Page 48 of Special Delivery Cowboy
"You're not dreaming. I'm real. We're real. This is all real." He kissed the top of my head.
We stood there for a long moment, just holding each other. Twinkle leaned against our legs, content now that she'd completed her mission. The fire crackled, settling into glowing coals. Snow fell heavier outside the windows, coating the world in fresh white.
Finally, TJ led me back to the couch. We settled in—me curled into his side, his arm around my shoulders, Twinkle sprawling across both our laps, staking her claim.
"You know what's crazy?" I said.
"What?"
"A year ago, I came to that cabin completely heartbroken. Thought my life was over. Thought I'd never trust anyone again, that I'd never be enough for anyone." I looked at him. "And now I'm sitting in a home I love, doing a job I love, with a man I love more than I knew was possible. And a dog who's currently drooling on my new expensive sweater."
TJ glanced down. "Twinkle. Really?"
She wagged her tail, completely unrepentant.
"She's excited," I said, scratching behind her ears. "Aren't you, baby girl? You helped Daddy propose."
"Listen to us." TJ shook his head, but he was smiling—that dimple appearing again. "We're that couple. The ones who talk to the dog like she's people."
"We absolutely are. I regret nothing." I curled closer to his warmth.
He kissed me, and when he pulled back, his eyes were bright.
"I want it all with you, Tinsley,” he said quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “The wedding, the kids, the growing old together. Every single piece.”
Something caught in my chest—the good kind, the kind that came from too much happiness. "I want that too. All of it. With you."
"Good." He leaned in close. "Because you're stuck with me now, ma'am.”
We fell quiet, comfortable in that way that meant we didn't need to fill every moment with words. Outside, the snow had slowed to occasional flurries. The world beyond the windows looked clean and untouched, like a blank page waiting to be written on.
"You know," I said eventually, "Melody's going to lose her mind when I tell her. She's been placing bets on when you'd propose since, like, March."
"She has not."
"She absolutely has. I think she had money on Valentine's Day. Lost that bet." I smiled. "But she'll forgive you when she sees the ring. Trust me. And when I tell her she's maid of honor, she'll probably cry. Then immediately start planning my bachelorette party, which terrifies me slightly." I paused. "She's going to kill me for not calling her immediately. But she can wait until tomorrow—tonight is just us."
"Your parents are going to be happy too."
"They already love you more than they love me. Pretty sure Dad's been practicing his father-of-the-bride speech since Easter." I remembered dinner tonight, the way Dad had looked at TJ with pure approval. "Also, I'm pretty sure he and your dad are best friends now. They literally spent an hour talking about fishing."
"Could be worse. They could hate each other."
"True. Though watching our moms plan an unborn baby's first birthday party was simultaneously adorable and slightly terrifying."
"That's just how they are." He pressed a kiss to my temple. "They love hard. Means they'll love our kids the same way someday."
Our kids. The casual way he said it made my chest ache.
"I still can't believe this is my life," I admitted quietly.
“It is—and I intend to give you so much more,” TJ said, holding up my hand where the ring sparkled on my finger.
We stayed on the couch until the fire burned down to embers and Twinkle started snoring loud enough to wake herself up. Finally, TJ stood, stretching.
"Come on. Let's get this girl settled and then celebrate right."
"Right?" I raised an eyebrow.
