“Mm-hmm. All I need is adress—”
“There are plenty of shops in Bozeman,”hesaid.
“Aweddingband—”
“I already boughttheset.”
“Flowers?” shechallenged.
“Mack can seem to pull them out ofhisa—”
“Whoa,” Carol held up her hand. “I’ll believe it when Iseeit.”
“You’ve never seen the Grant brothers in action. Together we can accomplish pretty much anything,” he said withpride.
“Well, let’s get my mom home and then we’ll figure out a real wedding date,”shesaid.
“Date’s tomorrow.” Hewinked.
“Okay, honey.” She rolled her eyes, but secretly she loved how eager he was tomarryher.
Their last few days together had solidified her decision to completely uproot her life and move to Montana. Hank had assured her that he’d take care of her. She never wanted to be the little woman at home, but when she’d declared that she still wanted to work, he’d said he’d support anything she wantedtodo.
As they left the hospital, sun streamed through the clouds. She couldn’t wait to get back to the ranch and introduce her mom to Hank’s other brothers. In addition to finally having a relationship with the daughter she’d given up, she was being welcomed into Hank’s family with open arms. Carol’s heart warmed as she helped her mom climb into the car. She never expected to find her mom, a husband, and a whole family inonetrip.
* * *
Carol hoppedout of the truck and helped her mom climb down. As they walked toward the front of the B & B, Hank pulled a suitcase out of the back seat. They’d stopped at the mall in Bozeman to get her mom some clothes. She’d left with nothing and said she never wanted to go back to Trevor’s, not even to get herclothes.
The front door opened and Madison walked out. “I saw you guys from the window. You made it just in time for lunch. I hope you like pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, and coleslaw. But if not, I can whip upsomethingelse.”
“That sounds good,” Carol said before realizing she had no idea what her mom liked to eat. She could be a vegetarian for all she knew. “Uh, Mom, you eat meat,right?”
“Are you kidding? I’m a meat and potatoes kinda girl. What you fixed up sounds damn good after all that hospital food. If I never see another cup of applesauce, it will be too soon,” hermomsaid.
“No applesauce today,”Madisonsaid.
“I hope you don’t mind me lookin’ so beat up. I can eat up in the room if you want,” hermomsaid.
“Are you kidding?” Madison asked with a smile. “You’re family now. I heard your daughter stole my brother-in-law’s heartthisweek.”
“Snatched it up like a fat kid in a candy store,” hermomsaid.
“That’s about how it happened.” Hank laughed. “By the way, Carol said she’d marry me if I could throw together a wedding bytomorrow.”
“Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve,”Madisonsaid.
“I told him it’s impossible,”Carolsaid.
“Impossible, hmm?” Madison’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “When I first arrived on the ranch, Mack thought teaching me to cook would be impossible, but look atmenow.”
“Shecancook a mean pot roast,”Hanksaid.
“Yep, and I only caught the kitchen on fire once,” Madison said withagrin.
“You caught the kitchen on fire?” Carolasked.
“Just ask Mack, he’ll tell you all about it,”Madisonsaid.
