Page 86 of The Cowboy's Surprise Return

Cole had asked her to marry him.

Cole Wylder.

For real. Not for pretend. For no other reason than he loved her.

“Jackie?”

She blinked, unable to overcome the shock.

“Did I break you?” he asked.

She nodded, and he laughed.

“So, JackieLynn? Will you marry me?”

“I don’t think moving this fast will help your reputation, you know. Have you thought this through?”

His expression fell.

“I’m kidding! Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you, Cole!”

He let out a breath of relief.

“Maybe before I move in, we should talk to your family.”

“I already did.”

“You did?”

He nodded. “I told them my plan.”

“Even this part?”

“No. This part was spontaneous.” He held up her bare ring finger. “I’ll have to fix this.”

“Nothing too big, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And so what did your family say about your plan?”

“They asked me what I was waiting for, and all but filled my truck with gas and handed me the keys so I’d get to the city and sweep you up.”

Jackie laughed. “You lie.”

“Not about this.” And then he gave her a kiss that told her everything she needed to know about just how serious he was when it came to how much he loved her.

* * *

Cole dropped his fiancée off in San Antonio with what was likely a world-record-breaking long kiss goodbye, and a promise to return in the morning with boxes to help her move home after she worked tonight's shift at the library before letting them know she was quitting. As he drove back through the beautiful Texas Hill Country he felt as though everything was falling into place for the first time since he’d come home to Sweetheart Creek.

When he’d started the fake relationship with Jackie, he’d had no idea it would turn out like this. That he would find what he was looking for. Something he hadn’t even known he needed.

As he turned down the driveway to Sweet Meadows Ranch, he marveled at the fact that tomorrow this would be Jackie’s home. His and Jackie’s. It felt right. Fast, just the way he liked things, and so very right.

He was getting married.

He let out a laugh and added his truck to the row of pickups lined up near the ranch house porch, between Brant’s and one he recognized as his father’s.

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