like the things that scare me now are so fleeting, because I know there’s a whole mess of people willing to help me with problem-solving. To help me find my way through.”
It was a simple but profound truth, and Dare found herself nodding. She considered her own past, with the pain of having lost her family and yet being surrounded by the love of chosen family, both here in Rocky Mountain House and in Heart Falls, where she’d grown up.
These were people who would help her and Jesse, no matter what.
They finished the ride in peaceful silence, their men meeting them in the small shared barn that sat across from their houses. Jesse and Joel took care of their mounts while the children caught them by the hand and tugged them back toward the house.
“Val’ntine surprise is ready,” Joey insisted, glancing for a moment at Jesse. “Right, Daddy?”
“Right, Buckaroo. You and Jess take your mamas to the house. We’ll be in right away.” Jesse offered Dare a wink. “Valentine’s Day refuses to wait any longer.”
The house smelled amazing, but both she and Vicki laughed as they reached the table where childish Valentine’s cards were propped up in front of two plates, each with a single cookie on them.
Vicki leaned in and murmured softly, “You did spot the cookie crumbs in my daughter’s hair, yes?”
“I was kind of distracted by all the cookie crumbs decorating my son’s mouth and the front of his shirt, but now that you mention it…”
Dare and Vicki grinned at each other.
The guys came in, and they gathered in the living room to talk and share stories and just be together. Jesse pulled Dare into his arms, and she settled against him easily, his warmth perfect on the chilly day.
She hummed with happiness at the touch of his fingers on her jaw as he turned her face toward him and kissed her right then, right there, just because he wanted to.
Laughing when he let her go, they turned back to the room to discover little Jess and Joey lined up at the edge of the couch, waiting for their own kisses.
Valentine’s Day was no longer just about romantic love but about enduring love, giving love. Laughing and teasing and connection beyond imagining.
Cookie crumbs and sweet kisses filled her heart to overflowing.
SP Ranch Journal
~Michael Coleman, August 1985 ~
This summer—God, what a year.
The boys all arrived in June. Yes, all boys.
Randy and Kate added Trevor to the Moonshine clan. Dana had Michael, and before the day was out, that nickname I expected was making its way through the hospital. I guess that’s what happens when you give two kids specifically biblical names. The Angel Colemans are all doing well.
And our Daniel arrived right before the month finished. Marion told me she might be willing to do it one more time but to not get my heart set on six boys like Ma & Da had. I’m not set on it. Still have this sneaking suspicion that it’s going to happen.
(Marion, I’m just kidding. Don’t skin me.)
Daniel’s a sweetheart of a kid. Marion says she can feel peace pouring off him, which is good, because there’s been a hell of a lot…
I’m getting ahead of myself.
Or behind myself—between the babies and George and Sally’s wedding last weekend and the rest of the work around here, I’ve fallen out of journaling. Need to get back to it, though.
Truth is, I learn a lot when I’m taking the time to write out my thoughts. Told Marion I needed her help to keep me on the straight and narrow when it comes to journaling. She’s agreed to pick up and read what I’ve written. I don’t have secrets from her, anyway, and knowing that she’ll poke me if too many days go by without an entry is the motivation I need right now.
I want a record of all the things that need remembering so I can fix what goes wrong.
And it’s a doozy this time. Mark finally showed up yesterday. We were all gathered in the barn, and he just walked in as if he hadn’t been gone for almost a year.
God, just seeing his face made something break inside me all over again, because I instinctively looked behind him, expecting to see John step in any second as well.
So, the bad and the ugly—it wasn’t a good meeting. I mean, I get it. I’m disappointed in so many ways that Mark left without a word then simply showed up out of the