Chapter 14
Corrine
Two weeks later, I had been worse for wear.
I wasn’t eating, and barely sleeping. Heck, even my clothes weren’t fitting me anymore.
I hadn’t even bothered to buy any more. Screw it.
Hell, I had to weave my way around the studio apartment.
I have yet to unpack a single thing. All of my clothes were still in their suitcases.
The only thing I had unpacked was the coffee maker.
Every morning and night I stared at a picture of Travis and me with Stormy in the middle of us. I just couldn’t part with it.
My heart rate skyrocketed when I even tried to think about tossing it.
Any time I closed my eyes, I saw Travis, his eyes, his corded muscles as he worked the land, I had even foolishly seen what I thought was love in his deep hazel eyes.
I knew that I looked horrible, and I didn’t care.
I had bags under my eyes and my hair resembled a rat’s nest, but I just didn’t care.
No one at the office had said a word to me about my appearance, more than likely it was due to the look that was wrapped around me.
The look of a broken heart and being completely shattered.
I missed his arms. The arms that held me while we slept. I missed that crooked smile that he always gave me when he was happy. But I missed those eyes, those eyes that I had thought showed the love that he cared for me.
I looked up from behind my desk when all around me I had heard nothing but hushed whispers.
And there, standing at the receptionist's desk, stood Travis Denton. He looked so good, in fact, I chanced a glance around the office and saw that a lot of the women were staring at him with their mouths hanging open.
He wore his all too familiar black Stetson, his light-washed Wrangler jeans that fit him like a glove.
His thighs were encased perfectly. But it was the familiar dark grey long sleeve button-up that did it for me.
He knew that I loved it when he wore that shirt.
Just add on the fact that he had on his dark brown boots.
The boots that mine had sat beside in the mudroom.
And in his roughened calloused hand, he held a bouquet of wildflowers. My favorite.
Damnit.
I shook my head and wiped the corner of my mouth to make sure I wasn’t drooling over the man.
However, instead of staring at him, I should’ve jumped out of my chair and left the office without being seen. Unfortunately, I hadn’t done the smart thing.
Not when Sandra the receptionist pointed over to my office.
Then his head turned, and I was shocked. My normal rancher looked as if he was in the same boat as I was. That look almost undid me. Almost.
What I did see was the look in his eyes. I knew that look. The sadness in his eyes, the love that was there, and a sliver of hope.
Hope for what?
I watched as he made his way to me. That sexy as all sin swagger.
As he entered in through the open doorway, I could feel all of their eyes on us.
“Hey.” He said.
“Hi.” I said sadly, even though I couldn’t help it.
He hadn’t stopped staring into my eyes.
“I’m so fucking sorry.” I could see the sorrow in his eyes.
“What are you doing here?” New York was a long way from Wyoming.
“You are my home. Where you go, I go.” He said honestly.
“But Travis, the house, the ranch...” Was all that I had been able to get out.
“All of those things are merely accessories in my life. You are my life, Corrine. Without you, I don’t have one.
All of the beats in my heart stopped beating for me the moment you walked in through the door at Redman’s for your first day of work, and they started to beat for you, and only for you” What?
“You said that you had every intention of marrying her and when that man said Maggie, you smiled. I won’t be second best Travis. I want to be somebody’s first choice. I want to be someone’s first everything and my last.”
There, I had laid my heart bare to him. He held all of me in the palms of his hands.
“And I want that also. What you missed was the reason behind my smile, I had recalled back to the moment that when your eyes lit up at that old song in my truck when we went to get Stormy. I knew I loved you then, I just hadn’t realized how much more I could have grown to love you.
I lost my whole heart to you that day, and I don’t ever want it back.
The only woman I could ever marry and live my life with is you, Corrine. ”
I just didn’t understand, “Then why were you spending all of that time together with her? Even on my endurance ride, you took her somewhere in your helicopter, even though you had promised me that you wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” I could feel tears forming in my eyes.
Travis saw that and he walked even closer to me.
At then Travis smiled, “It’s not what you’re thinking, far from it in fact.” It was at that moment that Travis turned his upper body and signaled to someone that was behind him leaning against the wall. Apparently, I had missed the woman when I had been staring at Travis earlier.
