Page 110 of His Eighth Ride

Her grin matched his. “Oh, that’s great news, Taggart.” She hugged him about the head and kissed him quickly. “Are you happy?”

“Yeah,” he drawled out. “Of course, the twins are now blaming me for the constant barrage of texts they’re getting from my mama.” He shook his head and watched the water go by. “I keep tellin’ them I don’t have it any better. She’s already haranguing me about grandchildren.”

Opal giggled and leaned into his neck. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Maybe we can take a trip before the wedding,” he murmured, thinking that if he didn’t say it too loud, he could pretend like he hadn’t.

“That’s a great idea.” Opal raised her head to study him. “Is that the second surprise?”

“No, honey.” He grinned at her. “For the second surprise, we have to go to the house.”

Opal got right to her feet. “Let’s go.”

Tag collected her chair and they started the walk back. He left the chair in the shade of the barn, and when Opal detoured toward the farmhouse, he squeezed her hand and nodded down the lane. “Your house, honey.”

“My house?” She fell back to his side. “What could you possibly have done at my house?”

“It’s a surprise,” he said.

“I’m there every day, Tag.”

“I’m aware.” He bumped her with his hip. “But when you’re with West, you don’t see much further than your arm.”

Opal sucked in a breath. “How dare you?” She then burst out laughing in the next moment. “So you’re saying you trespassed onto my property when I was busy with West.”

“That’s what I’m saying.” He sure enjoyed holding her hand as they walked down the dirt road, and Tag’s version of happiness could be summed up in a summer afternoon with Opal at his side.

He led her around the back of the house to the basement entrance, ignoring her curious look. After opening the door for her, he gestured her inside. Then he followed her and said, “Last bedroom, honeybear.”

She went into the bedroom first, and Tag closed the door behind them. The blinds had been pulled shut over the window, and he made no move to flip the switch. Even if he had, no lights would’ve come on, as the house had no electricity.

“What are you planning to do with this bedroom?” he asked.

Opal looked around at the bare walls, turning in a full circle before she focused on him again. “I don’t know.” She took a step toward him. “Taggart, there’s no surprise here.”

“I was thinkin’,” he said. “Of maybe another piece of inflatable furniture.”

“Well, if we have a lot of kids, I don’t think that’s going to work.”

“But in the beginning,” he continued. “But I’m thinkin’ a mattress this time. A bed.”

“A bed?”

“Then, you can come down here day or night, rain or shine, and lie down.” He nodded to the floor. “And see the stars.”

“See the—?” She craned her head back to look up, her voice cutting out like someone had pressed mute. She breathed out, the word, “Stars,” coming with the air.

Tag got down on his knees and then lay flat on his back, stretching his arms up and behind his head. “Yep, there they are.” He switched his gaze to hers. “Lay by me, honeylove.”

Opal hastened to do that, and she curled into his side, one arm sliding over his torso, her fingers slipping into his belt loop on the opposite side. “Taggart,” she whispered. “This is the best thing anyone’s ever given me.”

He laughed, because he’d paid someone to come paint the ceiling black and then use glow in the dark fluorescent paint to make the stars. “It’s a little paint, honey.”

“It’s so much more than that.”

“See Orion?” He lifted his free arm and pointed up. “The belt right there?”

“I see it,” she whispered.

“So when you’re feeling a little…down. Or off, or like things are moving too slow, you can come down here and see your stars.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “And you won’t have to stare out the window at nothing.”

“Mm.” She laughed lightly too. “I do that sometimes, don’t I?”

“Just a little bit,” he whispered.

“I love this,” Opal said.

“And I love you.” He rolled toward her slightly, and she lifted her head to meet his kiss. She didn’t say she loved him back—at least not in words. But he had the shape of her next to him and the stars above, and Tag couldn’t wait until she was his and he was hers.