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your mother and father.”
    He knew the picture, a copy of it hung in his father’s old bedroom, back at the ranch.
    “She talked of your father fondly, said he never remarried because he loved Adeline too much.”
    Spencer had to blink at the way his eyes filled with moisture. “He did. He loved her until the day he died.”
    “I know now that’s what I’ve always wanted,” Della said softly. “A man who’d love me more than anything else in the world. With him, anyplace would be home.”
    “I do love you, Della, and I will forever,” Spencer whispered.
    Before he could see her reaction Della turned to the road where a shout sounded, “Momma! Momma!”
    Della watched Anna and Elsie run through the front gate, her heart sinking at the intrusion while beating happiness through her heart at the same time. Spencer did love her. He had done all these years.
    Anna waved excitedly. “Mrs. Carmichael finished the story today.”
    Della lifted her gaze to Rachel Carmichael, the schoolmarm, and Otis following the girls. The girls had talked of little else other than the chapter book their teacher was reading to them, but right now, Della couldn’t remember what it was about.
    “Must have been a good story,” Spencer said.
    “Oh, it was, Deputy Monroe…want me to tell you about it?” Elsie asked, hopping up the steps.
    “I’d like that,” he answered.
    The bliss filling Della’s soul said it was time to accept everything Spencer had offered. She reached out and grasped his hand as he rose from the swing. When he glanced down at her the love in her heart grew so immense her breath caught.
    “I saw you sitting on the porch. Figured it was all right to let the girls come home,” Otis said.
    Spencer nodded, but said to her, “I asked Otis to keep the girls after school so we could talk.”
    Della was torn. She loved her daughters—needed to tell them about Isaac, but she wanted more time with Spencer. To give him her answer. Turning to the schoolteacher, she asked, “Mrs. Carmichael, would you mind taking the girls inside for a cookie or two?”
    “Of course,” Rachel said, climbing the stairs. “Would you care to join us, Deputy Monroe?”
    Della wanted to say no, but Spencer spoke first. “You best talk to Otis for a minute,” he told her. “He’s been worried about you.”
    Her eyes grew misty. Spencer truly was more precious than she’d even imagined. He understood that Otis had been the mainstay of her life since the day she’d been born, and cared about it.
    As if reading her thoughts, Spencer squeezed her hand before letting it go, giving her a gentle smile. “I’d like a cookie, that’s for sure,” he said. “And that story must have been a doozy.” He wrapped an arm around each of the girls and guided them toward the door.
    “A doozy! That’s funny, Deputy Monroe,” Elsie exclaimed. The excitement on her daughter’s faces, as well as how enthusiastically they accepted Spencer’s company had more joy rising inside Della. Both Anna and Elsie liked Spencer; they spoke of him often, and at least once a week came home with a candy stick or other sweet treat he’d given them on their way home from school. He’d be the kind of father the girls had never known, but truly needed.
    Oh, how different things could have been if she’d listened to her heart years ago. She’d been so foolish. But no longer. No longer. “Spencer,” Della said before he disappeared into the house.
    “Yes?” His blue eyes held a touch of trepidation.
    Her cheeks grew warm, flushed by an excitement for things to come. “My answer is yes.”
    He gave her a thoughtful, cautious look. “Yes?”
    Happiness had her head bobbing. “Yes.”
    The girls tugged on his arms. “Come on, Deputy Monroe.”
    His eyes sparked and the grin that appeared on his face made Della’s heart soar. He glanced between the girls and her. “When?”
    She looked at Otis, and then back to Spencer. They both had waited for a long time.