Barbara Dunlop - Thunderbolt over Texas

“I know he won’t.” Cole smiled to himself. He’d been working on that one for a while.

“What?” Sydney prompted.

“I’m leaving it to his children.”

“You’re devious.”

“That I am. But you love me, right?”

“I love you,” she said.

“Say it again.”

She pulled back and cupped his face between her soft hands. “I love you, Cole Erickson.”

He sighed. He could listen to that all night long.

“Isn’t there something you want to say to me?” she prompted.

He kissed her softly on the lips. “Hmm. Let me think.”

She dug her elbow into his ribs.

“I love you Sydney…Erickson,” he rumbled.

A funny expression flitted across her face.

“I guess we didn’t talk about names, did we?” He wasn’t going to insist. After all, traditions had to change sometime.

“Sydney Erickson.” She rocked her head back and forth. “I think I like that.” Her lips curved into a smile.

Cole grinned right back, smoothing her hair, kissing her again. They could have a real honeymoon now. He’d planned to hide out in Montana for a week, but he’d go wherever she wanted.

“Hey, Cole.” Kyle danced up to them with Katie in his arms.

Cole nodded to his brother, hugging Sydney close.

“Who was that guy?” Katie asked Sydney.

“Antique vulture,” Sydney answered, and Cole was proud of how quickly she’d recovered from the altercation.

“Won’t ever be back to the Valley,” said Kyle.

Cole nodded his thanks. He should’ve broken Slander’s nose. But then the sheriff might have had to lock him up on his wedding night.

“Thought you two might like to know the wedding worked,” said Katie with a wide smile.

“Sure did,” said Cole, though he wasn’t sure how Katie knew that already. He kissed Sydney’s temple.

“Looks like along about April,” said Katie.

Sydney let out a sudden squeal and pulled away from Cole’s arms.

“What?” asked Cole as his wife embraced his sister-in-law.

“New little Erickson,” said Kyle with wide, sappy grin.

Cole let out a whoop. He reached out and clapped Kyle on the shoulder. “That’s fantastic! Congratulations, little brother.”

“Thanks,” said Kyle.

“Can we talk about splitting the land now?” asked Cole.

“No,” said Kyle.

Cole smiled as he shook his head. “I’m going to win this one.”

Someone tapped his shoulder and he turned.

“Hey, Grandma.” He pulled Sydney back into his arms as Kyle danced off with Katie. “Don’t you just love a good wedding?”

“You know I do,” said Grandma. “And I have something for Sydney.”

Sydney tipped her head questioningly. “For me?”

“This way,” said Grandma with a mysterious wink. “Both of you.”

They followed her through the crowd, past the band, toward the back of the barn where the light was dim and the air was a few degrees cooler.

Cole held Sydney’s hand as they walked, unable to resist sending goofy smiles her way. He couldn’t wait to get her alone.

Or maybe he could. It was fun to show her off. His wife. His wife. And tonight was the first of thousands together.

Yeah, he could wait.

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed each of her knuckles. He was going to relish every single hour with this woman.

Grandma came to a stop at a back table, rattling something out of a paper bag.

She turned to face Sydney with a very serious expression on her face. “Sydney Erickson.”

Cole squeezed Sydney’s hand. He loved her new name.

“It is my honor,” said Grandma, “to present you with the providence and chronicles of the Thunderbolt of the North.” She handed Sydney a large, leather-bound book.

Sydney’s forearms sagged with the weight of the dark, heavy volume. Cole started to take it from her, then checked the impulse. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she stared down.

Cole blinked in amazement as well. He hadn’t even known such a thing existed.

“It was translated in the mid-1700s,” said Grandma, patting her hand gently on the cover. “I’ve never been sure if it was taken from a written account, or if Sigrid wrote down the oral history. In any event, it’s all here. The life and times of the Thunderbolt.”

Sydney ran her fingers over the embossed cover. “This is absolutely amazing,” she whispered, glancing up at Cole. “It’s priceless.”

Grandma smiled with obvious satisfaction. “And it’s your turn to continue the saga.”

Sydney’s jaw dropped open.

“And I suggest you start with the Thunderbolt’s latest adventure.”

“Are you sure?” asked Sydney. “The entire adventure?”

Grandma patted the book again. “Yes. The whole adventure. The diary deserves no less than the truth.”

Cole wrapped an arm around his grandmother’s thin shoulders and gave her an affectionate squeeze. “Thank you, Grandma.”

Her eyes shimmered bright as she smiled up at him.

“For everything,” he said.

“I was right about Sydney, wasn’t I?”

“You were absolutely right about Sydney.”

“Good. Well, I’ll leave you two alone now,” she said with a quick smile.

“I can’t believe it,” said Sydney, her voice hoarse with awe.

“It couldn’t be in better hands,” said Cole, loving her more by the second.

She shook her head, and her eyes shimmered jewel-bright under the lights. Then she pressed the big book more tightly against her chest. “I never thought it could happen,” she whispered. “But you did it, Cole.”

“I did what?” He searched her eyes. “I fell in love with you?”

She shook her head. “That, too.” Then she reached up and stroked her soft palm against his cheek. “What I meant was, you found my silver locket.”

Ah. His gaze went to the brooch, nestled against the beaded fabric of her wedding dress. “The Thunderbolt.”

She shook her head again. “No. It was never the jewelry.” She smiled. “It was never the things.”

“Then…”

“It was the heritage, the home. I finally realized.” She swayed toward him, and his arms automatically wrapped around her.

“I was searching for the family I never had. And you gave it to me.”

His chest expanded almost painfully.

She was his. She was here forever.

“Welcome home, Sydney,” he whispered against her hair. “We’ve been waiting for you all along.”

writes romantic stories while curled up in a log cabin in Canada’s far north, where bears outnumber people and it snows six months of the year. Fortunately, she has a brawny husband and two teenage children to haul firewood and clear the driveway while she sips cocoa and muses about her upcoming chapters. Barbara loves to hear from readers. You can contact her through her Web site at www.barbaradunlop.com.