Maya Banks - Colters’ Lady

Michael rode to the stream and dismounted, allowing his horse to nose into the stream to drink. Seth slid from his horse and then reached up for Lily.

They left the horses by the water and walked up a small incline that was particularly ablaze with wildflowers. She hadn’t noticed until now that Michael carried a basket in one hand and had a blanket roll under his other arm.

It was a perfect day for a picnic, and she was delighted that they’d thought to surprise her with such a sweet gesture. After being cooped up in her makeshift studio for the week, alone with her thoughts and her drawing, being outside, surrounded by the beauty of spring, was a balm to her tattered soul.

Michael handed the basket to Dillon and then unfurled the blanket. The breeze caught it and it billowed out. Michael flapped it twice, arranging it just so before pulling it to the ground. Dillon set the basket on one corner to hold it down while Michael stepped on the other.

Then he turned back to Lily and motioned her forward.

Seth escorted her onto the blanket and sank down on the edge. Then he reached up to pull her down beside him. Dillon settled on her other side while Michael sat across from her.

“Are you hungry?” Michael asked.

“Starving.”

Michael smiled. “Dillon has fried chicken. I made potato salad, and Seth made brownies. Dillon also dug into his highly prized collection of wines and brought along a bottle that he’s been saving for just the right occasion.”

She nearly moaned. “It all sounds fantastic.”

Michael pulled out hard plastic plates and napkins and passed them around. Then he took out the container that held the chicken and placed it in the middle, followed by the bowl containing the potato salad.

He handed the wine over to Dillon to open and then Michael distributed glass wine flutes.

It was amazing. They’d thought of everything.

“White or dark?” Michael asked her.

She grinned. “Both. I want a thigh and a wing.”

He plopped two pieces of chicken on her plate and then dished up a healthy helping of potato salad and handed it to her.

She wasted no time digging in and was soon enjoying the delicious, perfectly seasoned chicken. It was so good that she licked her fingers after every bite.

They ate in companionable silence. Lily stared up at the sky, mesmerized by the brilliant blue unmarred by a single cloud.

“It reminds me of your eyes,” Seth murmured.

Startled, she turned to look at him. “What does?”

“The sky. Today it reminds me of your eyes. Beautiful and so vibrant.”

“I never know quite what to say when you say such wonderful things,” she said in a low voice.

He smiled. “Keeping a woman speechless isn’t the worst thing in the world.”

“Ooohhh, you just had to go and ruin it,” she said as she made a stabbing motion at him with her fork.

Michael chuckled. “Guess he gets the couch tonight.”

Lily sipped at the wine, savoring the taste on her tongue. She took the last bite of her potato salad and put the plate away with a groan.

“Surely you’re not full already? We still have brownies to eat,” Dillon said.

“I’d have to be dead to turn down chocolate,” she said.

Michael took a metal canister and opened it. Immediately the rich scent of chocolate wafted on the breeze, teasing her nostrils with the delicious smell.

“Oh my God,” she murmured. “Gimme.”

Seth laughed. “Give the woman her chocolate. She sounds slightly demonic.” She took the hunk of brownie from Michael and sank her teeth into it. “Oh sweet mother, this is heaven,” she groaned.

Seth leaned in to nuzzle her neck. “It’s not as sweet as you.”

“Okay, you’re forgiven for the speechless woman crack,” she said magnanimously.

His expression turned serious. “There’s something we want to talk to you about.” Her stomach did a complete flip and she glanced warily at Dillon and Michael.

“You’re scaring her, dumbass. Quit being so serious,” Dillon said.

“We have something to ask you,” Michael corrected.

Michael reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a tiny box. He actually looked nervous and even a little pale as he scooted toward her and held out the box on his palm.

She reached for it, her fingers shaking.

“Open it,” Seth urged.

She took off the top and found a velvet jeweler case inside. She turned the box upside down to shake out the smaller one, and it landed in her palm with a plop.

Her stomach was a big, tight ball of nerves as she fumbled with the lid. When she finally got it open, diamonds flashed in the sun, stunning her with their dazzling brilliance.

She stared in absolute befuddlement at the gorgeous princess-cut diamond ring. In the middle of the arrangement were four square-cut diamonds put together as if they were one large single diamond. And then on both sides of the centerpiece were four smaller cut diamonds, again arranged together as if they were larger stones. Then smaller diamonds were embedded in the band all the way down the sides.

It was the most gorgeous ring she’d ever seen, and it was exactly something she would have chosen for herself. Simple, yet so elegant.

She didn’t know what to say. She was completely and utterly overwhelmed and speechless.

Seth took the ring from its perch and gently slid it on the ring finger of her left hand.

“Will you marry us, Lily?” Dillon asked, his voice a velvet brush over her skin.

“Will you stay with us and love us as much as we love you?” Michael asked.

“In sickness and in health,” Seth whispered next to her. “Until death do us part?” It was on her lips to say yes. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. There was no doubt in her mind or heart that they were what she wanted. That she loved them with every part of her soul and that her heart belonged only to them.

But she also knew that she owed it to them to come to them whole. Healed. Free of her past. She owed it to herself.

So she bit her lips, because she couldn’t say yes. Not yet. Oh, she would. There was no doubt. But first…first she had to do the most difficult thing she might ever face in her life. She had to face down her past. And then she had to forgive herself.

