Chapter Thirty
Shayna stared out of the window of the jet as the plane started to descend toward Summer Lake. She felt like she was still trying to catch up with herself. Less than twenty-four hours ago, she’d been wishing that she could visit the lake – now, they were almost there.
The mountains that had seemed so small just a few minutes ago, loomed up to meet them. The lake that had seemed like a tiny shard of broken mirror, now gleamed a beautiful blue, dotted with little white boats.
She glanced over at Callie. “I hope your mom’s okay.”
“Thanks. It sounds like she’s going to be fine.”
It sounded as though Retta was going to be in a similar situation to the one Shay found herself in. She was a little battered and bruised and wasn’t going to be mobile since she’d broken her leg, but she was feeling more frustrated than anything else.
Kolby grinned. “You guys have fun – I want to hear all about it when you get back.”
She gave him a puzzled smile. He was sweet, but she didn’t get why he was so excited about their visit to the lake. Perhaps it was because they were going to drive her Tahoe back to the valley, and he liked the idea of a road trip.
Ty gave him a look that she didn’t understand. The two of them seemed to have something going on but she didn’t know what. They’d insisted on going to town this morning – even Tanner had gone with them. They said it was to give her and Callie more time to pack – but Ty had made sure that she was all packed and ready, and dropped her off with Callie before they left. Ford had driven the two of them up to town to meet the guys – and it seemed like even he was excited about something.
She gripped Ty’s hand as the plane approached the runway. She was getting the hang of flying, but she still didn’t like the landing part.
Callie and Kolby hugged them before they got off and Bear, the pilot, went to get their bags for them. Ty took them from him, and even he gave Ty a big smile – there was definitely something going on. She forgot all about it when she saw Alexis, Davin, and Booker waiting inside the building for them. Booker waved and Ty grabbed her waist as she waved back and almost lost her balance.
He chuckled. “Careful, sweetheart, or I really will put you in a wheelchair and start pushing you around.”
She laughed. “No way!” She slid her arm around his waist. “But you can support me so that we can go faster.”
Instead of hurrying her to the door like she wanted him to, he stopped dead and looked down into her eyes.
“I’ll support you for the rest of your days if you’ll let me, Shay.”
She swallowed as she stared back at him – he was deadly serious, and he wasn’t talking about helping her keep her balance.
He smiled and nodded. “But we can talk about that later; let’s go see your family.”
~ ~ ~
Ty took a swig of his beer and stared out at the lake. He could see why Shay loved this place so much. The sky had turned crimson and gold as the sun dipped below the mountains, and all the colors reflected in the lake – it wasn’t the valley, but it held a beauty of its own. He promised himself that he’d bring her back here to visit as often as she wanted to come. Maybe one day, they’d have a house here, like Chance and Hope did. They could bring their kids in the summer, get a boat …
He looked up when Davin came back outside to join him. He handed Ty a fresh beer before he sat in one of the empty chairs across the firepit from him.
“Thanks for bringing her. We needed this.”
He nodded. He loved seeing the way the four of them interacted as a family while they ate dinner. He was glad that she had this – that she hadn’t been all alone in the world before he met her.
“Yeah. Shay needed it, too. She needed to see you guys again, and ….” He met Davin’s gaze. “And I wanted to come for my own reasons.”
Davin took a long drink before resting his bottle on the arm of his chair.
“What for?”
Ty leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and gripping his bottle tight in both hands. “I have something I want to ask you guys.”
Davin smiled. “Do you want to wait until Alexis comes back out?”
He shook his head slowly. “It’d be easier to ask you both together, but I don’t always take the easy route.”
Davin waited.
“I want to marry her. So … I want to ask you guys if you’re good with that.”
Davin grinned. “Damn! I mean, first and most importantly, for what it’s worth, I’m more than okay with it. We both know that Shay’s the only one who can give you her answer, but I have to tell you, Ty, I couldn’t be happier that she met you.” His smile faded. “Well, maybe I’d be happier if you lived here. But …” He shrugged. “And we both know that I’m not her father, but you also know that I’ve come to see her as a daughter. I never thought I’d have kids, so I never thought I’d be faced with this moment.” He nodded happily. “The short answer is yes. I’m good with it. I’m happy about it. As long as you promise to bring her back to visit when you can.”
“I promise – as often as she wants to come – and you guys will always be welcome on the ranch, anytime.”
They turned to look when Alexis and Shayna came out of the house, followed by Booker – the kid had hovered around Shay since they arrived, making sure that she was okay. Ty started to get to his feet to go and help her down the stairs from the back deck – she was still wearing the braces on her knee and ankle, and if it were up to him, he’d sit her ass in a wheelchair, and get her around that way.
Davin got up and said, “Wait there. I’ll go and talk to Shay and send Alexis down here.”
He watched Davin reach them and wrap his arm around Shay’s waist. Instead of helping her down the stairs, he said something to Booker that made them all laugh and the three of them went back into the kitchen.
