Epilogue #3
I slammed my truck door shut and found Beau on our porch, drinking a coffee. We’d been so busy lately that we hadn’t had time to watch the sunset like usual. “Where the hell is everyone? It’s four in the afternoon!”
He gave me an easy smile as he came down the steps. “Hey, baby.” He kissed me quickly. “I love your hair.”
“Thanks. Where are all the ranch hands? Delilah’s patients?” They were normally walking around, doing nature trails, or stuff in the corrals.
He took my hand, leading me to the other side of the house. “Don’t worry about it.” Why was he smiling so damn hard?
“Don’t wo—what is that?” The golf cart was sparkling. Beau shrugged, pulling me closer. I yanked my hand out of his. “Beau, what is going on?”
“Just get in the cart, and I’ll explain when we get there.”
I crossed my arms. “Tell me what’s going on first.”
“Stubborn as a damn ass,” he muttered under his breath before slinging me over his shoulder.
“Beau!” I shrieked, beating at his back. “Put me down!”
He put me in the golf cart and strapped me in. Before I could say anything, he was driving with one hand, the other over my eyes. “Promise you won’t look.”
“Fine.” Only because it seemed important to him that I didn’t.
Emmett
I parked on the other side of my house. Claire’s truck was already in the driveway. “Shit,” I hissed, racing towards Beau’s. Everyone was still inside, the lights off. “I made it in time?” I whispered.
“They’re at the creek,” Delilah said. “Don’t have to whisper.” She kissed me hard, hands lacing through my hair. “You look hot, baby.”
“Can you two get a room?” Weston groaned. “Like cats in fucking heat or something.”
I kissed Delilah again, middle finger held out for Weston.
I never thought I’d have this with anyone.
This comfort. This love. So there was no way in hell I was about to hide it.
And the fact that my sister was getting engaged a few hundred yards away from us right now had me wondering what kind of ring my girl might like.
Claire
I felt the cart stop. “Will you tell me what’s going on now?” Beau unbuckled me and guided me out of the seat.
“In a second.” We were walking slowly, the ground uneven beneath my feet. Leaves crunched with every step, and the air smelled earthier than usual. A little damp.
“Are we at the creek?”
We stopped walking. I could hear the smile in his voice as he said, “You really need to work on your patience, Claire.”
My eyes snapped open, getting ready to tear into him, except I didn’t see him.
Until I looked at the ground.
He was on one knee.
“Beau,” I gasped. His smiling face blurred through my tears. “What are you doing?”
“You know exactly what I’m doin’, baby,” he said, eyes glistening.
He took my left hand, running his thumb over my knuckles.
“You know I’m no good with words, but I hope you know how much I love you.
You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
I used to dread the future, thinking I’d be alone.
But when I think of it now, all I see is you, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
So will you make my dreams come true and marry me? ”
I dropped to my knees, cradling his face in my hands as our mouths crashed together. “Those were pretty good words,” I cried, kissing him again. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”
He let out a teary laugh and slid the ring on my finger, his own shaking. I held my hand out, grinning at the square-shaped diamond in a gold band. “It’s beautiful.”
“It was my mom’s,” he said, looking at my hand. “Mount gave it to me earlier.”
“Beau,” I gasped. “I can’t take this.”
“You can and you will. She’d want you to have it.” He reached into his pocket. “This is what I was gonna use, but it can be your wedding band now.”
“Oh my God.” I took the ring out of the box and slid it on my finger. It was the perfect everyday ring to wear around the ranch. “I love it. I love you,” I cried, kissing him again.
“I love you, too.”
Beau popped the champagne, and after our glasses were empty, we rode back to the house that was now lit up with everyone we loved on the porch, cheering for us.
There were twinkle lights wrapped around the railing, casting everything in a warm glow that mirrored the one I felt inside.
Brittany had made Kit Kat cupcakes. Colt popped more champagne.
“You all knew?!”
“Who do you think set it all up?” Savannah asked. She pointed to a banner hanging over the fireplace that looked like a summer sky with fluffy clouds and read: On McLeod nine, she said yes!
“Oh my God, that’s so cute!” I squealed. “Beau, look!’
He was grinning across the room, and I was tempted to see if I could marry him right this second. Looking around, I saw all the people we loved most gathered in one place, celebrating us and the love that had brought us all back together.
And for the first time, everything was absolutely perfect.
Emmett
Watching everyone I loved gather in one place always felt bittersweet and lonely.
But not anymore. Now, it just felt good.
From the low hum of chatter to bursts of laughter and the smiles everyone wore, I treasured it all.
It took almost losing it for good to make me realize how privileged I was to have these people in my life.
Everyone in this house had fought tooth and nail for this ranch, for the relationships we’d built along the way while we built it into what it was now.
The love in the air was palpable—platonic, familial, romantic.
And instead of hating it like I used to, I basked in it. I’d do anything for it. For them. This.
And nothing and no one would ever change that.
The END