Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Asking you to marry me.” I lowered myself to one knee in front of him on the dirt in front of the campfire. I popped the box open to reveal the two gold bands inside. “Then I can’t get away.”
“You asking me to hold you prisoner here?” Colt wrinkled his forehead.
“No, Sheriff. I’m asking you to be my anchor. My North Star, if you will.” I pointed at the side of his chest where the comet tattoo lived. “Or the place my comet orbits. Pick your metaphor.”
“How about I pick you?” Colt offered me a hand back to standing. “I don’t need to marry you to believe you’ll stay.”
“You don’t?” My whole body sagged, defeated. I snapped the ring box closed again.
Colt reached out and tipped my chin up. “I need to marry you because I love you, and I’m serious about a life together.”
“You’re hijacking my proposal.” I was laughing too hard to manage a frustrated tone, relief and delight mingling.
“Better call the sheriff.” He leaned in for a slow, perfect kiss, firelight dancing in his eyes as he held me close.
“So that’s a yes, right?” I broke away to ask.
“It’s a yes, but—”
“But?” My voice rose. My back tensed. I should have expected some conditions.
“Let me tell Willow, one-on-one, just us.”
“Oh. That’s reasonable.” So reasonable that I likely should have thought of it myself. Luckily, I hadn’t said anything to either girl.
“Not tonight. She’s baking cookies with Adler and Hannah and watching movies. I’m gonna take Willow out riding tomorrow.”
“Good ol’ Pepperjack to the rescue.” I laughed, then sobered. “You think she’s going to be upset?”
“Dunno. I want to let her feel what she needs to feel.” Colt shrugged, wise and measured as ever. “Her mom was important to us. Those vows meant something just like these ones will too.”
Vows. We were really going to do this. I was going to get to marry Colt. Hopefully, as soon as humanly possible. For once, my love of speed and my impatience could be a good thing, get us to the altar that much faster. I pocketed the ring box for now. We’d get to wear them for real soon enough.
“You’re a good dad, Colt.” My voice was thick, and my eyes stung like I’d stuck my face too close to the fire. “A good man.”
“You’re a good one too, Maverick.” Colt leaned in for another kiss. “I want to raise these girls up right with you.”
“Yeah.” I gave a happy sigh right up until another thought hit me. “What if Faith doesn’t sign?”
“Then we cross that bridge together.” Colt held me close, squeezing my ass. “Same as anything else.”
“We do make a good team.” I preened, trying to earn another kiss, but Colt released me in favor of fetching the plate of sandwiches for the hot skillet.
“Just leave the sandwich-making to me.”
“Deal.” I chuckled as two of the sandwiches hit the skillet with a loud sizzle. “I’d say leave the ranching to me, but I’m gonna need all the help I can get there.”
“You’re gonna do just fine, Mav.” Colt left the fire again to come draw me close. “And I’ll be right by your side.”
“Good.” I stole the kiss I’d been seeking. It had taken decades to get here, but Colt Jennings was mine forever now. We had our second chance, and I wasn’t ever letting it go.
Chapter 39
Colt
Light snow dusted the outside, the sort of early-season powder that the weather folks would be crowing about for days. However, rather than be out in the snow, I was in a shopping center in the Denver area, trapped in Christmas shopping hell. Tinny holiday music played over the loudspeakers and harried shoppers kept bumping into each other.
“What do you think of this one?” Willow held up dress number one thousand four hundred and forty-seven. At least. Maverick had the bright idea to let Willow and Hannah pick whatever they wanted to wear to our New Year’s Eve wedding. A great idea in concept, but the reality was turning into an epic quest.
“It’s nice.” I nodded with what I hoped was the appropriate amount of enthusiasm, but Willow groaned.
“You’ve said that about the last four dresses, Dad.”
“Sorry.” I needed caffeine and fast. And Maverick. He might be better at fabric discussions than me. However, he and Hannah were in Arizona for Faith’s ninety-day celebration at the treatment facility. They were returning with Faith so she would be home for the holidays and the wedding.
“Hannah already has her dress.” Willow was near wail, and I was ill-prepared to cope with tears. “I don’t know why I can’t pick.”
“Do you want to try a different store?” I offered.
“Maybe. I dunno.” Willow’s mood had been glum the whole long drive to Denver the day before, sinking lower and lower the more we shopped.
“Let’s walk.” Lord knew that I, at least, needed a breather from this store. “Let’s go get a drink and maybe a cinnamon roll.”