Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Uncle Graham’s house wasn’t big enough for the Bridger Bunch, but the Dazzling Damsels insisted it would work. Zinnia coaxed Mari into turning the kitchen over to them.
At least they had plenty of food in the house. She and Mari had shopped the day before. They’d have to shop again tomorrow, but who cared? Tex was safe and sound.
Those ladies unearthed a stash of paper plates and plastic utensils that Uncle Graham had forgotten he had. Breakfast was served buffet style and eaten in various venues, including out in the barn.
Everyone took turns visiting Speckles and her foal. Tex stuck to Monty as if they were taped together. She and Monty would have to talk about this episode, but she was exhausted and wanted to savor this joyous moment a little longer.
She and Mari ended up sitting on the porch steps with Raquel and Uncle Graham and balancing their plates on their laps.
“I can’t believe I’ve never been over here, Graham.” Raquel glanced at him. “How is that possible?”
“To be honest, Adele didn’t like to entertain. But now that she’s gone, I’d love to have you over for dinner some night.”
“That sounds like fun.”
Mari nudged Zinnia with her foot. “Uncle Graham’s a good cook, Raquel. I do most of it because that’s only fair considering how good he’s been to us, but every so often he’ll insist on making one of his specialties. We always look forward to those nights.”
“I didn’t know that about you, Graham.”
“Mari’s laying it on a little thick, so don’t go expecting a five-star restaurant, but I do enjoy messing around in the kitchen.”
Zinnia didn’t dare look at Mari since they had to be putting the same spin on that comment. Engineering a night alone for these two would take fancy footwork, though. Maybe she and Tex could visit Jordan and Luis on a night Mari was working.
“Hey, Zinnia, could I talk to you for a minute?”
She glanced up. There stood Monty, his morning beard shadowing his chiseled jawline, a light in his blue eyes that made her catch her breath. Tex was nowhere around.
Don’t get your hopes up, girlfriend. “Um, sure.” She looked at her empty plate. “Let me just get rid of—”
“I’ll take it.” Mari whisked it out of her hands.
“Thanks, Mar.” As she started to get up, Monty held out his hand.
She took it. His firm grip set off a predictable reaction. The last time she’d held his hand they’d been naked. But that was over. Wasn’t it?
The fact that he continued holding her hand as they walked away from the porch was confusing as hell. “Where’s Tex?”
“He’s showing Rio how to sit on the bucket and make friends with his foal.”
“I’ll bet that’s fun to watch.”
“Could be, I suppose.” He kept walking, passing the lineup of vehicles until they reached the van at the end. Then he glanced over his shoulder. “Good. Nobody’s paying attention. Let’s skedaddle around to the other side of the van.”
“Monty. I thought we had an agreement.” But she went, anyway. If he was about to ask if she’d resume their affair, could she resist the temptation?
“We did.” Taking off his hat and setting it on the roof of the van, he pulled her close. “If you want to keep things the way they’ve been the past two weeks….” He paused. “I’ll find a way to live with it.”
“You want to continue our affair?”
“No. I want to marry you.”
Her world shifted under the weight of those words. But they made no sense. “No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I do. The shock of Tex going missing might have been enough to show me what an idiot I’ve been. I went crazy thinking something might happen to that little guy. But then my family showed up to help find him and that was the clincher.”
“What does your family searching for Tex have to do with us?”
“It convinced me Adam’s nothing like my dad. My brother doesn’t handle everything himself. He calls for help from the rest of us. Turns out, so do I. And by the way, Tracy’s pretty sure she’s pregnant but she hasn’t confirmed it so keep that to yourself.”
“I will, but—”
“I talked to Adam just now. He has no qualms about having kids and he plans to live a long time.” He sucked in a breath. “So do I. I’d love to spend that long life with you and Tex. If you’ll have me.”
“You’re giving me whiplash.” He was also melting the resistance she’d worked so hard to create. “You were so sure you’d get it wrong and screw up our lives. You made a believer of me.”
“Oh, I’ll get things wrong. But I won’t screw up your lives because my family is there to help me correct course. They’ll remind me if I start sounding like a one-man show who can do it all.”
“And you’ll listen?”
“You bet I will if the reward is you and Tex.” His brow furrowed.
“But I can’t do anything about the short timeline.
Nobody would blame you for saying you don’t know me well enough to make that decision.
The thing is, Tex has already made his. He’s stuck on me and it looks like we can’t unstick him. ”
Tape. He was referencing her son’s fascination with tape. A loving father would do that. He was getting to her, burrowing under her defenses, making her a believer.
“One other thing. Instant attraction also runs in my family. My dad met our mamacita at a dance and it was love at first sight for them, too. But they didn’t believe in it and agreed to part ways. Two weeks later, my dad showed up and proposed. So I’m right on time.”
“Did she accept?”
“No, but she didn’t say no, either. She made him work for it. He had to woo her.”
“For how long?”
“A few weeks. But since you haven’t said no, I’d be happy to put in the time if that’s what it takes. I guess proposing behind a van in the middle of the day with my whole family milling around isn’t very romantic. I can do better, I can—”
“Be quiet.” She slid her arms around his neck. “Be quiet and kiss me.”
He did. He most certainly did. In under three seconds she was plastered against him, her hands in his hair, her body aching for more.
“Hey, guys, I was sent to see if that hat on the roof is—whoa!”
Monty ended the kiss, but slowly. He loosened his hold but didn’t let go as he locked his gaze with hers. “It’s a signal, Rio. I’m trying to get Zinnia to marry me.”
“If I may make a suggestion, you should climb into the van. You might have more success.”
“Thanks for the tip, little brother. Is Tex with you?”
“No, he’s busy passing out brownies. We all decided brownies are perfectly appropriate for breakfast. But they’re going fast. Want me to save you some?”
“I still have the ones Tex gave me.”
“Zinnia? Want me to set some aside?”
She smiled up at Monty. “No thanks, Rio. I have all I want right here.”
“Then I’ll be off. Try the van. The back seat folds down. It’s—”
“See you later, little brother.”
“Yeah, okay. Bye.”
Monty tucked her in close again. “What you just said to Rio sounds like I might be getting somewhere. A wooing campaign is still on the table, though. If you—”
“Sounds like a waste of time to me.”
“It does?”
“You have a second bedroom, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“When I was there for the shoeing, I noticed a couple of extra stalls in the barn.”
He tightened his grip. “Is that a yes?”
She gazed up at him, drinking in the love shining in his blue eyes. “It’s a hell yes.”
He let out a breath. “Thank God. I love you. I love you so much I can’t see straight.”
“I love you so much I’m throwing out all my rules and going with what my heart tells me.”
“And what is your heart saying, pretty lady?”
“That you’re a safe bet for me and Tex.”
“I am.” His gaze was steady. “I gots you.”
She smiled. “I gots you, too, Montgomery Bridger.”
Snuggling close, she abandoned herself to a kiss that promised a long life filled with joy, love and brownies.