Rachel and Sam were happy enough to share the other bedroom. Long after the lights went out and all was quiet, she heard subdued noises coming from Johnny’s bed. She listened hard. He was crying.

  She raised herself up on one elbow. “That’s not a happy sound I can hear. Want to talk about it?”

  “No.”

  “No? How come?”

  He turned away from her. “I just don’t.”

  “Do you wish your grandparents hadn’t come?”

  “No. I’m glad they came so they could see me ride Goldie.”

  “They’re very proud of you.”

  “I know.”

  She bit her lip, loving this wonderful son of hers who was suffering a major heartache. Trying to get to the bottom of it she said, “I bet you wish your dad could see you ride.”

  “Grandma says he can see me from heaven.”

  He’d said it so matter-of-factly, Tracy didn’t know what to think. “I know he can, and I know he’s very proud of you.”

  “Carson says I’m a natural. What does that mean?”

  They were back to Carson. “It means you look like you were born on a horse and are getting to be an expert.”

  “But I won’t be an expert, ’cos we’re leaving tomorrow and I’ll never see Goldie again. I don’t want to go riding with Ross tomorrow.”

  “Then we don’t have to.”

  “I don’t want to go to the rodeo, either.”

  By now she was sitting up in her bed. “Why not?”

  “I just don’t.”

  Her spirits plunged. “But Carson’s taking us.”

  “He can take Rachel and Sam. He likes them.”

  Tracy got out of bed and climbed into his. His pillow was wet. “Okay. Tell me what’s really bothering you, honey, otherwise neither of us is going to get any sleep.”

  Suddenly he turned toward her and hugged her while he sobbed. Great heaving sobs that shook the bed.

  “Honey—” Tracy rocked him for a long time. “What’s wrong? Please tell me.”

  “C-Carson doesn’t like me, Mom.”

  If the moment weren’t so critical, she would have laughed. “You mean because Sam won the chaps?”

  “No-o.” He couldn’t stop crying.

  “He brought you some chaps, too, but he asked me to hide them until we got back to Ohio. It’s his present to you.”

  “I don’t want them.”

  “Why?”

  “He only did that ’cos he thinks I’m a big baby.”

  “Johnny—” In her shock, she realized something deeper was going on here. “How do you know he doesn’t like you?”

  “He’s not even going to take me riding tomorrow.”

  “But that’s because he has ranch business.”

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  “Johnny Baretta—I can’t believe you just said that.”

  “It’s true, Mom. He wouldn’t stay for the party. He’s glad Grandma and Grandpa came. Now he doesn’t have to be with me.”

  Where on earth had he gotten this idea that Carson had rejected him? Carson had done everything but stand on his head to give her son the time of his life. But since her talk with Carson the other night, plus the arrival of her in-laws, he’d backed off. All because of you, Tracy.

  Tormented with fresh guilt, she said, “What if we weren’t leaving?”

  “I want to leave.”

  Since when? There was something else going on here. She would get to the bottom of it if it killed her. “Tell me the truth, honey. Did Carson do something that hurt you?”

  Instead of words, more sobs answered her question. She couldn’t imagine what this was all about. “I have to know, Johnny.” She ached for him. “Please tell me.”

  Tracy had to wait to get her answer. Long after the tears dried up, she heard, “W-When I told him I loved him, he didn’t tell me back.”

  “You mean the night when we were in the tent out camping?”

  “Yes.”

  “But he did tell you.”

  He shot up in bed. “No, he didn’t!”

  “Yes he did. I remember distinctly. He said, ‘The feeling’s mutual, partner.’”

  “What does that mean?”

  Good heavens! “Honey—it meant he felt the same way.”

  “Then why didn’t he say it?”

  By now she was praying for inspiration. “Maybe he thought you weren’t ready to hear the exact words back. Maybe he was afraid you only wanted to hear those words from your father.”

  “Why? I love him! Now that Dad’s gone, he’s my favorite person in the whole world!”

