Chapter Thirty-Three

I t took a month of working asset forfeiture before Marks allowed Ridge out of the dungeon and another three weeks before she approved the vacation time he needed to take Kendall out west.

"What if they don't like me?" Kendall had asked during the flight. He'd been a nervous wreck since they'd woken up that morning. "Two weeks is a long time to be trapped with someone you don't like."

"They already adore you." His mother had texted Ridge a photo of the Christmas stocking she'd knitted for Kendall not long after he returned from Texas. He'd thought about showing it to Kendall to ease his nerves but didn't want to ruin his mother's surprise. Instead, Ridge lifted his hand and kissed it. "Everything will be fine."

His parents met them at the airport, and Cheryl Dandridge practically elbowed him out of the way so she could envelop Kendall in her arms and squeeze him tight.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you." They'd been texting and chatting on the phone for weeks, which was why Kendall's nervousness was so cute.

"Me too," Kendall replied, pulling back from the hug. He extended his hand to Ridge's dad, but Mitchell Dandridge wasn't having any part of that. He hugged Kendall and kept his arm around his shoulders as he led them out of the terminal.

"I'm going to want him back," Ridge said grumpily.

His mother giggled and looped her arm through Ridge's. "If you think we're bad, wait until Sierra gets a hold of him."

The next two weeks were the best of Ridge's life. Montana was on the precipice of fall, and the leaves were still flirting with the idea of changing colors. Though the temperatures dipped lower than what Kendall was accustomed to, he loved sipping coffee while sitting in one of the chairs Gemma had painted. Ridge usually found his mom sitting in the one beside him, a look of contentment on her face as they quietly watched the sunrise. Kendall took to ranch life and camping much easier than even Ridge had anticipated. Kendall had especially loved sharing a sleeping bag with him. He'd been nervous around the animals at first but quickly caught on to their eccentric personalities, and he especially liked Gus, the goat who thought he was a dog. Kendall loved sipping spiced cider or mulled wine by the fireplace as they played hours of board games. He'd started out laid-back, but it only took a few days before the Dandridges' competitive personalities rubbed off on him.

"He's one of us now," Dad had said one night after Kendall trounced them in Monopoly.

"Yeah, he is." One day, it would be in name too.

And his mom had been right. Sierra and Kendall had become thick as thieves. They whispered, laughed, and danced like no one else was around.

"Stop pouting," Dad said the night before they were set to board a plane back to Georgia. "If you can't see how much that young man loves you, then you need to get your eyes checked."

"Yeah, he does." Kendall expressed his adoration with his actions, body, and words. "I'm going to marry him someday."

His dad slapped his shoulder. "I know you will."