Black Hills Forever

  Black Hills

  Forever

  Black Hills Series, #5

  A.C. Wilson

  Black Hills Forever

  Thank you for purchasing this book. Black Hills Forever remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes without written permission of the author.

  If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to purchase their own copy. Thank you for your support.

  Black Hills Forever is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and events are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously with exception to Artists named and their song lyrics. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ©2015 A.C. Wilson

  All Rights Reserved.

  Cover Photography by Allison Hazen

  Hazen Photography

  http://allisonhazen2010.wix.com/hazenphotography

  Cover Design by Ginny Gallagher

  Gin’s Book Notes

  http://ginsbooknotes.com

  Acknowledgements

  I want to dedicate Black Hills Forever to my own soul mate and the love of my life. We met forever ago it seems and I knew the second I saw you that you would be something special to me. It may have taken some time and the road hasn’t always been straight; however, I do know that I will love you for the rest of my life.

  Everyone deserves a Forever kind of love. I hope you find yours. – A.C. Wilson

  Other Titles by A.C. Wilson

  Black Hills Angel (Matt and Andy)

  Black Hills Blessing (Garrett and Rayne)

  Black Hills Rebel (Nora and Randy)

  Black Hills Secrets (Blake and Bailey)

  COMING SOON

  Black Hills (Companion Novellas)

  *Lena’s Fall

  *Royal’s Wildfire

  *Lance’s Stars

  *Colt’s Magic

  CHAPTER ONE

  He watched as the sun made its break across the horizon and blessed the world with a golden kiss. He lifted his coffee up to his mouth, blowing softly into the ceramic bowl and inhaling the rich, nutty scent. Morning wasn’t morning without coffee. His lips quirked as he acknowledged that he didn’t really like it, but that it had long ago been melded into his routine. Now it was just another block in the wall, another link in the chain and although it might have alarmed him when he was younger, Travis was proud of it now. It offered a sort of certainty that the world lacked from his lengthy experience. Plans could be made and broken. Dreams could be dreamed and shattered. Life could be lived and lost. Nothing lasted forever and it was the joy in the moment that made life. It was all he could ever be certain.

  “I’m getting too old to stay up so late.” Lacey’s grumbling made him grin as he turned to see her walk sleepily across the kitchen toward the coffee pot and the waiting mug he had set beside it.

  “I know Matt and Andy appreciated the night out.” Travis set his cup back on the oak table and looked at each empty seat around the edge. Three had been empty on and off for a few years. He remembered when Lacey had purchased the large table with two leaves and six chairs had come with it. Three kids and two parents made the table cozy. Now at any given time, there were eight adults at the table and he had had to search for four more chairs. Two of which were waiting for his newly found son, Blake and his girlfriend, Bailey.

  “I think so.” Lacey poured the coffee and then put the carafe back onto the warmer. “I know why we had children while we were too young and stupid to wait.” She tried to chuckle at that as she lifted her cup. Travis bit off the grin that threatened to spread across his face as he noted the dark raccoon circles under his wife’s eyes.

  “It would be difficult to enjoy the golden years with a baby on your hip.” Travis winked at his wife and she shook her head at him.

  “I remember what it was like when we were young and struggling to make it all work. It wasn’t quite the flowered memories we tell our kids now.” Lacey lifted a brow in his direction and Travis looked thoughtfully at her. She pulled out a chair across the table from him and took a seat.

  His heart clenched as the soft sunrise touched her face. His kids might think him quite mad, but he still thought Lacey Johnson to be the most beautiful woman alive. His sons had found beauties of their own, but their mother was the only girl who could turn his head.

  She had stuck it out with him through the tough times and the insecurities of being a rancher. They had discovered what it was like to be parents and the keepers of innocent lives. It was an odyssey of truth, tears, pain and completely unabashed joy. For years they only existed as mother and father with no outside identities other than Nora, Garrett, and Matt’s parents. Travis met his wife’s eyes with all of those memories.

  “Times were tough, I’ll admit that. Newly married with the weight of a ranch in uncertain times and babies in tow. I’m sure you remember it more clearly than I.”

  “We were partners, Travis. I raised the children and you provided for our family. I won’t make light of the work it took to support both.” Lacey took a sip of her coffee and wrinkled her nose. She reached to the center of the table and twirled the Lazy Susan until she found the creamer and sugar. Travis had seen the same fixture for nearly twenty years. It sat in the same spot on the table and it held the same ingredients.

  “Now we get to enjoy the fruits of those labors.”

  Travis smiled at her and those blue eyes narrowed just a smidge. He thought he might have only imagined it, but the wrinkle in her nose told him it was true. She was seeing him more clearly the older they grew. Time definitely draws two people closer together.

  “We have many treasures.” Lacey sighed, lifted her chin as he moved around the table. He stopped just behind her chair and leaned over to give her a kiss.

  This was a usual for them. She would lift her cheek for his kiss, he would set his coffee mug in the sink, and head out to work for the morning. Today felt different. Today had an aura that he couldn’t shake and it sent chills up his spine.

