Love on the Range (Brothers in Arms #3)(75)

“They probably stole enough money to keep up appearances,” Molly said. “That’s how they got every penny they ever had.”

They finished their meal. As they stood, Cheyenne said, “It’s nice to get to have a real wedding.”

Falcon came to her side. “Did you want a bigger wedding? A real one?”

“We had a real wedding, and don’t you forget it.” She laughed, her eyes glowing with love. “What I should have said is, it’s nice to have the family together for one.”

“Ours was for sure a quiet business,” Win said. “Quick and quiet and followed soon after with an attack and a fight for our lives.”

“Let’s think of that ride on the river and the night in the wilderness as a honeymoon.” Kevin hugged her close, and she smiled as bright as the noonday sun.

“And ours was after we’d arrested those cow-stealing bums and rescued Amelia Bishop,” Cheyenne said.

“The wedding was for sure the bright spot in that mess.” Falcon followed along after Kevin and Win, walking on the cold, blustery boardwalk toward the church.

They saw Parson Brownley step out of the parsonage. He spotted them and waved. The man did purely love pronouncing a wedding.

“We’ll all be here for this one.” Wyatt took Molly’s hand, and they walked along, hands swinging. He wondered at how much his life had changed since Pa had died and torn up all their lives.

“You know something?” It must’ve been his tone of voice, but every one of his family stopped and turned to look at Wyatt. “We talked about honoring our parents. And every one of us, except Cheyenne, had trouble doing that.”

“Even I did,” Cheyenne admitted. “Because I had Clovis for a father most of my growing-up years, and he wasn’t a man I could honor.”

“Well, look at us.” Wyatt looked around the small circle they’d formed there on that cold street in Bear Claw Pass, Wyoming. “Look at how much our lives have improved because of Pa and that stupid, thieving will. Molly and Kevin and Falcon have added so much to our lives. And we’d’ve never met them without Pa’s will. Look even at how Win found justice for her mother and maybe can discover some of the things hidden about her ma’s family. All the cheating and stealing and even murdering our fathers did led us right here.” He pointed to the boardwalk beneath their feet.

“It’s a good place.” Wyatt’s grip on Molly’s hand tightened. When he spoke of murder, it wasn’t just Hawkins who’d brought that evil into his family’s life. It was all Molly had endured with her pa’s cruelty. And they’d survived it all.

He thought he saw a lighter spirit settle on his family’s shoulders.

Molly said quietly, “We honor our fathers by being a light in the world. By believing in what’s good. By being better than we might have grown up to be.”

Wyatt smiled down at her and suddenly the family was smaller, even with them all standing right there. It was only him and his Molly.

She nodded.

He bent and kissed her and said, “Let’s go get married.”

A few minutes later, they stood before the parson, a happy family. A family that lived in such a way any decent father would be honored to call them his.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today . . .”

And they were, truly gathered together in a family.

Three beautiful brides.

Three brothers in arms.

All of them had found love on the range.





Epilogue


It was summer in Wyoming Territory, and after a year, Molly had definitely decided she liked the place, despite the hard beginning.

Being in love with a fine man made it easy to face any hardship a winter in the Rocky Mountains brought her way.

So much had changed in a year it was like a whole new world.

One big change had Cheyenne chafing. But she’d agreed, no roping, no branding, no throwing nor hog-tying cattle.

It might be hard on the baby that would be coming before winter.

She proclaimed that she didn’t believe it, but Falcon had lost his first wife when she was bringing a baby, and he tended to panic.

Today, because it was the Lord’s Day, Wyatt had been persuaded to leave off the branding and come along for a visit with Win and Kevin at their home.

They had family dinners often enough, mostly at the RHR, but they hadn’t had one since Win’s baby had been born. Now, with Win up and around, Molly had convinced Wyatt to go straight to Kevin and Win’s after church. Today Win would get the meal started, but Molly would finish things up.

She was excited to see her new niece, and she wanted to tell everyone she had her own baby on the way. Wyatt knew, but she wanted to tell Kevin and, now that Andy worked at Kevin’s ranch, she could tell them both at the same time.

Kevin and Win were still staying close to home. But Falcon and Cheyenne had been at church. Molly had convinced them to come along for the noon meal. It hadn’t been hard.

They rode into the yard, and Molly caught herself shaking her head, as she did whenever she looked at the massive house.

Kevin met them at the door, the baby in his arms. Molly’s heart warmed until it tingled to see her brother holding his child so gently. She couldn’t wait until it was Wyatt’s turn.

As they dismounted, Andy came out of the ramrod’s house and helped Falcon and Wyatt stable the horses.