Maybe it was a combination of having spent the past year looking through pictures, dredging through memories. Listening to his uncles tell stories about the things they’d dealt with, so often needing a bit of luck and a prayer to try and get through.
Today the wind blew cold, clouds building on the horizon, but where they rode, the sun was still shining, the brown grass of late fall ready to be covered with the pristine white of a fresh, clean winter.
Every month that had passed, every moment Blake had watched as his family had taken a long hard look back, seeing them enjoy the memories then turn to the future with bubbling enthusiasm.
Okay, maybe that last part was mostly Jaxi. His heart.
But here and now, his father needed to hear a powerful message.
“Travis is someone I trust with any part of the ranch. Trust him with my kids, and I like spending time with him.” Blake pictured his brother with Ashley and Cassidy, and while what they had wasn’t typical, it was totally right and so full of love, only a fool would try to deny it.
“Matt’s gone a little quieter over the years, but it’s a contented thing. He and Hope are like one of her quilts. Beautiful and yet content to stay at home and enjoy each other. Still, he works his ass off every time we’re out in the fields, and I can barely keep up.”
Mike was nodding, his smile growing. “Tell me about Daniel.”
His father was too smart and too perfect. The man had already clued in to what Blake was doing. “He’s my little brother, yet he’s already shown me there’s a solid path to follow where I’d feared to tread,” Blake admitted. “He and Beth have built something amazing, and they’re close to sending three mature, productive and caring adults into the world. Plus those boys of theirs are just as much a part of this family as any of the kids being born into it.”
Mike leaned forward in the saddle again, lips curled into a full out grin. “What about your little brothers?”
“Still learning. Still making me laugh and making me roll my eyes at times, but they don’t give up. Not on each other, never on family.” Blake examined his father from top to bottom then shook his head. “You had your brothers, but each of you had your own dreams, and for a short time, they pulled you apart. Plus, you had your troubles, and they were big, but Dad?” Blake paused to gaze out over the Coleman land. Over everything that had been accomplished during the past hundred years. Then he met his father’s eyes. “You were one man, and there was no way you could do it all. But you sure the hell tried.”
Mike laughed. “I guess I did.”
“You succeeded,” Blake told him plainly. “You might tell us that you didn’t do everything right, but still you somehow got six fiercely independent boys to all see which direction they need to head. You made it clear by the way you treated Ma over the years that she’s the number one thing in your life. And then us, and then your extended family, and then the rest of it. Every one of your children-in-law thinks you hung the moon because they know it was you who taught us by example how we’re supposed to treat our wives, and husband.”
Mike was listening, his expression gone a little tighter.
“So really, it doesn’t matter one bit if I have to tell you every day from now until you’re a hundred and ten how much I love and admire you, I’ll do it gladly. So will the rest of your sons. And your brothers. And your grandkids, and everybody else in this town you’ve made an impact on over the years.”
His father took a deep breath. Stared out over the land for a moment before dipping his chin firmly. “Then I guess I did all right after all.” He took a peek sideways. “Proud of you. And I’ll say it—I love you.”
Before Blake could respond, Mike tugged the reins, moving his horse into a little brisker of a walk. Blake followed, wiping at his eyes quickly before catching up and riding beside his father.
He didn’t need to take Mike’s place someday. No one could take Mike’s place. That was kind of the point.
But with their roots gone deep, the tree that was the Coleman family was strong and sturdy. Lots of branches, beautiful foliage. Good fruit.
They would be able to stand strong going forward.
Family, forever.
Coleman Memory book
~Dana (Wild Rose) Coleman~
July first. Canada Day. My wedding day.
The flowers are in full bloom at Wild Rose ranch, and the deck platform Mark built nearly a year ago is completely surrounded by fragrant blossoms. Rafe and Gabe built an arbour, and Allison and Laurel wove it through with extra flowers, and today Mark and I stood under it as we said I do.
Which means I became a Coleman for the second time.
The first time, I was a young woman, somewhat a stranger to this family, but I was welcomed in and loved. This time, I’m no longer so young but able to see far more clearly how rich and deep and strong love needs to be to stay true.
All the family was there today. Whiskey Creek, Six Pack, Moonshine, and Angel. Jaxi and Blake showed off their littlest one. At only a week old, Dane is adorable and the entire family was fawning over him. Rafe and Laurel shared with us the wonderful news that they’re expecting right around Christmas. I’m so excited for them. Rafe couldn’t stop grinning, holding Laurel as if she were precious.
Having the children here at the Wild Rose ranch house—with their children and all the rest of the family as well—was perfect. I’ve found a place to set down new roots so I can bloom as well.
I’m glad.
That the sadness is over, yes, but not that the sadness ever occurred. Because light and dark are both parts of our world, and while pain hurts, it teaches. The memory of sorrow reminds me to cherish every moment of the sweet goodness I now have.
Also, somewhere along the way, I seem to have lost the thread of what these pages are supposed to be about, and it looks as if I’m sharing a diary update. But Mark (and Laurel, and Jaxi, and Marion!) have all assured me that the idea behind the memory book has changed over the past year. It’s become a living memento of what’s important. What’s happening now, and in the future—it will all get recorded in some way.
But for this, my first chance to add to the story, I want to affirm that family is laughter and tears. Sometimes you get more of one than the other, but if you hope and pray and dream hard enough, in the end, love wins.
Love wins.
I hope you enjoyed this story for Mark and Dana and all the Coleman clan. Thanks so much for reading, and if you do have a few minutes to leave a review for others, I’d appreciate it.
There’s also audio for this series.
At this point, I’m returning my attention to the new adventures happening in Heart Falls. The next book to read in chronological order is Book 4 in the Stones of Heart Falls in A RANCHER’S LOVE. After years of traveling and taking care of herself, Ginny needs to re-find her place in the family. She expected to have to deal with balancing her hard-won independence and her brothers’ protectiveness. She did not expect an annoying, bullheaded, irritatingly sexy newcomer to the ranch who’s constantly under her feet and getting under her skin.
If you have not yet ventured over to Heart Falls, WELL NOW! Have I got some exciting news for you!!! Start with A RANCHER’S HEART, Heart Falls Book 1, and you’ll find out exactly what happened to Tamara Coleman after she left Rocky Mountain House to be the nanny for a grumpy, growly rancher with two wonderful, yet needy, little girls.