I stare at Red in complete and utter shock. "What is happenin'?" I whisper to his slow-growing smile. He looks over my shoulder before returning his gaze to me. "You wanted to know what your surprise was?" he says, cradling my jaw in his big hands before brushing his lips against mine far too quickly for my liking. Stepping back, he grabs my arms and slowly spins me around to see Charlie standing there along with Austin and everyone else from Bull Mountain.
“Oh my go—” I get out before Charlie slams into me, hugging me tightly.
“Surprise,” she whispers in my ear.
“But I was just–” I look around the group of smirking ranchers and their Ones. “Y’all were just messagin’ me!”
Rhett holds up the phone in his hand and shakes it. "You mean phones can't travel? Funny, becausethisone did.”
Austin holds his handset in the air too. “Mine as well.” Then one after another, they all hold their phones up with huge grins, it’sRed’s chuckle behind me that I hear the loudest. Spinning on my boot heel, I put my hands on my hips, my eyes narrowed and ready to spear through him.
Except he's not standing there, he's down on bended knee with the most beautiful silver-crafted ring pinched between his fingers. Tears immediately spring to my eyes, my whole body trembling now.
"You already said yes, but right here, in front of almost everyone we love–bar, Wyatt who already gave us his blessin' anyway. I love you, Margaret Lucille Gallagher. Will you do me the greatest honor–again–and agree to become my wife."
“This time with a ring!” Star calls out, making me snort.
“Darlin’, I’m not just askin’ you to be my wife, I’m also askin’ you to take onthatlot, my home, my ranch, I want everythin’ that is mine to be yours,” he says, holding my hand and slowly pushing the gorgeous engagement ring down to the base of my finger. “But most of all, I’m askin’ you to marry metonight.”
My gasp is so loud I swear the animals back at Bull must’ve heard it. “What?”
He smiles, his own eyes glistening with emotion now too. “Marry me tonight, darlin’. In the middle of the arena. In front of all and sundry. I want the world to know you’re mine and don’t want to wait another day to be your husband.”
I stare deep into the beautiful soulful eyes of my best friend, my lover, myOne. And there’s absolutely no question as to what my answer will be. I mean, the man just proposedagain, and made sure to do it in front of everyone–and with a ring this time too.
“Yes!” I say, tugging on his arms and pouncing on him as soon as he’s back to his feet, kissing him long and deep, pouring everything into it because it’s too much for me to hold inside. “Wait!,” I blurt out, tearing myself away from him. “We can’t get marriedtonight. I don’t even have a dress!”
That's when the man of my dreams pulls me back into his arms and touches his forehead on mine. "Everythin's been taken care of thanks to a little help from our family and friends. All you need to do is turn up and say those magical little words.”
I grin. “I love you?”
“That’s three, try again.”
“I do!”
29
RED
“You sure don’t waste time, do you?” Rhett says from a seat across from me. All of us men are using Rod’s trailer to get ready while the women use the one Mags and I have been staying in. “Then again, when you know, you know.”
“Amen tothat,” Toby adds, lifting his beer bottle in the air. “Our women are the best thing to ever happen to us.”
Every single one of us toast tothat.
I may have organised this surprise wedding, but making a mad dash across the state at my request wasn’t enough for the ranch family. They decided to go one step further and stopped in Anchorage to get us all matching black shirts with white stitching along with black bolo ties with a silver bull head slide on it to go with our matching dark denim jeans and black cowboy boots.
A hand clamps down on my shoulder and I look up to find Austin grinning down at me. "You ready for this?" he asks, his eyes shining with genuine happiness.
“Never been more ready in my life.”
“Good, good,” he says, before a little hint of mischief appears. “Also, since you’re marryin’ my future mother-in-law, does that mean I can call you Dad?”
The rest of the guys burst out laughing. I just smirk and narrow my gaze, rubbing my beard for good measure. “Hmm, that means I could still saynowhen you ask us for Char's hand in marriage.”
“What? No, I mean… wait. You wouldn’t?” Austin stutters, rolling his eyes when my grin widens.
“He got you good, Austin,” Colt snickers.
