Chapter Twenty-Two
Hope rose in Zoey’s chest, but she shoved it back, kicked it, and slammed the door on it for good measure. She’d been hopelessly lost these last few days, mostly over Hunter, and she wasn’t going down that road again. Today was rough enough with losing Cherokee that she didn’t think she could handle another blow.
She hadn’t even been able to take Cherokee to the auction, couldn’t stand the idea of watching people bid on him, and had let Brandon do it for her while Allie piled all sorts of treats on her from the honey shop and Choco-Latte that she’d stocked up on last night in preparation for auction day. Of course, all goodwill there evaporated the moment Allie had shoved her out the door—the traitor.
Zoey squared her shoulders and folded her arms over her chest. “Thanks for saying that. I appreciate it.” She kept her tone cool, but when Hunter grinned at her, that super sexy grin she loved so well, she felt that hope start banging at the door. But she wasn’t about to let Hunter break the barrier just yet.
Hunter pulled his hat from his head, his work hat, and fiddled with it in his hands. “You’d be proud of me. I did something impulsive today. I bought a horse.”
She frowned. Why did she find that hard to believe?
He went to the back of his trailer and opened it up. All Zoey wanted to do was run and hide. Sure, he’d apologized, but things weren’t better between them. And now he wanted to show her a horse he’d bought when all she wanted to do was sob over the one she lost? Not that he knew that, but it still felt like some wicked twist of karma.
She closed her eyes and prayed.Just let this end quickly, Heavenly Father, and I swear I’ll never meddle in my brother’s lives again. I’ll leave Virginia and be content with holidays and special occasions, and keep out of their business—just get this heartbreak over fast.
A moment later, the soft clops of hoofs in the gravel drive made their way over to her. “He was a little more expensive than what I’d normally pay,” Hunter said. “But I think he’s worth it. What do you think?”
She breathed out and opened her eyes. Cher Bear stood before her, pawing at the gravel and whinnying. Her breath hitched in her throat, her eyes filled with tears, and a gurgled cry of surprise choked out her throat. She covered her mouth. “You bought my horse?”
Hunter nodded. “I bought him for you.”
Her gaze trailed to him, and in his eyes, she could see his love for her. That hope inside her beat on that door so hard now that the door was about to come off its hinges, but she had to be sure. She had to know this wasn’t just guilt. “Why would you do that for me?” Her voice trembled.
The line of his lips went taut. “Because sometimes you just have to charge ahead.” He rushed her then, taking her in his arms in one swift movement. The moment his lips touched hers, that hope burst free—her chest and heart swelled with love for this man, this stubborn, hardworking, pigheaded, loyal, and loving man. Her man.
She wrapped her arms tight about him, never wanting to let go again as she savored the soft pressure of his lips moving in time with hers—a stark contrast to the tight hold he had on her. She sighed against his lips and ran her fingers into his hair. She loved him. She loved him so much.
After several heady moments, she pulled back, but he buried his head in her neck and hair. “I missed you,” he said. Then he breathed her in. “You smell so good. Let’s never fight again.”
She chuckled. “I like this side of you.”
He pulled back to look her in the eye—he had a twinkle in his. “I’ll spontaneously kiss you every day for the rest of our lives if you want.”
She grinned. “I’d like that.”
His face became serious. “Good, because I mean it. I want to marry you, Zoey. I want you to be my wife, and I want to share my hopes and dreams … my life with you.”
Wiping happy tears from her eyes, she nodded. “I want that too. And … I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have done what I did without talking to you first. I’m not used to having to take other people into consideration before I act, but I love you, and I’ll do better.”
He grinned and gave her a bear hug. “Thank you. Now, I don’t have a ring …” He glanced over his shoulder at Cherokee. She giggled. He dropped to a knee and took her hand. Lifting the reins up as he would have lifted an engagement ring, he asked, “Zoey Carroll, will you marry me?”
A loud squeal sounded from inside the house, followed by a happy bark. Zoey glanced at the window just as the lace fell back into place, and she chuckled as a massive wagging tail whipped the curtain back and forth.
She pulled Hunter up and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Yes.” Then she kissed him, putting all her love into it and letting go of all the pain. She might not have ever stopped kissing him if Cher Bear hadn’t nuzzled in.
“Cher Bear.” Zoey giggled and petted his muzzle. “Stop.”
“Whew,” Hunter said, also petting her horse while never taking his eyes off her. “That really could’ve gone either way.”
“Come on,” she teased. “You knew I was going to say yes.”
“Nope. Why do you think I bought Cher Bear? Had to sweeten the pot.”
“Well, now that we’re engaged,” Zoey said, “want to plan out our schedules for the week?”
His eyes glazed over and he dove in to kiss her again. “You have never been more attractive to me than you are right now.”
She playfully shoved at his chest. “I’m serious! I have less than four weeks to plant 40,000 trees and get my orchard in before winter.”
Hunter grinned. “Sure, but if we’re making a list, we have to put on there the last dance of the festival—don’t want to miss swinging my girl around the dance floor.”
Zoey smiled. “You going to pick me up with flowers?”
“Oh, I’m going to pick you up, all right,” he said, and he swooped her into his arms—right where she belonged.
