Page 145 of Falling for Love

He’d been grinning like a kid with a secret, and the teasing smirk from earlier had softened into something warmer. But there was still a glint in his eye—a mix of mischief and excitement—that made me tilt my head.

“You’ve got that look,” I said, studying him.

“What look?” he asked, feigning innocence.

“The one that says you’re up to something. Spill it.”

Liam chuckled, his eyes drifting toward the lodge before flicking back to me.

“Nothing to spill.”

I straightened, narrowing my eyes further. “You’ve been looking at the lodge every two minutes. What’s going on?”

“Who says anything’s going on?”

“Uh-huh,” I said, crossing my arms tighter. “You’re not nearly as sneaky as you think, you know.”

“Is that right? Okay, fine. I’ll admit this wasn’t exactly how I pictured this moment.”

“What moment?” I asked, my curiosity spiking. “And what do you mean, this wasn’t how you envisioned it?”

He gestured at my mud-covered jeans and shirt, biting back a laugh. “I mean, when I pictured this, you weren’t completely covered in mud.”

“Glad to know I ruined your big moment.”

“Not ruined,” he said quickly, his voice softening. “Just... altered. Maybe even improved. Because honestly, this kind of beautifully fits us, don’t you think?”

Before I could respond, something caught my eye.

I turned just in time to see Hayden barreling down the hill from the lodge, his little legs pumping as he clutched something in his hands.

His bright and carefree laughter echoed through the air, swelling my heart.

“Hayden?” I called, frowning as I watched him sprint toward us. “What are you doing?”

Liam stepped back slightly, his expression softening as Hayden skidded to a stop at the paddock gate. My son’s cheeks were pink from the run, his grin stretching from ear to ear.

“Hi, Mom,” he said breathlessly.

“Hi, sweetheart,” I said, still trying to piece together what was happening. “What’s going on?”

Without answering, Hayden began unrolling something.

As the canvas unfurled, my breath caught in my throat. It was a banner, hand-painted with bold letters that read:

Mom, will you marry Liam?

My heart stopped.

Everything else fell away—the mud, the paddock, the zebra who’d caused all the chaos earlier. All I could see was Hayden, holding the banner proudly, and Liam, standing a few feet away, his expression nervous yet full of hope.

I turned to Liam, my eyes wide.

“What… what is this?”

He stepped closer, his hands slipping into his pockets as he looked at me.

“I told you I had a plan. I wanted it to be special, something that felt like us. And I couldn’t think of a better way than with Hayden here, helping me. And I know horses bring you strength and calm. It seemed right.”

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