Chapter 30
Chapter
Thirty
HE’S GOT MORE ON HIS PLATE THAN HE CAN SAY GRACE OVER
Dallas
Shelby is busy in the paddock, checking out the last of the recovering calves before they get moved out to the rest of the herd.
Most of them made it through their sickness, thanks to Shelby’s quick medical attention, but sadly, enough didn’t make it to have all of us holding our breath a bit.
This season is going to be tight financially, but after Frankie ran numbers last night, we think we’ll come out in the black. Barely.
“Hey,” I murmur as I slide up behind Shelby and grab her ass. So many benefits to taking things beyond friendship, and this is one of them.
She lets out a soft yelp, then threatens me with the rectal thermometer in her hands. That’s enough to make me let go and back up.
“Whatcha need, Gamble?”
She’s in work mode, and it’s hot as hell. Okay, maybe not the thermometer, but her in gloves, work shirt, and hair piled on top of her head is.
“Where’s Ridge? I have a couple hours before I meet up with a customer. Figured I’d offer my services.”
Shelby gives me a once-over, her eyebrows wagging up and down at the boots and worn work jeans I have on. She sobers quickly, though. “Skye tried to talk to him about some business idea, and he stormed out of here. Pretty sure he took Echo so he could be anywhere by now.”
I sigh and shake my head. “Alright. I’ll go find him and make sure he’s okay.”
As a whole family, we haven’t discussed losing the ranch in the divorce.
Every time even a whiff of that subject comes up, Ridge goes off the deep end and spends the rest of the day either throwing things or drinking himself into early liver failure.
Archie is hard at work defending Ridge and collecting proof that Tiff didn’t do a damn thing to enhance the ranch and therefore doesn’t deserve half of it.
They don’t even have kids together, which should have made for a speedy divorce process.
Her insistence that she take half the business is asinine, and yet here we are, defending our right to our family legacy in court.
I turn to walk away and saddle up a horse, but not before Shelby smacks me on the ass. Hard. I gape at her over my shoulder. “Really, Sweetness?”
She smirks and goes back to the calf. Thank fuck we got our crap together.
She’s in my bed every night, showing me just how much time we’ve wasted.
It’s like we’re teenagers again. We can’t keep our hands off each other, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
If she’s not pregnant in the next few weeks, I’ll be stunned.
Which means I need to make that phone call I’ve been planning before I go deal with Ridge. Meemaw is trying to train a chicken to play dead on the front porch. I steer clear and head for the front room where I won’t be disturbed. Archie answers on the second ring.
“My favorite Gamble sibling,” he drawls by way of greeting.
“Wow. I’m your favorite, huh? What did I do to deserve that title? Was it my charm? My good looks? My great ass?”
Archie groans. “Jesus, Dallas, I don’t want to hear about your ass. I just figured since you’re sleeping with my sister now, I should try to have a good relationship with you.”
I flop down on the love seat that’s more uncomfortable than the couch I was sleeping on at my place.
“To that end, maybe this’ll help.” I rub the back of my neck, feeling all kinds of awkward.
I’m used to joking my way out of everything.
This feels…important. I can’t get it wrong. “I, uh, want to propose to Shelby.”
There’s a beat or two of silence. “Didn’t you already put a ring on her finger?”
“Yeah. But that was fake. She deserves a real proposal. And I want your blessing. I would have asked your daddy, of course, but without him here, I feel like getting your endorsement would be the right move. Don’t get me wrong, the proposal will probably be a complete disaster.
I keep fucking up these romantic gestures, but I have to try. ”
“Well, shit, Gamble. That just made me tear up a bit.”
I flop my head back and instantly regret it when my skull meets the wood frame of the love seat. “Shut up,” I grumble, rubbing my head.
“No, seriously,” Archie continues, all business now.
“I appreciate that. More importantly, Shelby would appreciate you coming to me. You have my full support. In fact, I have Momma’s wedding ring set.
After our grandparents died, they gave it to me for safekeeping.
I think that was around when Shelby was dating that one vet.
Anyway, I can mail it to you if you think you want to propose with it.
I always assumed it would be Shelby’s one day. ”
My heart expands in my chest. I had no idea that ring was even an option, or I would have proposed with it in the first place. “Yes. Please send it to me. I’ll give her the option of which ring she wants to wear.”
