Hope rose suddenly. “Which is why you want to give me a job to do?”
“One that might put you in close proximity to my mom a lot sooner than if you hit the road and stay away like she suggested? Yeah,” Rafe confessed before lifting blue eyes filled with laughter to Mark’s. “Although, if you mention that specific reasoning in front of her, I will deny it.”
A silent assist was better than no assist at all.
Mark took a moment to look Rafe over. Traces of his brother Ben were there, but more importantly, he had a firm confidence that seemed surprisingly strong in a man of his young years.
Getting to be with Dana meant being in this man’s life.
And in Laurel’s, and Gabe and Allison’s.
The realization was a bolt of lightning. Dear God, he wasn’t just getting involved with Dana, he was running full-out at an entire family.
The seriousness of this thing struck him like icy lightning, but the overall sensation was good. He wanted this—all of this.
He thrust a hand toward Rafe. “Thank you. And I swear, I want nothing but the best for your mom.”
Rafe offered a firm handshake in return, that amused smile flitting around his lips again. “So do we. Still stands to be seen if you’re what’s best.”
Coleman Memory Book
~Becca (Six Pack) Coleman~
I like being a Coleman. I like being part of something big. Uncle Joel says you can’t build anything with one piece of Lego, and he’s right. We’ve got lots and lots of Legos in the Coleman family, and we like to do things together.
Family is many arms to hold me tight. My sister always by my side. Mommy and Daddy dancing in the kitchen.
We live in the same house that Daddy grew up in. And Grandpa. There’s a doorway in the kitchen that’s all beat up, but when Mommy painted the walls last year, she was real careful not to paint over the marks on it.
She said that’s a piece of history, all the little pencil lines showing how tall my uncles were when they were little like me.
I’m going to be as tall as my daddy someday, but Mommy says even if I’m not, I can still be the best Coleman possible. Because we’ve got love in our hearts and love in our heads.
I think it’s because there’s a lot of love in our house, and it’s like a battery. Every night when we sleep, we get all charged up so we can shine real bright on everyone.
That’s what love is. That’s what being a Coleman is like. Shiny and bright.
[Images: of a doorjamb with dozens of pencil marks, showing names and ages. Outside picture of the SP homestead taken at night, with golden light shining out of the windows. Two little girls holding hands as they stand beside a haybale.]
22
A podium and seating area had been constructed outside of the high school gym. The same school Daniel had attended, with the same kind of setup in place for his own graduation, and those of his brothers from the Six Pack ranch.
He might possibly be more nervous now than he’d been all those years ago.
Beth stepped in front of him, straightening his tie and smoothing it over his shirt before fixing his lapels. “You can stop fidgeting any time,” she teased.
“I don’t know why I’m so jittery,” he complained.
“Because your son is graduating, and you’re excited.”
He caught her against him and gave her a half twirl, her dark curls flying wildly, before leaning their foreheads together and looking into her eyes. “Miss Beth, your son is graduating, and you’re excited, yet you don’t look like you’ve got ants in your pants.”
Her smile widened, and she trailed her fingers through his hair. “I’m wearing a skirt.”
He snorted, pulling her back to vertical before tugging her close to steal another hug. “You’ve done good. Congratulations on reaching this point. Lance can be proud.”
“We did it together.” She breathed in deep, wrapping herself tighter against him and murmuring softly, “I love the way you smell.”
Electric need slid up his spine, clear and strong. It didn’t matter how many years they’d spent together, the simplest touch of Beth’s hand sent Daniel skyrocketing every time. “Hold that thought for a private celebration tonight,” he ordered.
A bit of milling about was happening as the graduating class—albeit small—gathered to the side of the podium and only partially out of sight.
As ordered, Blake was there, coming forward to solemnly shake Daniel’s hand and give Beth a hug. Travis arrived as well, while the rest of their families gathered in the seating area, taking up a lot of room.
Daniel grinned. “Good thing the organizing committee knew to prepare for a Coleman onslaught.”
“They took out twice as many chairs as last year,” Beth informed him. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight. “I love that your family is here. All the second cousins and twice removed or whatever.”
All Daniel’s uncles and aunts and cousins had come to celebrate. Lance had worked with most of them at the various ranches, which meant it was extra special since they weren’t here because he was a Coleman but because he had put in the time.
Lance had become someone they all knew and liked because of who he was, and Daniel was so proud of him.
“Uncle Mark’s here.” Daniel and Beth’s youngest, who had now insisted his name be shortened to the more mature Rob, slid up and leaned on Daniel’s arm before lowering his voice. “He must still be in trouble, because Auntie Dana is here too, but she’s sitting over there.”
He gestured with his head to the opposite side of the gathering, next to Rafe and Laurel.
Beth folded her arms over her chest. “Robbie,” she said disapprovingly.
Rob held his hands up and attempted an innocent look. “What? I can’t help it if the aunties were talking about it in the yard. He really likes her. I don’t know why she got so mad. I wouldn’t get mad if somebody wanted to build me a house. I feel bad for him.”
Laughter began to bubble in Daniel’s chest, but he wrapped an arm around his youngest son’s shoulders and guided him toward the chairs they’d staked out for their immediate family. “Remember our ongoing conversation about girls being confusing?”
“Yeah?”
“That doesn’t ever change, no matter how old we, or they, get,” Daniel said dryly before patting Rob on the back and aiming him at his chair. “Stop gossiping, and get ready to cheer for your brother.”
Only when they sat and Beth leaned her head against Daniel’s shoulder, amusement tinged his voice as he whispered in her ear, “I hope they get that straightened out soon, or Rob is going to be upset all summer. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried matchmaking.”
A snicker escaped from Beth. “Don’t start me giggling.”
The ceremony began with all the usual pomp and circumstance. The principal made a short speech. Teachers presented a few awards. Then suddenly—
“I’d like to ask the class valedictorian to come forward, please. Lance Coleman.”
Shocked silence for a moment before cheers rang out, and Lance made his way up the stairs at the side of the stage, headed to the podium.