Chapter 11
Bree
As promised, Lauren helps me get ready. She loans me a vintage dress that fits perfectly. It’s a sweetheart neckline with short sleeves that comes to my knee. The wide skirt swooshes when I walk, and there’s even a cute petticoat that goes under it.
She gives me a grin when she loans it to me. “These are my favorite things ever. Nothing makes me feel as fancy as wearing one.”
I slip into it, then accept the heels she passes to me. “You really have thought of everything. You have such a beautiful full closet.”
She grins. “That’s the advantage of working for my aunt. I don’t get charged rent. It’s just kind of rolled into the price of my salary, which means there’s plenty for me to spend at Sew Cute. Mallory makes all of these cool vintage dresses. We should go shopping there sometime soon.”
“We definitely should,” I agree, thinking of how nice it is to have another girl to plan shopping trips with. I pause, wondering if it would be weird to say this before I decide to just for it. “If I ever had a sister, I’d want her to be just like you.”
Lauren sniffs and puts her arm around my shoulders. “I’d love that too.”
Lauren’s phone dings with a message, and she frowns.
“Is something wrong?” I fiddle with the clutch she loaned me, checking my phone but I don’t have any messages.
“I don’t know yet,” she says. “I’ll know more later.”
We leave together for the dance. The orderlies are helping the residents to the garden, and Ethan volunteered to personally oversee that.
I think he’d rather help the patients than get sweaty outside with the cowboys. Some of them were outside working earlier this afternoon without their shirts. Not that I peeked. I only have eyes for one man, and he stayed full clothed throughout the project, damn him.
The garden outside is even more magical tonight than it normally is. The paving stones I suggested have been added with solar lights illuminating the path so it’s easy to see where to step.
Overhead, Edison bulbs have been hung to allow even more light and cast a romantic glow over everything. Soft jazz music thrums from strategically placed speakers blending with the sounds of singing birds and chirping crickets.
I can’t help the soft smile on my face at seeing Dalton’s work. “He really went all out for this. All of the guys did.”
Lauren nods beside me, a dreamy smile on her face, and I realize she’s staring at Bronco who is assisting an elderly woman in her wheelchair. “It’s definitely a magical night.”
My phone dings with a text from Dalton. My stomach drops as soon as I see it. Another pipe burst. I’ll be there when I can. Have fun.
I show my screen to Lauren. “Is this what the big emergency was about?”
She frowns. “Aunt Elaine didn’t say anything about that.”
As we’re talking, Elaine approaches us. The look on her face tells me she’s worried. She hands me a paper. “Bree, I was planning on hosting the event tonight. Do you think you could handle the task?”
With everything going on and how worried Elaine is, I nod and immediately accept the paper.
Elaine turns her focus to Lauren and says in a low, serious tone, “We need to talk.”
Lauren nods and follows her further away from the festivities.
I don’t know what’s going on, but I have a job to do. I carry the sheet of paper to the raised platform. I follow Elaine’s notes, thanking the people she has written down, including the sponsors of tonight’s event.
I heap lavish praise on the other staff members before I thank the residents for choosing to make the Wildflower Retirement Community their home.
When I’m done with the speech, the dancing begins. I look around, wishing that Dalton were here. But it’s best that he’s not since several people approach me with minor problems and crises.
Fortunately, they’re all minor problems that are easily resolved. When I do have a spare moment, I go in search of Lauren and Elaine.
I find them in an alcove, sitting together. Lauren has her laptop and Elaine’s head is in her hands, muttering to herself about how she can’t believe this has happened.
Lauren is trying to reassure her, but half her attention is focused on the screen. I can’t see what they’re looking at from here, but it doesn’t seem like the time to interrupt, so I continue my duties as hostess.
A couple of hours later, when it’s nearing the nine o’clock deadline for meeting my letter writer, Lauren approaches me. I ask if something is wrong.
She looks around and shakes her head, mouthing the words, “Not here.”
She explains that she’ll take over the hostess duties for the rest of the evening. I pass her the papers Elaine gave me and hurry to the footbridge, wondering if Dalton will show.
He may be too busy dealing with the water pipe. Still, I wait for him under the moonlight, my boot making a thumping noise as the breeze ruffles my hair and the honeysuckle fills the air.
Despite all of the chaos around me, I feel completely at peace. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know how these problems are going to be resolved, but I know that here in Courage County, we’ll figure it out together.
There’s the soft sound of footsteps. I turn around, my gaze drinking in the sight of Dalton. He looks so handsome in his faded flannel and blue jeans. His work boots have some mud on them. His jeans are obviously wet. He looks exhausted, but his eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles at me.
“How are you?” I ask the moment I see him. He’s been working since we arrived early this morning, and it shows in his weary stance.
“Hating whoever installed the polybutylene pipes in this place. They made me miss out on spending time with my woman tonight.”
My heart skips a beat at the way he calls me his woman. I’ve spent my life looking for where I belong, and I think I’ve found it right here.
He holds out his hand. “I didn’t have time to change. I had the suit picked out, and everything was going to be perfect. But I didn’t have a chance before the pipe burst.”
“It was you,” I say softly.
He pulls the letter I wrote earlier today from his pocket and gives me a soft smile. “Of course, it was me. No one else will ever love you the way I do. I’m in love with you, and I will be for the rest of time.”
I can’t help smiling at him. “You love me?”
“I wanted you since the first moment I laid eyes on you. You’re beautiful and perfect, and a man would have to be insane not to want you.
” He puts his hands on my hips and pulls me close.
He stares deep into my eyes. “I look at you, and I see my future. You’re my heartbeat, my forever.
Let me be your home, and I swear to you I will always be your safe place, the shelter where you can run. ”
Tears slip down my cheeks. “Dalton, I love you so much.”
He stops me by putting one calloused finger against my lips. “Hold on one second. I want to do this right.”
Then he drops to one knee and pulls out a jewelry box.
I gasp and put a hand over my chest, barely able to believe it as happiness bubbles up deep within me. He opens the box and swallows once.
He calls my full name. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I promise to always let you spy on me when I’m shirtless and unsuspecting.”
I chuckle through the happy tears. “I get to spy on you for life?”
“As long as you’ll marry me. I want to be your husband more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
I whisper the word yes over and over again as he slides the ring on my finger. He gets to his feet and pulls me into a crushing kiss, clutching me so close that there’s nothing between us, not even air. There’s only the fusion of our two bodies underneath the moonlight.
I had no idea that when I came to Courage County, I would find my forever. But this small town has captured my heart, and this big, burly lumberjack has captured my soul.