Cardwell Ranch Trespasser(34)

“Italy.” Camilla smiled. “No one told you that Dee Anna is half-Italian?” She laughed. “Dana asked me why her grandparents disinherited their son. He married a foreigner. Apparently a woman who spoke Italian and wanted to live in the big city wasn’t what they wanted for their son. But you’d have to ask Dee Anna if that is really why they disinherited him.” She shrugged. “Dee Anna and I were never close. She was a lot like Hilde. For some reason, she didn’t like me.” Camilla laughed at that. “I’ll take that lawyer now.”





Epilogue

Hilde held it all together until a few weeks after Camilla’s arrest. Suddenly she was bombarded with so many emotions that she finally let herself cry as the ramifications of what had happened—and what had almost happened—finally hit her.

Over it all was a prevailing sadness. She and Dana were trying to repair their relationship, but Hilde knew it would take time—and never be the same. She felt as if someone had died and that made her all the sadder.

“Hilde, can you ever forgive me?” Dana had cried that day, as they’d watched the rest of the barn burn from the back of the ambulance. “I should have listened to you. I’m so sorry. I’m just so sorry.”

“There is nothing to forgive,” she’d told Dana, as they’d hugged. But in her heart, she knew that something was broken. Only time would tell if it could be fixed.

Hud was going through something even worse, Colt had told her. He blamed himself for not seeing what was right in front of his eyes.

“I was just so happy that Dana was enjoying her cousin, I made excuses for Dee’s behavior just like Dana did. I didn’t want to see it,” he kept saying. “I almost lost my family because of it. And what I did to Hilde—”

She’d told him and Dana both that she understood. Camilla had been too good at hiding her true self. Hilde didn’t blame them. But a part of her was disappointed in them that they hadn’t believed her—the friend they’d both known for years. That was going to be the hard part to repair in the friendship.

Colt was wonderful throughout it all. He’d saved her life and Dana’s. Neither of them would ever forget that.

Hilde, who’d always thought of herself as strong, had leaned on him, needing his quiet strength to see her through. Both she and Dana had recovered from the smoke inhalation. It was the trauma of being trapped in a burning barn with a psychopath trying to kill them that had residual effects.

Jordan and Liza had a housewarming a few months after everything settled down. Their new home was beautiful, and Hilde could see the pride they shared with all the work they’d done themselves. Hilde gave them a quilt as a housewarming present.

“I’d like to take your beginner quilting class,” Liza said, making both Hilde and Dana look at her in surprise. She was a tomboy like Dana and had never sewn a thing in her life.

Liza grinned and looked over at Jordan, who nodded. “We’re going to have a baby! I want to make her a baby quilt.”

Cheers went up all around, and Hilde said she would be delighted to teach her to quilt, and she also had some adorable baby quilt patterns for girls.

“Stop by the shop and I’ll show you,” she said.

* * *

AT THE PARTY, Dana told Hilde that she’d called Marietta Justice, only to receive a return call from the woman’s assistant confirming that the real Dee Anna Justice was alive and well in Spain traveling with friends.

Hilde could tell that Dana had been disappointed the woman hadn’t even bothered to talk to her herself. But fortunately, Dana hadn’t taken it any further. Whatever was going on in that part of the Justice family, it would remain a mystery.

At least for now, since Hilde knew her friend too well. Dana had a cousin she’d never met. Maybe more than one. She wouldn’t forget about the very real and mysterious Dee Anna Justice and family. One of these days, Dana wouldn’t be able to help herself and she would contact her cousin.

Hilde hated to think what might happen—but then again, she wasn’t as trusting as Dana, was she?

The party was fun, even though things were still awkward between all of them.

* * *

“THEY’LL GET BETTER,” Colt promised her. “You and the Savages were too good of friends before this happened. Right now everyone is a little bruised and battered, especially you. I can see how badly they both feel when they’re around you.”

That was what was making things so awkward. They wore their regrets on their sleeves.

“Are you still worried about Hud?” she asked him on their way back to her house.

“He’s really beating himself up. I think he’s questioning whether he should remain marshal. He’s afraid he can’t trust his judgment.”

“That’s crazy. He’s a great marshal.”

“He let a psychopath not only live with them, but also take his children for a walk the morning of the fire.”

“He didn’t know she was a psychopath.”

“Yeah. I think that’s the point. He overlooked so much because he wanted Dana to have a good time with her cousin. You told me how excited she was about finding a cousin she’d never met.”

Hilde nodded. “They both tried to make the woman he thought was Dee Anna Justice fit into their family. Dana was at odds with her siblings for years, so I understand her need for family.”

Colt looked over at her. “What about you?”

“Me?”

“How do you feel about a large family?”

She laughed. “As an only child, I’ve always yearned for one.”

“Good,” he said with a smile. “Because I have a large family up north, and they’re all anxious to meet you.”

She looked at him. “You want me to meet your family?”

He slowed the truck, stopping on a small rise. In the distance, Lone Mountain was silhouetted against Montana’s Big Sky. Stars glittered over it. A cool breeze came in through his open window, smelling of the river and the dense pines. The summer night was perfect.

Colt cut the engine and turned toward her. “I can’t wait for my family to meet you. I’m just hoping I can introduce you as my fiancée.”

Hilde caught her breath as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black jewelry box.

“Hilde Jacobson? Will you marry me?” He opened the box, and the perfect emerald-cut diamond caught in the starlight.

For a moment she couldn’t speak. So much had happened, and yet they’d all come out of the ashes alive with their futures ahead of them.

“I know this is sudden, but we can have a long engagement if that’s what you want,” Colt added when she didn’t answer him.

She shook her head. She’d always been a woman who never acted impulsively. Until recently. She believed in taking her time on any decision she made. Especially the huge ones.

But if she’d learned anything from all this, it was that she had to follow her instincts—and her heart. “I would love to marry you, Colt Dawson. I can’t wait to be your bride.”

He let out a relieved laugh and slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. As he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, Lone Mountain glowed in the starlight.

“I was so hoping you would say that,” he whispered.

Wrapped in his arms, she knew whatever the future held, they would face it together. Time and love were powerful healers. With Colt by her side, she could do anything, she thought, as her heart filled to overflowing.

* * * * *