Page 74 of Every Single Wildflower
Looking back down at the box, I take in the wilted petals and dried out stems. The once beautiful flowers are only twigs now, but they are stacked neatly with care. Some even keeping their shape.
He kept them all.Every single wildflower.
“Maddox. I won’t ask you to choose me.” I close my eyes, my heart aching and fluttering in tandem. “He’s your brother.”
“It’s already a done deal, darlin.” His smooth voice hits my ears. “Four years ago, I didn’t choose you. And I don’t plan on making that mistake again.”
I feel his fingers on my chin, guiding my face to his. “I love you. I want to spend my days leading you around this ranch on Sugarfoot or whatever horse you choose. I want to bring you your favorite peach cobbler home on a bad day. I want to listento your laugh, and if you want to pick every single flower in the state of Texas, we can do that too.”
A tear slides from my eye, and he catches it with his thumb. “I’m all in. Me and you, baby.”
Smiling, I lean in, pressing my lips to his. “I love you.”
Pushing off of the couch, I crawl over to straddle his lap, my arms wrapping around his neck.
“Are you sure?” I ask, my teeth sinking into my bottom lip.
Smirking, he lifts the cowboy hat from his head, and places it gently on mine. A grin blooms between my cheeks.
“Maddox Sheppard. Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
His smile is devastating. “It’s pretty simple, Goldie. My hat. My girl.”
Chapter fifty-five
Maddox
I finally managed to pull myself away from Ivy’s naked body in the shower to drag my ass to work. She had some computer stuff to do for the flower shop this morning, then she was going into town to have lunch with Laiken and Dakota before stopping by to see her parents.
I had just left the breeding barn after checking in on a sample when I spotted Ryder on horseback. He had been MIA since before the fiasco at the bar.
Waving him down, I walk along the fence line until he rides up next to me.
“Hey,” he huffs out after dragging the bandana down he had tied around his mouth.
“You alright?” I ask.
“Fine.” He shrugs. “Just making sure everything is settled.”
He rests his hands on the saddle horn, and I don’t miss his bloody and scrapped knuckles.
“Anything you want to share?” I prod.
He spits on the dirt. “Nope.”
Knowing Ryder, he went rogue. Maybe even tried to handle business himself. We hadn’t made a solid plan for confronting Bernard yet. I was just waiting on my instructions
“What did you do?” I motion to his bruised knuckles. “Get in a fight with a t-post?”
He chuckles and glances out over the bull pens behind me. “Looks like you got a shiner yourself.”
I smirk, knowing my lip is still busted and my jaw is beginning to bruise. “Conversations with my brother.”
He nods. “I heard.” Doesn’t surprise me. Nothing is kept secret for long in this town. “Way I see it, she picked you. End of story. Don’t know why it’s anyone else’s business.
“Thanks.” He may not have said the exact words, but he just gave me his blessing.
“I got to get back. Doc is coming out today to check the herd.” He pulls up his bandana and rides off before I can toss anymore questions his way.