“I love you,” she said fiercely. “I don’t want you to ever doubt that.” She looked each of them in the eye as she spoke the words.

“You have no idea how much I want this.”

She slid off the ring and carefully returned it to the safety of the velvet jeweler’s box.

Before they could protest, she turned back to them, not wanting them to believe even for a moment that she was rejecting them or their love.

“Give me just a few days,” she asked. “Just give me that and then ask me again. There’s something I must do. For us. And for me. Ask me then and I’ll put that ring on, and I’ll never take it off. Until then, hold it for me. And don’t give up on me.”

“Oh honey, that’s never going to happen,” Seth said as he hugged her to him.

She’d expected an argument or maybe anger. Insecurity or that they’d think she was rejecting their proposal. But they all looked at her with love and understanding in their eyes. No judgment. No anger.

Nothing but love. Pure, unconditional love.

The sun slid over her skin, warming her through. She turned her face up, a sheen of tears making the sky a little shinier. She’d spent a lot of time railing against God. Asking why. Asking for a miracle. All this time she’d thought He’d turned a deaf ear to her. That He’d forgotten her or that she was unworthy of his grace or mercy.

She knew now that she was wrong.

He’d sent her the biggest miracle of all. Three wonderful, loving, patient men with an endless capacity for loyalty and love.

For the first time since Rose’s death, she realized that she’d survive. And not only could she survive, but she could be happy again.

Lily carefully folded the drawing so that the image wasn’t in any way compromised and then she tucked it into her pocket. It was perfect. Just as she’d envisioned it.

She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. This was it. She was going to do it.

She scribbled a note for the guys and left it on the bar where they’d see it. Then she took the keys to Seth’s truck that he’d left for her in case she needed a vehicle since he now drove an SUV that was his official duty vehicle when he was on the clock.

She didn’t call Holly before she headed toward the Colter home. She hadn’t wanted to explain over the phone. It was simply too complicated. She just hoped that Holly and Callie were home, because while much of what she was doing had to be done by herself, she needed the kind of support that the Colter women provided.

She pulled into the drive and saw the array of vehicles driven by Holly, Callie and Holly’s husbands.

If the cars were any indicators, they were all at home.

Gathering her courage, she got out and went to knock on the door.

Adam answered, and while there was surprise in his eyes, his smile was warm and welcoming. He held out his arms and gathered her into a quick hug, shocking the daylights out of Lily.

“How are you, honey?” he asked gently.

It dawned on her that Seth, Dillon and Michael had probably told their family what had happened. It didn’t anger her. The Colters were tight-knit and it seemed the most natural thing in the world that they would have spoken to their parents about her situation.

She smiled up at him. “I’m good. Are Holly and Callie here? I’d like to talk to them, if possible.”

“Of course. Why don’t you come in. Would you like something to drink? I have tea and lemonade.”

“I’m good, but thank you,” she said shyly.

As they entered the living room, Ryan looked up from where he sat on the couch reading a book. He stood when he saw Lily, concern etched on his brow.

“Is everything okay, Lily?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” she said hastily. “I just came to talk to Holly and Callie.”

“I’ll get them,” Adam volunteered. “Last I saw them, they were holed up in Callie’s room internet shopping. God help us.”

Lily stifled her laughter as Adam left the room but then she stood awkwardly, bearing Ryan’s scrutiny as she waited.

“Have a seat,” he offered. “How are you doing? Are you enjoying your art?” Lily’s tension eased and she smiled, unaware of the way her entire face lit up and she glowed. But Ryan saw. He knew how incredibly talented the young woman was. He also knew that she’d endured a lot of hurt in her young life. She reminded him so much of Holly when she’d first come to him and his brothers. A wounded bird in need of a place to heal so she could spread her wings again.

He hoped like hell that his sons would prove to be exactly what Lily needed. He knew for certain that she was precisely what they needed.

Adam returned a moment later with both Holly and Callie hot on his heels. Ryan also wondered if Lily wouldn’t be key in soothing some of the hurt he saw in his own daughter’s eyes. Lily…she was special, and he’d known from the day he met her that she was going to make a huge difference in his family.

She was already entrenched in so many ways. Holly loved her, and Lily had won Callie’s heart the day she’d given her the beautiful drawing of Callie’s Meadow.

“Lily!” Holly exclaimed.

Holly was more obvious than Adam and he himself had been. She wrapped her arms around Lily and hugged her fiercely, rocking her back and forth just like she was a child in need of comfort.

“Oh honey, I’ve been so worried about you. What a terrible time you’ve had. But you’re home now.

You have a family who loves you.”

Lily gave Holly a watery smile that tugged at Ryan’s heart. He looked over at Adam, and Adam nodded his head in the direction of the door.

Ryan stood and on his way by, he gave Lily a hug of his own. She’d always seemed a little more uneasy around him than the others, but then he’d always been told he wasn’t an easy guy to relax around.

But he wanted Lily to feel loved and welcomed. Part of their family.

She seemed surprised by the gesture and then she hugged him back, briefly resting her head against his chest.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said simply.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He pulled away. “We’ll leave you ladies to it. Adam and I will be out in the barn if you need us.” As soon as the men had left, Holly all but dragged Lily to the couch and sat her down between her and Callie.