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

  Erica plopped down in the nearest chair, her head in her hands and sniffled.

  “What is it, Erica?” Jaclyn asked as she sat beside her, resting her arm gently on Erica’s shoulders.

  Erica looked up at the kind older woman, not wanting to disappoint her as much as she was devastated herself.

  “I made a mess of much more than just Mrs. Weston’s surprise. The snickerdoodles I made almost killed Rocky, and Randy—well, I tried to make it better. And it was so much better—really good, and I messed that up, too.”

  Jaclyn rested her hand on Erica’s arm. “Slow down, my dear,” she said as she handed Erica one of the pretty baby shower napkins for her to dry her eyes. “I’m not following you.”

  Erica gave her a run-down on the past two weeks—was it only two weeks?—since Randy had arrived, handsome as all get out in his uniform. Jaclyn frowned and nodded as she spoke.

  “Hm. I thought the fairies had this all sorted out. They’re never, ever wrong.”

  Erica sniffled once more and dabbed at her eyes. “They aren’t?”

  “Well, they never have been before. Gorgeous George even called a meeting of the gnomes. They’re rooting for you, too. They’re re-evaluating their strategy.”

  Erica sat and watched Jaclyn smile sweetly at her, then move on to greet the guests that were now arriving. Jaclyn lingered a bit with Dani, who’d arrived in a beautiful white dress and was all smiles. She waved at Erica and she was able to return the wave but not the smile and she realized that regardless of what the fairies knew, she knew herself that Randy would be leaving, and there was nothing she could do about it.

  She resigned herself to her fate—losing her heart to someone who could never be hers—and decided that maybe the best way to move forward was to just pack memories of Randy away with the rest of them. She squared her shoulders one more time and reached for the basket, determined that Belinda’s baby shower would be the best ever.

  Chapter 18

  The door slammed and Randy’s blood rushed through his ears as he set out toward the cafe. He walked for hours after Chad tried to talk sense into him, babbling to Rocky about all the reasons why he couldn’t—shouldn’t—leave the Army, couldn’t stay at River’s End Ranch.

  Rocky listened politely but had no good advice, and by the time Randy circled the lake and was back at the ranch, all of his arguments why he should leave, to leave Erica and the Ranch, seemed completely indefensible.

  He’d finally met someone he loved—yes, he knew he loved her—and he told Rocky so.

  “Rocky, I know we’ve loved being in the Army. It’s been our life. But sometimes, things happen that we didn’t get to plan. Does that mean we should just ignore them?”

  He was sitting on a rock by the lake when he asked that particular question, and while Rocky didn’t answer, Indy came by at that exact moment and off the two went. It took Randy at least half an hour to get Rocky’s attention and lead the two back toward the cabins.

  “Guess we both have it pretty bad,” Randy said as he opened the door of Chad and Emma’s cabin. He walked over to the wall with his medals that he hadn’t looked at even once since he’d been there. He was so busy taking care of Rocky and falling in love with Erica—there it was again, falling in love—and that part of his life that was truly actually recent felt very far away.

  He ran through the memories of how he acquired each service medal, and they were all good ones, important ones even if the outcome wasn’t pleasant and he knew he’d done a good job for his country, for his fellow soldiers. It had changed him, molded him as a man. One he hoped Erica could love and trust.

  His mind made up, he glanced at his watch. The baby shower would have to be about over by now, and since he was leaving at first light and taking Rocky with him, now was his only chance to tell her how he felt. No matter what she said—and he was pretty positive he knew what that would be as she’d been pretty clear with him before—he had to say it. Out loud, and to her. Not Chad. Not Rocky. He had to tell her.

  He arrived at the cafe just as the guests were filing out. Most of them, anyway. It looked like the Weston family was still inside, and he’d met most of them in his time at the ranch. He looked through the window and Belinda Weston was all smiles as her hand rubbed her tummy. Erica had mentioned that they were having the weekly Weston Sunday dinner right after the shower and he nodded to the Weston men as they arrived and entered the cafe, Wyatt hugging his wife as she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the stack of baby gifts. He thought maybe Wyatt looked a little pale, but didn’t know him well enough to be positive.

