Chapter Twenty-Seven
He didn’t want anyone else. She knew it was true. She didn’t want anyone else either.
“How have you felt since we broke up?” he asked. “Have you been happy?”
“No. I’ve been miserable.”
“So have I. It doesn’t make sense that we’ve both been miserable because we’re apart. When we could be happy together.”
“I swore after my parents died that I wouldn’t ever risk loving someone. Not like they did.”
“You were a kid, Letty. Now you’re an adult. Do you really think if something happened to one of us that either one of us would be okay, even though we’re not together? I know I sure as hell wouldn’t be. I love you, Letty. Together or apart, I love you.”
“I love you too. I tried really hard not to, but I do.”
“Then what’s stopping you from being with me?”
Her eyes welled. Tears ran down her face. “I want to.” She sniffed. “But I’m scared.”
“Because you think you’ll lose me like you did your parents.”
“I might. What if I did?”
“What if you didn’t? What if we got together and everything worked out?”
“You think I’m being foolish.”
He shook his head and took her hand. “I think you’re scared, just like you said you were.
But Letty, you can’t live your life being afraid of what could happen in the future.
Because then you’ll never have what we could have now.
Wouldn’t it be better to be together for however long it lasts than never to be together?
We love each other, Letty. That’s a gift. ”
“I know it is.”
“You know, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” Riley said.
“I don’t understand.”
“I’m not saying we have to get married immediately. Or get engaged either. Why can’t we just be together and enjoy what we have now without worrying about the future?”
“Would you be content with that?”
“For as long as you need.”
“Liar. I know you. You’ll be subtly pushing to get married after a week.”
He smiled. The one that made her want to kiss him. Who was she kidding? He didn’t have to do anything for her to want to kiss him. “I’ll try not to rush you.”
“Are you crossing your fingers behind your back?” she asked suspiciously.
He laughed. “No. I promise I’ll try to be patient.”
“I love Babette,” she said, speaking of the dog he’d given her. “But every time I see her, I think of you. I think you knew that would happen and did it on purpose.”
“I got her because I didn’t want you to be lonely. And because you needed a dog to love. But I’ll admit, knowing that’s how you feel makes me very happy.”
Her heart swelled. She was still afraid, but she was hopeful. Riley was right. She couldn’t live her life worried about what would happen in the future. It was time she faced the future with hope instead of fear. “I love you, Riley.”
He put his arms around her and kissed her. His tongue swept her mouth, and she tangled hers with it. It was the sweetest, most perfect kiss she’d ever had.
“I told you it would work!”
Val’s voice. They were home. They came into the living room and Letty stopped kissing Riley long enough to say to her friend, “Go away.”
“It’s my house.”
“Oh yeah. Well then, we’ll leave. The baby is fed, bathed, and sound asleep. She was great.” Both she and Riley got up.
“Thank you both for babysitting,” Val said.
“Happy to do it,” Riley said as they put on their coats and hats.
Liam hadn’t said anything, but he was smiling. She noticed he gave Riley a thumbs-up.
Riley stopped and kissed Val’s cheek on his way out. “Thanks, Sis.”
“I’d say you owe me but I’m almost as happy as you two are.”
“Can you come to my apartment?” Letty asked as they walked toward their vehicles.
“Absolutely. Let’s take my truck and I’ll bring you back in the morning for your car.”
“I have the day off.”
“Even better,” he said, and kissed her.
*
Six Months Later
Riley and Letty had been together for six months after their ‘fling.’ Actually, since they got back together. Which Riley hoped was plenty of time for Letty to decide to get married. He was ready. But then, he’d been ready for a long time.
He had the ring. His grandmother’s diamond engagement ring.
It wasn’t huge but it was really pretty.
He pulled it out and looked at it sometimes, imagining it on Letty’s left ring finger.
It was a flawless, sparkling round stone surrounded by small diamonds, in an old-fashioned platinum setting.
Val had known Letty’s ring size from shopping with her, so he got it sized.
Now it was just waiting for Letty to say yes.
What if she didn’t? What if she still wasn’t ready? He could wait but he was tired of sneaking into the guest bedroom when Letty stayed over at the ranch. Even though Jasper and Lorraine knew very well that they were sleeping together, they liked to pretend they weren’t. Thus the guest bedroom.
His parents were building a smaller house on the property that was close to being finished, which Riley still found hard to believe.
They said they wanted a smaller place regardless of what Riley did.
