Page 109 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

“But you haven’t even seen it yet?” Magnolia protested.

“Oh, yes he has,” Lillian asserted.

Lucas grinned. “Like I said, the past several hours have been busy.”

They moved to leave, but Grandfather held up his hand. “Wait!” His gaze locked with Magnolia’s. He swallowed as if collecting his thoughts. “It would seem that in my efforts to ensure that you didn’t end up with someone who was after the money, I failed dismally.” He looked at Lucas. “I’m sorry that I misjudged you.”

Magnolia’s jaw dropped clear to her feet. In all her years, she’d never heard her grandfather admit fault.

“I assume that the two of you plan to get married?” Grandfather asked.

Magnolia and Lucas looked at one another. A smile stole over Lucas’s lips. “That’s the plan.”

“Well, why not do it here?” Grandfather’s voice hitched. “It would be a great honor to have you as part of this family,” he said to Lucas. A hint of a smile touched his lips. “And, it would fulfill the terms of a certain dastardly trust fund.” He made a point of looking at Lillian.

“But the trust fund requires us to get Eric’s approval,” Magnolia countered, “not just yours.”

Grandfather cut his eyes at Eric. “Don’t worry, he’ll approve it. Won’t you?” he growled.

“You bet he will,” Eric’s wife piped in, giving her husband a withering look.

Eric nodded as he adjusted his tie and tugged on the collar of his shirt like it had suddenly grown too tight.

“What do you think?” Lucas asked, eagerness shining in his arresting blue-gray eyes. “Should we get married here and now?”

It only took a split second for Magnolia to reach a conclusion, but she pursed her lips, pretending to mull it over. She tapped her chin with her index finger. “Well, it is a fabulous setting, and I do have the perfect dress.”

“I’ll second that,” Lucas murmured, his eyes moving over her.

A radiant smile spread over her face. “Now that I have the perfect groom, how could I say no?”

Lucas looked down at his jeans and denim shirt. Magnolia was pleased to note that he was wearing his faded cowboy boots. She hadn’t even realized that he’d brought them on the trip. “I’m a bit underdressed.”

She laughed. “Nah, you’re perfect. My country bumpkin cowboy,” she said affectionately.

Lucas turned to face her, holding both her hands. Tears rose in her eyes when he got down on one knee and peered up at her. A crooked grin pulled at his lips. “Your hands are warm.”

She laughed. “Yes, they are.”

“Magnolia Bentley, you caught me completely by surprise. You’re the princess I never knew I always wanted,” he uttered, his eyes growing moist. “Thank you for showing me that I can love again.” He sucked in a breath. “Thanks for believing in me, for reminding me that I am enough.” His voice caught. “I promise that I will spend the rest of my life proving myself worthy of you.”

“You already have,” she said, her words hoarse with throaty emotion.

“Marry me?”

“Yes,” she exclaimed. “I do!”

The preacher was standing off to the side. It wasn’t until he spoke that Magnolia remembered that he was there. “Uh, wait a minute, I haven’t gotten to that part yet.”

“Well, get to it preacher,” Lillian laughed.

The instant Lucas got to his feet, Magnolia flung her arms around his neck and gave him a full kiss on the mouth, holding nothing back.

“I haven’t gotten to that part either,” the preacher said, but she didn’t care. It was time for her to start living her own life,with the one man who’d claimed her heart long ago, before she was even mature enough to realize what was happening.

Something Lillian said Christmas Eve morning floated through Magnolia’s mind.It’s not where you begin your journey, or even where you end up that matters. What counts the most is who you become along the way.

Her heart felt like it would burst open with joy. “Lillian was right. Love always finds a way.”

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