He didn’t appear to say a word to Alexis, but even without being told, she trotted down the steps to come and join Ty.
“Thank you for bringing her, Ty,” she said as she took the seat opposite him that Davin had just vacated.
“Thanks for letting me keep her!” he said with a chuckle. While she was in the hospital, he’d been worried that they might decide that they should bring her home with them since there was no threat here at the lake anymore.
Alexis looked different when she smiled at him, softer. She almost didn’t look like the same woman who’d searched the foothills with Cash and the rest of them.
“I’d never interfere, Ty. Shay knows her own mind. She knows what she wants – and that’s you. I hope you’re prepared for that.”
He grinned. “I am. That’s what I came here to ask you. I want her right back. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to marry her – and I need to know if you’re going to be okay with that.”
She didn’t smile immediately, and his heart started to race.
“I want to be,” she said eventually. “Tell me, Ty – are you loyal?”
“I am. You know my background. You know my family. I’d give my life for any one of them, and for any of my teammates.”
“I’m aware.” She smiled. “Would you say that you’re like Cash?”
He had to think about it, and when he did, he could only answer honestly. “Not totally, no. He’s better than the rest of us put together. I think I’m like him in my sense of loyalty, and sense of … right and wrong.” He met her gaze. “I want to be able to say that yes, I am, but I’m not that good.”
She nodded happily. “Then yes, I’ll relax and tell you that of course, I’m happy that you want to ask Shay to marry you. And I hope you’ll make each other happy for a very long time.”
He gave her a puzzled smile. “I want to just take the win and be happy with it, but I have to ask – why? You’re okay with it because I think I’m maybe a pale reflection of Cash?”
She laughed. “No! Because you can see who he is, and you aspire to be like him.” She laughed. “You see, I know who he is, and although I wouldn’t say that I aspire to be like him, I respect him – I’d even go as far as to say that I admire him. Although, don’t ever tell him I said that,” she added with a smile.
Ty laughed. “No worries, there. I doubt either of us would ever hear the last of it if I did.”
“Hey, guys! Do you want another drink?” Booker called from the back deck.
Ty looked down at his still almost full bottle then up at Alexis.
“Please would you bring them out?” she called, holding Ty’s gaze the whole time. “I know you might not want to but …”
Ty grinned. “I was planning to have a word with him.”
She smiled and got to her feet. “Then I’ll leave the two of you to talk.”
“Here you go,” Booker said when he arrived with a fresh beer.
“Thanks, bud.”
“Do you want to come back up to the house? Davin made Shay sit in one of the comfy chairs.”
“I will in a minute. Can I have a word, first?”
Booker frowned. “Sure. What’s wrong?”
“Sit down.”
Booker sat beside him. “Is something wrong with Shay? Do you need my help?”
“Nothing like that. I wanted a word with you because I want to ask her to marry me – and I want to know if you’re okay with that.”
“You haven’t asked her yet?”
“No. I wanted to talk to you guys first. Wanted to know that you’re good with it.”
“Why?”
Ty scratched his beard as he thought about it. “That’s a good question. I mean, yeah, there’s the whole tradition thing: how a guy’s supposed to ask a girl’s dad for permission but … It’s not that. Or it’s not only that – I figured that part would mean something to all of you guys, because it’s my way of acknowledging that you all are a real family. But even aside from that, I like you guys, and I know Shayna loves you guys, and I wouldn’t want to put her or you in a bad situation if I asked her and she said yes, and you guys had a problem with me.”
Booker frowned. “Are you saying you wouldn’t ask her if I didn’t want you to?”
Ty pursed his lips. “I have to be honest with you, kid. No, I’m not saying that but … are you saying that you don’t want me to?”
Booker grinned. “No – I just had to see if you’d lie to me.”
Ty had to laugh. “You little shit, you had me worried for a second there.”
Booker laughed. “Good. I know that Shay loves you, and after everything that happened, I know you’ll do anything to keep her safe. But that doesn’t mean I won’t try to keep you on your toes.”
“I don’t have a problem with that.”
“Would you have a problem if I come to visit her sometimes? I’m going to miss her.”
Ty grasped his shoulder. “We already talked about that – I want to get you up there to visit. You want to learn to ride?”
Booker nodded eagerly.
“Then I give you my word – if you want me to teach you, I will.”
“Wow! Thanks, Ty!”
Ty grinned. “We’re going to be family, Booker, and everyone in my family rides.” He could see how much that meant to the kid – he’d spent years in foster care before he aged out and found himself on the street not that long ago. Now, he not only had a family, but he was about to gain a whole bunch of in-laws, too.
“Thank you – for including me.”
Ty nodded. “I told you, we’re family now. And when we get you up there, you’ll see just how many crazy brothers and sisters you’ve landed yourself with.”
