What I’m writing today is four words. And I swear I can almost hear her thinking, her body just a little bit tense, her head canted as she tries to decipher it.
“There,” I say, right as I finish.
“Rhett?” She turns to glance over her shoulder now, but her eyes are less playful this time. More watery. “Did you just write what I think you did?”
I shrug and grin at her. “Guess you’ll have to go look.”
She shoots off the bed, and I watch her take quick steps across what is basically a construction zone, toward the bathroom. The creases under her ass, the lace framing it, and the words Will you marry me? written on her back.
It’s so fucking satisfying.
I dart to my bag and grab the velvet box I hid. I go fast, not wanting to miss the expression on her face when she sees it.
My eyes trace her as she turns her back to the small temporary mirror in the ensuite bathroom. She casts a glance over her shoulder and then . . .
She smiles that little smirk that used to piss me off and now drives me wild. She doesn’t even turn my way. She just stands there, staring at her reflection, smiling.
I drop to one knee and hold up the ring in my hand—a canary solitaire with smaller diamond points to make it look like a star—and I might as well be holding up my heart.
Because this girl owns every bit of me. And she has from the first day she smirked at me.
When Summer turns back to me, her smile grows larger. She doesn’t even glance at the ring, she just stands there staring at me, her irises dancing with mine and speaking a language only the two of us know.
“Yes.” She nods, tears springing up now.
“Princess, please don’t cry.” She pads closer to me, wrapping her arms around me and pressing my head to her chest. Her heart beats are loud, strong and steady, and so fucking sure. Just like I am of this—of her.
“They’re happy tears.”
I reach up, swiping a stray tear from her cheek. “I still hate them. But I’m glad you’re happy. If these were your last moments, would you go happy?”
Taking her hand in mine, I slide the ring onto her finger, loving how perfectly it suits her.
We both spend a few seconds staring at it. Admiring it—but maybe more admiring what it means.
She grips my head, rubbing her thumbs across my beard. “Yeah, but this won’t be my last moment. I’ve got too many things I want to do with you first.”
A huge grin bursts across my face and I surge up, scooping her into my arms. I carry her back toward the mattress.
“Me too, Princess. Like take you to the main house and introduce the future Mrs. Eaton. Maybe make out with you at The Spur tonight so that everyone talks about it. But first,” I toss her down onto the bed, thriving on the watery giggle that escapes her. “First, I’m going to spend the afternoon listening to you scream my name.”
She laughs and holds her hand up to gaze at her ring. Looking so fucking happy.
And seeing her happy?
Seeing her happy is everything.
And I’m happy too, because I get to be stuck in her orbit for the rest of my life.
Want to see Cade Eaton, the grumpy single dad, meet his match? Keep reading for a sneak peek!
Pre-order Heartless here.
Have you met the Eaton brothers’ younger sister, Violet? Read all about her story in the Gold Rush Ranch series.
Start with Off to The Races.
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Heartless Sneak Peek
Cade
Lucy Reid’s eyes flutter my way. The look in them is just a little too appreciative for my taste.
“Well, I love to do arts and crafts. I do a lot of scrapbooking in my spare time. Knitting. I bet Luke would love to do some knitting. Don’t you think, Cade?”
I almost laugh. The way she purrs my name. Also, I’d love to see someone get Luke to sit still long enough to handle two pointy sticks and create something.
She smiles over at Summer now, my little brother’s fiancé, before adding, “You know how it is. We all need some sort of feminine hobbies, don’t we?”
I hear my dad, Harvey, chuckle from where he’s seated in the room’s corner. Hiring a nanny has turned into a full-on family affair.
And also, a full-on nightmare.
Summer’s lips roll together, and she offers a small, fake smile. “Yes, of course.” I almost snort. Summer’s idea of feminine entertainment is squatting heavy plates at the gym and torturing grown men in the name of “personal training.” She’s lying through her fucking teeth, but maybe she’s still new enough in town that Lucy doesn’t know.
Or maybe Lucy is being a snarky bitch to my future sister.
“Alright.” I stand. “Well, thanks. We’ll get back to you.”
Lucy looks a little taken aback by how swiftly I’ve changed the conversation, but I’ve heard and seen all I need to.
And bedside manner isn’t my strong suit. I’m more of a rip-the-band-aid off type.
I spin on my heel, drop my chin, and walk out before it’s too obvious that I saw her outstretched hand and just didn’t care to shake it. Practically stomping to the kitchen, I prop my hands against the butcher block counter that buts up against the window and let my eyes trace out over the open range and across the peaks of the Rockies that jut up toward the heavens.
This view, wild and craggy, is bursting with color in the early summer. Grass a little too green, sky a little too blue. Sun bright enough to wash everything out a bit and make you squint.
After tossing some coffee beans into the grinder to make a fresh pot, I press down on the top to fill the house with the sound and try not to think about what I’m going to do with my kid for the next couple months. It just leads me to beating myself up. Feeling like I should od more for him. Be more present for him.
Basically, it’s not productive.
The sound has the added benefit of drowning out the pleasantries that my dad, Harvey, and Summer are exchanging at the front door.
Not my house, not my responsibility. We’re at the main farmhouse, where my dad lives, to do the nanny interviews because I don’t like letting random people into my house. Especially not ones who look at me like this is their ticket into completing some weird little pre-made happy family fantasy with me.
Harvey, on the other hand, would run a bed-and-breakfast out of this place and enjoy the hell out of taking care of people. Ever since he got injured and handed the ranch over to me, it’s like he just wanders around socializing 24/7.
I watch the small grains tumble into the white paper filter in the top of the coffeemaker and then swivel to fill the pot with water at the sink.
“Kinda late in the day for a pot of coffee, don’t you think?” Harvey strides in, with Summer not far behind.
They have no idea. I’m full up on coffee today. Almost jittery. The grin I give barely touches my eyes. “Just pre-making it for tomorrow morning for ya.”
Summer snorts and my dad rolls his eyes. They both know I’m full of shit.
“You weren’t very nice to her, Cade,” is his next comment. And now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. “In fact, you’re being a challenge with this entire process.”