co-parent with you. I want a career in carpentry, but the scale doesn’t matter to me. If it’s building barns on the ranch we love, then so be it.”
Tears tracked down her face. “I want to be right with the Lord, and I want to be a forgiving, kind person. I want to be the mom my kids will come to and tell me what’s troubling them and what’s happening so I can help them riddle through how confusing it is to be fifteen years old.”
Bishop grinned at her, his own emotions so close to the surface. She loved Shiloh Ridge too.
“Basically, I want it all,” Montana said. “But most of all, if I have you, then it doesn’t matter about the rest. We’ll figure it all out together.”
“I think you just described heaven,” Bishop whispered. “I love you to the moon, sun, and stars and back, Montana Martin.”
“I love you, too, Bishop.” She kissed him, and Bishop knew exactly what was different in her touch.
Love, forgiveness, and faith.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Montana said.
“He is not,” Bishop said, glancing toward Judge, who stood a few feet away.
“We only have this week to make it right,” Judge continued. “If the construction hadn’t gone on so long—” He tossed a glare at Bishop, who just smiled back at him. The man had gotten his house fixed for free. Months of work, thousands of dollars of pest control treatments. A new roof. Custom cabinets from the best carpenter in the state.
If it took longer than normal, so be it.
“We would’ve had our regular testing stages,” Judge said. “But we didn’t. We have this week. I need everyone—and I mean everyone, Cactus—to come watch the show and provide notes. Preacher and I are working the lights together this year to reprogram them faster.”
“He’s speaking another language,” Montana murmured, causing Bishop to chuckle. That earned him another glare from Judge, but he honestly didn’t care.
“It makes a great date night,” Judge said next. “Get dinner, go for a drive, watch the show.” He nodded around at everyone. “Okay, that’s it. I need your notes by Sunday night. The sooner the better, obviously.”
Obviously, Bishop thought but didn’t say. Judge was already on-edge, because the mistletoe he normally had hung around the ranch by now had not come into the florists on time. Or rather, it had, but it had been full of beetles, who’d eaten the plant almost to nothing.
Judge had freaked the heck out. They always decorated Shiloh Ridge for Christmas starting in October, usually with the mistletoe first and the light show at the Ranch House second.
To compensate for the late construction and the lack of a noxious weed, Bear and Ranger had agreed to this family dinner and angel tree set-up a week before the harvest was set to be finished. That alone testified how much Bear had changed, and how much more important his family was to him than the ranch.
They’d also decided to have their first family meeting before dinner. All “serious significant others” were invited. Bishop noticed that Cactus had not invited Violet, and Ace did not have Holly Ann there.
He’d texted twenty minutes ago to find out what was going on, and he’d seen both of them look at their phones and then put them away. Bishop felt like he’d been left out of the friendship, and his muscles tensed again.
The feeling only intensified when Bear said, “Bishop’s going to go over our construction plan for the next few years.”
“Right.” Bishop stepped away from Montana and nodded to Ward. He pressed the button on the remote control and the TV brightened, with Bishop’s presentation right there. “Nothing is set in stone, obviously. Bear, Ranger, and I have spoken with each of you, and this is what we’ve gathered. If it’s wrong, just say so.”
He took a deep breath and focused on the screen. “Ranger and Bear will live here, in the homestead that was designed for them to do so. Ward is going to keep Bull House.” He looked around at everyone, hoping his concern for them showed in his face. “Obviously, that doesn’t mean Ace has to move out tomorrow. We’re thinking future plans for the ranch. Future, like, Ward has found a woman he loves and wants to have his own life, in his own house, with his own family. He’ll have Bull House. Make sense?”
“Yes,” several people chorused.
“Okay.” Bishop looked at the screen. “Ace will need a new place. So that’s one new build. We’re