Benjamin (21 page)

His sisters Olivia and Elizabeth would arrive at the ranch soon. They’d stayed with Rebecca last night rather than come to the Circle Eight because of the lack of space for their broods. It had been a while since he’d seen either of them. Having his entire family together for this type of occasion hadn’t happened in a year, since Rebecca had married Tobias.

Thoughts of his family swirled around his head and he nearly missed Matt standing inside the barn, leaning against his horse’s stall. As with most of their stock, Catherine had trained and raised Matt’s five-year-old gelding, Ocho. Ben had nearly forgotten his eldest brother always rode in the early morning before the rest of the family woke.

“Morning,” Matt greeted. “Big day.”

Ben managed a smile. “The biggest.”

“I like your Grace.”

“Me, too. She’s tough, beautiful, and I don’t deserve her.” Ben walked to Paladin’s stall. The horse greeted him by baring his teeth. He petted the great beast on the neck.

“We got word from the Rangers. Dominic and Bernadette were convicted and are in prison.” Matt grimaced. “From what I heard, he’s going to hang for his crimes.”

Ben was relieved more than anything. “And Bernadette?”

“She’s playing the poor old lady but with the women testifying against her, including a niece of the governor, she had no chance. She’ll never get out of prison.” Matt crossed his arms. “They can’t hurt us anymore.”

“Not unless we let them.” Ben blew out a breath. “I hope the state burns the compound to the ground.”

“I’ll see what I can do to make that happen.”

“Thanks, Matt.” Ben walked toward his horse’s stall while Matt went to his own gelding.

“You weren’t here when I married Hannah and I’m not sure I ever told you how it happened.” Matt spoke from Ocho’s stall.

“I heard the stories.”

“Not from me.” Matt paused. “I didn’t want to marry her. Hell, I didn’t even know her when I asked her to marry me. After Pa died, the six hundred acres the Republic promised him were mine to claim. When Nick and I went to the land office, we found out I had to be married to get them. I told them I was engaged and that her name was Hannah. The only problem was I didn’t have an intended bride and I sure as hell didn’t know anyone named Hannah. And I had thirty days to find her and marry her.”

Ben hadn’t heard this part of the story and hearing the emotion in his brother’s voice made him stop and listen. Intently.

“I was in town at the store not long after that when Caleb got knocked on his ass by a woman coming in the door. He was rude to her and I made him apologize. She had a voice like whiskey and when I touched her, it was like a lightning bolt ran through me. After she ran from the store, I found out her name was Hannah.” Matt chuckled. “I marched down there, met Granny Foley, and proposed to Hannah.”

“Just like that? Ten minutes after you met her?” Ben couldn’t imagine the courage required to ask a perfect stranger to marry him. Asking Grace had made him shake like a newborn calf, and that nearly was a month after he’d met her including being intimate several times.

“Yep, scariest moment of my life, and I fought in the war.” Matt chuckled as though talking about something funny. Asking a stranger to marry him was anything but amusing.

“Why did she say yes?”

This earned a laugh. “My handsome face wasn’t enough?”

“I don’t think so.” Ben snorted.

“She was twenty-three and an orphan who’d depended on her ailing Granny since she was seven. Marrying me gave her a home, a place for Granny to live, and security for the future.”

Ben saw the logic in Hannah’s decision but he was confused by it. “I always thought you loved each other.”

“We do. It took some time to get to know each other. Plus there were the young’uns underfoot. Your brothers and sisters weren’t angels.” Matt stepped into Paladin’s stall. “You and Grace might not have had a customary courtship, but that’s true of all us Grahams. We seem to find the most difficult path possible and fall in love somewhere along the way. I think she’s perfect for you.”

Ben nodded. “I’m not going to be the easiest husband, but I’m gonna try my damnedest.”

“Me, Caleb, and Nick want to help build a house for the three of you on the other side of Caleb and Rory’s place. We’ve got time before winter hits.” Matt paused. “Unless you want to live somewhere else.”

Ben’s throat tightened. His family never gave up on him, never treated him as though he was any less than he’d been before being kidnapped, and never stopped loving him. They were anything and everything he could ask for. There was nowhere else he could ever imagine calling home.

“Circle Eight is where I belong.” He tried to find the words to express his gratitude for such a gift, to have a family who welcomed him, loved him and supported him. They had taken a broken little boy and gave him enough love to fill in the holes in his soul. In the end, he said the only thing he could. “Thank you.”

Matt smiled but his eyes were suspiciously bright. “You’re welcome. We can talk about the house later. Ready for your last ride as a free man?”

“Race you to the big tree.” Ben grinned as his oldest brother disappeared out of the stall in a flurry of hay.

Today would be a good day. The very best day.

*

When Ben and
Matt returned to the barn, a lone rider waited for them. His heart began to pound when he recognized his oldest sister, Olivia.

She had been a mother to him after he’d returned from the compound. He’d lived with her and her family on and off the first five years. It was Liv who had brought him back to life and had treated him as though nothing had changed. As though no time had passed instead of five years.

Olivia had led the search for Ben for years with her husband Brody. She’d braved a madman’s lair, infiltrated an outlaw’s den, and had even killed to find Ben. He owed her many things, including the love she gave him unconditionally.

He slid out of the saddle and was enfolded in her arms within seconds. She always smelled of ginger, a root she used to make soap. He associated peace with that scent and would always think of her.