  Travis took extra time in kissing his wife of thirty plus years. She didn’t hurry him, but turned in her seat and wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt her shy away from the brash whiskers that hadn’t been shaven yet. Lacey’s lips were still soft and supple beneath his.

  Tears pricked behind his eyes and he blinked quickly to dispel them. A lump formed in his throat and for a moment, there weren’t any words to tell her just what he was feeling. He couldn’t share with his wife the cascading thoughts moving so quickly he could barely register them himself.

  “I love you.” Lacey’s gentle voice reached his foggy brain and Travis forced a smile much too brilliant for the moment. If she noticed, Lacey didn’t call him on it.

  “I love you too, baby.”

  Taking a deep breath and stealing another kiss, Travis pushed up from his stoop and moved towards the door. It was only as he slid his worn black cowboy hat into place on his head and grabbed his leather gloves did he notice that he had left his coffee cup on the table. The kitchen door was already closing behind him, he shrugged, turned and set off across the ranch yard toward the barn.

  “Hey Dad!”

  Garrett slid the heavy wood door open on the big red barn as Travis moved down the aisle with a bucket of water. The chores were just being finished. Garrett tipped his hat back off his forehead and wiped a bead of sweat that had formed. It was late October, but the weather was unseasonably mild for the hills of South Dakota.

  “I’m almost done. Did you bring the trailer around?” Travis asked his son and then tipped the water to fill an orphaned calf’s rubber bucket.

  “Yeah, it’s o
ut front. I’m surprised you didn’t hear the diesel fire up. I swear that truck gets louder every year.”

  Garrett shrugged, jerked his head toward the open door. Travis tipped his now empty water bucket over so it would dry out and left it on top of the old green post.

  “She’s old but she’ll get the job done.”

  Travis took two braided lead ropes off their pegs and handed one to Garrett. His son accepted it with a grin.

  “Can’t accuse anyone around here of being brand new anyway.” Garrett chuckled as his dad snorted at the thought. It was true though. The ranch has always run on a wing and a prayer. Sometimes were better than others and often, the good luck served just to shore up the margins. None of the Johnson siblings though would have it any other way. It was a way of life and they all meant to preserve it.

  “Is Matt coming this morning?” Travis asked as they both got into the old diesel truck. Garrett slide into his seat and shook his head.

  “I haven’t heard. I think Randy is meeting us out there and Nora is coming with him. Although I don’t know what she thinks she is going to do.” Garrett rolled his eyes and reached for his soda. Twisting off the top, he took a gulp. His dad pulled out of the driveway of the Crossing Pines and set them on course to pick up the last of the cattle before winter truly came to the hills.

  “Eh...she can help run gates. Your mother was eight months pregnant with you and she was driving trailer for me. You forget that we used to do this without you kids.”

  Travis grinned and winked at his son. Once again Lacey’s face flashed through his thoughts and he held tightly to the memories of times gone by. All he could think was that they had gone by far too quickly.

  “Whatever you say. She is Randy’s problem anyway. I can’t believe they finally get back together and she gets pregnant on their first month.” Garrett grouched as they bumped along the pasture and what was loosely called a road. It was more of an aged cattle track that had been worn a foot into the surface of the prairie.

  “All in due time, Garrett. Everything happens for a reason.” Travis tried to calm his son.

  “Try telling Rayne that. She’s a mess with wanting kids and the doctors telling her that it will never be possible. She won’t let us stop trying and on that score, I’m not complaining.” Garrett took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “It just hurts watching her disappointment month after month.”

  Travis took a deep breath and knew with absolute certainly that it wasn’t just Rayne disappointed with her inability to conceive. Sometimes the gift of children was taken far too lightly.

  “Son, you gotta stop trying. Too much pressure can do as much damage as anything else. All you can do is love her and let God handle the rest.” Travis teared up again and cleared his throat. “That’s all you can do.”

  The truck cab was quiet of all voices save the AM radio playing some random oldies song. They reached the round pen that held the last eight cows and bull, Bubba. Pulling the trailer around and backing it into place, both Travis and Garrett got out.

  There was definitely a nip in the air and Travis pulled his scarf further up his neck. He grabbed the zipper on his Carhart jacket and made sure it was snug to the top. One more look at the horizon, Travis watched the long, dry grasses sway with the breeze that was starting to kick up.

  “Hey Dad! You coming?” Garrett called, climbing into the pen. Travis was jerked back to the present.

  “On my way.”

  Travis and Garrett moved to the back of the pen. The Black Angus cows turning into each other and Bubba kept watch on the two humans causing his ladies’ unrest. Bubba was quite the character with a high head and an untenable attitude. Travis hadn’t had the bull very long, but it was within a possibility that he would get rid of him this winter. The bull was just too much to take on and it was safe to say that Bubba made Travis nervous. It was far too easy to get hurt by these extremely large and agile animals.

  Garrett got behind the six foot panel that was used to shorten the area in the pen where the livestock could go. Travis stood beside Garrett with his arms out. Garrett had lashed the trailer gate to the pen’s panels so that it stayed open. Randy and Nora hadn’t shown up yet.