  “I know that,” she said in a quiet tone, too overcome to say more.

  “I wish you loved him, too.” Her son’s voice cracked.

  Her eyes widened. “You do?”

  “Yes, but I know you loved Dad and always will.”

  She wrapped her arm around him. “I will always love your father, but that doesn’t mean I can’t love someone else again one day.”

  He jerked back to life, sending her an unmistakable message. “It doesn’t?”

  “No.”

  “Do you think you could love Carson? I know you like him because you went to dinner with him.”

  Oh, Johnny... “I like him a lot.”

  “He likes you, too. I can tell.”

  Her pulse was racing. “How?”

  “You know. Stuff.”

  “What stuff?”

  “He told me you were prettier than Goldie.”

  “He did?” A smile found its way to her lips.

  “Yup. And he said you were a better mom than any woman he had ever known. He said my dad was lucky ’cos you were the kind of a woman a man wanted to marry. But he’s afraid a woman wouldn’t want to marry him.”

  Tracy had no idea all this had gone on out of her hearing. “Why would he think that?”

  “’Cos he’s got a disease. He says no woman wants to marry an old war vet who goes around coughing all the time. That’s not true, is it, Mom?”

  “No. Of course not. Tell you what, honey. Your grandparents flew all the way out here to be with you, so let’s enjoy being with them until they have to fly home to Ohio. After we see them off at the airport, we’ll bring their rental car back here and surprise Carson.”

  “Then we don’t have to go home with them?”

  “No.” Absolutely not. “But don’t let Carson know what we plan to do, otherwise it won’t be a surprise.”

  “I know,” he said in that unique way of his. “Oh, Mom. I love you!” He threw his arms around her once more.

  After a long hug she said, “Now it’s time to sleep. We’ll talk some more in the morning after the kids go home.”

  “Okay.”

  They kissed good-night and she got back in her own bed, praying for morning to get here as fast as possible. She wouldn’t be able to breathe until they’d come back from Yellowstone.

  * * *

  AFTER THE RODEO, everyone congregated in the parking lot; the Harrises, the Barettas and Carson. The dreaded time had come for everyone to say goodbye.

  “Did you like the rodeo, guys?”

  “Yeah!” Sam was still jumping up and down with excitement in his jeans and chaps. “Especially the bulls!”

  “They’re so big!” Johnny exclaimed.

  Rachel smiled up at Carson. “I liked the barrel racing. That looked so fun.”

  “Maybe if you keep riding after you get home to Florida, you’ll be able to do it one day.” He looked at the Harrises. “If you’ll climb in the Jeep, I’ll run you back to the ranch.”

  The kids all said goodbye to each other. Tracy hugged the Harrises. Carson heard them exchange email addresses. Then it was time to help her and Johnny get in the back of the Barettas’ rental car. They were all packed and ready for their trip to Yellowstone.

  He couldn’t hug Johnny the way he wanted to, not in front of everyone. Instead, he shook his hand. “It’s been a pleasure getting to know the son of Tony Baretta. We had a great time together, didn’t we, partner?”

  “Yup.” Johnny’s eyes teared up, but he didn’t cry. He knew his grandparents were watching and took the parting like a man. “Thanks for everything, Carson. Be sure and give Goldie some oats for me tomorrow. Tell her I’ll miss her.”

  “I sure will. She’ll miss you, too.” That boy was taking a piece of him away. Carson didn’t know he could love a child this much. He shut the door and walked around to say goodbye to Tracy. She’d already gotten in but hadn’t closed the door yet.

  Her eyes lifted to his. “We’ll never forget what you’ve done for us, Carson. We thanked Ross and Buck earlier, but please thank them again. You and your buddies accomplished your objective to help a grieving family heal in ways you can’t possibly comprehend. Our gratitude knows no bounds.”

  “That’s good to hear and means more than you know. We had a lot of fun, too,” he said on a cough. That was the understatement of all time. Carson didn’t know how much more of this he could take.

