Rancher's Refuge (Whisper Falls) (16 page)

Even though he knew he should walk out now and not look back, he couldn’t. Not without one last look at the woman who’d brought him back to life.

“Austin,” she breathed.

His pulse skittered, stopped, then started again. What he saw in her eyes nearly brought him to his knees. Not loathing. Not shame. Not even fear.

She came toward him, holding his gaze as if daring him to look away.

His heart, already in overdrive, revved up another notch.

“Are you okay?” he whispered, not caring that his voice shook.

She walked into his chest and wrapped her arms around his back. And her words humbled him. “I am now.”

Was it possible?

Around them, the room had grown oddly silent. He heard a scrape of shoes, the bump of a metal implement against the tile. Then the world disappeared and all he could see and hear was the woman he loved, gazing up at him as if he was some kind of hero.

“But I thought—” he started, the scent of her hair in his nostrils was the fragrance of hope.

Her lips against his ear sent shudders down his spine. “You thought I wouldn’t care about you because of something you didn’t do? Could never have done?”

He shook his head, stunned and disbelieving. “Aren’t you afraid? Aren’t you worried I might be guilty, that I might hurt you, too?”

She pulled away a little so that he could see the sincerity in her expression. Blue eyes searched his. “After what you just endured for my sake?” Tenderly, she touched his cheek. “A man who let his most painful secret be broadcast to protect
me
is a man to respect and admire, not to fear. You didn’t do those things James accused you of.”

He stroked her golden hair, gazed into her sweet, beautiful face and hoped he wasn’t dreaming. “You believe me.”

“Of course I do. I know you, Austin Blackwell. You’re a protector, a giver, not a taker. Thanks to you and Cassie and this wonderful little town, I’ve learned some very important things.”

“What kinds of things?” Hardly able to believe this was happening, he rested his hands lightly at her waist, reveling in her sweet words.

“About myself, about faith and trust and love.”

His heart knocked hard. “Love?”

She tiptoed up, kissed his chin. “Yes, love.”

He drank her in, awed by the changes in her and in himself. The frightened, jumpy, broken person he’d met that day beneath Whisper Falls was gone. She was a different woman, just as he was a different man. Because of love.

And yet, love wasn’t enough to save him.

Annalisa claimed to trust him, to love him, but what about this town now that they knew the truth about Austin Blackwell?

He let his hands drop from her waist, wishing he could stay and be the man he saw in her eyes. But he wouldn’t live under suspicion again.

“I can’t live in Whisper Falls any longer.”

She blinked, lips falling open in question. Oh, how he wished to kiss those lips and ignore the Pandora’s box James had opened.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“I’m a marked man, Annalisa. My past is public knowledge. You may believe I’m innocent, but not everyone will. I’ll have to sell the ranch, move on.” Again. The notion tore at his belly and left him bleeding.

Suddenly, a meaty hand clamped down on his shoulder. He’d almost forgotten they weren’t alone.

“What are you talking about, boy?” Uncle Digger demanded, white eyebrows burrowed deep above his nose.

Austin was willing to face the truth on his own. He couldn’t stay in Whisper Falls and be the object of stares and suspicions, but he could act like a man when he left.

Annalisa inched closer. She laced her fingers with his and held tight.

“You heard Winchell. People think I murdered my wife.”

“Did you?”

“No!”

A slow smile quivered beneath Uncle Digger’s mustache. “I know it. So does everyone else in this room. Just figured you’d feel better if you said it out loud.” He leaned his shovel against a table. “Rumors don’t make a man, son.”

“They weren’t just rumors. I was arrested. Charged.” His house ransacked and his DNA taken.

Creed Carter, owner of the annoying helicopter, stepped up beside Uncle Digger. “None of that made you guilty, did it?”

He shook his head. “No. I would never...”

Davis Turner slapped him on the shoulder. “We know that, Austin. We know you.”

Austin couldn’t take it in. He looked from one face to the next, saw nothing but acceptance and was awed to think this amazing group of people understood what the town that had known him all his life hadn’t. He was not the kind of man to hurt a woman.

“The way I see it,” Uncle Digger said, “you got derailed for a while, but you’re back on track now. The Word says a man is like a tree, known by the fruit he bears. You helped out our sweet little Annalisa here.”

“And you put up with me,” Cassie said. “Everyone in this room knows how you put me back together when Darrell died.”

“And you fulfilled my boy’s dream of riding horses.” This from Davis Turner.

“That was nothing.”

“It is to him.”

“You’re bearing some mighty good fruit, son.” Uncle Digger relocated his coal shovel against the counter. It was then Austin noticed the varmit gun lying across the counter. Thank goodness it had not come to that. “I think I speak for this group of your friends when I say we’d sure like you to stay in Whisper Falls and be part of us from now on. What do the rest of you think?”

