Epilogue

Reba

Six months later…

Charlo, MT—the Viking Ranch

Reba was looking through bridal magazines with Lainey and Shane's mother, Mary, while Shane and Rick were getting Ragnar into the trailer for his next big date.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to make you wear this." Lainey flashed a picture of a truly ugly bridesmaid dress.

"Good," Reba said. "Because I'd hate to get called away on an emergency on your wedding day."

"We could have a double wedding," Mary said. She had stopped dropping subtle hints a few months ago.

"No," Reba said. "Lainey and Rick deserve their own day."

"It's just that Bill and I will be moving to Florida, and it'll be difficult to come back here for a while."

"You'll be back once the weather sticks at a hundred degrees for a few months," Shane said, coming up on the porch. He leaned down to give Reba a thorough kiss.

"I don't think it gets that hot on the water," Mary said.

"Don't worry. We'll give you plenty of notice when we decide to get married," Reba said. She exchanged an amused look with Shane. They had already decided on a date next year, but they didn't want to steal the attention away from Lainey and Rick's wedding. They were going to wait until after the new couple was back from their honeymoon before making an official announcement. Dolly had already figured it out, but swore she wouldn't say a word.

"Come in the kitchen with me," Shane said, taking her hand and lifting her up from her seat.

"He can make his own damned sandwich," Mary called after them.

"I don't think that's what he's looking for," Lainey said dryly.

In the kitchen, they were alone and took the opportunity to share more sweet kisses. When the front door banged, they sprang apart, and Reba made a show of opening the refrigerator door and was rummaging through it by the time Shane's father came in.

"Can I make you a sandwich, Bill?" Reba asked.

"I wouldn't say no to a roast beef and onion one."

"You got it." She made them all one, minus the onion for her and Shane in case there was more kissing in the near future.

She and Shane took their sandwiches into the living room and sat on the couch. "Dolly called me today," she said. "She wanted me to know that Victor Lance finally confessed to doping up Sverre. The UPRC fired him and they're pressing charges. They have the evidence on him, dead to rights. He's claiming that he acted alone. My boss, Diane, wasn't involved at all apparently."

"What about Jackson Blevins?"

"He skated clean, too, but Dolly thinks there's something else going on. Nash is going to stick around for another season. Dolly is losing her mind because she has to create a buzz around him and, well, he still sucks. LeAnn suggested that he head over to Trent Campbell's school at the Three Sisters Ranch in Last Stand, Texas during the off-season."

"It couldn't hurt," Shane said. "Did Victor Lance say why he drugged my bull? Was it just my bull?"

"Yeah, it was just Sverre. He said he was placing bets on the outcome."

"I'll have to talk to a few lawyers and see if we can sue the pants off him," Shane said, after chewing thoughtfully a few times.

"That's a far cry from wanting to kill someone for whipping your bull," Reba said.

"Did he do that, too?"

"Not that he said, but I wouldn't put it past him."

"Speaking of shitty people and the things that they do, has Dolly told you about Dr. Kilgore yet?" Shane asked.

Reba cocked her head at him. "No, what did that asshole do now?"

Shane rubbed his hands together in glee. "I can't believe I know something before Dolly."

"Don't get used to it," she said dryly.

"Lou Porter told me that not only will the Kilgore Ranch not be a supplier to the UPRC, but a certain veterinarian lost his license."

"Are you teasing me?" Reba said, shock and joy warring with her. "It's not April Fools' Day is it?"

"Nope. It seems when Shelby Miller did a little digging, she found that one of his current vet techs, Penny Markson, has also filed a complaint against him. Penny was on the verge of withdrawing it when Shelby told her in confidence that it wasn't Dr. Kilgore's first time."

"I know Penny," Reba said. "Well, not really. I talked to her awhile back. She gave me a coupon for Starshine's feed for Ronnie. It never occurred to me that he was still doing that shit. I suppose it should have."

"Well, now that Penny is standing firm on her complaint, three other women came forward. He's history."

Reba closed her eyes as tears threatened. Chuck Kilgore would never practice again and, hopefully, he'd never be able to hurt any other women again. At any rate, the world now knew him for the shit-heel he was. Vindication should have felt sweet, but while she was relieved, she was sad it had gone on as long as it did.

"That's great news," she said, holding his hand tightly.

"Did Diane mention hiring anyone to replace Victor?"

"The last time I talked to her was at the final rodeo of the season. I'm sure she'll have someone by the time the UPRC starts up again."

"At least, you'll get your job responsibilities back," Shane said.

"It'll do until after the wedding," she said. "Then I think I'll stay here and help you out on the farm."

"Really?" Shane asked with a big grin.

"Really?" Bill said from the doorway in the kitchen.

Shane shook his head. "When are you moving to Florida again?" he asked his father.

"Not soon enough," Bill replied and popped back into the kitchen.

"You got that right," Shane muttered and slung his arm around her. "Are you sure you won't miss traveling from rodeo to rodeo?"

"I'll get that fix by riding with you when you go," she said. "Are you sure that you're done with bull riding?"

"More than done with it," he said. "All I want now is to build a new life with you and bull riding isn't a part of that."

"What about kittens?" she asked, sneaking a look over her shoulder at Bill who was still eavesdropping.

"No more kittens," Bill said.

Shane leaned in to kiss her. "All the kittens you want."

"I love you," Reba said.

"I love you, too."

The End