“Sorry, Dodge,” he mutters.
“Damn right, he’s sorry.” Uli shakes his head in exasperation. “Still, I’m going to make some slight adjustments to the will, make sure my granddaughter has the controlling share. At least one of them has their head on straight. Can I come in?”
I stand aside and wave the old man through, then turn to Davis. “You coming in?”
He grits his teeth, but says nothing as he turns the other way and starts trudging back in the direction of the Vredenberg place. I chuckle as I turn around myself, closing the door and heading through to join Heather and her grandfathe.
Half an hour later, we’ve both explained to Heather the exact terms of the agreement on the land. My grandfather, for all his faults, wasn’t a complete fool. He might have gotten himself screwed out of the majority of the land, but he did keep one apparently worthwhile stipulation. Any mineral rights belong to my family, which means that drilling for oil has to be agreed between both parties.
The Vredenbergs have to give their permission for the land lease to the oil company to sink their wells, but without my agreement they won’t see a penny of any profits. At the time the agreement was made, nobody had any idea there was anything worthwhile there, but it doesn’t change a thing for me. The reindeer are my primary concern, and having oil wells sunk anywhere near them isn’t on the agenda.
Uli Vredenberg knows that, and he’s not about to put the first generation that’s actually gotten along in jeopardy for the sake of an oil well that isn’t going to happen.
“So wait, Davis did all this without even asking you first?” Heather looks at her gramps and he shakes his head.
“That boy’s always looking for some scheme. Probably gone back crying to your gran right now, but he won’t get any sympathy there. Oh, don’t fret, we won’t see him penniless when we go, but you, my girl, are going to be in charge around here.” A sly grin slides over his lips. “Now, would you mind telling me what you’re doing looking so comfortable in the house of our family’s oldest enemy?”
Heather blushes and I take point explaining Heather won’t be leaving my place again. It is her new home.
“You gonna put a ring on her finger?” Her grandfather stares me down.
“As soon as a jewelry store opens. She can pick out whatever she wants.”
“Is that your idea of a proposal?” Heather gives me a playful glare.
“A proposal suggests there’s some ambiguity in play.” I say leaving my usual caveman speak behind. “You will marry me. I’ll marry you tomorrow. We will go get your ring, then get the marriage license today. Christmas wedding. At the park.”
“At the annual Christmas party? With the reindeer?”
“Yes. I will arrange it all. I have connections. The reindeer sleigh will pull us around the park, then we will get married in the gazebo with whoever is there to celebrate with us.”
The Christmas afternoon event has been going on in Frankenmuth for a hundred years. A wedding on that afternoon has happened before and I know the organizers and whoever I’ll need to find to make it happen.
“You wear white snow angel. You buy whatever you want, I’ll pay.”
“No you will not.” Her grandfather chimes in. “She’s my granddaughter. I’ll pay for her dress. Her grandmother and I will meet you in town in an hour. We don’t have any time to waste.”
With that, I walk him down the path and make sure he’s in his truck hoping I’ll be doing as well as he is when I’m ninety. We shake hands on a nod and that simple gesture washes away decades of bad blood between our families.
When I get back inside the house, Heather is smiling ear to ear.
“You ready to be Mrs. Dodge Ronson baby?”
She nods and I lock the door behind me, just in case.
“Lots to do, but first things first.” I run my hands down her back, smack her ass then peel off her jeans. “Bend over. Hold on. Santa has an early delivery for you.”
Chapter 8
Heather
Epilogue Six Years Later
I pet Dasher and Dancer on their noses as children and adults mill around.
It’s Christmas afternoon, our sixth anniversary and as always, we are at the town celebration with the dee and the sleigh.
It’s as fun as ever, even more so because the kids are old enough now to enjoy every part of what we do and even help out in their own ways.
I’m holding our youngest, Stacy on my hip. She’s just turned two and she’s rubbing my bulging belly.
“When will my sister be here? I’m sick of only having brothers.” She screws up her face.
“Any day now sweety.”
“Well, I hope she hurries up.”
I smile as people wave my way then I see Dodge and our two older kids, Riley and Doug holding his hands and heading our way.