Chapter Thirty-Eight
Three months later
Sarah leaned on the white wood corral’s fence and gazed at her alfalfa field.
The grass had grown tall and green. The man she loved stood behind her, his chest to her back, his arms draped on the top rail.
He nuzzled the back of her neck. She sighed in deep pleasure.
The serenity she’d longed for filled her soul.
“Just pick a date,” Ben urged her. “I want to know when.”
Sarah lifted her left hand and admired the diamond engagement ring flashing in the late afternoon sunshine. In the past few months, she’d admired the stone a thousand times. She was going to be Mrs. Ben Paxton. “Okay, how about a Christmas wedding?”
“That’s months away,” he said. “Why so long?”
“It’s only three months,” she said, laughing, delighted he wanted to hurry the date of their marriage. “You can wait.”
He grunted, kissing her hair. “You’re my Sweep Pea. I just want to make you mine for real.”
She turned in his arms, raising her lips to his. Twining her arms about his neck, she whispered against his mouth, “I’m already yours.”
He stared into her eyes. “I don’t want you to go to New York again.”
“It’s just for a four-day campaign, for the perfume company.”
“When you’re gone, four days is a long time.”
She laughed. “Worth the money. That contract will go a long way toward building the feed barn.”
“We don’t need that income,” he said. “I’ll make it. May take a little longer, but I will.”
She took his face between her hands. “I know, Ben. But I’m only required to go to New York for promotion four times in the next year, and just for a few days at a time. I’ve already been there once, so it’s three more trips, okay? I don’t know how much more semi-retired I can get.”
“Do you really want to model again?”
She shrugged. “I don’t like leaving you. Yet as long as there’s a demand, I think it’s a good idea to accept a contract or two each year. It’s excellent money. But I won’t be popular forever. Fresh new faces arrive on the catwalks every day. Soon, I’ll be an old, ugly has-been.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “You may grow old, and you might become a has-been, but you’ll never be ugly.”
Sarah smiled. “I love you, Ben Paxton.”
“I love—”
“Sarah!” Her name was called from the porch.
With her hands curled around the railing, Milly waved at her, an apron covering her pretty dress.
Fashionable heels covered her feet. For the past three months she and Jim had become inseparable.
Sarah was grateful these two had finally figured things out. They seemed blissfully happy.
“Sarah,” Milly repeated, “I need you in here. Becca and I are having an argument about your recipe for the spaghetti sauce. Should we add spicy sausage or mild?”
“Both,” Sarah answered. She and Ben held hands and started up the steps into the house.
Inside the living room, Rio reclined in a chair, a beer bottle in his hand, one of his twins asleep on his chest. Big Jim sat in an open-kneed manspread on the couch.
Becca held the other child in a sling on her chest. She stood with Milly in the kitchen doorway, her shiny dark hair framing her face.
Becca said to Milly, “Looks like we were both right about the sauce.”
****
Ben watched the three women disappear into the kitchen, where savory smells of simmering sauce wafted through the doorway. His woman was not only gorgeous but whip smart and a fantastic cook. It was an old fashioned and unbeatable combination. He was truly blessed.
Grabbing a beer from a nearby cooler, he dropped into a wing chair. He looked at Big Jim. “Well, everybody’s here, just as you wanted. Is it time?”
Jim placed his gnarled hands on his knees. “I believe it is.” He heaved himself to his feet and smoothed his shirt. Clearing his throat, he called out, “Milly, how about you and the girls come on out here?”
The three appeared in the doorway. Milly dried her hands on a kitchen towel. “Yes?” Her gaze on him was soft.
Jim said, “I asked Rio and Becca to make a trip up here so we could all be together,” he said. “Plus, I wanted to see my grandkids. When they get big enough, we’ll buy a couple ponies.”
Becca smiled lovingly at her husband, still in his chair, and the innocent baby slumbering on his chest. She cupped the infant’s head in her sling. “Cannon and Brock will love that.”
“I had one more reason for our get-together,” Jim said to them all. “Something real important.”
Knowing what was coming, Ben studied the women’s faces, and he saw understanding bloom on Sarah’s beautiful features. Becca looked expectant, and Milly had no clue.
“Can’t believe,” Big Jim began, “that I wasted so many years. But it’s time.”
Sarah grew misty-eyed. Becca smiled. Milly seemed puzzled.
Big Jim took off his cowboy hat and ran his fingers through his gray hair. He looked around the room. “Just feels right. You know? When I’m with her. Everything’s good.” Then he looked deeply into Milly’s eyes.
The older woman blushed. In her hands, she twisted the kitchen towel. “I’m kinda sweet on you, too, Jim. But getting you to admit your feelings was like pulling hen’s teeth.”
They all chuckled.
With effort, Big Jim managed to get down onto the wood floor, taking a knee.
