Page 73 of Her Saltwater Cowboy

“The thing is, I’m not.” His brows shifted, like he had a secret. He pulled something from his pocket and held it inside his palm.

Willow frowned.

He opened his palm. There lay a ring—simple, elegant, set with a pale green sapphire that shimmered and sparkled like silvery leaves from one of her beloved olive trees.

Willow froze, her breath catching somewhere in her chest.

“Let’s not waste another minute,” Chance said. “Marry me?”

She gasped.

“I want a life with you, Willow. Not someday. Not down the line.Now.Here. At this place we’re working to hold onto. In this grove, where everything started.”

Willow’s voice came out in a whisper. “Are you sure?”

“Never been more sure of anything,” he said, holding the ring up for her to take. “Say yes, and we’ll build something that lasts. Something rooted and real.”

Willow looked at the ring, then at him, her heart both melting and roaring in her chest. The smile on her face could not have been wider. She held out her ring finger. He gave her a questioning look, and she nodded.

She may have even squealed a little as he slid the exquisite ring onto her finger.

Chance let out a long, slow breath, as if he’d been holding it until she said yes. He pulled her into his arms, smiling like the sun had just risen again.

Willow laughed and buried her face against his chest, nothing but love … and trust … for this man.

For a long while, they stood in the meadow, listening to wind rustle the grasses around them and whip through the nearby grove of olives.

After a time, Chance pulled back and peered down at here. “There’s something else.”

Willow leaned her head to the side, waiting.

“I’ve been thinking about your mom.”

Willow’s smile faltered. “Yes.” She sighed.

“Listen to me.” He held her gaze. “You said she’ll be fully released soon, right? That she’ll need care, supervision, stability.”

She nodded quickly, a tinge of sadness eclipsing her happiness. Of course, she wanted her mother to be released—her sentence had been so harsh. But she’d yet to figure out where the best place for her would be.

He continued. “I know she’s made mistakes. We all have. But I also know what it feels like to carry something too heavy on your own.”

Willow blinked,

“Bring her here. To the ranch.”

Her hand flew to her mouth, dawn opening up in her mind. “Chance, I can’t ask that of you.”

“You’re not asking. I’m offering. She can move into your cottage, and you’ll move in with me.” A small smile lit his face. “We’ll get her some care, Hopefully, this place can help heal more than just us.”

Tears flowed, slipping down her cheeks. How much more joy could she take? Willow could barely find the words. “Y-you amaze me.”

He kissed her forehead, then her cheek, then whispered against her temple. “I love you, Willow.”

“Love you back, cowboy.”

Then they swayed together beneath the cool wind, growing more intertwined with each passing moment.

Epilogue

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