Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
McCartney steps forward with Caleb at his side, carefully balancing the painting. He doesn’t say much as he holds it out to her with a quiet, “Happy birthday, Grace.”
She takes one look at all of us painted there, standing in front of the barn like a real family, with her right in the middle, and her hand flies to her mouth again. “You painted this?”
He shrugs, but his ears turn red. “It’s no big deal.”
Grace blinks down at it and then at all of us. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
I step in beside her to hand her a boozy fruit punch. “We wanted to.”
She smiles shyly, and her gaze sweeps across all of us again, from the kids playing tag at the edge of the blankets to the smiles and picnic setting. Her eyes settle on Brody, then flick to Conway, Jaxon, Corbin, and finally back to me.
“I don’t know what to say,” she admits.
“You could start with thank you,” Jaxon grunts. “We’ve been working on this all morning.” He earns himself a round of laughter.
Grace laughs, too, clutching the flowers and drink like a lifeline. “Thank you,” she says, softer now. “This is… this is the best birthday I’ve ever had.”
We crowd around, handing out sandwiches, slices of cake, and drinks. Levi turns up the music, and Brody gets the fire pit started. Dylan, Cody, Nash, and Harrison help the kids turn the marshmallows and assemble the s’mores. Grace is given the first one, which is a sticky mess that she ohs and ahs over like it’s a Parisian pastry.
When she finds a moment to speak to me, she touches my arm gently. “I know it was you behind all this,” she says. “You overheard me talking with my mom.”
I shrug. “I had a lot of help.”
“You’re always the detail person,” she says softly. “Thank you for planning this surprise for me.”
I put my arms around her, pulling her in for the kiss I’ve been craving all day. “Gracie, I’ve planned my whole life down to the minute. But you? You’re the one thing I never expected, couldn’t plan for, and never want to live without.”
She kisses me again, so softly I feel it in my toes.
It’s an afternoon of pure joy, a celebration of love and belonging, and as I watch Grace smile and laugh and, later, join in the dancing, I know we’ve given her a birthday she’ll never forget.
She might not be ready to call Cooper Hill Ranch home yet, but we’ve given her a reason to think hard about staying.
And for now, that’ll have to be enough.
37
GRACE
“Again. Again.”
Eli grins up at me, waiting for me to catch my breath.
The evening is glowing with warm light and laughter. String lights sway gently in the breeze overhead, casting soft halos over the blankets, overturned cake plates, and scattered lanterns. The music that hums from Levi’s old speaker is something with a twangy guitar and lyrics about broken hearts and second chances.
I’m barefoot, my feet sunk into soft grass, the hem of my shirt tied across my belly as I spin Eli in wide circles, her high-pitched giggles making my chest ache with something so big and beautiful I don’t have words for it and can barely contain it. My head is light, maybe from the punch, or maybe from the sheer joy flooding through me. The air smells like toasted marshmallows, burning wood, and wildflowers, and for the first time in forever, I feel like the main character in my own story.
Levi’s doing a ridiculous lasso dance for the kids, tripping over his own boots and yodeling until Matty nearly pees himself laughing. Dylan’s slow-dancing with Hannah standing on his boots, her arms stretched around his legs while he shuffles them in a circle, humming along with the music. Jaxon surprises me most. He isn’t trying to dance. He’s actually good. Graceful in a way that doesn’t fit with his usual quiet intensity. He twirls Junie, lifting her high and steady in the air as she shrieks with delight.
I stop spinning and bend over, breathless, Eli clinging to my waist, giggling so hard she hiccups.
I glance around and take it all in; these unbelievable, complicated, good-hearted men, these sweet kids, and everything they’ve done for me. Is this what family is supposed to feel like?
Conway steps toward me, hand extended. “C’mon, city girl. Let’s see if that punch made you brave.”
I raise an eyebrow and slide my hand into his, laughing as he pulls me into a spin. He moves with surprising smoothness, guiding me across the grass like it’s an elegant ballroom.
“You’re lighter than a sack of feed,” he says with a smirk, “but you got more fire than all of us put together.”
I stumble, catching myself against his chest, dizzy with movement, sugar, and affection. “It’s the punch. Or the cake. Or the love. Maybe all three.”