Epilogue
"Thank you so much, Lisa, for helping out with Katie," Lou said, looking flustered as she handed Lisa Katie's backpack. Lisa, who had just walked into the diner, was almost shoved the backpack. She looked down where Katie had wrapped her arms around Lisa's leg.
"Lisa, yea! Can we get ice cream?" Katie asked, giving Lisa her best puppy dog eyes, trying to win her over.
Lisa laughed and glanced to Lou who shook her head at Katie and answered to Lisa, "No, Katie, you just had a huge ice cream sundae here. You definitely do not need more ice cream."
"Ahh, I see how it is," Lisa grinned at Lou and then tried to look sternly at Katie. "You, Little Miss, are very sneaky. You heard your mom, so as we drive home, no complaining that we aren't getting ice cream."
"But I love ice cream," Katie crossed her arms and frowned.
Lisa looked back at Lou, the two women had only been texting so far today, "So, I'll get her home, put her down for her nap-"
"I'm a big girl and don't need a nap," Katie frowned. Lisa and Lou rolled their eyes, the two grinning when they saw the other doing the same thing.
"I wish I could take a nap this afternoon," Lisa nodded her head at Katie. "Even Gigi will probably be taking a nap when we get home. You know we catch him doing that sometimes after lunch, and he was out of the house very, very early this morning to deal with the herd. I betcha that we will find him asleep on the couch."
Lisa turned her attention back to Lou and nodded at her, "Now, you remember that Jack and I-"
"Yes, going on a picnic today for your six-month anniversary, yes, I remember, and I promise I will be home," Lou told her.
"Okay, just double checking. I was shocked Jack even would suggest such a thing or a milestone," Lisa laughed, and that had Lou laughing too.
"Yes, considering he doesn't have a romantic bone in his body," Lou sighed, shaking her head at Lisa. "Don't have to tell you-you married him."
"Well," Lisa made a face, shaking her head from side to side, "I wouldn't say that, but it's Jack, and he is just very private; we both are."
"Big romantic gestures though, not ever his thing. I just can't picture Grandpa like that," Lou grimaced, and Lisa laughed, dropping her head. She could comment, could tell Lou that yes, Jack was pretty good with romantic gestures towards her, but considering this was Lou's grandfather they were talking about, she just dropped her head until she knew she wouldn't give away any expression other than agreeing with her.
Oh," Lou snapped her fingers and turned around, walking down the counter area and returning with a paper bag, gesturing, "Grandpa asked me for some of the breads we've been selling here. So, here you go, for your picnic."
"Wow," Lisa's eyes rose in surprise as she nodded. "See, even knowing Jack, he can sometimes surprise me. I would have expected cheese and crackers, maybe some wine," she laughed. "He's going all out."
"Maybe trying to impress you," Lou grinned.
Lisa shrugged, smiling at Lou, "Already did, a long time ago."
"Lisa, can we go?" Katie tugged on her arm.
"Oh, isn't this place just the cutest! It's like we stepped back in time!" Both Lou and Lisa turned their heads to the noise coming from one of the tables, and Lisa's eyes quickly widened, as she turned back to Lou, now just noticing the table full of tourists.
Lou sighed, "While I do appreciate the revenue summer tourists provide, I'm glad summer is ending, or I guess you could say early fall since it's the end of August. Leaves are starting to change, but it's been weirdly hot."
"Lou! Those women-"
"Summer tourist season," Lou rolled her eyes.
"No!" Lisa now almost hissed, her eyes widening as she turned toward Lou, trying to not draw any attention. "Those women-"
Lou interrupted, rolling her eyes again, "Loud and super chatty, that's what those women are. They've been here well over an hour already, and they are so loud."
"Lou!" Lisa said again, this time with some urgency. "They met your grandfather in Arizona. They were staying at the same place he was," she gestured, rolling her eyes. "If any of them had their way, they would be your newest relative, not me."
Lou's eyes widened, and she turned to look at the table of women, a smile spreading on her face as she took them in. She shook her head and looked back at Lisa, "No way, those women?" She made a face and started to laugh, "Grandpa had women chasing him?"
"You have no idea," Lisa rolled her eyes again and dropped her head in a chuckle "The day I arrived, I got out of the car and found them all sitting outside Jack's place, all eating pie, and it was clear they were all bidding for his affection. Jack's always swimming in ladies," Lisa laughed as she smiled at Lou.
"Grandpa?" Lou laughed, looking back at them. "Really?"
"Hmm, yes, well, he wasn't the least interested," she chuckled. "It was quite the sight to see, though, I'd say Val Staton times four and definitely not as classy."
"You weren't like jealous, even just a little?" Lou asked.
