Snickerdoodle Secrets (River's End Ranch Book 25) Read online

  He’d asked her to trust him, and she had—with every fiber of her being. She gave him her heart, and her love, and he left, just like her father always had. As she watched him drive away, part of her was afraid she’d never hear from him again, but she was never sorry that she’d put her faith him.

  And he’d delivered. Boy, had he delivered. She wasn’t sure how Dani had kept the secret all that time that she was so impressed with him and his assistance during her search and rescue training that she reached out to the Army Reserves in Northern Idaho, and it wasn’t until it was a done deal, after she’d to Randy, that Dani had even told her.

  Since then, it had been the longest week of her life, waiting for them to return. She wasn’t sure she’d slept much the entire time, and as the speck drew closer, she just knew that her life was beginning—right here, right now, at River’s End Ranch, with the man she loved.

  She stepped back as the helicopter touched ground, and she gave Frank a wave as the rotors slowed.

  As the door opened, Rocky bounded out and just about knocked her over.

  “Hey, boy,” she said as she rubbed behind his ears and gave him a big hug. “So glad to have you back.”

  Rocky lost interest in her immediately once he saw Indy, and the two of them circled each other like long lost companions.

  “What about me?” she heard from the helicopter door and she headed straight for her handsome soldier, still in uniform.

  He swept her in his arms and swung her around before setting her down, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

  She opened her eyes and looked into his, and she was flooded with memories of those eyes, those crinkles.

  “You came back to me,” she finally said quietly, after they’d waved to Frank as the helicopter lifted off.

  “I did. I told you I would. Thank you for trusting me.”

  “Honestly, there was never any doubt. I trusted you from the moment I met you, I’m sure of it.”

  “Well, that’s not quite how I remember it, but I’m glad you trusted me when it mattered most,” he said, and he reached for her hand.

  Erica reached up and placed her hand on his cheek and kissed him again. She wanted to kiss him yet again, but he cleared his throat and took a step back.

  “What is it?” she asked as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a velvet box.

  Her hand flew to her chest and she couldn’t breathe for a second. She’d assumed they’d get married—it was almost as if they already were a family—and she smiled that this would take her by surprise.

  “Erica, I’ve been on my own almost my whole life. I thought I wanted to be, until I met you and Rocky.”

  He opened the box and took out a beautiful, square-cut diamond and looked up. Their eyes met and she froze, aching to hear his next words.

  “This was my mother’s and Chad and Emma and I—and Rocky—want you to have it. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Erica gasped as he slipped the ring on her finger.

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Yes, yes and yes,” she said again, just like she had when he’d asked about bringing Rocky home. She couldn’t say yes enough times to this man, her soldier, who had promised never to walk away from her again.

  She kissed him again, but they both looked up as Frank circled above them and Randy saluted. He headed the helicopter out over the lake and Randy hugged her, stroking her hair as his eyes met here.

  “Good,” he said as he kissed her again. “I’m here to stay.”

  The End

  Look for Kirsten Osbourne’s Book 26 in the River’s End Ranch series, coming August 28!

  Special thanks to Amy Petrowich for convincing Jaclyn to give up her Snickerdoodle recipe for everyone. Enjoy!

  Jaclyn’s Snickerdoodle Recipe

  Ingredients:

  1-1/2 cups sugar

  1/2 cup BUTTER, softened

  1 teaspoon pure vanilla

  2 eggs

  2-3/4 cups flour

  1 teaspoon cream of tartar

  1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  2 tablespoons sugar

  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  AND a secret ingredient!

  1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (cookies are good without the nutmeg, but sooo good with it)

  Instructions:

  Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  Combine first four ingredients and mix well

  In separate bowl combine flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda. Then mix into creamed mixture. Blend well to avoid flour clumps!

  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

  Combine the 2 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon and nutmeg.

  Roll each dough ball in the sugar mixture and place on a cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Bake approximately 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet immediately and allow to cool.

  ENJOY warm or allow to cool. Serve with cold milk or hot beverage of your choice.

  These keep best in the refrigerator if they last more than a few minutes!!

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