Chapter Twenty-One

~ Jos ~

I placed the last of the items I wanted to take with us on the back of the ATV and tied them down. I would have loved to take Miko for a horse ride, but I didn't want to leave the horses out in the cold overnight. The ATV was better.

Most everything I wanted to take was already in place, but we'd need food and supplies. We were just going overnight, but every little second spent with Miko needed to be savored. Times alone with him especially.

It had taken me and the others two months to get the cabin built by the lake, mostly because we had to work in shifts so we could hide it from Miko, but now it was complete. We'd even taken a note from Ethan Walker and put solar panels on the roof so we could have power.

I wanted it to be a surprise.

Once I was all done tying everything down, I walked back into the house. I wanted tonight to be perfect. Miko had been under so much stress since his First Uncle came to the States. He needed a little relaxation and I knew just what to do for him.

"We'll probably be back around lunch time tomorrow, Mrs. Gibbons. Are you sure you are okay watching Kouki?"

"It's no problem, Jos," Mrs. Gibbons replied. "Kouki and I are good friends. We'll be fine."

I hoped so. Miko would be devastated if anything happened to his dog.

I gave her a quick nod and then moved through the house to Monty's office. His door was open when I reached it, but he was on the phone. I walked over and sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk and then waited for him to get done with his phone call.

I was surprised when he reached down and put the phone on speaker and said, "Ken, I have Jos in the office with me. Can you repeat what you just said?"

"Hey, Jos."

I gave Monty a confused frown. "What's up, Ken?"

"I just got off the phone with that inspector from Japan. She wanted to let me know they wrapped up their investigation into Miko's uncle. That woman wasn't lying. He'll never see the outside of a prison again."

"Good, that will be one worry off Miko's mind."

"We were able to add a couple of charges to his American ticket," Ken continued. "When we searched the suite they had at the hotel in town, we found a bunch of wire and some pliers. Hazard a guess why they had those?"

"Why?" I asked because I was drawing a blank.

"Well, it seems Sato was paranoid. He rented that suite at the hotel with the plans to hide from Kaneko, except Kaneko found him and forced him to come here."

"I'm not making the connection, Ken."

"Kaneko knew Miko was in the area, but he didn't know where because Sato swore he didn't know. Knowing Miko's abilities with healing, I guess he figured to injure enough animals that Miko might pop up and he could find him."

My stomach churned with disgust. "That's sick."

"Well, it adds animal cruelty to his charges here in America, so if for some goddamn reason they release him, he can't come back here. He'd be picked up the second he set foot on American soil."

That wasn't a bad thing.

"Were there any more animal injuries besides the ones you mentioned awhile back?" I asked.

"None that have been reported to me."

Miko would be glad to hear it.

"Hold on a moment." The line went silence for a few minutes and then Ken came back on. "I got to go, guys. Ethan Walker just punched someone down at Ray's Market again for talking trash about Colby. If he keeps this up, I'm going to toss his ass in jail whether Cooper likes it or not. That man gives me more headaches than anyone in the county."

The line went dead before either Monty or I could say anything.

I just shook my head. I'd heard about some of the antics Ethan had gotten into and I wouldn't want Ken's job for love or money. There was a reason I was a rancher and not a deputy sheriff.

"Okay, Miko should be here any time," I told Monty. "As soon as he does, we'll be leaving. We should be back sometime tomorrow."

"Got your emergency phone on you?" Monty asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Dad."

"I don't want anything happening to our boy. He's suffered enough in his life. It's time for him to be happy."

"I aim to make him happy." I pulled a small black box out of my pocket and opened the lid, turning it to face Monty. "When we got married, we never exchanged rings. I want him to have that experience and I want everyone to know that he's mine."

"I'm pretty sure everyone knows, Jos."

Maybe, but this was an important step in our relationship. This was no longer a marriage of convenience. We were married now because we wanted to be and we needed to show that to the world.

"I hear a car," Monty said as he glanced toward the window. "Miko must be home."

I hated the times when he got called out by the Doc and I couldn't go, but I understood why he felt that he had to. He wanted to put his skills to use saving others, be they animals or people. That was just the type of person he was.

It both filled me with pride and made me frustrated.

Usually at the same time.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Monty."

Monty let out a chuckle. "Have fun."

I intended to.

I walked out of Monty's office and down the hallway, heading straight for the front door. I stepped outside just as Miko waved to the vet and started up the steps.

"Everything go okay?"

" Hai ." Miko beamed. "Mama cow and baby cow are just fine."

"Good." I held my hand out to him. Once he grabbed it, I pulled him in close and gave him a peck on the lips. "Ready for an adventure?"

"Adventure?" Miko's eyebrows lifted. "What sort of adventure?"

I wagged my eyebrows at him. "The fun kind."

I swung Miko up into my arms and carried him around the porch to the back steps where the ATV was waiting. After placing him on the back, I grabbed a helmet and fit it over his head, and then swung my leg over and settled in front of him.

"Hang on."

Miko's arms instantly wrapped around my waist.

I started the ATV and got us underway. Several ranch hands waved as we drove past them heading out into the open range. The ride took about an hour, but it would have been longer on horseback.

When we broke through the tree line and the lake came into view, I slowed the ATV. I wanted Miko to get the full effect.

"Are we going camping?"

"In a manner of speaking." I stopped the ATV and climbed off and then helped Miko off. After removing his helmet, I grabbed him by both arms and turned him to face me. "Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Close your eyes." Once Miko closed his eyes, I turned him again so he was walking in front of me, holding tightly to his arms so he didn't fall. "Keep them closed."

I walked Miko toward the cabin, stopping several feet away. "Okay, open your eyes."

I'd built the cabin in the same place we'd come for our picnic since he seemed to like that spot so much. He had been so happy here. I wanted him to always be able to come here and be happy.

I smiled when I heard Miko gasp. "Do you like it?"

"How?' Miko turned to look at me. "How did you get that here?"

"The guys helped me."

Miko turned back around to look at the small cabin. "We can use it?"

"It's ours," I replied. "We can come here whenever you like, just the two of us."

"Really?" Miko spun back around, a large grin on his face. "Just the two of us?"

"Yep."

Miko let out a laugh as he jumped into my arms. "I love you so much."

I hugged Miko as tight as I could without crushing his ribs. " Aishi te i masu ."

And now this was my happy place, too.

~ The End ~