Lisa shifted her eyes just ever so slightly toward them, definitely not wanting to draw attention and then looked back at Lou, laughing now as she shook her head, "No, never, not in the least. You know Jack has never-"
"Even dated anyone else but you? Yeah," she nodded, interrupting Lisa again. "Amy and I knew that long ago, that you had to be pretty special to even catch Grandpa's attention. It's not like others haven't tried, Val for one. At least with you two married, she hasn't been lurking at the ranch these last few months."
"Mommy, can we go now?" Katie asked after she'd been skipping around the diner and feed store.
"We're going," Lisa jumped in before Lou could answer. "No interest in seeing them again. Jack will just die when I tell him who was passing through Hudson. They were set on seeing where he lived."
"Good to know," Lou rolled her eyes. "Well, definitely won't mention I'm his granddaughter and will try to move them out."
"Just let me get out of here first," Lisa said, scooping down to pick up Katie, hoping she would hide Lisa. Katie was getting too big to really be carried like this, but it would work to get out of the diner.
"Lisa, can I have a piggy back ride like Gigi does?"
"Sorry, Honey, that's just something Gigi can do. Let's go home and see what Gigi is up to," she told Katie, and with a quick wave, and Katie scooped in her arms, the two moved quietly to the door.
"Well, lands sakes! Look, it's the one who came after Jack, that younger woman," Lisa heard at the door and grimaced, still trying to duck out before she had to speak to those 'Cougars' as she'd called them.
Another yelled out, "Oh, Liz is it? Excuse me," and at that, even with Lisa's hand on the door and starting to open it, and even with Katie in her arms, she groaned and decided to just put an end to this. In her best 'surprised' look, and with a roll of the eyes toward Lou when she caught her glance, Lisa turned to the women there at the first table by the windows.
"Sorry, but do I know-," she paused, really trying to play the confused part. "Oh, hi," she smiled warmly, acting like she was now just recognizing them. "Wow, what a small world, all the way from Arizona, right?" With her sunglasses on her head, her Coach bag on one arm, and Katie in the other, she stepped to the table.
"Yes, it is you!" Lisa heard and gave a slight smile and nod to the women. She had no idea their names and had no interest in learning them. "We'd heard so much about Hudson from Jack, we just had to come see. This is just such an adorable little town here in Alberta. We are loving our road trip here in Canada."
"Long drive to just come to Hudson," Lisa said with a nod.
"Why, hello, darling," one said to Katie. "You're a cutie. What's your name?"
"Katie!" Katie announced, and she grinned at them, not knowing what an annoyance these women were. Katie turned her head quickly, almost hitting Lisa in the face with her braids.
"Is she yours?" Lisa heard and almost laughed, but she pursed her lips and nodded.
"We're related, yes," Lisa nodded, giving a vague answer. "I'm also her godmother."
"Lisa can we go home?" Katie asked with a big frowning face. "I want to see Gigi too."
Before more could be said about Jack and then possibly give up both Jack's location and the fact they were married, Lisa nodded at the women and then gave a head gesture to Katie, "Nice to see you. Enjoy your meal as you pass though Hudson. I need to get her home."
"Oh, well, we just love this cute diner," one commented. Katie perked up as Lisa was trying to step to the door.
"This is my mommy's diner," she grinned and pointed to Lou. Lisa gave a slight glance toward Lou and noted she was holding back a smirk as she watched things from the counter. Lisa, trying to move quickly, just gave a nod to the table and leaned in saying, "Try the Saskatoon Berry Pie. It's local and delicious. Bye now." Lisa couldn't get away from them fast enough, shaking her head all the way to her Porsche, somewhat not surprised she'd seen those women again. Jack wouldn't believe it.
Later that afternoon, as Jack and Lisa were on their ride, the two couldn't stop laughing at the run-in Lisa had with the women in town.
"Okay, now that we've had our little fun laughing about that mess," Jack glanced over as they rode, "let's forget about them and enjoy the rest of our ride."
"Wow, I must say that you are really surprising me, being in this celebratory mood," she smiled warmly, reaching over to squeeze his thigh there with his horse right next to hers. They were on a very leisurely ride, having ridden up to the ridge, enjoyed their lovely picnic, and now, they were taking their time riding back. With the summer sun staying up late into the night, they were not in any rush to get back. Jack had gone all out in his picnic preparation, but what Lisa had appreciated more, was the nostalgia; he'd packed simple sandwiches, turkey ones in fact, replicating their first date. He'd told her that day was one of the nicest, impromptu outings he'd ever had, and Jack remembered relaxing more that afternoon than he maybe ever had. There was something about Lisa that brought that out, total relaxation when around her. This evening had been no different. To go with their sandwiches, Jack had made a salad, cut up fruit, and he'd produced two slices of that very same pie Lisa had recommended to the 'Cougars.'
"I'm just really enjoying this, Lise," he smiled warmly at her. "Crazy to think about how far off track I let things get with us, convincing myself that I was better without you."
