Harlequin Desire February 2016 - Box Set 2 of 2
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Michelle Celmer
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Epilogue
One year later
As Jaron looked around the reception hall following the ground-breaking ceremony for the Hank Calvert Memorial Last Chance Ranch, he smiled. The turnout couldn’t have been better. Several politicians had shown up, as well as the head of the Texas foster-care system and most of her staff. There were also quite a few members of the media covering the event. Jaron wasn’t surprised. Hank had been well-respected for the difference he’d made in the lives of the kids most people had given up on as lost causes. Jaron hoped that the ranch he and his brothers were setting up for troubled youth carried on Hank’s legacy.
“It looks as though the ranch is well on its way to becoming a reality,” Sam said, checking the bottle he was giving to his new baby son.
Jaron nodded. “I think Hank would approve.”
“I know he would,” Lane said, setting his little boy on his feet to run over to his mother. “Hank would be proud to know the boys he saved from a life behind bars or an early grave were going to give other troubled kids the same chance he gave us.”
Nate patted his sleeping daughter’s back when she raised her head a moment before falling back to sleep. “Hank always told us to do something about it whenever we saw a need,” he added quietly to keep from disturbing the baby.
They all nodded a moment before Ryder’s groan drew their attention. “The smell of a clean shirt nauseates this baby the same as it did her big sister.”
“I think that’s true for all babies,” T.J. said, joining them. He was wearing a different shirt than the one he’d worn for the ground breaking. “Heather always puts an extra shirt in the diaper bag for me the same as she does for the boys.”
“Try keeping your shirt clean with twins,” Jaron said, laughing. “It’s just not going to happen.”
Nate grinned. “Since you always insisted that our babies would be boys and Mariah argued that they would be girls, it’s only fitting that you ended up with one of each.”
“Our family sure has grown a lot in the past few years,” T.J. said, looking around the reception hall.
“No kidding,” Sam agreed. “Between the six of us, we have ten kids.”
“And they’re all under the age of four,” Lane added.
Ryder laughed. “Who would have ever thought four years ago that we’d be standing around talking about babies instead of the merits of a Brahman cross over a purebred bucking bull?”
“Jaron, could you watch Alisa while I change Brett?” Mariah asked, pushing the stroller up beside him.
“No problem.” He waited until she picked up their smiling son, then kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, “Thank you, darlin’.”
“For what?” she asked, smiling back at him.
“You didn’t give up on me when you had every reason to,” he said, meaning it. “You and the kids are my world and I never want you to doubt how much I love all of you.”
“And we love you, cowboy.” The deep emotion he detected in her emerald eyes robbed him of breath.
“How would you like to head home and get the kids down for a nap as soon as you change our son’s diaper?” he asked, needing to show her how much he cherished her. “I’d really like to make love to their mother.”
“I like the way you think, cowboy.” She gave him a smile that sent his hormones into overdrive. “Let’s hope we can stay awake long enough for that.”
He laughed. “Yeah, that’s something we haven’t had a whole lot of lately.”
“We probably can’t count on much of that for another eighteen years or so,” Mariah said, grinning as she headed toward the ladies’ room to change their baby boy.
As he watched her disappear down the hall, Jaron couldn’t help but feel blessed. He had the love of a good woman, two beautiful babies and a band of brothers who had his back no matter what. And all because as a troubled kid he’d been lucky enough to be sent to the Last Chance Ranch.
* * * * *
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE TEXAN
Don’t miss a single novel in this series from USA TODAY bestselling author Kathie DeNosky! Running with these billionaires will be one wild ride.
HIS MARRIAGE TO REMEMBERA BABY BETWEEN FRIENDSYOUR RANCH...OR MINE?THE COWBOY’S WAY
PREGNANT WITH THE RANCHER’S BABY
All available now, only from Harlequin Desire!
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