Forever Family (River's End Ranch Book 26) Read online

  Bobbi sighed. “I think you’re about to learn that babies don’t come with manuals. You just do what you think is right at the time, and pray that they don’t hate you when the therapy bills start to come in.” She handed Willow off to Kelsi and picked up Tori, who had fallen asleep while nursing. “I’m going to change her diaper, and put her to bed.”

  “No, Mom! If you change her she’ll wake up and think that a five-minute nap was enough. Just put her down and she’ll be fine.”

  “If you’re sure…”

  “I’m the mama this time around.” Kelsi blew a kiss at her mother.

  Bobbi did as she was told, slipping the baby into the crib and securing it. “I know you are, and I’ll do things just how you want.” She leaned down and kissed Kelsi’s cheek. “Now I’m going to steal Vivian, so we can go Bigfoot hunting. She’ll love it.”

  “Did you have Bob make lunches?”

  Bobbi nodded. “They’re waiting at the café. We’ll pick them up after we get the four-wheeler.”

  “You’re not letting her ride her own?”

  “I may be blonde, but I’m not stupid!” Bobbi hurried from the room before Kelsi had a chance to retort. She loved her youngest child, but she was quick with comebacks.

  When she got to the room for the school-aged children, she found Vivian curled up on a sleeping bag, reading a Nancy Drew book. “Haven’t you read all of those yet?”

  “I’m close. I’m starting on Trixie Belden next.”

  “I thought maybe you’d like to go on an adventure today.”

  Vivian nodded slowly, obviously a bit apprehensive. “What kind of adventure?”

  “Well, I thought we’d borrow a four-wheeler, get a picnic from the diner, and go up into the mountains to search for Bigfoot.”

  “You know Bigfoot’s not real, don’t you?”

  Bobbi shook her head. “He’s as real as you and me. I saw him in the mountains one day, right after I married Grandpa. We’re going to find him.”

  Vivian sighed, shaking her head. “Grown-ups are so easily duped. Let’s go.”

  Bobbi quickly spoke to the teacher and told her what the plans were. She knew she was on the list to take Vivian out of the Kids’ Korral, so that wouldn’t be a problem. After she was finished, she looked back at Vivian. “Okay, we’re all clear!”

  They two of them left the center hand-in-hand. Vivian had her book tucked under her arm so as not to lose one precious minute of reading time. They got the four-wheeler and two helmets, a blue helmet with a star for Vivian, and a lavender helmet for Bobbi.

  They rode over to the café in silence, and went in to pick up the lunches Bobbi had ordered that morning. “We’re going on an adventure,” she announced to Joni, who was behind the counter.

  Joni pushed the boxed lunches at Bobbi. “I hope you have a wonderful time, Mrs. Weston.”

  “I’m sure we will. I have the best companion in the world, you know.”

  Vivian was beaming as they walked out to the four-wheeler. “Are we taking a picnic blanket?”

  Bobbi frowned. “We can run by the cabin to get one if you want.”

  Vivian nodded, her face very serious. “I need to have some place to lie on the ground and read while you hunt for Bigfoot.”

  Bobbi sighed. It was just as well. One of the other grandchildren was sure to share her fascination with Bigfoot. She wasn’t about to give up. “We’ll get a quilt from the cabin, and then we’ll go on our adventure.”

  “Where’s Grandpa?”

  “I’m sure he’s off pestering your dad and telling him he has to do something differently. That’s what he’s always doing at this time of day.”

  “How come? He seems like a nice Grandpa.”

  “Oh, he is! His parents did the same thing with him, and their parents before them. As frustrating as it is, that’s just how things are done at the ranch.”

  “My dad won’t. When it’s his turn to pass it on to his kids, he’s going to be nice about it and not be so mean. I know it.” Vivian accepted the quilt Bobbi gave her and hugged it to her chest, climbing back onto the four-wheeler. “I’m ready.”

  Bobbi frowned at the girl before getting on. She’d never really questioned the practice before, other than being frustrated about it with Wilber when they were going through it. Maybe it was time someone did.

