TWO DAYS LATER THE Westmorelands met at Dillon’s for breakfast to celebrate. It seemed everyone had announcements to make and Dillon felt it was best that they were all made at the same time so they could all rejoice and celebrate.
First Dillon announced he’d received word from Bane that he would be graduating from the naval academy in a few months with honors. Dillon almost choked up when he’d said it, which let everyone know the magnitude of Bane’s accomplishments in the eyes of his family. They knew Bane’s first year in the navy had been hard since he hadn’t known the meaning of discipline. But he’d finally straightened up and had dreams of becoming a SEAL. He’d worked hard and found favor with one of the high-ranking chief petty officers who’d recognized his potential and recommended him for the academy.
Zane then announced that Hercules had done his duty and had impregnated Silver Fly and everyone could only anticipate the beauty of the foal she would one day deliver.
Ramsey followed and said he’d received word from Storm Westmoreland that his wife, Jayla, was expecting and so were Durango and his wife, Savannah. Reggie and Libby’s twins were now crawling all over the place. And then with a huge smile on his face Ramsey announced that he and Chloe were having another baby. That sent out loud cheers and it seemed the loudest had come from Chloe’s father, Senator Jamison Burton of Florida, who along with Chloe’s stepmother, had arrived the day before to visit with his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter.
Everyone got quiet when Jason stood to announce that he and Bella would be having a baby in the spring, as well. Bella’s eyes were glued to Jason as he spoke and she could feel the love radiating from his every word.
“Bella and I are converting her grandfather’s ranch into a guest house and combining our lands for our future children to enjoy one day,” he ended by saying.
“Does that mean the two of you want more than one child?” Zane asked with a sly chuckle.
Jason glanced over at Bella. “Yes, I want as many children as my wife wants to give me. We can handle it, can’t we, sweetheart?”
Bella smiled. “Yes, we can handle it.” And they would because what had started out as a proposal had ended up being a whole lot more and she was filled with overflowing joy at how Jason and his family had enriched her life.
He reached out his hand to her and she took it. Hers felt comforting in his and she could only be thankful for her Westmoreland man.
EPILOGUE
“WHEN I FIRST HEARD you’d gotten married I wondered about the quickness of it, Jason, but after meeting Bella I understand why,” Micah said to his brother. “She’s beautiful.”
“Thanks.” Jason smiled as he glanced around the huge guest house on his and Bella’s property. The weather had cooperated and the construction workers had been able to transform what had once been a ranch house into a huge fifteen room guest house for family, friends and business associates of the Westmorelands. Combining the old with the new, the builder and his crew had done a fantastic job and Jason and Bella couldn’t be more pleased.
He glanced across the way and saw Dillon was talking to Bane who’d surprised everyone by showing up. It was the first time he’d returned home since he had left nearly three years ago. Jason had gotten the chance to have a long conversation with his youngest brother. He was not the bad-assed kid of yesteryears but standing beside Dillon in his naval officer’s uniform, the family couldn’t be more proud of the man he had become. But there still was that pain behind the sharpness of Bane’s eyes. Although he hadn’t mentioned Crystal’s name, everyone in the family knew the young woman who’d been Bane’s first love, his fixation probably since puberty, was still in his thoughts and probably had a permanent place in his heart. He could only imagine the conversation Dillon was having with Bane since they both had intense expressions on their faces.