"We even found a duck one--for Duck Norris, of course--and a kangaroo one to honor my homeland," Dee says with her ever-present Australian accent.
Seems like George is a better salesman than I gave him credit for.
Lee returns her attention to her cell phone, her fingers typing madly before she stops, her head snapping up to mine and a smile bigger than Bull Mountain’s twin peaks transforms her face. “He’s in,” she says.
“Who? Wy?” I say, my heart doing a flip.
“He talked to his captain who’s gotfoursons of his own, and he said if he was Red, of course he'd want Wy there in some capacity. So, this is what we're goin' to do…"
After hearing that we’ve somehow pulled off a miracle, I carefully sit down in my dress and pull out my phone.
Mags: I still can’t believe you put all of this together in a day.
Red: I had a LOT of help.
Mags: But you thought of everything. I need you to tell me I’m not dreaming.
Red: You’re not dreaming, darling. But I sure hope you’re living in one.
I swoon, my whole body melting against the seat.What did I do to deserve this man?
Mags: Do you ever say the wrong thing?
Red: I’m sure there’ll come a time in our next fifty years together when I’ll put my foot in my mouth, just know that I’ll always admit my wrongdoings and will never let us bed down anything but happy with one another.
Mags: See! Again, stop saying the right thing.
Red: Ha Ha. God, I love you. I can’t wait to call you Maggie Grayson.
Mags: I can’t wait to call you mine.
Red: I already am. Now, hurry up already. I want to see my One walk down the aisle to me. Imagined it so many times since I asked you to marry me the first time, now YOU are the one making MY dreams come true.
Mags: Look out for me, I’ll be the one in the white dress and cowboy boots.
31
RED
Just before the bull riding finals are about to begin, rodeo owner Rod walks out into the center of the arena with a microphone in his hand to the delight of the rowdy crowd.
“Howdy. Now I know y’all are waitin’ for the bull ridin’ to start, but before we get to that, we’ve got ourselves a special surprise tonight," Rod announces, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
“Y’all know that I have a soft spot when it comes to love and deservin’ people findin’ their soulmates. I have been lucky to have my darlin’ wife by my side for over forty years now, and if there are two people who deserve to find love and happiness—andwith each other, no less—it's my friends Red Grayson and Mags Gallagher who are about to do somethin' a little bit crazy tonight in front of all of y’all." The crowd falls quiet, the air electric as everyone waits to hear whatever Rod's about to announce.
“Red? Come on out here,” he says, waving me over.
I walk out toward him, the rest of the Bull Ranch men following behind me as Rod continues.
“Red gave decades of his life not just to the rodeo but to the animals we couldn’t do this without. When he came to me yesterday with a favor to ask, there was absolutely no way I was goin’ to say no. When I heard what the favor was? Well, you bet I was all in with it. So, this afternoon, I went online and got myself ordained just for this occasion.” Gasps and sounds of surprise fill the air as Rod presses on. “I hope y’all are wearin’ your Saturday night rodeo best because Red here is about to marry his best friend and a mighty fine woman right here in front of y’all. What do you say? Should we help get them hitched?”
The crowd erupts in cheers and applause, the sound echoing through the arena. I stand there looking around the arena and taking it all in. Then I think back to what Maggie said to me not twenty minutes ago.
“I need you to tell me I’m not dreaming.”
“You’re not dreaming, darling. But I sure hope you’re living in one.”
Rod lifts his brow in a silent question. I nod before he shoots me a knowing wink and steps back, taking his place in front of me. Rhett stands by my side, Austin, Landry, Toby, and Colt in a line next to him.