  As they drove along the winding path that took them to the area she wanted to picnic in and where she’d search for Bigfoot, her mind couldn’t stop thinking about what the little girl had said. Sometimes children were so much smarter about things than adults were.

  She had spent many days all those years ago following this same trail up the mountain with Wilber, and they’d both loved it. They would climb, and he would immediately pick her a bouquet of wildflowers.

  One afternoon, he tucked a flower behind her ear. “There. That flower brings out your natural beauty.”

  Bobbi had laughed, shaking her head. “No, that flower is the beauty.”

  He cupped her face in his hands. “I wish I had the ability to let you see yourself through my eyes. I look at you, and I see someone that I’ll never stop loving. I see someone who I will spend my entire life with, never caring to look at another woman. I see none of your past, which seems to be all you see when you look in the mirror. I see the real you, and I wish I could show it to you.” He kissed her softly, his arms wrapping tightly around her. “I wish I could paint, so you could see what I see.”

  Bobbi felt tears drifting down her face. “My grandparents couldn’t even look at me after my mother’s death. They said they looked at me and saw only the man who had killed their daughter. I think maybe I’ve been looking at myself through the same tainted glasses they were using.”

  “Stop. Please.”

  She took a deep breath. “I’ll try. I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try.”

  “That’s all I ask.” He kissed her once more, quickly. “Well, that and for you to marry me, of course. You need to marry me.”

  Bobbi wrinkled her nose. “You know I’m waiting for a real proposal. I’m not going to let you ask me to marry you that way and agree.”

  “Does that mean you’re ready?” he asked, an eyebrow raised.

  “Maybe. I’ll let you know.”

  He sighed. “You’re always going to let me know. Always.”

  She shrugged. “Well, I never said I was perfect.”

  “No. I did.”

  Bobbi pulled the four-wheeler off the path and stopped at a big meadow. The wildflowers grew abundantly, and she grinned at Vivian. “Let’s pick all the flowers before we put the picnic quilt down. We don’t want to squish them.”

  “And I can give them to my mama!”

  “I think that’s a great idea. She’ll be so happy!”

  “I know she will!”

  Together, they hurriedly picked flowers, making two huge bouquets. “This one is for my Grandma.”

  Bobbi sniffled, taking the flowers. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

  “You’re welcome. Thank you for coming to take me out of the Kids’ Korral today. It’s fun to play there, but it’s more fun to have a grandma day with you.”

  Bobbi hugged the girl. “Okay, we’ll put the bouquets on the four-wheeler, and then we’ll spread the blanket out. Are you ready?” They each took one end of the blanket. “One. Two. Three!”

  They fluffed the blanket up into the air and then gently set it down. Bobbi put the boxed lunches into the middle of the blanket. “I should have thought to bring the picnic basket. Wouldn’t that have looked nicer?”

  “It’ll taste just as good!”

  “That’s true. And we know it’ll be yummy because Bob made it. Bob can be a pain, but he sure can cook!”

  “That’s the truth,” Vivian said, looking at the boxes to see which had her name. Bob remembered the tastes of everyone, and always customized their lunches to suit them.

  She pushed Bobbi’s box toward her. “I think he included root beer, Grandma!
”

  “He certainly should have! He knows we Westons can’t eat a meal without a swallow of root beer.”

  Vivian nodded solemnly. “And I’m a Weston now.”

  “Yes, you are. So root beer it is!” Bobbi popped the tab back on her drink, then traded with Vivian. Once they were both holding a root beer, she clinked her can against Vivian’s. “A toast. To happiness.”

  “To happiness,” Vivian echoed, taking a swig of the root beer. “Yummy!”

  They got down to the serious business of eating, both of them hungry after the long trip up to their picnic spot. “When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a ballerina,” Bobbi said.

  “Why weren’t you? You’re as pretty as a ballerina.”

  “I’m not exactly what you’d call graceful. My mother put me in lessons for a little while, but I kept tripping over my own big feet. We decided the art wasn’t for me.”

