Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Taylor
C ole closed Rodeo's stable door, latching it. It was after dark when we made it back. We'd put the horses up and spent time with Rodeo before it was finally time to say goodbye. Tears streaked my face as Rodeo stuck his head through the gap of the bars over the stale door.
Running my hand over his forehead down to his nose, I sobbed, knowing it would be the last time I saw him.
"Taylor," Cole said softly.
"I know." I choked on my own tears. "It's time to go." Swallowing hard, I swiped away my tears. "I swore I wasn't going to cry."
"There's no reason to cry." He smiled, sliding his hand into mine. "Rodeo is happy. He has a good home, a beautiful new stable, and a great owner who will take good care of him."
Sucking in a deep breath, I nodded. "You're right." I sighed. "Take me home, please."
"I thought you'd never ask." He laughed, tugging on my hand and pulling me behind him. I glanced over my shoulder one last time, saying a silent goodbye before we left the stables and headed toward the house.
"Where is your truck?" I asked, taking notice that his truck wasn't in the driveway.
"I rode the four-wheeler over here," he answered, not bothering to look at me. "My truck is at my house."
So we'd have to ride the four-wheeler to his house and get his truck. Thankfully, his parents or, more specifically, his mom wouldn't be there. He led me to the front of the house, but I resisted when his boots hit the porch steps. "What are you doing?" The lights in the house were on, and a red sports car was in the driveway. The new owners of the house were home, and it was late. He stopped twisting to look at me. "Cole, we should go. They were nice enough to let me visit today. I don't want to push it."
"It's fine."
I shook my head, resisting harder this time as he pulled me up the steps. "What are you doing?" I didn't want to go in the house again. I was ready to put this part of my life in the past.
He released my arm when I jerked against his grip again and stepped down the two steps, stopping in front of me. "I'm taking you home." He leaned down and swooped me into his arms.
"Cole," I squealed.
He ignored me as he hopped up the steps and walked into the house without announcing himself.
"Cole," I warned. "This is?—"
"Your home," he cut me off, setting me on my feet in the living room. I studied him. I wasn't sure if I'd heard him correctly. "It's your home, Taylor."
"I-I don't understand."
"The house, the property, the stables, the horses, the wedding venue barn, it's all yours." My lips parted, and my heart clenched tightly in my chest as my brain tried to comprehend what he was saying. "You can sell the bar and follow your dreams now."
"But..." I stumbled over my words. "The man who called me?"
"That's me." A tall blond man dressed in a black suit and tie appeared from the kitchen. "It was never my property. Cole bought the place, fixed it up, and now I'm here to help transfer the property back to its true owner."
My gaze shifted from the man to Cole. "You did this for me?" My face twisted with confusion. "But you asked me to move in with you?"
"I never said where." He shrugged. "I planned to combine our land and give Bailey my parents home if you said yes."
"So I give you and Bailey the bar, and I get my house back?"
Cole smiled. "No, there are no conditions to get your home back. You never should have lost it in the first place. If you want to keep the bar, then keep it, but if you want to run your ranch and open your own wedding venue, then Bailey and I are ready to take the bar off your hands."
"It's yours." I huffed out a laugh. "I just feel bad giving it to you in such bad condition."
"Bailey needs a new project."
My gaze swept over the living room before flicking between the two men and finally settling on Cole. "This is for real?"
He nodded. "I told you Rodeo had a great owner who would take good care of him."
"It's me." I touched my fingers to my chest. "I'm his owner."
"As soon as you sign these papers," the blonde man said, holding up a pen. "You own everything."
"Why did you let me believe this was my last time here?"
He exhaled through his nose. "Because you're stubborn. I needed to remind you how much you loved this place; otherwise, you wouldn't have accepted it from me." He was right. I was stubborn, and I didn't like taking handouts.
"What if I drive it into the ground again?"
His palms lifted, cupping my cheeks. "You won't," Cole reassured me, his thumbs brushing along my cheekbone. "Taylor, you were caring for two dying people, running the ranch and a bar. Now, you only have to take care of the ranch."
"And myself," I teased. I was the biggest mess.
"I'm hoping you'll let me take care of you." I smiled wide as my eyes closed, and I leaned into his touch. Having someone take care of me was a big change that I could get used to.
My eyes opened, shifting to the blonde man as he cleared his throat. "Cole has some clients lined up who are looking for their horses to be broken in," the blonde man smiled, "and some parents looking for riding lessons to get you started."
"And when you're ready, Bailey and I will help you get your wedding business off the ground."
My heart melted. After everything I'd put him through, Cole had done all this for me.
"That barn will make a beautiful venue," the blonde man said. My gaze shifted, meeting his. "It's beautiful inside."
"I can't wait to see it."
"Maybe we could use our wedding to advertise the venue," Cole said.
I whipped around. "Our wedding?" My voice trailed off.
Cole was on one knee holding a tiny black ring box. "Our wedding," he repeated. "Taylor Nicole Coleman, will you marry me?"
I sucked in a breath as I touched my fingertips to my lips fending off the tears. "Are you sure?"
"I am." He nodded. "I want to marry you in the same barn where we took each other's virginity. I want to raise our kids on the land we grew up on. I want to grow old with you on that porch swing. So will you please marry me?"
I nodded. "Yes," I choked out through my sobs as I dropped to my knees with him. "Yes, I will marry you." He slid the diamond on my ring finger.
Gripping his face, I crashed my lips to his so hard we tumbled backward, with me landing on top of him.
It felt like a dream. After all we'd been through, I never thought I would hear Cole Montgomery say those four words to me down on one knee.
Maybe I would get my happily ever after.