From the way Booker smiled, Ty felt as though he’d just given the kid the best gift he’d ever received. He promised himself that he’d do everything he could to make Booker feel like he was part of the family.
“Are you going to ask her now?”
Ty felt bad when he said, “No – I know some people make a big deal out of it and want their family and friends around to share the moment, but that’s not me. This isn’t for anyone else – it’s just for me and Shay. I want to do it before we get home – I’m not going to do it with my family around but not yours. I wouldn’t do that.”
Booker smiled. “Relax. I wasn’t worried about that – but I would be a bit jealous if you did that. I was thinking about Shay. I don’t think she’d like it as much if you did it in front of a bunch of people.”
“I don’t either. Like I said, it’s just for us.”
“I won’t say good luck, because we both know that she’ll say yes, but tell her she needs to call us, will you? I know she’s going to be crazy happy and it’s awesome hearing her like that.”
“I will. You know her really well, don’t you?”
“I do. She’s awesome. Don’t worry, I don’t have crush on her or anything.” The face he made as he shuddered dispelled any doubts Ty might have had about that.
He had to laugh. “That’s the look I get when people talk about my sister Laney being hot.”
Booker dropped his gaze, and it wasn’t hard to guess what he was thinking – he’d met Laney when she came to visit Shay in the hospital.
Ty punched his arm. “I get it. I know she is – but remember she’s your sister now, too, and that’s just …” He gave a shudder of his own. Then he got up and offered Booker his hand. He hauled the kid to his feet. “Thanks, Booker.”
“Thank you, Ty. For taking care of her.”
“I always will – I give you my word.”
~ ~ ~
Shayna rested her head against Ty’s shoulder and looked out at the twinkling lights spread out before them. They were back in Salt Lake. The first couple of days of their road trip had been so much fun, and now they were back here, sitting on the same bench they’d come to the first day they met.
She’d been excited to stop at the same In N Out and happy to come and sit up here to eat.
Ty wiped his thumb over her cheek and then licked it. She laughed. “I’m such a mucky puppy when I eat.”
He laughed. “You’re cute as fuck.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Like a bunny?”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “No, when I think of bunnies, I’m not thinking cute.” He cupped his hand around the back of her neck, sending shivers chasing each other down her spine.
She leaned in to kiss him. “But you refuse to do that …”
He chuckled. “You won’t say it, will you?”
She shrugged. She said the word sometimes but not usually.
His eyes twinkled as he rested his forehead against hers. “Yes. I’m talking about fucking like bunnies, and no I haven’t refused – I would never refuse you, sweetheart. I just thought we should wait for a while until you were doing better.”
“I am, Ty!”
He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I know. So, what do you say, do you think we should make the most of that big ole hotel bed this time?”
“Yes!” She started to get to her feet, but he curled his arm around her and held her to his side.
She made a face at him. “You fed me a burger, brought me to see this amazing view again, you’ve been so sweet about revisiting the place we came to on our first real date, and now we get to have our first time in a hotel! Let’s go!”
“We will, but there’s something I want to ask you first.”
He looked so serious that her heart started to hammer. “What? What is it, Ty?”
He smiled. “Nothing bad. I just … I … Shit, I didn’t think I’d be nervous. Give me a minute?”
“Of course.”
He took a few deep breaths and then he slid down from the bench. She didn’t understand what he was doing at first, until he took hold of her hand, and she realized that he was on one knee.
Her eyes filled with tears.
He held her gaze, looking even more nervous than he had before.
“If it’s too soon – if you’re not ready, sweetheart, please don’t say no. Tell me to wait, but please don’t tell me no. See, you’re it for me, Shay. We’re meant to be, you and me. I want to make you my wife. I want to raise a family with you – if we can. I brought you up here tonight to remember a few of our firsts; I loved every one of them. But I’m asking you for the lifetime. I want to be your last everything.” He held up a gorgeous diamond solitaire ring. “I love you, Shay, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Yes, Ty! I love you. I want to marry you. It’s not too soon – even though it’s crazy fast.”
He slid the ring onto her finger and sat back on the bench beside her, carefully pulling her onto his lap as he claimed her mouth in one of his deep, searing kisses. She clung to his shoulder with her good arm and kissed him back.
When they finally came up for air, he kissed the tip of her nose.
“You going to be my MacFarland Rose, then?”
“I am.”
“Want to go back to the hotel and talk about bunnies?”
She laughed. “Yes!”
“Want to walk through the rest of this life by my side?”
“I do.”
He held her gaze and nodded. “I like the sound of those two words. I guess now that you’ve said them, and you have my ring on your finger, we’re official.”
She raised her eyebrows.
“I do, too. I love you. I’ll honor you, cherish you, protect you, keep you safe.”
She closed her eyes, and her heart felt as though it melted in her chest when he tightened his arms around her and held her a little closer as he whispered, “I’m going to love you forever, sweetheart.”
She opened her eyes and ran her fingers through his beard. “I’m going to love you forever, right back.”;