Page 96 of One Lucky Cowboy

“Yep. He was doing that work on his own and is open to a buyout, which would be cool since he’s way more innovative than me at that stuff.”

“Where was his ranch?”

“He was more of a contractor. Last I heard, he was passing through Outcrop, Oregon, to check out the Wallace Ranch and the cool stuff they’re doing with horse breeding and sustainability. But he’ll be taking over the ranch house and all the crappy numbers stuff I always hated. Serves him right for abandoning us for a decade and a half, but he seems excited about it. Weirdo.” He smiled, and his eyes misted over until he wiped them. “Crazy how it all worked out, huh?”

Wow, had she missed a lot the past week, it seemed.

“It is. Almost too crazy. But wait. Then where will you and Ren live?” Because Maggie had sold this place like she’d been talking about for a year, and apparently the prodigal Marshall son was coming back to Deer Creek and taking over Jax’s place. That was the one kink she could find in Jax’s plan.

“We’ll fill you in on the rest of the details later, but first, you need the rest of your options.”

This was already a dream come true. For all of them, it seemed. More options would overwhelm her.

“Okay, so option three. Jill, I want to live with you. I wanna make a home with you, fight with you over who gets to snuggle the puppies when they come, and sleep beside you every night for the rest of our lives. And I don’t want to sneak back to some other place to do it. So, you should know Maggie sold her house to me.”

“Lemme guess,” Jill said, laughing now, “for the expensive price of a dollar?”

“Two. She doesn’t like me as much as you, apparently.”

Maggie shrugged, and Jill giggled.

“So, I’d like you to move in with me and help me build this place into our dream home. And before you answer, you should know Ren’s grandfather has given us an apartment in Austin for when you’re craving the city.”

Jill leaned back against the plush fabric of the overstuffed chair. She couldn’t rein it in, either. Jax and Maggie let her laugh until she finally, exhausted, sighed.

“This is insane. Is this what you all have been up to over there while I sat here worried I’d lost everything I ever cared about over here?”

“Yeah,” Jax admitted, his mischievous smile gleaming. “More or less. But wait, there’s more.”

“I can’t take any more.” Jill threw up her hands, but he grabbed them again as soon as she put them back on her lap. “This is already too much.”

“Nonsense. I’m actually just getting started. See, the final option is the one the examiner has been secretly pushing you toward because he hopes you’ll choose it. Those others were just a distraction.” He dropped to one knee but kept her hands in his. He kept them steady as he’d been doing all along. “Jill Henley, will you be my way better half, the Harry Styles to my One Direction, the Lily to my Gander for the rest of our lives? I want to marry you if you’ll have me, keeping in mind I come with a fifteen-year-old boy.”

She bit her lip to hide the grin she felt blooming. It took all of her fortitude to force a frown and shake her head.

“I’m sorry, but none of those answers feels right. I don’t think I can choose any of them.”

His neck bent forward, and his shoulders slumped.

She got out of her chair and sat on his lap like she’d done so many times before. Cupping his cheeks in her hands, she kissed him. For the past week of torture he’d put her through, she’d have liked to tease him a little longer, but she couldn’t wait to love him for the rest of her days.

“You didn’t give me an all of the above,” she said, kissing him again. “I want to date you, work beside you with Steel Born every day, and sleep beside you each night. And yes, I want to marry you, Jackson Marshall. But none of that works without the rest. So, I choose option five. All of the above.”

He stood, Jill still in his arms, and twirled her while they both laughed.

“Wait!” Jill exclaimed. Jax put her down, and she gave them both the tall, wrapped gifts. “I had something for you both. Not nearly what you’ve given me, but something I can give.”

They each opened their respective photos, and Jax had to clear his throat. “This is a helluva housewarming gift, love.” He kissed her, his gaze still on the image of him and Ren by the river. The sun lit their smiles and showed a father and son pleased to be in each other’s company. “Let’s put it above the mantel, huh?”

“That would be perfect.”

Behind them, Maggie sniffed.

“You two are so adorable, I can’t stand it!” Maggie pointed to her image of her and Bennett on the new tire swing he’d installed for her last summer, his hand on her stomach and their foreheads touching.

Jill hadn’t wanted to intrude on the tender moment, but she also wanted them to have a memory of their pregnancy.

“I love it more than you know. You somehow captured all of the joy we’re feeling, and all of the nerves, too.”

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