every day. He assured me that I was the best assistant he’d ever had.
I knew he was mildly biased.
Murphy had two new best friends, and when he wasn’t busy falling deeply in love with Jessie, he was sure to be found playing with Avonlea and Braden. The affect it had on Pierce to see his children happy and playing was visible. Pierce started smiling once in a while, and even laughing on occasion.
I thought that someday he might even be able to consider love again. But that was his own journey, and Penn and I both steered clear of the subject around him.
I had faith. If an orphan like me could make it through the hell I had and find love – because, yes, I love Penn Hardick, and it was no longer something I accidentally let slip out but purposely said often – then Pierce might be able to as well.
Payden was instantly the sweet, shy older brother that I never had. He taught me how to tack the horses up, how to clean their hooves, and most importantly, how to ride. Tianna was officially declared “Valerie’s horse”.
It was weird at first, being called Valerie after months of being Anne. But it was nice, to feel like I could finally stop hiding. I was who I was. I’d lived through what I’d lived through. This was me, take it or leave it.
Penn took it rather often.
The atmosphere of the ranch was like a living, moving balm for all of my wounds. For everyone’s wounds really. The scenery, the daily “work”, the horses, the visitors, and dear God, the campfires (Penn’s ultimate favorite)… It was impossible not to heal – or at least not to begin to heal.
Preston was really the only one who no one knew what to do with. His heart was golden, but his playboy ways weren’t slowing down anytime soon. Penn thought that Preston would always be like that, because he’d always been like that. And though I had to admit that Pres seemed pretty happy with the way his life was, I sensed somewhere, deep down inside that “whatever, I don’t care” soul, was a little kid who missed his mom, and a grown man who craved his own family.
Penn openly wanted his own family. He was absolutely enamored with Murphy, and vice versa. I knew we weren’t there yet, and I was enjoying just being alive, and free, and unafraid, and in love.
Occasionally I still had nightmares of Randall and the abuse, or Tim and the terror... even of my foster homes – the bad ones – and the fear and pain I’d experienced growing up. The difference now was, when I woke up panicking, or sweating, or crying, or even screaming – Penn was right there beside me.
He always had a kiss and an embrace to cancel out the nightmares. And instead of trying to keep me in his pocket like a piece of property, he pushed me to do things I’d never done. Consider things I’d written off long ago. View the world in a way that didn’t always involve doubt and despair.
I had a new life that was genuinely mine for the first time... ever.
And beyond my wildest dreams, I’d found not just true love, but an entire family.
Not a fairy tale, but better. Fairy tales were made up. This was real.
Epilogue
The firelight illuminated Valerie’s hair, making her look like a perfect, dancing doll. She was twirling in happy circles with our little girl, River. River was three now, Murphy was seven, and our newest little addition, Penn Jr., was happily observing everything from my arms.
Campfires were a place for family again. Not just visiting families.
The Hardick family.
Within the last five years, everyone had managed to come back to the one thing that my mother had loved so much. My brothers were happy. My father was happy. Everyone, even Preston, had figured out their path. And apparently they all intersected at this glowing little flame.
But I knew it wasn’t the campfire itself she had loved. It was the togetherness.
That was what she’d always wanted for us, and I knew her passing hadn’t changed anything. This was still what she would want to see, and I liked to think she was seeing it.
Over time, slowly but surely, Valerie had let down her walls. One by one by one. She told me childhood stories that were so awful they made my chest hurt. I wanted to go back and protect her. Right the