“Benjy.” Her voice was tight with emotion. “I can’t tell you how happy I am for you. Little B is beside himself with excitement.”

Her youngest child, one of five, was named Benjamin. They’d called him Little B and the four-year-old had his uncle’s quiet nature.

“What are you doing here so early?” He finally was able to step back and take a breath.

Her face had more wrinkles than it used to, but otherwise she was a beautiful thirty-five-year old woman. “I snuck out. Becky is going to have my head but I had to see you.” She squeezed his hands. “Tell me about your lady.”

Benjy smiled. “She’s a tough, outspoken woman who knows how to cuss, and the first time we met, she shot my hat off.”

Olivia laughed. “I like her already.”

“Oh, I think you’ll love her.” He couldn’t wait for the two of them to meet. “She has a little boy.”

“I heard. You saved him. I’m so proud of you.” She cupped his face. “You are amazing, so strong.”

He wouldn’t have believed that a year ago, but now he felt strong. He’d faced his demons, his past dragons and triumphed.

“Thank you, Liv.”

“Sorry to interrupt this reunion, but we have a wedding today.” Matt handed the reins to Ben. “Why don’t you rub the horses down and Liv and I will help with breakfast.”

Olivia kissed Ben’s cheek. “See you inside, Benjy.”

He used to desperately cling to his sister as an anchor in a world of pain and confusion. She was the strongest person he knew. Until now. Ben had learned from her and had found his own well of strength. He was ready to stand on his own.

*

The number of
Grahams that crowded outside the back of the house was staggering. The brothers and sisters were easy to spot since they all had similar coloring and eye color, except Cat, who was blonde and blue eyed. Each of the Grahams was married and had children.

The people outside were only the Grahams and their crew. That included seven siblings along with their spouses and a number of offspring who ran around underneath the now blue sky and bright sunshine. The earlier gray skies had been chased away by the warmth of the late-summer day. They were to be married at noon, followed by a barbecue that had been in progress since the night before.

Grace watched out the window in the kitchen, nervous and excited; the idea of marrying again had never entered her mind. Until Ben Graham. He filled her heart with so much love, sometimes she thought it would burst from her chest.

“Nervous?”

Grace turned to Eva. The housekeeper and cook had been the calm in the storm over the last month. Her advice and support had been the rock that helped Grace become ready to be married.

“I’m trying not to be.” Grace smiled. “My first wedding was in front of a judge and no one else but a couple strangers for witnesses. There’s so many of people outside.” She peered out the window again.

“Meredith and Stuart Graham loved each other a great deal. They might have had more children after Benjy if they hadn’t been killed.” Eva smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “They loved their children so much. Each was special to them in a unique way. Benjy was the baby and his Mama doted on him. I didn’t see happiness in his eyes again until he came home with you.”

Grace’s heart did a hard thump. “I brought the happiness to him? He brought life back into me.” She pressed her hand to her heart. “Some mornings I wonder if I’m still asleep.”

“Mama?” Henry stepped into the kitchen wearing the blue shirt and trousers Hannah had made for him. His hair was slicked back, although two wayward clumps stuck up on the crown of his head.

“I’ll leave you two to talk.” Eva headed out after whistling at Henry’s new clothes.

“You look very handsome, Henry.” She fingered the ice blue gown Hannah had made for her. She’d never had such fine clothes and her future sister-in-law was a genius with a sewing needle. Since Henry would be walking with her, he had put on his new clothing, not without grumbling about how stiff the trousers were.

“Is Mr. Ben gonna be my pa today? Won’t that hurt Pa’s feelings?”

Grace knelt down and looked him in the eye. “Your pa loved you very much and I think he would approve of Mr. Ben to be your new pa. I’m sure he’s looking down on you from heaven and smiling. He’d be very proud of you.”

Henry’s frown eased. “I miss him.”

“Me, too. He lives on in our memories and in our hearts.” Grace pulled Henry into a hug, unendingly grateful to have him with her and willing to accept her embrace again.

“Do you love Mr. Ben?”

She smiled at her son, the precious gift she’d almost lost. “Yes, I do, and he loves me.”

“When will we go home?”

“Home is where we are, honey. We’ll stay here on the Circle Eight until we figure out where we want to live.” Grace hadn’t even spoken to Ben about where they would go but it didn’t matter. They would be together.

“I want to stay here. They got good food and Mr. Ben said I could have a pony.”

“Then we stay here.” Grace got to her feet as Matt walked in the front door. He wore a button-up shirt and a bolo tie along with a nice pair of trousers. Although he was about twenty years older than Ben, he was just as big and brawny.

“You look pretty as a picture, Grace.”

She blushed, which she didn’t think she was capable of anymore. “Thank you.”

“The preacher is here. Everyone is waiting.” He looked at Henry. “You ready to walk your mama out?”

“Yes, sir.” Henry half-hid behind Grace, but he had come so far in the last month at the Circle Eight.

“I’ll see you out there then.” He winked at Grace and left.

Butterflies flew through her stomach but she took Henry’s hand and headed outside.

As she walked around the back of the house, tears stung her eyes at the sight of the crowd of Grahams waiting for them. She had been told a few couples had been married beneath the tree in the backyard. None of that mattered. The only thing she saw was the smiling, beautiful man waiting for her beside the preacher.

“Dearly beloved.”

That was the word she’d been missing.
Beloved.
He was that and so much more.