My hand flies up to cover my mouth and I meet the dampness of the tears on my cheeks.
“... and I want every day with you. And every night. I want rides out into the pastures and late evenings around the fireplace. Most of all, I want Luke to stop flirting with you.”
I laugh. Cody smiles.
“No. Seriously. Most of all, I want to build a life together. And to name one of our children Cardy.”
My laughter bursts out with a snort. “Cody!”
“Okay. Okay.” He chuckles. “Carli, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” I throw my arms around him and he tugs me close.
“I got you a ring,” he says, pulling back.
“I get a ring too?”
He smiles. “Yeah. You get a ring too.”
He pulls open a small velvet sack and shakes the ring out into his palm, then he takes my hand in his and slides the ring on my finger. I hold my hand out so we both can see it.
“I love you, Carli. The words don’t do my feelings justice.”
“I love you too. You’re my person.” I tell him that all the time, and I know it’s his favorite thing for me to say about him.
“Life has a funny way of working out, doesn’t it?” he asks me.
“I’d say life has an amazing way of working out. Never in a million years did I think we’d end up dating, let alone be getting married.”
“It all started in a hog barn,” he says. “That’s what I’m going to tell our kids.”
He leans in and brushes a soft kiss over my lips. It reminds me of the one he first gave me, especially when he returns for a second kiss.
We stay on the blanket together for a while, laughing and reminiscing. Our kisses are sweeter, filled with a newness that says forever.
We finally decide to head back to the ranch. I mount Lark and draft behind Cody all the way back.
When we’re at a pasture just beyond the back barn, Cody shouts, “She said yes!”
The ranch hands all whoop and cheer.
Then we ride closer to the barn. The Lawson brothers are all out in a pasture having what looks like a serious talk.
Cody cups his mouth and shouts, “She said yes! Carli and I are getting married!”
Luke shouts back, “There’s still time to change your mind, Carli!”
I smile, “No thanks, Luke! I found my Lawson.”
McKenna’s in California, so as soon as Lark and Jasper are cooled out and put away, we call her, right there, from the barn.
“Guess what?” I practically scream into the phone.
We’re on speaker so we both can talk to her.
“You’re engaged!” she shouts.
“How’d you know?”