  He shut her door and walked to Mr. Baretta’s open window. “There’s still some daylight left, Vincent. Drive safely and enjoy.”

  “I’m sure we will. Thank you again, Carson. This was a great thing you did for Tracy and Johnny, one they’ll remember forever.” The two men shook hands.

  He nodded to Sylvia. “It was a real pleasure meeting Johnny’s grandmother.”

  “We enjoyed getting to know you, too, Carson. Goodbye and thank you.”

  Unable to bear it, Carson headed for his Jeep. Out of the rear window of the rental car he saw Tracy’s gorgeous face. Her eyes glistened with tears. As he walked around the back end he spied Johnny’s soulful brown eyes staring at him through the window. Tony Baretta’s eyes. He belonged to the Baretta clan. So did Tracy.

  The week from heaven had turned into the lifetime from hell.

  * * *

  ON MONDAY, THE family went back to watch Old Faithful go off. They’d seen it the day before, but Johnny wanted to see it again.

  “Whoa!” he cried out when the geyser shot up into the air. It really was fantastic. But Tracy had something else on her mind that couldn’t be put off any longer. Once they returned to Grant Village, she would have to open up the discussion that wouldn’t surprise Sylvia. But it was going to shock and hurt Vincent. Luckily she knew she had her mother-in-law’s blessing.

  They all grabbed a bite to eat and went back to their adjoining rooms. While she was alone with Johnny, she said, “I’m going to tell your grandparents we’re not going back to Ohio with them. They need to know, because we need to leave for Jackson. Your grandparents will need a good night’s sleep at the motel there before they fly home tomorrow.”

  He jumped up and down. “I can’t wait to see Carson!” He hugged her so hard, he almost knocked her over.

  She needed no other answer. Though his grandparents would be leaving, the only person on his mind was Carson. She couldn’t wait to see him, either. After three days’ deprivation, she was dying for him.

  “Okay. Let’s go to their room.” She tapped on the door and they told her to come in.

  Sylvia was resting on the bed. Vincent sat at the table, looking at a map of Yellowstone. He glanced up. “What would you two like to do now?”

  “We’d like to talk to you if it’s all right.” That caused her mother-in-law to sit up.

  Vincent smiled. “Come on in and sit down.”

  “Thanks. This is hard for me to say, because I love you so much and would never want to hurt you, but I can’t go back to Ohio yet. Carson has asked me and Johnny to stay on so we can get to know each other better.”

  “He did?” Johnny looked shocked.

  “Yes. It was the night he took me out to dinner. I didn’t tell you then, because I needed time to think about it.”

  But happy tears were already gushing down his cheeks. “Then he really does love us!”

  “Yes. I believe he does.” She had a hard time swallowing. “The problem is, we’ve only been here a week. That’s why we need more time.”

  Her father-in-law stared at her. “How come it’s taken until today for you to tell us? Sylvia confided in me the other day. We’ve been waiting.”

  There was a light in his eyes, making her heart beat faster.

  “Why do you think we flew out here in the first place? Natalie told us you’d met a man. When Johnny got on the phone with us, we knew it was for real. We couldn’t let this go on without sizing him up.”

  He got to his feet and came over to hug her. “Our grandson was right. Carson Lundgren is awesome. You’d be a fool not to stay. Tony’s gone, and we’ll love him forever, but Sylvia and I knew this day would have to come. We just didn’t know you’d fall for the king of the cowboys.”

  “Oh, Dad!”

  It was a love fest all around with Johnny hugging his grandmother.

  Three hours later, Vincent drove them to the ranch house and dropped them off in front. It was almost nine in the evening. After more hugs, kisses and promises to phone, they carried their bags into the foyer. Tracy’s legs were trembling so hard, she could scarcely walk. Johnny was all decked out in his cowboy stuff.

  Susan was at the front desk. When she looked up, she blinked. “Hi! We all thought you’d left! Did you leave something behind?”