She raised an eyebrow at him, "Still thinking that?"
"No," he winked, reaching over and tugging her arm, leaning over to kiss her. "Good thing you knew better. Not sure what I would do without you."
"I feel the same," she reached for his hand and squeezed it, her eyes meeting his, a very warm smile on her face. She started to grin then, "You'd have four women chasing you, that's what you would have, so I know you. That's why you are glad I came to your rescue. I was the lesser of the four evils." She smacked at his leg as they both smiled, Lisa shaking her head at him.
They both burst out laughing as they rode, coming down now into the trail to the dude ranch, where they were planning to watch some of the sunset from the pond there. They continued on, finally reaching the pond just about as dusk was setting in. Jack dismounted Paint and helped Lisa off Cinders, and as they were tacking up the horses, it was Jack's turn to cringe.
"Oh my, it is! Jack, it's you!" Both Jack and Lisa's heads snapped up from where they were securing the horses, and Jack glanced to Lisa, shaking his head.
"No," he sighed, and Lisa grimaced, eyeing him.
"Of course, they would be staying at the dude ranch," she nodded, eyeing him with a shake of her head.
"They didn't know it was on the property, did they?" Jack questioned, giving Lisa a look.
"Did you tell them?" Lisa asked.
"No, nothing, not at all," Jack replied.
Lisa threw on a fake smile and gave a shake of the head at Jack, "Well, Cowboy, time to buck up and greet your lady friends. Maybe this time we can finally shake them."
Jack groaned, winking at Lisa, as he clasped her hand in his, "Suppose you are right. Come on, my dear." Jack, with Lisa's hand in his turned around, ready to face the group. As Lisa put on her best face, she turned and saw all four making their way down from their cabin. Lou hadn't mentioned the women staying, and she was sure that it was just as much of a surprise to Lou as it now was to them. A text would have been a good warning, and they would have avoided the area completely. Also knowing Lou, she figured she would leave them alone for the evening, which was appreciated until a moment like this.
"Jack! Hi handsome!" Jack groaned hearing that and was certain he could hear Lisa chuckling under her breath. He threw a small wave and put on his fake smile. The four women reached him much faster than he would have imagined.
"Hello there," he said with a nod of his head and a gesture at Lisa. "What a surprise to see you here. You remember Lisa?" He was sure he could see daggers being shot at Lisa, and he glanced her way, smiling at his beautiful wife.
"Well, this is a surprise, seeing you twice in one day now," Lisa gestured, Jack feeling her grip on his hand tighten.
"We were just saying what a beautiful place this is, saying that we see why our good friend, Jack, must love it up here in Alberta, and boom, out of the blue, you just appear. What are the chances?"
Jack dropped his head in a chuckle, shaking it slightly, "Well, considering this is our ranch, chances are pretty good."
"You own this ranch?" Agatha's eyes widened. She eyed Jack, a huge smile on her face. "We didn't know that, but of course you would! We checked in with a lovely younger woman, dark hair, in fact, same from the diner."
Jack, smiling at the ground, nodded as he looked up at Agatha, "That would be our granddaughter, Lou. Yes, she runs the diner and the dude ranch."
"Our?" Rosemary jumped in. "I think you've said that twice now, Jack."
Jack gave her an odd glance, his hand still in Lisa's, "Well, yes, Lisa's my wife." He could see the smile on Lisa's face as she tried not to look at the women, but instead looked over at him.
"You never told us that!" Rosemary said.
"She is," he said, now meeting her gaze with a wink. "Really great to see all of you again," he looked back at them. "But yes, this is Heartland, 600 acres that has been in my family for generations. Lisa and I were just on an evening ride. Gorgeous views right here. All of you should watch this sunset."
"Oh, are you going to watch it?" Val asked.
Jack had to laugh as Lisa jumped in before he could answer, "No, we're headed back to the house. We need to untack the horses, and we enjoy watching the sunset from our porch." Jack watched as she gave them a small wave, and he did the same with a tip of his hat.
"Jack, will you be back tomorrow?" Agatha called to him, and he chuckled as he turned.
"I've got cattle to move, so no, but it was nice to see you. Enjoy your stay here."
"Next year in Arizona?" Rosemary called to him.
Jack, looking at Lisa as he answered, shook his head, "No, while Arizona was necessary to get me where I am, Lisa and I will not be returning. From now on, anywhere we go, we decide together."
Note-
Thank you so much for the comments, and I'm glad so many enjoyed the story. I've had a couple of people messaging me asking if I could post chapters faster. My mom had a massive stroke last week, and I've been at the hospital. While writing is my way to decompress, I am barely leaving the hospital, but I am writing when I can to de-stress. A couple of great story ideas from readers will have to wait, as they are just too close to home right now, but I hope to start a new, lighthearted, story soon, somewhat as a help to myself too.