“You got it, brother.”
“Thanks again for being willing to help out,” I whisper into my cell phone.
Hallie is quick to respond. “Are you kidding me? I might be as excited as Ryder.”
I hear the shower shut off. “I gotta go. We’ll be there right before sunset.”
“We’ll go up now and be hidden. Don’t you worry.”
I end the call and shove the phone in my pocket. Shelby steps out of our bathroom, steam billowing behind her. She’s all girl, that’s for sure. She told me she needed an “everything shower” after her day at work, whatever the hell that is.
She’s wet, her skin glistening everywhere the tiny towel isn’t.
She knows I’m watching her walk across the room to the dresser.
Her hips have an extra sway to them that makes me harder than a hammer in an instant.
Fuck. Maybe I should have planned a proposal with just her and me, naked and thoroughly satisfied in bed.
“You’re killing me,” I growl, my hand on my fly, trying to strangle my dick.
Shelby tosses me a sultry smile over her shoulder that does nothing to help my problem. Then her towel drops to the floor, and I groan out loud. The doorbell rings, and I nearly jump off the bed. Shelby laughs and takes her time finding clothes.
“You gonna get that?” she asks when I don’t immediately leave the bedroom.
I sneak another peek of my naked fiancée.
Honestly, we don’t really need food on this horseback ride.
Except the doorbell rings again, and since it’s my sister delivering the takeout I ordered along with the two horses all saddled and ready to ride, I know she won’t go away until I answer the damn door.
“Ugh, fine,” I whine like my son.
I collect the food bag from Frankie, toss her a thank you that’s not nearly sincere enough for the amount of effort she’s gone to, and then shove her out the door.
Shelby’s ready to go a minute later, her hair up in some messy bun that makes me want to fist it and drop her to the ground for a wrestling match.
Preferably naked. But since I can’t do that right now, I look away and try to name all of Meemaw’s chickens to keep my dick from running this show.
Nelly lies down in his doggie bed and gives me doleful eyes for not taking him along tonight. We ignore him and head outside to mount our horses. I love that I don’t have to help Shelby onto Foxtrot. Whiskey is a bit feistier, so I take him, leading the way to our spot on the river.
I pull out my phone at one point and take a selfie of us on our horses, golden hour lighting in front and the wide-open spaces of Oklahoma behind us.
Shelby smiles for the photo, and I see the girl she used to be, the woman she is now, and who she’s going to be twenty years from now.
I want to be right there to see every gray hair sprout up and each new wrinkle that forms from making her laugh every day.
I want to see her stomach rounded with my baby and her arms full of all the animals she’ll heal.
I’m still not sure I’m good enough for this woman, but I do know I’ll love her with my dying breath. I’ll never look at another woman or give her reason to doubt what I feel for her. I’ll work my hands raw to provide for her and be by her side for anything she wants to tackle in life.
When we get to the river, I slide off of Whiskey and tie him loosely to a tree, then head over to assist Shelby down, even though she doesn’t need the help.
I catch her around the waist and pull her in for a deep kiss.
She melts into me, every muscle giving way, surrendering herself to me with complete trust. It’s enough to make me reconsider everything I’ve done in my life and find ways to be better.
“Very romantic, Dally,” Shelby whispers as we come up for air. “I dare say your gestures are getting better.”
I grin sheepishly, then sneak another kiss before letting her go. “When you’re at rock bottom, there’s only one way to go from there.”
Shelby smiles patiently, like she doesn’t even care how many times I messed up.
She helps hold some of our supper containers as I pull them out of the saddlebags.
Whiskey steps sideways, tossing his head at the interruption.
We’ll have to race them home, just to burn off some steam.
Ridge has been a little off his game keeping up with everything around the ranch, for good reason.
We head for our favorite spot by the river, the one we come to when it’s the three of us. I spread out a blanket and set down the food. I don’t see Ryder and Hallie anywhere, which is good, but I also hope they made it. Otherwise, this might not go to plan.
I take Shelby’s hands in mine, staring into those sapphire eyes, highlighted by the setting sun. A breeze kicks up, making the leaves shake in the trees and ripples form on the surface of the water.
“Shelby?”
She scrunches up her face, probably wondering what’s wrong with me and why we aren’t digging into our food right now. “Yeah?”
