River threw him an exaggerated salute. “Sir, yes sir. General Pain-in-My-Ass, sir.” He scowled and made a shooing motion at the rooster. “You can’t hurt me today, demon. I havelayers. One of which is Kevlar.”
General Mayhem took a step closer, his yellow eyes fixed on River with what could only be described as personal loathing.
“Don’t tempt him with a good time,” Johanna said, struggling to keep a straight face.
The rooster lunged forward, and River leapt back with a yelp that was several octaves higher than his normal speaking voice. This minor victory appeared to satisfy General Mayhem, who strutted in a small circle, head high with triumph.
A yellow blur shot across the yard, barking joyfully. Goose,River’s dumb as a rock golden retriever, had apparently decided that a large, angry rooster was the perfect playmate. The dog circled General Mayhem, tail wagging furiously, completely oblivious to the danger.
“Goose, no!” River shouted, but it was too late.
General Mayhem’s feathers flared to twice their size, and he charged the dog with a battle cry that echoed across the ranch. Goose, interpreting this as an invitation to play, barked even more enthusiastically and ran in circles around the rooster.
“Oh God,” River groaned. “He’s going to get killed.”
From the goat pen, excited bleating added to the chaos. Rip and Ruckus had climbed to the top of their little goat houses, watching the show with apparent glee. Rip stamped his hooves on the roof, making a rhythmic thumping that sounded suspiciously like applause.
Kavik, X’s husky, decided this was the perfect moment to join in. He threw his head back and let out a long, mournful howl that seemed to encourage General Mayhem further. The rooster charged, the dog dodged, the goats bleated, and the husky sang, creating a symphony of animal chaos that echoed across the ranch.
In the midst of it all, Spitfire the alpaca stood in her paddock, neck stretched tall, watching the scene unfold with an expression of complete disdain. She turned her head slowly, met Walker’s eyes across the yard, and let out a snort that somehow managed to convey her utter contempt for the entire situation.
Walker couldn’t help it. He laughed, the sound rumbling up from deep in his chest. He slipped an arm around Johanna’s waist, pulling her close against the cold.
“Think we’ll make it through the day without bloodshed?” he asked, watching as River tried to corral his oblivious dog while simultaneously avoiding the rooster’s wrath.
Johanna leaned into him, her smile warming him more than the coffee ever could. “Between River and the rooster? Not a chance.”
They stood together, watching as their found family arrived and settled in. Ten years ago, Walker had stood on this same porch, looking out over an empty, snow-covered ranch with nothing but a half-formed dream and a mountain of guilt. Just him and Boone that first Christmas, two broken men trying to build something from the ashes of their mistakes.
Now look at them.
Eight men, as he’d once planned. Each carrying their own wounds, their own stories of failure and redemption. But it had become so much more than that. The women who had found their way to Valor Ridge, bringing softness and strength in equal measure. The children, racing through the halls of a house that had once been silent except for his own footsteps. The animals, from dignified Dust Devil to ridiculous Goose, making the ranch feel alive and whole.
And Johanna. Always Johanna. The woman he never thought he could have, now warm against his side, her hand finding his as they watched their family gather.
“We should probably save River before the General pecks him to death,” she said, but made no move to leave the porch.
Walker squeezed her hand. “He’ll survive. Besides, it’s karma.”
As if on cue, General Mayhem let out another battle cry and charged. River scrambled backward, slipped on the snow, and landed flat on his back. Goose, thinking this was a new game, promptly sat on River’s chest and licked his face.
“You sure about that?” Johanna laughed.
Walker pulled her closer, watching as X jogged over to help River up, as Kavik continued to howl, as the goats stompedtheir approval from their perch, as Spitfire turned away from the whole situation as if it were beneath her notice.
“No,” he admitted, smiling as he looked out over the chaotic, beautiful life they’d built together. “I’m not sure of anything except that I wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world.”
thirty
Johanna stepped through the front door, the warmth of the house wrapping around her like a welcome embrace after the biting cold of the porch. The living room hummed with conversation, laughter punctuating the steady murmur of voices. She hung her coat on the already overflowing rack by the door, smiling as Walker’s hand brushed the small of her back before he moved toward the dining room to help with the final dinner preparations. Through the doorway, she could see the long table stretching nearly wall to wall, every available chair pulled up to accommodate their growing family.
The familiar scent of roasted turkey mingled with the sharper notes of rosemary and sage, making her stomach rumble. She’d been so busy helping everyone settle in that she’d forgotten how hungry she was. In the kitchen, she caught sight of Nessie arranging a tray of rolls, her dark hair pulled back in a messy bun, flour dusting the front of her Christmas sweater.
“Need any help?” Johanna asked, reaching for the butter dish.
Nessie shook her head, smiling. “I think we’ve got itcovered. Lila’s mashed potatoes just need to be transferred to a serving bowl, though.”
Johanna nodded, grabbing a clean bowl from the cabinet. The kitchen was crowded but functional, everyone finding their place in the choreography of dinner preparation. Lila stood at the stove, stirring a pot of gravy while keeping an eye on the green beans. Mariah arranged serving utensils with precise care, each one lined up just so.
