Cora’s eyes go so wide they take up half of her face. She stares at Harper like she’s trying to figure out if she’s serious, and then she claps her hands with delight.
“Promise?” she asks.
“Promise,” Harper replies.
Cora runs over to the fence where Bessie is grazing and holds her hand out, murmuring softly to the cow.
Harper stands up, and I notice her eyes are wet. I walk over to her and brush her tears away. “You’re amazing with her,” I say. “And all the growth she’s had is a testament to how good you are.”
“You guys have helped more than you know,” she replies, leaning into me.
We make arrangements with Billy to borrow one of his trailers so we can get Bessie home, and a couple hours later, we’re driving the new addition to our home back to get her settled.
I hum under my breath as I drive, and Harper glances over from the passenger seat.
“What is that?” she asks. “I don’t recognize it.”
“Just something I’ve been working on.”
“You’re writing songs again?”
I shrug. “When the mood strikes me.”
What I don’t tell her is that she and Cora have inspired me more than I have been in a long time, so this song is for the two of them.
Chapter 51
Harper
A month later, we’re at the bar, outside in the patch of grass around back. The guys have been working on something in secret, but they think they’ve been crafty about it. But I’ve noticed the way they’ve been whispering and how Cash keeps grinning like he’s got a surprise. He’s the worst one when it comes to keeping things quiet because he can’t keep it off of his face.
“Come with us,” he says now, taking me and Cora by the hand.
Everett and Lincoln step back, and I suck in a surprised gasp when I realize that they were standing in front of a beautiful flowering tree. They must have planted it, and it’s already tall and beautiful enough that it makes the spot look brighter.
“It’s gorgeous,” I say.
“And it’s not the only thing.” Cash gestures to the small stone marker underneath the tree, and I walk closer, bending down to read it.
“What is…” I trail off when I read the words. My sister’s name. My sister’s name and the dates of her birth and death, with an inscription underneath. “Love lives on in the people we protect,” I murmur. I reach down and trace the words, my eyesfilling with tears. My throat goes tight to see my sister honored this way, by three men who never met her, but understand how much she meant all the same.
“This is perfect,” I whisper, standing up. “Thank you.” Cora runs up and touches the tree, and I pull her close. “That’s your mother’s name,” I tell her. “This tree is planted for her.”
“For Mommy?” she asks, looking up at me with those big brown eyes. “So she can see the pretty flowers?” Her voice is still quiet, but it’s getting stronger every day.
I nod, swallowing against the lump in my throat. “Yes, exactly. So your mommy can see how beautiful everything is and watch over you.”
Cora smiles and then runs to each of the men and throws her arms around them to say thank you.
Cash scoops her up and spins her around, following along with her as Lincoln shows her the flowers and tells her their names. Everett explains how trees grow and get stronger every year and how this tree will be here for a long, long time.
My voice is shaky with emotion as I walk over to join them. “Thank you so much. This is… this means everything to us. It would make Jade so happy to know that you’re taking care of us this way.”
I can see and feel how much that affects them, but they get all gruff, trying not to show it too much. That breaks up some of the emotion, and I laugh, taking Cora from Cash so we can head home.
Dinner is the easy, comfortable affair that it’s grown to be lately. Cash makes Cora laugh with his terrible jokes, Lincoln helps her practice writing her letters, and Everett listens with his usual seriousness as she tells him about her day with Lainey.
I watch it all, still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that this is my life now.