Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
They remained quiet for a few minutes. I swore the only thing I could hear was the snow falling. I hadn’t brought out my gloves, and my hands were now freezing.
“We’d better get in before they send someone searching for us,” Ensley said, standing. She reached down and helped Lilibeth up.
Turning to walk back into the house, Lilibeth said, “Ensley, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure! Ask away.”
“Why doesn’t Caden like me?”
Now I swore my heart froze in my chest.
“He likes you.”
Lilibeth laughed dryly. “If that’s how he treats people he likes, I’d hate to see what it’s like for the people he doesn’t. He’s always so grumpy around me.”
“Oh, man, Lilibeth. It’s not just you. And that particular conversation calls for a glass of wine and a whole lot more time.”
“Was it a woman?”
My sister was quiet for a few moments. “Yeah. It was a woman. And if she ever sets foot in River Falls again, I’m going to kick her ass.”
“That bad, huh?”
Ensley snorted. “Yeah, that bad.”
The door opened again and then clicked shut. I leaned forward to make sure they’d both walked back into the house. I pushed my hands into my jacket pockets and stared at the door, and I couldn’t seem to shake off what Lilibeth had said.
“I used to dream about marrying a cowboy.
“We’d live on a ranch and have two kids and two dogs. One little girl and one little boy, who’d follow their daddy all over the place, trying to be just like him.”
A painful ache filled my chest. I closed my eyes and willed it away before opening my eyes and heading back into the house.
Because hearing that made me realize that that’s been my dream all along, too.
Lilibeth
I knew the moment Caden entered the living room. The air was charged and goose bumps slid over my skin. I tried not to search for him but gave up after about twenty seconds. I glanced over to see that he was leaning against the frame of the arched doorway that led from the dining room into the living room.
His eyes met mine, and instead of the usual anger there, I saw something I couldn’t read.
Moving my gaze away, I focused back on Emeline, who was telling Ensley and me all about her and Levi’s plan to head to Denver tonight and fly out to Lake Tahoe. They were eloping. I thought it sounded wonderfully romantic. And they weren’t telling the whole family. Levi was telling Caden, of course, and Emeline had only planned to tell Ensley. But she included me, as well, and I was honored that she would trust me with such a secret.
“So you’re really going to do it? No wedding?”
“We don’t want to waste another minute. Plus, it will be a fun adventure.”
“I love that you’re taking Rhett,” I added.
Emeline was glowing with happiness. It was infectious.
When I chanced another look in Caden’s direction, I saw him talking to Levi. Their heads were bent in a private conversation, then Caden smiled at his friend. It was rare to see him smile, but when he did, it made him look even more handsome. If that was at all possible. Even a brooding Caden was good-looking. But when he smiled…oh goodness, it lit up his face and made his bluish-silver eyes sparkle.
“Lilibeth?”
My gaze swung back to Emeline. “I’m sorry, did you say something?”
She laughed. “I did. I asked if you wouldn’t mind breaking the news to Moreen after you get the text that we’ve gotten married. I love her to pieces, but the woman cannot keep a secret to save her life.”
I chuckled. “Of course I’ll tell her.”
“I’ll make sure Marshall knows you’ll be gone for the weekend. I love Lake Tahoe. I’m not gonna lie, I’m jealous.”
“You’ve been to Tahoe?” I asked Ensley.
“Once. On a school ski trip. I never thought a place could be more beautiful than River Falls, but I was proven wrong.”
The feeling of eyes on me had me itching to glance around the room again, but I didn’t dare. I focused instead on Emeline and Ensley, who had changed the subject to a pregnant mare.
Then I felt him close by, and it annoyed the hell out of me. Why was my body so tuned in to Caden Wilde?
“I’m heading out.”
His words seemed to skate along my skin, causing me to shiver.
The three of us all looked up to see Caden standing there. He held his worn white cowboy hat in his hands. He leaned down and kissed Ensley on the cheek, then moved to Emeline. I’d never been so envious of two women in my entire life.
He lowered his voice when he spoke to Emeline. “Be careful on your trip. Don’t worry about this place, we’ve got you covered.”
Emeline smiled at her brother, then stood and hugged him. “Thank you.”