Chapter 26

A glorious sunset of orange and purple streaked the western horizon as they all sat around the campfire outside White Horse's lodge that evening. Steps Right sat as the special guest of honor, with Faith on one side and White Horse on the other. Rosie sat on his left. It was becoming so natural to see the two of them together. Their lingering gazes didn't catch her off-guard anymore.

She hadn't had a chance to ask June or Lorelei whether they knew anything about Rosie's feelings. Too much had happened that day. When Lorelei and Tanner arrived with Ol' Henry and Dragoon, there had been another round of introductions and tears, and they'd begun preparing for this celebration meal.

Faith eyed Lorelei, who sat on Rosie's left across the fire. She looked radiant, and even had a little bump beneath her dress, though it couldn't be seen the way she sat now. Tanner had his arm braced beside her, giving her something to lean against. He took such good care of Lorelei, adoring her the way she deserved. Faith couldn't imagine a better choice for her sweet sister.

Juniper had found her perfect match too. Apparent now as Riley stood behind his wife, bouncing their overly tired toddler to distract her so Juniper could stay seated with the group. Currently, she'd settled next to Will, peppering him with questions about his time in the west. She'd already done the same with Grant, hearing his retelling of their travels to find Steps Right. Faith had told her sisters the details as they were cooking that afternoon, but they would likely be sharing memorable moments for days to come.

When Will finished answering Juniper's latest question, June glanced around the fire at the group. Faith caught her gaze, and her sister's warm smile eased any lingering tension in her chest. It was so good to be home, surrounded by those who loved her.

Juniper's focus shifted to Rosemary, and a look passed between them. Faith's heart picked up speed. Rosie's glance darted to Steps Right, then she stood and moved back out of the circle of firelight. Was this the moment?

When she and her sisters had gathered this afternoon for her to give the full report of her journey, Rosemary had asked them all if they'd like to present the beads to Steps Right this evening, if the time seemed right. Could there be a moment more perfect than this gathering of friends under the wide expanse of the starry sky?

Rosie returned to the firelight, but this time crouched beside Steps Right. White Horse scooted over so she could settle where he'd been beside his mother. Steps Right regarded her, watching with interest.

Rosemary held the leather pouch in her hands, the one that had hung around Faith's neck for weeks. The one that had somehow ended up in Grant's saddlebag, bringing him back to her on the day she needed him most.

As though he could feel her thoughts, or maybe because her fingers brushed against his trousers, his hand closed around hers, strong and steady. His grip settled her, and she tightened her hold on him.

The entire group had quieted, and Rosie looked at each of their sisters—Juniper, then Lorelei, then her—before turning back to Steps Right.

Her voice came strong as she focused on the woman. "You once found our father, injured on the plain and near death. You stayed with him, caring for him until help could come. Because of your kindness, he lived to come home to us. To help his daughters grow." Her gaze slid to Faith for a half second as the corners of her mouth tipped. "One of his daughters would never have been born, had you not saved his life."

Faith couldn't help her own smile. In more ways than one, she wouldn't be here without this special woman.

Rosie's fingers slipped into the opening of the pouch in her lap, pulling out the string of blue crystal beads. She raised them to hang from her left hand, then draped them over her right so she extended the necklace like the gift of the magi.

"You gave this to our father that night on the plain, and he told you stories of his family, a story for each bead in this necklace. He would not have lived that night without your care and the hope you gave him through the beads of this necklace."

Steps Right's eyes had begun to glisten, and Rosie's voice softened as she continued. "Three years ago, as my sisters and I were gathered around him during his final moments on this earth, our father asked us to bring the beads back to you so they could be reunited with the other strands passed down through your family's generations. We're honored to finally accomplish this. But even more than that, we're honored to know you and your son."

A few tears had slipped past Faith's defenses as she listened, and now her blurry vision made her nearly miss the way Rosemary turned to look at White Horse, just for a moment.

Steps Right took the beads from Rosie, then gathered them in one hand and used her free one to reach out and clasp Rosie's fingers. When she spoke, though, she used her Peigan tongue, speaking a string of words to White Horse.

His voice came deeper, softer, as he interpreted. "My mother thanks you for bringing the beads. But she is more thankful for you, her daughters."

Steps Right's eyes smiled as she looked from Rosie on her left to Faith on her right, then to Lorelei and Juniper. She still gripped Rosie's hand, and quietly, she placed the bead necklace in her lap and reached for Faith's also.

As Steps Right's warm palm pressed against her own, Faith gave a gentle squeeze back. Through tears of joy, she let her gaze roam the group of people she loved. Steps Right, her sisters and the men special to them, her niece, their friends. And Grant.

He held her gaze as his thumb stroked the back of her hand. His eyes said everything she needed to know about the depth of his affection.

Thankfulness welled in her so rich and full, new tears slipped down her cheeks, following the curves of her smile. Father in heaven, your goodness is far better than I could have imagined.

When the fire had died down, Grant helped Faith carry the food and dishes that had come from the main cabin, while the others worked through the smaller details to ensure everyone settled in for the night. He and Will had already pitched a tent, as had Dragoon and Ol' Henry. White Horse had made a place for his mother in his lodge, and the rest would sleep in the two cabins.

