Page 64 of Haystacks and Hoaxes

“It’s to show off your boots,” Chanel explained. What she didn’t bother explaining was why it looked so much like a wedding dress.

“Wow! Thank you!” Mila didn’t dare look at Rock to see what he thought of the lovely dress. She carefully folded it back into its equally lovely box.

He’d saved his gift for last. As she unwrapped the oblong bundle, she was amazed to discover that he’d wrapped the beautiful vintage box that he’d shown her during her job interview.

She ran her fingers over the ox horn clasp and intricately carved beechwood, then raised her shining gaze to his. “You said there was a story behind the box that you would tell me someday.”

His dark eyes glinted with adoration at her, making the edges of his eyes crinkle. “It’s the only thing Gage and I have left from our birth parents. Our dad supposedly made this box.”

She fingered the delicate carvings. “Then you can’t give it away.” She handed it back.

“Open it first,” he coaxed.

She ever so carefully lifted the lid. Instead of the collection of pencils that had been arrayed inside it before, a single item nestled there — a glittering diamond solitaire.

“Rock?” Mila’s eyes widened as he took a knee in front of her.

“We’ve only known each other for a little over three weeks.” He took her trembling hand in his. “It was probably the toughest three weeks of your life, but it was the best three weeks of mine. You’re the one,” he announced with his heart in his eyes. “The one who believed I could walk again without a cane. The one who captured my heart. The one I fell in love with and want to marry. I know it’s a lot to ask. If you’re not ready, I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

“I’m ready.” She squeezed his hand, silently begging him to stand and take her in his arms before her knees finished giving out. “My answer is yes.”

Amid the cheering around them, he stood and slid the diamond solitaire on her finger. Then he laid the heirloom box on the coffee table and dipped her in a celebratory kiss that Decker covered his daughter’s eyes for.

Their gathering of family and friends couldn’t resist adding Lonestar Security’s latest win to their celebrating. They’d played a big role in wrapping up what the police were now calling the Haystacks and Hoaxes case.

Decker gave an impromptu speech, giving a special shout out to his team members who were present, “Because of hardworking investigators like Gage, Rock, Johnny, and Mila, we’ll keep bringing our cowboy brand of justice to the deserving citizens of Heart Lake.”

Mila liked the sound of that. She especially liked thesound of teaming up with her favorite soldier to make it happen.

“When are you two lovebirds gonna set a date?” In true Johnny style, Johnny Cuba changed the subject so fast that it gave Mila emotional whiplash. While she recovered, he tipped up a soft drink and guzzled it all the way down.

“Well, um…” She gave Rock a wide-eyed shrug. He’d just finished proposing to her. They hadn’t exactly had the time to hash out potential wedding dates.

Rock slid an arm around her and tugged her against his side. “As soon as this gal is ready to start putting up with me for the rest of her life.” His hard mouth brushed her cheek. “I’m ready to call that realtor and put a bid on the log cabin you said you liked,” he muttered for her ears alone. “Assuming you don’t want to keep looking.”

“Oh, wow, Rock,” she breathed. No, she didn’t want to keep looking. “That place is my dream home.” And now that she had her dream guy in her life, she couldn’t wait to take their next big step together.

His arm tightened around her. “I’ll give my realtor a call today and see if she’ll give us the grand tour this evening.” Whether by accident or by design, he hadn’t bothered keeping his voice lower for the last part of his declaration.

“Did you say realtor?” Carla Kingston’s eyes snapped with interest and no small amount of alarm.

“He did,” Mila informed her sweetly, bracing for an explosion.

Her mother didn’t disappoint her. “Mila Kingston,” she gasped. “You just informed me that I have a wedding to plan, and now you’re adding a house warming party to the mix?”

“Maybe we could combine it with the wedding shower,”Mila teased, knowing it would addle her orderly mother even further.

“Perish the thought!” Carla Kingston’s eyes nearly rolled back in her skull. “I thought I raised you better,” she squeaked.

“You tried your level best,” Mila chuckled, finally understanding that the woman’s endless criticisms had been aimed more at herself than at her daughter. Every time Mila had acted out as a child or a teenager, her mother had likely taken it as a personal failure in the parenting department.And over-corrected the mistake. Big time. Ugh!Boy, they had a lot of mending and repairing to do in their relationship! Things were going to be better between them going forward, though. Mila could feel it in her bones.

Instead of turning red and getting angrier like she would’ve done in the past, her mother’s face stretched into a smile. “Thank you for calling me your mother.” She sounded hesitant. “I was so worried after you found out?—”

“You’ll always be my mom,” Mila interrupted firmly. “I know things weren’t perfect after Dad died.” Looking back as an adult, she could see that things had been the hardest on her grieving, financially strapped single mom. “But if you hadn’t been there to steer me through my orneriness, I wouldn’t have made it to adulthood.”

“Just for the record, I’m looking forward to having a mother-in-law.” Rock jumped into the conversation at just the right moment, keeping things from getting too serious. “Fair warning, though. I’ve been without a mom for so long that you’re gonna have your work cut out for you.”

“Oh!” Carla Kingston’s expression softened with wonder. Looking at a loss for words, she reached for her husband’s hand.

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