  He paused for a moment and watched Erica help clean up, throwing empty cake plates and torn wrapping paper into a trash bag as she made the rounds of the tables. He stiffened when their eyes met, and although she smiled, the sadness in her eyes gutted him. He had to make this right. He just had to.

  He jerked his thumb toward the door and wiggled his eyebrows, glad that she laughed. She set down the trash bag and headed for the door.

  “Hey,” she said as she stepped out onto the wooden porch.

  “Hey,” he replied. “How did the shower go?”

  Erica leaned around him and looked in the big cafe windows with a smile. “It was great. Truly great. Belinda was happy and Dani was pleased, so I guess we did a good job. I’m pretty sure several people complimented the bows,” she said as she rested her hand on his. “Thank you for helping me.”

  “I don’t believe you, but you’re welcome,” he said, and they were silent for a moment before he realized he needed to up his game. It was now or never.

  “Would you like some cake? There’s some left over.” She leaned against the railing along the porch, and his stomach fluttered. He was running out of time.

  “No. No cake, thank you. I need to tell you something. Well, ask you something. Or tell you something,” he said, his words all rushed together. After all the combat he’d seen, how could telling the girl of your dreams that you love her be so hard? Not knowing what she would say had him almost tongue-tied.

  He pushed away from the railing he’d been leaning against as well and stood in front of her.

  “Erica, I need to tell you something. You don’t need to do anything but listen.”

  “Randy, what is it? Is Rocky all right?” she asked immediately as she reached for his hand and looked around for the German Shepherd.

  He held her hand, and it seemed to make it easier. “No, no, Rocky’s fine. It’s about me.”

  She stepped forward, her green eyes showing her alarm. “What? Are you all right?”

  “Yes. Well, no. No, I’m not all right. I should have said this days ago, when we lost Rocky. I knew then, and—I’m just going to say it now. Erica, I love you. I’ve known for a while, and I just couldn’t leave tomorrow without saying it out loud.”

  Erica gently pulled back her hand and looked down at her red cowboy boots. She took in a deep breath and looked in the window of the cafe, and over toward the Old West town.

  It was killing him, but he didn’t want to rush her. He held his breath and shoved his hands in his pockets.

  His heart split wide open when she looked up at him, the fading light reflecting in her green eyes.

  “I love you, too,” she said softly. “I’ve known for a while also, but what’s the point of saying all this when you’re leaving. Tomorrow.” She took another look in the window of the cafe. “And I can’t go with you.”

  In all the hours he walked, he’d only let himself entertain a glimmer of hope that she might love him, too. And that she might change her mind and marry him, be his wife, travel with him—or raise their family stateside. But he knew even if she did love him, she couldn’t do that. And he wouldn’t ask that of her because—well, because he loved her and wanted her to be happy.

  As he looked into her eyes, though, the flicker of hope grew. He didn’t know how he would pull it off, and he didn’t want to get her hopes up now, but somehow, he’d make it right.
Somehow, even if he had to leave the service, they would be together. They had to be.

  He reached for her hands and held them in his. “I never thought I’d say this, but if we love each other, we can make this work.”

  “I don’t see how,” she said as a tear spilled over and trickled down her cheek.

  He couldn’t bear to see her cry, and at the same time he wanted to shout from the rooftops that she loved him. He pulled her close and kissed the tear away before wrapping her in his arms. He might have to let her go for a while, but he’d make it right.

  “I have no right to ask anything from you right now. But will you to trust me? I’ll make this work. I’ll figure something out. Will you wait for me?”

  She drew in a breath and took a step back. He could see it in her eyes—the love, the respect, the desire to say yes and he willed her with every bone in his body to just trust him, just for a little bit.

  She stepped forward and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him almost fiercely and he never wanted to let her go.