From his pocket, he withdrew a sparkling ring.
“Milly, I wanted our family here today, and they are our family,” he said.
“You helped raise Sarah and Rio. They’re your kids, too.
Now, we also get Becca and Ben, and the babies. ”
Milly gasped.
He held out the piece of jewelry. “So, will you?”
Frozen to the floor, Milly’s gaze went to the shining ring and her mouth fell open. She didn’t say a word.
“These old knees aren’t getting any younger,” Jim said, clearly in pain. “Can you say yes so I can get up?”
Coming to life, Milly opened her arms. “Yes!”
Jim lumbered to his feet to embrace her. He slid the ring onto her finger, and she stared at her hand in astonishment.
Tilting her chin up, he took her into his arms and kissed her. He kissed her tenderly.
The room erupted in whoops so loud Rio’s baby woke and fussed. He quieted the boy with a stroking hand on his back.
“I’m so happy,” Milly said, her chin trembling. Next to the tall man, the plump woman looked tiny. “I never thought I’d get married.”
Becca and Sarah swarmed the couple, exclaiming over the ring.
Ben got to his feet to shake Big Jim’s hand and drop a peck onto Milly’s cheek. He grinned at her. “Congratulations. Maybe we should get married together.”
“A double wedding?” Sarah exclaimed. She grabbed Milly by the shoulders. “That would be wonderful! Do you want to get married with us at Christmas?”
“I’d love that,” Milly said.
From his chair, Rio raised a hand to get Sarah’s attention. He waggled his eyebrows at her. “Sis, should we tell him now?”
“Sure.” She smiled at her brother knowingly. “Go ahead.”
“Well, Dad,” Rio said, drawing it out. “You know how you finally told us that the reason you named me Rio is because you always wanted to go Brazil, to Rio de Janeiro?”
“Yeah?” Jim held Milly close to his side.
“We’ve been reading the tea leaves. You know, seeing how well things have been going between you and Milly. And we’ve been conspiring.”
“That’s a big word, son,” Jim growled. “Just get to the point.”
“We’re sending you to Brazil. You and Milly. For your honeymoon.”
Jim blinked. “You knew I was going to propose?”
“We’re very intuitive.” Rio rubbed his baby’s back.
When Jim guffawed, Rio added, “Well, that and Sarah found the receipt for Milly’s ring you left on the desk.”
Ben chuckled. How well he remembered Sarah’s excitement that day. Not knowing when her dad would pop the question, it had been difficult for her to keep quiet.
“The trip’s for two weeks,” Rio said. “It’s our wedding gift to you, from Becca and me and Sarah and Ben. You told us you’ve always wanted to go there. Now, you will.”
Jim’s face broke into a huge smile. “Really?”
“You’ll get to see those sandy beaches and crazy-shaped mountains,” Rio said.
“I’ve never been out of the country.” Milly’s voice was filled with wonder. Enthusiasm animated her. She fluttered her hands, her new ring catching the light. “We’ll need passports. And luggage. I’ll need some new clothing. A bathing suit!”
“You won’t need much clothing,” Big Jim said gruffly. “Most of the time, we’ll be in the hotel room.”
“Dad!” Sarah exclaimed, looking a tiny bit scandalized.
Milly blushed and Ben roared. Rio grinned.
Everyone talked at once and under all the commotion, Ben drew Sarah into the kitchen. Alone with her now, he took her in his arms. “Don’t suggest we honeymoon together, okay? I want you all to myself.”
“Where should we go, Wicked Ben?” She linked her fingers together at his nape and smiled.
He gave her a stern look. “Know how you dislike being called Super Sarah?”
“Okay, okay, I won’t call you that. But one day I will get to the bottom of it. There’s got to be a reason why your office staff gave you that label.”
“I told you. I’m nice.” If he had his way, she’d never uncover the reason behind the nickname. He reminded himself to swear Marge to deep, dark secrecy. “As for the honeymoon, I’m not sure where to go, but I don’t want to be gone too long. Thinking about building us a house.”
“A new home?” Awe filled her face. “Just for us?”
“Well, Milly will be moving in here. This place could get crowded, especially with two sets of newlyweds. I’m thinking about a small ranch.”
Sarah tucked her face into Ben’s neck, and he loved the feel of her silky skin against his. He loved every single thing about her.
“That sounds nice,” she said. “And we can go wherever you like for our honeymoon.”
He chuckled. “So meek! Where’s my Sarah?”
“Don’t expect that to continue,” she said, giving his neck a little nip.
He growled, then pulled her closer into his arms. Leaning her over the kitchen counter, he kissed her thoroughly. He planned to spend the next fifty-plus years doing that.
On the stove, the spaghetti sauce bubbled away. It cooked unattended for so long ... it burned.
The End