  Yes. Our hearts.

  “As a matter of fact, we did. Is Carson around?”

  “He’s over at the barn with the vet. One of the horses went lame this afternoon.”

  Johnny stared up at Tracy. “I hope it’s not Goldie.”

  “No,” Susan said. “It’s not any of the ponies.”

  “That’s good.”

  Tracy smiled at Susan. “Do you mind if we leave our bags out here? We won’t be long.”

  “Of course you can. I’ll put them behind the desk for now.”

  “Thank you.” Reaching for Johnny’s hand she said, “Come on, honey. Let’s go find him.”

  They left the ranch house at a run and kept running all the way to the barn. There was an unfamiliar truck outside. The vet’s most likely. The sound of coughing let her know the location of the stall before they saw the light from it.

  She ventured closer, but kept out of sight. The two men were conversing. “Let’s wait till they’re through,” she whispered to Johnny.

  Their voices drifted outside the stall. “Magpie will be all right, Carson. Let her rest for a few days, and then see if her limp is improving. This capped hock isn’t serious. If she gets worse, call me.”

  “Will do. Thanks, Jesse.”

  “You bet.”

  Tracy and Johnny stood in the shadows. They watched the other man leave the barn. Her son looked up at her with eyes that glowed in the semidarkness. “Can I tell him we’re here?” he whispered.

  The blood was pounding in her ears. “Tell him whatever you want, honey.”

  While Tracy peeked, he moved carefully until he was behind Carson who was talking to the horse and rubbing her forelock to comfort her. What a man. What a fabulous man.

  “Carson?”

  He spun around so fast, Johnny backed away. The look on Carson’s face was one of absolute shock. “Johnny—” Like lightning, he hunkered down in front of her son. “What are you doing here?” His voice sounded unsteady. Closer to the source of the light, Carson showed a definite pallor.

  “Mom and I decided we want to stay. Grandma and Grandpa dropped us off before they went back to Jackson.”

  “You mean, until tomorrow?”

  “No. They’re going back to Ohio. We’re going to stay here. Don’t you want us to?”

  In the next breath Carson crushed her son in his powerful arms. “Don’t I want you to—” he cried. “Do you have any idea how much I love you and your mom?”

  “We love you, too!” came Johnny’s fervent cry as he wrapped his arms tightly around Carson’s neck.

  “Every second since the rodeo I’ve been praying you’d come back.”

  “We would have come sooner, but we had to wait till they brought us back from Yellowstone. My grandparents think you’re awesome!”

  Carson’s eyes played over Johnny as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing or hearing. “Where’s your mom?”

  Her heart almost failed her. “Right here.” Tracy stepped into the light. “We came as soon as we could. It’s probably too early in our relationship to be saying this, but I love you, Carson. I’ve known it all along, but it took Johnny to say it first. You know the old saying...a child shall lead them.”

  His eyes burned like the blue flames in a fire. He got to his feet. “I know the saying and believe it.” She heard his sharp intake of breath. “Let’s go home.” His voice sounded husky as he turned off the light. Sliding an arm around her shoulders, he grasped Johnny’s hand and they left the barn. “If I’m dreaming this up, then we’re all in it together because I’m never letting you go.”

  “Is anyone using our cabin?” Johnny wanted to know.

  “Yes.”

  “Then where will we stay?”

  “With me.”

  Tracy’s joy spiked.

  “You mean in the ranch house?”

  “Yup.”

  “Goody. I love it in there, but I’ve never seen where you sleep.”

  “You’re going to find out right now, but it’ll be temporary because I’m building us a house in my favorite spot by the river, smack-dab in the middle of a flowering meadow.”

  “You are?”

  “It will have a loft where you can sleep and see the Grand Teton right out your window. I was thinking of getting a dog.”

  Johnny squealed. “Can I have a Boston terrier? Nate has one.” Tracy didn’t know that. She hadn’t heard the other boy’s name for a long time.