The day had been so full, arriving at the ranch and meeting all the people who meant so much to her. She was loved abundantly, as he'd known she must be. But what continued to catch him by surprise was how easily they welcomed him in as one of them. Maybe because he'd already met Rosemary and she'd allowed him to come.

He'd expected to have to prove himself to her other sisters and their husbands, as he'd had to with White Horse and Rosemary already. But their focus had mainly been on Steps Right and on Faith, as it should have been.

When he set the last empty crate on the stack under the counter in their kitchen, Grant turned to Faith in the dim light of the cabin she and Rosie shared. "Are you too tired for a walk under the stars?"

He hadn't planned to ask that. She was likely exhausted. But he wasn't ready to leave her yet, even for the night.

She smiled and slipped her hand into his, weaving their fingers together in the intimate way she did sometimes. "I would love that."

As they left the cabin, he turned them toward the river and kept to an easy stroll. The water seemed a natural place for the two of them.

Faith must have felt the same way, for she leaned into his arm. "Why is it you and I always find ourselves near a river when we're together?"

He couldn't help a little teasing. "I suppose you just like being rescued."

She straightened and sent him a look that made his blood heat. "Not hardly."

He chuckled, forcing his body to ignore its impulses. "I well know you can fend for yourself, Miss Collins." He tapped her chin, though touching her proved dangerous. "As I recall, you had to rescue me once or twice also."

Her smile flashed up at him as she kept moving toward the river.

They might always joke about their first meeting, but he loved having so many memories with her. Some thrilling, some that made him smile, and a few he'd rather not relive. He'd always treasure every one.

And speaking of treasures . . . He reached into his pocket and fingered the smooth stone he'd placed there. As they reached the river's edge and listened to the gentle murmur of the flow, he pulled out the stone and held it out to Faith. "I brought you something. From the pool beneath the waterfall where we found Steps Right."

She reached tentatively toward the stone but paused before touching it and looked up at Grant, her eyes hopeful. Did she realize what he meant by it? He'd not expected her to make the connection until he told her, but Faith was so intuitive.

He swallowed. "A memory stone. You said you lost the rocks you collected with your mother. I thought you might want to start a new collection."

Her eyes stayed on his face as he talked, as though reading each word he spoke in his eyes. Her expression shifted from wonder to pleasure, and without breaking her gaze, she closed her fingers around the stone in his hand.

"Grant." She lifted it up, nearly to eye level so she only had to glance sideways to admire it. "This is perfect." Her voice held so much joy, it drew out his own grin.

"I hoped you'd think so."

She leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips. Just a single, gentle caress, and he had to hold himself perfectly still to keep from wrapping her close and deepening the kiss like everything in him wanted to.

But out here under the stars, so far from her family, she was too much temptation. She deserved for him to be strong.

As she pulled away and turned to the river, he scrambled to make his mind work. He had to find something that would distract his insides. He inhaled a deep breath, then let it out as he lifted his gaze upward.

A familiar sparkle winked down from above. He pointed to the sky. "See those four stars that form a W? They make up the constellation Cassiopeia."

Her teeth flashed in a smile far more appealing than even the stars. "I see it. What's her story?"

Well, that would provide a good distraction. "She was kind of a vain woman, but her daughter's tale is the one you'll probably like. Princess Andromeda was tied to a stone in the ocean when she was attacked by a sea monster."

Her eyes widened. "Who tied her there?"

He shrugged. "That's not really important." And not something suitable for polite conversation. He slid a look her way as he made his tone more dramatic. "What matters to Princess Andromeda is that a brave and valiant warrior named Perseus came along just in time. He fought off the monster and saved the beautiful princess."

She gave him a coy look. "Oh really? Just in time, huh? And how did she reward him for rescuing her?"

Grant turned to face her, drawing her close. She came willingly, and he wrapped his hands around her waist, settling them at the small of her back. "Well, rumor has it she bestowed a kiss on him under the stars. And they lived happily ever after."

She pressed her palms flat against his chest. She could probably feel the way his heart raced under her touch. "They did? Did that kiss go something like this?" She reached up and tipped his chin down with her thumb, then brushed her warm lips across his. She pulled back the tiniest bit, then lingered with a fingertip of space between them. Her breath mingled with his ... far too much temptation.

He moved his hands from her back, pulling back so he could place his hands over hers. He cupped his fingers around hers, lifting them so he could kiss their tips. "Faith, you're far too much temptation for me. And I want to do this right."

She met his gaze, her mouth curving again even as she put another handsbreadth of space between them. "Is that better?"

He eased out his breath and nodded. Only a little, but he didn't want to frighten her. He would protect her—cherish her—with his last ounce of strength.

As she held his gaze, he did his best to find a way to tell her that. "I love you, Faith Collins."

Her eyes glistened. "And I love you, Grant Allen."

Then she stepped closer and laid her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped her in his arms again. Holding her. Relishing the peace of her in his arms.

Thank you, Lord, for this woman.

When he'd come west, he'd thought all he wanted was to find Will. But God had understood the true desires of his heart, far more than he'd known himself. The Lord had given him abundantly more than Grant had asked for, proving Himself trustworthy over and over.

Lord willing, he and Faith would have a lifetime to see what other surprises their Father had in store for them.