  Vivian giggled. “Grandpa loves you anyway. He gives you the same kind of look my dad gives my mom. The look that always makes them kiss.”

  “Yes, your grandpa loves me a great deal. Do you know we’ve been married almost thirty-five years? That’s almost forever!”

  “That’s longer than my dad is old!”

  “Isn’t that a coincidence?” Bobbi said with a sparkle in her eye. “I’m glad you’re happy here at the ranch.”

  “Everyone is happy at the ranch,” Vivian said matter-of-factly. “The ranch is a happy place. People would have to try to be sad here.”

  “It really is a special place, isn’t it? I think I’m going to stay here forever.”

  “But you live in an RV with Grandpa. You’re just visiting for a while. I know because I heard Aunt Kelsi telling Kaya.”

  Bobbi frowned. “That’s been the plan. You see when I agreed to marry Grandpa, we decided that we were going to travel the world as soon as our children were old enough to run the ranch. So we have been driving from state to state, trying to see as much as we could. But now that we have grandkids, I want to spend more time on the ranch to be with them.”

  “Does Grandpa want to?”

  Bobbi shrugged. “He loves you grandkids as much as I do, but he doesn’t want to stay here all the time.”

  “Well, then you should do it some of the time. It’s as simple as that.”

  “Maybe you’re right.”

  Chapter Eight

  That evening, Bobbi got home just after Wilber arrived. “Where were you all day?” he asked. “I was planning on taking you out for dinner, but I didn’t know where you’d disappeared to.”

  Bobbi wasn’t sure if he sounded more annoyed or concerned. “I’m sorry. I should have let you know what my plans were. I went to the Kids’ Korral today to hold the twins, and then I kidnapped Vivian, and we had a picnic up on the trail.”

  “I see. I wish you’d told me what you were going to do.”

  “I’m really sorry. I would never deliberately frighten you.”

  “Well, do you want to go for trivia night? I hear that the pastor and Bridget are teaming up with Kaya and Glen, and between them they know some serious trivia. I’d love to team up with Bob and Miranda.”

  “Bob and Miranda? They’re only going to know cooking questions!”

  He shrugged. “So what? At least we’ll have fun.”

  She nodded. “Sure. Let me just change out of my picnic clothes.” She could see some grass stains on the knees of her jeans.

  As she was leaving the room, he caught her arm, spinning her toward him. Pushing her up against the wall, he lowered his mouth to hers. “You’re beautiful just the way you are. Never change.”

  Bobbi felt her face softening, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You make me feel like I’m a teenager sometimes, Wilber Weston.”

  “You always make me feel like a teen.” He leaned down and nipped her neck before backing away. “Hurry, so we can go.”

  She slipped into the bedroom to change quickly, her face heated from their embrace. He really did make her feel like a teenager very often. But then she’d look around and see her children and grandchildren, and she’d remember she was a middle-aged woman.

  She changed into a pair of nice slacks and a silk blouse. It was a little dressy for the restaurant, but it would be fine. She loved to mingle with the guests on trivia night, finding out what activities they were still enjoying and which should be overhauled.

  Wilber was leaning against the wall waiting for her when she came out. “You didn’t have to stand there waiting.”

  “How else could I escort my beautiful bride to dinner?” He noticed she wasn’t wearing a necklace, and then his eyes landed on the one he’d given her a couple days before, still on the coffee table where he’d set it. Somehow she’d never opened it. He walked over and picked it up, bringing it to her. “Maybe this would go with your blouse?”

  She took it, her heart beating faster. She couldn’t believe that in the confusion with her father’s letter that she’d forgotten to open his gift. She carefully opened the box, and gasped. There lay a necklace that she’d told him she wanted, but she never dreamed he would actually get her. It matched her blouse perfectly. She’d always loved pink diamonds, but she never let herself indulge. “Thank you! It’s perfect.” She held it up to her neck and turned around so he could fasten it for her.

  “I always feel so clumsy trying to fasten these things. My hands are too big!”