Austin stared around at the assembled group, amazed and humbled by the nods and smiles of agreement. Terms like
one of our own
and
friend
filled the spot inside his chest that had been empty since the day Blair died.

Annalisa tugged at his hand. “See? They love you, too.”

He gulped back the wad of emotion. “I don’t know what to say.”

She entwined her slender arms around his neck.

“Don’t say anything, you dumb cowboy.” Cassie stalked toward them, hair straightener raised in mock threat. “Kiss her. I’m tired of waiting.”

Laughter trickled around the room. These were his friends, his neighbors, and here in his arms was his love.

Filled with wonder and lost in a pair of sky-blue eyes, Austin smiled down at his beloved and gave them what they asked for.

Epilogue

S
pring comes to the Ozarks in a sudden burst of blooms and green. A profusion of wild plum and blushing cherry splash the roadsides with colorful blossoms before the vibrant redbud shows his handsome plumage. Their sweet scents mix and mesh, sending bees into a feeding frenzy and humans out into the fresh spring air.

On this particular afternoon, Annalisa drove the winding road to Austin’s ranch, admiring spring’s rebirth. In the past few months, she’d experienced a rebirth of her own and she rejoiced at what God had done in her life.

Embracing the wind, she rolled down her window and breathed in the fragrance. Her hair flew back from her shoulders, the air cool and fresh on her face.

So much had happened since last fall. James had effectively disappeared from her worry list. Thanks to her wonderful Whisper Falls friends, she’d found an apartment she could afford and she’d thrown herself into the town and church, giving back to the community that had embraced her with such vigor.

Most important of all was Austin. Her heart leaped to know he was waiting for her arrival.

Even though he’d been reluctant to see her move into her own place, he’d understood her need for time. Time to be her own boss. Time to sort the feelings of the past from those of the present.

She still worked at the Iron Horse, although she was now taking classes online in tourism and marketing to better assist Miss Evelyn. She might never be rich, but she would be happy.

The little compact car bumped down the driveway, bringing the ranch house closer by the second.

Met by two wagging, barking dogs, she pulled to a stop and hopped out. The back door of the house slammed open and Austin came striding across the porch in jeans and boots, his head bare, black hair gleaming in the sun.

Happiness ricocheted through Annalisa. “Miss Evelyn sent pie and cookies.”

Austin made a beeline for her, ignoring the promise of delicious treats.

“I missed you,” he said, bending for a quick kiss that curled her toes and made her blush.

“Same here.” She hugged him close, breathing his outdoorsy scent and reveling in his steady, dependable strength.

“Ready to ride?” He motioned toward the corral where two horses, Cisco and Blaze, stood saddled and waiting.

Comfortable in jeans and the pair of riding boots he’d bought her for Christmas, Annalisa handed off the bag of snacks and drinks. “Ready when you are.”

They fell into step across the yard and into the corral.

“I have a surprise for you.”

“What kind of surprise?”

“A good one.” He frowned. “I hope.”

“Tell me.”

He snorted. “Then it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

He attached their snack bag to his saddle and held Blaze while she mounted. Then they were off, making the climb toward Whisper Falls. They took their time, happy just to be together as they talked and shared. She’d learned a great deal about her cowboy in the past few months, and yet each day with him was a discovery. He was deep and good, kind and sensible, but he still didn’t like tourists traipsing over his pasture land. She supposed he never would.

Yet, with her as his hostess, he’d recently held a barbecue for their friends and had given horseback rides to the children. He was learning to trust again, to embrace people.

They reached the waterfall and dismounted on the woodsy trail. Mist rose from the foaming pool. The rush and roar of cascading water filled the air. Insects, fresh from a long winter nap, buzzed in the underbrush. Butterflies dipped and darted in a graceful dance on a profusion of wild blooms.

“This is a gorgeous place in spring,” she said.

“I’m surprised no one else is up here today.”

“Me, too.” She slipped her hand into his. “But I’m glad. I wanted us to be alone. As if we’re the only two people on earth. Us and God.”

“I’ll second that.”

She looked up into his beloved face, heart full. “The rumor is true, you know.”

He jacked an eyebrow. “What rumor?”

With a soft smile, she replied, “God does answer prayers beneath Whisper Falls. I know for sure because He answered mine. That awful day last fall? I asked God to protect me. I asked Him for help. I asked Him to show me the way to change my messed-up life.” She sighed. “And He sent you.”

Austin was silent for a long moment, his gaze focused somewhere behind her. Above them, puffy white clouds smiled benevolently from a pale blue sky. The waterfall splashed and sang with childlike glee.

Then suddenly, Austin was gone, scrambling over slick wet rocks down the rocky embankment that led to the secret “room” behind Whisper Falls. Annalisa cocked her head, puzzled at his odd behavior, and then with a shouted laugh, followed in pursuit.