“This is Maggie Coltrane; she is the CEO of Forever Mustangs.” Travis paused when he saw my eyes lit up at that name, then he continued. “I didn’t want to surprise you with this and then have to tell you that it wouldn’t work.”
However, that statement then turned to nothing but confusion on my part.
The woman had obviously seen all of the confusion that was plastered all over my face.
It didn’t help that all of the other employees were now out of their offices watching the exchange between the small fairy of a woman and the modern-day hulk that was wearing a Stetson, jeans, and boots.
And then not to mention that other woman that was dressed similar to Travis.
At that thought, I desperately missed my good jeans, and I had finally broken in those boots that had taken me a darn year. I hated this office. They dressed to impress and the tight skirt that I wore, I hated it.
“Mr. Denton, I think I can explain.” Luckily, the woman hadn’t placed a hand on Travis. That would have shot me out of my chair.
That was when she focused all of her attention on me.
“You see, when you had Stormy at the Trade Show when you explained how she had come to be, I had actually talked to Mr. Denton, because I couldn’t get through the throng of people to you.
I wanted to make your home a sanctuary for wild mustangs.
So that people will stop shooting them that they can be as free as they would like while still being safe and cared for.
Since your home isn’t big enough, that was why Mr. Denton and myself were in talks.
You see the land that his property buts up to is privately owned by the government.
I have been trying to get the land for y’all and luckily last week, I have been able to acquire it.
However, Forever Mustangs will not work with just Mr. Denton, they require your services too. ”
“It’s also why if you come home to me you will be helping me pick out a stallion to breed it with Stormy to keep the herd from dying out.”
I couldn’t help but smile. A bargaining chip huh?
There was no other stallion that I wanted than Champion to be with Stormy.
“Why not Champion?” I asked quietly, and at that moment, sadness left Travis’s face and it was replaced with surprise and love.
“If that’s what it takes. I’ll do anything you ask of me Corrine, including this.” He swallowed, and then he did something that I have wanted all my life.
I stared in awe as Travis took off his Stetson and knelt down to one knee.
“Corrine, my love, my life. I made a promise to my mom all those years ago. I’ve been around the world and not once have I met the woman that would be mine.
Until I met you. I found you in my town, working behind a counter at a small feed and tack store.
You’re the reason my heartbeats. You’re the reason that if something takes you away from me, then I’ll follow you.
Even in death. I love you, Corrine. Will you do me the honor of marrying me and spending the rest of your life with me?
” I saw hope in his features as he then reached inside of his shirt pocket and pulled out an all too familiar small light blue box with a white ribbon atop it.
The moment he had the lid off, there nestled in the white fabric laid a beautiful solitaire diamond engagement ring.
I smiled at him as tears trekked down my face.
With my heart in my throat, I held out my left hand. “Yes.” I whispered.
His blinding megawatt smile took my breath away just as it always did. He pulled the ring carefully from the box and I smiled as it slid on my ring finger to settle there perfectly.
I threw myself into his arms and laughed as it caused him to fall back on his ass while he caught me in his strong arms.
I placed a soft kiss on his lips then smiled. All around us, clapping and bouts of laughter surrounded my office.
“So I’m guessing we are ago?” Maggie asked as she had her phone up and apparently, she caught the entire thing.
I was getting that video.
It was also in the next moment that I turned my head and saw my boss.
“I’m guessing you’re not working a two-week notice?” She asked me with a smile.
I knew that she wasn’t mad.
Smiling, I shook my head.
“Just so you know,” He whispered in my ear, “I bought this ring the day after we had rescued Stormy.”
I couldn’t wipe the smile that took over my entire face as we walked hand in hand out of the building.
I was stunned when there sat a long black stretch limo. It was my first time in a limo with the man that held my heart. I wouldn’t have wanted to share this experience with anyone else.
While we were boarding the private plane that Travis had owned, I asked him why he had flown commercial when he had the plane, but he told me that his pilot had a doc appointment. However, the plane was there waiting for us to leave New York.
Travis had hired a company to go to my apartment and pack everything up. Heck, he even got me out of the lease.
I was still so unsure of everything and what it all meant. But I did know that I had found my perfect. Hand in hand we flew back home. Travis never once lost sight of me. Even when I had to pee.
The moment we made it back home, I headed straight to the kitchen that I missed to start our dinner. I couldn’t wait to cook again. I needed to put the weight back on that I had lost.