton asked. “Rebecca is way more popular than you are.”
“That’s true,” he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “But, I haven’t married her yet.”
“You only have a week left before that stops being true,” Rebecca said.
“I can’t wait for the week to be over. Then you’ll be my wife and your brother will stop asking you if you’re ever going to make an honest man out of me.”
“I’m like the wind,” she said. “I cannot be tamed. But, for you, I will concede to being tied down for life. Because that’s love.”
“If Maddy were here, there would be a rude comment about Gage tying you up,” Sierra said.
“Where is Maddy?” Gage asked. “Are they coming?”
“I just checked my texts,” Sierra said. “She said they’re running late because they got distracted. I don’t want to know.”
Gage looked around, still sometimes unable to believe that he was surrounded by family. That he was surrounded by love.
“Jack and Kate said they would stop by the blanket,” Colton said. “They want to bring Jasper over to say hi to his cousin. And his aunts and uncles, presumably.”
Even stranger was the fact that they had managed to build a relationship with Jack over the past couple of years. That relationship had not extended between Jack and their father, but he had definitely become one of them as far as the siblings were concerned.
It was most definitely a testament to forgiveness on Jack’s part. And love. A whole lot of that.
As the day wore on, they all ate too much and talked too much. Later, Rebecca lay across his lap, looking up at the sky, waiting for the fireworks.
He touched the ring on her left hand, always happy to be reminded of that outward symbol that showed the world, and him, that she was his.
The first firework went off in a blaze of brilliant color, bathing the crowd below in bright light. He looked down at Rebecca and realized that she wasn’t watching the sky. She was watching him.
“What?” he asked.
She reached up, drawing his head down, kissing him gently on the lips. “I just wanted to let you know that I love you,” she said. “And that I’m so thankful I found a man who loves big enough that he can make up for all those years I felt like I didn’t get enough.”
Gage kissed her back, his throat tight. “I feel the same way.”
Then, he drew her up against his chest, and they settled back with the rest of the town to watch the show.
Gage West was home, and there was nowhere else on earth he would rather be.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from TOUGH LUCK HERO by Maisey Yates.
Look for the next
unforgettable COPPER RIDGE novel,
HOLD ME, COWBOY,
from Maisey Yates and Harlequin Desire.
And don’t miss the rest of the COPPER RIDGE series,
available now:
SHOULDA BEEN A COWBOY
(Jake and Cassie’s novella)
PART TIME COWBOY
(Eli and Sadie’s story)
BROKEDOWN COWBOY
(Connor and Liss’s story)
BAD NEWS COWBOY
(Jack and Kate’s story)
A COPPER RIDGE CHRISTMAS
(Ryan and Holly’s novella)
HOMETOWN HEARTBREAKER
(Aiden and Casey’s novella)
TAKE ME, COWBOY
(Chase and Anna’s story)
ONE NIGHT CHARMER
(Ace and Sierra’s story)
TOUGH LUCK HERO
(Colton and Lydia’s story)
Tough Luck Hero
by Maisey Yates
CHAPTER ONE
SHE DIDN’T HAVE a chandelier hanging from her bedroom ceiling. But somehow, when she opened her eyes, that was what she saw.
Lydia Carpenter’s bedroom ceiling was sedate, and mostly nondescript.