Gwen bit her lip and nodded. “It does. If you don’t mind, I have something I really need to do first.”
“What’s that, love?” Julián nuzzled her neck and kissed her temple.
“I want to take a picture of us with Zephyr. This is a really important moment and I want to remember it always.”
“Sure.”
They crowded around her right outside Zephyr’s little side window opening she could stick her head through. Gwen lifted her phone and took a picture of the three of them together that included Zephyr’s nose as she snuffled Gwen’s hat.
After she saved the picture, she uploaded it to Facebook and hurriedly typed the status update that went along with it.
Chris looked over her shoulder as he ruffled her hair. “You writing a novel there, Elmer Fudd?”
Julián kissed her temple when she showed him that she’d updated her personal status to “in a relationship” and then said, “No, I don’t need a novel. Just a few words will suffice.”
“What’s it say?”
She looked from him to Julián and joy made her voice shake. “It says, ‘New Beginnings. If any of my friends are looking for me, they can find me in Divine, Texas, which is so much more than just a place on a map.”
Epilogue
With Joaquin and Angel’s help, Gwen climbed into the saddle, clad in the wedding dress she’d had specially made. Styled after an English riding habit, it was made completely of ivory silk and allowed her to sit astride, while still having the beauty of a flowing skirt.
Zephyr’s flowing dark chestnut mane and tail had been intricately braided for the occasion, with little white flowers worked into the braids throughout.
With her protruding baby belly leading the way, Teresa waddled up and handed her the bridal bouquet of bright red roses and clasped Gwen’s hand as her men stood beside her protectively.
“Gwen, I’m so happy for you, my friend.”
“Thank you for being such a good friend to me, Teresa. It’s because of your acceptance and friendship that I was led to Divine in the first place.”
Teresa teared up as Gwen sniffled and they both laughed. Grace rode up on Tutti with Michael seated in front of her on the saddle.
Teresa stroked Tutti’s neck and smiled up at Grace. “Thank you for standing in for me up there with Michael.”
“Yes, thank you, Grace,” Gwen said as Angel handed Michael all the rings for the ceremony.
He counted them off and slipped them all onto one finger and closed his hand around them. “Don’t worry, pretty cowboy lady. I’m an expert at this job and I won’t lose ’em.”
Michael winked at her and all the ladies chuckled. Angel and Joaquin looked particularly proud of themselves as they nodded their approval to Michael. He’d wanted to ride Tutti on his own but his legs just weren’t long enough. He’d turned down riding one of the ponies because he’d insisted they were for the babies and he was a big boy. Riding with Grace was a good compromise.
“Ready to go?” her dad asked as he came alongside her, riding one of the Cooks’ geldings. He looked handsome and much happier now that he’d moved back onto the Bucking H Ranch.
Once the dust had settled, she’d contacted her father and he’d been mortified when she’d told him of the depth of Roger’s vindictiveness. He’d sworn he’d only participated in trying to get her to return home because he believed Roger genuinely loved her. There had been tears on both sides and forgiveness given and received.
The ordeal had visibly aged her father and he’d willingly agreed when she’d hired a professional to manage the ranch for them and communicate with them about any issues before they became serious. Her dad occupied himself caring for the land and the livestock, in between visits to Divine.
Gwen nodded affirmatively to her dad and Zephyr followed Grace and Michael on Tutti into the shadows of the barn from the backyard of what had once been Wilbur Wilson’s ranch. The sign over the entry now read “The Bucking H2 Ranch.” It had been Chris and Julián’s idea, to name it after her original home in Colorado. They now called either ranch home.
They’d heard through Ace Webster that one of Roger Bedford’s investor friends had turned out to be an embezzling crook. He’d wormed his way into Roger’s trust with promises of great moneymaking schemes that would propel them into a whole new world of wealth. Instead, Roger had wound up losing everything, including his ranch.
When her men had posed the question of whether she wanted to move back to the Bucking H permanently, Gwen had hugged both of them, thanked them, and opted out. She was happy right where she was in Divine.