38. Jack
Jack
Marry Me by Thomas Rhett
Two months later…when you know, you know.
T he morning sun stretches over the hills like honey, warm and slow.
It’s branding season, which means long days, short tempers, and the kind of sweat that clings to your spine long after the sun goes down.
But today, I’m not thinking about cattle or fence lines.
Not when I’ve got Cami in the saddle next to me, wind in her hair, sunlight catching on that smile that belongs to me.
She doesn’t know yet. That I’ve got the ring in my pocket. That we’re not just riding to check the perimeter like I told her. That I’ve been building up to this moment for decades.
She looks over and grins. "Race you to the ridge?"
"You trying to lose again, Wilder? "
She kicks her horse and takes off, laughing. Damn if I don't love that woman like a storm loves the sky.
We gallop across the back pasture, wind tearing past us, hooves thundering. The ride that thunders through your chest. And then we crest the hill and they’re there.
The wild mustangs.
A few dozen of them, wild and breathtaking, grazing near the stream that cuts through the eastern edge. Cami slows beside me, mouth parted in wonder.
"Jack," she whispers. “They’re breathtaking.”
"Yeah. Thought you’d want to see them."
She swings down from the saddle, boots sinking into the grass. I follow, heart kicking up hard now. The horses don’t spook, just lift their heads and watch us, cautious but calm. A foal steps between its mother’s legs, ears twitching.
Cami doesn’t speak, not at first. Just watches them like she’s trying to memorize the moment.
I slide my hand into hers. "The state brought them up a few days ago. Been hanging out near the back fence. Figured... maybe it was a sign."
She tilts her head, curious. "A sign of what?"
I tug her a little closer to the big oak tree that anchors the ridge. Our tree. The one we used to meet under when we were kids. The one she carved our initials into at fifteen. The one I kissed her under the first time I ever told her I wanted her.
She turns when I stop walking, eyes catching on mine.
And I drop to one knee.
Her hands fly to her mouth. "Jack."
I pull the box from my pocket. My hands shake with nervousness as I pop it open.
My voice is steady, somehow. "I love you. I've loved you since we were dumb kids hiding out in this tree, and I’m gonna love you when we’re old and gray for the rest of our lives.
I want to build a life with you. There’s no one else I want to give me hell every day and make every day beautiful. ”
I take a breath. "Marry me, Cami. Let me love you for the rest of my life."
She doesn’t answer with words. Just drops to her knees and kisses me like she’s been holding it back for years. When she finally pulls away, she whispers, "Yes. Yes. God, yes ."
When I look at her, I see everything. I see our future together walking down an aisle, her holding our babies, and us riding horses with our grandkids someday. I see it, and I know it’s right. This is it for me. It’s her, and it’s always been her.
I scoop her up as I stand and throw her over my shoulder, carrying her towards the blanket I had the forethought to bring with me.
Laying her down, I lower to my knees and pull her boots off her feet and toss them over my shoulder.
“Watch it, cowboy. Those Tecovas didn’t come cheap.”
“I’ll buy you a new pair,” I grunt.
“Such a caveman,” Cami says with a hearty laugh.
I unbutton her jeans and slide them over her hips and down her legs, adding them to the pile with her boots. Prowling up her body, I don’t stop until I hover over her, pressing my lips to hers.
Her fingers sink into my hair, and she squeals when I wrap my fist around the lace separating me from her pussy and tear it from her body.
“Jack!”
“I’ll buy you ten more pairs,” I say, winking down at her.
“What is it everyone says about marriage? What’s yours is mine and what’s mine is mine?” She titters out a laugh as I growl at her trash talk.
“Baby, what you don’t understand is everything I have has always been yours. ”
“Damn it, Jessop. I’m trying to intimidate you and you’re being all sweet.”
The Next Morning
The sun isn’t even fully up when I hear the familiar crunch of truck tires in the drive. I’m in the kitchen, frying bacon and trying not to grin like an idiot. Cami’s still upstairs, wrapped in my flannel shirt and probably stealing all the covers.
Weston and Tucker knock softly and then walk in like they own the place.
"Hope you’re cooking for three," Tucker says, already reaching for a mug.
"Four," I correct. "Cami’s up there somewhere."
Weston tosses a manila folder on the table. "We’ve got news."
I flip off the burner. "What kind of news?"
"Granger news," Weston says, sliding into a chair.
I grunt. "Not interested."
"You will be." He opens the folder. Inside are documents, printed emails, and a property map. Tucker grins like it’s Christmas.
"We got him," Weston says.
I raise an eyebrow.
"Turns out, destroying fences, raiding people’s properties while threatening them, and dumping trash on someone else’s land comes with fines. Big ones. We documented everything. Weston filed complaints. He got everyone involved. He’s on the hook. And with the way his finances are…"
"He's cooked," Tucker adds. "The ranch is going under."
"So we’re letting him rot?" I ask .
Weston shakes his head. "No. We’re buying it."
I blink. "Excuse me?"
He slides over the breakdown. "We double our grazing range. We add land access for the town, trails, events, maybe even a little campground if someone gets the itch to run it. We clean up that dump of a property and make it part of Wilder Ranch."
"You serious?"
"Dead. We made him an offer. He took it."
I let out a low whistle. "That… that’ll burn."
Weston smiles. "Let it."
The sound of soft footsteps on the stairs cuts through the quiet, and we all turn as Cami walks into the kitchen, her hair a mess. She’s got sweatpants and a t-shirt with my flannel still wrapped around her like it was made for her.
"Mornin'," she says, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
Tucker grins like a damn fool. "Well, that shirt looks familiar."
Cami shoots me a sleepy smirk and pours herself some coffee.
Weston's eyes land on her hand. "Hold up. Is that what I think it is?"
Cami freezes, halfway to her seat.
Tucker leans over for a better look. "Holy hell, it is! That’s a ring."
I chuckle as Cami turns beet red. "We were gonna tell y’all tonight."
"You got engaged and thought you could hide it from us?" Weston shakes his head, pretending to be offended.
Tucker claps his hands together. "About damn time! Took you long enough, Jack."
Cami rolls her eyes, but she’s glowing. "Y’all are ridiculous. "
"You love us," Weston says, grabbing a biscuit. "And we love you. Congratulations, Cami. You make him better."
I meet his eyes, and there's something unspoken in the moment. Gratitude. Pride. Family.
"We were just talking about the future of the ranch," I say.
Weston nods. "We’re adding space now. Room to grow. Room for wild horses and weddings and whatever else you two dream up."
Cami leans into me as she sips her coffee. "It already feels like home."
And damn if that isn’t the best thing I’ve ever heard.
We sit there around the table, passing biscuits, trading stories, talking about barns and what the new pasture should be called. It’s messy and loud and full of love.
And it feels like the start of forever.