  “I appreciate you trying. If you can’t do it, I’m sure someone will do it at the restaurant.”

  “I got it.” He fussed with it for a little longer, before finally fastening it.

  “Thank you!” She turned to him and kissed him quickly. “How did you even know?”

  “I saw you looking at it while we were in town a few weeks ago. It suits you. I was going to wait to give it to you at our anniversary party, but I thought it would be nicer if you could wear it there.”

  She hadn’t yet decided if there was going to be an anniversary party, but he was obviously doing everything he could to make it happen. She could not fault his efforts. “It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

  He slipped his arm around her waist and they walked across the grounds toward the ranch house. It was the same place where she’d stayed when she first arrived in Idaho, and where they’d raised their children. The decision to add a restaurant had been made when all four boys had moved out and across the street. Now there were a few guest rooms, a couple of rooms for the staff, a library, a living area, and the restaurant.

  “Do you ever wish we’d kept this as our family home on the ranch?”

  He shook his head. “Not at all. I couldn’t have let just one of the kids live here, and there was no reason to even try. It makes a lot more sense that we’re using it for other things.”

  She smiled. “I really thought you’d be more sentimental about it. You and your brothers were raised here, and we raised our children here.”

  “We have some pretty incredible kids.”

  “And beautiful grandchildren.”

  He frowned at the mention of the grandchildren. He knew it was still her desire to be there and watch them grow that was keeping them apart. He’d have to figure out a compromise quickly. He wasn’t about to let her go. “Have you decided what you want to do about your father?”

  “I’m going to ask the kids on Sunday, and leave the decision entirely up to them. They have the right to know their only living grandparent if they choose to.”

  “So will you have them vote?”

  She shrugged. “I guess so. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I just thought I’d tell them the situation and let them discuss it amongst themselves.” She waited as he opened the door to the restaurant for her before moving over to sit with Bob and Miranda. “Wilber is certain the four of us will be unstoppable.”

  Miranda laughed. “Maybe if we added my mom, or my brother, or someone with some sort of knowledge of trivia…”

  Bobbi grinned. “At least we’ll have fun, right?”


  Miranda was right, and their team was absolutely horrible. They finished second to last, only barely beating out a group of twenty-somethings from Riston. After the first round was over, Bobbi stood. “I’m going to go mingle and talk to the guests. See what they’re liking this year, and what they think should be changed.”

  “That’s not our job anymore,” Wilber told her, his voice low.

  “I know, but it’s fun!” Bobbi walked to the next table and smiled at the group of women gathered there. “I’m Bobbi Weston. Do you mind if I sit down for a moment?”

  Twenty minutes later, she was still sitting with them, listening to them gush about their favorite activities on the ranch. “Is there anything you’d like to see us add?”

  Two of the women exchanged a look, and one of them finally nodded. “We were saying it would be really fun if you had different craft nights. Like Monday could be for quilting and everyone could take home a quilt block. Tuesday could be scrapbooking. And you need to sell special River’s End Ranch paper in the general store. That would be so fun! Then a night for crocheting and another for knitting or baking. Charge a little bit for each activity, and I know everyone would love it.”

  Bobbi nodded, smiling. “That’s a wonderful suggestion. Don’t be surprised to see us doing it if you come back next year.” She stood and walked back over to her husband, knowing another round was about to start. She quickly passed on what the woman had said before the next question was asked.

  At the end of the night, Bobbi was full of root beer and nachos, ready to head back to the cabin. As they walked, Wilber wrapped his arm around her waist. “Did you have fun?”

  She nodded. “I had a fabulous time. We were awful, but it was fun. I can’t believe there was a whole section of Bible questions on the night Pastor Kevin was there. He said God was rewarding him for his faithful service, but I think he rigged it somehow.”

  Wilber laughed, shaking his head. “I don’t think so. It was just fun.”

  “I guess.” Bobbi was highly competitive, and she hated to lose. At least she’d had fun getting to know Miranda and Bob better. “Are you judging amateur night tomorrow night?”