“I’m Ruby,” she says.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ruby.”
His eyes come back to me, and he steps closer, lowering his voice. “You realize,” he murmurs, “you’ll be getting a spanking for that later.”
My face goes hot.
I glare at him.
Before I can respond, Ruby suddenly shrieks, “Daddy!”
She takes off running across the grass like a rocket.
Waylon turns just in time to catch her as she launches herself at him.
He scoops her up easily. “Whoa. Hey there, kiddo.”
Ruby wraps her arms around his neck. “You missed my trail ride!”
“I saw you. You looked like the best cowgirl out there.”
“I was.”
Waylon laughs and sets her on his hip as he walks toward us.
He isn’t alone.
His parents walk beside him.
Barron steps forward, wiping a hand on his slacks before extending it toward Holland Ludlow.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Barron says with a grin. “Didn’t realize you knew the Storms.”
Holland shakes his hand firmly. “Know them? Hell, we’ve been neighbors for decades.”
Della and Priscilla hug like long-lost sisters.
Ruby waves enthusiastically at everyone.
Waylon shifts her higher on his hip. “Small world.”
Barron chuckles. “Apparently so.”
Holland gestures toward Waylon. “And looks like we might be making it even smaller.”
Waylon immediately stiffens. “Pop—”
Holland just grins. “What?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Something we should know?”
Holland nods toward Waylon. “This one here is about to make us family officially.”
Waylon groans under his breath. “Pop.” Then he nods toward Ruby. “Little ears.”
Ruby blinks up at them, completely oblivious.
I stare at Waylon. My chest tightens. “You’re … proposing?”
