Page 57 of The Cowboy Fix

She found Malorie and Andee in the kitchen overseeing the caterers. “I brought flowers. Does Nathan have vases somewhere?”

“Good grief, I forgot about flowers. Yes. In the pantry, there’s a whole shelf of them.”

Blake came in and grabbed his fiancée around the waist. Timmy and Reece were right behind him. “Come keep me company, my love, and let the caterer do her job without you hovering.”

Malorie pinked up. Izzy sighed, happiness for her best friend giving her goosebumps. Grabbing the vases, she moved the flowers to the table out of the caterer’s way. When she was done putting the displays together, worried by Nathan’s absence, she placed the vases around the living area of the main floor. She still didn’t cross paths with Nathan.

A violin player set up in a corner. Jonas joined Izzy as guests began to fill the room.

Finally giving in to rising concern, she asked, “Have you seen Nathan?” How could she talk to him if he continued to hide?

“Yes. There he is. He was just checking on the horses.” Jonas put an arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ear. “You’re not going to let him get away, are you?”

She looked in Nathan’s direction. He was frowning at Jonas.

“No. He’s my guy,” she confessed.

Jonas grinned and nudged her toward his brother. “Good. Go get him, sister.”

She didn’t have to be told twice, or maybe she did, but not anymore. She made a beeline toward the cowboy who’d stolen her heart. This time he didn’t walk away, just waited until she reached his side.

The room was filling up. The violinist started to play softly. Izzy’s heart flipped over at the sight of the emotions playing in Nathan’s dark eyes.

“Can we talk?” Placing a hand on his arm, she held her breath, crossing her fingers and toes that he wouldn’t turn her away.

Her heart leaped as he took her hand and led the way out to the far end of the porch where they found a semi-quiet spot where they could talk without being interrupted. He tugged her against the house and faced Izzy. “When are you leaving for Montana?”

“I’m not going to Montana,” she said, leaning toward him as the faint strains of the violin found them on the porch. Through the window, she could see Elizabeth Green from the Rose Tea Emporium, the mayor, and Sloane Michaels talking, holding up their champagne flutes.

Nathan pulled her closer. “Why?”

“I changed my mind about accepting a job that’s so far away.” She couldn’t help smiling at him. “I took a different job.”

He didn’t smile back but something stirred in his eyes. The straight line of his mouth eased. “You’re taking one of the other two?”

“Still too far away.” She reached for his other hand and took a step closer. “Besides, they don’t have a certain cowboy living close by.”

He pulled her into his arms. “What are you saying, Izzy Payton?”

“The mayor of Strawberry Ridge has offered me a job I can’t refuse. And... I’m saying... I love you, Nathan Lo—” Before she could finish, Nathan put his hands on both sides of her face and kissed her as if he was never going to let her go.

Izzy’s heart swelled. Her pulse racing, she grabbed his wrists and kissed him back, making sure he knew there was nowhere else she’d rather be than right there in his arms.

Finally, he raised his head. “I love you, Izzy Payton. Will you marry me so we can spend the rest of our lives loving each other?”

“I want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of our lives,” she said with a happy sigh.

He grabbed her around the waist and swung her in a happy circle. “Is that a yes, Miss Payton?”

“Yes, Mr. Lohmen!” Izzy laughed. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

He kissed her again until she was breathless, then gently dragged her into the party. “Let’s go tell Blake and Jonas.”

Across the crowded room, the brothers watched them come in. Nathan raised their entwined hands, a gentle grin lighting his handsome face.

Izzy was ready for this next adventure. Her heart swelled.

Blake and Jonas raised their champagne glasses, both giving them a thumbs up. Blake nudged Malorie and whispered in her ear. Balancing on her toes in her excitement, Mal clapped before tilting into her future husband’s shoulder.

Nathan took Izzy into his arms. “Let’s dance.”

“Forever,” Izzy kissed the cowboy, who was the bright star lighting all her days and nights.

With an exciting new job and Nathan at her side, her days of being a rolling stone were over. To a round of cheers and applause, she melted into Nathan’s love.

The End