She found him there, behind the falls in the very spot where she’d first laid eyes on him. That day, she’d been the one with a prayer on her lips. Today, Austin’s head was down, his black hair sparkling with moisture drops, eyes closed in prayer. Annalisa’s soul leaped for joy, knowing that he, like her, had found his way back to God, the great Lord of all who had gently wooed both of his broken children and brought them together in this place of healing.

With reverence and love she waited until Austin raised his head, spiky black lashes wet with mist. He reached for her, pulled her close, and even though dampness seeped through her clothes, she was warm from the inside out.

“I love you,” he said.

“I know.” And that was the beauty of real love that she’d never before understood. She knew he loved her. She had no doubts, no fears. Austin Blackwell loved her with everything in him. Her heart was safe with him. “And I love you, too, with all my heart.”

His smile was gentle as he repeated her words. “I know.”

His arms went around her as he rested his chin on her hair. She felt the dampness of his shirt, the heat of his skin. His chest rose and fell as a satisfied sigh slipped from his lips.

“This is the place we began,” he said.

“Bad memories turned to good.”

“That’s God’s way.”

She smiled a little at the remark he would not have made last fall. They were standing close, a necessity on the narrow cliff ledge, but Annalisa thought she could never get close enough to her Ozark Mountain cowboy. “We’ve come a long way in a few months.”

“Are you happy?”

“I couldn’t be happier.”

“I could be,” he said, and the statement had her pulling away to stare at him in bewilderment.

“How?”

“If you’d marry me and have my babies. If you’d live with me up here in the mountains and be my forever love.” He pulled in a long draft of air. “Marry me, Annalisa. Soon. I’m only half without you.”

The smile budding in her heart burst into full bloom on her lips. She placed a hand on each side of his jaw, the manly roughness a thrill to her senses. “I thought you’d never ask.”

He kissed her then, a seal of the promise made and a reminder of the passion to come.

Love, at last. The long drought of self-denial ended here and now. Or maybe it had ended last fall, on the day a cowboy chased a stray into the woods.

When the kiss ended, a soft rumble started in Austin’s chest and rose to his throat in a bubble of laughter. He tilted his head toward Heaven.

“Thank You, Lord.”

Annalisa’s heart filled with gratitude. God had brought them both so far.

“You changed my life, Annalisa. You and the Lord. You brought me back to this place of understanding. I thought God had forsaken me, but He hadn’t. He brought me here to heal and to find my way again.”

“What did you pray for just now?” Annalisa whispered.

His rancher-rough fingers stroked her cheek, an innocently sensual touch that made her shiver. “I prayed that you’d say yes, and that I can be the man you need.”

His words touched her to the soul. “You are. You always have been. God simply had to bring us here for us to understand.”

“He really does answer prayer.”

“No matter where it’s prayed.”

“And I think,” Austin said with a mysterious pump of his eyebrows, “he is about to answer another. Come on, surprise time.”

“But I thought the proposal, here under the waterfall, was my surprise.”

“Only the first.” He gave her a tentative grin. “I hope you like the second one, too.”

Fidgety, he gazed out beyond the waterfall to the woods. He was nervous, although she had no idea why.

Puzzled but willing to follow him anywhere, she took his outstretched hand. They climbed up the embankment. Austin kept one hand firmly at her waist, holding her close as their boots slipped and skidded on the way to higher ground. She never doubted he would keep her safe. Here and forever.

She could feel his excitement growing as he hurried her onward through the dense woods and upward to the riverbank overlooking Whisper Falls. Her curiosity grew. Being his wife was everything she’d dreamed of. What other wonderful surprise could he have for her?

“There,” he said, voice smug.

As they burst through the underbrush, Annalisa’s heart rocketed into overdrive. “Who—”

“Go on. See for yourself.”

But she knew. With a cry of gladness, she broke into a run. “Olivia, Olivia!”

Her sister met her halfway, running, sobbing, laughing as they fell on each other.

“I’m sorry. I love you. I missed you. I was wrong.”

“Me, too. Nothing is worth losing you.”

They cried and forgave, laughed and adored.

After the storm of joy receded and the sisters stood, arms around each other’s waists, faces red with tears, Annalisa pulled her cowboy into the circle of family.

He’d done this. For her.

“I love you,” she said to him. “Thank you.”

He looked so happy for her, and she knew he was. That was the beauty of Austin’s love. Sacrificial and pure, a love that put her first. A scripture flashed through her head.
Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.

Austin would be that kind of husband because he was that kind of man.

She thought of that first time here at Whisper Falls, when she’d been alone and in danger. She thanked God that He had sent this man. A cowboy in search of a stray had discovered instead a stray heart, lost and broken and afraid.

And everything had changed, all because of a whispered prayer.

* * * * *

Rita
®
Award–winning author Linda Goodnight’s new miniseries,
Whisper Falls,
is just getting started.
Don’t miss more books set in this
heartwarming Ozark town later in 2013.
Look for them wherever
Love Inspired books are sold!

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt of
Reunited for the Holidays
by Jillian Hart!