Page 12 of Her Cowboy's Valentine

The faint glow of dawn peeked through the curtains as Rebecca stirred, her eyes fluttering open to the soft light filling the room. She lay still for a moment, listening to the quiet hum of the ranch waking up outside, the gentle whicker of horses, and the distant crow of a rooster. Liam’s arm was draped around her waist, his breathing deep and steady against her shoulder. For the first time in weeks, she felt truly at peace.

A smile tugged at her lips. It was Valentine’s Day. Today was going to be special. She’d spent so much time planning and praying over her surprise for Liam, and now that it was finally here, her heart felt light with anticipation.

Carefully, Rebecca eased out of bed, making sure not to wake him. She grabbed her robe from the chair and tiptoed out of the room, her bare feet silent on the cool wooden floor. As she passed the kids’ rooms, she peeked inside. Mary was still curled up under her quilt, her braid draped over her shoulder. Jacob’s leg was sticking out from beneath his blanket, and Aaron was snuggled up with his stuffed horse. Rebecca’s heart swelled as she quietly closed their doors.

In the kitchen, she set to work preparing breakfast. She wanted to start the day with something special for her family.Pancakes, she decided, with fresh fruit and whipped cream. As she mixed the batter, the scent of coffee brewing filled the air, and she hummed softly to herself, feeling the joy of the morning settle in her chest.

Rebecca was flipping the first pancake when she heard the soft shuffle of footsteps behind her. She turned to see Liam leaning against the doorway, his hair mussed from sleep and a sleepy grin on his face.

“Good morning, darlin’,” he said, his voice low and warm.

“Good morning,” Rebecca replied, her cheeks flushing slightly under his gaze. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day.” He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and pressing a kiss to her temple. “You’re up early.”

“I wanted to make a nice breakfast for you and the kids,” she said, turning her head to look at him. “Someone’s got to get the day started around here.”

Liam chuckled, his breath warm against her ear. “You know you didn’t have to do all this, right? You’re already more than enough, Rebecca.”

Her heart fluttered, and she leaned into him for a moment before gently pulling away to check the pancakes. “Go wake the kids. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.”

Liam nodded, giving her a playful salute before heading down the hall. Moments later, the sound of little feet pounding on the floor filled the house as Mary, Jacob, and Aaron raced into the kitchen.

“Pancakes!” Mary exclaimed, climbing onto her chair.

“Can we have whipped cream, Mama?” Jacob asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

Rebecca laughed as she plated the pancakes, setting the stack in the middle of the table. “Of course. It’s Valentine’s Day.”

The family gathered around the table, their chatter and laughter filling the room. Rebecca watched them, her heart full as she passed plates and poured syrup. Liam caught her eye from across the table and gave her a soft, knowing smile that sent warmth straight to her soul.

As they bowed their heads to say grace, Rebecca closed her eyes and whispered her own prayer. “Thank You, Lord, for this family, for this love, and for every moment we share together.”

When she opened her eyes, Liam squeezed her hand gently.

It wasn’t a grand, sweeping moment, but as Rebecca sat there with her family, surrounded by laughter and love, she knew this was the start of a Valentine’s Day to remember.

Hours later, before it was time to make dinner, Rebecca stood at the kitchen counter, carefully arranging the pies she’d spent so much time perfecting. Each one sat proudly on its own plate, a testament to all the late nights, the prayers, and the determination she’d poured into this Valentine’s Day surprise. She bit her lip as she adjusted the pecan pie’s position, wanting everything to look just right.

Liam’s voice carried through the house, deep and steady as he spoke with Mary and Jacob, who had just come home from school. Rebecca smiled to herself, the sound warming her heart. She glanced at the clock. Aaron would be waking up from his nap any minute.

Taking a deep breath, she called out, “Liam, can you come in here for a second?”

“Be right there, darlin’,” he replied. A moment later, he walked into the kitchen, his hat in hand, his eyes immediately landing on the pies spread out across the counter. He stoppedin his tracks, his brows lifting in surprise. “Well, I’ll be. Did you bake all these?”

Rebecca nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly under his awed gaze. “Happy Valentine’s Day, cowboy.”

Liam stepped closer, his blue eyes warm and full of something she hadn’t seen in a while—pure, unfiltered admiration. “Rebecca, this is… I don’t even know what to say. You did all this for me?”

“For us,” she said softly.

“One, two… ten!”

“One for each year we’ve been married,” she said. “I wanted to remind you how much I love you.”

Liam smiled, his hand brushing her cheek as he leaned in and kissed her slow and gentle, full of gratitude. When he pulled back, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box. “Well, I guess it’s my turn.”

Rebecca’s heart skipped as she took the box from him, her fingers trembling slightly. When she opened it, a delicate silver charm rested inside, a simple yet elegant tiny horseshoe. Her breath caught.

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