  “Well let’s see what we can get started. If we wait on them, they may not show up until noon.” Travis chuckled and Garrett nodded in agreement.

  They moved in tandem, pushing the small herd of black bodies closer to the trailer’s mouth. Even with the push, the darn cows only milled in a circle and not one was willing to take the lead. That was all it usually took. An older cow would find the opening and the rest would follow.

  Garrett and Travis hollered at the cows. Whooping and whistling to cause more chaos. It only served to get Bubba further on high alert and his big old head lifted straight into the air.

  “Damn, high headed son-of-a-…” Travis growled as he stared Bubba down. This was definitely the last winter of messing with his sorry butt. It was only a matter of time and Travis would put him up for sale. Let Bubba be someone else’s problem.

  “Come on, ladies! Let’s get moving.” Garrett yelled at the cows, shooing the mass of black bovine towards the door. It looked just about to be of little use and Travis was thinking of easing off for a bit so the cows could settle down when they saw the opening. In a whoosh, the cows filed into the trailer and Garrett lifted his gate to move in closer.

  Five. Six. Seven. The eighth cow hesitated with Bubba right behind her. Travis hollered at them again and Garrett whistled loudly. What should have been slick and easy, suddenly wasn’t working quite right. Garrett halted, holding his ground with the panel. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Travis. In that final moment, events unraveled fast.

  Travis saw the whites of that damn bull’s eyes and in that split second, he knew exactly what was going to happen. There wasn’t time to tell Garrett. There was barely time to move. Bubba charged ahead with a blood chilling bellow. That huge black head ripped past Travis as he swung back behind Garrett and his panel. The moment that bull ran passed them, Travis pushed his son around the panel towards the cows. As was often the case, the females scooted out of the way.

  Bubba wasn’t giving up that easily and there was no way of preventing what happened next. Travis took a breath and just as Garrett was on the other side of the panel, the bull caught Travis square in his middle. The impact didn’t hurt nearly as bad as the shock caught him off guard. The slick black head shook violently as it rammed ahead, squashing Travis between bull and panel.

  It all flashed in screen shot glimpses before Travis could fully register what was happening. He felt detached, if that was the word for it. He was watching it happen to him, but feeling nothing but awe. In all his close calls and all his years, he hadn’t expected it to all end this way. Someone was screaming, but a look at Garrett said that is wasn’t his son. Garrett had found a thick piece of post and he was trying to hit the bull with it while not battering his dad. A loud metal on metal sound came from behind them and suddenly Randy was there with a piece of chain.

  It must have been just enough to throw Bubba off his game and send him to the back of the pen. Garrett was quick. He grabbed Travis just under his arms as his father slumped to the ground and pulled him around the gate. Randy locked the gate closed with Bubba on the other side still watching them with all of his fury in his eyes.

  The screaming was louder and Travis felt sick. It was like wanting to vomit and finding no reflexes there to do so. Two hands gripped the sides of his face. Nora, his dear sweet little girl, was sobbing and trying to get a hold of herself. Garrett was saying something, but it was all jumbled up. It was like listening to something far down a tunnel. His vision dimmed, brightened, and dimmed further still.

  “Oh God, Daddy! No, stay awake, please stay awake.” Nora mouthed and he could only offer a soft smile. He was clueless to the blood that dripped from his nose and pooled in his mouth. He felt cold like icy fingers tickled his veins. Travis smiled now as
he rested against Garrett’s chest.

  “I’m okay.”

  He closed his eyes and the world went black.

  CHAPTER TWO

  December 21, 1981

  Travis Johnson waited with his stomach in knots and his neck tie cinched far too tightly around his neck as it was nearly cutting off his air supply. With his heart beating faster than he could ever remember it galloping, he watched the wooden door of the church. His hands were jammed into his trouser pockets fiddling with the seams and then panic sent him into a cold sweat. It beaded up on his forehead as his fingers searched every inch of his pockets. He couldn’t swallow for the lump that had taken up residence. His eyes bugged out and he felt his world tip just a bit.

  “Get a grip, Travis!” Growled his best friend and best man, Alex Covington, but everyone called him Rip.

  “Oh, man! The first day of the rest of our lives and I’ve lost the rings.” Travis grabbed his forehead and he fought to breathe. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. What am I doing here? I bet she doesn’t even show up!”

  His panic was swamping him and his best friend was laughing himself silly over it. Rip was literally wiping tears out of his eyes as Travis was nearly sick with worry.

  “Calm down, lover boy. You gave me the rings, remember?” Rip teased him even as he lifted his own hand to show Travis that he had them. Travis narrowed his eyes.

  “You aren’t supposed to be wearing them. It’s bad luck!”

  “Aren’t you the one that just said she wasn’t coming?” Rip shook his head and slipped the ring off. “You are worse than a dog with two tails never knowing which one to chase first.”

  Well Travis had to admit Rip had a point. One moment it was all love and rose petals. The next it was mass chaos and doom. He was really all over the place and he couldn’t blame even Rip for getting all tangled up in it.