Page 55 of Make Me Yours
I laughed, and the sound was light and easy after such a tender day. “You’re impossible.”
“Persistent,” he corrected, opening the passenger door for me. “There’s a difference.”
As we pulled away, I looked out the window one last time. The bouquet swayed gently in the wind over their joint gravestone, the butterfly still resting on a petal like it was standing guard over Sawyer’s parents. My chest filled with something bright and steady.
Maybe this was what healing looked like—not forgetting, but carrying love forward. And I didn’t just feel hopeful.
Iwashopeful.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Promise Ahead
Sawyer
Morning sunlight poured through the ranch windows as it rose above the mountains. Sunny padded between our legs, tail wagging like she already knew something big was about to happen. Lilly had packed the last of her things—an overnight bag, her travel pillow, and a book she swore she’d finally finish on the flight.
I loaded the luggage into the truck, feeling that easy rhythm we’d built slip into place—me double-checking straps, her making sure the houseplants had enough water. I’d lived most of my life alone, moving fast and light, but now I couldn’t imagine taking a trip without her beside me.
She climbed in, tucking her skirt around her knees. I slid into the driver’s seat and reached for the ignition, but just as I started the truck, a thought hit me like a jolt.
“Hold on a sec,” I said, throwing it in park.
She looked over, brows raised. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Just want to make sure the alarm’s set. Won’t take a second.”
Before she could argue, I was out the door and back into the house. My boots echoed across the hardwood as I moved to the safe tucked behind a framed photo in my office—one of the last pictures of my parents, taken a few months before the avalanche.
I opened the safe and stared at the small velvet box resting inside. My mother’s engagement ring. I knew she would approve of what I was about to do. I smiled to myself as I slipped it into my pocket. “You’ll love my idea, Mom,” I murmured.
When I got back to the truck, Lilly gave me a knowing look. “Everything okay with the alarm?”
“Yeah,” I said, settling behind the wheel. “House is locked up tight.”
She didn’t press. She never did when she sensed I needed a quiet moment. That was one of the many reasons I loved her.
The drive to the local airport was peaceful. The sun hung low, glinting off the hood as we passed through the rolling fields that framed Lucky Ranch. Funny thing—for a guy who’d spent years living out of a duffel bag, I’d never felt more grounded than I did right then, with her singing along to George Strait beside me.
We made a quick stop at Emma’s place to drop off Sunny. She stepped out onto the porch with a dish towel over her shoulder and that bright smile she always had. “Don’t worry about your girl,” she said, patting Sunny’s head. “I’ll take good care of her.”
Lilly thanked her, but Emma wagged a finger before she could return to the truck. “You make sure to drink plenty of water on that flight. Do you hear me? Dry air up there’ll sneak up on you.”
Lilly laughed, rolling her eyes affectionately. “Yes, ma’am. Though something tells me Sawyer will remind me every five minutes.”
“Damn right,” I said, and Emma cackled.
After a round of hugs, we climbed back in and headed for the airport. The private jet I’d rented sat gleaming on the tarmac, waiting just for us. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone—it was simply the easiest way to get her there comfortably. Still, when Lilly stepped inside and her eyes went wide, I couldn’t help grinning.
“Fancy,” she teased, running her fingers over the leather seats.
“You deserve fancy,” I said, and meant it.
From thirty thousand feet, the desert stretched out below us—endless bands of rust, gold, and sage. Lilly leaned her head against my shoulder, one hand resting on her belly. The soft vibrations of the engines filled the silence.
“Feels strange,” she said quietly. “Flying toward home but with an entirely new life growing inside me.”
I looked down at her, heart tight. “Feels right, though.”