He’d explained to them Letty wasn’t ready, but they’d decided to go on and build.
Jasper was less interested in working every day and he could take it easier if he wasn’t at the big house, seeing everything that needed to be done.
Riley was happy since not only did he get the ranch house, but his parents would also be close by, and it would be easier to help them when they needed it.
Everything hinged on Letty. He knew she loved him.
He thought she was ready for the next step, but he wouldn’t be sure until he asked her.
As far as he was concerned, they could have a long engagement if that was what she wanted, although he hoped it wouldn’t be too long.
But hell, here he was planning things when she hadn’t even agreed to marry him.
His parents had gone out of town to visit one of his mom’s cousins so it seemed like the perfect time to have a nice dinner and pop the question.
He talked to Mercy, who was thrilled to make them dinner and give him instructions on how to warm it up.
Then all he had to do was buy some flowers, light a few candles, and call it ready.
As usual, Letty brought Babette with her. The little dog loved playing with all the dogs at the ranch. She and Sergeant, his mom’s older rescue mutt, adored each other.
He realized he was ridiculously nervous once Letty arrived. She must have noticed something was off about him. “Are you okay, Riley? You seem…I don’t know. Like you’re worried or something.”
“Mercy made dinner and left instructions on how to heat it up but I’m afraid I’ll screw it up.” Which was sorta true.
“Oh, that’s sweet. Don’t worry, I’ll help.” She looked at him again and said, “Is that a new shirt? It’s pretty.”
“I got tired of my old T-shirts.” This one was a polo type in blue, which was Letty’s favorite color. As usual, Letty looked great in tight jeans and a summer sleeveless top. But then, he thought Letty looked great in anything she wore. Or nothing.
He’d known Letty wouldn’t magically get over her fears, but she’d been working hard and going to counseling to get a handle on them. She’d even told him she thought the counseling was helping her come to grips with her fears.
The two of them managed to get dinner ready without any terrible screwups. Mercy’s lasagna, salad, and French bread was a favorite for both of them. “Look at you with the candles,” Letty said. “Is this a special occasion?”
“I hope so.”
“But you’re not going to tell me, are you?”
“Later.”
After they cleaned up, they went in the den. Riley was still nervous. He couldn’t have said why. If she said no, she wasn’t ready, then he’d wait. Not a big deal. Except it was.
“All right, spill it,” Letty said. “You’ve been as nervous as a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs since I got here.”
He sat beside her on the couch. Took her hands in his. But he couldn’t speak. What the hell was his problem?
“Is something wrong?” She stared at him. “You want to break up, don’t you?”
He laughed. “Absolutely not.” He slid down to the floor on one knee and reached in his pocket for the ring. Which for a moment he thought he’d lost. He patted his pockets, finding it in the last one he checked. Thank God. “Letty, I love you. Every day I love you more.”
Her eyes wide, she stared at him. “Is this—are you—”
“Marry me, Letty. Make a home with me.”
She didn’t speak, just continued to stare at him.
“We can have a long engagement. As long as you want.”
“I thought you were never going to ask me. I was afraid I’d screwed it up for good. Yes, Riley, I’ll marry you.”
She held out her left hand and he slid the ring on, then he kissed her hand. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“Are you sure you’re ready?”
“I wouldn’t have said yes if I wasn’t. But I don’t want a long engagement. Or a big wedding, either.”
“What do you want?”
“When do your parents get back?”
“In a couple of days. Why?”
“I want to get married here, with your parents and Val and Liam. And the pastor, of course. As soon as possible after your parents get back.”
“Really? You don’t want to ask your other friends? We don’t have to have a lot of people but we can have more than just the six of us.”
“I know. But I don’t need anyone else.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very.”
“We can have a party later on to celebrate and invite all the people we didn’t get to invite to the wedding.”
“I’d like that.”
“How about next weekend for the wedding? I’ll make sure the pastor is available. Oh, we should ask Mercy and her husband too. She’ll want to bake a cake and since she didn’t get to go to Val’s wedding I know she’ll want to come to ours. Besides, she’s family.”
“Of course we can ask her. Anyone else we need to ask?”
“I can’t think of anyone.”
“Then we’re on for next weekend. We can talk to Val and Liam tomorrow.”
“That sounds good. Tonight I want to celebrate with you and me in my bed.”
“Sounds like a deal. I love you, Riley.”
“I love you too.” He kissed her and swung her up in his arms to carry her to his room.