The Ranch

"You're coming back here?" he asked incredulously.

"Sure."

"Why?"

"You should know by now Sarge. Where you go, I go." She gave him a quick raise of her eyebrows then hopped out of the bed of her truck and walked to the driver's door.

Jeremiah stalked over to where his mother and Sheriff Roy were talking. "Roy, what did you do?"

"What are you asking about?" Roy wondered.

"I told you I'd throttle you if you talked to anyone about that conversation we had in the stable. Who did you tell it to?"

"No one. I made a promise that I wouldn't, and I haven't. I haven't even told your mom. Can't promise that Shelby wouldn't say anything, though."

"How would she know anything about it?"

"She was standing right there by the door during the whole talk. The real question is are you going to do anything about it?"

"Are you?"

"Not talking about me, are we?"

"Maybe I should do it for you."

"Sarah, do you think you can still spank the boy?"

"Not on your life, Roy. Not after what his father put him through."

"You really should take action, Roy. Just sell your place and move in here at the ranch. Everyone already knows that the two of you are gaga over each other."

"Jeremiah!" his mom cried.

"Jeremiah, you're embarrassing your mother."

"Why don't you just go ahead and kiss her right now Roy?"

"That would be inappropriate," Roy answered.

"Especially with all these people here watching," Sarah added further suggesting that she was not averse to the idea.

"Lisa seems to be alright with kissing while all these people are here," Jeremiah noted as looked at the troops by the cars and saw her and Huey in a hugging lip lock.

"She wasn't married to his brother," Sarah said

"So? It's been a year, hasn't it? No one will mind. Especially of this group." He thought for a minute. "Tell you what. I'll make a deal with you. If you kiss her right now, I'll kiss Susan before I leave Fort Leaven Wood."

"I'd like to see that. How would we know that you actually did it?"

"I'll take pictures of it, Roy. Jeremiah jumped as Jake Reynolds made his presence known.

"Deal," the man said. Then he drew Sarah to him before she could say anything and kissed her as deeply as he had that night when Lisa had been conceived.

"Let's move out!" Jermiah called. "And you better keep your mouth shut, SGT Reynolds."

"Yes, Sargent," Jake replied with a grin on his face.

He was in civilian clothes again. It felt good. He locked the Haulmark trailer that he had put everything in from his room in the barracks and went back in to be sure that he hadn't forgotten anything. Once he was sure, he went to another room and entered without knocking. "Grab your Camera, Sargent Reynolds," Jeremiah ordered.

Jake gave a laugh and walked out of his room holding his cell phone switching it to camara mode as he went. When they reached another door, he was ready with the phone already recording in video. He wasn't going to miss this.

Jeremiah knocked on the door and within two seconds it was opened. "Good morning, Sargent," Susan automatically offered as she saw who it was.

"Not Sargent anymore, Specialist Matthews," He replied.

"Yes, sir," her training kicked in again.

"Don't call me that, either. I still work for a living."

She gave a small laugh at the old joke.

"I'm headed back to the ranch. Anything you want me to tell Daisy?"

"Tell her I love her and will be there in a couple of months. Give her a hug for me, if you will."

"Certainly. But you'll have to give me the hug if you want me to give it to her." He moved forward and opened his arms.

"Alright, Boss." She shyly stepped in and hugged him. During their exchange, she knew that SGT Reynolds was there but not that he was recording a video of it. Not even when Jeremiah pulled back slightly then pulled her mouth against his, did she realize it. She was too busy enjoying the kiss and ravaging his mouth to much notice anything. The click that the phone made as Jake caught the moment in still photos as well as video was heard, but it didn't register in her mind what it was.

"I think calling me 'Jermiah' will be fine," Jeremiah said quietly. "Or honey, or dear, or sweety, or whatever term of endearment you would like." He kissed her again before releasing her. "See you in a couple of months."

She smiled. "Yes, husband to be," she teased.

"That works too," Jeremiah replied. "I'll have the ring bought and ready when you get there."

Jake didn't waste time after Jeremiah left in sending the video to Roy Nelson. He was sure that the sheriff would share it with Jeremiah's mom. He wished he could be there to see the reunion. But duty called and he was to be in charge of the next case.