I drop down to one knee, and her eyes go wide.
“I love you, Shelby Sweet. Have since the day we met. If friendship is the foundation for a happy marriage, then there will be no two people happier than you and me. I know we went about this all backward, but I want you to have the ultimate proposal experience. You deserve all the good things life has to offer, and I’ll spend the rest of my life getting them for you. ”
Her eyes are swimming with tears. It’s the small smile playing on her lips that has me continuing despite the fear that I’ll fuck this up.
I reach into my pocket and pull out her momma’s rings.
I hold them up and see the moment she realizes what they are.
Her free hand goes to her mouth, and the tears fall down her cheeks.
“Archie sent me these. I figured you should have a choice in what you wear on your finger for the rest of your life. All I know is I want that ring to mean that you’re mine and I’m yours. Forever. Marry me? For real?”
Shelby nods her head emphatically before she pulls her hand down and says the words. “Yes, Dallas! Of course I’ll marry you!”
I stand and pull her into my arms, sealing our promise with a kiss. A low grumble behind me has us breaking apart. I grin while Shelby tries to look behind me with confusion.
“I wasn’t told there’d be kissing,” Ryder says with some attitude.
We hear a shushing noise from the trees off to our left. I have to choke back laughter. I move to the side so Shelby can see Ryder approaching with a cake in his hands. He gives me a dirty look but turns an angelic smile Shelby’s way.
“What is this?” Shelby whispers.
“You have to read the cake,” Ryder informs her.
Shelby’s gaze drops to the round cake which sports cursive writing in blue icing. Will you be my bonus mom?
Shelby’s hand goes to her mouth again, eyes back to leaking. She glances at me, and I shrug. “We’re kind of a package deal.”
Shelby drops to her knees, gently takes the cake out of Ryder’s hands to place it on the blanket with our supper, and pulls him close, hands on his shoulders.
“There’s nothing I’d like better than to be your bonus mom. It would be an honor.”
And then I’m the one choking up, watching those two hug like they were always meant to be in each other’s lives. It’s plain to see my boy loves Shelby and always has. Hell, he’s smarter than his father. He knows a keeper when he sees one. I join the group hug and thank my lucky stars she said yes.
“Job well done, son,” I whisper in his ear. He lifts his head from Shelby’s shoulder to give me a grin. We’ve been working on his lines for a week now.
Hallie appears at my side when we finally break apart. She shoots me a wink and then gets busy pulling Ryder away so we can enjoy our engagement supper.
“Thank you, Hallie!” I holler after them. I’m one lucky son of a bitch to have her support.
We wait until her SUV drives away, leaving us alone again. Just us and the river we grew up on. Shelby and I sit on the blanket facing each other. Shelby gazes at the two rings on her finger, her momma’s and the one I bought in Hornville.
“It won’t hurt my feelings if you choose your momma’s. It makes the most sense.”
She smiles at me, still glassy-eyed. “I love the ring you got me. But I also know if you can return it, that money can help your family’s ranch.”
I shake my head. “No way. You choose the ring you want…for you, Sweetness. Don’t think about other people right now. I want you to selfishly choose which one you want.”
She gazes at her hand, her finger touching both in turn.
“I’ve changed my mind on quite a few things recently.
I used to want a big fancy wedding ring because that’s what the magazines and movies always showed.
But now I want it to mean something deeper.
I choose my momma’s. I think it’ll be nice to have a reminder of her on my hand forever. There’s history there.”
I reach forward and slide my fingers in her hair to cup her face. “Done. Now let’s eat before your blood sugar gets too low.”
It’s while we’re finishing our supper and before we devour some cake, that I trot out an old memory.
I pull Shelby between my legs so her back rests against my chest. The temperature’s dropped enough already that it feels good to cuddle up.
“Remember that night in high school when Houston dared you to kiss me?”
Shelby laughs. “Oh god, yeah, I remember.”
I think back on that night. I swear I can hear the echo of our laughter from all those years ago. “I was so pissed you didn’t kiss me.”
She gasps and spins to see my face. “What? I thought you said—”
“I know what I said,” I cut her off. “And I know I was a liar. I went home and dreamed about what it would be like if you’d gone through with it.” I cup her face again and close the distance, our lips dancing across each other. “The reality is so much better than I dreamed.”