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“Good, ‘cause we’re here.” I pull Hooter to a stop and slide off my saddle.
“What do you mean, we’re here?” She giggles as she searches around the open space surrounding us and I reach up and lift her down, making sure her body brushes against mine as I place her on her feet.
“C’mon, I’ll show ya.” Kissing the tip of her nose and taking her hand. I drag her around to the other side of Hooter and stand her in front of the open field.
“There.” I hold out my arm, showing her, and she looks at me as if I’ve grown an extra head.
“Wade, there’s nothing there.” She giggles and after all she’s been through, it’s the sweetest thing I ever heard.
“There will be, this is where I’m gonna build you a house. It’s close enough to the ranch so the kids can run and play with their cousins whenever they want.”
“Kids?” She turns her head sharply.
“Yeah, kids. There’s no way Garrett’s gonna have more than me, and we’rewaybehind.” She shoves me hard on the shoulder and rolls her eyes when she thinks I’m fuckin’ kidding.
“And on the way out here, I just decided I’m gonna build you an east-facing porch, so ya can drink your coffee with the sun on your face every morning. What d’ya say?”
“I say, it’s perfect.” She smiles at the empty space like she’s starting to see the same vision as I am.
“‘Course, we’re gonna have to stay at the ranch until I can get it built, but I plan on havin’ it done before the baby gets here.”
“You’re gonna build us a house in seven months?” She looks at me doubtfully.
“Don’t be stupid… I’m gonna build it in six. Babies are unpredictable; they can come early. And I don’t want ya gettin’ all stressed about moving when you’re supposed to be restin’.”
Leia nearly knocks me off my feet when she spins around, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me.
“This is so amazing I could cry,” she tells me as she pulls away.
“Ain’t no need for tears, darlin’, we’ve seen enough of those to last a lifetime.”
“Happy ones don’t count.” She smiles up at me, and I figure now is as good a time as any to do what I wanna do next. I take a small step back and hold both her hands in mine.
“Leia, I know we’ve had a real rough start and nothin’ so far has been how I planned it, but we’re supposed to be together. It took you a little longer than me to figure that out, but I’ve loved you since the first day I saw ya, and havin’ ya here, making these plans with me is beyond anything I could ever have wished for. I just got one more thing I need.” I take the box outta my back pocket and hold it out in front of her, and when I lift the lid and she sees the ring inside it, she closes her eyes and lets her tears fall.
“Shit, I was supposed to get on one knee for that part,” I tell her, pissed at myself for forgetting, and wondering why she ain’t saying anything. Maybe I’m asking too much of her too fast, she hasn’t even really had time to get her head around the baby idea yet.
“Leia—”
“Yes!” she interrupts me with a huge smile on her face as she nods her head.
“Well, talk about keepin’ a man waitin’.” I take the ring out the box and toss the box over my shoulder before I wiggle it onto her finger, relieved that it actually fits. Leia leaps up into my arms and wraps her legs around my waist, and I kiss the hell outta her because I can.
“We’re gonna be real happy here, aren’t we?” she tells me as I carry her back toward Hooter.
“I’m gonna make damn sure of it because happiness is what you deserve,” I tell her, lifting her back onto Hooter’s saddle and jumpin’ on beside her. I hold her tight in my arms as we make our way back toward the main house, so she can break the news to Maisie.
“The town is gonna wonder what happened if we come out about this too soon. Right now, they think I’m just staying with my friend to get over my grief. Things are gonna change when they realize there’s something between us,” she points out as we get closer to the yard.
“Darlin’, I don’t care what the town says, and at the same time, I don’t want ya feelin’ uncomfortable around anyone. We tell people when you’re ready.” I kiss her cheek as we ride through the gates, and when I see a commotion coming from the front of the house I immediately get off the saddle and lead Hooter toward the stable. Old Man Mason is here, shouting in Garrett’s face while Mitch and Dalton are holding Cole back from ripping him apart.
I pass my reins to the new stable boy and lift Leia off, keeping her close to me as we head over to see what’s going on.
“Oh, there she is! And what a shock, with him.” Mason turns his attention to us when he sees us.
“Get in the car, you're coming with me.” He starts coming toward us and I place myself in front of her, letting him know he doesn’t stand a chance in hell.
“If you got any sense in that old brain of yours, you’ll leave,” I tell him, managing to keep calm.