  “Yes. I’ll wait for you,” she said and it was like music to his ears.

  He rested his forehead on hers, but they took a step apart as Dani and Mrs. Weston stepped onto the porch and they couldn’t help but hear the conversation.

  “Mom, I love you, but I asked you to stay out of it.”

  “Sweetheart, what’s a few Chinese lanterns? And Macadamia nuts.”

  Dani laughed as she hugged her mother. “Lavender Chinese lanterns, Mom. I hate lavender.”

  “Well, it’ll be just fine,” Mrs. Weston said as she headed back into the cafe where all the Westons were gathered for Sunday supper. All of the shower guests had gone and it was just family remaining.

  Dani kissed her mom on the cheek and turned to Erica.

  “Deploy contingency plan, my friend. Deploy,” she said as she winked at Erica and Randy and marched back into the cafe, her white dress swaying behind her.

  Randy raised his eyebrows and turned to Erica. “What was that all about?”

  Erica smiled and winked at him, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “It’s about all of us getting the happily ever after we want, on our own terms,” she said as she dialed Pastor Kevin’s phone number.

  Randy’s eyebrows rose as Erica explained how she helped Dani and Travis get their marriage licenses early, as Dani had a sense that something might go wrong. Or it might be too stressful, or she just might want to elope, after all. And how she’d laid out her plan to Erica, what she needed to do if the time came. When Dani found the lavender Chinese lanterns, it was pretty much all over.

  Kevin arrived within minutes, and Randy and Erica followed him in. His heartbeat quickened as he watched the quick ceremony, and he wasn’t sure if Mrs. Weston’s tears were of joy or frustration, but Kelsi stood up for Dani and it was met with applause from the entire Weston family at the end of the brief service.

  Travis looked as happy as Dani, and as the family miles around, Randy pulled Erica back outside.

  “That’s what I want for us someday,” he whispered in her ear before he kissed her once more.

  “Me, too,” she said as she tightened her arms around him.

  “Thank you for trusting me. I promise, everything will be all right.”

  Chapter 19

  Erica was on pins and needles ever since Randy and Rocky left, and it was agony. She almost jumped out of her skin when Emma came by and said she’d gotten a call from Randy’s base and asked if she could Skype with him after work at six o’clock.

  She wrung her hands as she set up her Skype and waited for his call. Six o’clock came and went, and she thought she’d dissolve into tears if he didn’t call soon.

  Her computer dinged and she answered, her heart fluttering when his handsome face came into view.

  “Hey, darling,” he said when the connection took. “You look gorgeous.”

  She shook her head at his wide smile, and she could see a tail wagging behind his chair.

  “You look great, too. Nice to see you in uniform again,” she said, hoping he had some good news for her.

  “I’d ask if you’re sitting down, but I can see you are,” he said as he reached down and picked up a piece of paper, holding it up to the screen.

  “What’s that?” she said, squinting to try to see better.

  He set it back down and smiled even wider. “It’s my transfer orders.”

  Her breath caught in her throat.

  “Transfer papers? Where to?” Her hands trembled while she waited for his response. Even though part of her thought it might not work out, hope filled most of her heart.

  “To the Army Reserves. In Idaho. Part time, and I can be based out of River’s End Ranch.”

  Her breath rushed out of her as she sat back in her chair, and as her breathing steadied, she reached out to him, her fingertips on the screen. He matched hers and closed his eyes, and it almost felt as real as when he’d held her in his arms and kissed her for the first time, when she’d felt so loved by him.

  She was still over the moon, swiping at her tears when he’d put the cherry on top of the sundae.

  “Hang on. Somebody wants to say hello.” He called Rocky over to him and the big German Shepherd had placed his front paws in Randy’s lap before giving him a big lick on the cheek.

  “Ew, was that necessary?” he asked the dog, and they both laughed. Watching on her computer screen, Randy turned to the camera and leaned his forehead on Rocky’s.

  “Rocky’s been retired, not quite fit for overseas service.” He rubbed the dog behind his ears and in the background, Erica could see his tail wagging furiously.

  “Oh,” she said quietly. “Who gets to take him? Where will he go?”

  “Sit, boy,” he said to Rocky, and after Rocky did, he turned back to the camera.

  “How would you feel if he were to come back to River’s End Ranch with me? And be our dog?”

  Erica’s head spun. She jumped up and clapped, spinning right around before she heard Randy say, “Erica? I can’t see you. Is that a yes?” with a laugh.

  “Yes, yes and yes,” she said as she sat back down and pulled her chair back toward the computer. She was so happy that she actually kissed the screen and Randy laughed, kissing his screen in return.

  “Don’t get all silly on me,” he teased her. “But gosh, I can’t tell you how much I want to hold you in my arms.”

  “Same here. How long do I have to wait?” she asked as she leaned forward, anxious to see as much of his face as possible.

  “Believe it or not, just a week. Rocky and I leave day after tomorrow.”

  Chapter 20

  Randy tugged at his uniform as he and Rocky boarded Frank’s helicopter for the last leg of his trip to River’s End Ranch. His final trip.

  He wouldn’t be wearing his uniform as much as a reservist and he wondered how that would feel. It certainly was a weird feeling when he’d been on leave—only two weeks ago, but it seemed like a lifetime now.

  “You couldn’t let it go, could you?” Frank mentioned as they soared above the lake and through the mountain passes. “Or let her go, I should say.”

  Randy returned his smile and nodded. Frank was right. He couldn’t let go of the Erica or the ranch.

  And now he was on his way back. He reached into his pocket and gripped the velvet box with his mother’s ring in it. Never in a million years did he expect Chad would turn him down and that in a matter of a month, he’d be using it himself to propose to the love of his life.

  Rocky sat on the seat beside him, eagerly looking out the window, his tongue lolling lazily. Even though he hadn’t been able to stay in military service, he’d sure come back to life, and Randy laughed as Rocky’s nose pressed on the window of the helicopter at every bird that he saw in the distance. He’d be thrilled to see Indy, too, and hopefully he could just be a dog for a while, and move on past Jacob.

  As the helicopter slowed and began its descent to River’s End Ranch, Randy
pressed his own nose to the glass when he spotted Erica—his beautiful Erica—and his heart swelled. Indy ran in circles at his feet and he instinctively reached out to pet Rocky.

  “We’re home, boy. Finally home.”

  * * *

  “Over here, Indy,” Erica said as her stomach fluttered. Indy tore out from the underbrush she was pillaging when the chopper blades sounded, and Erica thought they both just might have paced a hole in the tarmac while she waited.

  She shielded her eyes from the sun as the speck grew bigger, knowing that Frank had things under control and was bringing Randy back home—home to her, where he belonged. Home to River’s End Ranch.

  “I think we’ll just wait here for you two,” Emma said with a wink when Erica jumped up after looking at her watch, and Dani tossed her the keys to the golf cart with a nod. She’d met Chad and Emma for breakfast and they’d all planned to go the helipad together, but they eyed her untouched breakfast, and probably noticed her check her watch for the umpteenth time when they announced she should go on her own.

  She drove slowly to the helipad, with Indy chasing close behind. Rocky and Indy had been pretty much inseparable, and while Will was a little sad about it, Ellie seemed a bit grateful that Indy had some company besides her—and she was neck deep in preparations for her own newcomer along with the summer aquatics activities. Erica was actually grateful for the company, keeping her mind off of the worry she couldn’t help but hold in her heart until Randy came back—knowing that it wouldn’t lift until she was in his arms again.

  Two weeks had never gone so slowly for Erica—more slowly even than when she knew what the presents were under the tree at Christmas and she couldn’t open them, when time stretched out forever. This—this was something even better. The man she loved was coming home to her, and the family they’d both always avoided, yet wanted with all of their hearts, would be theirs. With each other.